A long silence engulfed the hall as we remained locked in our embrace.
I didn't stop soothing her, gently patting her back, letting the quiet speak louder than words.
She didn't tell me what her father had said, and I didn't press her.
Some things, I realized, needed time and space.
For nearly ten minutes, she held onto me, silent and trembling, as if drawing warmth and comfort from my presence.
Finally, after what felt like both an eternity and an instant, she slowly loosened her grip.
I gently released her from my arms as well, careful not to startle her.
We sat there for a moment, facing each other, neither of us speaking.
The only sound was our breaths mingling—my exhalation brushing across her forehead, her inhalation pressing against my chest.
A small, irrational part of me wanted to pull her close again, to hold her just a little longer.
But the look in her eyes, heavy with sadness and fatigue, stopped me.
Clearing my throat, I forced my voice to sound casual.
"Ahem… did you call your friends too?"
Still not averting her gaze, she whispered, "No… I don't want to make another phone call again…"
I nodded silently, understanding her exhaustion, and she slowly turned her eyes away, her expression heavy with sadness.
"I… I want to sleep," she added softly.
I gestured toward my room.
"Okay… go ahead and sleep on my bed. I'll take my father's bed. We'll talk in the morning."
She gave a small, grateful nod and moved toward my room, her steps quiet, weighed down by the emotions of the day.
I watched her go, a mix of guilt, concern, and protectiveness gnawing at me.
The hall felt emptier now, but the warmth of her brief hug lingered with me.
She walked into my room without a sound, her steps slow and lifeless, as though all the strength had been drained out of her.
I rubbed my face in frustration.
What am I even supposed to do anymore?
No matter what I say or do, it feels like it ends up backfiring.
Then a thought struck me—her friends.
In the manga, they'd gone all the way to the welfare association, desperate for any information about her.
Maybe I should talk to them when I go to school… make them call her, get them to speak with her directly.
If anything could comfort her, it might be hearing familiar voices from before all this happened.
Maybe that could give her even a little relief.
But the moment I began planning ahead, the weight of everything waiting for me crashed down on my shoulders.
I sighed again, deeper this time.
There was too much—too many things I had to juggle at once.
First, I needed to train.
The body tempering technique wasn't going to practice itself.
Then I had to create accounts on all the accessible adult platforms, prepare for uploads.
Then shoot the first task's video.
And on top of all that… keep Eri grounded, calm, safe.
She was brave—far braver than I first thought—but even so, the fear lingered in my mind.
What if she does something reckless? What if she hurts herself?
Just imagining the possibility sent a chill through my chest.
"No… I can't leave her alone tomorrow," I muttered under my breath.
Tomorrow was Friday.
If I took a day off… I'd get three full days with her, including the weekend.
Enough time to stay close, keep watch, make sure nothing spiraled out of control.
"I should take leave tomorrow…" I whispered to myself, decision settling into place.
I somehow feel uneasy leaving her alone.
Once I confirmed I was alone again, I returned to my body tempering practice after a short break.
This time felt different.
The warm energy in my lower abdomen—the so-called dantian—was far clearer than before.
I could actually pinpoint its exact location, a small, steady warmth pulsing just beneath the surface.
"Yes!"
I muttered, a rare grin of satisfaction spreading across my face.
Finally… some progress.
The thrill of even a small breakthrough washed away the fatigue momentarily.
Exhausted but content, I dragged myself to my father's bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
My stomach grumbled loudly, but at this late hour, I wasn't in the mood to eat.
Sleep claimed me quickly, fatigue pulling me under like a tide.
Ring… Ring… Ring…
The alarm on my phone cut through the morning silence. 6:00 AM sharp.
I groaned, stretching my limbs, feeling the lingering ache of yesterday's practice.
Even with the weariness, my mind was alert, focused on the day ahead.
I moved through my morning routine, a slight adjustment from usual: instead of preparing one portion for breakfast, I cooked two, adding a few boiled eggs for extra energy.
