Chapter 32 - Inner Core (3)

There was something life had taught me: nothing makes you feel sorrier for yourself than being sick.

After my parents died, I once spent several days laid up in bed. I couldn't tell you how much I cried. If even one of them had been there, they would have taken care of me. Loneliness and a fever are the perfect combination for wearing a person down.

I felt just like I had back then. I'd finally eaten my fill for once, only to collapse with a fever right afterward.

"Kyu..."

At least I had adorable little Roundfur. Without him, my heart probably would have hurt even more. The speed-sloth seemed to have some tact, too; it had climbed off my back as soon as I started feeling sick.

"..."

"... You can just leave."

But the way its face naturally looked offered no comfort whatsoever. That relaxed expression was all well and good, but right now, it felt like it was laughing at me.

'Surely not.'

I felt bad for taking it out on the innocent speed-sloth. This sudden fever seemed to be clouding my judgment.

I panted from the heat filling my body. Every breath sent hot air spilling from my mouth. At this rate, I'd end up breathing fire like a dragon.

'I don't get what's causing this.'

Getting a fever just from eating a fish was ridiculous. I wondered if I'd picked up a parasite, but that couldn't be it. I'd grilled it thoroughly just to be safe. Poison was the first thing that came to mind. Had it been poisonous, like a pufferfish?

'I took the medicine right away, but who knows.'

I'd taken the pill Allfather had given me, just in case. Normally, I should have practiced the internal energy cultivation method immediately afterward, but that was hard in my current state. Surely it could wait until the fever subsided a little. First, I'd check the forum. I'd posted just before my temperature shot up, so there should be some replies by now.

Fuck, I'm burning up?

Wild Grylls

(Photo of a fish picked clean to the bones)

Started burning up right after eating this. What's going on? Don't tell me it was poisonous?

└Are there even poisons that cause a fever?

└They're not unheard of. I've heard there's a poison that kills you with a fever.

└Allfather Have you taken the medicine I gave you?

└Wild Grylls I did, just in case.

└Allfather How strange. If it were poison, you would have recovered immediately. It likely isn't poison.

└Heavenly Demon You should bring your internal energy under control at once. Having eaten a spiritual creature, you will be filled with qi.

└Wild Grylls But I didn't even eat the inner core?

└Heavenly Demon They are not called spiritual creatures for nothing. Even if it could not compare to the inner core, the flesh would have contained ample qi.

└Sword Masta There's nothing like a mana training method when you're sick. Even better if you take a sip of Elixir beforehand.

└Heavenly Demon It is an internal energy cultivation method, not a mana training method.

└Sword Masta Same difference, haha. Aren't they all the same until you teach him the formulas?

└Heavenly Demon I would dearly love to rip that treacherous mouth off your face.

└Sword Masta Go ahead and try, lol.

└Heavenly Demon What a pathetic sight you are, shut away in your room with nothing to do but run your mouth. I can just see you, growing older and idling your days away with nothing to occupy you.

└Sword Masta What did you just say?

└Heavenly Demon Hmm. I should become more active myself. I would hate to grow as pathetic as you.

└Heavenly Demon, why's this fucker suddenly attacking the rest of us?

└Fucking AoE taunt lmaoooo

└Suddenly I wanna take Sword Masta's side.

Come to think of it, I had Elixirs. With the fever hitting so suddenly, I'd completely forgotten.

Enduring my steadily rising temperature, I practically crawled over and grabbed one of the Elixirs stored in the box. Its brilliantly shining golden liquid was striking. The colors varied by grade, but I hurt too much to care which one I grabbed.

'Just one sip for now...'

Even pulling out the cork was hard. Should I buy some fever medicine at the auction house? With difficulty, I uncorked the bottle and took a sip of Elixir. A strangely bitter yet refreshing sensation passed down my throat.

Now all that remained was the breathing method. Before that, I checked the replies. I'd seen Heavenly Demon and Sword Masta start a flame war right before I closed the forum.

└Heavenly Demon Struggle all you like. I shall be the one to teach my honored friend his internal energy cultivation method. Now begone.

└Sword Masta What if Grylls can't understand the formulas?

└Heavenly Demon That shall not happen. I will explain every last detail to him.

└Sword Masta I'm sorry, but realistically, that's going to be difficult. You're not there beside him. Formulas alone can't compete with the practical know-how of a mana training method.

└Heavenly Demon Are you not in the same position? If my honored friend can understand written explanations alone, that already makes him a genius.

└Sword Masta How about reading my posts first? I'm an amazing writer.

└Really is a good writer. Raised the average combat strength of the whole continent.

└Covers everything from basics to advanced stuff, so it works for veterans and beginners alike.

└Meanwhile Heavenly Demon just churns out shitposts lol

└For real lmao

Sword Masta's posts really were good. They'd taught even a complete novice like me the basics. Maybe that was why most people favored Sword Masta over Heavenly Demon. Only Heavenly Demon's unflappable nature kept her posting through it all. Anyone ordinary would have lost their mind.

It was probably time to put a stop to this. Maybe thanks to the Elixir, my dizziness had eased a little, too.

└Wild Grylls Sword Masta, please leave it at that. Your posts really do help, but I don't want to break my promise to Heavenly Demon.

└Sword Masta I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself.

└Heavenly Demon Pay no heed to one who would use a treacherous tongue to make you break your word.

└Wild Grylls Sword Masta was only trying to help me, too.

