The afternoon sun hungs low as Lucas walked along the familiar street.
His steps were unhurried.
The soreness in his legs from the morning run was still there, a dull reminder of effort but his breathing was steady now.
Each day, his body was learning.
Slowly.
At the corner near the main road stood a small convenience store.
Its sign was faded. The glass door creaked when pushed open.
Lucas stepped inside.
And felt the smell of instant noodles and old paper.
Behind the counter, the shopkeeper flipped through a newspaper, barely looking up.
Lucas approached quietly.
"Please give me a lottery ticket," he said.
The man reached under the counter and pulled out a small stack.
He placed all the tickets into front of Lucas
and told him to choose any one.
Lucas reached for the one in his left with the number 4435.
"Same price as always." Said the man.
Lucas nodded and handed over the money.
He already knew the outcome.
As the ticket slid across the counter, a faint sound echoed in his mind.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Action Recorded: Financial Entry Point
Method: Information Advantage
Risk Level: Minimal
→ This action does not affect personal growth directly.
→ Time gained may be converted into long-term development.
Lucas folded the ticket carefully and placed it in his wallet.
That was it.
No miracle.
No thrill.
Just a step.
Outside, the heat pressed down as he walked home. The neighborhood looked the same as always children playing, old men talking, the sound of distant traffic.
Nothing had changed.
And yet, everything had.
That evening, Lucas sat at the small table in his room, the ticket resting beside him.
But he didn't stare at it.
Instead, he stretched lightly, then did a few simple bodyweight exercises push-ups, squats, slow movements done with care.
His arms trembled.
His form wasn't perfect.
But he didn't stop.
[Workout Logged]
Activity: Light Bodyweight Training
Duration: 12 minutes
Growth Applied:
+0.4 Strength
+0.3 Agility
+0.6 Stamina
Bonus Effect:
Fatigue Recovery +4%
Lucas exhaled slowly as he sat back down.
His muscles burned, but the discomfort faded faster than it should have.
"…So this is how it works," he murmured.
So The system also counts those efforts that are not given by it.
He picked up the ticket again, glancing at the printed numbers.
Soon.
Very soon.
After the night fell, the house grew quiet.
From the other room, he could hear Maria's soft movements as she prepared for bed. Daniel laughed quietly at something on his phone.
Lucas lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I guess This is enough for now," he thought.
Outside, cicadas continued their endless song.
And somewhere ahead
The first door was already opening.