Having known what would come after if the daily quest wasn’t completed, Derek stood up immediately.
He glanced at the system window with sharp eyes. The information that was displayed was the same as the previous day. The daily quest which he didn’t fully complete.
"This thing is actually not playing. Yesterday I didn’t take it seriously and it punished me. No, it tried to kill me."
Tsk.
"Train to become Powerful. Is it planning on making me strong? Is that why I was punished when I failed to complete it?"
"The first three, I can do indoors. But the last one. Ten kilometers of running. I barely know any place in this town. Where can I run ten kilometers without drawing attention?" Derek placed his hand on his chin as he thought for about twenty seconds.
The living room of this building was big enough for his first three goals. There was enough space even after all that was inside.
Actually, there was rarely anything inside except for a single chair in the main living room, then the wooden table and two chairs in the dining area.
There was also a wrought-iron chandelier with candlelight and a stone fireplace next to a shelf of earthenware pottery. Aside from all these, there was more space to fit in other furniture and items that a modern day earth apartment living room would have.
"I must complete this daily quest today. If I am to go back to that penalty zone, I might actually die."
Derek glanced at the title of the quest... Train to become powerful. By training would I be able to defeat that monstrous beast? I wasn’t given a fancy blessing like the others, but I got something different.
He obviously knew the concept of a system because he had played games, read webnovels, so it wasn’t a new concept to him. What bothered him was how it would take him in this unknown world.
"This is a world of magic, mana, and mages. The three ms. And there’s no room for the weak. If I want to become a mage and climb through the ranks to get to my goal. I must become powerful."
With the word powerful leaving his lips, the young man stared deeply at the title of the quest.
Powerful.
The side of Derek’s lips curled to a smile as he felt a sudden surge of excitement.
Derek walked to the center of the living room, dropped into a push-up position, and began.
He lowered his body and pushed back up for his first repetition. Glancing at the floating crimson window, he saw that it had already registered the count.
[In progress...] Push-ups — [1/100]
He kept going, hitting one hundred repetitions after five grueling minutes.
Derek collapsed onto the floor, his arms trembling with exhaustion.
"Shit. How did I not realize that I was this heavy? My own weight is trying to kill me."
Derek laid flat his face upwards as he complained. He could see the full one hundred push-ups already registered in the system and let out a sigh.
"Sigh. I need to continue." He sat upright, his eyes glanced at the table where the loaf of bread and soup were.
Rumble! Rumble!
His stomach warned him that it was empty but the young man knew otherwise. He took his position and began the next goal.
After another five minutes he completed one hundred sit-ups. His body was drenched in sweat, his eyes even full with it as if he was crying tears.
Even with this, he was far from being done. The young man wiped the sweat off his face then took the next position.
"Hundred. And I will be done, for now."
Derek began the squats and at fifty he collapsed. His legs shook heavily and showed that they couldn’t take it anymore.
"Tsk."
The crimson window appeared before him and displayed his progress.
[Daily Quest: Train to become Powerful]
Goals:
[Completed] Push-ups — [100/100]
[Completed] Sit-ups — [100/100]
[In progress...] Squats — [50/100]
[Incomplete] Running — [0/10km]
Warning: If the daily quest remains incomplete, a penalty will be given accordingly.
"Fifty more to go." He sat on the floor and placed his hands on his legs. They were strong from all that movement.
Derek glanced at his breakfast which was waiting for him. Although it was calling for him, he didn’t give in.
After resting for a while, he stood up and took his position again. Then in under three minutes he did another fifty squats, completing the third goal of the daily quest.
As he finished, he didn’t collapse onto the ground but rather, walked slowly to the dining table. Before he could sit, his hand reached for the plate of soup.
He lifted the plate and drank the soup in one sweep.
"Ah!!"
"I was very thirsty."
Derek sat down on a chair he had previously pulled out and began devouring the bread.
Not too long after he had finished his meal and rested, the entrance door opened and the old man walked inside with a couple bags in his hand.
"Oh, you are awake?"
He saw Derek sitting on the table lifeless. He was completely full but at the same time tired.
"Come, come lad. I have something for you."
The old man closed the door while he called.
Derek stood up and walked towards the old man.
"I bought this for you." The old man pushed his hand into one of the bags he was carrying and brought out what was inside. "These are new clothes I bought for you."
He handed the clothes to Derek with a smile and he continued. "I saw yesterday that your clothes were torn. Although they could be mended, they don’t fit into this world dressing style. If people see you wearing that. They will talk."
Derek collected clothes with his hands which he could barely stretch because of the workout he had just done.
"Thank you. I was actually considering getting a job to earn some money and buy new clothes. I never thought you had already thought of it."
"Eh? What are you talking about, lad? Of course I did. You came home yesterday looking like someone coming from a battle. If not because I knew where you went to. I would have thought you fell into a fight."
Hehe, I did actually get into a fight. A fight with a wild beast... Derek chuckled.
"Also..." the old man continued. "There is no need to get a job. After you enter the academy and become a mage, you’d be given stipends. It is like a scholarship after you pass. Everything would be taken care of and given to you. From a place to sleep, clothes to wear and food you eat. They will all be provided by the academy. This is why many people want to enter it, but only a few actually get in. The royal academy is the only academy that provides such benefits."
Only? Are there more academies for mages?... Derek wondered. After collecting the clothes from the old man he asked curiously.
"Are they other academies other than the royal academy?"
"Of course, there are. But these are small and unpopular compared to the royal academy. Not everyone gets into the royal academy. Those that don’t get into the royal academy, apply to other small academies afterwards. But these academics don’t offer the same kind of benefits as the royal academy. Most of them even ask for you to pay to be taught."
I see. So because of the high benefits of the royal academy, most people go for it instead even though it is highly competitive and hard to get into. They try their luck to see if they’ll get in. But if they don’t, they try other options. It is a strange system but it’s just like getting into college back on earth. Not like I actually attended though. I haven’t even finished high school.
The old man, seeing Derek deep in thought, moved to the dining area and placed the rest of the things he was carrying on the wooden table.
"You don’t have to think about it too much, lad. You won’t have a problem getting into the royal academy." The old man encouraged him.
Derek turned around. His gaze shifted from the old man to the new clothes in his hands.
This is a great. I can go outside now and finish my daily quest without worries.