Chapter 4: Level 0, Day 1: Sweat, Shame, and Slight Gains

The morning sunlight spilled into the kitchen like a warm, silent witness.

Kaito sat at the table, heart thumping like a drum, his eyes locked on the bowl of miso soup in front of him. He wasn't even hungry, but he was about to say something that would've been unthinkable just days ago.

He was going to tell his parents that he wanted to join a gym.

[Bonus Adjective: Convince your Parents]

[Reward: +10 EXP]

He inhaled deeply.

"I've decided," he said, doing his best to keep his voice steady. "I'm going to start working out. I want to join a gym."

Silence.

His dad, mid-sip of coffee, sputtered, nearly choking as the drink shot out of his nose. "Wait, what? Say that again."

Kaito cleared his throat. "I'm going to join. A. Gym."

His dad turned toward the hallway. "Honey! Our son just said the G-word!"

Kaito's mom came rushing in like someone had yelled fire, wooden spoon still in hand. "Did he say girlfriend?"

"No," his dad replied dramatically. "He said gym."

His mom blinked at Kaito like she was trying to spot an impostor. She walked over and gently pressed her palm against his forehead.

"Are you sick?" she asked. "Blink twice if you've been kidnapped and replaced by a buff doppelgänger."

Kaito chuckled. "I'm serious, Mom. I… want to change. I need to."

[Bonus Used: Adjective of Conviction]

[Mission Complete – +10 EXP

[EXP: 10/100]

The room went quiet again. His parents exchanged glances.

Then, like something out of a movie, his dad slowly stood up, walked over to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We're proud of you, son," he said solemnly. "Go. Gain some muscles. Bench press your demons."

Kaito blinked.

His mom wiped an invisible tear. "Just don't forget your towel."

Welcome to Hell (The Gym)

The door to the gym opened, and a blast of air-conditioning slapped Kaito across the face, followed by the unmistakable smell of rubber mats, sweat, and… protein powder?

Inside, the room was crowded. Everywhere he looked, there were men pumping weights that resembled car tires and women running on treadmills as if they were running for their lives. Muscles. So many muscles. Too many muscles.

Kaito swallowed hard.

[System Notification]"You are now entering the Domain of Demi-Gods. Intimidation Level: 99%." "Tip: Avoid making direct eye contact with anything flexing or girls' backs, or you will be beaten to death."

Trying to look casual, he walked toward the front desk, tripped over the welcome mat, and slammed into the counter with all the grace of a dying goose.

The receptionist—a muscular woman with a kind smile and an eyebrow piercing—peeked over the counter. "First time?"

"Is it that obvious?" he muttered, rubbing his forehead.

She handed him a form. "We've seen worse. One guy showed up in Crocs and tried to deadlift with a juice box in hand. You're doing great."

Meet Ryo, the Human Brick

Trainer Ryo looked like he could punch through concrete and still be polite about it. He greeted Kaito with a warm smile and a handshake that nearly dislocated his shoulder.

"So, you wanna start your fitness journey, huh?" Ryo asked. "No worries. Everyone starts somewhere."

"Hopefully not six feet under," Kaito muttered under his breath.

They started simple.

Or at least, it looked simple.

"Try just the bar," Ryo said. "No weights yet. Just form."

Kaito lay back on the bench and lifted the bar.

It wobbled.

His arms shook like cooked noodles.

Then it dropped like a betrayal.

Ryo caught it effortlessly and placed it back. "Okay! Good start! Let's move to something lighter."

[System Note]"Your current strength level ranks below average for 10-year-olds."Suggestion: Begin prayer rituals."

Kaito ended up doing a light circuit: planks, bodyweight squats, and push-ups that quickly turned into pushing up from the floor and failing.

By the end, his arms gave up halfway into a push-up, leaving him face-to-face with the mat, drenched in sweat. They stayed like that for a while, bonding.

"You didn't quit," Ryo said, handing him a towel. "That's all that matters today."

[Mission Complete: Join a Gym]

[Reward: +1 Appearance]

[EXP +10 → 20/100]

[New Trait Gained: Slightly Noticeable Jawline]

Kaito shuffled into the locker room and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

"…Huh."

His face looked just a bit sharper. Skin is a little clearer. Posture not as... sad?

[System: You are now 3% hotter.]

System Level Up: Daily Quests & The Shop

[System: From -1 to 0 Appearance. You are now classified as 'less unpleasant to look at.']

Back home, Kaito collapsed onto his bed like a man after battle. The system interface lit up in front of him.

[New Features Unlocked]— Daily Quests— System Shop

[Daily Quests]

20 Push-ups — Reward: +0.1 Strength

Talk to a Stranger — +5 EXP

Get through the day without crying — +1 Willpower

[System Shop – Trial Items]

Deodorant of Confidence — Smell better, speak braver (10 min) [price-10 points]

Protein Bar of Persuasion — +1 to negotiation [20 points]

Spray: Slight Swagger — +0.5 Charisma (30 minutes) [5 points]

Kaito stared.

"This system is… weirdly supportive."

[System: Just wait till you unlock Emotional Stability.]

"But what is this point?"

[You will get points by completing fighting or helping missions]

Later that afternoon, Kaito limped into a smoothie shop a block from the gym. Everything hurt. His legs felt like wet bread.

The girl at the counter glanced at him, then did a double-take.

"You look… better today," she said as she handed him his drink.

Kaito blinked. Did someone just compliment me?

"Uh... thanks. You have… really symmetrical eyebrows."

A pause.

The girl squinted. "…Okay, that's… weirdly specific."

Kaito turned and walked out so fast he forgot the straw.

[System: -5 Cool Points. Penalty expires in 2 hours.]"Note: Compliments should not sound like medical diagnoses."

That night, Kaito lay on his bed, arms sore, dignity slightly damaged, but somehow... lighter.

He'd taken a real step today.

The system glowed softly in front of him, like a weird little floating coach.

[New Mission Unlocked – Summer Special Questline]Title: Skill of the Summer Objective: Choose 1 core skill to train and conquer by the end of summer vacation.— Must reach Beginner Lv. 5 in that skill before school resumes.— Sub-missions and secret rewards will unlock along the way.

[Reward:— +2 Charisma— +1 Custom Trait— Unlock: Skill Fusion Tree]

Time Remaining: 43 Days

Then another message popped up:

[Suggested Skills (Based on Current Stats & Potential):]– Public Speaking, Martial Arts, Persuasion, Dancing (Wait what?)– Street Awareness (Social Intelligence)

Tip: You can only pick ONE. Choose wisely, Kaito.

Kaito stared at the list.

"Dancing? Seriously?"

[System: Even demons can't dodge a solid moonwalk.]

"Then show my stats."

[System Status – Kaito]

Level: 0

EXP: 20/100

Attack: 10

Stamina: 10

Agility: 5

Appearance: -1 → 0

Skills: 0

Trait: Slightly Noticeable Jawline

Note: You're now 3% less invisible. Congratulations.

He snorted.

But deep down, he felt it — a spark. This wasn't just about revenge anymore. This summer, he could actually become someone new.

"I'll pick my skill tomorrow," Kaito murmured, already plotting.

[System: Sleep well, Muscle Larva. Evolution begins tomorrow.]

Kaito rolled his eyes.

But he smiled.

To be continued...