Chapter 25: No. 25: Changes
Groggily getting up from the floor, Bruce wiped the dribble from his mouth while scanning around with his drowsy eyes.
Upon recognizing the tiny room, he recalled the pill he took, which had resulted in his abrupt collapse.
’Guess it took a while to take effect. Should’ve expected that.’
Shaking his head, he decided to take a look in the mirror since he was already close to the bathroom.
Checking out his reflection, he didn’t see any noticeable changes in his features, as his cheeks were still relatively chubby, and his overall size was still about the same as before.
’Hmm! Makes sense, I guess. The Stat boost was relatively low to begin with. So it’s understandable that a single usage isn’t enough to make that much of a difference.’
Mildly disappointed by the realization, Bruce let out a wistful sigh.
Though he understood the logic, he’d still been a bit optimistic that he might’ve at least slimmed down a bit or gotten rid of his pudgy belly.
But reality was often disappointing at times, so he simply sighed and decided to work harder towards his goal.
Upon closer inspection, though, he noticed that although his features were still relatively the same, his cheeks weren’t as chubby as before, while his belly and arms were less flabby than they had been yesterday.
’Now that I think about it, I didn’t have to spend a while on the ground before getting up like usual this time.’
Moving his fingers as he repeatedly opened and closed his palm, he realized his movements were less sloppy and a bit more fluid as well.
Smiling at the sight, he decided to check out his Stats once again.
********
[Personal Profile]
{Name: Bruce Wade}
{Age: 20}
{Level: 1}
{Main Ability: Rebate Lord}
{Account Balance: 11,082,028 KPT » 8,581,528 KPT}
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[Personal Stats]
{Strength: 10 » 20}
{Agility: -15 » -5}
{Stamina: -27 » -17}
{Charisma: -53 » -43}
{Mana: 30/30 » 40/40}
---------
[Rebate Profile]
{Rebate Stage: Wimp Stage}
{Bonded Targets: 2/2 (Kindly upgrade to the next Rebate Stage to unlock additional Bonded Target slots.)}
{Rebate Coins: 508.25 » 208.25}
{Rebate Gifts: None}
********
Checking out his Stats, he noticed they were the same as when he’d checked them after taking the pill, with his Personal Stats having increased by +10 just as the Enhancer had claimed.
Though most of his Stats were still in the negatives, it shouldn’t be long before he broke past them should he keep up the pace at which he was currently improving.
Meaning, finding an opportunity to spend time with Summer was essential if he wanted to improve the amount of Rebate Coins he earned.
And though he also had Naomi as a Bonded Target now, her Affinity Level was still relatively low, so he suspected the amount he’d receive from her would be lower compared to Summer as well.
As such, Summer was a vital part of his progress if he wanted to meet the time limit.
’And I have just the plan to solve it.’
Smiling at the thought, he shifted his attention elsewhere as his gaze lingered on the System notification, stopping briefly on his current Account Balance.
"Hmm! Considering I haven’t collected the refund for my coaching session I booked with Naomi, since she refused to teach me before, plus the amount paid for the Premium Membership, that brings it down to roughly 8 million left. Not bad!"
As Naomi hadn’t yet recognized him as her trainee, meaning she hadn’t accepted his coaching fee either, the System hadn’t counted it as money spent on a Bonded Target... yet.
So, until Naomi agreed to coach him, which would result in him paying the full price of about 5 million Kepto, the System most likely wouldn’t reward him.
After all, the receptionist had informed him earlier that most of the money paid for private coaching went directly to the Elite Instructor, while the gym only collected a certain amount in return for using its resources.
As such, paying Naomi’s private coaching fee should indirectly be the same as spending money on a Bonded Target, which should, in turn, generate Rebate for him.
’Probably.’
Unable to tell whether his assumptions would prove to be true or not, Bruce decided not to dwell on it for now, as everything would be revealed in time.
Glancing out the window, he realized it was getting bright outside, indicating that it was already morning, and his first day before the Main Task’s deadline was now over.
Meaning he had roughly six days left before he either got ripped or was left barely half a man due to the System’s punishment for failure.
Shuddering at the thought, he decided to freshen up and set his plans in motion.
A while later, he was done bathing, finding it much easier this time than before.
The changes from the pill had become more noticeable now, as he didn’t spend as long in the bathroom. With less excess fat getting in the way, coupled with his slightly more agile body than yesterday, he got ready relatively faster than usual and felt far less exhausted from merely scrubbing himself.
Taking his spandex tracksuit as well, he placed it into a small bag while wearing something else before deciding to head over to Summer’s workplace first.
Though he could’ve gone to the gym first, Bruce concluded it was best to deal with the more important matter before heading there later.
"Plus, I’m not sure how long I’d spend in the gym once I get there. So, it’s better to earn as many Rebate Coins as possible first before dealing with everything else later."
After all, the gym had always been meant as a cover-up to begin with.
So naturally, he prioritized his main path to improvement before making time for his excuse.
With that, Bruce double-checked to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything.
After confirming he wasn’t, he finally headed out to begin his journey on the path to the Ultimate Glow Up.
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