Everything done, I prepared to continue my body tempering practice, this time with one Skin-Hardening Pellet at hand.
"I hope this works…" I muttered quietly.
I didn't like taking pills unless absolutely necessary, but to make meaningful progress in the early stages, I had little choice.
The pellet's energy could jumpstart my circulation and help anchor the warmth in my dantian, letting my body start adapting to the first stage of skin-hardening more efficiently.
Bracing myself, I took a deep breath, centered my stance, and began the next session.
The moment I swallowed the Skin-Hardening Pellet, a warm current surged from my lower dantian, spreading through my body like molten gold.
This is it…
I thought, a thrill running through me as I pinpointed the exact source of the warmth.
I adjusted my breathing, slow and deliberate, mirroring yesterday's practice.
Feet firmly planted, back straight, fists on my hips, shoulders relaxed.
My focus sharpened to a razor's edge.
With immense concentration, I guided the energy to flow just beneath the skin's surface, tracing the intricate network of meridian pathways embedded there.
The warmth traveled along my arms, over my shoulders, down the sides of my torso, sweeping along the outer thighs, wrapping around the calves, and then coursing up the back to the scalp and jaw.
Every inch of these pathways pulsed with life, responding to my will.
Having already located the lower dantian, I visualized a spark of golden energy and began guiding it upward to my navel, then outward to the sides of my waist.
At the waist, I split the stream into two: the left flowed up to the shoulder, down the arm, and stopped at the wrist; the right mirrored the same path.
Circulation back up the arms, across the chest, and then downward along both sides of the torso, through the hips, down the outer legs, finally pooling into the soles of my feet.
The energy moved as if it had a mind of its own, warm and vibrant, yet obedient to my intention.
I could feel the skin tingling, strengthened from within, as if it were slowly becoming its own armor.
My breath synced perfectly with the flow, each inhalation feeding the current, each exhalation guiding it further along the meridians.
For the first time, I felt the true sensation of internal energy, alive and responsive, traveling in patterns that were no longer just instructions from a manual—they were my own body speaking back to me.
From my feet, I guided the energy up the spine to the back of my head, across the scalp, and then returned it to my lower dantian.
I made more than a few mistakes during the cycle, fumbling the flow at times, but I persisted, determined to complete it.
A sudden hiss echoed in my ears, sharp and unexpected, yet I kept my eyes closed and forced my focus back to my posture, my breathing, and the flow of energy.
As time passed, I began to feel it—the subtle tingling beneath my skin, warmth spreading through my limbs, a sensation of pressure and tightness as if something within me was being pushed outward.
Occasionally, an itching crawled along my arms and legs, as though my body itself was adjusting to this newfound energy.
I repeated the cycle again and again, each time refining the flow, correcting errors, and honing my focus.
Slowly, the energy began to circulate flawlessly, tracing every meridian perfectly without hesitation.
Then, a sharp Ding! cut through my concentration.
I opened my eyes to see a glowing notification hovering in front of me:
[Congratulations! Host has reached the first step of cultivation. Body Tempering Stage 1 — Skin-Hardening Stage achieved.]
"Finally…"
I whispered, a huge smile spreading across my face.
My body felt impossibly light, as if it were floating.
A new strength coursed through my muscles, subtle yet undeniable, and I could feel my skin responding—tighter, tougher, alive with energy.
But then, a foul, acrid smell hit me.
My eyes widened as I looked down—black liquid was oozing from my skin, forming an oily layer that coated my body like some dark resin.
I glanced at the floor; it was already stained black, and more droplets continued to fall, sizzling faintly where they landed.
"Shit… is this impurity bullshit I read about in novels?!"
I cursed under my breath, with disbelief.
The egg I'd been boiling on the stove had been forgotten in my shock—I yanked it off before it burned, then sprinted toward the bathroom, towel in hand, ready to scrub off this bizarre, unnerving residue.