Chapter 84: Rise
Henry Calder woke up before his alarm, the early morning darkness filling his spacious bedroom. The events of the past few weeks, the podium finishes, the grueling races, and asking Taryn to move in, played through his mind like a highlight reel. Everything was happening so fast, and yet, it still felt like just the beginning.
With a deep breath, he sat up in bed, stretching out the stiffness in his muscles. Then, he remembered.
The system upgrade.
His eyes narrowed as he mentally commanded, "Status Screen."
A sleek, futuristic interface appeared before him, revealing an entirely new set of attributes:
[STATUS SCREEN] – Formula 1 System
Name: Henry CalderAge: 18Team: ART Grand Prix
[STATS]
Strength: 60
Endurance: 67
Agility: 65
Flexibility: 57
Consistency: 50
Wet Weather Ability: 58
Starts & Reaction Time: 60
Car Control: 60
Race Intelligence: 56
Physical Endurance: 64
Mental Fortitude: 62
Attribute Points Available: 0
[SKILLS]
Setup Knowledge
Override
[LOTTERY]
[MISSIONS]
Henry's eyes widened. The sheer depth of the upgrade was staggering. But before he could fully process it, the system's voice echoed in his mind, more advanced, more refined than before.
"Upgrade successful. Welcome to the next level, Calder."
Henry exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, break it down for me."
The system continued:
Manual Stat Distribution: Daily training no longer directly applied attribute points. Instead, he would accumulate them and distribute them as needed.
Missions and Lottery System: Completing specific challenges would not only grant attribute points but also earn Lottery Tickets.
Lottery Ticket Tiers:
Bronze: Small rewards
Silver: Moderate rewards
Gold: Valuable rewards
Diamond: Extremely rare, top-tier rewards
A new notification popped up:
[NEW QUEST] – "No Days Off"Daily Exercise Tasks:
Run 10 km
200 sit-ups
100 push-ups
Reward: +3 Attribute Points
Henry sighed. "Of course."
By 8 AM, Henry had finished his grueling workout. His legs burned from the long run, his arms ached from the push-ups, but there was satisfaction in the discomfort. He checked his available attribute points, +3 now displayed at the bottom of the screen.
With training done, Henry shot a quick text to Olivia.
💬 Henry: Can you coordinate Taryn's move into the house?
💬 Olivia: Already on it. Movers will be there in an hour.
💬 Henry: You're a lifesaver.
💬 Olivia: I know.
Then, he messaged Taryn.
💬 Henry: Olivia's handling the move. I'll come pick you up when you're ready.
💬 Taryn: You sure? I don't mind helping.
💬 Henry: I'm sure, just take a break.
Satisfied, he turned his focus to his next task: strength training.
Henry met Marcus in the home gym, where his personal trainer was already setting up weights.
Marcus handed Henry a resistance band. "We're shifting focus now. More upper body, neck, back, and core. You need to handle those G-forces better."
Henry nodded. "Let's do it."
For the next hour, they worked through an intense regimen, pushing Henry's limits further than ever. By the end, he was drenched in sweat, exhausted but feeling stronger than before.
Marcus clapped a hand on his back. "You're getting there, kid. Keep this up, and you'll be F1-ready in no time."
Henry smirked. "That's the plan."
By 1 PM, Henry was behind the wheel of his Lamborghini Revuelto, pulling up outside Taryn's apartment.
The movers were nearly done, boxes being loaded into trucks. Taryn stood off to the side, watching her life get packed away. When she spotted Henry, she smiled softly.
He stepped out of the car, kissed her lightly on the lips, then gestured to the vehicle. "You ready?"
Taryn exhaled, looking at the apartment one last time. "Yeah… it's weird, but yeah."
They slid into the Revuelto, the engine growling as Henry pulled onto the road.
The moment they arrived, Taryn took in the vastness of Henry's home. The sheer size of the mansion still surprised her, even though she had been here before.
"Yeah…" she said, shaking her head. "This is gonna take some getting used to."
Henry chuckled. "Welcome home."
As Taryn wandered inside, Marcus was still there, finishing his post-training notes. Henry took the opportunity to check in.
"What's the next step?" he asked.
Marcus looked up. "We keep grinding. Strength, endurance, mental toughness, you're on the right track."
Henry nodded as he walked Marcus to the door. "Appreciate it, man."
Returning inside, Henry found Taryn standing in the living room, her arms crossed, scanning the space.
"What do you think?" he asked.
Taryn smirked. "It's obvious a guy has lived here alone."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
She turned to him, grinning. "We need to go shopping. This place needs actual personality."
Henry sighed but smirked. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that."
He grabbed his keys and tossed them in the air. "Let's go."
They stepped outside, the Revuelto waiting. Henry revved the engine, flashing a grin.
Taryn slid into the passenger seat, laughing. "God, I love this car."
Henry smirked as he shifted into gear. "Well you can drive it anytime you want"
They sped off toward the city, the next chapter of their life together just beginning.