System quest

Joshua woke up to the sound of a notification from his system. He rubbed his eyes with his left hand as he rolled over on his bed, feeling a bit groggy.

Glancing at the wall clock, he was surprised to see that it was only 5:00am; still very early in the morning.

"What exactly is your purpose?" he asked, his voice filled with exhaustion. "Aren't you supposed to make me stronger? Why are you waking me up so early?"

"Good morning, Joshua. I apologize for the disruptive wake-up call, but I suggest you wake up early in order to fulfill your daily quest," the system replied.

"But why this early?" Joshua questioned, still lying on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling.

"It would be best if you see for yourself," the system answered.

"Quest!" he thought to himself.

Suddenly, a display appeared before him.

[Quest info!]

Daily quest: Train to become a formidable contender.

Goals:

- Push-ups: [0/100]

- Sit-ups: [0/100]

- Squats: [0/100]

- Run: [0km/5km]

[Hint:] Incorrect postures and movements will not count towards your progress.

[Caution:] If the daily quest remains incomplete after 24 hours, penalties will be applied.

[Reward:] 250 coins, 100 EXP, 25 stat points.

"What!" Joshua exclaimed, immediately sitting upright. "Why a hundred?" he asked, puzzled.

"This is just a starting point from the system; a glimpse of what lies ahead for you," the system explained.

"Joshua, you have a video message," the system announced.

"Play it," he said, as he stood up from the bed.

The image of his brother, Quinn, appeared on the screen. "I'll always love you, brother," he heard, and a surge of happiness filled Joshua's heart. He truly felt blessed to have such a wonderful brother.

"System, let's continue," he said with a broad smile.

"Absolutely," the system replied.

Joshua began with the push-ups... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50.

"System, how am I doing with my quest?" he asked, his voice shaky and out of breath.

[Quest info!]

Daily quest: Train to become a formidable contender.

Goals:

- Push-ups: [15/100]

- Sit-ups: [0/100]

- Squats: [0/100]

- Run: [0km/5km]

"Wait, only fifteen?" he exclaimed sharply. "I was positive I counted up to fifty!" he shouted.

[Incorrect postures and movements don't add up]

"Oh no! Now I understand what it meant," he tapped his forehead in frustration.

Joshua felt a mix of determination and exhaustion. He knew there was still a long way to go, but he was ready to face the challenge head-on.

Finally, Joshua was done, panting heavily with his body drenched in sweat.

He muttered slowly, "System, show me the quest progress."

Grrr!!!

His alarm sounded again, "Now I have two alarms."

[Quest Info!]

Daily Quest: Train to become a formidable contender.

Goals:

- Push ups: [100/100]

- Sit ups: [100/100]

- Squats: [100/100]

- Run: [0km/5km]

"Good, now only a five kilometer race remains."

It was early in the morning, and as the sun began to cast its glow, Joshua finished his bath and headed to the dining table. He looked at Quinn and said softly, "I love you too, brother." Quinn blushed and replied, "Same here, brother." Their mother felt happy seeing how close her sons were.

However, there was still something that puzzled Joshua. He wondered how he would break the news about being able to walk again. He knew telling his younger brother, Quinn, wouldn't be a problem, but he worried that his mother would become emotional and concerned about how he had regained the ability to walk.

As usual, Quinn was the first to leave the house, followed by Joshua, who stood by the roadside. Taking a deep breath, he firmly held onto his walking stick while standing on both feet. "You can do this," he muttered to himself.

In one swift moment, he started running with all his might. Passersby turned their heads to look at him running in his white uniform, unaware of the determination in his mind. He didn't want any reason to go through another five-kilometer lap. It just didn't sound appealing to him.

Joshua was completely drenched in sweat when he reached the school. Bent slightly in front of the school building, he supported himself by holding onto his knees with both hands.

Suddenly, a system notification popped up.

[Achievement]

[Congratulations for finishing your first quest!]

[Reward:] 250 coins, 100 EXP, 25 stat points.

[Congratulations on your first level up!]

[Reward:] 100 coins, 10 stat points.

[All rewards have been added to your profile]

Joshua clicked on "Profile" and viewed his updated information.

[My Fighting System - User's Info]

Name: Joshua Stephen Level: 1

Age: 18 SP: 35

Gender: Male Coins: 300

Occupation: The Contender EXP: 60/100

HP: 10/10

[System Stats]

Intelligence: 99,999/10

Strength: 5/10

Agility: 2/10

Stamina: 7/10

Vitality: 10/10

Martial Arts: None

Joshua pondered for a moment and decided to allocate his stat points.

