The day dawns quietly, bathed in golden light. Sunlight pours through the window of the small medieval house, dancing softly across the wooden floor.

  Kaien slowly opens his eyes. His body still aches from the battle the night before, and the first thing he sees is his Rank O sword, resting beside the bed like a silent guardian.

  He tries to get up... but just before he steps out of his room—

  [(Elry System)]

  Daily Quest:

  Do 50 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, and run 2 km.

  Difficulty: Easy

  Reward: Mysterious Box

  Kaien drops to his knees with a groan, eyes still half-closed from sleep.

  — Seriously...? I just woke up...

  Despite the grumbling, he lowers himself to the floor with a sigh.

  — Alright... 1... 2... 3...

  His body protests. At five push-ups, his arms give out and he collapses.

  He slaps the floor.

  — Ugh... 45 more to go...

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  But he takes a deep breath... and keeps going.

  — 6... 7... 8... 9...

  Sweat begins to drip. Muscles start to burn. Still, he pushes through.

  — ...15... 16... 20... 30... 40... 50!

  He falls flat on the floor, chest heaving, eyes closed for a second.

  Then, slowly, he sits up and wipes his forehead.

  — Okay... now sit-ups... only 25...

  Lying back down, he stares at the ceiling. Inhales.

  — 1... 2... 3... 4... 5...

  His voice echoes in the quiet room. Sweat trickles down his temple.

  — 20... 21... 22... 23... 24... 25!

  He collapses again, arms spread out like he just defeated a dragon.

  A few moments pass. Then, dragging himself up, he stumbles out of the room

  In the kitchen, Luna sips warm milk and nibbles on bread. At the sound of footsteps, she glances up.

  — Well, well... look who’s awake... idiot—

  But the sentence stops mid-air.

  She blinks, surprised.

  Kaien looks... different. His hair is a bit messier, his body more toned, his posture stronger. Even his eyes seem a bit more focused.

  Luna blushes, quickly looking away.

  Kaien, as clueless as ever, doesn’t notice.

  — Luna, I’ll go run a couple kilometers real quick, okay?

  — O-Okay...

  She nods, suddenly very interested in her bread.

  Kaien steps outside and breathes in the fresh morning air. The medieval village is still waking up. He runs 1 km away… then back.

  When he returns, shirt sticking to his body with sweat, Luna is still at the table

  And even redder than before.

  Kaien scratches his head, confused, and heads straight to his room.

  [(Elry System)]

  Daily Quest Complete. Reward incoming...

  A green aura materializes at the center of the room. It glows softly, pulsing like a magical heartbeat.

  A Mysterious Box floats in the air and opens slowly before Kaien’s eyes. He watches, still lying on the bed, barely catching his breath.

  Inside... something gleams.

  [Green Rune acquired]

  +50% energy regeneration. -25% agility.

  — Whoa... that's actually kinda useful.

  [(Elry System)]

  Add to Inventory?

  Kaien nods.

  The rune sparkles and dissolves into shimmering green particles. In his floating system panel, the rune icon appears with a soft metallic chime.

  The interface closes.

  Kaien closes his eyes, finally ready to rest—

  But then... something stirs in the heart of the village.

  At the center square, the ground begins to glow. A pulse of green light radiates outward as a portal opens slowly, accompanied by a deep, echoing hum.

  > Portal Rank: O–B

  Hunters, mages, and healers rush toward it, eager to enter.

  But the moment they approach...

  The portal rejects them.

  A force pushes them back violently—

  As if the portal itself were choosing who may enter.