...Drip.
…Drip.
…Drip.
---
Fredy's eyes slowly opened.
For a moment, he didn't move.
Didn't think.
Just listened.
The faint sound of water echoing somewhere in the building.
The stillness.
The silence.
---
"…Alive."
His voice was hoarse.
But steadier than before.
---
Memory returned next.
The alley.
The beating.
The system.
---
Fredy inhaled slowly—
—and froze.
"…It doesn't hurt as much?"
That was wrong.
It should hurt more.
His injuries weren't minor.
Broken—or at least cracked—ribs. Heavy bruising.
Yet the pain had dulled.
Not gone.
But… manageable.
---
He pushed himself up carefully.
His body resisted—but it moved.
Slow.
Unstable.
But functional.
---
"…Endurance."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
---
[Status]
Strength: 1.2
Endurance: 1.3
Speed: 1
---
"…So it's not just numbers."
It was effect.
Real, physical effect.
His body had changed.
Even if only a little.
---
Fredy leaned back against the wall, thinking.
"Alright…"
He needed to stop reacting.
And start understanding.
---
"…Break your limits."
That was the core condition.
But what did that actually mean?
Near death worked.
That much was proven.
---
"But I can't keep almost dying every time…"
That wasn't a strategy.
That was suicide with extra steps.
---
"…So what counts as a 'limit'?"
He muttered.
There was only one way to find out.
---
Test it.
---
Fredy slowly got to his feet.
His legs trembled slightly, but held.
Good enough.
---
"…Let's start simple."
He raised his arms.
Took a breath.
And dropped to the ground.
---
Push-ups.
---
"One…"
His arms shook immediately.
Weak.
Too weak.
---
"Two…"
His chest burned.
His muscles screamed.
---
"Three…"
He collapsed.
Face hitting the dusty floor.
---
"…Pathetic…"
He lay there for a second, breathing heavily.
Then—
---
[Condition met: Minor physical strain]
[+0.01 Strength]
---
Fredy's eyes snapped open.
"…That's it?"
---
Silence.
---
He let out a dry laugh.
"…So normal effort gives… nothing."
Or close to nothing.
---
"Again."
---
He pushed himself up.
Forced his arms to move.
---
"One… two… three…"
His body gave out faster this time.
---
No notification.
---
Fredy frowned.
"…Not enough?"
---
He sat up, breathing harder now.
Thinking.
---
"The system doesn't reward repetition…"
"It rewards… breaking."
---
He stood up again, slower this time.
His gaze shifted around the room.
Searching.
---
Then he saw it.
A broken metal pipe lying in the corner.
---
"…That'll work."
---
He walked over and picked it up.
Heavy.
Cold.
---
Fredy stared at it for a moment.
Then—without hesitation—
He slammed it against his forearm.
---
CLANG!
Pain exploded instantly.
"—Tch!"
His grip tightened.
But he didn't drop it.
---
He hit himself again.
Harder.
---
CLANG!
---
His arm trembled violently now.
Pain sharper.
Deeper.
---
Then—
---
[Condition met: Moderate physical damage]
[+0.05 Endurance]
---
Fredy froze.
"…Better."
---
Not good.
But better.
---
He lowered the pipe slowly.
His arm throbbed.
But his mind was racing.
---
"So that's the rule…"
---
The more intense the strain—
The greater the reward.
---
Not effort.
Not repetition.
Not time.
---
Intensity.
---
Fredy let out a slow breath.
"…This system…"
He muttered.
"…is insane."
---
Because it forced one thing.
---
Suffering.
---
No shortcuts.
No easy growth.
---
"You either push yourself…"
He looked down at his shaking hands.
"…or you stay weak."
---
A quiet silence filled the room.
---
Most people would stop here.
Avoid the pain.
Avoid the risk.
---
Fredy didn't.
---
Instead—
He tightened his grip on the pipe again.
---
"…One more."
---
CLANG!
---
[+0.04 Endurance]
---
CLANG!
---
[+0.05 Endurance]
---
His breathing grew heavier.
His body screamed louder.
---
But a faint smile appeared on his face.
---
"…Now it makes sense."
---
For the first time—
He wasn't confused.
---
He understood the rules.
---
And in a world like this—
That was the only advantage that mattered.
---
Fredy leaned back against the wall, exhausted.
But awake.
Focused.
---
"…I don't need talent."
He muttered.
---
"…I just need to survive… and keep breaking."
---
Outside, far in the distance—
A faint explosion echoed through the city.
---
A reminder.
---
This world wasn't safe.
Not even close.
---
Fredy closed his eyes slowly.
---
"…Good."
---
Because now—
He finally had a way to fight back.
---
End of Chapter 3