Ethan walked into his house and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his shirt. His muscles ached pleasantly, the kind of soreness that comes from pushing your limits.
He could still hear Maya's teasing remarks echoing in his mind from earlier at the gym.
"You're lucky we were there," she said with a smile as she watched him add more weights to the bar. "If you keep this up, people might think you're a cyborg."
Mark, calm and serious, said, "Be subtle, Ethan. Your progress is already unusual. Don't give anyone a reason to look more closely."
Ethan had laughed at the time, but now, standing in the cool quiet of his home, he understood their concern.
He'd been checking his Status Panel as soon as he left the gym and was pleasantly surprised to find his efforts had paid off.
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[Status Panel]
Strength: 93
Speed: 93
Endurance: 93
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