Grind to Glory

The next morning, Noah woke up to the faint hum of his Grindstone pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. His body ached in ways he hadn't thought possible—his arms, legs, even muscles he didn't know he had protested every movement. Still, he felt… alive.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as the Grindstone's voice cut through the haze.

"Daily Quest Available:

Perform 20 push-ups, 20 squats, and a 2-kilometer jog.

Reward: Minor Strength and Stamina Upgrade."

"Of course," Noah groaned, sitting up in the small cot Alice had set up for him in the corner of the base. "Even my magical cheat system thinks I'm out of shape."

As he stretched, the events of the previous day flooded back. The resonance scan, his training with Alice, the minor combat skill he'd unlocked—it was all real. This wasn't some bizarre fever dream.

He checked his stats screen.

[Noah Greene - Level 2]

Strength: 7 (+2)

Stamina: 6 (+2)

Agility: 5 (+1)

Intelligence: 6

Skills: Improvised Combat (Level 1 - 68%), Basic Fitness (Level 1 - 45%)

A small smile crept onto his face. He was still weak, but the numbers didn't lie—he was improving.

After a quick breakfast of canned beans and a protein bar, courtesy of Alice's limited pantry, Noah made his way to the training area. Alice was already there, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Look who's up early," she said.

"Barely," Noah replied, cracking his neck. "What's on the agenda today? More baton beatdowns?"

Alice shook her head. "Not today. You've got the basics of combat down, but we need to work on your stamina and awareness. Let's see if you can keep up with me."

Noah frowned. "Keep up with you? What does that mean?"

Alice didn't answer. Instead, she pushed open a door that led outside into a massive, overgrown courtyard. A thin layer of frost covered the cracked pavement, and the air was sharp and cold.

"This is the outer perimeter of the base," Alice explained. "We use it for endurance drills and field simulations. You're going to run laps around it while I… motivate you."

"Motivate?" Noah asked warily.

In response, Alice pulled out a small crossbow.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Noah backed up, hands raised. "What the hell is that for?"

"Relax," Alice said, loading a blunt-tipped bolt into the weapon. "These aren't lethal. Just a little incentive to keep you moving. Aberrations don't take coffee breaks, and neither will you."

Noah stared at her, trying to gauge if she was serious. Her smirk told him everything he needed to know. "You've got to be kidding me."

Alice raised the crossbow. "Better start running, rookie."

Noah didn't need to be told twice. He took off, his sneakers pounding against the frosty ground as Alice's laughter echoed behind him.

By the third lap, Noah was gasping for air. His legs burned with every step, and his lungs felt like they were about to burst. But he kept moving, spurred on by the Grindstone's quest tracker and the occasional thud of a blunt arrow narrowly missing him.

[Quest Progress: 1.7 kilometers completed.]

"You're slowing down!" Alice shouted from somewhere behind him. "Pick it up, rookie!"

"I… hate… you…" Noah wheezed, forcing his legs to keep going.

Another arrow zipped past his shoulder, the sound of it cutting through the air sending a fresh jolt of adrenaline through him.

"Good! Use that anger!" Alice called out. "Focus it! Push harder!"

As he rounded the final corner of the courtyard, a new notification appeared in his vision:

[Daily Quest Complete: Minor Strength and Stamina Upgrade applied.]

A sudden surge of energy washed over him, dulling the ache in his muscles and steadying his breathing. Noah skidded to a halt, bending over to catch his breath as Alice sauntered up behind him.

"Not bad," she said, lowering the crossbow. "Still slow, but you've got potential."

Noah glared at her. "You shot at me."

Alice shrugged. "And you're still alive. Congratulations."

"Barely," he muttered.

She handed him a bottle of water, her smirk softening into something almost resembling approval. "You're tougher than you look, Noah. Keep this up, and you might actually survive out there."

"High praise coming from you," he said, taking a long drink.

Alice's expression grew serious. "I'm not joking. Aberrations are relentless. They don't feel pain, they don't get tired, and they don't stop until you're dead. If you want to protect yourself—and anyone else—you need to be faster, stronger, and smarter."

Noah met her gaze, the weight of her words sinking in. He didn't want to die. More than that, he didn't want to keep living as the same helpless nobody he'd always been.

"I'll do whatever it takes," he said quietly.

Alice nodded. "Good. Then we'll step it up tomorrow. For now, rest. You've earned it."

As she turned to leave, Noah felt the Grindstone pulse faintly in his pocket.

Later that evening, Noah sat in the quiet of his room, staring at the translucent screen in front of him. He scrolled through his stats and quests, the possibilities laid out before him like a roadmap.

He still didn't know what the endgame was, or why he had been chosen, but one thing was clear: he wasn't the same person he had been a few days ago.

End of Chapter 9.