"Hmm, I'll add 15 to strength, 10 to agility, and finally 10 to stamina," he said.

With a click, he confirmed his choices.

[Done! Level up!]

[My Fighting System - User's Info]

Name: Joshua Stephen Level: 2

Age: 18 SP: 0

Gender: Male Coins: 300

Occupation: The Contender EXP: 60/100

HP: 20/20

[System Stats]

Intelligence: 99,999/10

Strength: 20/20

Agility: 12/10

Stamina: 17/10

Vitality: 20/20

Martial Arts: None

He couldn't help but feel a surge of energy rushing through him. "Is this how it feels? Well, it's not bad," he thought, a soft smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Entering the classroom, Joshua still had his walking stick for support. He shook hands with Sam and glanced at Morgan, who noticed and returned his gaze with a smile. Joshua sat down with a gentle smile.

"Are you nervous? Today, you'll be registered as a martial arts student," Sam asked.

"Not too nervous, but I'm excited. I can't wait to gain some experience," Joshua replied with anticipation in his voice.

"And yes, System, how come my intelligence stat is maxed out? And what do you mean by the contender?" Joshua asked, his curiosity evident.

"I am not meant to tell you at your current level, but considering your curiosity, I will let you know a little about it," the System responded.

"In one word, there are three other people who possess the same system as you do. Therefore, your personal title came with the contender, and the benefit for being a contender is maxed intelligence."

Curiosity etched on his face, Joshua inquired further, "What is the title of the other system users?"

"The other three users are: The Sovereign, The Defender, and The Striker," the System answered. 

"What makes you different from them is your abundance of knowledge and experience in all types of martial arts," the System continued. "They possess extraordinary physical abilities for all types of martial arts."

Joshua felt relief wash over him. The information he received from the System aligned with his expectations. His long-suppressed passion and excitement for martial arts began to awaken.

Suddenly, a system notification popped up, alerting Joshua to his potential running amok and his subsequent leveling up.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

"Congratulations, Joshua, you have successfully broken through the point limit with your incredible potential and have begun your journey as the contender," the System announced.

"Now that I'm at level 10, can some information be revealed to me?" Joshua asked eagerly.

"Absolutely," the System replied.

"What levels are the remaining users of the fighting system at?" Joshua inquired.

"Last time I checked, the Defender has broken the shackles of level 200, and the Striker is at level 100," the System revealed.

"And the Sovereigns?" Joshua asked.

"Joshua is too weak to obtain any classified information on the Sovereigns," the System admitted.

Joshua sighed, realizing that for now, he was unnoticed by the others. But he also saw an opportunity for rapid growth before they noticed him.

"Now I understand what it means to be distinct from a group of people, the feeling of being inferior," he remarked, standing up from his seat. "That means I still have a chance to grow quickly before they notice." 

Curiosity sparked within him as he pondered the purpose of the System. He made a silent vow to himself, "System, huh? This is making me curious about its purpose. Well, don't expect me to blindly follow your bidding. I am here to surpass you."

"That would be good, but literally, it is impossible," the System calmly replied.

"Oh! I forgot I have a partner I share my thoughts with, but just wait and see," Joshua said confidently.

Morgan walked up to Joshua, her voice steady as she greeted him. "Hey, Joshua."

"Hey, Morgan," he responded with a polite smile.

"You seem to be heading somewhere. Maybe I'll come back," Morgan suggested.

"No no, it's okay. I was just about to go register for the martial arts club with the help of my friend, Sam," Joshua explained.

Morgan's face showed concern as she asked, "You want to register for martial arts? But what about your leg?"

"Well, I already had the surgery, and my physical therapy is done. The therapist actually said that doing something like martial arts would help my leg heal faster," Joshua reassured her.

"I see. Let me see you walk then," Morgan requested, curiosity evident in her expression.

Joshua, Sam, and Morgan started walking towards the martial arts club, with Morgan keeping a close eye on Joshua's movement.

"It seems his leg is already good enough to walk. I don't know why, but I've been feeling differently lately. It's completely changed my perspective. I should check if he has talent in martial arts. Perhaps I might even introduce him to the 'COUNCIL'," Morgan thought to herself.