Chương 237: 236
Haruto walked through the halls of the tower with his team, the tension from the Forest of Death still lingering in their bodies. Though they had only spent a day in the forest, they were the second team to arrive, with four days remaining for the rest of the competitors to make it to the tower. Rasa's team had already been there, but they didn't pay Haruto's team much attention as they passed by. Rasa, Pakura, and their bandaged teammate remained distant and focused on their own preparations.
Inside the tower, the atmosphere was calm and structured, a far cry from the chaotic dangers of the forest outside. There were training rooms, meal halls, dormitories, and separate bathing areas for men and women—everything they needed to recover and prepare for the next challenge. It felt like a safe haven after the survival test they'd just endured.
Haruto's first priority was his recovery ritual. Grabbing a large bucket—just big enough for him to submerge himself—he filled it with water. Kneeling beside it, Haruto carefully began drawing a series of intricate seals along the bucket's rim. These were not ordinary seals; they were fuinjutsu specifically designed to manipulate thermal energy. Instead of merely cooling the water, these seals actively repelled heat, forcing warmth away from the surface.
As the seals activated, the water rapidly chilled and began to freeze. The temperature around the bucket remained stable, while the water inside quickly solidified into ice, the process controlled and efficient. Haruto had perfected this method to create his ice baths—essential for his recovery.
Daichi watched from the side, already knowing what was coming. "Back to the ice bath, huh?" he smirked, stretching out his arms.
Haruto gave a small nod. "You know it helps."
Daichi chuckled and shrugged. "Hey, I'm not complaining. Might join you in that later."
Shisui, who had been observing quietly, raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing as always. "Ice bath, huh? Seems like something only a madman or a genius would put themselves through." He paused, crossing his arms with a playful grin. "Think you could make one for me too? Maybe it's time I see what all the fuss is about."
Haruto glanced up from his seals, a smirk playing on his lips. "You sure? It's no joke. You'll be frozen stiff in seconds."
Shisui shrugged, still grinning. "I've survived worse. Besides, I'd like to see what it's like to feel my limbs turn to ice."
Haruto laughed softly before setting to work. He found two more buckets, filled them with water, and drew the same intricate seals around the rims. Within minutes, both buckets froze, the water transforming into blocks of solid ice, just as before.
Daichi eyed his own bucket with mock reluctance. "Not sure I'll ever get used to this, but it does help. Might as well dive in."
Once their ice baths were ready, Haruto knew the next thing on his agenda: food. Thanks to his enhanced stamina, his body demanded fuel after any strenuous activity. He loaded up his plate with large portions of food from the meal hall, piling it high without hesitation. Shisui and Daichi, long accustomed to his enormous appetite, quietly ate their own meals.
Across the room, however, Rasa's team couldn't help but notice. Haruto could feel their eyes on him as he devoured his meal. He glanced briefly in their direction but shrugged off their curious looks. They didn't understand what his body required, and frankly, he didn't care.
Once their meal was finished, Haruto reactivated the weighted seal on his body—a seal he had deactivated during the forest portion of the exam. The seal added a substantial amount of weight to his limbs, making each movement feel heavy and deliberate. With his body back under the pressure of the seal, he and his team headed for the training room.
The workout they launched into was no easy task. It was a grueling conditioning regimen focused on strength and endurance. The weighted seal turned every sprint, every bodyweight exercise, into a battle against gravity. Shisui and Daichi pushed their limits alongside him, their muscles burning as they powered through the intense session. The added resistance from Haruto's seal made even basic drills into an exhaustive challenge.
By the end, all three of them were drenched in sweat, their bodies aching from the effort.
As they made their way back to their dorm area, Haruto went straight to his bucket. He shattered the top layer of ice with a swift strike, added fresh water, and climbed into the freezing water without hesitation. The cold hit him like a shockwave, but he didn't flinch. He welcomed the icy stillness, allowing it to numb his muscles and clear his mind.
Shisui, still hesitant but intrigued, cracked the ice on his own bucket and gingerly lowered himself in. "This is… definitely something," he muttered, biting back a wince as the cold enveloped him. "You do this regularly?"
Haruto nodded, his eyes closed, his mind focused. "Every chance I get."
Daichi, less ceremonious, submerged himself into his own bucket with a low hiss of discomfort. "Every time," he grumbled. "Every single time, it feels like my bones are freezing solid. But it works."
For Haruto, the ice bath was more than just a recovery tool. It was a place of clarity—a space where the noise in his mind quieted. The cold shock allowed him to focus, to feel every muscle, every nerve, as if they were alive in the simplest, purest form. Here, submerged in freezing silence, he found peace. The weight of the world, the stress of the exams, and even the haunting thoughts of revenge drifted away.
He closed his eyes, letting the cold envelop him completely.
In this moment, there was only silence.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực