Guro stood at the edge of the pool, grinning as she watched me struggle.
I ignored her and activated Particle Absorption.
The heat around me surged into my body. I needed more Essence, more fuel to push my body past its limits. I was planning to break this demon and drag her around just like she did to me.
I locked eyes with her.
She tapped her foot against the ground a couple of times, then leaned forward slightly, like a predator getting ready to pounce.
And then she moved.
Her figure blurred, the space between us vanishing in an instant.
I barely caught the movement of her right hand, flashing toward my face like a claw.
Instinct took over.
I raised my arms in front of me to block—
But she disappeared.
A sudden, searing pain tore through my back.
I staggered, breath hitching as I felt blood trickling down my skin.
She had slashed me.
I gritted my teeth, forcing down a groan.
I clenched my fists, feeling the molten sludge shift beneath my feet. The heat gnawed at my skin, a constant reminder that I was standing in a lava pool.
She tilted her head, watching my struggle with wide, amused eyes. Then she let out a giggle, soft at first, but it built up into a chuckle that didn't quite match her beautiful face.
"Not bad," she purred. "You're still standing."
I didn't reply.
I focused on my breathing, keeping my stance stable despite the sluggish lava trying to pull at my feet. My back throbbed where she had slashed me, the blood mixing with sweat as my body worked to seal the wound.
On top of that she had just snapped my wrist.
Without warning, she lunged again. This time, I caught the movement—but it didn't matter. Her speed was absurd.
Her knee slammed into my ribs.
I felt something crack.
The force sent me skidding across the surface of the lava, my feet struggling to find grip. My body almost buckled, but I forced myself to stand tall.
Guro whistled.
"Still up? Yayyy."
I spat to the side, trying to ignore the sharp pain radiating through my chest.
"You call this training?"
She grinned, her expression stretching a little too wide.
"Of course. Training should push you to your limits. And then past them."
She took a step closer, her bare feet inches from the lava.
The heat didn't seem to bother her at all. Her long black hair clung to her damp skin, framing a face that should have been beautiful—if not for the unsettling gleam in her eyes.
"I like you," she mused. "You don't break easily. I've had training partners before, you know? But they always scream too much. Or pass out too fast. You're different."
She licked her lips.
I stiffened.
I didn't like that look.
I shifted my stance, noticing that I had a point of Essence, I activated [Psynapse Boost]. My goal was to track her movements, and now that I had more points in Psynapse and had activated the skill, it should help.
I had to endure.
Guro didn't give me time to prepare.
She blurred again, appearing at my side, her fingers curling like claws. This time I saw her coming.
I twisted away, barely avoiding the full impact, but her nails still raked across my arm.
I hissed, but she only laughed, that same soft, eerie giggle.
"Faster than before," she noted. "But still too slow. Also, why are your eyes glowing? Did you activate some human skill?"
She spun, her leg whipping toward my head. I ducked, but she followed up immediately, grabbing my shoulder and slamming her knee into my stomach.
The air was crushed from my lungs.
I staggered back, gasping, but she didn't let go.
Her fingers dug into my flesh, holding me in place.
She leaned in, whispering, "This isn't enough. You're still holding back, aren't you? Come on. Fight back. Hurt me."
I glared at her.
"I will."
Her lips curled.
"Ooohhh so hot."
She twisted, flipping me over her shoulder.
I crashed into the lava, my entire body sinking into the molten sludge for a moment before I managed to push myself up.
My skin burned, but Particle Absorption kicked in instantly, sucking in the heat, converting it into Essence.
But it didn't stop the pain.
Guro flashed back and crouched at the edge, watching.
She suddenly hopped onto the surface of the lava. Unlike me, she didn't sink in. She walked across it like it was solid ground, taking slow, deliberate steps toward me.
My heart pounded.
I was stronger. I could absorb energy. I could reinforce my body. But none of that mattered if I couldn't touch her.
She stopped a few steps away, stretching her arms above her head.
"Let's make it more fun. Since you activated a skill I will too."
And then she vanished.
I barely had time to register the movement before something slammed into the side of my head.
My vision blurred.
I stumbled, struggling to stay upright—
Then something struck my knee from behind.
I collapsed, one knee sinking into the molten sludge. The pain flared, but I bit down, refusing to scream.
Guro crouched beside me, her breath warm against my ear.
"You know what I love about humans?" she whispered.
I forced myself to lift my head.
She smiled, slow, lazy, almost affectionate.
"They break so beautifully."
And then she grabbed my right arm—
And snapped it.
Pain exploded through me.
I barely heard myself roar.
Guro's laughter rang out, soft and sweet, completely at odds with the madness lurking behind it.
Then I heard a whistling sound before her leg smashed into my head, slamming me face-first into the pool. I blacked out.
****
My eyes fluttered open.
I blinked multiple times, trying to clear my vision.
Raising my head slightly, I looked around.
I was lying on the edge of the pool, but a searing pain shot up from my legs, sharp and unbearable. My breathing hitched as I forced myself to look down.
My legs were still submerged in the lava.
That shouldn't have been possible. My body was strong enough to withstand this level of heat. I had absorbed some of the thermal energy before, this should have only been a minor inconvenience.
But this pain… it was real. Something was wrong.
I glanced around, searching for Guro, but she was nowhere in sight.
Grinding my teeth, I dragged myself away from the pool, gripping the hot, rocky ground with trembling hands. The moment my legs left the lava, the full extent of the damage became clear.
My eyes widened.
"Fuck."
The word slipped out on instinct.
My legs… they were cooked.
The skin was blackened and cracked, parts of it peeling away in jagged layers, revealing raw, red muscle beneath.
Blisters the size of my fist bubbled along my thighs, some already burst, oozing thick, yellowish fluid.
The scent of burned flesh filled my nose, nauseating and sickeningly.
My feet… they barely looked like feet anymore. My toes were warped, the flesh shrunken and curled, like overcooked meat left too long over an open flame.
A cold shiver crawled up my spine.
"How did this happen?"
And as if my mind had only just processed the true extent of the damage, the pain suddenly intensified.
A sharp, unbearable agony tore through my legs, making my vision blur at the edges.
I clenched my jaw and took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
I checked my Essence store. It was full again.
'How long was I unconscious?'
I looked down at my legs once more.
I dumped all 20 Essence points into Constitution, hoping to speed up the recovery.
That gave me a thought.
I needed a healing skill. For sure.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind me.
"So, how do you like the legs?"
I jerked.
"Fuck."
I twisted around, and there she was—Guro, standing there with that damn grin, looking proud of herself.
I glared at her.
"Did you do this?"
She nodded cheekily.
I didn't even bother asking why. That much was obvious.
"How?"
She chuckled.
"Well, I noticed your body was handling the lava pretty well, so I cranked up the temperature. Now, don't ask me how I did that. A girl should be allowed to have her secrets."
I shook my head.
'Fuck. She's crazy.'
Still, I had to ask.
"So, do you have any way to heal me? How the hell am I supposed to train with my legs burned like this?"
She shook her head.
"No healing. I like the smell of cooked meat. We'll train like this."
My eyes widened.