As I slowly walked and finally arrived at the playground located near the orphanage, I began my morning routine with a rigorous stretching session. Understanding the importance of the basics as a foundation for any endeavor, stretching offered crucial benefits such as increased flexibility and a significant reduction in the risk of injuries during physical activities. I knew that this practice would be essential because, in the future, I would inevitably face battles for survival.
Distancing myself from my daydreams, I started my stretching routine. Fortunately, I was familiar with this practice from my previous life, where it was a way to improve my performance in manual labor. Standing with my knees together and legs straight, I clasped my hands and slowly raised them towards the sky, stretching my arms and spine, which responded with comforting cracks.
"CRACK, CRACK..."
Remaining standing, I widened my legs to a distance greater than hip-width apart and leaned my trunk sideways, stretching one side at a time. I repeated the process on the other side, with slow and controlled movements to prevent injuries.
Next, I sat cross-legged and used my hands to tilt my neck to the sides and hold it for a few seconds, repeating several times until I felt my neck fully stretched.
With my lower limbs properly stretched, I concluded my stretching session and prepared for the more intense part of my physical training.
Following the natural course of my current exercise regimen, I began to run around the playground, seeking to maximize the benefits this activity offers to my body's development.
This fundamental activity is often underestimated by my fellow orphans, who do not yet grasp the full extent of its benefits. From my previous life, I knew that running not only enhanced endurance but also strengthened the circulatory and cardiovascular systems.
In the early days of training, I noticed several areas for improvement in my running. Reflecting on this, I developed extra activities to make my run more efficient.
Running directly impacts the cardiovascular system as the accelerated heart rate demands more intense breathing. This makes the lungs and heart work harder to sustain the pace, leading me to realize the need to control my breathing during the run.
It took months to perfect the technique, but the long-term benefits made the effort worthwhile. With a more efficient circulatory system, the feeling of fatigue decreased significantly over time. However, in the beginning, this practice also limited oxygen access to the active muscles, making it exhausting since a simple activity had become almost impossible to perform for extended periods, depending on the course. This served as a reminder of how the surrounding environment plays a significant role in energy levels during any activity.
After completing the equivalent of 30 laps around the small playground, which should have had an average length of 10 to 15 meters, I finally lay down on the ground, panting, with my arms extended. A feeling of exhaustion mixed with a touch of self-sarcasm began to emerge.
"Maybe I'm really going crazy," I reflected, as I compared the abyss between my current life and my previous existence.
*Ding!*
A sudden notification echoed in my mind, and I eagerly exclaimed, "Status." Instantly, a transparent LED screen materialized in front of me.
[Name: Kenshi]
[Age: 6 years]
[Titles: The Firstborn of the Constellations]
[Awakened Senses: 5]
[Cosmo: Not Awakened]
[Physical Energy: Academy Student]
[Spiritual Energy: Genin]
[Chakra: Academy Student]
"Finally... I almost thought this would never be updated," I thought as I examined my status window. With a renewed sense of motivation, I closed the window and resumed my daily physical activities.
As God had assured me, the introduction of this system had an impressive motivational effect. I pushed my body to its limits, craving a new update to my attributes, but that update never came, despite completing countless sets of push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and other exercises.
A feeling of disappointment persisted in my subconscious. The disparity between my physical and mental energy bothered me. This dilemma seemed logical, as I was a reincarnated adult and should, therefore, have a mature and experienced mindset.
Although I knew my body would naturally evolve with age, God's warnings during my reincarnation made it clear that this world presented significant challenges. Unfortunately, my status update fell short of expectations.
Briefly recalling the status window, my daily frustration overtook my thoughts. There were aspects that remained stagnant, with no progress. My biggest issue was the energy called "Cosmo," which was not awakened, as explained in my status window.
After rudimentary research and an unfruitful conversation with the matron about what "Cosmo" was, I realized that my hopes, based on her limited knowledge and my non-awakened title, were futile. Since this energy remained a mystery, my frustration was understandable.
I internally said "Status" once again and clicked on the title I had been given since birth:
[Titles: The Firstborn of the Constellations]
[As the father of the 13 constellations, you have the right to wield your power, representing all 13 houses of the zodiac and potentially inheriting the power of all 88 armors of their respective constellations, without restrictions regarding your birth period during the movement of the ecliptic.]
After reading this description numerous times, I sighed defeated. Despite the grandiose title, what good was it to possess this power if I had no armor to wear? It seemed like a useless gift, a constant reminder that my power was intangible, a lingering frustration.
Exhausted, both physically and mentally, I didn't even want to pay attention to the characteristic that represented my five basic senses, something I considered irrelevant. So, I made my way back to the orphanage to take a shower and get ready for breakfast, which would be served shortly.