Ethan jogged lightly to a nearby gym. Well, not really nearby. It was eight kilometers away from his house, but that was the nearest.

  His feet hit the pavement, and to his surprise, he could get that steady rhythm he used to during his high school days. Besides, he did not feel tired at all.

  Ethan knew that the system had totally improved his physique. “Not bad,” he muttered.

  During his high school days, Ethan had been the star of his football (soccer) team. Some of his friends and coaches even expected him to make it pro one day.

  Besides, to add to people's jealousy, Ethan was academically smart, too.

  But things had changed after high school. Despite getting into the university with a scholarship, it was not enough. He needed to help his family and cover a few other expenses.

  He was juggling his life between part-time jobs and classes. He could not continue his passion for the sports he loved the most. However, the love never faded.

  When Ethan reached the gym, he could feel people staring at him. He was wondering why. 'Maybe my attire screamed that I'm from one of the top universities in this country.'

  Ethan had not realized it yet. The reason for the stares was that his body was slowly taking on the ideal proportions. He was lean, muscular, and... athletic.

  When he reached the counter, he was greeted warmly by the staff. “Good morning! Welcome to Super Core Fitness. First time here?”

  Ethan nodded with a smile and paid the entry fee. “Yeah.”

  "It is $7 per entry. Cash or card?" asked the staff.

  "Card," replied Ethan. When everything was processed, Ethan was granted access to the main area.

  He scanned the gym. The truth was that Ethan was not familiar with the equipment and the kind of exercises people do at the gym. He could see rows of treadmills being lined tidily on one side.

  On the other side, there were a variety of weight machines and dumbbells or... barbells? He was not really familiar with the names. What he knew right now was that he was unsure of where to start.

  “I need to get familiarized first,” he murmured. He had this habit of scratching his head whenever he was unsure of something.

  Thankfully, before he could decide, a soft chime echoed in his mind. It was then followed by a familiar glow coming from the system notification.

  He quickly took out his phone from his pocket. He was pretending to check his phone. Ethan knew well that he should avoid the awkward stares in public.

  =====

  [New Mission: Testing Limits]

  Objectives:

  Complete the following sets to test and measure your major physical attributes:

  1. Deadlift: Test maximum strength (3 sets, gradually increasing weight).

  2. Sprint: Achieve maximum speed over 100 meters (3 attempts).

  3. Long-Distance Run: Measure endurance by completing a 10-kilometer run.

  4. Weighted Pull-Ups: Test upper body strength and endurance (2 sets to failure).

  5. Agility Test: Navigate through a timed obstacle course (3 attempts).

  Rewards:

  1. 2000 EXP

  2. +10 points to all attributes

  3. 30 Free Attribute Points

  4. 20 Ascension Points

  =====

  Ethan could not help but smile as he read the details. “This is better,” he said under his breath. “At least now I know what to do.”

  But a moment later, a thought struck him. He had no idea how to perform half of these exercises properly.

  “Great,” he muttered, glancing around the gym. “Now what?”

  He resolved to figure it out step by step. He believed he could complete the mission while learning every single exercise mentioned for this mission. He had time.

  Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

  “Ethan? Is that you?”

  Ethan turned quickly as if his reaction and reflexes improved tremendously with all the leveling up. He took in the sight of the person who called his name.

  It was a woman.

  The woman stood just a few feet away. Her sleek and fitted gym outfit had done its part in accentuating her curvy yet athletic frame.

  Her loose ponytail framed her face, and her bright smile highlighted her sharp, even features.

  She was beautiful—undeniably so. The kind of beauty that turned heads. But that was not the one really catching Ethan's attention. He felt a strange sense of familiarity.

  Ethan stared at her. He was wondering. Where had he seen her before?

  “What? Don't tell me you've forgotten me,” she teased.

  She crossed her arms, making her breasts stand out more before saying, “I thought the famous Ethan Cole had a better memory than that.”

