All five of them were bent over in different ways, faces twisted in pure misery.
"So..." Cindor croaked, gripping her stomach, "...this is just how it tastes?"
rsha nodded enthusiastically. "Yup!"
Silvar shot her a glare that could scare lesser cultivators. "You made this on purpose."
rsha tilted her head. "On purpose to work, yes."
Dahlia crossed her arms and sighed. "I warned you."
Cindor groaned. "You did. I didn’t listen."
Bastor stood rigid, back straight, teeth clenched so hard his jaw trembled.
"...Endure," he said, more to himself than anyone else.
Varyn sat down slowly, breathing carefully. "...The sensation is spreading. Fast."
rsha clapped her hands lightly. "Good! That ans it’s activating."
She hurriedly added, "Don’t vomit! Seriously, don’t. Just hold it in."
Silvar growled. "If I vomit, it’ll be because of you."
rsha smiled nervously. "Please don’t. It wastes the effect."
She raised a finger and explained quickly, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
"This one is called [Mana Core Cell Generator Elixir]."
Everyone looked at her with pure hatred.
"It transforms one cell in your body into a [Perfect Mana Core Cell]," she continued.
"That pulls you straight into the Second Realm."
Energy suddenly surged through Silvar’s body. His muscles tensed, veins bulging slightly.
"...I can feel it," he muttered. "Sothing is forming."
Cindor slamd her fist into the ground. "It feels like my insides are being rewritten!"
"That’s normal," rsha said brightly.
Bastor exhaled slowly, steadying himself. "...Pain is temporary."
Varyn closed her eyes, observing the changes quietly. "...One cell. Just one. But it’s dominating everything."
Dahlia shook her head. "You guys walked right into this."
Cindor looked up weakly. "Next ti... I listen."
rsha bead. "Next ti, I’ll make it stronger!"
A few hours later, all five of them were lying flat on the ground in different positions, completely drained.
So stared at the sky.
So pressed their faces into the stone floor.
One of them didn’t move at all.
Silvar finally spoke, voice hoarse. "...Is it over?"
Cindor weakly raised a hand. "If it isn’t, I’m actually going to die this ti."
Bastor remained flat on his back, breathing slowly and evenly. "...Pain has passed."
Varyn turned her head slightly. "...My internal structure stabilized."
Eldrin exhaled softly. "It worked."
rsha wiped her hands on her coat and smiled brightly. "Yep! Total success!"
All five of them frowned at the sa ti.
"At least," Cindor muttered, "it’s finished."
rsha blinked. "Hmm?"
She tilted her head. "Who said it’s finished?"
Five pairs of eyes snapped toward her.
"...What do you an?" Silvar asked slowly.
rsha clasped her hands together. "The [Mana Core Cell Generator Elixir] only creates one [Perfect Mana Core Cell]."
She pointed at them. "That’s just the foundation."
The five exchanged uneasy looks.
"...Foundation," Varyn repeated quietly.
rsha reached into her bag and pulled out another bottle.
This one was filled with thick black liquid. It didn’t glow. It didn’t steam. It just sat there, heavy and wrong.
The mont it appeared...
Valtor stiffened.
Seira’s face turned pale.
Rachel inhaled sharply.
Several disciples instinctively took a step back.
"...That one," Dahlia said flatly, "is bad."
rsha smiled wider. "This one is [Divine Physique Elixir]!"
Silvar’s eyes widened. "Wait."
rsha continued enthusiastically, "It uses your Perfect Mana Core Cell as a blueprint and rewrites all your cells into Perfect Mana Core Cells!"
She raised the bottle proudly. "That ans a [Unique Physique] will be born instantly!"
Cindor slowly pushed herself up on one elbow. "You an..."
"Yes!" rsha said. "Sa level as Elder Rachel, Sister Dahlia, and the others who awakened their physiques naturally!"
The courtyard went dead silent.
Silvar’s face darkened. "...Just wait a minute."
He lifted his head and stared straight at rsha. "You’re telling we just survived one nightmare."
Cindor groaned and rolled onto her side, one arm covering her eyes. "And now," she muttered, "you’re holding a second one?"
rsha nodded brightly, clutching the bottle like it was a prize. "Yes!"
Bastor finally sat up, movents stiff and careful. He looked at the bottle, then at rsha.
"...Is survival guaranteed?"
rsha tilted her head. "Define guaranteed."
Everyone groaned at the sa ti.
Garion, who had been standing off to the side with his arms crossed, finally spoke in a calm voice.
"Of course you’ll survive. You’re forr Legendary Beasts."
Silvar snorted. "That’s not reassuring."
Before he could say anything else, rsha stepped forward without warning.
"Okay then!" she said.
She shoved the bottle straight toward Silvar’s mouth.
Silvar’s eyes widened. "Wait... damn it...!"
Too late.
He gagged as the liquid went down, his whole body stiffening. His hands clawed at the ground.
"...What-what kind of monster made this!"
rsha clapped her hands. "Working as intended!"
"Help ," Silvar growled.
"Sure!" rsha turned her head. "Sister!"
Dahlia smirked. "With pleasure."
She grabbed another bottle and marched straight to Cindor, holding her chin up. "Open."
"Hey, wait!"
Rachel, holding a bottle herself, hesitated. "Do I really need..."
Eldrin gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don’t worry. I’ll take it. You don’t need to force ."
Rachel sighed. "...Alright."
Nearby, the twins moved in sync, each holding a bottle.
Bastor stared at them. "...This feels wrong."
"Drink," Rynar said.
Varyn watched quietly, then nodded once. "It will pass."
Bastor closed his eyes. "Fine."
One by one, they drank.
Five seconds later, five different reactions echoed through the courtyard.
"...This is worse," Cindor croaked.
Silvar slamd a fist into the ground, veins bulging. "...I take it back. Death might have been kinder."
rsha bead, hands clasped behind her back. "Now hold on tight. It’s about to begin."
Before anyone could complain, the air around the five of them shifted.
Energy burst out from their bodies all at once, thick and wild, wrapping around them like flowing layers of light.
Five cocoons ford in the courtyard, each one a different color.
Green wrapped around Eldrin, calm and steady.
Black surrounded Bastor, heavy and unmoving.
White enclosed Silvar, sharp and oppressive.
Red flared around Cindor, restless and burning.
A quieter shade gathered around Varyn, pulsing softly.
The ground trembled slightly as the power settled.
rsha smiled and waved around casually. "Now we just need to wait one day for them to finish."
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