Dahlia stood a few steps back, arms folded, eyes fixed on the row of shaking cocoons.

The screams hadn't stopped.

If anything, they were getting louder.

Dahlia tilted her head and finally spoke up. "Master… can I ask something?"

Garion glanced at her. "Go ahead."

She gestured toward the cocoons. "Why do their screams sound… really exaggerated?"

Clara winced as another howl echoed through the hall.

"Yeah. That's not normal screaming. That's extra screaming."

Dahlia continued, "I know awakening hurts. I screamed too."

She scratched her cheek. "A lot."

Clara nodded. "Yeah. You were loud."

"Hey!" Dahlia shot back.

She turned serious again. "But this feels different."

Another scream tore through the room.

Valtor's voice boomed from inside his cocoon."THIS IS WORSE THAN DYING!"

Seira followed, sharp and furious."I WILL NOT... BREAK!"

Dahlia frowned. "Their screams are way worse than mine were."

She crossed her arms tighter. "And it's been a while already. Why haven't they finished yet?"

Garion's lips curved upward. "Why don't you ask Mersha?"

Dahlia turned slowly.

Mersha was standing there, smiling brightly like she'd just been complimented.

"…Mersha?" Dahlia asked carefully.

Mersha adjusted her glasses. "Senior sister is right."

Everyone stiffened.

"Their screams are more exaggerated," Mersha said cheerfully.

Rika's scream echoed again."I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, RYNAR!"

Rena's followed."AFTER THIS... YOU'RE DEAD!"

Several disciples flinched.

"…Why?" Dahlia asked.

Mersha raised a finger. "Because their pain is more than doubled."

The room froze.

"…What?" Rynor said.

Clara's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

Dahlia stared. "More than doubled?"

Mersha nodded happily. "Yep!"

She walked closer to the cocoons, eyes shining. "This is a forceful awakening."

She tapped the air lightly. "Not only are they being forced to awaken their [Unique Physique] immediately…"

She raised another finger. "To make that happen, their bodies have to be rebuilt first."

Garion spoke calmly from behind her. "All their cells are being converted into Perfect Mana Core Cells."

Mersha clapped. "Exactly!"

Dahlia's eyes widened. "Wait. That means..."

"Yes," Mersha said quickly. "They're feeling two things at once."

She counted on her fingers. "First, the pain of awakening a [Unique Physique]."

"Second," she continued, "the pain of their cells being perfected."

Clara stared at the cocoons. "…At the same time?"

Mersha nodded. "At a much faster rate."

Rynar sucked in a breath. "That's brutal."

Rynor muttered, "That's not training. That's torture."

Mersha smiled even wider. "And forceful."

Aside from Rachel... Everyone else was stunned.

Dahlia clenched her fists. "Goddamn…"

Clara rubbed her arms. "Okay, yeah. I officially take back every joke I made."

Mersha wasn't finished.

"Oh, and there's another reason it's taking so long," she added casually.

Everyone turned to her at once.

"…There's more?" Dahlia asked carefully.

Mersha adjusted her glasses. "Yes!"

She clasped her hands together. "Because everything is happening at the same time, there's a chance of problems."

Rynor frowned. "Problems like…?"

Mersha tilted her head. "Mutation. Failure. Partial awakening. Cell rejection."

The room went dead silent.

"…Excuse me?" Clara said.

Rynar snapped his head toward Garion. "You let that happen?!"

Garion answered calmly, "Listen first."

Mersha nodded. "Those risks exist in any forced process."

She raised a finger again. "So to erase those chances completely..."

Another scream tore through the hall.

Rachel's voice rang out, hoarse but steady."I CAN HANDLE THIS!"

Mersha continued without pause. "After the awakening of the [Unique Physique] and the completion of Perfect Mana Core Cells..."

She smiled brightly.

"The process is repeated."

"…Repeated?" Dahlia echoed.

"Yes!" Mersha said. "Again and again."

Clara's eyes widened. "You mean..."

"...until the Unique Physique stabilizes perfectly," Mersha finished.

Clara stared at the cocoons in horror. "… You're telling me they have to relive it?"

Mersha nodded. "Several times."

Rynar cursed under his breath.

Rynor ran a hand through his hair. "That's insane."

Dahlia slowly exhaled. "So it's not just surviving the process…"

Her voice dropped. "They have to survive it over and over."

She turned back at Mersha, frowning. "How long will this last?"

Mersha smiled, showing one finger. "About one day."

The room went quiet.

Before Dahlia or anyone else could say another word...

The screams exploded all at once.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Ragric's voice tore through the hall, sharp and furious.

"ONE DAY?!" Rovric roared right after him.

"YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS LASTS A WHOLE DAY?!"

Rika's voice cracked with rage and pain.

"THIS IS A SCAM! A COMPLETE SCAM!"

Rena shouted over her, sparks snapping inside her cocoon.

"I'M GOING TO ELECTROCUTE SOMEONE AFTER THIS!"

Seira's scream cut through them all, cold and vicious despite the strain.

"…THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!"

And then Valtor.

His cocoon slammed into the ground as his voice thundered out.

"YOU MEAN I HAVE TO ENDURE DOUBLE THE PAIN... FOR A WHOLE DAMN DAY?!"

The hall shook.

Several disciples flinched hard.

Clara covered her ears. "Okay, yep. That's officially too much."

Rynor stared wide-eyed. "I think we just crossed the line from 'training' to 'crime.'"

Rynar nodded slowly. "Yeah. Pretty sure this is illegal somewhere."

Dahlia clenched her fists, staring at the cocoons. "They're all screaming at the same time…"

Her voice dropped. "That's terrifying."

Inside the cocoon, Rachel's voice came again... hoarse, shaking, but steady.

"…Endure… focus… breathe…"

Her words didn't stop the pain, but they cut through the chaos for a moment.

Garion remained still, arms crossed, eyes sharp.

"This," he said calmly, "is what skipping looks like."

Mersha stepped forward, hands clasped behind her back, smiling brightly despite the screams.

"Good luck, senior brothers and sisters!" she said cheerfully.

Several disciples turned to her in disbelief.

Clara stared. "You're evil. You know that, right?"

Mersha giggled. "Maybe a little!"

Another wave of screams rolled out.

Ragric yelled, "I TAKE IT BACK! I TAKE IT ALL BACK!"

Rovric roared, "DON'T YOU DARE LET ME FAIL!"

Rika screamed, "TWINS! YOU'RE DEAD!"

Rena added, "I'LL REMEMBER THIS... FOREVER!"

The room stayed silent as the sound washed over everyone.

No one moved or even spoke.

Because everyone understood now.

Once you chose the God Gym's shortcut...

There was no turning back.

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