Morning.
A sharp, golden sunrise cut through the horizon.
The sky burned with color—orange, red… alive.
As if the sun itself was whispering—
"You can do this… don't give up."
⸻
Ryuk stepped out of the house.
His eyes were steady.
His jaw firm.
"…I'll give it everything I have."
"I won't lose again."
⸻
A few minutes later—
He reached the open ground.
Cool wind brushed past him as he slowly cracked his neck.
"…Alright."
He looked ahead.
"System—summon."
⸻
A familiar screen flickered into existence.
Glitching.
Then stabilizing.
⸻
[STATE YOUR COMMAND]
⸻
Ryuk smirked slightly.
"Okay… tell me what I need to do."
⸻
A pause.
Then—
⸻
[FIRST OF ALL… DO NOT CALL ME "SYSTEM."]
⸻
Ryuk blinked.
"…Huh?"
"Then what should I call you?"
⸻
[ASSIGN ME A NAME.]
⸻
"…A name?"
Ryuk crossed his arms, thinking.
"…Ryuk's Assistant sounds good."
⸻
[REJECTED.]
⸻
"…Ouch."
"Alright then…"
He thought again.
"…Veronica."
⸻
A brief pause.
⸻
[VERONICA… ACCEPTED.]
[IDENTITY UPDATED]
[YOU MAY ADDRESS ME AS "VERONICA."]
⸻
Ryuk smirked.
"Nice."
"Alright, Veronica… what's first?"
⸻
The screen shifted.
⸻
[TRAINING PHASE 1: BODY BREAK]
[PHYSICAL QUEST INITIATED]
[OBJECTIVE: BREAK YOUR LIMITS]
⸻
Ryuk raised an eyebrow.
"…That's it?"
⸻
[PUNISHMENT FOR FAILURE: INTENSE PAIN FEEDBACK]
[EVEN THE THOUGHT OF GIVING UP WILL BE PUNISHED]
⸻
Ryuk's expression hardened.
"…Got it."
"I'm ready."
⸻
TASK 1
[RUN 10 KM — TIME LIMIT: 40 MINUTES]
⸻
"…Easy."
⸻
He started running.
⸻
At first—
His pace was perfect.
Breathing controlled.
Body light.
The first 3 kilometers passed smoothly.
⸻
5 km.
His breathing turned heavier.
Sweat dripped down his face.
⸻
"…Still… fine…"
⸻
8 km.
His legs began to shake.
Each step heavier than the last.
⸻
[WARNING: SPEED DROPPING]
⸻
"Shut up… I know…"
⸻
His vision started to blur.
Feet stumbling.
Chest burning.
⸻
[FAILURE IMMINENT]
⸻
"…Don't… say that…"
⸻
Flash.
A memory.
His mother—smiling.
His father—proud.
Sally—laughing.
⸻
Something inside him snapped.
⸻
"DON'T… TALK ABOUT FAILURE!!"
⸻
He took a deep breath—
And sprinted.
⸻
Every muscle screamed.
Every step felt like breaking.
⸻
But he didn't stop.
⸻
He crossed the finish—
With 30 seconds left.
⸻
[QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARD: 10 W POINTS]
⸻
Ryuk collapsed.
Flat on the ground.
Breathing shattered.
"…I… did it…"
⸻
[CONTINUE.]
⸻
"…Already?"
⸻
TRAINING PHASE 2: PAIN ADAPTATION
[NEXT QUEST: ENDURE PAIN]
⸻
Before he could react—
The world shifted.
⸻
Cold.
White.
Endless snow.
⸻
Ryuk froze.
"…A frozen field…?"
⸻
In front of him—
A pool of icy water.
⸻
[OBJECTIVE: REMAIN INSIDE FOR 30 SECONDS]
⸻
"…Only 30 seconds?"
"…This should be easy…"
⸻
He stepped forward.
Placed one foot in the water—
⸻
"—AH!"
⸻
A shock tore through his body.
Like needles piercing his skin.
⸻
"…What the hell…?!"
⸻
He pulled back.
Breathing uneven.
⸻
"…No… I can't hesitate…"
⸻
He stepped in again.
Fully.
⸻
Instantly—
His body began shaking violently.
⸻
The cold wasn't just outside—
It crawled inside his bones.
⸻
His legs went numb.
His fingers stiffened.
He couldn't feel them.
