Sinclair, dressed in his well-worn workout attire, stood in his bathroom. The garments, bearing the marks of countless sports and activities, were a testament to his active lifestyle. He decided to test the newfound abilities provided by the mysterious system that had appeared before him. Lifting the clothes in his hands, he focused on them, initiating a mental analysis.
A virtual interface materialized, presenting him with several options, including "Equip" and "Discard." Without hesitation, Sinclair chose to "Equip" them. The clothes vanished from his grasp, only to reappear on his body. They hugged him tightly, to his surprise, especially across his chest and quadriceps. He couldn't help but smirk at the prospect of more stat enhancements.
As Sinclair contemplated his newfound powers and the need to train physically and mentally to harness them fully, his quirky sense of humor couldn't help but poke fun at the peculiar situation of someone monitoring his progress. Mentally, he playfully considered making a sign that read, "Are you enjoying the view while I pee?" His friends would have appreciated such a jest, even if others deemed it inappropriate by modern standards. Sinclair, however, remained unfazed by societal norms, embracing the unique and fun aspects of his sense of humor.
Stepping outside, Sinclair was greeted by the crisp air of the world that remained seemingly untouched by the revelations of his newfound abilities. As he moved, he sensed a subtle but distinct change in how he interacted with the world around him. His steps had an unfamiliar precision, and even his movements felt lighter yet more grounded.
Seeking an open space in his yard, he embarked on basic stretches. Each movement flowed with newfound ease, the usual stiffness in his lower back conspicuously absent. Lunging from side to side, he marveled at his legs' enhanced balance and strength.
Continuing with more dynamic exercises, Sinclair became increasingly aware of the burgeoning power within his muscles and the swiftness in his every step. Jumps, sprints, and controlled breaths all seemed optimized, elevating his physical performance to a level he had never experienced before.
Taking a moment to catch his breath and wipe the perspiration from his brow, Sinclair surveyed his surroundings. Everything appeared unchanged, yet he was undeniably different. The potential of his newfound abilities intrigued him, but it also left him with a sense of caution and contemplation. How much had indeed changed, and what lay ahead on this uncharted path?
Strolling towards his home gym's array of workout equipment, Sinclair's logical starting point was strength training. Cardio had never been his favored choice, so he bypassed the treadmill in favor of the weightlifting section. He set up his deadlift bar, opting for his customary warm-up weight of 225 lbs. As his hands gripped the bar and he initiated the lift, the difference from the previous day was astonishing.
In the past, Sinclair typically completed 10-12 repetitions at this weight before transitioning to sets with fewer reps and heavier loads. His one-rep maximum before his transformation had been a respectable 515 lbs, but today, he had an inkling that he would easily surpass that mark.
By the time he reached his third set, he was already handling what had previously been his maximum. With each increase in weight, his excitement grew. Emboldened by his newfound strength, Sinclair proceeded to load the bar with every weight plate in his possession, resulting in a staggering total of 705 lbs. Every instinct within him urged caution, warning him against such a daunting endeavor.
Drawing a deep breath, he carefully positioned himself with an over-under grip on the bar. Summoning every ounce of strength and resolve, he began the monumental lift. The weight seemed to challenge the laws of gravity, ascending gradually and laboriously. His muscles strained, and his legs trembled as doubts crept in, suggesting he might not complete the lift. Yet, his indomitable spirit prevailed, and with a thunderous roar, he succeeded in locking out the weight at the top. Sinclair was many things, but lacking determination was not one of them.
Setting the bar down and taking in his accomplishments left Sinclair feeling lightheaded. He found a chair he had thoughtfully left out for moments like these and sat down, his mind buzzing with thoughts of new workouts and the need for additional equipment. However, the financial implications of expanding his gym setup soon loomed large in his mind.
While Sinclair was comfortable regarding finances, his current setup had been carefully pieced together over the years, often involving secondhand equipment acquired from yard sales and other budget-friendly sources. He recognized the need for more substantial gear but was also aware of the cost of such investments. Nevertheless, the potential before him was too enticing to ignore.
Contemplating his options, he considered the possibility of seeking assistance from local farmers who might have old, heavy equipment they were willing to part with or lend. As he visualized himself sprinting down a field while pulling a plow, he couldn't help but chuckle. With determination, Sinclair resolved to make it work, even if it meant creative solutions and hard work.
Sinclair proceeded with a typical full-body workout, realizing he couldn't focus on equipment acquisition while training. He continued with his leg exercises until his quads quivered from exhaustion. Methodically, he targeted every muscle group.