  Ethan blinked, the puzzle pieces clicking into place. “Wait a minute... Is that you, Phoebe?” he asked in a surprised tone.

  “Well, I am. The one and only,” she said before giving Ethan a playful bow.

  Phoebe from high school—his old friend. Back then, she had been beautiful, too, but she was… different now. More confident, more radiant. In high school, despite her looks, no guy ever dared to approach her.

  There had been a running rumor that she wasn’t into men, which kept most of them at bay. Ethan had never believed the gossip, but it had added to her enigmatic allure.

  “You’ve… changed,” Ethan said, still taking her in.

  Phoebe smiled and said, “You really are the one to talk. Look at you! You don’t even look like the same Ethan Vale from high school. What happened?”

  Ethan chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Life, I guess? And, uh… calisthenics?”

  Phoebe gave him a look that screamed disbelief. “Callisthenics?” she repeated, her tone filled with teasing skepticism. “Ethan, you’re telling me you have a body like that just by doing a few push-ups and pull-ups?”

  “Hey, it’s not just push-ups,” Ethan said defensively, though his grin betrayed his embarrassment. “There’s running, football back in the day, and… well, okay, maybe a little bit of luck.”

  Hearing Ethan's words made Phoebe roll her eyes, more of being amused. She laughed and shook her head. “Well, I choose to believe you. But seriously... Why did you look completely lost when I walked in?”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Ethan glanced around, trying to regain some composure. “It’s… my first time at a gym,” he admitted. “Figured it was time to test my limits, you know? See what I’m capable of.”

  Phoebe grinned, stepping closer. “First time, huh? And here I thought you were some seasoned pro with the way you walked in like you owned the place.”

  Ethan smirked, his confidence returning slightly. “I looked like one, right?”

  “Actually, you do,” Phoebe said. It was hard for her to control her laugh. He did not remember that Ethan was this funny in high school.

  Well, the truth was, they were not that close since Ethan had always hung out with Jordan. They did talk once in a while or maybe during group assignments.

  "Anyway, you're lucky because I, your old friend, know her way around a gym," teased Phoebe. "Want me to help?"

  Ethan hesitated for a moment. He was not really familiar with conversing with women, but now he wanted to have a woman gym partner? However, thinking that this would be a perfect opportunity for him to complete his mission, he could not reject this offer.

  "That'd be great. Thanks, Phoebe," Ethan said quickly.

  Phoebe clapped her hands together. Obviously excited to help. “Now, please tell me what kind of exercises you want to do, Mr. Callisthenics.”

  Ethan chuckled at Phoebe's remarks. He cleared his throat and said, “Actually, I came across a few workout sets online, and I wanted to give them a shot. You know, test myself.”

  Phoebe raised an eyebrow. Her hands were now on her hips. “Workout sets, huh? Let’s hear it. What are we talking about? Squats? Bench presses? Deadlifts?”

  Ethan hesitated for a moment. The system’s mission flashed in his mind—the series of exercises it had tasked him with testing his limits. He couldn’t exactly say, “Oh, it’s part of a mission from a system implanted in my brain,” so he played it safe.

  “Uh, yeah,” Ethan said casually. “Stuff like that. The usual strength and endurance tests.”

  Phoebe smirked, her interest piqued. “Alright, Mr. Callisthenics. I think you should start with the basics. We’ll begin with deadlifts. That would be the best for you to test your limit. Come on.”

  She led him to the weightlifting area, drawing glances from others as she walked. Phoebe had a natural magnetism about her; her confidence and determination radiated from the way she moved.

  “Alright,” Phoebe said. She moved carefully when she stepped in front of the barbell. “Deadlifts work your whole body," she started. "You’ll feel it in your back, legs, arms, and core. Now... watch closely.”

  Phoebe started to bend down to demonstrate. Without a doubt, her movements were fluid and precise, as one would expect from a seasoned fitness enthusiast. She gripped the bar with strong arms and lifted the weight smoothly, maintaining perfect form.

