As the last rays of the sun bled from the sky, Lu Kai stood in the desolate wilderness, the weight of his sister's absence a crushing burden on his young shoulders. He felt a surge of despair, the impossible task of smashing a mountain boulder 10,000 times in under three hours seeming like a cruel jest.
Suddenly, a holographic window, shimmering with faint blue light, materialized directly in his field of vision. It was visible only to him, an ethereal interface born of the system.
**"Host,"** a disembodied voice chimed, devoid of emotion but laced with an unnerving cheerfulness, **"only you can perceive the system, and only you can utilize its functions. You are now under the guidance of the Authy System."**
The window pulsed. You have a remaining 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete your task. Do not fail, Lu Kai."**
A tremor of disbelief ran through him. "Where... where would I even find a boulder in this vast mountain?" he stammered, the question torn from his desperate mind.
Without a word, the system responded. A deep rumble echoed through the earth as a colossal boulder, easily ten times Lu Kai's size, materialized from the heavens and crashed onto the ground nearby with the force of a meteor. It was immense, its surface a jagged, imposing challenge.
**"Host, you must punch with greater force,"** the system instructed, its tone now slightly more demanding. **"Each impactful blow will be counted as one. You have 2 hours and 45 minutes remaining. Begin!"**
A primal instinct, a desperate echo of a forgotten power, surged through Lu Kai. He took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in his spectral wounds, and slammed his small, mortal fist into the unyielding stone.
**(1/10000)**
The impact was jarring, a shockwave that vibrated up his arm. But it was a count. A single, hard-won point. He continued, driven by a desperate hope for his sister, by the fear of the dungeon, and by a nascent curiosity about the power awakening within him.
The minutes blurred into an arduous rhythm of impact and recovery. His knuckles bled, his muscles screamed, but with each strike, a faint blue glow emanated from his fist, a visual confirmation of the system's count.
**(1000/10000)**
His arms felt like lead, his breath came in ragged gasps. Yet, the boulder remained defiantly intact. Doubt began to creep in, a cold tendril of despair.
**(5000/10000)**
He focused, channeling every ounce of his grief, his anger, his newfound purpose into each blow. He thought of Lu Er, of the burning village, of the spectral wolves. These thoughts fueled his assault.
**(7000/10000)**
His movements, though still clumsy, became more efficient. He found a rhythm, a brutal dance with the stone. His body, inexplicably, began to adapt, his stamina pushing beyond what a mortal should possess.
**(10000/10000)**
With a final, earth-shattering impact, the system's counter flashed crimson.
**"Congratulations, Host! You have completed your first task!"**
A wave of exhaustion washed over Lu Kai, but it was quickly replaced by a surge of exultation. He had done it.
**REWARD:** Punch-related skills unlocked.
**(Skill Acquired: Mountain Shaking Fist)**
**(Skill Class: Rare, Growth Type)**
**Host Physique: 10007**
Lu Kai looked down at his hands, then his arms. He gasped. His muscles, once thin and wiry, had swelled dramatically, rippling with an impossible density, like that of a seasoned warrior. They looked alien, monstrously powerful.
"Wh-what? How... my muscles?" he stammered, touching his bicep with a trembling hand. "I look like a monster!"
**"This is the perfect physical body, Host,"** the system replied, its tone matter-of-fact. **"Your Physique has reached 10,007, surpassing even Rankers who have successfully broken through to Level 7."**
Before Lu Kai could fully process this astonishing revelation, another holographic window bloomed before him.
**"Host, your second task is here:"**
**(TASK)**
**Push this giant Boulder to the mountain peak.**
**REWARD:** Your willpower and strength will increase by 5,000. You will also gain a Will-related skill: **Will of Fury**.
**(Description: Will of Fury - When the owner has lost all energy in fighting and faces a do-or-die situation, they can use Will of Fury as a last resort. The owner's movements become like lightning.)**
**To be continued...**