System's First Rewards
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"DING"
CONGRATULATIONS FOR NOT BEING SO SHIT
***
"Looks very vibrant"
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#MISSION: Lead by example
*Task 1: Run 70 miles within a week. (75/70 miles completed; rating A+)
*Task 2: Complete 100 seat-ups daily for a week. (Av. 200/100 seat-ups completed daily; Rating S)
*Task 3: Complete 100 squats daily for a week. (Av. 124/100 squats completed daily; Rating A+)
*Task 4: Complete 50 press-ups daily for a week. (Av. 64/50 press-ups completed daily; Rating A+)
*Task 5: Complete 100 Burpee Pull-ups for a week. (Av. 100/100 Burpee Pull-ups completed daily; Rating A)
*Task 6: Complete four rounds of half a dozen Yoga poses daily for a week. (Av. 7/4 rounds of Yoga poses completed; Rating A+)
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Overall Mission Rating: A+
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CHECK YOUR REWARDS
*****
Even in his previous lifetime, Amani generally hid his emotions. He figured they were intel he should not hand over, so his face was blank at all times. But today was different.
Amani had just received his first set of rewards from the mission he had completed. His excitement was so intense that it was almost palpable as if his entire being was vibrating with anticipation. As he gazed at the virtual screen displaying his rewards, he could feel himself glowing from the inside out, like the sun shining through a delicate white linen fabric. This was a rare moment when he allowed his emotions to take over and relished the feeling of pure joy and satisfaction.
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SYSTEM SHOP
->Gift Packs (temporarily unlocked) (1 msg)
->Purchase Skills (locked)
->Purchase Elixirs (locked)
->Lottery Coupons (temporarily-unlocked)(1 msg)
->Inventory (temporarily unlocked) (1 msg)
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"DING"
#1 NEW MESSAGE
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CONGRATULATIONS FOR FINISHING YOUR FIRST MISSION WITH EXCELLENCE
BONUS REWARD
You have received a System Gift: A-grade physical enhancing elixir.
Please select the gift card in the inventory to retrieve the elixir.
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NOTE: The user must consume the elixir within five seconds after its removal from the system shop.
Remarks: Hold tight; you are in for quite a rough ride.
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****
The messages were brief, but it was not what Amani was expecting. He clicked on the inventory tab icon and then selected the only card with the image of a peach in it. And voila, the fruit, the size of a lollipop a little bit bigger than an M&M, popped out of the translucent blue screen.
Although Amani had read several system-tagged web novels, it was quite a spectacle, and he was amazed.
But he was not the kind to concern himself with the inner workings and processes of the system, and thus, he just picked up the small peach and threw it into his mouth right away.
As soon as the small peach entered his mouth, it dissolved like ice cream and melted on his tongue.
'Quite sweet. Is this what a peach tastes like? Different from what I had imagined!' He thought. He swallowed the melted liquid from the elixir in one gulp.
As the elixir entered Amani's body, he felt an intense rush of energy. It's as if every cell in his body was waking up and coming to life. The tingling sensation began in his fingertips and toes but quickly spread to his limbs and torso, a vibrant current surging through him. At that moment, the fatigue and pain of his past seemed to evaporate, replaced by a dazzling, almost overwhelming sense of power. His heart pounded like a drum, each beat echoing the newfound strength that now flowed through his veins.
The world around him appeared to transform—the colors became more vivid, the sounds sharper as if reality itself was being reborn. He closed his eyes, savoring the electric buzz that awakened a dormant potential deep within him. In that clarity, every limitation he had known faded away, replaced by an exhilarating promise of possibility. With his muscles alive and every nerve firing, Amani felt as if he could overcome any obstacle. This was not just a burst of energy; it was the beginning of a profound metamorphosis—a rebirth that held the key to his destiny.
Amani can feel his muscles expanding and contracting, growing stronger with each passing moment. He flexes his arms and can see the definition in his biceps and triceps, which are now bulging with power. His chest swells with every breath he takes, and he feels an incredible sense of strength and vitality.
