Chapter 13 – Points Gained
Chapter 13 – Points Gained
The system, as always, didn't respond.
Not that Zane expected it to. By now, he had already come to understand that silence was its preferred language. Still, even without a direct answer, he knew the truth. His body hadn't just randomly become stronger overnight. That wasn't how the world worked.
'So it really did enhance me...' he mused silently.
As strange and uncertain as the whole thing was, the results weren't exactly something to complain about. A subtle energy coursed through his limbs—real and undeniable. His body felt sharper, more in-tune. For someone like Zane, who had always pushed himself past his limits just to maintain the bare minimum, this sudden surge of vitality was... invigorating.
"I don't hate this," he said quietly, closing his eyes as he soaked in the newfound strength. "Feels... energizing."
The thought lingered, accompanied by an uneasy twinge in his gut. The fact that the system had this kind of authority over his body—over his very biology—was unsettling, to say the least. If it could grant him power, what was stopping it from doing the opposite? What if, one day, it decided to turn on him?
'I don't really have a choice, do I?' he thought grimly. 'All I can do is trust that it won't betray me... and prepare in case it does.'
It wasn't a comforting conclusion, but it was the only one that made sense. This contract, whatever it truly was, had been forced upon him without consent. But so far, the results spoke for themselves. The system hadn't hurt him. In fact, it had done the opposite.
"Well, since I'm feeling this good," Zane muttered, shaking his head free of the darker thoughts, "might as well make use of it."
A surge of motivation flowed through him, stronger than anything he'd felt in weeks. Training was no longer just a habit—it was an opportunity. He hadn't planned on doing anything intense, not with his injuries still fresh, but that idea was already slipping away. Curiosity was a powerful motivator.