Max understood what 'Passive' meant now for the system. It had permanently become a part of his body. It would be passively with him from now on, and he was actually not feeling weird or uncomfortable with it.
He took a few deep breaths and lay back down. He had gotten so worked up before that he had jumped and sat back. He grabbed his phone and set an alarm for 6:00 AM. He was determined to start jogging tomorrow.
As he closed his eyes, the softness of the bed pulled him toward sleep. Exhausted from a long day and only two hours of rest the night before, his body finally gave up, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
*BUZZZZ*
Max woke up to two blaring alarms. After silencing them, he lay still for five minutes just to clear his vision; even after six hours of sleep, he didn't feel fully rested. However, the morning sun looked gorgeous from his window, casting a bright light over the prominent, tent-like shape his quilt had formed over his lap.
Sigh! I guess I'll sleep early from today. Need that eight hours of healthy rest.
After twisting and turning in the bed for five more minutes, he finally jumped down from the bed. His morning wood was massive today, but it felt as usual. Max was certain this was the passive effect in play.
He put on a plain black T-shirt and a light jacket, then slipped into joggers and new sports sneakers. He felt a wave of confidence; everything around him was new: a new home, new clothes, and a new life. He grabbed his wallet and his Red Magic phone, locked the door behind him, and decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
System, show me my current missions.
[Main Mission = Get a beautiful female to like you]
[Side Mission: Get a nice motorbike]
Tomorrow is the orientation. I don't know how I should proceed with the main mission. I bought two of those expensive pendants. One is for Blanka. If she falls in love with me, cool. Another one is a backup. If she doesn't, I'll have to try my luck elsewhere.
Maybe I should aim low, like not super beautiful Blanka or that woman from last night. Little intelligent, moderate-looking. Yeah, I guess with my pathetic look, average women will suit me best.
As he entered the quiet street where he now lived, Max saw plenty of others out—some jogging alone, some in couples, and a few with their dogs. He blended in, keeping a light pace. As he ran, strange thoughts and imaginary conversations drifted through his mind, making him smile to himself.
"Maximilian? Max…"
He was running past a small ice cream shop when he heard someone call his name. He slowed down and turned around, seeing Jennifer jogging toward him. She was not wearing her glasses today, so he could see her face more clearly. Her face could be described with one word—perfect. She looked taller than she had yesterday, dressed in a light blue hoodie, tight leggings, and neon green sneakers.
"Hi!!"
"Hello, ma'am."
"Ma'am? How old do you think I am?"
"I didn't mean it that way."
"I know, haha. Come, let's jog together."
Max nodded and ran beside her. To his surprise, she moved fast enough that he did not need to slow his steps. Her loose hoodie hid her dangerous upper body well, but the tight leggings still caught a few looks from others, clinging to her curves and clearly showing how full and firm she was from behind.
"So, where are you from? I never got to ask about you yesterday."
Jennifer smiled brightly as she ran, her eyes fixed on Max with bold interest. He had to focus more on the road because he was not used to this routine, while she saw nothing wrong with her open stares—though it left Max feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"I'm from Regensburg—it's a small town not far from here. I grew up mostly in an orphanage."
"Oh? That's interesting. I'm from California, where I grew up in a happy family of four: Dad, Mom, me, and my little sister. She married a German man like you, but after getting her pregnant, he ran off to who knows where. Now, I'm taking care of her and the baby—the one you bought milk for yesterday."
When she talked about the baby, her eyes looked ahead. Max also smiled; helping a baby felt good indeed. They ran together for quite a while, and Jennifer's questions seemed endless. Soon, Max decided it was time for him to return home. He had run for forty-five minutes, and that was enough for today.
"Having a jogging partner will make this a lot less boring. I had fun today."
"I loved our conversation too. We can do it together if you want, Jenny."
"We can, of course, Max. See you tomorrow then?"
"Sure."
Jennifer and Max clearly hit it off; she even asked him to call her Jenny. She did not ask about his nickname—she naturally started calling him "Max" on her own.
"Wait, give me your number."
As he turned toward his building to go inside, she gently touched his shoulder and asked for his number. He gave it to her with a small, polite smile. Max felt she was becoming a little strange, but where that feeling came from, he could not put his finger on it.
If I had known her from before, I would have understood. She just looked friendly, too friendly for someone like me, when she had met me only yesterday. Maybe I am thinking too much, or maybe this is the effect the Love Card is supposed to have.
After parting ways with her, Max returned to his apartment. He did not feel she was in any immediate danger. If such a good-looking woman ever had a problem like suddenly falling in love with him, he would take responsibility hands down.
She'll be a little older than me if we get married, sheesh! Max, stop dreaming. Let's eat something, I am hungry.
Max took the stairs back to his apartment and put all his jogging clothes into the washing machine. He then went into the bathroom to take a shower. While standing there inside the bathroom, he caught sight of himself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, and even though he was getting used to it, his manhood still felt a little unfamiliar to him.
[Main Mission: Get a beautiful female to like you] [Passed]
[Passing Grade: SSS+ Tier]
[Reward: Angel Machina 12 Transcendent Archangel Frame Model.(Item)]
[Press here to get the reward.]
Huh?!!