The Real Life System

A new notification flashed on the screen.

 [ your reward is: box of protein bottles ]

 [ You won 20 protein bottles for your next exercises. Each contains 4000 calories and 150g of protein. ]

Adrian's eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

"Wow, that's double the first reward!"

This was great news. More bottles meant more energy, which meant better performance in the next exercises.

"Good, I'm even more motivated now! I can't wait to see what Exercise 2 will be."

Adrian scrolled through the rankings, analyzing the changes.

His fitness ranking had improved significantly, jumping from over 6.3 billion to 6 billion.

But the rest?

His intelligence, knowledge, and power barely moved. His general ranking finally reached the top 5 billion, but he was still one of the lowest-ranked people in the world.

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Good advancement in my fitness... but even with that, I'm still one of the lowest in the world, haha."

He stretched his arms, feeling a slight ache in his muscles. That first exercise had really pushed his body to the limit.

But that was just the beginning.

For now, though, he needed to recover.

Adrian went to the bathroom, took a long, refreshing shower, and changed into clean clothes.

After drying off, he grabbed one of the bottles, opened it, and took a long sip.

The thick, slightly sweet liquid flowed down his throat, instantly filling him with warmth and strength.

"This stuff really works."

Feeling rejuvenated, he decided to prepare dinner.

Right on time, the front door creaked open.

A man stepped in, his father, Koral.

Adrian turned to greet him.

Koral was in his mid-fifties. His white hair had a few remaining black bristles. His thin face was marked by deep lines, as if the sun's rays had nailed themselves into his skin over years of hard labor.

He was skinny, his frame hidden under dirty work clothes stained with oil and dust.

Koral's tired eyes softened when he saw his son.

"Hello, Adrian. How are you?" he asked in a gentle but weary voice.

Adrian smiled.

"Hi, Dad. I'm fine."

He gestured toward the hallway.

"Take a shower first. I already prepared everything for you in the bathroom. Then, come eat dinner with me."

Koral nodded, his expression grateful.

"Thank you, son."

Without another word, he headed to wash away the day's exhaustion.

Adrian watched him go, then turned back to the table, setting down the last plate.

Dinner was ready.

After finishing dinner, Koral put down his fork and let out a deep sigh. His hands trembled slightly as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Adrian noticed his father's hesitant movements, the way his fingers clenched and unclenched as if struggling to hold something in.

Then, Koral looked up, his eyes heavy with sadness.

"Adrian… I have something to tell you."

His voice was low, almost broken.

Adrian sat up straight, his stomach suddenly twisting with unease.

"What is it, Dad?"

Koral took a deep breath, then finally spoke.

"I'm going to stop working."

Adrian froze, staring at him in shock. "What? Why?"

Koral lowered his gaze, his fingers tightening into a fist.

"Today… I lost control at work. I… I blacked out."

Adrian's heart skipped a beat.

"Blacked out?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

Koral gave a weak nod.

"The workers found me on the floor and rushed me to the hospital."

His lips trembled. His tired, worn-out hands reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded paper.

He placed it gently on the table, right in front of Adrian.

A single tear slipped from his father's eye, rolling down his weathered cheek.

Adrian's chest tightened. His hands shook as he reached for the paper, his fingers hesitating before finally unfolding it.

His eyes scanned the words.

For a moment, his mind refused to understand what he was reading.

Test Results

Diagnosis: Positive

Condition: Skin cancer (early stages)

Adrian's breath caught in his throat.

His hands gripped the paper tightly, the letters blurring as his vision swam.

He felt like the room was spinning.

In a trembling, frightened voice, he barely managed to whisper:

"W-What's wrong, Dad!?"

But Koral didn't respond.

He simply lowered his head, silent, his shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

Koral wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, but the tears kept falling. His voice was weak and full of regret.

"I'm sorry, Adrian… I can't cover your school fees anymore. You have to start taking care of yourself now."

His shoulders trembled, and then, as if a dam had broken, he couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears streamed down his face, his body shaking with silent sobs.

Adrian felt something inside him break. His father, the strong, hardworking man who had always kept going no matter how hard life was, was crying.

Adrian's vision blurred. His chest ached as he stood up, his legs feeling heavy.

Without hesitation, he walked toward his father and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.

"Don't worry about that, Dad," Adrian whispered, his voice trembling.

He squeezed his father tighter.

"You need to focus on your battle now. This cancer… it's your fight. And I will support you."

His own tears fell freely now, soaking into his father's worn-out work shirt.

"I will do anything to help pay for your chemo sessions, I promise."

His breath hitched, his chest tightening as memories flashed in his mind, his mother's tired smile, her fading voice, her absence.

He clenched his fists. His body shook with emotion as he cried harder.

"Please, Dad… don't give up like Mom did."

Adrian pulled back slightly, looking up at his father with red, swollen eyes.

"Don't leave me alone."

His voice cracked.

"Please… win this fight and come back healthy."

Koral's heart ached as he looked at his son.

Adrian's words brought back memories, painful ones. He remembered the day his wife died. The way Adrian had collapsed in tears, the way his small body had shaken uncontrollably, the way his eyes had looked hollow and broken for months.

He couldn't let that happen again.

With a deep breath, Koral wiped his tears and forced a weak smile.

"Don't worry, Adrian. For you… I will fight against the whole world if I have to, not just this cancer."

His voice was shaky but determined.

"The workers with me at the factory… they told me they will help pay for my chemo sessions."

Adrian shook his head quickly.

"Don't think about that, Dad. Just focus on your treatment. My classmates will collect the money needed."

Koral raised an eyebrow.

"Your classmates?"

Adrian nodded firmly.

"Yes. Every time one of us is in trouble, we all come together and collect the money needed."

Koral chuckled weakly.

"Really? And here I was thinking you had trouble talking to others… You were always alone, weren't you?"

Adrian forced a smile.

"No. Even I started building friendships. No one can live alone."

But deep inside, he knew it was a lie.

He had never been close to anyone. He was always the quiet one, the one sitting in the back of the class, the one who preferred silence over conversation.

But this wasn't the time for the truth.

This lie was the only way to make his father feel at peace.

Still, Adrian knew exactly where he would get the money from.

The Richness Factor.

His hands clenched into fists.

He had never thought of attempting a richness challenge this soon.

Even the first fitness exercise had nearly killed him.

But now?

"It doesn't matter."

There was no logic here.

Dad's life is in danger.

Adrian's eyes burned with determination.

"Tonight, I will complete the second richness challenge… no matter what."

Adrian gently helped his father into bed.

Koral was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. His breathing was slow, and his eyes looked heavier than ever.

Adrian carefully pulled the blanket over him, making sure he was warm. Then, without thinking, he leaned in and kissed his father's forehead, longer than usual, as if it was the last time.

His heart ached.

He wanted to believe his father would recover.

He had to believe it.

But deep inside, fear gnawed at his chest.

What if…

No.

No doubts. No hesitation.

Adrian straightened up, wiped his eyes quickly, and turned away.

He walked back to his room with determined steps.

He grabbed the interface system, his hands slightly trembling.

He took a deep breath, then navigated to :

[ Richness Factor.]

A new notification appeared on the screen:

[ Exercise 2: Available ]

Adrian didn't hesitate.

He pressed it.

To be continued …..