Chapter 61: The Weight He Couldn’t Feel

Sabrina was starting to panic.

Her eyes remained fixed on the weight stack, then flicked back to Jason.

How could this guy be so reckless?

He had barely started training, yet he had already loaded a weight that most experienced members would think twice about touching.

What if he gets hurt?

A serious injury could happen in seconds. A muscle could tear. A joint could buckle. One bad movement could turn a harmless workout into a trip to the emergency room.

Sabrina had seen enough accidents at the gym to know that strength wasn’t the only thing that mattered. Technique, control, and knowing your limits were just as important.

She remembered hearing about a newcomer who had tried an extremely heavy bench press without proper supervision. The bar had come down too quickly, leaving him trapped beneath it. The incident had ended tragically.

And now Jason was sitting in front of her with 160 kilograms loaded on an adductor machine.

She had never seen anyone casually use that kind of weight on the machine.

If he lost control, the consequences could be serious.

"Jason..." she said quietly, her voice carrying a warning.

A few meters away, several muscular men who had been watching the scene exchanged amused looks.

One of them snorted.

"Beginners really don’t know their limits. I’ve been training for years, and I wouldn’t casually throw that much weight on an adductor machine."

Another man laughed.

"Exactly. Thirty kilograms would already be plenty for someone new."

Their words weren’t really about the weight.

Their eyes kept drifting toward Sabrina.

She was one of the most popular trainers in the gym, and lately, she’d been spending an unusual amount of time with Jason. She laughed at his jokes, stayed close to him, corrected his movements personally, and seemed far more comfortable around him than she was with most clients.

The men didn’t like it.

They couldn’t understand what she saw in him.

He’s just a young guy.

So what if he’s good-looking?

So what if he knows a little martial arts?

Their jealousy only grew as Jason remained completely calm under Sabrina’s attention.

Jason, meanwhile, didn’t seem bothered by any of them.

He looked at Sabrina and smiled.

"It’s fine, Sabrina. I can handle it."

There was no arrogance in his voice.

He simply believed it.

After everything the system had done to his body, 160 kilograms wasn’t nearly as frightening to him as it should have been.

Sabrina stepped closer and shook her head firmly.

"No. Absolutely not."

Her expression became serious.

"You’re going to hurt yourself. Put the weight down."

Jason blinked.

She looked genuinely worried.

Seeing that, his teasing smile softened.

"How about this?" he suggested. "You stay right here and watch me. I’ll try one repetition. If I can’t control it, I’ll stop immediately."

Sabrina opened her mouth to refuse.

Then she paused.

Jason wasn’t just her client anymore.

Somewhere along the way, he’d become someone she genuinely cared about.

If she flatly refused, she worried she might make him feel like she didn’t believe in him.

After a moment of hesitation, she took a slow breath.

"Fine."

She pointed a finger at him.

"But only because I’ll be right here. And you stop the second something feels wrong. Promise?"

Jason nodded.

"Promise."

"Good."

Sabrina moved into position beside him.

Her playful expression had disappeared completely.

Now she looked like a professional trainer on high alert.

Her eyes followed every movement of his body, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

Jason settled into the machine.

He leaned back slightly, planted his feet, and wrapped both hands around the handles.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

The gym seemed strangely quiet around him.

Then he exhaled.

His legs slowly began to move inward.

The machine resisted.

But Jason’s movement remained smooth.

Controlled.

Steady.

He reached the end of the motion and returned to the starting position without a hint of shaking.

One repetition.

Nothing happened.

No grimace.

No sudden loss of control.

Not even a change in his expression.

The men watching from across the gym stared.

One of them lowered his phone.

Another stopped mid-conversation.

"What the..."

Jason completed another repetition.

Then another.

The disbelief on their faces only grew.

Sabrina’s eyes widened.

She had expected him to struggle immediately.

Instead, Jason was moving the enormous weight as though he’d been training for years.

How is this possible?

