Ivy began walking, her legs already feeling unbearably heavy under the strain. Each hand gripped a 5 kg keg of water...10 kg in total and the weight dragged at her arms like invisible chains.
The water inside the kegs sloshed with every step, the uneven rhythm threatening to throw her off balance.
{1...}
The system’s countdown echoed in her mind, syncing with the one she whispered inwardly.
Her steps were steady at first....slow, controlled as she moved around the shelter.
{2...3...4...}
Her breathing gradually deepened, each inhale sharper than the last.
By the tenth lap, her arms had already begun to tremble.
Her fingers ached, her grip weakening as the rough plastic handles dug painfully into her skin.
Don’t drop it... don’t drop it...
"Damn... I feel like I’m going to collapse," Ivy muttered under her breath, her voice strained.
Sweat trickled down her face in thin streams, dripping from her chin as she forced herself forward.
The kegs suddenly slipped in her sweaty palms.
Her heart lurched.
For a split second, they tilted dangerously but she tightened her grip just in ti, steadying them before they hit the ground.
{15...16...17...}
By now, Ivy could no longer feel her hands.
It was as if they had detached from her body completely....numb, unresponsive, foreign.
But she knew one thing.
If she stopped now...
she would have to start all over again.
And that....she refused.
More sweat gathered on her forehead, sliding down her temples and into her eyes, stinging her vision.
Her shoulders burned with a relentless ache, each step heavier than the last.
Her legs, already sore from earlier training, scread in protest.
Still....she kept going.
{18...19...20...}
Her breathing turned ragged, uneven.
The kegs felt like they had doubled in weight.
"Just... keep going..." she whispered, her voice barely audible now.
{30...31...}
Her vision began to blur.
The world around her wavered, as if she were walking underwater.
Still....
she didn’t stop.
Her steps slowed, but they never ceased.
{40...41...42...}
Just a few more laps...
I can do this.
I can really do this.
Determination hardened her expression as she pushed forward, clinging to sheer willpower.
{46...47...48...49...50...}
The mont she completed the final lap....the kegs slipped from her hands.
They hit the ground with a heavy thud, water spilling rapidly across the floor.
Ivy dropped to her knees, her body finally giving in.
Before the water could completely drain away, she grabbed one of the kegs with shaking hands and poured it over her head.
Cold water cascaded down her face and body.
The sudden chill sent a shiver through her, soothing her overheated skin and calming her burning nerves.
Then she collapsed fully onto the ground.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to catch her breath.
Ding!
{Congratulations, Host. You have completed the first level of training.}
{Basic Endurance Level: 1}
{How do you feel, Host?}
"Tired..." Ivy replied between heavy breaths. She let out a weak, breathless chuckle before adding, "But I know it’ll all be worth it."
{Do you wish to continue training now, or resu tomorrow?}
{The second phase of training will not focus solely on physical strength....it will also challenge you psychologically.}
Ivy slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing as her muscles protested.
{This will deepen your endurance level, Host.}
{In real combat situations, you will not have the luxury of stopping simply because you are injured.}
{You must continue... until victory is achieved.}
Ivy exhaled slowly, wiping water from her face.
"Well... I’m not doing anything else right now anyway," she said after a mont, her tone steadier now. "I might as well continue."
She paused, stretching her aching arms slightly before adding, "But I’ll rest a bit first."
Tilting her head, she glanced ahead thoughtfully.
"So... what exactly does this next training involve?"
Ding!
{First on the list: Wall Sit.}
{It may sound simple, but it is not.}
{This exercise trains ntal endurance, pain tolerance, and discipline under pressure.}
"Oh..." Ivy nodded slowly, absorbing the explanation. "I see."
A small frown ford on her face as she asked, "Is it going to be fifty tis again?"
{This exercise is asured by ti.}
{Duration: One hour.}
Ivy blinked.
"...One hour?"
She let out a short, incredulous laugh, shaking her head.
"Just standing against a wall for one hour?" she said, almost dismissively. "That doesn’t sound so bad."
But deep down, sothing told her this wouldn’t be as easy as it sounded.
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