Titan King: Ascension of the Giant Chapter 3: How to make it hard?
Previously on Titan King: Ascension of the Giant...
A set of 100 push-ups was a fairly straightforward assignment.
Orion dropped to the dirt instantly, planting his palms to begin the exercise.
Even though his massive frame carried significant weight, the innate physical power of a giant made the movement feel nearly weightless.
The hundred repetitions were finished by Orion in no time.
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
As a voice resonated within his consciousness, Orion observed his arms becoming visibly more defined while a surge of power coursed through him.
"Not bad at all. Time for a test."
Orion scanned the area until his eyes landed on a massive stone.
[Irregular Granite Boulder]
[Weight: 1500 pounds]
Approaching the rock, Orion moved into a crouch and locked his arms around its base with a firm grip.
"Heave-ho, up!"
The yellow soil compressed half an inch under his weight as the boulder shifted. It wobbled upward, sending a cascade of dust to the ground.
Thud!
He let go, and the heavy stone slammed back into the earth.
Orion shook out his hands, realizing he had reached his current capacity. He could lift it, but the effort was intense and strained his muscles.
Still, he hadn't been able to budge it previously, proving that the +1 strength increase was truly effective.
While Orion was reflecting, the interface flickered with a fresh notification:
[Newbie task triggered, do 500 push-ups, time limit 10 minutes, Strength +1]
"Alright, a new challenge."
Orion felt a surge of excitement. If he kept knocking out tasks at this rate, he would become the most powerful giant in the tribe before long!
However, once his initial excitement faded, a sense of hesitation crept in.
Five hundred push-ups in just ten minutes?
The difficulty had spiked compared to the first task, primarily because of that strict ten-minute window.
That averaged out to roughly 0.8 repetitions every second.
Considering his enormous physical size, Orion felt the task seemed slightly unreasonable.
"Wait, the system didn't specify that I needed to use perfect form."
A clever thought occurred to him.
The deadline was fixed, but since there were no rules regarding posture, he could take a shortcut.
Orion dropped to the ground immediately. Instead of using his upper body or arms to push, he kept them still and simply thrust his hips upward using his waist—mimicking the motions of lovemaking against the dirt.
"1, 2, 3..."
"289, 290, 291..."
"...499, 500!"
He smashed through the 500 reps, and the system prompt chimed right on cue.
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
"Nice!"
Orion felt a fresh wave of vitality wash away his exhaustion, leaving him overflowing with power.
He felt confident that lifting the boulder again would be a breeze this time!
Furthermore, he had successfully exploited a flaw in the newbie tasks!
Suddenly, the panel updated with another message:
[Newbie task triggered, do 1000 push-ups, must be standard form, time limit 30 minutes, Strength +1]
Orion: "Holy shit."
Damn, it didn't take long for that loophole to be patched.
The requirement had shifted to 1,000 push-ups in half an hour. It looked more generous on the surface, but it was actually more punishing.
It was the difference between a 14-second sprint and a 4-minute kilometer. The latter might seem easier, but the reality was far more grueling.
Since stamina drains over time, sustained endurance is much harder to maintain than a quick burst of speed.
For a 500-pound giant like Orion, performing 1,000 perfect-form push-ups in 30 minutes was nearly an impossible feat.
Orion stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of the task.
Wait, the tribal shamans usually kept various potions; maybe there was something helpful nearby!
Orion began digging through the storage bags left by his parents, searching for an edge.
"There's so much junk in here, I'll have to keep looking..."
[Vibrating Eggplant]
[Length: 17 inches]
Function: A Black Forest specialty that produces high-frequency vibrations.
Description: A favorite among the ladies.
...
[Sexy Bra]
[Size: FFFFFFF]
Description: Only the sail of a large ship would require this much cloth.
...
[Beast skin condom]
[Durability: 0/100]
Description: For some odd reason, there is a hole in the tip.
...
"So, is this the reason I was reincarnated here?"
"My parents' collection is certainly... unique. Why on earth is there a condom?"
After a rather awkward search, Orion finally pulled out what he needed.
[Endurance Potion]
[Attribute: Alchemical Product]
[Effect: Boosts stamina and physical power for 30 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of lethargy]
"This is the one!"
Orion popped the cork and downed the liquid.
The orange-red fluid felt like liquid fire sliding down his throat, radiating a fierce heat that filled his entire body with newfound vigor!
"I can feel the power!"
Orion dropped down and began his repetitions immediately.
The rush of energy was incredible; he moved with such velocity that his body seemed to blur into an afterimage!
The thousand push-ups were finished in a flash.
Orion stood up and brushed off his hands, genuinely impressed by the shaman's brew. He hadn't even broken a sweat despite the massive effort.
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
The familiar sensation of growth returned, followed by a new notification on the screen:
[Newbie task triggered, do 100 one-handed push-ups, Strength +1]
Orion didn't hesitate and started right away.
He needed to capitalize on the potion's remaining duration while he still had the chance.
...
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
...
[Newbie task triggered, do 200 one-handed push-ups, time limit 5 minutes...]
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
...
[Newbie task triggered, do 200 one-handed push-ups with each hand, time limit 10 minutes...]
[Newbie task completed, reward: Strength +1]
By utilizing the endurance potion, Orion cleared every one-handed challenge, stacking an additional 3 points of strength and bringing his total to 11!
Fantastic. Now, lifting that 1,500-pound rock would be child's play!
Just as Orion prepared to test his new strength, a final prompt appeared that left him completely stunned.
[Newbie task triggered, do 10 push-ups without using hands, Strength +1]
Push-ups without using hands?!
If he couldn't use his hands, what else could possibly support his weight...
Orion froze, his gaze drifting down toward his crotch.
"Would... it actually hold?"
"But it can't be soft; it needs to be rock hard."
How was he supposed to get it up right now?