Hustle And Headlights

Luca waited impatiently for Sophia to come back home, just as he'd ordered her to. Much to his surprise, she actually turned up, and just in time too—his mother walked in only a few minutes later.

Mrs. Rennick wasn't exactly thrilled with Luca's idea of leaving the house to "return a parcel," as he had told her. However, she trusted her son deeply and let him go, but not before giving him a full update on the progress she had made with the lawsuit in just one day. From the determined way she spoke, Luca began to worry. It seemed like his mother genuinely believed she could win the case. The fact that it was against the Stadhaven Circuit, a government-run establishment, and the Racing Federation gave Luca reason to fear she might be biting off more than she could chew. He couldn't help but feel she was playing with fire.

Closing the outer door behind him, Luca jogged softly down the stairs, careful to keep his midsection moving, not stiff. It hurt, but in a weirdly satisfying way, almost like it was good to feel such an injury.

It was getting close to 7 PM, and the sky, which had been painted in dusk moments before, was now fading into night. Luca's sneakers splashed into a puddle just outside the building, remnants of the heavy rain from last night still lingering around. The scene and events reminded him how much could happen in just 24 hours. He inhaled deeply, taking in the damp air mixed with a faint trace of exhaust fumes in the distance.

Dressed in his leather sports jacket and joggers, Luca pulled out his tiny, box-sized MP3 player and clipped it onto his jacket's zipper. Plugging in his earpiece, he slid the speakers into his ears and clicked play. A perfect fusion of retrowave and heavy metal buzzed into his ears as he took his first step, beginning his quest to jog around the nearest five city blocks two times.

[SYSTEM ONLINE...]

The familiar digital screen flashed in front of Luca's eyes once again, and this time he was certain—no one else could see it but him. Everyone around him continued moving, completely oblivious to what was now happening right in front of him.

[Host is attempting Thursday's Daily Quest]

[ANALYSING AND COLLECTING TRACKING DATA...]

[DATA COLLECTED]

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL-TIME:

-Speed: 4.5 km/h

-Heart Rate: 107 bpm

-Stamina: 80% (Poor)

-Breathing: Calm & Steady

-Distance covered: 30m

-Time: 27 sec ]

[This is a satisfactory start, host. But System fears your stamina might not be sufficient enough.]

"Of course it isn't. I'm injured," Luca muttered under his breath, feeling the strain in his side as he jogged along the sidewalk, weaving past stalls and shops. The statistics on the digital interface in front of him shifted every few seconds, recording each of his steps in real-time.

[You will have to increase your jogging speed to 6 km/h with time, host, if you want to meet the deadline.]

[From my calculations, at this speed, you will complete the quest around 8 PM. However, with a pace of 5 km/h or 6 km/h, you could finish 25 minutes or 40 minutes earlier, respectively.]

"Alright," Luca grunted, focusing on keeping his body steady and rhythmic. His sneakers thudded softly against the concrete, almost in sync with the beat of the music pumping into his ears.

[Speed increased by 0.7 km/h. Breathing remains steady; heart rate has increased by one beat.]

In his trance of the jogging quest, Luca had lost track of time, the music carrying him forward. He hadn't noticed how completely dark it had become, nor the creeping ache spreading through his body. "System, what's the progress?" he asked, gasping for breath.

[Two blocks have been covered twice, you are on the first phase of your third]

"What?!" Luca exclaimed, glancing at the digital screen in disbelief. "That's six more blocks to go?!"

[DATA DISPLAYED IN REAL TIME:

-Speed: 5.1 km/h

-Heart Rate: 110 bpm

-Stamina: 30% (Poor)

-Breathing: Hiked

-Distance covered: 422m

-Time: 5 min ]

"I don't think I can jog any further, System," Luca gasped as his speed noticeably slowed, his body screaming for rest.

[This is excellent training to increase your Endurance, host. Do not abandon this quest or consequences would be likely issued.]

Luca yanked the earpiece plugs from his ears and bent forward, leaning on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "I can take a short break, can't I?" he panted, sweat dripping down onto the damp sidewalk below him.