As the tar-like dirt oozed from his pores, an overpowering stench assaulted Amani's senses — a putrid blend of sweat, grime, and an indefinable rot that seemed to seep from the very depths of his soul. It was as if the dark residues of all his past miseries were being forcibly expelled, a centuries-old burden he'd unknowingly carried for years. His stomach churned with revulsion as each breath pulled in the foul aroma, and his eyes watered, not just from the odor but from the raw intensity of the purging.
In that agonizing moment, the repulsive smell transformed into something almost cathartic—a necessary release, a visceral exorcism of the decay within. As the dirt continued its relentless exodus, Amani felt both weakened by the assault and strangely invigorated, as though this unholy cleansing was the first step toward freeing himself from the ghosts of his past.
As he stands up, he notices a new feeling on his body. It's as if all his pimples were peeled off and his melanin skin is now shiny. He can see every vein and muscle in his body, and his skin feels smooth and tight. He feels a lot taller as if he's grown an inch or two.
Looking at his physical stats he was amazed.
******
USER STATS
->Physical Fitness: B-
->Football Technique: B-
->Game Intelligence: C +
->Mental Ability and Mindset: C +
->Skills: None.
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"DING"
#1 NEW MESSAGE
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->Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: B -)
Balance and Coordination: C+
Agility: D +
Strength: B -
Stamina: A -
****
"I have got to find a way to improve my agility before I find trials," Amani mumbled as if to himself. He was happy with the improvements in his stats except for his 'agility' which was still below average.
Before his mom came home he decided to clean his clothes, as the stench was too unbearable.
After finishing his cleaning up he remembered about the lottery coupon.
Clicked it.
****
DING YOU HAVE 3 CHANCES AND 1 CHOICE
CHOOSE WISELY
***
So, Amani pivoted his attention to the stationery golden lottery wheel that was just too huge and disappeared off into the edges of the screen at the center page.
Amani's gaze shifted to the magnificent golden lottery wheel — a behemoth of vibrant hues that spanned the center of his screen, its intricate design vanishing into the digital periphery.
"Too extra," he mused with a wry smile. The wheel was divided into a mosaic of circular and square segments, each adorned with tiny portraits of football legends, lesser-known players, and an array of curious shapes and symbols. Adjacent to it, a bold red button beckoned, emblazoned with the words "spin and win," "3 chances," and "confirm lottery.
Without a moment's hesitation, Amani tapped the red button. Instantly, the wheel sprang to life, its sections blurring into a dizzying whirl before coming to an abrupt stop on an image of Gigi Buffon —captured mid-save in a dynamic freeze-frame. "No way," he grumbled. "Goalkeeping skills? I'd love to be one, but that's not my dream." The disappointment stoked a growing anxiety, as he longed for a skill that resonated with his ambitions.
He pressed the button a second time. This spin revealed an image of an English defender, poised protectively with the ball. Although Amani had once dabbled as a defending midfielder in a fleeting football career of his past, his heart always beat for the attacking flair of icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. To him, defenders — no matter how skillful — could never capture the electrifying allure of scoring the decisive goal. He wasn't cut out to be a goalkeeper or a defender; his destiny lay in the art of the attack.
"Third time's the charm," he whispered as he closed his eyes.
The wheel spun again, this time with a deliberate, almost agonizing slowness. Seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity until the pointer finally halted on a blue card, crowned with a radiant golden halo and inscribed in shimmering letters: "Ruud Gullit." Without glancing at its description, Amani selected it.
****
#1 NEW MESSAGE
CONGRATULATIONS FOR CHOOSING
You've acquired LEGENDARY Skill: Ruud Gullit's Visionary Pass
NOTE: The user must use the skill card within a minute. The System lottery to be locked after that minute.
****
"THIS IS IT!" He couldn't be even more happier, his pulse racing with exhilaration. In that electrifying moment, as the promise of a legendary skill surged through him, he felt as though destiny itself had finally aligned with his dreams.
~~~~~
PLAYERS MENTIONED
Ruud Gullit is a Dutch former footballer and subsequent manager who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s as a forward, midfielder, and defender.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal
Lionel Messi - Argentina
Rio Feradinand - England