Attributes Advancement 2

[SYSTEM ONLINE...]

[Host should begin Daily Routine.]

Luca's heavy, sleepy eyelids snapped open, his eyes bloodshot and his body unwilling to cooperate. He grunted, swiping his hand over his face as he forced his head off what felt like the world's comfiest pillow. "Good morning, System," he muttered instinctively, squinting around his hotel room.

[Beautiful morning, host.]

[Please, begin your Daily Routine.]

Luca sat up, ruffling his messy hair. Still in Melbourne, he remembered they'd be leaving for Germany in three days. Today was Sunday, a day off for F2 drivers after yesterday's thrilling race, but George Park was gearing up for the F1 event that would soon fill it with roaring engines and fans.

He'd gotten to his hotel late last night, around 9 p.m., barely finishing the abrupt Daily Quest his System had assigned him. Dinner had been courtesy of Sara, who, in her usual fashion, had ordered precisely what should go on his plate. Exhausted, he crashed into bed, hoping for a quiet morning. Moreover, there were no training practice, no updates and meetings today. But, naturally, his System had other plans; at dawn, it rang insistently in his head, flashing a prompt in his groggy line of sight.

Sighing, Luca sat up, reached for his bottle of water, and took a few sips before sitting still to meditate. Last night's dreams had replayed his race encounter with Miles, showing endless variations that might have ended more in his favor. Shaking it off, he took a deep breath, centering himself.

Getting up, Luca brushed his teeth, searching for his tracksuit. He spotted it neatly folded on a small couch in the corner, packaged in a clear bag. He unpacked it, lifting up the well-tailored, custom Trampos Racing tracksuit with a small, appreciative smile.

Nice, he thought, facing the mirror as he started putting it on. Just then, a knock at the door startled him, and he walked over to answer it.

Mr. Mallow stood in the hallway outside Luca's hotel room, shades on, his expression unreadable. "Good morning," he greeted.

"Morning," Luca replied, adding a casual, "What's up?" as Mallow stepped inside.

"We didn't talk after yesterday's race, so I figured I'd take the chance now—especially since I know you hit the gym every morning," Mallow said, glancing around the room before settling himself at the edge of Luca's bed. "As your agent, it's not my job to comment on your ups and downs in the championship. My job is to know the condition of my client and make sure we're aiming for financial growth. So, I'll ask you once: are you doing fine?"

Luca chuckled, a soft, confident laugh. "Yes," he replied, zipping up his tracksuit.

Mallow gave a satisfied clap, then walked over to the cabinet beneath the television, snatching up two doughnuts and biting into one. "Good. Now, come on—I'll drive you to the facility," he said, waving Luca toward the door.

Grabbing his bag, Luca followed Mallow out to the waiting car. They drove briefly through the bustling Melbourne city streets before reaching the quieter suburbs, where the facility lay nestled.

The two chatted along the way, discussing Luca's gradual progress and what the future might hold, especially if Mr. Grant decided to pull him from the driver's seat for the next Featured Race. That possibility loomed, and both of them knew it would cost Luca the bonuses Fijee had laid out.

But he was still hopeful. Missing one race seemed drastic over a single setback, right? Luca was confident he could prove it was just a bump in the road and that he deserved to stay behind the wheel.

"You should be glad. Harry's still struggling to even get recognized as the main reserve driver," Mallow remarked, his attention mostly on the road as he rounded a curve on the quiet stretch leading to the facility. "There are three reserves in OLAC, and honestly, I don't see him getting close to competing against you on track. Maybe next season will be his time."

"Yeah, I feel bad for him," Luca mumbled, glancing out the window. Of the seven drivers in Grey-Husson's program, only he and Miles had managed to make it to the track so far. Maybe another was somewhere far behind, but Luca hadn't noticed. Not everyone could shine—he'd just realized that.

As they neared the facility, Luca enjoyed the region's tranquil silence, the sky softening into dawn hues. It was just three minutes until his gym session would kick off his Daily Routine. The absence of birdsong or rustling leaves made the crunch of gravel beneath the car's tires seem even louder in the stillness.

"So, what'll you be doing tomorrow? It's another free day," Mallow asked, raising an eyebrow above his shades as Luca stepped out of the car.

Luca tightened his grip on his kit bag, squinting as the first rays of morning sun hit him. "Uh… I dunno," he replied with a shrug. "Maybe I'll call up Harry, spend the day as tourists?"