  After completing the motion a few times, she put down the bar and turned to Ethan, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Now it’s your turn," she said as she stepped aside.

  Ethan walked up to the bar, feeling excited. He copied her stance, held the bar tightly, and then lifted it. To his surprise, the weight felt… light. Almost too light.

  Phoebe’s eyes widened slightly. “Wait, that’s your first try? You made it look easy.”

  Ethan set the bar down and shrugged nonchalantly. “Uh, yeah. I guess I’ve got some hidden strength.”

  Phoebe laughed. “Hidden strength, my ass. Alright, let’s add more weight. If you did this well on your first try, let's see what else you can do.”

  She added more plates to the bar, wondering how much longer Ethan would keep pretending. Her actions were drawing even more attention from people in the gym.

  Ethan followed her lead, lifting the heavier weight with just as much ease. He did everything with ease for the first and second sets. By the third set, even Phoebe looked surprised.

  “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?” she asked, sounding both playful and a bit doubtful.

  Ethan smiled awkwardly. “Callisthenics,” he said simply, earning an amused shake of her head.

  Phoebe led him to the next exercise: squats. She demonstrated again, her movements poised and controlled, drawing yet another round of appreciative glances from the gym-goers.

  Ethan noticed how her posture changed and how her confidence showed in her movements. He understood why people found her interesting other than her beauty. However, his mind was on the task he needed to complete.

  “Your turn,” Phoebe said, stepping aside.

  Ethan stepped under the bar, the loaded weight pressing onto his shoulders. He bent his knees and straightened effortlessly, surprising even himself. Squats felt like second nature, his upgraded attributes making the motion fluid and almost too easy.

  “Stop messing with me, Ethan,” Phoebe said, hands on her hips. “This is way too well for a first-timer.”

  “Natural talent?” Ethan offered with a grin.

  “Or maybe you have another identity? A superhero, maybe,” she said with a chuckle. “Okay, what’s next on your workout plan?”

  Pull-ups were next. Phoebe gestured to the pull-up bar. “Let’s see how you do with these. Most people struggle to get to ten.”

  Ethan nodded and grabbed the bar, hoisting himself up with ease. Ten pull-ups? No problem. Twenty? Barely breaking a sweat. By the time he hit his fifty, that was when Phoebe was looking at him with her mouth slightly open.

  "Okay, Ethan. You can stop because I believe now you're just showing off," she said. Her voice showed that she admired him a little.

  Ethan landed softly on his feet. “I'm surprised as you are, too.”

  The other gym-goers had taken notice by now, whispering amongst themselves as they watched Ethan breeze through every exercise Phoebe threw his way.

  From endurance-based circuits to heavy lifts, nothing seemed to faze him. Soon, people started to give him approving nods. Some even stopped their workouts to watch him.

  Phoebe felt both impressed and confused. She knew Ethan was talented back in high school—smart, football prodigy, and disciplined. But this?

  This was something else entirely. However, three years of not meeting each other was more than enough time for any of them to change completely.

  “You’re a cyborg,” she said. She had lost count of how many times she had shaken her head today. “You were not like this during high school.”

  Ethan scratched his head and tried not to let the attention distract him. “Lucky change, I guess.”

  Phoebe raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Sure, whatever it is, you’re doing great. But don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re impressive. We’re doing one more set, and then I’ll think about letting you leave.”

  Ethan chuckled. “Bring it on.”

  After an hour, Ethan finished his last set of exercises. His muscles felt tired, but he still had some energy inside him.

  Sweat dripped from his forehead, and he was breathing harder now, but he smiled with satisfaction. He had pushed himself to the brink—this was what he came for.

  Phoebe had reached her limits much earlier. Now, she was sitting on a nearby bench. She leaned back with her arms on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She wiped her face with a towel and looked at Ethan with both disbelief and frustration.

