Luke got scolded by his boss, but the shift as a janitor was otherwise smooth. After work, the fatigue hit him all at once.
He could barely move his legs without pain. His ridiculous idea of walking back and forth and squeezing in short runs whenever he needed to fetch something had worked.
Several screens with "Your Resistance increased" floated around him, still open.
1/40 push-ups
0/40 sit-ups
0/40 squats
0/60 jumping jacks
0/60 lunges
0:00/3:00 plank
5.0/5.0 km ✓
1.5/2.0 km
Just half a kilometer left.
"I better leave that for another day, I'm dead tired…", told himself the same lie as he watched the bus stops go by.
He got off a few stops early, about the distance needed to complete the final goal.
Regret spread across his face. It didn't have to be finished that day, his stubbornness just wanted him to do more than necessary.
The bus disappear into the distance, which killed his desire to pay for another ticket. Slapping his cheeks, Luke got into position and took off with everything he had.
He ignored the exhaustion and the weight of his backpack, pouring in all his effort. Every step hurt more than the last, and the only thing keeping him going was adrenaline flooding the brain.
"Why the hell did I choose to do this? It's not like I can handle it!"
The thought repeated, a huge inferiority complex always haunted his mind.
Luke never expected to win or achieve anything; he spent most of his life gaming and wanting nothing, so why would now be any different?
The adrenaline numbed the pain receptors. His shins, his feet slamming against the concrete sidewalk, his bones, it all felt like it might shatter to dust.
And then, he stopped. A three-story building with plastered walls and orange brick sides stood in front of him.
"I did it..."
2.0/2.0 km ✓
Luke shouted with joy and quickly climbed the side stairs so no one would stare. He threw the door open with a huge smile and tossed the backpack into a corner.
"Well, well..." Luke's mother raised an eyebrow. "What's got you so happy, son?"
"Mom, I outdid myself today."
"Did a girl talk to you?"
"We-well... that too, kinda." He blushed and scratched his hair. 'Better not say anything. Happiness lasts longer when you keep it quiet.'
The boy disappeared into his room. His mother covered her mouth in shock.
"I saw him wake up early and go for a run today... and now he says he talked to a girl? Oh my..." Pride filled her chest. "My boy's really grown up."
Luke took a good shower, had dinner, dodged a few odd questions from his mom, and finally went to bed.
He lay on it, staring at the requirement screen.
1/40 push-ups
0/40 sit-ups
0/40 squats
0/60 jumping jacks
0/60 lunges
0:00/3:00 plank
5.0/5.0 km ✓
2.0/2.0 km ✓
Was it really something to be proud of? For him, who never truly exercised, yes.
He might not have completed the push-ups, squats, or sit-ups, but was happy to see the last one with a "done" sign. It meant he could fulfill the mission.
Still, he hadn't completed it. When the clock struck midnight, a new screen appeared:
The player did not complete the daily training mission...
Applying penalty.
"Wait, what?! I can't even do all that and now you're punishing me?"
Sudden interference.
An entity offers the suggestion to reassess with a new mission.
Basic Mission: Community Cleanup Service.
Kill 6 goblins
0/6
"What the hell?"
Luke was stunned, trying to understand the reason behind this new mission. First of all, he absolutely did not want to go back into a portal.
'They'll ambush me and those bastards are gonna slice my throat!' The screen kept taunting him, glowing with that annoying light. "Fine, but how the hell am I supposed to kill those things without a damn portal? You do know I can't fight them outside of one, right?"
The player's argument makes sense. The administrator is processing a solution…
Solution generated!
Creating alternative mirror dimension.
Luke blinked a few times, and suddenly, felt a strange pulse passing through the air, like the jolt you get when you're about to break a chair just by sitting on it.
He got out of bed and walked toward the living room. None of the lights were on.
"Mom? The power's out."
Even calling out, no one answered. Out of pure concern, like a good son, he opened her bedroom door, fearing she had died from sudden cardiac arrest.
It was pitch dark, and by reflex, he reached for the light switch.
"You idiot, there's no power, of course it won't turn on!"
He smacked his forehead for the stupidity and stepped inside. There was no one there, but something moved on the other side of the bed.
"Hey, what the hell is that? An… animal? That small, it looks like a dog, but no way a dog could jump up three floors..."
Luke grabbed a vase from the bedside table, slowly walking toward the thing. It was moving side to side, but he couldn't see its shape clearly.
He raised the vase high, ready to smash it on the intruder's head, but hesitated just a bit too long.
"Gwak!"
"Shit, goddammit!"
Unfortunately, the monster's face was so ugly it made Luke drop his main weapon and run.
He didn't get far before it started chasing him. Only when they left the room he realized what the creature was: an ugly green dwarf, basically the physical embodiment of a goblin from hell.
Luke reached the kitchen, grabbed a lighter from the counter, positioned himself next to the gas tank, and lit a flame dangerously close to potential disaster.
The goblin finally emerged from the shadows, showing its rotten teeth and fishy breath.
"Look, pal, take one more step and we both go boom. Don't come any closer!"
Unfortunately, goblins are as dumb as cavemen and this little guy didn't understand the threat at all. The bastard jumped at Luke.