Over more than three hours, Sinclair pushed his body. He was so engrossed in his training that he lost track of his stamina, continuing to push himself beyond his usual boundaries. It wasn't until he found himself sprawled on the ground in sweat that he realized the consequences of his actions. He had depleted his stamina completely, as his health began to be drained in its absence.
Sinclair found solace in the garage, clutching a protein shake from his fridge as he drained it in rapid succession. The cold, refreshing liquid flowed down his throat, providing much-needed sustenance after his intense workout. His system interface continued to flash with notifications, vying for his attention, but he brushed them aside. At that moment, all he desired was to let his body recover.
A pool of sweat had formed beneath him, a testament to the sheer physical exertion he had subjected himself to. Fatigue washed over him, and he clung to his post-workout mantra as if it were a lifeline: "Breathe in, breathe out, try not to cry." It served as a humorous reminder to focus on the process of recovery and restoration.
After allowing himself a brief respite and consuming sufficient protein, Sinclair felt an almost miraculous rejuvenation coursing through him. It was as though his stamina and health were being restored at an astonishing pace. He clapped his hands together, dispelling the lingering weariness, and leaned back against the bench press seat. The swiftness of his recovery was nothing short of extraordinary. In his previous state, a workout of such intensity would have left him incapacitated for days.
He reminisced about the dreaded muscle cramps that used to ambush him in the middle of the night, particularly those in his hamstrings or calves. Those memories now felt distant, overshadowed by his newfound resilience and vitality.
New Skill - Æsir's Resilience (Rare) - Channeling the unwavering spirit of the Æsir, you manifest an unbreakable resolve that defies the limits of endurance.
Effects:
* Your stamina operates with a 10% increase in efficiency
* In the direst of moments, when it reaches rock bottom, health is sacrificed at a reduced rate of 4:1
Base Stat Changes
+8 Strength
+2 Agility
+5 Constitution
+6 Endurance
Sinclair's grin remained fixed as he closed the screen, his mind swirling with thoughts about the astounding stat boosts he had gained from a mere three hours of workout. The magnitude of improvement far exceeded what he had anticipated, leaving him both exhilarated and mystified. He attributed this rapid progress to his body's alignment with the system, surmising that the initial changes would be the most dramatic.
As he lay there, he felt a peculiar sensation coursing through his body as if it were reshaping itself to accommodate these newfound enhancements. Alongside this transformation came an intense hunger gnawed at him, a hunger for calories to sustain these changes. He recognized this challenge, but a determination to push himself burned brightly. Musing on his newfound reality, Sinclair whispered to the empty air, "Normalcy has no place in my life now."
Slowly rising to his feet, Sinclair contemplated his next steps. Despite the exhilaration of his increased stats, he couldn't shake a lingering bone-deep weariness that seemed impervious to his newfound vigor. He deliberated whether to focus on mental or agility-based training but realized he needed more time to recover. The question of how to train his mental stats lingered in his mind. Reading complex books came to mind, but he wondered if it was the most effective use of his time. Determined to find an innovative approach, he acknowledged the absence of a mentor or trainer in this surreal journey, leaving him to chart his path.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Sinclair recognized that using the internet was essential to brainstorm ideas for his training regimen. However, he decided to take a quick shower first, as the sweat from his earlier work out clung to his body. He couldn't afford to ruin his office chair with perspiration. Content to grab a snack afterward, he recalled a stash of Christmas tree cakes tucked away in the back of his pantry. Sinclair also considered purchasing beef in bulk directly from a nearby farmer, given that he had a seldom-used deep freezer. This would likely be a cost-effective solution.
After enjoying a second shower, Sinclair settled into his home office, firing up his computer and turning to his trusty companion, Google, to help him navigate the path to enhancing his mental stats. As he perused various articles and forums, he couldn't help but notice the heightened clarity and sharpness in his thinking, undoubtedly an effect of his boosted stats and titles. He didn't necessarily feel smarter but he felt like things were stronger in details. He didn't all the sudden know how to do advanced physics but he felt that he might actually understand more if he were to put some time into studying now.
Delving deeper into online knowledge, Sinclair realized that mental prowess encompassed far more than mere intelligence or memory. It entailed a multifaceted skill set, including problem-solving, adaptability, unwavering focus, and the capacity to process information swiftly. Sinclair had always relished the challenge of mastering new skills and embracing life's hurdles.
Sinclair shifted his focus to brain-training apps. They appeared promising, boasting exercises specifically crafted to hone various cognitive abilities. He envisioned that playing these games with background music to challenge and enhance his concentration would be an excellent starting point for his mental training regimen.
