Getting up was a mistake.
Ren realized it immediately.
The moment he tried to straighten his back, his muscles protested violently, a wave of soreness climbing from his thighs to his shoulders.
“…gh…”
He stayed seated on the edge of the bed for a few seconds, hands pressed into the mattress to keep from collapsing back down.
Every fiber of his body demanded rest.
This wasn’t ordinary fatigue.
This was the kind of pain that set in when you pushed too far, too fast.
For a brief moment, the temptation to stay there—motionless—crossed his mind.
Then Amane’s image forced its way in.
The hospital bed.
The machines.
The bill.
Ren’s breathing slowly stabilized.
“…No.”
His voice was low but firm.
He stood up anyway.
His legs trembled for a second, then held.
Just enough.
Morning routine in the Aster apartment came quickly.
When the system window appeared, he didn’t even need to read it.
He already knew.
Daily mission
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— 10 squats
— 10 push-ups
— 10 sit-ups
Status: pending
The corner of his mouth tightened slightly.
“Yeah… I know.”
His body clearly disagreed.
But Ren still moved to the center of the living room.
First squat.
His thighs screamed immediately.
The movement was less clean than yesterday.
Slower.
Heavier.
But he continued.
By five, his breathing deteriorated.
By eight, his legs were shaking badly.
At ten, he paused briefly at the bottom before standing back up.
The push-ups were worse.
Much worse.
His arms were vibrating by the fourth.
At the ninth, he had to pause for a second to catch his breath.
Then he finished.
The sit-ups drained what little energy he had left.
When he dropped onto his back, his chest was rising rapidly.
But the window appeared almost immediately.
Daily mission — completed
Echo Compatibility: +0.2%
Current Compatibility: 6.6%
Small.
But real.
Ren stared at the number for a few seconds before closing his eyes.
It was moving forward.
Slowly.
But it was moving.
By mid-morning at Astraeus, the atmosphere had changed.
Subtly.
But Ren felt it the moment he entered the main building.
The looks were more frequent.
Less mocking.
More… curious.
He crossed the hall without stopping.
Low voices were already circulating.
— …that’s him?
— Yeah, the one Dross wrecked…
— Still, did you see how long he lasted?
Ren kept walking as if he heard nothing.
Inside, though, every word registered.
Every look too.
He entered the classroom and took his usual seat.
Calm.
Quiet.
But something had changed in the way the space around him behaved.
As if…
…he was no longer completely invisible.
[External observation: frequency increasing]
The window vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Ren set down his things.
Breathed slowly.
Then briefly looked up.
At the back of the room.
She was there.
The dark-haired prodigy.
Seated as always.
Perfect posture.
Cold gaze.
But this time—
When their eyes met—
She didn’t look away immediately.
One second passed.
Then two.
Her gaze briefly dropped to Ren’s shoulders.
Then to his hands.
Pure analysis.
Before she looked back toward the board.
Ren’s heart beat a little faster.
No shame.
No panic.
Just… tension.
By the end of class, when the bell rang, several students left while still throwing discreet glances his way.
Nothing open.
But nothing indifferent anymore.
Ren packed his things slowly.
His body was still heavy.
Tired.
But deep inside…
Something had stabilized.
He stood.
Stepped into the hallway.
And, without really hesitating this time…
His feet naturally turned toward the sports wing.
[Behavior consistent with evolution trajectory]
The system observed.
As always.
Coldly.
But for the first time since the beginning—
Ren Aster’s curve was starting to attract attention beyond simple data.
And at Astraeus…
…attention was rarely good news.
