Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Forge Within
Sunday night.
The last two days had blurred into one rhythm—train, eat, recover, repeat.
Morning sessions, evening drills.
Football on the pitch, iron in the gym.
And when the sweat dried, a little time to unwind with games... before starting again.
Now, on Sunday evening, Julian was finishing his final stretch of the day.
Muscles pulled and lengthened like steel cables under tension.
Breath steady.
Sweat cooling against his skin, leaving a faint salt sting on his forearms.
The low hum of the treadmill, the faint clink of weights settling on the rack—then silence.
Even the air felt heavier here in the empty gym, like the echoes of the day’s effort were still hanging in the rafters.
His shadow stretched long in the low light, the kind of stillness that made each heartbeat sound too loud.
And into that silence, a voice cut through like a blade.
[Quest Complete]
Build you Body
Complete the following exercises in your private gym for in one week
Jogging: 150 / 100 KM (62 miles)
Bench Press: 6500 / 5000 KG (11,023 lbs)
Squats: 4200 / 3000 KG (6,614 lbs)
Stretch & Core: 9 / 7 Sessions
Reward : Rare Skill
[ Accept Reward? ]
[Yes] [No]
Julian didn’t hesitate. His finger brushed the Yes without a second thought.
[ Host exceeded the requested amount in the quest ]
[ +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Stamina ]
[ Host may choose the type of skill—Mind, Body, or Hybrid ]
The message faded, leaving him in the quiet hum of the gym. Julian leaned back against the wall, breathing slow. He shut his eyes, thinking.
What did he really need?
What was the single weakness that could topple him right now?
It wasn’t speed.
It wasn’t technique.
It was the body itself—his own flesh and bone.
No matter how sharp his skills, if he pushed too far, the vessel would break.
He needed something to keep it together... to burn hotter, longer, without shattering.
[ I want an active skill focused on enhancing my body, ASHI. ]
[ Acknowledged. Regenerating skill... Upgrading rarity to Legendary. ]
The text pulsed once, twice—then a new window bloomed before him.
...
➤ [Blood Furnace Lv.1] [0/50]
Type: Active
Rank: Legendary
Ignite the inner forge within your body, reinforcing muscle fibers, tendon elasticity, and cardiovascular output.
While active, all physical strain from other skills is reduced by 30%, stamina drain from high-intensity actions is halved, and recovery speed between bursts is doubled.
All physical strain from other skills reduced by 30% Stamina drain from high-intensity actions halved Recovery speed between bursts doubled
Duration: 5 minutes
Cooldown: 40 minutes
...
Julian’s lips curled into a slow grin. Legendary.
Twice a match—maybe more, once it leveled up.
He pictured it already: pushing past the final whistle, legs pumping when everyone else dropped, still sprinting in the 90th minute like it was the first.
Opponents gasping for air while he cut past them like a knife. This wasn’t just a weapon—it was insurance against his greatest enemy: his own limits.
For once, ASHI had given him something that wasn’t just about victory.
It was about survival.
Endurance.
...
Just like that, the two-day break came to an end.
Tomorrow—school.
Friday—another match.
School passed in a blur. The same halls. The same voices. The same dull clatter of lockers and shuffle of papers.
For Julian, the real day didn’t start until the final bell rang.
The Lincoln High team gathered on the field, the winter air crisp enough to bite through their jackets.
Coach Owen stood in front of them, hands in his pockets, the wind tugging at his cap.
"We start like usual—physical training first, then the regular drills," he called out, voice carrying across the empty stands.
He paused, scanning each player. "We’ve got five matches left before mid-season. Here’s the situation—next three are against lower-ranked teams. The last two... we face the first seed and second seed."
A faint sigh escaped him as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So... we win these next three. No slip-ups. No excuses. If we lose, or even let one goal into our net—" His eyes hardened, voice dropping to a growl. "—you’d better be ready."
The words hung in the air, sharp as a blade.
Then, with a sharp blast of his whistle—PRIITTT—Coach barked, "Start running!"
We surged forward in unison, cleats tearing into the turf.
The cold air slapped my face, each breath a plume of white mist.
My lungs pulled in winter’s bite; my thighs burned with the first stretch of effort.
Behind us, Coach stood rooted like a sentry, whistle dangling from his fingers, eyes tracking every stride.
"So... a bet, everyone?" Leo’s voice cut through the wind, casual but carrying that sly edge.
"What kind of bet?" I asked without slowing.
"I’m in!" Cael yelled from somewhere behind me, not even bothering to hear the details.
The others glanced over, waiting for Leo’s punchline.
"Same as usual—ten laps. First one to finish gets to give the loser one command. Anything." He grinned, already knowing he’d hooked half the squad.
One by one, the runners joined in—
Me.
Cael (obviously).
Damien, because Cael had joined.
Ethan.
Aaron.
By the time Leo was done, only Riku, Caleb, and Ricky hung back.
"Alright, since we know who’s in, let’s line it up," Leo called, jogging toward the mark.
"Riku, you’re the official," he added with a glance.
"Fine, fine," Riku said, matching our pace before slipping ahead to take position.
"On my call! One... two... three!"
We exploded forward. The ground pounded under our cleats. Breath and muscle fell into rhythm, each stride pulling us closer to that first turn.
Julian could hear the patterns in their breathing—Leo’s steady and measured, Cael’s loud and unbothered, Damien’s deep and even like a marathoner.
The wind hissed past their ears. Every corner of the pitch felt sharper in the cold, every inhale cutting into their lungs.
This wasn’t just speed—it was stamina, grit, the will to keep your legs churning when your body started begging to stop.
From across the field, Coach Owen’s voice muttered on the wind. "What the hell are these kids doing now...?"
He started to raise his whistle—then saw us kick into another gear.
A slow exhale. A shake of his head.
"Really... these kids."