"Sounds good," Mallow said, revving the car. "Just don't think about racing all the time. It's not great for da mental health."

Luca nodded. "Roger that," he barked.

He watched Mallow drive away, then turned toward the facility entrance. Now, it's just me and you, System.

Once inside the gym, Luca savored the rare solitude. His footsteps echoed through the empty space, mingling with the distant sounds of cleaners and a few early staff members. The chill of the air conditioning hit him hard, blasting through the gym like an icy wind. He rubbed his hands together, getting ready to warm up in the frosty air.

He sprang into action immediately, diving into his Intermediate Bundle-related Daily Routine exercises. He hit the floor for burpees, moving rapidly, his muscles already firing up as sweat started to bead on his forehead. Without pause, he launched into high-intensity intervals—short, powerful bursts that had his heart pounding in seconds. Moving into his core workout, he tackled planks and Russian twists, testing his endurance. Push-ups came next, his arms burning as he pushed through, followed by lunges, each one with careful focus. He wrapped up with flexibility training, holding deep stretches and yoga poses that released the tension in his muscles.

[Good job.] The System congratulated him after thirty solid minutes of exercise.

Luca panted, catching his breath, "Guess now we're on to Attributes, right? That's usually next after the workout."

[Certainly, host.]

[During your sleep, System compiled a custom set of exercises tailored to improve after yesterday's… less-than-ideal race performance.]

[Through detailed analysis, System identified two key incidents for optimization: first, when host collided with a tree, and second, when the host's tires clipped a rival's. From this, the System concludes host needs focused training on in-race agility, evasive maneuvers, and optimal control, coupled with enhanced quick decision-making.]

"That's... that's actually thoughtful of you. Thanks a lot," Luca said with appreciation.

[My objective is to make you the best Formula 1 racer in history, host. This is simply System's duty.]

[Retrieving Data....]

[....Data Retrieved]

[This side programme will focus on the following:

–Reaction Ball Timing

–Balance Board Training

–Rapid Direction Change Sprints

–Cognitive Speed Training

–Simulated Racing ]

[Some of these exercises would benefit from another person's assistance. The System advises host to secure a personal trainer.]

"Yeah, Sara said she'd handle it. But let's knock out the ones I can do on my own for now," Luca replied, stretching out his arms. "Pretty sure I can simulate solo, right?"

[Certainly, host. However, a dedicated day for Simulated Racing has been scheduled. You'll engage in intensive simulation training for a full five hours.]

Five hours?! That's intense...

[Analyzing....]

[... Analyzed]

[Today's session will focus on the following for sole participation:

–Balance Board Training

–Rapid Direction Change Sprints

–Cognitive Speed Training ]

[EXERCISE: BALANCE BOARD TRAINING]

[EQUIPMENT: BALANCE BOARD]

[Host is required to stand on the balance board while maintaining stability and performing tasks to enhance coordination and control.]

[This will be done for 5 minutes, focusing on balance and core engagement while tossing and catching a lightweight medicine ball to himself, requiring adjustments to maintain stability during the movement.]

With no time to waste, Luca looked for a balance board and a medicine ball in the gym. He found and grabbed them, setting them up in his designated gym area.

Carefully stepping onto the balance board, he yelped as it wobbled slightly beneath him. "I won't forgive you if I fall," Luca muttered to his System, gripping the medicine ball tightly. With focused determination, he tossed the ball into the air, catching it smoothly while adjusting his weight to maintain his balance. He repeated the motion, gradually increasing the speed of his throws, feeling his core engage fully just as his System instructed.

After a grueling five minutes, he finished, panting heavily as he hopped off the board and sank onto the floor. "Okay," he said breathlessly, still catching his breath. "What's next?"

[Good job, host. Moving on to the next.]

[EXERCISE: RAPID DIRECTION CHANGE SPRINTS]

[EQUIPMENT: CONES]

[Host is required to sprint between a series of cones set at varying distances, making sharp, quick turns to simulate racing reflexes. Focus on speed, immediate direction changes, and foot placement to enhance agility.]

[This will be done for 5 sets, each lasting 30 seconds, with short rests in between to allow your body to recover while maintaining intensity.]

"This is not alien to me," Luca replied, instantly gearing up. His System was assigning drills that directly targeted his reflexes and agility, exactly what he needed to face similar scenarios from yesterday.