He widened his eyes and managed to grab a pan hanging from a nail on the wall, slamming it straight down on the goblin's egg-shaped head.
The goblin rolled sideways, crashing into the sink, knocking over the sponge and dish soap, and slamming into the wall.
That was the perfect opening. Luke remembered a similar situation in the portal and took the chance to bash the goblin's head repeatedly until it stopped moving.
After many bonks, the creature froze, and, strangely, its body began to dissolve into blue particles and numbers.
Basic Mission: Community Cleanup Service
Kill 6 goblins
1/6
"The mission updated… Right, Luke, let's recap what just happened. The system sent some messages, something weird happened, the power went out, and now I just killed a goblin. None of this makes any damn sense!"
His heart felt like it was about to burst from his throat, anxiety gripping every inch of the body, trying to drag him down to the floor.
Even so, he managed to plant his feet and focus. He needed to stay in control if he wanted to get out of this.
A few gwaks echoed from outside, and when Luke peeked through the window, saw three more big-headed goblins poking at a bus stop with clubs and kicking it.
"Wait, there are more of them?! Why aren't there any raiders around to deal with this?"
Finally, to relieve Luke's headache, the system responded:
The player is currently within a replica of the real world.
This is the mirror dimension, a space separate from reality that spawns artificial monsters.
All creatures are made from data collected through information in the original world.
"And how do I get back? What do I have to do to leave?"
The assigned mission must be completed for that function to become available.
"Dammit…" Luke bit his fingertip, clearly frustrated with the system's stubbornness. "Alright, alright. I'll do it, okay?"
In the end, there was only one way out. The first thing to look for in that situation was equipment. As had already been demonstrated, fighting without it was impossible.
A single bite or blow could be enough to put him in a dangerous situation and end his life.
He searched the whole house, opening cabinets and checking everything inside, even tried to cook some rice because he was hungry, but sadly discovered that everything was fake.
When he slapped the package, it dematerialized and flew out the window. At least, kitchen utensils and other things made of different materials like plastic or metal seemed to be more resistant.
After a thorough search of the house, he found some interesting things, like a knife, a cycling helmet, a toolbox...
There were also plenty of useless things, like large water jugs, gas canisters, lighters, and more.
That's when an idea sparked in Luke's mind.
"Wait, things are based on real life, and the lighter worked just fine. If I get some gasoline, wouldn't burning those guys work?"
It was a brilliant bet, but since Luke had zero knowledge of how to build a Molotov cocktail and had no signal on his phone, it would be dangerous and irresponsible.
Another idea was blowing up the gas canister on them, but the mental image of it exploding in his face just before he could throw it out the window stopped him.
"Better not try. The chances of me screwing up are way too high."
He let out a sigh, feeling even worse about his own incompetence.
"Come on. I already took down two alone. Dealing with three or four at once can't be that hard."
Luke finished assembling an improvised armor made of pillows and duct tape, adding pieces of wood from the table.
His weapon was a kind of spear with a knife on one end and a pan on the other. He wore a cycling helmet, tight knee and elbow pads.
He was decently protected, and even had a bit of confidence thanks to his childish equipment. He finally went down the stairs and slid the gate open.
The street was completely empty, except for the three little green men making a mess at the bus stop.
They noticed someone approaching and charged at him. Luke only had time to kick the first and narrowly dodge a dagger from the second.
"Shit! Damn it!"
That cut on his thigh stung, even though it was small. A strong blow hit his stomach, an arrow landed there.
The impact was cushioned by the pillow stuffed under his shirt. Luke knew things were getting worse, one wrong stab or arrow could be the end.
He spotted a trash can not too far away, and an idea hit him.
"I know how to handle them!"
He dashed toward it, chased by the three goblins. He grabbed the trash can and emptied it, replacing the pan with the lid as a shield to block another arrow.
He trapped the knife-wielding goblin inside the can, leaving it stuck, then smashed the lid into the club goblin's head.
It staggered for a moment, giving Luke just enough time to stab the ugly thing in the throat and kill it.
Another arrow flew toward him, but the lid blocked it again. However, it disappeared from his hand, having lost durability.
Luke saw another arrow being loaded. He calculated that he might have two more chances to dodge a serious wound, so he chose to throw his spear at the archer.
The throw was totally weak, barely hitting the goblin, but it bought him enough time to close the distance.
Drawing another pan he'd strapped to his back, he smashed the goblin's face and finished the job with the kitchen knife from his pocket.
Luke didn't forget the last one. He returned, kicked the trash can upright, and stabbed inside with the spear, piercing the same goblin repeatedly.
The three were eliminated, turning into a swirl of data that scattered in the wind. His lungs were about to burst, and he was in agonizing pain.
You leveled up!
Your attributes have slightly increased due to evolution!
A new wave of strength flowed through Luke. The screen suddenly made him feel like saying:
"Status."
Class: ?????
Level: 1
You're probably the most out-of-shape human alive, but let's say you're a little smart.
"The description changed — I'm not the weakest human anymore!"
A wide smile appeared on Luke's face, now more motivated than ever.
"That's what I'm talking about! Just you wait, you big-headed goblins. I'm sending your kind to extinction!"
Basic Mission: Community Cleanup Service.
Kill 6 goblins
4/6