Ryan’s feet touched the ground gently, like a feather of pigeon falling on the ground. The glowing light around him started to fade slowly.
The sky went back to normal, and for a moment everything felt so normal.
Then—
BAM.
He was face-first on the floor, groaning on the floor as his cheek met the cold concrete tiles.
’Ow—what the fuck!? You couldn’t just, I don’t know, maybe lower me like a civilized being or something.’
[Didn’t you say that you wanted to lose weight?]
The system replied, voice was calm and totally unapologetic.
[That was a gentle landing compared to what’s coming for you in the future. You want to be a beast and can’t handle a normal fall? Stop expecting these types of soft treatments, fatso.]
Ryan got a bit sad. ’Hey... you don’t have to be mean with me.’
System didn’t reply to him, Ryan got completely ignored.
Ryan pushed himself up off the ground. "You’re such a dick, you know that?"
The system ignored him again. Instead, it chimed.
[New Quest Generated.]
[Small Quest: Stairmaster Begins]
[Climb 500 stairs]
[Reward: ???]
[Failure: No progress. No excuses.]
’Climb 500 fucking stairs??’ Ryan blinked. ’Seriously? That’s your idea of a small quest? What’s a big quest then.’
Ryan said while being in utter shock.
[Do you want to stay 90 kg fatso forever?]
Ryan grumbled under his breath. ’Of course No...’
[Then get up and start walking. You live on the 10th floor, the lift’s disabled until you complete your quest.]
Ryan’s jaw dropped. "Wait what!? You turned off the elevator? That’s a fucking child abuse."
[No, fatty. That’s called motivation.]
Ryan let out a long, miserable sigh. His knees already hurt just by thinking about the stairs. ’Oh God, I hate this shit already.’
He stopped at the bottom of his apartment complex, staring up at the endless concrete, it felt like it was Mount Everest.
’Alright...’ he muttered. "Stairs, a lot of stairs. Not a big deal. One step at a time. Here we go."
As he said that he put his first step.
ONE
TWO
TEN
THIRTY
FIFTY
By the time he hit the 100th step, his breath was already falling apart like crazy. His shirt stuck to his back, his thighs were burning like they were on fire.
He was panting, he leaned against the railing for short breath.
"I never... huff... realized that it was this damn high." He wheezed. "I always took the damn lift... this is fucking inhumane."
His lungs felt like they were made of cardboard at that time, his legs started to wobble. His vision was starting to blur from the sweat which was dripping into his eyes.
But he kept going for more and more.
Each step felt like a personal insult from the system, like it was trying to mock him with every single foot he lifted.
Finally, it was floor ten now.
His hand fumbled with the key, and he practically collapsed when he reached inside of his apartment.
The moment the door clicked behind him, he fell flat on his floor.
"Dead... I’m fucking dead... just bury me already... Tell my mom that I tried."
His limbs were jelly, his shirt was soaked through with his sweat. His entire body screamed for peace.
[Quest Complete.]
A familiar DING echoed through his brain.
[Quest Complete: Stairmaster Begins]
[Reward: 1 kg weight loss]
[Progress: 89 kg remaining]
Ryan blinked. He stared at the blue screen slowly hovering in the air, then slowly peeled himself off the floor.
"Wait, wait, wait! One kg?! Already? That was fucking fast."
A flicker of excitement sparkled inside him.
He rushed—well, staggered slowly to the mirror in the bathroom, ignoring the soreness in his legs.
He turned sideways, looked at his gut. Lifted his shirt slowly.
There was nothing, still flabby, still round as a ball, still very much same Ryan West which he used to be.
’The fuck? I don’t see any type of changes’
[You were 90 kilograms of unrefined fat, Ryan. You expect to look like a K-drama lead after dropping one kilo?]
Ryan grumbled. "Don’t say it like that. I thought I’d look a little less... fat."
[You took one step. Be glad you moved at all.]
He stared at the mirror for a while, a small drop of sweat started running down his nose. His breath still came in short gasps.
But his eyes, they looked sharper, more focused.
’One kg down’ it wasn’t much but it was something for him. A milestone.
He collapsed back onto the floor, hands over his eyes.
"Okay... first step done."
He could still hear Sophia’s harsh words, still feel the bruises he got from Josh and the other assholes.
’Never again... Tomorrow... tomorrow I start taking everything back.’
The next morning came too fast.
Ryan’s body was sore, his legs felt like they would give up any time. Even turning over in his bed made him wince in pain.
He sat up slowly, groaning. "Fuck... is this what dying feels like?"
[You’re alive. Barely alive, fatso.]
"Gee, thanks for your kind encouragement, system sir." He said while controlling his anger.
He dragged himself out of his bed, still half-asleep, and slowly went to the sink to wash his face.
A blue shimmering light popped up.
[New Quest: Daily Mobility Challenge]
[Objective:]
[Run 500 meters]
[Walk 5,000 steps to school]
[Reward: Fatigue Resistance + Progress toward stamina growth]
[Bonus Reward: ??? if completed before 9:00 AM]