Chương 285: 282
The room was quiet, the air heavy with anticipation. Haruto stood with his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the arrangement of seals he had painstakingly prepared over the past year. Today was his and Guy's body enhancement treatment
The seals were meticulously layered, designed for precision, and each one served a specific purpose. Beside him stood Guy, watching in silence, as they both faced what was to come.
Across the room, Duy stood near the large tub of ice-cold water. His expression was steady but cautious, a father's worry hidden behind his unwavering belief in his son and their comrade. The water in the tub was clear but cold enough to send a chill through the air. It would help regulate their body heat, but it wouldn't numb the pain.
"This is it," Haruto said, breaking the silence. "We've gone over every detail. The seals are in place. This will be a long, painful process… but it'll be worth it."
Guy grinned, though the tension in the room softened it. "Pain's just another obstacle. I'm ready."
Haruto nodded, though inwardly he was steeling himself. This was the moment they had prepared for, and even with all his research and preparation, there was still a knot of uncertainty in his stomach. He knew what the treatment could do theoretically, but nothing could truly prepare them for the reality of it. The risks were real, and the pain they were about to endure would be nothing like any training they had gone through.
Both he and Guy were already covered in seals. Their bodies were wrapped in intricate Fuinjutsu, looking almost like mummies, with thin strips of parchment running down their limbs and across their torsos. The seals were carefully crafted to interact with their chakra pathways and stimulate their cells over the coming hours. Haruto's fingers twitched slightly as he activated his chakra, feeling the faint hum of the seals as they began to sync with his body.
Duy stepped forward, placing a steady hand on Guy's shoulder. "You'll both get through this," he said, his voice soft but filled with conviction.
Haruto gave a final nod and climbed into the ice-filled tub. The cold hit him instantly, a sharp, biting sensation that wrapped around his legs and shot up through his spine. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as Guy stepped in beside him, his face set with determination.
The ice water was freezing, a stark contrast to the warmth that would soon flood through their bodies once the treatment began. It was crucial to keep their temperatures down during the process—without it, the seals would push their bodies to dangerous levels of heat and inflammation.
"Ready?" Haruto asked, his voice steady.
"Let's do this," Guy replied, his hands clenching at the sides of the tub.
Haruto reached over and activated the first set of seals on both their bodies. Instantly, the sensation changed. His body stiffened, a burning heat rising from within him as the seals began to flood his system with medical chakra. The chakra moved through his chakra pathways like molten fire, stimulating his cells, pushing them into overdrive. He could feel it—the bone-deep sensation of his body being pushed to grow, forced to heal, to adapt.
Next to him, Guy let out a sharp breath, his muscles tensing as the seals activated on his own body. The water in the tub rippled as both of them gripped the edges, their knuckles white.
The first wave of pain hit Haruto like a tidal wave. It wasn't just the heat—it was the deep, tearing sensation within his muscles and bones. It felt as though every cell in his body was being put under a microscope, forced to work harder than they ever had before. The seals were designed to target specific areas, focusing first on the bones, then the muscles, and finally the vital organs. Each stage had its own unique intensity.
His bones began to ache, a throbbing pain that seemed to drill into the very core of his skeleton. The seals were stimulating the deepest layers of his bones, encouraging the production of new tissue, pushing his skeletal structure to grow denser and stronger. It wasn't a gentle process. Haruto gritted his teeth, his breath coming in sharp bursts as the pain flared through his limbs, settling into his joints and spine like a white-hot flame.
Beside him, Guy was breathing heavily but remained focused. His face was drawn tight, beads of sweat already forming on his brow despite the ice-cold water surrounding them. His grip on the edge of the tub tightened as he endured the same excruciating process. Even through the pain, there was a determination in his eyes—one that Haruto shared.
The second stage began as the seals shifted focus from their bones to their muscles. The burning sensation intensified, flooding through their limbs as the seals sent pulses of medical chakra directly into their muscle fibers. Haruto could feel his muscles tightening, tearing ever so slightly before the chakra rushed in to force them to heal and grow back stronger. It felt as if every fiber of his being was being stretched to its breaking point, and then pushed even further.
Haruto's breathing grew ragged as the hours stretched on. The pain was constant, throbbing and pulsing, and despite the cold water around him, his body felt like it was burning from the inside out. He could feel the seals pushing his body to adapt, to regenerate faster than it ever had before. But it came at a cost.
The third stage was the most dangerous. Haruto's focus sharpened as he activated the final set of seals, sending the medical chakra deeper into their bodies, targeting their internal organs. His heart, lungs, liver—all of them were being pushed to their limits. He could feel his heartbeat hammering against his chest as the seals worked to strengthen his cardiovascular system, pushing more blood through his body, forcing his lungs to take in more oxygen with each breath.
It was as if every breath he took came with a sharp spike of pain, his lungs expanding and contracting under the strain. His heart raced, his pulse pounding in his ears as the seals worked to increase the organ's efficiency. The feeling of pressure was immense, almost suffocating, but Haruto forced himself to breathe through it. This was the most delicate part of the process—too much stimulation, and the strain on their organs could be dangerous.
Beside him, Guy let out a low, guttural groan, his body trembling under the weight of the treatment. His breath came in sharp gasps, but he never faltered. He pushed through, the same way he pushed through every obstacle—head-on, without hesitation. The ice water rippled around them as their bodies radiated heat, steam rising from the surface as the seals continued to work.
The four-hour mark was approaching, but each minute felt like an eternity. The pain was no longer just in their muscles and bones—it had spread everywhere, a deep, all-consuming ache that made it hard to focus on anything else. Haruto's vision blurred at the edges as he fought to stay conscious, his body screaming at him to stop. But he wouldn't stop. This was what he had planned for, what he had prepared for. Pain was temporary. The results of this treatment would last a lifetime.
"Haruto…" Guy's voice broke through the haze of pain, low and strained. "How… long?"
"Almost there," Haruto managed through gritted teeth, his voice tight with pain. He could feel the seals winding down, the final pulses of chakra spreading through his body as they completed their work. The heat was unbearable now, his entire body feeling like it was on fire despite the ice surrounding them. Every nerve in his body was screaming, but he kept pushing, kept focusing on the goal.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the seals began to deactivate. The overwhelming heat slowly started to dissipate, leaving behind a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. Haruto collapsed back into the tub, his body trembling from the strain, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His skin felt like it was burning, the ice water doing little to cool the inferno that had been raging inside him.
Guy slumped back beside him, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His body was drenched in sweat despite the cold, his face pale and drawn. But even through the exhaustion, there was a glint of determination in his eyes.
Haruto let out a slow, ragged breath, the weight of the treatment finally settling in. His body ached in ways he had never experienced before, but it was done. The first session was complete.
Duy stepped forward, his face calm but his eyes filled with concern as he knelt beside the tub. "You both made it through," he said quietly, his voice filled with a quiet pride. "How do you feel?"
Haruto blinked, the exhaustion settling deep into his bones. "It… worked," he managed, his voice hoarse.
Guy grinned through the pain, his breathing still labored. "Like… I just wrestled a bear," he muttered, his voice shaky but filled with a hint of his usual enthusiasm.
Duy chuckled softly, though his eyes remained serious. "The hardest part is over for today. You'll need rest. The ice bath will help bring down the inflammation and regulate your body temperature."
Haruto nodded weakly, the cold water now a welcome relief against his overheated skin. The seals had done their job, but the process had left them both drained, their bodies pushed to their limits. It would take time to recover fully, but this was just the beginning. The path they had chosen was not easy, but it was one they were committed to.
As the ice water slowly cooled their burning bodies, Haruto closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over him. This was only the first step, but it was a crucial one. They had survived the treatment, and in time, they would begin to see the results.
But for now, all they could do was endure the pain, knowing that every minute, every agonizing moment, was a step closer to achieving their goal.
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