< Authors Note > : [ This chapter is all about Kaels struggle on his first time doing his daily training. If you find it kind of boring , feel free to skip as there is no necessary information]
The following day, at the Viermont residence, inside one of the quiet rooms, Kael slowly woke up, lifting his body into a sitting position as a tired yawn escaped his lips.
'Morning already… ' he muttered inwardly. 'Guess I was really exhausted yesterday… it feels like I barely slept.'
He remained seated on the bed for a few moments, letting the last traces of drowsiness fade, before finally standing up and stretching his body, a few joints cracking softly in response.
"Haa… much better."
With a slow exhale, he began walking toward the bathroom, his body still carrying a faint heaviness from the previous day.
Not long after entering, he brushed his teeth, washed his face, and took a quick bath before changing into light training clothes, preparing himself for the day ahead.
A few minutes later, he stepped out of his room, quietly making his way through the long hallways of the residence.
Along the way, maids and servants bowed respectfully as he passed by, their movements disciplined and precise.
'…They're really loyal,' he thought, his eyes briefly observing them.
After several minutes of walking, he finally arrived at the training grounds. He paused for a moment, tilting his head slightly as his gaze swept across the area.
After a few moments of observing the training grounds, Kael let out a soft sigh.
"Now then… what was I supposed to do again?"
Before he could think any further, a red interface suddenly flickered into existence in front of him, lines of information forming one after another.
[ Daily Training ]
*100 Push-ups
*100 Sit-ups
*100 Squats
*10 km Run
His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the crimson screen.
"Mm… let's see…"
He paused for a moment before continuing under his breath, "I think I should start with running… it'll warm up my body before the rest."
His gaze shifted toward the wide, open training field stretching far into the distance.
"I guess this place is big enough for a 10 km run…"
Rolling his shoulders lightly, he stretched his arms and legs, loosening the stiffness in his muscles as he prepared himself.
A faint breeze passed through the field, brushing against his clothes as he steadied his stance.
"Alright then…"
Without wasting another second, Kael pushed off the ground and started running.
At first, his pace was steady… controlled… almost comfortable.
The cool morning air brushed against his face as his feet struck the ground in a consistent rhythm, each step light and confident.
'This isn't so bad…'
But that thought didn't last long.
After a few minutes, his breathing began to grow heavier, his steps losing their earlier sharpness as a dull ache slowly crept into his legs.
His arms felt heavier.
His chest tightened.
"…Haa… haa…"
The rhythm broke.
What once felt easy now began to weigh him down with every passing second.
His legs burned.
Not the kind of pain he could ignore—but a deep, creeping heat that spread through his muscles, tightening them with every step he took.
"Damn… already…?"
He gritted his teeth, forcing his body forward despite the growing resistance.
Sweat started forming on his forehead, sliding down the side of his face as his vision trembled slightly.
'No… I just started…'
He refused to stop.
Even as his breathing turned ragged, even as his body screamed at him to slow down, he kept running.
*Step.*
*Step.*
*Step.*
Each one heavier than the last.
It felt like his body was being dragged down by invisible chains, his strength draining faster than he expected.
"…Haa… this… isn't normal…"
His legs trembled.
For a brief moment, he nearly lost his balance—but he forced himself upright, pushing forward with sheer will.
'10 kilometers…'
'You've got to be kidding me…'
His eyes hardened, a faint spark of stubbornness rising within them.
"I'm not… stopping…"
Even if his body broke…
Even if his legs gave out…
He would finish it.
—
He kept running, each step heavier than the last, his body screaming in protest as the kilometers slowly ticked by.
'Haa… h-how much further…?'he gasped inwardly, panic tightening his chest.
At that moment, the red interface flickered in front of him, showing the distance he had covered.
[Distance covered: 3.9 km]
[Distance remaining: 7.1 km]
Kael's eyes widened in shock. His legs betrayed him. In an instant, he collapsed, hitting the ground hard.
The world tilted as he lay there, staring up at the pale morning sky, his chest rising and falling in ragged, uneven breaths.
'Will… will I even finish this daily training?' he whispered to himself, the thought heavy with dread. 'It's… harder than I imagined… but it's the only way I can get stronger right now…'
A familiar voice echoed in his mind, sharp and commanding: "Prove that you are still worthy of the name Viermont."
Kael's lips curled into a faint grimace.
'No kidding…'
He remained there, lying on the ground, muscles trembling and sweat soaking his clothes. Minutes dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity, until finally, he forced himself upright.
He shook out his arms, straightened his back, and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
'I… I can do this.'
After a few moments of stretching, Kael took a deep breath and began again—round two.
This time, his pace was slower.
More careful.
More controlled.
A heavy pressure lingered on his chest, and his legs still burned from before, each step sending waves of pain through his body.
But even so… he kept going.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
His breathing was rough, uneven, yet steadier than before.
Beside him, the red interface flickered once more.
[You have successfully covered 6.7 km]
[4.3 km remaining]
'Almost there…' he told himself, his vision slightly shaking.'I can do this…'
*Step.*
*Step.*
*Step.*
Each footstep echoed like a dull drumbeat against the ground.
'If I can't push myself now… then when will I ever become stronger…?'
Time passed slowly—so slowly it felt endless.
Hours seemed to slip by as his body moved purely on stubborn will.
Until—
His legs suddenly gave out again.
"—!"
He collapsed to the ground once more, his body slamming against the dirt as all strength left him.
"Haa… haa…"
"System…" Kael muttered weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "How far…?"
The red interface appeared once more.
[Only a few meters remaining until completion.]
For a moment… he just stared.
A few meters.
That was all.
"…Heh…"
A faint, exhausted smile appeared on his face.
Then—
He forced himself up again.
His legs trembled violently as he stood, his entire body screaming in protest, but he ignored it.
*Step.*
*Step.*
His pace was painfully slow now.
Each movement felt like dragging a broken body forward.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
His breathing was harsh, burning his throat as he pushed forward with everything he had left.
And then—
He crossed the mark.
The moment it happened, his body gave in completely.
He collapsed onto the ground, staring up at the sky once again.
His chest rose and fell violently, each breath a struggle.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
"I… did it…" he whispered, his voice trembling. "I really… did it…"
Cough—
"…Yeah… I'm never underestimating a 10 km run again…"
At that moment, the red interface appeared once more.
[You have successfully completed the first daily task.]
[Three more tasks remaining.]
"…Man… what a pain…"
—
Meanwhile, not far from where Kael had been training, another figure moved across the field.
Kira.
She jogged at a steady pace, her breathing calm and controlled, yet her attention wasn't on her own training.
It was on him.
Her eyes remained fixed on Kael the entire time, quietly observing every movement he made.
"…Since when did you start training like this…?" she murmured under her breath, her voice low and thoughtful.
Her gaze narrowed slightly as she continued watching.
"Ever since he came back from that incident… something about him feels… different."
Her mind drifted back to their duel.
The way he moved.
The way he reacted.
It wasn't the Kael she knew.
"…Is that really Kael… or someone else?"
For a brief moment, suspicion flickered across her eyes.
And yet…
She said nothing more.
With a small exhale, she turned away, brushing the thought aside as if it wasn't worth dwelling on.
"…Whatever."
Her expression hardened slightly, determination rising within her.
"If he's serious about getting stronger… then I'll just have to train even harder than him."
Without another glance back, she picked up her pace, her footsteps growing faster, sharper—driven by quiet rivalry.
—
About half an hour passed, yet Kael remained on the ground, his body still refusing to fully recover.
His chest rose and fell slowly now, but the exhaustion lingered deep within his muscles, like a weight that refused to leave.
"…Tch…"
After a while, he finally pushed himself up, his arms trembling slightly as he forced his body upright.
He stretched slowly, wincing as stiffness spread through his limbs, preparing himself for the next phase of training.
"Okay…" he muttered under his breath. "Next… let's see…"
The red interface flickered back into existence before him.
[Daily Tasks]
*100 Push-ups
*100 Sit-ups
*100 Squats
*10 km Run
"…The run is done," he said quietly, his gaze scanning the list. "So next…"
His eyes settled on the first task.
"Push-ups…"
A tired sigh escaped his lips.
"…Man… 100 push-ups… that's insane…"
For a brief moment, he just stood there, staring at the task as if hoping it would somehow change.
But it didn't.
His expression slowly hardened.
"…No choice."
Then —
Kael stepped forward slowly before lowering himself onto the ground, placing his palms firmly against the dirt.
For a moment… he just stayed there.
His arms trembled slightly.
His body hadn't fully recovered from the run, and he could feel it—every muscle still heavy, every breath still uneven.
"…Just 100…" he muttered quietly.
But even he didn't believe that.
Taking a slow breath, he positioned himself properly and began.
He pushed his body down.
Then up.
"…One…"
His voice was low, almost unsure.
Again.
Down.
Up.
"…Two…"
At first, it felt manageable.
But that illusion didn't last long.
By the time he reached ten, his arms were already starting to shake.
"…Ten…"
His breathing grew rough again, his elbows bending slower, his movements losing their earlier control.
