At seven thirty the next morning, a harsh alarm blared through the apartment.
Julian’s hand shot out from under the covers.
He blindly slapped at the nightstand, knocking it a few times before finally silencing the alarm.
He buried his face back into the pillow and let out a muffled groan.
He was so sleepy.
He did not want to get up.
He just wanted to stay in bed and play games all day.
Two voices battled in his head.
One said, “Sleep for just thirty more minutes.
Being a little late to physical training won’t kill you.”
The other argued, “No way!
You need to test if the system is real!
What if the training actually increases your proficiency?”
Curiosity ultimately defeated his exhaustion.
Julian dragged himself out of bed.
He rubbed his eyes and let out a massive yawn.
He changed into a black tracksuit, washed up, and headed downstairs.
The morning air was incredibly fresh, carrying the faint scent of cut grass.
Instead of heading straight to the base, he took a detour to a McDonald’s he had scouted earlier.
He bought a massive double beef burger, slipped it into his jacket pocket, and patted the suspicious bulge to make sure it was safe for later.
When he pushed open the door to the fitness center, the place was already buzzing.
Aside from Tom, the team’s number one driver Dennis Hauger was already hard at work.
Dennis was on a leg press machine.
Every push was accompanied by a low, rhythmic exhale.
He wore a tight gray tank top, his shoulder and back muscles clearly defined beneath the fabric.
His shirt was completely soaked, showing he had been training for a long time.
Hearing the door, Dennis glanced over.
His eyes swept past Julian’s thin tracksuit and lingered for a fraction of a second on the suspicious lump in his pocket.
Then, his expression remained completely blank as he turned back to his machine.
Tom checked his watch.
“Morning Julian!
Right on time.”
“Morning Tom.” Julian gave a polite greeting.
He carefully hung up his jacket, making sure no one would accidentally step on his precious burger.
He walked over and stood in front of Tom.
The trainer looked him up and down, then reached out to pinch Julian’s arm.
Tom’s fingers felt like steel rods.
With just a light squeeze, Julian felt his bicep trapped in a vice.
A loud grunt came from the leg press.
Tom let go and quickly typed a note into his tablet.
His expression turned serious.
“Before we start, I need to make one thing clear.” Tom put the tablet down and crossed his arms.
His voice wasn’t loud, but every word was crisp.
“In F2, a driver’s neck has to handle over five Gs of lateral force.
That is like hanging two five liter water jugs from your neck and running for an hour.
Neck strength is the absolute priority.
We are starting with neck resistance training.”
He handed Julian a yellow resistance band.
“Put this on.
Follow my instructions.
Push your head forward, backward, left, and right against the band.
One minute per set, five sets total.
Thirty seconds rest between sets.”
“Got it.” Julian took the band and strapped it around his head.
The training began.
Julian pushed his head forward, fighting the pull of the band.
After just thirty seconds, his neck felt like it was on fire.
It felt like a thousand needles pricking his skin.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Hold it!
Thirty seconds left!” Tom shouted from the side.
“Breathe!
Do not hold your breath!”
Julian gritted his teeth and forced himself to finish the first set.
He slumped back in his chair, gasping for air.
His neck felt completely disconnected from his body.
A loud metallic clank echoed from the leg press.
Dennis finished his final set and stood up, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel.
As he walked past Julian to grab his water bottle, he paused.
His eyes dropped to the yellow resistance band still trembling slightly around Julian’s neck.
Then he looked at Julian’s flushed face.
Finally, he glanced at the color of the band.
It was the lightest resistance level, meant for beginners.
“The yellow band is for F4 drivers to warm up with,” Dennis said.
His voice wasn’t loud and his tone was flat.
It didn’t sound like mockery.
It sounded like he was just stating an objective fact.
He unscrewed his water bottle, took a sip, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
He tossed the towel over his shoulder and walked over to the next machine.
Julian looked at his beginner band, then over at the heavy weight plates on Dennis’s leg press.
They were definitely not in the same league.
Tom cleared his throat.
“Ignore him.
Dennis started with light weights too when he first got here.
You are only seventeen.
The gap can be closed with time.
Don’t rush it.”
“How are you holding up?
Can you keep going?” Tom asked.
“Yeah.” Julian nodded.
He was exhausted, but his mind was focused on the system.
He wanted to see if his physical conditioning proficiency would actually go up after this workout.
Set after set.
By the end of the five sets of neck resistance, Julian felt like his neck was about to snap.
Even turning his head was a struggle.
As he unstrapped the band, his fingers brushed the muscles on the side of his neck.
They felt as hard as iron.
“Great job.
Rest for five minutes, then we move on to cardio.” Tom nodded in satisfaction.
Julian walked over to a stationary bike and adjusted the seat height.
He pulled out his phone, plugged in his earbuds, and queued up his favorite playlist.
Then he started pedaling.
Tom told him to keep his heart rate between one hundred and forty and one hundred and fifty for a full hour.
As he pedaled, Julian secretly started scrolling through short videos on his phone.
Tom saw it but said nothing.
He knew it was the kid’s first day.
He didn’t want to push him too hard.
As long as Julian kept his heart rate in the zone, a little slacking off was fine.
Forty minutes flew by.
“Alright, take a ten minute break,” Tom called out.
Julian immediately stopped pedaling.
He grabbed his water bottle and chugged half of it in one go.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath, and focused his mind to summon the system panel.
When he looked at the physical conditioning row, his eyes instantly lit up.
Physical Conditioning: 56 (Every 1 hour of targeted physical training adds 5 proficiency.
5/100)
It actually went up!
The system was real!
Julian was thrilled.
Training actually increased proficiency.
Two hours a day meant he would gain one attribute point in ten days.
It wouldn’t take long at all to boost his physical stats.
The ten minute break ended.
“Alright, let’s go again.
One more hour,” Tom said.
“Got it!” Julian nodded firmly.
This time, he didn’t touch his phone.
He sat up straight, gripped the handlebars tightly, and pushed the pedals with all his might.
Sweat rolled down his cheeks and dropped onto the floor, forming small dark puddles.
But his eyes were completely focused.
The hour of cardio finished.
Julian immediately pulled up the system panel again.
Physical Conditioning: 56 (Every 1 hour of targeted physical training adds 5 proficiency.
10/100)
Another five points!
That was way too easy!
It was just like leveling up in a game!
Julian wiped his sweat and broke into a happy smile.
“Not bad, Julian.” Tom walked over and patted his shoulder.
“You lasted a lot longer than I expected.
I thought you would be complaining after thirty minutes.
At this rate, your stamina will catch up quickly.”
“Thanks, Tom.” Julian smiled.
“Don’t thank me.
That is all your own hard work.” Tom smiled back.
“Come on, let me take you to a great spot.
I’ll help you recover from the muscle soreness fast.”