Luke collapsed onto his bed, utterly spent.
The day's city trip had drained him more than he expected—hours of walking, shopping, and exploring had left his legs heavy and sluggish.
His arms still ached faintly from the arcade games, and his feet throbbed from all the walking.
"Ugh… I'm dead," he groaned, face buried into his pillow.
The sun had barely set, but his eyelids were already weighing down.
As he lay there, Luke's thoughts drifted to the system.
"The daily mission…"
He grimaced, recalling the harsh list of exercises.
Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, kilometers of running—it sounded like torture for his already worn-out body.
He swiped open the system panel, staring at the mission details.
✅ [Daily Mission: Incomplete]
Push-ups: (0/10)
Pull-ups: (0/10)
Squats: (0/10)
Run: (0/3 km)
Pass to a wall: (0/100)
Set to a wall: (0/100)
Familiarize with the ball: (0/2 hrs)
[Rewards: 2 stat points (First-time Bonus)]
His eyes narrowed slightly at the "First-time Bonus" label.
"So, skipping today doesn't mean I lose the bonus… ."
That tiny loophole made the decision easy.
"No penalty? Pfft… screw it."
Without another thought, he closed the interface, rolled over, and let the darkness of sleep pull him under.
Luke's eyes snapped open as the first rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains.
He blinked blearily at the clock.
5:00 AM.
For a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling, still groggy from sleep.
Then, the events of the previous day came rushing back—the arcade, the shopping, his decision to skip the daily mission.
A tiny pang of guilt stirred in his chest.
"You slacker. If you're really serious about this, you can't take shortcuts."
He gritted his teeth, throwing the covers aside.
The cold morning air bit at his skin as he swung his legs out of bed.
He stretched his arms above his head, feeling his joints pop slightly.
The room was still dim, and the floor felt cool beneath his feet as he shuffled toward the bathroom.
The icy splash of water on his face jolted him fully awake.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he saw Hinata's face—but this time, it felt different.
The fire in his eyes was his own.
With a small, determined grin, he dried his face and changed into the new black tracksuit he had bought the previous day.
The fabric hugged his frame perfectly, making him feel sleek and athletic despite his small build.
He gave himself a final nod in the mirror.
"Alright… Let's do this."
Luke stepped outside into the early morning air, which was still crisp and cool.
The grass beneath his feet was slightly damp with dew, and the sky was painted with soft streaks of pink and orange.
He found a small clearing near their house—flat and open, perfect for training.
With a deep breath, he summoned the system interface.
✅ [Daily Mission: In Progress]
Push-ups: (0/10)
Pull-ups: (0/10)
Squats: (0/10)
Run: (0/3 km)
Pass to a wall: (0/100)
Set to a wall: (0/100)
Familiarize with the ball: (0/2 hrs)
"Let's go."
Push-ups came first.
The moment he hit the ground, his arms screamed in protest.
"Damn… I really am weak."
By the fifth push-up, his arms were trembling, his breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.
"Come on! Don't stop!"
He forced himself to power through, finishing the set with gritted teeth.
Next came pull-ups.
He found a low-hanging branch on a tree nearby and jumped to grab it.
The rough bark bit into his palms as he struggled to heave himself upward.
His arms shook violently, his legs kicking slightly for momentum.
By the eighth pull-up, his grip slipped, and he dropped to the ground, panting.
"Damn it… almost… there…"
With a final burst of effort, he forced his shaking arms to finish the last two reps.
Squats were next.
By now, his legs were burning, but he pushed through, counting each rep out loud.
"Seven… eight… nine… ten…"
By the end of it, his thighs felt like lead, and he had to brace his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
Still panting, he took off into a light jog, forcing his legs to move despite the fatigue.
The first kilometer was absolute hell—his legs felt heavy and stiff, and his lungs burned with each breath.
By the second kilometer, he had found his rhythm, his breathing more even, his strides smoother.
Finally, he pushed through the last kilometer, his heart pounding against his ribs, sweat soaking into his tracksuit.
As he staggered to a stop, he collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air.
"Holy… crap…" he wheezed, arms splayed out at his sides.
His body was exhausted, but alive with a strange rush of satisfaction.
A familiar chime echoed in his head.
✅ [Daily Mission: Complete]
Reward: 2 stat points
The notification flashed before him.
Without hesitation, he opened the stat allocation menu.
"Physique comes first."
He placed 1 point into Physique, feeling a faint warmth spread through his limbs.
His muscles tightened slightly, and his breathing eased.
Then, he allocated the second point into Receiving.
"If you can't even receive, don't stay on the court."
As the stat point took effect, a familiar sensation washed over him.
His arms felt lighter, his balance slightly steadier.
Muscle memory he didn't have before suddenly flooded into his mind—the small, subtle movements of a beginner in receiving.
"Whoa… that's… insane."
He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint tingle of improved reflexes in his hands.
After a quick breakfast, Luke helped Natsu get ready and the two of them set off.
As they arrived at the daycare, Natsu beamed excitedly, waving at her new friends.
"Good luck, Onii-chan!" she chirped, flashing him a toothy grin before rushing off.
Luke smiled warmly, giving her a thumbs-up before heading to the coaching center.
When he arrived, the scene stole his breath away.
The coaching center was buzzing with activity—players of all ages and skill levels were scattered across the courts.
Some were spiking ferociously, their bodies moving with fluid precision.
Others were diving and digging, displaying incredible reflexes.
Luke's eyes widened in awe, his heart racing with excitement.
Before he could get too lost in admiration, Coach Naruto's voice cut through the noise.
"Oi! You, shorty!"
Luke turned, blinking.
"Locker room. Find your assigned locker, change into your gear, and get back here."
"Yes, sir!"
And with that, Luke Hinata hurried toward the locker room, his blood pumping with anticipation.