He positioned the cones in a staggered line, setting them at varied distances to ensure an unpredictable pattern for weaving. After a quick glance at the first cone, he grunted and sprinted forward, his footsteps echoing in the stillness of the gym.

Snaking through the cones wasn't difficult, but the unique challenge here was the rapid change in direction while sprinting. Luca knew his System had selected this exercise specifically to help him adapt to sudden course changes while driving.

He pushed himself, making sharp pivots and dashing to the next cone with renewed focus. Each change of direction tested his control, and he concentrated on maintaining his speed through each turn. The burn in his legs fueled him, his 20 Endurance score showing its worth as he drove through the exercise.

After resetting and launching into the final set, Luca finished, only slightly winded but feeling the satisfying strain of effort. He exhaled deeply, resting his hands on his knees. "Done."

[Very good, host.]

[Moving on to the next.]

[EXERCISE: COGNITIVE SPEED TRAINING]

[EQUIPMENT: NONE]

[Host is required to perform physical movements, such as sprinting or jumping, while simultaneously responding to verbal or visual cues. Tasks will include answering questions, solving quick math problems, or identifying patterns to enhance mental agility under pressure.]

[This will be done for 3 sets of 5 minutes each, maintaining a high level of intensity while improving decision-making speed and cognitive performance.]

"What? Am I training for a circus?"

[No, host. This will be highly beneficial for your decision-making under high-stakes conditions.]

"Damn," Luca whispered, surprised by the level his System was taking things to. "So it involves you throwing questions at me? Like a quiz while I work out?"

[Yes, host. Your simple words explain it perfectly.]

[Let us proceed with COGNITIVE SPEED TRAINING.]

Luca shook his head, half in disbelief and half amused. "Alright, let's see what this 'circus training' is all about," he muttered as he stretched and prepared himself. "Alright then, hit me with your best shot."

[Cognitive Speed Training Initiated.]

[Retrieving questions for host...]

[... Questions retrieved.]

[What is the sum of 23 and 57?]

Luca sprinted in place, focusing on his movements while quickly calculating. "Uhmm....uhmmm, eighty," he replied quickly, the answer flowing out as he jumped high, landing softly.

[Correct. Identify the next number in this sequence: 2, 4, 8, 16.]

What the heck. Luca leaped onto an imaginary plyometric box, then hopped back down, his mind racing to decide if it was a geometric or arithmetic progression. "Thirty-two!" he shouted instinctively, louder than he expected.

[Correct. How many bones are in the adult human body?]

[Keep your brain sharp, host.]

"Uhh, I think–I think it's two hundred and six," Luca replied as he transitioned into a series of high knees.

[Correct. What is the boiling point of water in degrees Celsius?]

"Uhhhhh," Luca stammered as he switched to lateral shuffles. "Can I skip?"

[Yes, host.]

"Skip."

[Skipped.]

[Who wrote "Romeo and Juliet"?]

Luca shook his head, his mind racing but he couldn't seem to grab the answer. "I have no idea," he muttered. "Skip."

[Skipped.]

[What is the square root of 144?]

"Twelve!" He answered unhesitatingly, throwing in a few quick jumps for extra intensity in the exercise.

[Correct.]

[In what year did the Titanic sink?]

"Ah, ah, 1934!" Luca replied with confidence, pushing himself through a sprint.

[Incorrect.]

[Answer is "1912"]

Damn, I thought I was right.

[Who painted the Mona Lisa?]

"How the fuck does this have to do with racing? I have no idea, System."

[Answer is Leonardo da Vinci]

[Which gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere?]

Luca felt a burn in his legs as he landed from a jump. He quickly pivoted to maintain his pace as he moved quickly to blend the rhythm of his exercise. "It's nitrogen," he answered calmly.

[Correct. We have reached the end of Cognitive Speed Training.]

Luca exhaled sharply, spinning on his heels and slumping onto the gym bench. "Thank you very much, System. You just brought back school trauma," he gasped, reaching for his water bottle.

[This session of your Daily Routine is now complete.]

[You achieved a performance score of 55.5%. Aim to improve next time.]

[Ding!]

[Agility +1]

[Reflexes +1]

[Intelligence +1]

[Good job, host. You can now proceed to the next phase of your daily routine.]