Chapter 7 - I Don't Hate Him
Kai blinked as a red holographic screen snapped into place in front of his eyes. His heart sank.
[Daily Tasks (Begin Tomorrow)]
[1. Lift 100 kg]
[2. Run at 50 km/h]
[3. Complete 200 push-ups and sit-ups]
He stared at it, jaw slowly dropping. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?!"
With a groan, Kai dragged himself out of bed and asked the system mentally, "How long was I out?"
[One hour.]
Kai exhaled through his nose and stretched, the stiffness in his muscles still lingering. He walked into the living room and stopped short when he saw his mother carefully placing candles around a cake. Neat cursive frosting spelled out:
'Ray, The Bright Star.'
Kai scoffed under his breath. "Should I go get the 'bright star'?"
His father, without even looking up from the TV, said, "Yes."
With a grunt, Kai turned and climbed the stairs. He didn't knock gently—just rapped twice and leaned against the wall. From inside, his brother's voice came out flat.
"What?"
Ray opened the door halfway, face still damp from a shower. "What do you want now?"
Kai shrugged, voice dry. "Dad's calling you."
Ray narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"There's a party. For you."
Ray blinked. "Tell him I'll be down after I wash up."
Kai didn't reply. He just turned and walked back downstairs without looking back.
He dropped onto one of the four sofas and muttered, "He said he'll be down in a minute."
His mom adjusted the last candle and turned toward him. "So, Kai… why do you hate your brother?"
Kai frowned. "Who said that?"
"Your actions," she replied softly, almost gently. "They say enough."
His brows furrowed. "I don't hate him. , I just… don't see the point."
She faced him fully now. "The Point?"
Kai shifted in his seat, expression clouded with thoughts. "This conversation is over. I said I don't hate him. It's that simple."
"Not so fast." Her voice was calm, but firm. "You clearly don't like him. So why?"
Kai stood, heading for the stairs. "This isn't an interrogation. I gave you my answer."
He reached his room and flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts ran wild.
'I don't hate him. I don't like him. I don't feel like I'm part of them. All of them have these powerful bloodlines, and I… I'm just… this.'
The system's voice interrupted his thoughts cold and emotionless as always.
[If you don't love him, don't respect him, and don't care about him… that's still a form of hate. Or maybe it's just jealousy. He has something you don't. Though ironically, you have something greater you just haven't unlocked it yet.]
Kai scoffed mentally. 'You don't know anything. You're not in my mind.'
[Then where am I?]
His face fell. He turned onto his side and muttered, "I hate you too. Wake me when it's time for the tasks."
---
Kai stirred at 5 a.m. to the system's voice in his mind.
[Wake up. New rule: failing daily quests now comes with punishment. I won't tell you what kind.]
He mumbled something into his pillow and drifted back to sleep.
Four hours later..
Kai finally woke up form his sleep.
Kai grunted, voice raspy. "What's the first one again?"
[Lift 100 kg.]
He rolled out of bed—literally—and crawled under it. Bracing his knees and setting his palms flat against the floor, he started pushing up against the heavy wooden frame.
[20 / 100]
He grit his teeth and repeated it, again and again. Muscles trembling, breath uneven, his chest burned with each rep. Sweat rolled down his face, soaking into the carpet. Pain shot through his arms, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
His body collapsed on the floor, lungs wheezing for air.
[100 / 100 - Task Complete]
[Next Task: Reach 50 km/h speed]
Kai didn't respond. His body was soaked, sore, and barely functioning.
[Skill Evolution: "Survival Instinct" -> "Regeneration"]
[Regeneration (Level 1): Passive healing. Speed increases with level.]
When Kai finally came to, his body felt lighter. The pain had faded. His muscles no longer screamed.
"What… happened to me?" he asked aloud.
[Your inherited skill evolved. You triggered it through extreme strain. Regeneration activated and healed minor damage.]
Kai smiled faintly, sitting up. *Maybe… maybe I can actually do this.*
He stood tall and shouted, loud enough for it to echo through the house: "I'm going for a run!"
Outside, he dropped into a sprinter's stance. Asphalt under his palms, breath slow and steady.
'Faster,' he told himself. 'Move faster.'
He launched forward, legs pumping hard. His feet hit the ground like thunder, each stride gaining more power, more control. The wind screamed past his ears.
He was moving faster than he ever had before.
A building turned the corner up ahead. No time to slow down. He jumped, grabbed a pipe sticking out from the wall, and swung around it like a hinge, launching himself back into motion.
His grip bent the metal pipe without him noticing. He hit the ground running—straight onto the main road.
[Current Speed: 30 km/h]
Not fast enough.
Kai pushed harder. His breath came in short bursts, eyes locked ahead. The air felt different now—cooler, sharper, like slicing through mist. He could feel the world blurring around him.
And still, he ran.