She knew exactly what proper technique looked like.

And Jason’s form was clean.

His back was stable. His movement was controlled. He wasn’t jerking the machine or relying on momentum.

It was almost impossible to believe this was his first serious workout.

Sabrina stared at him in stunned silence.

Jason finished the set and relaxed his legs.

He looked over at her.

"See? I’m fine."

Sabrina didn’t answer immediately.

She was still trying to process what she’d just witnessed.

Then, slowly, she exhaled.

"You really are full of surprises..."

Jason smiled.

He could feel it too.

His body felt different.

Stronger.

Far stronger than anything he’d experienced before.

The system’s enhanced physique wasn’t simply making him look healthier. It was changing what his body was capable of doing.

Sabrina’s thoughts, meanwhile, had gone in an entirely different direction.

She remembered proudly telling him earlier that she could handle 100 kilograms.

Now Jason had casually moved 160.

And judging by his expression...

He wasn’t even finished.

Her cheeks gradually warmed.

She quickly looked away, embarrassed by where her thoughts had wandered.

Get a grip, Sabrina.

She took a breath and forced herself back into trainer mode.

At that moment, Jason spoke again.

"Sabrina, I don’t think that’s my limit yet."

She looked at him.

"What?"

Jason nodded toward the machine.

"Could you add another forty kilograms? I want to see where my actual limit is."

Sabrina stared at him.

"You want to add more?"

"Just one set."

She hesitated.

After what she’d just witnessed, however, she couldn’t deny that she was curious.

"Okay," she finally said. "But I’m watching you the entire time."

She walked over to the weight rack, picked up the additional plate, and carefully secured it onto the machine.

Then she stepped back.

"Be careful, Jason. Don’t try to prove anything."

"I won’t."

Jason nodded.

The moment he began the next set, however, he immediately noticed the difference.

The resistance was much heavier.

His muscles tightened.

For the first time, he could genuinely feel the weight pushing back against him.

So this is where it starts getting serious.

He drew in a deep breath and pushed.

His muscles strained.

The machine moved.

Slowly.

But it moved.

Jason maintained control and completed the repetition.

Sabrina’s eyes widened.

He’d done it again.

This time, she could clearly see the effort on his face.

But he hadn’t lost control.

When Jason finally finished the set and released the handles, Sabrina covered her mouth with one hand.

Her heart was beating faster than it should have been.

She had expected him to struggle.

Instead, he’d once again exceeded her expectations.

Jason stood and looked at her with a satisfied smile.

"Well?"

Sabrina quickly composed herself.

She crossed her arms, pretending to be unimpressed.

"Not bad."

Jason raised an eyebrow.

"Not bad?"

"Don’t get cocky."

But the smile threatening to appear at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

Jason chuckled.

Sabrina took another breath and glanced toward the squat rack.

"Enough showing off."

She walked over.

"Next, I’m teaching you squats."

She began adjusting the barbell with practiced movements, checking the height and making sure everything was properly secured.

Jason watched her for a moment before stepping forward.

"Let me help."

Sabrina looked up.

There was a brief flicker of surprise in her eyes.

Then she smiled.

"All right. Help me set the bar."

Jason carefully adjusted the barbell and checked that it was secure.

Sabrina stepped toward the rack.

Jason moved behind her.

He positioned himself close enough to spot her if necessary, then placed his hands carefully at her sides.

"Sabrina," he said with a teasing smile, "I’m right behind you. I’ll spot you."

She glanced back at him.

"You’re getting very confident."

Jason grinned.

"I’ve seen how people spot each other around here."

Sabrina narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Then pay attention. A spotter’s job is to keep someone safe, not distract them."

Jason laughed softly.

"Yes, coach."

Sabrina shook her head, trying not to smile.

But despite herself, she couldn’t help feeling a little warmth in her chest.

Jason was becoming more troublesome by the minute.

And somehow...

she didn’t mind nearly as much as she probably should have.