Chapter 5

Desiderio took a deep breath, feeling a renewed sense of determination. "Alright. I'll do it. I'll follow these quests every day, no matter how long it takes."

Sam smiled, his eyes shining with encouragement. "And I'll be right here with you, every step of the way."

With a plan in place, the two boys felt a glimmer of hope. The road ahead was still long and uncertain, but they were ready to face it together, one day at a time.

Late in the evening, Desiderio glanced at Sam. "Won't you go home? Your parents might be worried."

Sam shook his head. "Nah, they're traveling for work. Doing some poor job somewhere. I'd rather stay here and keep you company."

Desiderio nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Thanks, Sam."

They settled on the couch, falling asleep to the distant hum of the city. The next morning, a loud, insistent beeping jolted them awake. Both boys sat up, rubbing their eyes in confusion.

"Is that an alarm?" Sam muttered. "I thought your clock was broken."

"It is," Desiderio replied, looking around.

The beeping stopped, and a cheerful voice filled the room. "Good morning!"

Desiderio blinked. "Was that... the system?"

Sam chuckled. "It's way too cheerful for this early."

"The weather today is sunny with a high of 75°F. Here's a motivational quote to start your day: 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.'"

Desiderio shook his head, bemused. "Sometimes, this system acts more human than a robot."

The system continued, "Time to start your day. First quest: drink two liters of water."

Desiderio sighed, getting up from the couch. "Alright, let's do this."

He filled a large jug with water and started drinking. Sam grabbed a glass and did the same, grinning. "If you're in, I'm in too."

As Desiderio finished the water, a notification popped up in his vision. "Daily quest: drink water, completed. Next quest: workout."

Sam laughed, shaking his head. "I guess it's gym time."

Desiderio groaned. "We don't even have a gym membership!"

"We'll figure something out," Sam said, trying to stifle his laughter. "Let's just get moving."

Desiderio nodded, feeling the camaraderie lift his spirits. As they began to stretch and do makeshift exercises in the small living room, Desiderio couldn't help but smile. They might have a long road ahead, but with Sam by his side, even the most daunting tasks felt manageable—and occasionally funny.

Desiderio and Sam started their warm-up exercises, guided by the system's enthusiastic coaching. A loud whistle blew in their ears, making them jump.

"Where did it get a whistle?" Desiderio whispered, bewildered.

"No idea," Sam replied, equally puzzled.

"Alright, boys," the system barked. "Let's start with some cardio. High knees, let's go!"

Desiderio and Sam began jogging in place, lifting their knees awkwardly. The system continued blowing the whistle and shouting encouragement, sounding like a drill sergeant.

"Now, push-ups!" the system commanded.

They dropped to the floor, struggling to complete even a few push-ups. Their arms wobbled, and they collapsed more than once.

"Come on, crunches next! Then squats! We're aiming for a Greek god physique here!"

Desiderio and Sam tried to keep up, but their form was terrible, and their efforts were half-hearted at best. The system's whistle shrieked again.

"Didn't you guys ever exercise before?" the system criticized.

Sam, panting and annoyed, snapped back, "Where are we supposed to get the energy for this when we hardly eat enough?"

The system paused for a moment, then spoke in a more serious tone. "Alright, I'll create a workout plan tailored to your needs. Stick with it, and you'll see results."

After a grueling session, Desiderio and Sam stumbled into the bathroom, took quick showers, and got dressed in their torn school uniforms. They left the house, heading to school with determination in their eyes despite their ragged appearance.

As they walked into their classroom, they were met with the usual disdainful stares from their classmates. Whispers and sneers surrounded them, but this time, there was something different. The students noticed the fire in Desiderio and Sam's eyes, a newfound resolve that hadn't been there before.

They took their seats, chatting quietly. Desiderio glanced at Sam. "At least we survived the morning workout."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, barely."

The teacher walked in, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Class, today we will be having a test."

Desiderio and Sam's hearts sank. They exchanged nervous glances as the test papers were handed out. Staring at the questions, they couldn't even tell which subject it was.

"Great, just great," Sam muttered.

Desiderio tried to focus, but the questions made no sense. Just then, the system's voice spoke up in his mind. "I can help you with this."

Desiderio almost laughed out loud. "Really? You can help us with a test?"

"Yes," the system replied confidently. "I'm equipped with extensive knowledge databases. Just listen carefully."

As the system began whispering answers into Desiderio's ear, he couldn't help but smile. "This is insane," he thought.

Sam noticed Desiderio's change in expression and whispered, "What's going on?"

Desiderio grinned. "The system. It's helping us."

Sam's eyes widened. "You're kidding."

Desiderio shook his head. "Nope. Just go with it."

As the system fed them answers, the boys scribbled furiously, trying to keep up. It wasn't perfect, and they still struggled with some of the questions, but it was better than they could have managed on their own.