The early morning still dominated the skies of Aeloria. The sun had not even risen on the horizon when Jon opened his eyes, still embracing Elara's warm body. A relaxed smile remained on his face, a reflection of the night before. However, this moment of peace was broken by a familiar and unexpected sound.
DING!
A blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Daily Mission: Run 10km without using mana in less than 20 minutes.
Accept / Deny | Reward: 2 system points.
Jon blinked, surprised. Slowly he moved his arm away from Elara, getting up carefully so as not to wake her. He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes.
"This is new..." he murmured.
He had long suspected that the system had hidden functions. In the beginning, he hoped daily that something like this would appear. But after six years in Aeloria, never having received a "main mission," Jon had given up on the idea.
'Could this be linked to the main mission? Or maybe there never was one? From the beginning, I found it strange never to receive clear instructions. I spent years preparing, almost died once, and nothing changed... why now?'
He sighed, closing his eyes for an instant. The weight of doubts was always there, but he didn't have time to dwell on them.
"Well, I'll pay attention to this... Accept!"
As soon as he confirmed, he felt a strange pressure run through his body. When he tried to channel mana to prepare his physique, he realized that the system had completely blocked its use.
'So this is how you want to play... alright.'
A timer appeared before him, glowing red. Without wasting time, he put on black sports pants and a jacket from the old brand he used to wear on Earth. Now that he possessed the Luminar armor, which molded to thought, he could afford to have fun with modern clothes. He smiled at himself in the mirror, almost as if he had returned to his previous life.
"I think I'll enjoy this gift."
Jon left the room silently, walked through the corridors of wing S, and descended to the academy gates. The doorman merely raised an eyebrow at seeing him unusually dressed but asked no questions.
As soon as he crossed the gates, he released the timer.
Beep!
"Time to run."
The capital's streets were still almost empty. Only a few early morning merchants and night guards crossed his path. Jon started at a moderate pace, but soon realized that the task would not be so easy.
Without mana to propel his muscles, each step was heavy. The cold wind hit his face, his breathing accelerated at a rate he rarely experienced.
Thump... thump... thump...
His feet hit the cobblestones, echoing through the silent dawn. Sweat began to appear on his forehead, slowly dripping.
'I didn't think it would be so strenuous. On Earth, I hated running... it seems this body got used to mana's support too quickly. Now it's like starting from scratch.'
He turned corners, passed through squares still covered by the morning mist, crossed small bridges over icy canals. The timer advanced, and each second seemed to accelerate his heart in his chest.
His muscles burned, his throat burned with the cold air. The jacket, which had seemed comfortable before, now clung to his body with sweat.
"Nghhh..." he grunted through clenched teeth, forcing his legs to continue.
When he finally spotted the main gates of Glacier's Edge, he almost stumbled from the effort.
With a final push, he crossed the imaginary 10km limit.
Beep!
The timer reset, and a message appeared before his eyes:
Daily Mission Completed.
Reward: +2 system points.
Jon leaned against a pole, breathing heavily. Sweat poured as if he had crossed an entire battlefield.
'For the first time in Aeloria... I feel truly exhausted. No mana, no tricks, just my body against the limit.'
And despite the fatigue, he smiled.
"It was a good run."
The city slowly began to awaken. The magical lights went out one by one, replaced by the timid clarity of the sun rising behind the walls.
Jon opened his bedroom door silently, still panting after the effort of the run. Sweat ran down his forehead, and his body only craved a relaxing bath before a nap. It was only four-thirty in the morning, but it felt like he had already lived half a day.
Upon entering, he found Elara sitting on the edge of the bed. The young woman's green eyes widened in surprise at seeing him so early and in such an exhausted state.
"You really take training seriously."
Jon paused for a moment, admiring her. Elara was covered only by a light sheet, and yet she exuded a natural beauty that disconcerted him. He scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly.
"Sorry to wake you. You can sleep, I'll just take a quick shower."
But before he could move, Elara stood up. The sheet fell, revealing her naked and perfect body. Jon, even having seen that sight before, couldn't help but have his breath catch.
"I'll go with you." She smiled provocatively. "I also sweated a lot last night."
Jon didn't have the courage to refuse. In a short time, both were immersed in the marble bathtub, the heated water enveloping them like a comforting embrace. Elara rested her head on his chest in silence, her eyes fixed on the undulating surface of the water.
Jon noticed that the young woman, normally so animated, seemed immersed in heavy thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" he asked softly.
Elara sighed, hesitating for just an instant. "Problem I wouldn't say... it's almost disappointment."
Jon arched his eyebrows.
"I always thought I was intelligent, hardworking, and talented. Everyone praised me. But, upon entering the academy, I realized that maybe I was being deluded. You, Gwen, Elija, Serena, Nortis... and many others." She didn't finish the sentence.
Before he could answer, she turned, sitting on his lap. She held Jon's face and kissed him intensely, as if trying to silence her own insecurities with passion.
Jon returned the kiss, but his thoughts didn't leave him. 'You shouldn't put me on that list, much less Gwen.' He knew his advantage came from something no one else possessed: the system. Gwen, in turn, had grown up training in the almost exclusive dungeon. Comparing herself to them was unfair.
Jon sighed after the kiss and, on impulse, activated the system interface before his eyes. With a thought, he navigated to the shop, quickly reviewing the items. His eyes landed on something he had despised before:
[Magic Unlocking Pill]
Description: Magic pill made to accelerate a mage's advancement to the intermediate level.
Value: 6 system points.
To him, it seemed useless. But Jon couldn't measure everyone by his own standard. Without further hesitation, he confirmed the purchase. A small golden sphere appeared in his hand.
Elara looked at him confused when Jon got out of the bathtub without even bothering to dry himself.
"Jon? What are you doing?"
He didn't answer. With firm steps, he guided her to the magical training room attached to the bedroom. The energy matrix in the room glowed softly when activated. Jon held Elara's chin, placing the pill in her mouth before she could protest.
Surprised, she tried to speak, but he sealed her lips with a deep kiss, forcing her to swallow the gift. When he pulled away, still stunned, he smiled.
"How can I receive a gift without giving anything in return?"
Jon winked at her and calmly left, leaving Elara motionless.
Elara's POV
For a few seconds, I just stared at the door where Jon had disappeared. My heart was pounding. Then the bitter taste of the pill spread through my mouth.
Suddenly, a wave of energy ran through my body, as if rivers of mana overflowed from within.
"Aahhh..." I moaned, falling to my knees.
What is this? This mana so strong... circulating inside my body...
The floor seemed to tremble. I clenched my teeth, trying to maintain control, and sat in the lotus position. I closed my eyes and concentrated, guiding that wild energy that threatened to explode within me.
'What kind of magic pill did he give me?'
Sweat ran down my face, dripping onto the floor. My mind was blurry, but one thing was clear: Jon had given me something beyond what I could ever dream of.
An hour passed amidst pain, concentration, and ecstasy. Finally, when I opened my eyes, a notification shone before me.
Magic (Intermediate) — Lvl 1
My lips trembled.
"Jon..."
The name escaped as a whisper, laden with gratitude and confusion.