⸻
"…Move… move… damn it…"
⸻
His breathing broke.
Chest tightening.
⸻
Every second felt longer.
⸻
His mind screamed—
Get out.
⸻
"…No…"
⸻
"…I won't move…"
⸻
Time crawled.
Pain spread.
⸻
But he endured.
⸻
Finally—
⸻
[QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARD: 5 W POINTS]
⸻
He stepped out—
Collapsing on his knees.
Body still trembling.
⸻
"…That was… insane…"
⸻
TRAINING PHASE 3: COMBAT INSTINCT
[NEXT QUEST: SURVIVE]
⸻
A dark domain opened.
⸻
Three figures appeared.
Shadow-like.
Faceless.
Holding wooden katanas.
⸻
[OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE FOR 3 MINUTES]
⸻
Ryuk stiffened.
"…You're kidding me…"
⸻
[START.]
⸻
Before he could react—
One shadow attacked.
A strike to his chin—
⸻
"—GHK!"
⸻
He lifted off the ground.
Another hit his ribs—
⸻
CRACK.
⸻
"AAAGHH!!"
⸻
He crashed to the side.
Pain exploded through his body.
⸻
Another shadow rushed—
Targeting his legs.
⸻
"…Legs…?"
⸻
He reacted.
Jumped.
Barely dodging.
⸻
"…I can see it…!"
⸻
For a moment—
Hope.
⸻
Then—
A strike slammed into his face.
⸻
Everything spun.
⸻
And then—
They overwhelmed him.
⸻
Hits from all sides.
Arms. Ribs. Back. Stomach.
Again.
And again.
⸻
He saw them.
But couldn't react fast enough.
⸻
Time dragged.
Pain piled up.
⸻
But somehow—
He endured.
⸻
The domain shattered.
⸻
[QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARD: 15 W POINTS]
⸻
Ryuk couldn't stand.
His body covered in wounds.
⸻
"…So the harder… the quest…"
"…the better the reward…"
⸻
[CORRECT.]
⸻
"…Heal…"
⸻
A green aura surrounded him.
Warm.
Soothing.
⸻
His wounds slowly began to close.
But not completely.
⸻
"…Still hurts…"
⸻
TRAINING PHASE 4: GRAVITY HELL
⸻
The world shifted again.
⸻
A dark, empty space.
⸻
[OBJECTIVE: WALK 100 STEPS]
⸻
"…That's it?"
⸻
Suddenly—
The pressure dropped.
⸻
"—WHAT THE—"
⸻
His body slammed downward.
⸻
[GRAVITY: 3X]
⸻
"…I can't… move…"
⸻
Standing alone felt impossible.
⸻
He forced himself up.
Step.
⸻
Heavy.
⸻
Step.
⸻
Pain.
⸻
[TIME AFFECTS GRAVITY INCREASE]
⸻
"…So I have to hurry…"
⸻
50 steps.
⸻
[GRAVITY: 4X]
⸻
His body screamed.
⸻
75 steps.
⸻
[GRAVITY: 5X]
⸻
"…Move… damn it…"
⸻
His legs trembled violently.
⸻
He fell.
⸻
Then pushed himself up again.
⸻
"…I won't stop…"
⸻
One step.
Two.
Three—
⸻
100.
⸻
The pressure vanished.
⸻
He dropped to his knees.
⸻
[QUEST COMPLETE]
[REWARD: 10 W POINTS]
⸻
"…That… was hell…"
⸻
[FINAL PHASE: BASIC CONDITIONING]
⸻
[10 SETS — PUSHUPS / SITUPS / CRUNCHES / PULLUPS]
⸻
"…You've got to be kidding me…"
⸻
But he stood.
⸻
Time passed.
⸻
His body was drenched in sweat.
Hands shaking.
Breathing unstable.
⸻
"…Eight…"
"…Nine…"
⸻
"…One more…"
⸻
"AAAAAAH—!!"
⸻
He pulled himself up—
⸻
Ten.
⸻
He dropped.
Flat on the ground.
⸻
Silence.
⸻
[GOOD JOB, RYUK.]
[REWARD: 30 W POINTS]
⸻
His eyes slowly closed.
A faint smile formed.
⸻
"…This…"
"…is just the beginning…"
⸻
Far above—
The sun began to set.
⸻
And in that fading light—
A broken boy…
was slowly becoming something else.
⸻
To be continued…
⸻