Chapter 8: Gym Is Life
The SUV eased through the capital’s streets, tires humming low over the asphalt. I rested my head against the window, glass cool against my skin, and watched the city slide by.
Skyscrapers rose on either side, their glass fronts catching the light in uneven flashes, not gleaming so much as flickering, like something alive.
Vines spilled down from balcony gardens wedged between floors, and thin bridges stitched building to building overhead, some crowded with people, some empty. It didn’t look designed so much as grown, like the city had kept building upward until it ran out of reasons to stop.
It was just Valerie and me in the car. I had specifically requested that the rest of the security detail stay behind. The idea of a massive, armored convoy tailing me just for a quick workout made my skin crawl. It drew way too much attention, practically screaming ’look at me’, and I wasn’t trying to walk around looking like a prime minister.
Eventually, Val steered the vehicle into a heavily guarded, exclusive colony tucked away from the main commercial avenues. This was where the absolute richest folks in the capital lived.
Nestled right in the heart of it was Olympus Gym.
After parking the car, we stepped out. Following Valerie through the sleek entrance, I felt like a total rural guy visiting the city for the first time. The sheer opulence of the place was dizzying, but I did my best to keep my face neutral and adapt.
"Hey, Val," I said, stepping up beside her as we walked down a pristine corridor. "Would you be okay with taking a break from the bodyguard thing today? Honestly, I’d like it better if we were just friends. I’ve never had a bodyguard before, and if you stay all formal and professional, it’s going to make me feel weirdly tense. Though it’s totally fine if you’d rather not."
Valerie stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look at me. A mix of emotions swirled in her striking violet eyes. My words clearly caught her completely off guard, though I don’t know why.
A soft, genuine smile slowly broke across her sharp features, a hint of real warmth softening her gaze. "I think I’d like that, Seth."
I grinned. Having another friend in this crazy new life felt... nice.
We arrived at the main reception desk, where the staff instantly recognized Valerie. Without even asking for our names, the receptionist swiftly processed everything and handed me a sleek, matte-black card. It was a lifetime VIP membership, giving me unrestricted access to practically everything the facility offered.
"I’m surprised Dad didn’t just buy the whole gym," I joked as we walked away.
Valerie let out a soft, relaxed chuckle. "He probably thought about it. But he knew you’d feel completely overwhelmed if he did. Master Julian wants you to adapt to everything at your own pace."
"Smart man," I murmured, smiling to myself.
Valerie pointed me toward the main floor before heading off to the locker rooms to change. I had no clue where she was even going to get gym clothes, but I didn’t question it.
Rich people probably had emergency gym clothes lying around or something.
I took the time to look around the facility. The place was top-tier, featuring a secondary reception bar loaded with premium hydration drinks, advanced high-grade creatine formulations, molecular protein bars, and fresh towels. The crowd was also incredibly sparse, ensuring total privacy.
I asked Paige to improve my physique a bit too. After a quick warm-up, I moved over to the bench press to start my working sets, wanting to see what my optimized body could really do, I loaded the bar with a ridiculous amount of weight.
I lay back, gripped the bar, and smoothly smashed out a high-volume set with absolute control. The weight felt ridiculously light, moving up and down in a perfect, effortless line.
"Hey. Who the hell are you?"
I locked the bar and sat up. Standing right in front of me was a wealthy-looking young guy dressed in pristine designer gym gear. He was glaring at the stack of plates on my bar, his face twisting with a mix of jealousy and arrogance. He’d clearly never seen me before, and my lift was bruising his fragile ego.
"You’re using too many plates, new face," he sneered, stepping closer and crossing his arms. "And you’re blocking the best spot in the room. Strip the bar and move to the machines. A scruffy nobody like you shouldn’t be hogging the premium equipment."
[Oho? A classic young master archetype in the wild!] Paige’s voice instantly flared up in my head. [Seth, let me scramble his bank account! Or maybe I can turn his gym shorts into a swarm of bees? Say the word!]
’Let’s start smaller, Paige,’ I replied mentally. ’Make the floor under his left shoe just a little slippery. Let’s see how his balance holds up.
[One minor frictionless zone, coming right up!]
The guy took another aggressive step forward to intimidate me, but his left heel suddenly lost traction. He gave a wild wobble, his arms windmilling desperately before he barely managed to catch his balance. His two friends behind him bit their lips to keep from laughing.
A day ago, facing a rich prick like this, I would’ve immediately apologized, bowed my head, and walked away to avoid trouble. But things were different now. I leaned back on the bench, slung my arms casually over the padding, and locked eyes with him.
’What is aura farming without an aura, Paige?’
I didn’t say a single word. I just unleashed the crushing aura of my presence. The sudden pressure of my gaze hit the guy like a brick wall. The smug expression died on his face, his throat going dry as he instinctively took a half-step back.
"Are you actually going to lift it," I asked quietly, "or are you just here to bark and trip over your own feet?"