[Only for a few seconds. Three minutes maximum.]

[Refreshing is not allowed until System permits.]

Damn! What the heck is this System? My training coach?! He tried to mutter the words aloud, but his voice strained, barely escaping his lips as his breath came in ragged, uneven gasps. The evening's darkness wrapped around him like a heavy blanket, his fatigue only deepening as his legs felt like lead. Maybe it was the cold breeze of the approaching night making his steps heavier, or maybe the genuine exhaustion had finally set in.

If this is what it takes to get fit enough to become a racer, then what does it take to actually succeed as one?

Speaking of becoming a successful racer, the System had already thrown him his first major mission: secure his first professional contract. Luca hadn't figured out how the hell he'd do that yet, but at least, thankfully, there was no punishment attached to this one. Still, he knew he couldn't ignore it. Missions issued by the System were inevitable steps—unavoidable, no matter how daunting.

As Luca soaked in every second of the break, his weary eyes caught the faint glow of approaching headlights creeping up from the side. The light grew stronger, slicing through the dark. With a sharp inhale, Luca spun around, his muscles screaming in protest at the sudden movement.

To his surprise, a sleek red convertible rolled up, its headlights slicing through the evening shadows like twin beacons. The car's loud music echoed in the night, drawing unwanted attention as it came to a stop at the edge of the road, right beside Luca.

Luca squinted into the open seats, and immediately recognized the smug, youthful faces crammed into the flashy car. The driver, a college student Luca knew all too well, leaned back with a cocky grin, one hand lazily on the wheel.

"Hey, look who it is! I could spot that sad jog from a mile away," the guy drawled, his voice soaked in arrogance. "Thought you got mowed down by a race car or somethin'. But nah, here you are, runnin' like you're some kinda machine. My man never rests, huh?"

The others in the car—two boys and two girls—burst into laughter, their faces lit up with playful mockery.

"Tell me Luca, how did you even manage to sneak in as a marshal? My God, they could have sensed your pitiful self just like we did instantly," one of the girls said.

Luca didn't move, his hands still resting on his knees as he stared at them. Tyrants, he thought bitterly. I once had a rich father.

"Here dawg," one of the boys in the back with jet-black hair muttered, digging into his pockets. He eventually pulled out a handful of crumpled twenty-dollar bills, too many for Luca to count at once but clearly more than five. "Here you go for your sorry pasta ass!" he sneered, tossing the money toward Luca with a mocking grin.

Luca glared at them with a steely, apathetic gaze, struggling to comprehend why they still clung to their high school antics. Each of them in the car had some connection to him, and the sight of the girl in the front, who had hissed moments ago, stirred memories he'd rather forget.

[Don't worry, host]

[One day, they'll be the ones paying for tickets to watch you race. They'll sit in the stands, watching you claim the number one spot on the podium.]

[This is day one]

As it seemed Luca might refuse the money, the boy with the black hair sneered once more, throwing the bills at him with a hateful "Loser" spat from his lips. The green notes fluttered through the air, settling around Luca's feet before the car sped off, leaving behind a trail of laughter and booming music into the night that seemed to mock him long after they were gone.

Luca watched the red convertible vanish into the darkness, its taunting echoes lingering in his ears. He glanced down at the scattered bills, his mind racing as he weighed his options. Left and right, he scanned the empty street, then bent down to gather the money. Seven twenty-dollar bills lay in his hands, and he'd be a fool to leave them behind, even if it meant enduring their mockery.

[RESUME QUEST?]

[Y / N]

With a determined sigh, Luca pocketed the cash, feeling a strange mix of pride and frustration. He selected yes, resuming the jogging quest he was only halfway through.

Straining his muscles and pushing himself with the relentless pounding of his feet, Luca was able to complete his first quest. But it came with extreme pain in his legs and labored breathing as he almost collapsed to the ground when he was done.

[Congratulations! Daily Quest Completed!]

[You have been rewarded with (EXP)!

-Stamina +1

-Endurance +1 ]