Thankfully, that seemed to settle things somewhat. If I hadn't stepped in, their flame war might have filled my entire thread. Besides, Sword Masta had picked the fight this time, even if Heavenly Demon had lost her temper.

'Time to sit up...'

Even the Elixir hadn't brought the fever down completely. Its painkilling effect had merely eased the suffering. I forced my increasingly hot body upright and settled into the lotus position. Before I began breathing, I made a request of Heavenly Demon.

└Wild Grylls I'm about to start training. Could you teach me those formulas or whatever they're called?

└Heavenly Demon I can, but I shall give you only the first formula as a precaution. A misstep could lead to qi deviation.

└Wild Grylls Understood. Please use private replies.

└Heavenly Demon Heaven is the supreme height to which all creation looks up. Reach out your hand and grasp it within. Look not upward, but downward. That is heaven's...

I'd expected ordinary practical advice, but suddenly I was reading poetry. It was archaic and, well, very martial-arts-novel-like. Meaning I didn't understand a damn thing. No wonder Sword Masta had mocked internal energy cultivation methods as poetry rather than practical advice.

'How is this supposed to help?'

And the formula didn't end there. It was quite long, with Heavenly Demon adding reply after reply. Once my initial misgivings passed, I memorized all the formulas she'd posted. The fever made my head spin, but not so badly that I couldn't memorize anything.

"Whew..."

First, I started breathing, imagining myself gathering up the hot energy. I didn't forget to recite Heavenly Demon's formulas in my head, either. I just needed to picture the general idea, right? This was more about feeling than interpretation.

'Better than Song of Gwandong.'

Much better than that god-awful poem.

I practiced my breathing while visualizing the formulas Heavenly Demon had taught me. It felt as if the hot energy scattered throughout my body was gathering in my lower abdomen.

'Heaven is the supreme height to which all creation...'

And the result of practicing internal energy cultivation while reciting the formulas was...

"Snrrrk..."

I fell asleep without realizing it.

* * *

I had an incredibly strange dream. I seemed to be floating through the highest reaches of the sky. No, more than floating—I roamed freely through it. Having never even been on a plane, I spent a while simply flying wherever I pleased.

But that freedom didn't last long. I began to feel my body being pulled downward. I wanted to enjoy the sensation for as long as possible, so I resisted to the very end. It was pointless, though. Before I knew it, I was plummeting.

Startled, I looked down. A dense forest covered everything below, and I plunged toward it.

"Gah!"

The sensation of falling from a great height jolted me upright. It was like dozing off in class back in school, then jerking awake—only several times more intense. I was instantly wide awake.

"..."

I blinked. What had I just dreamed? I remembered flying freely through the sky, but I couldn't make sense of what came afterward.

It was hard to explain. Almost as if my soul and body had separated. Still, it had been a thoroughly pleasant dream. I'd experienced true freedom for once.

"Kyu..."

As I sat there in a slight daze, a mournful sound reached my ears. Turning toward it, I found a fluffy ball of fur staring at me. It was Roundfur, the baby owlbear, gazing up at me with sorrowful eyes.

GRRRRUMBLE

At the same time, an alarm sounded from his belly. I'm hungry. Feed me because I'm hungry. I'm sad because I'm hungry. That was more or less the message. Feeling awkward, I checked the time first.

No, did I even need to check? One look outside the cave was enough.

'... It's already night?'

Outside, everything had turned pitch-black. It had been around lunchtime when I'd eaten the fish and developed a fever. That meant I'd rested for at least six hours. No wonder Roundfur looked so sad.

"Sorry, Roundfur. I'll get you fed right away."

"Kyu!"

"But never mind you for a second, where did Speedy—"

I turned my head, and there it was. Speedy was watching me with that now-familiar expression. From the way it was chewing, it must have helped itself to fasting pills while I slept.

'... It didn't eat too many, did it?'

Worried, I checked how many fasting pills remained. Thankfully, there weren't many missing.

Then feeding Roundfur came first. I opened the forum. It was as lively as ever, but right now, Roundfur's dinner was what mattered.

"Here you go."

"Kyuuuuu!"

His eyes sparkled with delight when I bought him a chunk of meat. He was so cute that I stroked his head, which made him even happier. How could anyone not love him? Just looking at him made me smile.

'The fever seems to be gone, and nothing feels uncomfortable. I'm doing fine.'

A good long sleep really was the best thing for a fever. My body was damp, probably from sweat, but that couldn't be helped. Since it was late, a quick wash would do. There was still a fish in the iron tub, so a bath would be difficult.

"Huh?"

I'd just taken my clothes off and stepped outside the cave when something struck me as odd.

I could see far too well. I'd always had decent night vision, but this was much clearer. It wasn't daylight, but I could move around without difficulty.

'What's going on?'

Setting the question aside, I stripped off to wash. I didn't even need a campfire. Why bother when I could see perfectly well? I'd still need one for sleeping, though. I felt the cold just as much as before.

CRACKLE

Before washing, I ran a hand down my body and heard a strange sound. I looked down and found something unexpected. My skin was peeling. Unlike peeling sunburn, the skin underneath was soft and even gleamed.

I frowned at the sight. This could only mean one thing.

'Why is there so much grime?'

I'd thought I was washing properly, but apparently not. I'd have to take more care from now on. A quick wash tonight and a bath tomorrow would do. Soaking the grime in warm water should make it come off more easily.

'And I can have the fish for breakfast while I'm at it.'

Surely I wouldn't get another fever so soon.

Then morning came, and as I cleaned the fish...

"Another one of these?"

Another inner core popped out of its guts.