Chapter 13 – Points Gained
The system, as always, didn't respond.
Not that Zane expected it to. By now, he had already come to understand that silence was its preferred language. Still, even without a direct answer, he knew the truth. His body hadn't just randomly become stronger overnight. That wasn't how the world worked.
'So it really did enhance me…' he mused silently.
As strange and uncertain as the whole thing was, the results weren't exactly something to complain about. A subtle energy coursed through his limbs—real and undeniable. His body felt sharper, more in-tune. For someone like Zane, who had always pushed himself past his limits just to maintain the bare minimum, this sudden surge of vitality was... invigorating.
"I don't hate this," he said quietly, closing his eyes as he soaked in the newfound strength. "Feels… energizing."
The thought lingered, accompanied by an uneasy twinge in his gut. The fact that the system had this kind of authority over his body—over his very biology—was unsettling, to say the least. If it could grant him power, what was stopping it from doing the opposite? What if, one day, it decided to turn on him?
'I don't really have a choice, do I?' he thought grimly. 'All I can do is trust that it won't betray me… and prepare in case it does.'
It wasn't a comforting conclusion, but it was the only one that made sense. This contract, whatever it truly was, had been forced upon him without consent. But so far, the results spoke for themselves. The system hadn't hurt him. In fact, it had done the opposite.
"Well, since I'm feeling this good," Zane muttered, shaking his head free of the darker thoughts, "might as well make use of it."
A surge of motivation flowed through him, stronger than anything he'd felt in weeks. Training was no longer just a habit—it was an opportunity. He hadn't planned on doing anything intense, not with his injuries still fresh, but that idea was already slipping away. Curiosity was a powerful motivator.
He wanted to know his new limits.
Dropping to the floor, he positioned himself for push-ups again, this time with focused intent. His palms pressed firmly against the floor, and he started moving—up, down, steady.
"One… two… three…"
Each repetition felt smoother than the last. His body was light, fluid, almost unnaturally flexible. He reached ten push-ups in seconds, with no real fatigue to speak of. In fact, it felt like his muscles were welcoming the strain rather than resisting it.
'This is so odd,' he thought, eyes narrowed. 'My entire body feels lighter, more efficient. It's like I skipped months of training overnight.'
His heart pounded—not from the exertion, but from sheer excitement. For the first time in his life, he could feel a tangible leap in his physical ability. Years of grinding away at his limits had never produced anything like this.
He pressed on, reaching twenty push-ups… then thirty.
When he passed forty, the familiar ache began to creep back in. His arms started to tremble, and his breath grew labored. But even then, Zane gritted his teeth and powered through.
"I can… do more!"
Forty-six. Forty-seven. Every push-up now felt like a war between his body and his willpower. But Zane had long since learned how to weaponize his pain.
When everything else in life had given up on him, his stubborn will had been the only thing left standing. Even when things were completely hopeless, he found that will to continue, for his mother, for that desire that ate away at his brain for years and years. He wasn't simply going to give up, even if the sky itself falls on his head.
Zane forgot how to give up a long time ago.
"Fif…ty!" he gasped, one final burst of strength lifting him up.
Then he collapsed.
His chest heaved as he lay on the floor, drenched in sweat. His arms ached, his ribs stung, and his lungs burned—but a wild satisfaction sparked in his eyes.
'Fifty… I did fifty in one go,' he marveled. 'No breaks, and I'm not even fully healed. If I can do this now, how much more once I've recovered?'
He had never felt this kind of progress before. The highest he'd ever managed was thirty—on a good day, when everything had aligned perfectly. And yet here he was, smashing past that like it was nothing.
"Wow… This is no joke… I'm actually so much stronger now, I can feel it—"
Ding.
A sharp chime rang in his head, interrupting his thoughts. Then a translucent screen flickered into existence.
[You have gained +1 point in Strength.]
Zane's breath hitched as he felt something surge through him again—a tiny jolt of raw energy that pulsed through his limbs, subtle yet undeniably real.
He sat up slowly, eyes wide.
"My strength… increased? Just from doing push-ups?" he muttered in disbelief. He glanced at the system screen, then down at his own trembling hands. "I… I can feel it. It's real."
It was the same sensation from before—the same surge of power the system gave him. That strange, addictive rush of power. It was faint, but distinct. Almost… euphoric.
The realization struck him like a lightning bolt.
"If that gave me one point…" he whispered, a spark of obsession forming in his eyes, "then maybe I can earn more?"
He clenched his fists tightly, trembling—not from weakness, but anticipation.
"I want to see how far this can go."
And with that, Zane threw himself back into training.
His body still ached, but he pushed through the soreness with single-minded focus. He cycled through every exercise he could remember—sit-ups, squats, lunges, crunches. Anything that could challenge his muscles, he did it. He wasn't just working out anymore. He was testing a system. Grinding experience points.
For once in his life, he had something to show for his effort.
The pain faded into the background as the numbers became his new obsession.
Minutes passed.
Then—ding.
[You have gained +1 point in Strength.]
"Yes!" he gasped, grinning through the pain.
His limbs throbbed, but they also felt alive. With every point, it was like a veil was being lifted—like he was finally tapping into the potential he'd never been able to reach before. Each move, each grunt and each droplet of sweat felt like he was finally digging through all that rough and broken parts to find the true power hidden within him.
Then another notification popped up.
[You have gained +1 point in Stamina.]
"Oh?" he blinked. "Stamina this time?"
He paused to catch his breath, and to his amazement, he felt the fatigue ease. The soreness dulled, and his breathing stabilized slightly faster than expected. It was subtle… but unmistakable.
"My stamina increased too…" he whispered, smiling in disbelief.
He looked down at his hands again, awestruck. "I can really grow. Like, really grow…"
The moment felt surreal. Too good to be true.
And yet, it was very real.
For nearly another half hour, Zane pushed himself harder, until finally, his body reached its true limit. He collapsed, breathless, barely able to move.
Lying flat on his back, he stared at the ceiling, drenched in sweat and aching in places he hadn't even known could ache.
But his eyes… they gleamed.
"I got stronger… In an hour, I really got stronger," he whispered, voice thick with disbelief.
He wiped the sweat from his brow, then let his hand fall limply to the floor.
The rush hadn't faded yet. His heart still beat fast—not from fear or anxiety, but exhilaration.
For five long years, he had fought tooth and nail against a world that gave him nothing. No matter how hard he trained, how hard he studied, the needle barely moved.
Now, for the first time ever, he saw clear, measurable progress.
Zane had found a way to do what he never could before.
He could finally improve.