With his characteristic determination, Sinclair immersed himself in the task at hand. Upon launching the game, he encountered relatively fundamental challenges that initially struck him as child's play. As he navigated through memory tests, spot-the-difference puzzles, math quizzes, and word-fill games, he couldn't shake the feeling that the app was somewhat patronizing due to its simplicity. Beginner levels in anything felt like that he thought.
The accompanying music provided a nostalgic journey through time. Sinclair couldn't help but mumble, "How can these be considered old?" He shook his head in disbelief at the realization that songs from his teenage years were now labeled as classics.
As he progressed through the levels, the difficulty gradually increased. Annoying ads intermittently punctuated his gameplay, disrupting his focus and rhythm. Frustration bubbled up, and Sinclair couldn't help but exclaim, "Damnit!" Recognizing their impediment, he promptly opted for the ad-free version, deeming it a small price for uninterrupted gaming.
The initial ease of the games was quickly replaced by tasks that demanded sharper focus and quicker reflexes. His screen time stretched from minutes to hours, his fingers dancing over the touchscreen, his eyes darting to catch subtle differences, and his brain working in overdrive. After a particularly challenging set, he could feel a light throb in his temples and a burn behind his eyes.
He decided that was enough for the day. As he prepared to shut down the game, he noticed the familiar notification icon at the corner of his screen. With anticipation and trepidation, he tapped on it, eager to see what his efforts had wrought.
Base Stat Changes
+3 Intelligence
+4 Willpower
New Skill - Meditation (Uncommon) - You can relax, letting your mind start to explore in a way you are accustomed to.
Effects:
* +2 to Willpower
* +2 to Intelligence.
New Skill - Freya's Foresight (Rare) - Freya, often associated with love, beauty, and fertility, is also revered for her foresight and wisdom in Norse mythology. Your mind has achieved the extraordinary ability to maintain focus on two separate subjects simultaneously, enhancing your multitasking capabilities. This skill also allows you to compress mental training time, granting you faster skill acquisition and cognitive growth.
Effects:
* +5 Intelligence
* Mental training time reduced 20%
* Increased ability to learn skills quickly
Sinclair winced as the sudden influx of mental power hit him like a tidal wave. A sharp, blinding pain, focused entirely within the confines of his skull, left him momentarily disoriented. He had always heard that the human brain was a complex and powerful organ, but he had never quite imagined anything like this.
For a moment, he felt as if every neuron in his brain was lighting up simultaneously. Each spark of cognition was sharper, more precise, and more intense. His previous experiences of stat increases had been subtle, gradual—a growing sensation rather than a sudden jolt. But this? This was like flipping a switch, a rush of heightened awareness and clarity, as if a veil had been lifted.
He took a deep breath, attempting to ground himself amidst the whirlwind of sensations. "Guess the mind doesn't quite like rapid expansion as much as the muscles do," he mused aloud. And while he appreciated the enhanced capabilities, he mentally noted to be cautious about how he approached any future boosts to his intelligence. The power was alluring, but the process? It was not something he was eager to repeat anytime soon.
Trying to figure out what else he could be doing, he got a text message from his friends Edward, Alicia, and Rose in the group chat.
Ed: Hey buddy, I know you are probably doing your whole sad hermit thing, but you should come out with us tonight and relax. You’re on PTO anyway, so why not use it to hang with your best friend?
Alicia: Friends*. There is more than just you. LOL
Rose: Drinks and Appies down at Red Branch Brewery. That’s your favorite place. You know you will enjoy it. Plus, there is that charming bartender you were checking out the other day, even though you won’t admit it……
Reading through the message chain, he had no choice. When the family called, you answered. They might not have been blood-related, but that never mattered to him. The changes to his body might be interesting to hide. It was cool enough that he could wear a baggy hoody, but there was no way he was going unnoticed. He wasn’t ready to divulge all the details yet. Still processing everything himself, he had no reference or frame of mind for explaining it to them yet.
Sinclair: All right. All right, already. I will go. We have some time until then, so I will get a few things done around the house and will Uber there. Does 6 pm sound good to everyone?
Ed: Sounds good to me. See you then, studly
Rose: Yup.
Alicia: Of course. I will even put in a good word for you before you get there.
Groaning, he closed his phone and returned to planning the rest of his day. He had already trained stats for strength, endurance, and mind. He nicked two points into Agility mainly because some workouts required a little flexibility.
Sinclair sighed, pacing around his room. These changes, while intriguing and in some ways beneficial, brought their own set of challenges. He needed to blend in and appear as normal as possible, even when everything inside him screamed the opposite.
