I didn't think about my appearance much.
Not for years.
When you're clawing your way up from the dirt, being "handsome" isn't part of the checklist.
You think about warmth. About food. About pain.
Not cheekbones. Not hair texture.
But on my twenty-fourth day of training, as I stood shirtless in front of the cracked mirror and wiped the sweat from my jaw, something strange happened.
A screen popped up.
[System Notice: Threshold Reached – Self-Perception]
Analyzing host's physical condition…
Body Composition: 63% optimized
Posture: Misaligned – Recovery In Progress
Facial Structure: Obscured by fatigue, malnutrition, grooming
Height Potential: Unreached
Confidence Reflection: Low
Then it changed.
The system pulsed softly, and a new banner appeared like a chapter marker in my life:
[New Growth Path Unlocked: Appearance Evolution]
True strength isn't only felt. It's seen.
As your soul sharpens, so too must the image you reflect to the world.
This is not vanity. This is presence.
[Special Quest Issued: "Become the Best Version of You"]
Objectives:
• Reach peak personal hygiene and grooming (7 Days Consistent)
• Correct posture through daily stretching and alignment (14 Days)
• Spend System Points to upgrade core appearance stats
• Reach minimum Confidence Score of 5
• Maintain Self-Discipline streak (30 Days Total)
Optional Objectives:
• Increase height potential
• Unlock "Aesthetic Aura" (Requires 70% Body Optimization)
• Upgrade fashion from scavenged to intentional
Rewards:
• Unlock: "Confidence" stat
• Appearance-Based Buffs
• Passive Skill: "Charisma Control Lv. 1"
• +1 Charisma | +1 Perception
• "Glow-Up" milestone achieved
I blinked.
"...Are you telling me I can literally glow up?"
[Affirmative.]
[Appearance is a measurable evolution when rooted in effort, consistency, and reflection.]
I laughed.
Couldn't help it.
I'd spent so long ignoring my body beyond pain tolerance.
But the truth was—this mattered.
Not to impress anyone.
But because every time I saw my reflection, I still saw the boy who was left behind.
It was time to look like the man I was becoming.
First step: Grooming.
I bought a cheap electric razor from the used electronics shop.
Scissors from the 100-yen store.
A bar of charcoal soap.
Nail clippers.
Face wash packets.
I watched tutorials for hours.
• How to cut your own hair
• Facial massage for lymph drainage
• Natural ways to improve jawline definition
Each night became a new ritual.
Wash. Cut. Stretch. Breathe.
[Grooming – Day 1 Complete]
[Confidence Score: 1.0]
I didn't stop there.
I adjusted my sleep posture.
Made my own stretching schedule based on posture correction charts.
Strengthened my back, realigned my shoulders, opened my hips.
It hurt more than push-ups.
But I could already feel the change.
[Postural Recovery Progress: 9% → 22%]
[Body Awareness Lv. 2 → Lv. 3]
After a week, the system gave me a choice.
[5 Stat Points Available]
Spend 2 points to trigger minor height potential increase?
[Warning: Final height is influenced by nutrition, sleep, posture, and discipline.]
[Result: +2.4 cm projected growth over 8 weeks.]
Spend 1 point to unlock "Confidence" stat?
Spend 2 points to boost "Charisma" stat?
I spent them all.
No hesitation.
[Stats Updated]
• Strength: 10
• Agility: 9
• Endurance: 10
• Intelligence: 9
• Perception: 6 (+1)
• Charisma: 6 (+2)
• Confidence: 1.0 [New Stat Unlocked]
• Height Potential: +2.4cm underway
[New Skill Gained: "Charisma Control Lv. 1"]
Allows minor influence over first impressions through tone, posture, and eye contact.
[New Trait Detected: Emerging Presence]
Others begin to take notice. Reactions are no longer neutral.
I looked in the mirror again.
Still me.
But cleaner.
Sharper.
My jawline looked less bloated.
Eyes clearer.
Cheekbones more visible.
Hair more defined with every trim.
Posture straighter.
And most of all—
There was focus behind my gaze.
Not shame.
On Day 14, I wore a fitted black shirt I found in a clearance pile.
Washed it three times to get the chemical stink out.
Stepped into a convenience store.
The clerk glanced up… then again.
She smiled.
Not flirtatiously.
But with the kind of recognition people give when someone carries themselves differently.
I nodded back.
Didn't overthink it.
Just logged it as data.
[Confidence Score Increased: 1.0 → 1.4]
[System Log – Social Presence Detected: You no longer blend into the background.]
I left with my head held high.
This wasn't about becoming handsome for anyone else.
This was about respect.
For myself.
End of Chapter 10