Ethan jolted awake to the melodic chime echoing in his room.
[Daily Quest Initiated!]
- Run 100km: [00/100]
- Do 100 Push-Ups: [00/100]
- Do 100 Sit-Ups: [00/100]
- Stay Focused for 3 Hours (Stop Being a Pervert): [00:00]
[Time Limit: 24 Hours]
[Penalty: Instant Teleportation to a Beast Plane for 3 Days]
[Note: You Can Die! Failure of Even One Quest Will Trigger the Penalty]
"What the hell?!" Ethan exclaimed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes in disbelief.
"Honey boo? What's wrong?" came a sweet, concerned voice.
Ethan turned to see Harley perched on his bed, a playful smile lighting up her face.
"Nothing! I'm just... surprised," he stammered, still processing the absurdity of the system's demands. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to keep you company last night," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We actually did it!"
"D-Did what?!" Ethan's heart raced, and he instinctively grasped at his pajama pants.
"Slept together!" she giggled, oblivious to his flustered reaction.
"Wait, s-slept together? Like...?"
"Not what you're thinking, kid! I mean we shared a bed." Her laughter danced through the room.
"Seriously? And that got you this happy? We've been doing that since I was two!" He was taken aback.
"It's different now that you're of age. It just feels... different. Anyway, get ready for school. Bye!" Before Ethan could respond, Harley bolted out of the room, leaving him in a daze. She was incredibly fast for a healer.
Ethan hurriedly prepared himself, eager to see his mom before school. When he arrived downstairs, the aroma of breakfast enveloped him. His mom and Harley were setting the table, and he was in for a treat.
His mother had prepared Thai chicken chowder, hot oat bran cereal topped with fresh fruit, and steaming milk. Each bite was heavenly, and Ethan savored it, while Harley expressed her delight with moans of pleasure.
After breakfast, Ethan slung his bag over his shoulder, his spirits high. He planned to tackle one of his quests on the way to school.
The school was 150km away, and he figured he could run part of the distance to complete the "Run 100km" quest. Normally, he walked and was always late, but today felt different.
He donned his blue hoodie, black sweatpants, and white sneakers, leaving his hair in its usual messy state. With his circular black glasses adorned with gold designs at the joints, he felt confident as he set out. He plugged in his air pods, cranked up the music, and transitioned from a jog to a full run.
The first 50km passed without incident, but as he pushed to 65km, fatigue began to creep in. The last stretch, above 70km, felt almost insurmountable, and the system's voice, Zark, taunted him from within.
"Come on, slowpoke! Keep it moving!"
Ethan gritted his teeth. He couldn't let the system get to him. Determined, he pressed on and finally reached the checkpoint marking the end of his run. Surprisingly, he wasn't drenched in sweat; he had prepared for a change of clothes but felt it unnecessary. Still, fatigue weighed heavily on him, and the desire to rest gnawed at his resolve.
Suddenly, Zark chimed in again.
[Bonus Quest Initiated!]
- Surpass Your Limits (Run More Than 102km)
[Reward: Special Gift Card]
[Note: It's an Optional Quest. You Can Choose to Do It or Not]
"Finally, something fun!" Ethan declared to himself, feeling invigorated.
He pushed himself harder, his legs screaming in protest, but he was determined to exceed his limits.
"Wow, I got here pretty fast!" Ethan exclaimed as he reached the school entrance, panting but exhilarated. He had completed the run with five minutes to spare, pushing past expectations. The system buzzed in his mind, noting his impressive feat.
As he caught his breath, a blue ball suddenly hurtled toward him. Reacting instinctively, he rolled aside just as it exploded, sending shards of ice spiraling outward. The icy tendrils spread rapidly toward him, but Ethan focused, feeling energy surge within him. Bright blue runes materialized on his face, forming a serpent-like mask as an invisible barrier sprang up just in time to absorb the blast. The effort drained 90% of his remaining energy, but he managed to stave off the icy onslaught.
When the frost dissipated, leaving only a delicate snowflake in its wake, Ethan was left gasping for breath. "What the hell? Who wants me dead?"
A girl approached, exuding confidence and an air of authority. She was striking, with flowing blue hair pulled into a ponytail, smooth white skin, and glassy blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. Dressed in a red jacket adorned with snowflake designs, she exuded both beauty and danger.
"Hey, handsome. Sorry for the trouble! I was testing a new skill. I'm Pisces, one of the Zodiacs. And you are?" she said with a playful smirk, clearly enjoying the attention of the gathered crowd.
"Phew! Tch! I'm Ethan. A newly awakened mage. Thanks for almost killing me. Really appreciate it," he replied, his annoyance flaring.
"A newly awakened? And you're this strong? You must be lying!" Her confidence wavered, her eyebrows knitting together in disbelief.
"Lying? What would I gain from lying to a prestigious Zodiac?" Ethan shot back, crossing his arms.
"Such bad manners. I still don't believe you, commoner. You managed to stop my new skill," she retorted, her pride bristling.
"Believe what you want. Check with the principal for my records if you're so curious. I've got better things to do." He turned away, the serpent tattoos fading as he walked off, leaving Pisces fuming.
"Wait! You can't just walk away!" a male voice called out.
Leon Richards, one of the academy's Tyrants, stepped forward, his posture exuding arrogance. He was a striking figure, with ice-blue eyes and hair styled in a quiff, echoing the regal aura of Pisces.
"You dare speak to a Zodiac like that? I challenge you to a duel. You have a month to prepare!" he proclaimed; his gaze locked onto Ethan.
Ethan turned to face them, smirking. "Brother and sister, I see. So shameless!" He brushed past them, leaving their embarrassment hanging in the air as he made his way to class.
As he walked, he felt the familiar vibration of a notification from the system but decided to check it later. Today was already shaping up to be far more interesting than he had anticipated.