Making Up for Weaknesses, Changes in Physique

A witch?

Li Wei was instantly intrigued. This was the first humanoid character to appear in Don Quixote's dream.

"Where's the witch?" As he watched Don Quixote solemnly put on his armor, he asked leisurely, "I shall follow in my lord knight's footsteps at all times!"

"Yes, yes, squire, that is how it should be." Don Quixote patted his armor, deeply satisfied with his squire Li Wei's attitude. "Keep this up, and you'll soon become a true knight!"

Li Wei smiled and shook his head. Holding the sword Don Quixote had given him for protection, he followed behind at an unhurried pace and left the basement.

On a street beside Sunset Park late at night, a homeless man who had smoked himself senseless suddenly felt something glowing as it slowly approached him.

"G-God! Lord! You... have manifested!"

Struggling up from the ground, he staggered toward the light.

Li Wei walked behind Don Quixote. Even though it was three in the morning in New York and the streets were completely deserted, he still felt rather embarrassed.

The dark, unlit alleyways and basement from before had been fine. Even if the armor occasionally reflected some light, it had not been too conspicuous.

Now, Don Quixote's silver armor glittered beneath the streetlights, and he hummed a ballad he had apparently heard in some novel as he walked.

Walking around so ostentatiously with him, Li Wei felt like his toes were about to dig a hole in the ground.

"Say, my lord knight," Li Wei could not help asking, "where exactly are we going to find this witch?"

"Patience, squire, have patience," Don Quixote said. "In Misty Forest, the witch's lackeys are everywhere. We must—"

Before he could finish, a ragged figure pounced on Don Quixote and knocked him to the ground.

"Lord!" The figure clutched Don Quixote's armor and wailed, "I am a sinner! I failed to withstand temptation! I have sinned!"

"An evil lackey of the witch!" Don Quixote had been knocked flat and desperately tried to get back up. "Let me get up first! That was a sneak attack!"

"Lord! Lord! Lord! Have mercy upon me according to your lovingkindness! Blot out my transgressions according to your abundant mercy! Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin!"

The figure gripped Don Quixote's shoulders and refused to let go. Seeing this, Li Wei strode forward and sent him flying with a kick. The homeless man's back slammed heavily into the lamppost.

"I've suffered punishment in hell for so long..."

Under the streetlight, the figure revealed its true form: a homeless man. He murmured, "When can I finally go to heaven..." before passing out.

"Get up, uncle." Li Wei pulled Don Quixote to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, squire!" Don Quixote had somehow not awakened from his sleepwalking. He patted his armor and said indignantly, "I was ambushed by the witch's servant just now... Otherwise, I definitely could have defeated him with ease... Just give me another chance..."

"Alright, alright, I get it," Li Wei said. "Let's head back for today. If we stay here any longer, the witch's pursuers might catch up to us."

Although Don Quixote was unwilling to give up, for some reason he found his squire's words perfectly reasonable. So he called it a day and followed Li Wei back toward the basement.

On the way back, Li Wei looked at the system in his vision.

Just as Don Quixote had been knocked down, he had suddenly received a mission. In the urgency of the moment, he had not had time to check it.

[Mission: Save the Knight in a Critical Moment]

[Even the bravest and most battle-hardened knight can stumble. Help him escape his predicament.]

[Mission Reward: Strength +0.1, Agility +0.1]

[Mission Completed]

[Strength 1.0]--[Strength 1.1]

[Agility 0.9]--[Agility 1.0]

A warm current, as soothing as soaking in a hot bath, flowed through every part of Li Wei's body.

The sensation was incredibly strange. He did not suddenly feel filled with explosive power. He simply felt... no longer tired, as if his body had become lighter.

That faint stiffness within his body, the thing that had been restricting his speed, vanished and was replaced by a sense of fluidity.

Previously, when his mental strength had exceeded his agility by 0.3, he had vaguely felt that his brain reacted faster than his nerves.

It was fine in everyday life, but whenever the night grew quiet, he felt as though his movements could not quite keep up with his thoughts.

But now that his agility had risen to 1.0, that awkward stiffness was gone.

At last, all his shortcomings had been made up for.

I wonder how much of a change 1.1 strength will bring, Li Wei thought to himself.

"Squire! What are you dawdling for?" Don Quixote's dissatisfied muttering came from ahead. "A knight needs rest for tomorrow's journey."

"Coming!" Li Wei decided to test how much his strength and speed had improved at the gym tomorrow. "My lord knight, wait for me."

"Very good, squire. You did quite well today," Don Quixote said to Li Wei as he caught up. "I shall give you a reward."

A reward? Li Wei's eyes lit up. The last time, he had received an extra gold coin, setting him on the path of earning gold coins and moving out.

He wondered what special item he might receive this time, and he was greatly looking forward to it.

But Don Quixote fumbled around his white armor for a long time without finding anything at all.

"Well... here's the thing," Don Quixote said in an entirely unchanged tone. "I have been entrusted by the duke to eliminate the witch deep within the forest."

"Once I eliminate the witch, I will surely receive a reward from the duke." He patted Li Wei on the shoulder. "I'll reward you then."

Li Wei rubbed his nose and could only agree.

They returned to the basement.

Don Quixote's snores rose and fell, blowing out as unpleasantly as a subway busker's performance.

Li Wei took off his shirt and entered the bathroom, carefully examining his body in the cracked mirror.

His 1.1 strength had already surpassed the normal human range, and some unusual changes had begun to appear:

The thin layer of fat that had once covered his bones seemed to have vanished completely, his skin clinging tightly to his muscles.

His pectorals were no longer thin and flat, instead taking on a full, square, armor-like shape. His eight abs were neatly arranged, symmetrical and full, while the lines at his waist rose and fell faintly with his breathing like a shark's gill slits.

Facing the mirror, Li Wei could not help imitating the fitness videos he had seen and raised his arms into a back pose. His lats had also begun to take shape, spreading slightly like wings to form an inverted triangle.

He tried clenching his fist. Several bluish veins immediately bulged on his forearm, winding beneath his skin like twisted tree roots.

The increase in agility had reduced his subcutaneous fat, while the increase in strength had enhanced the size of his muscles.

"Handsome," Li Wei said, touching his physique, his eyes gleaming. "Is this what an increase from 0.8 to 1.1 feels like?"