"…Haa… this is bad…"
He went down again.
But this time—
His arms nearly gave out halfway.
"—!"
He barely pushed himself back up, his muscles screaming in protest.
"…Eleven…"
His teeth clenched tightly.
Sweat dripped from his chin, hitting the ground beneath him.
Each push-up now felt heavier than the last, as if his body was being pressed down by an invisible force.
Fifteen.
Seventeen.
Twenty.
By twenty, his arms were trembling uncontrollably.
"Haa… haa…"
His breathing was a mess again, his chest tightening as fatigue returned even faster than before.
"…Damn it…"
He lowered himself again—
But this time…
His body didn't go back up.
"—!"
His arms collapsed completely, his chest hitting the ground as all strength left him.
For a few seconds, he didn't move.
He couldn't.
His fingers twitched weakly, his arms refusing to respond no matter how much he tried to command them.
"…Not even… twenty…"
Frustration burned in his eyes.
'Is this… my limit?'
His nails dug slightly into the dirt.
"No…"
His voice was low.
Weak.
But firm.
"…I'm not stopping here…"
Slowly… painfully… he pushed himself up again.
His arms shook violently, barely supporting his weight as he forced his body back into position.
"…Again…"
He lowered himself once more.
And pushed.
"…Twenty-one…"
His arms trembled violently as he forced himself up, his entire body shaking from the strain.
Down.
Up.
"…Twenty-two…"
Each repetition felt heavier than the last, as if his own weight had doubled.
By the time he reached thirty, his breathing had completely fallen apart.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
"…Thirty…"
The moment he finished—
His arms gave out again.
"—!"
He collapsed onto the ground, his chest hitting the dirt as he gasped for air, his muscles twitching uncontrollably.
For several seconds… he didn't move.
He couldn't.
"…Damn it…"
His voice came out broken, filled with frustration.
'I can't even do thirty properly…?'
His fingers dug into the ground as he clenched his teeth.
"No…"
Slowly… painfully… he pushed himself back up again.
His arms screamed in protest, trembling so badly it felt like they would snap at any moment.
"…I'm not done…"
He lowered himself again.
"…Thirty-one…"
Time lost meaning.
The only thing that remained was the constant cycle of pain.
Down.
Up.
Count.
Collapse.
Repeat.
At forty-five—
He dropped again.
At sixty—
His arms refused to move for several seconds.
At seventy—
His vision blurred, sweat dripping into his eyes as his body screamed for him to stop.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
"…Seventy…"
"I… can't…"
For a moment—
He truly thought about giving up.
His body had reached its limit.
His arms felt numb.
His chest burned.
His breathing was ragged and broken.
'Just stop…'
The thought crept in quietly.
Softly.
Dangerously.
Then—
"Prove that you are still worthy of the name Viermont."
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Tch…"
A bitter smile formed on his lips.
"…You really won't let me rest, huh…"
With a shaky breath, he forced his body up once more.
"…Fine…"
His gaze sharpened despite the exhaustion.
"…Then I'll finish it."
"…Seventy-one…"
Every movement after that was torture.
There was no technique.
No rhythm.
Only sheer will.
His arms barely lifted him.
His body dropped harder each time.
His breathing turned into desperate gasps.
"Haa—haa—haa—!"
Eighty-five.
Ninety.
Ninety-five.
"…Ninety-six…"
His arms nearly gave out.
"…Ninety-seven…"
His body shook violently.
"…Ninety-eight…"
His elbows buckled—
But he forced himself up.
"…Ninety-nine…"
For a moment…
Everything went silent.
"…One… more…"
He lowered himself slowly.
Pain shot through his entire body.
His arms trembled uncontrollably.
His vision blurred completely.
Then—
With everything he had left—
He pushed.
"…ONE HUNDRED!"
The moment he finished—
His arms completely gave out.
"—!"
He collapsed onto the ground, unable to even react this time.
His body hit the dirt as if all life had been drained from it.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
His chest rose and fell violently, each breath feeling like fire tearing through his lungs.
His arms twitched slightly… but he couldn't move them anymore.
"…I did it…"
His voice was barely audible.
"…I actually… did it…"
For a few seconds, he just lay there, staring blankly ahead, his mind completely empty from exhaustion.
Then—
The red interface appeared once more.
[You have successfully completed the second daily task.]
[Two tasks remaining.]
"…You've got to be kidding me…"
A weak, tired laugh escaped his lips.
"…Sit-ups… next…"
He slowly turned his head, staring at the ground with a dull expression.
"…This system… really wants to kill me…"