He glanced at his reflection, noting the changes once more. He could make a joke about it and get ahead of the narrative. "Been doing some yoga," he'd quip with a laugh, "and you won't believe the stretch it gave me!" Or perhaps, "Tried a new protein powder – think I might have overdone it!" He cringed just thinking that.
Chuckles aside, he recognized the challenge ahead. He had always been resourceful and adaptable. And with his newfound abilities? There was no telling how far he could stretch those skills. He felt a smirk playing on his lips. Tonight, he'd face his friends, and he'd handle it. Because in the grand scheme of things, explaining a sudden growth spurt was the least of the mysteries he was grappling with.
Heading back outside, he decided to try and set up an obstacle course. He had watched this show where people would run and jump full speed, similar to the parkour he had seen on ESPN. They played tag, however. It looked like an excellent way to test for agility-based reactions.
Sinclair felt a newfound purpose as he maneuvered through his makeshift obstacle course. The challenge of agility-based activities starkly contrasted with his usual brute strength workouts. Every leap and bound, though unfamiliar, was a step in refining his newfound abilities.
The weights he'd strapped to his body added an extra layer of complexity. His muscles protested with each plyometric jump, but he relished in the strain, knowing it was sculpting him into something better, something more versatile. He remembered the football drills from his school days, but this... this was on a different level. With every rep, he could feel his agility stat ticking upwards, even if just metaphorically.
Sinclair's thoughts veered to the bigger picture as he continued his routine. What did "reaching the top" even mean in this new world? Was there a pinnacle, an endgame to this system? Or was it a continuous journey of self-improvement with no visible finish line? He hoped he didn't just wake up the next day; this was all a dream. It was a depressing thought that this could be taken away from him. Now that he was slowly accepting it, he couldn't imagine life any other way.
Yet, as these existential questions swirled, a simple truth emerged from the depths of his mind. He wasn't doing this for any profound reason or predetermined destiny. He was doing it because it felt right. After all, it was a challenge he was eager to tackle. Sinclair had always been a jack-of-all-trades, dabbling in myriad activities and becoming proficient in most. This was just another challenge on his vast horizon. And like everything else, he was determined to excel, not just for the sake of excelling, but because this newfound path had awakened something within him – a hunger to maste the unknown.
*****
Kafor/Heroti
Monitoring his vitals on the screen, they were tracking everything they could. It felt like everything was going to line up. They had been working on these seed changes for a long time. “Look at his stat gains from the training he did today. Just that growth alone is huge considering there are no active mana nodes yet.” Kafor was reading through the logs available to “administrators” like him and Heroti, noting exciting items along the way. The one thing they couldn’t understand was the reference to an unknown entity watching. Heroti had brought it up first, and they had spent almost every minute since searching logs and doing diagnostics to see who could be intervening with their experiment. No one should have been out here yet. This was still unexplored territory. There weren’t other active planets within several million light years from here yet.
Scanning the planet showed some fascinating issues, however. There was already a lay line system in place. It looks to have been dormant for a long time. The mana nodes they would generally plant were fractured or dead from the initial scans. This planet was becoming more and more strange. How did the mana die? Was it being siphoned somewhere? There were so many questions. They were slowing their craft down to stay in orbit for longer to answer these questions. Standard procedure was to monitor on the way out of the galaxy leaving them several months before they could initiate a jump drive. Finding a planet that was active at some point with a rudimentary node system was well worth spending a little more time in this area.
“Did you see his nutritional needs spike?” Heroti asked. “Yes, he will have to find better food sources. His internal mana will help, but it is not the same.” Rubbing the bone plates on his neck, Kafor stated, “I agree. Should we open the dimensional training zones early so he can start leveling to earn system money? He would be able to buy more advanced foods from the market. From the looks of his surroundings and personal dwelling, money is not something he has much of.”
Beings typically get about a month before those systems are open as they go through a tutorial. Heroti reminded him, “We had to sacrifice that function to get the room needed for our changes. He will have to figure some things out until he gets more credits and can buy the guides from vendors in the system.”
They both stood there pondering the best way to approach helping this human achieve their goal of freedom. “We both know how important this is to us, so we shouldn’t rush anything. Give him the night to be with his friends, and then tomorrow, we can make the first realm available to him.” Heroti said.
Kafor agreed with a contented sigh, “You’re right. He has a long and difficult road ahead. He should get to spend it with his friends before the real challenges start tomorrow. I wonder what rooms he will choose first?”