  “How… are you still moving?” Phoebe gasped for breath, her face red from effort. “I feel like I’m dying over here.”

  Ethan laughed and rubbed his neck. “Honestly, I’m feeling tired now,” he said. “It’s not just you.”

  But he knew the truth—he had only discovered his limits after finishing every task the system gave him.

  Until now, everything had felt strangely manageable. In the final moments, he pushed himself to mirror every movement that Phoebe showed him, and that’s when he felt his body struggling.

  Phoebe tried hard, but her excitement faded because the exercises were so intense.

  Still, her determination was clear. Every time, she’d grit her teeth and demonstrate the form perfectly before gesturing for Ethan to follow.

  And every single time, Ethan replicated her movements with ease.

  Everyone in the gym noticed it, including her. Whispers had started circulating. People paused their routines to steal glances at Ethan, some murmuring quietly about how effortless he made everything look.

  A few regular gym-goers, men and women alike, had stopped altogether, leaning against equipment as they observed.

  One guy muttered under his breath, “He’s not human.”

  Phoebe threw the towel over her shoulder and sat back on the bench, squinting at Ethan. “Okay, you have to tell me,” she said seriously but playfully. “Are you secretly training for a movie role or something? Don’t tell me you’re about to become some big action star.”

  Ethan laughed, trying to wave off the idea. “You’re giving me way too much credit.”

  “Too much credit?” Phoebe huffed, sitting up straight. “Ethan, you literally just completed everything I threw at you without breaking a sweat. Well, that was amazing for a first-timer.”

  She accused him by pointing her finger at him.“I call BS on this calisthenics-only story of yours.”

  Ethan shrugged innocently, though inside, he was feeling quite pleased. “What can I say? I’m just lucky, I guess.”

  Phoebe gave him a look but let it slide, shaking her head as she stood up. “Well, Mr. Lucky, you’ve officially embarrassed half the gym. Including me.”

  Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Hey, you’re the one who showed me everything. You’ve been doing this a lot longer than me.”

  “True,” Phoebe replied, smirking, “but you basically made me look like I’ve been slacking off for years.”

  They both shared a laugh as Phoebe stretched out her arms and shoulders, trying to shake off her fatigue. Ethan, meanwhile, checked his phone and was greeted with the familiar blue notification screen from the system.

  =====

  [Mission Complete: Testing Limits]

  Objectives:

  ? Successfully complete strength, speed, and endurance exercises to determine your limits.

  Rewards:

  ? 2,000 EXP

  ? 10 points added to all attributes

  ? 30 Free Attribute Points

  ? 20 Ascension Points

  =====

  Ethan’s smile widened subtly as he absorbed the reward. He tried his best to hide his pain and remained calm. Getting an upgrade of ten points for each attribute was not a small feat.

  ‘That’s a big boost,’ he thought, trying not to look too pleased with himself. He quickly dismissed the screen before Phoebe could notice.

  “Well, I'm done,” Phoebe said.

  She grabbed her water bottle, a big one that she brought. She was extremely exhausted and in need of water. “Oh. Just for your information, I'll drag you again for another round. I wonder how long you'll keep your calisthenics excuse."

  Ethan chuckled, rising to his feet. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  Phoebe rolled her eyes but grinned. “Come on, let’s get out of here before people start asking for your autograph.”

  As they walked toward the exit, Ethan couldn’t help but reflect on the mission and his limits. He had pushed himself harder than ever before, and while it took effort to finish, he didn’t crumble under the pressure.

  The rewards were well worth it, and now his body felt stronger, sharper—like he was becoming the version of himself he always wanted to be.

  Glancing sideways at Phoebe, who was rambling about needing a full day of rest after this, Ethan smiled faintly. She had no idea how far he’d truly come, and for now, he was perfectly okay keeping it that way.

  After all, the system—and the road ahead—was his secret to carry for now.