Daily Training Tasks

Cassian had a lot of questions for the system, mostly about what he could do with it. Unfortunately, he discovered that many of the answers would only become clear once he reached the status of a First Circle Warrior—a concept he didn't fully understand yet. Luckily, he was in a favorable environment, and with some luck and hard work, he hoped to figure it out. If he was right about Tyrone being a skilled swordsman, he might have insights into becoming a First Circle Warrior.

Cassian planned to ask Tyrone about it in the morning. For now, there was no rush since the system hadn't set any time restrictions, and he was relatively safe where he was. Becoming strong would take time, and he was willing to be patient.

Just as Cassian was about to fall asleep, the system's voice echoed in his mind, shattering his peace.

[!Ding]

[Daily Training Tasks: 

100 Pushups: 0 done 

100 Squats: 0 done

 5 km Run: 0 km done 

100 Overhead Slashes: 0 done 

Duration: 24 hours]

[Failure to complete these tasks will result in one random attribute being deducted. If any attribute reaches 0, the system will shut down.]

"What the hell? What do you mean, 'shut down'?" Cassian asked, bewildered.

[Shutting down means the system will return to hibernation until it's connected by a new warrior.

[Note: If the system shuts down, it will reclaim any rewards it has provided.]

Cassian grasped part of the message, but the last note made him pause and think. Realisation dawned on him as he muttered, "So, taking back the healing you did on me and the teleportation…" His voice trailed off in shock as he continued, "You mean, I'll die…"

[Yes, trainee. If you don't complete the tasks in time, you will die.]

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Cassian said, jumping up and diving into pushups.

[It wasn't the right time, trainee.]

"Damn it…" Cassian grunted as he managed his first pushup. He had tried doing pushups before to build strength, but the most he could manage was four before his arms would tremble like a rattlesnake's tail.

Today, however, he pushed through his previous limit and reached eleven before collapsing. Although he had 24 hours to complete the tasks, he wanted to get as much done now as possible, knowing he'd be busy during the day and doing them now he can have night to rest.

[Daily Tasks:

100 Pushups: 9 done 100 Squats: 0....]

To his surprise, when Cassian checked the count of pushups he had completed, he saw only 9 instead of the 11 he'd done.

"I did 11. Why does it only show 9?" he asked.

[The last two pushups were performed poorly and don't count. To perfect your form, the system will show you a hologram of yourself.]

As the system explained, a black shadow, identical in height and build to Cassian, emerged from his own shadow and began performing pushups. Cassian watched in astonishment but quickly shook off his surprise. Given the system's legendary status, it wasn't too shocking that it could create a shadow clone. He focused on observing the shadow's form to improve his own technique.

After one minute of observing he said, "it's alright, now count." 

After observing for a minute, Cassian said, "That's good. Now count."

The system withdrew the shadow back into his own shadow, and Cassian resumed his pushups. This time, he managed 10 before stopping.

[100 Pushups: 19 done]

Excited to have improved his form, Cassian took a brief rest and then continued. He repeated the pushups a few more times, but by the sixth set, his arms gave out. He collapsed, slamming his face onto the wooden floor, having completed only 57 pushups and managing just 6 in the last set.

Undeterred, Cassian switched to squats. Though his form was perfect, he found squats more exhausting than pushups. "Sixty… ugh… one… sixty… ahhh…" he counted through gritted teeth as he reached sixty-two. His thighs burned intensely, feeling like they were carrying a ton of weight. As he struggled, he let out a loud grunt, managed one more squat, and then collapsed onto the floor, sitting down with sweat soaking through his clothes.

Cassian lay on the floor, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, but his mind was ablaze with determination. He had faced countless hardships and endured unrelenting struggles throughout his life. Every time he thought he was close to a breakthrough, something would come along to crush his hopes. Opportunities had been rare, and every setback had only fueled his drive to overcome.

Now, with this chance before him—a chance to become stronger, to finally break through the barriers that had always held him back—he couldn't afford to let it slip away. The system had given him this chance, and he wasn't about to squander it. This was more than just a test of physical endurance; it was a chance to prove to himself that he could rise above the challenges that had defined his life.

Every pushup and squat was a testament to his resilience, a way to fight back against the struggles he had faced. The pain in his muscles was nothing compared to the emotional and mental battles he had fought over the years. This chance was a beacon of hope, a symbol of everything he had worked towards, and he was determined to grasp it with both hands.

His legs felt like lead, but he was driven by a fierce desperation not to squander the chance the system had given him. He glanced at the count and saw he'd barely made a dent in the tasks.

Taking a deep breath, he resolved to tackle the pushups again, even though his arms felt like they might snap. He lowered himself down with a grimace, pushing through the pain and fatigue. "Come on… just a few more," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

He managed another 5 pushups before his arms trembled uncontrollably, and he collapsed onto the floor. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he lay there, sweat pouring off him. But he wasn't ready to give up. He forced himself back up, though his movements were sluggish and pained.

Knowing he needed to make progress, Cassian shifted to squats. His legs were sore, but he gritted his teeth and started the motion. "Sixty-three… sixty-four…" he counted aloud, each squat feeling like an immense effort.

Despite the burning sensation in his thighs, he pushed on, driven by the thought of what he might gain if he completed even one task. His form wavered, but he kept going. "Seventy… seventy-one…"

He stumbled and nearly fell, but he caught himself and continued. The sweat dripped from his face, and his body felt like it was on fire, but Cassian refused to stop. He gritted his teeth, determined to finish at least one task now as he didn't know if he have enough time to do it during the day.