My Unique Adaptation Skill in Another world-Chapter 5 - 4: Preparation

Leo started the first day already shaking, arms locked straight, palms pressed into the floorboards, holding his body inches above the ground, sweat running down his ribs. His breath came slow and forced through his nose.

"Just a little more," he muttered.

At this point Leo thought of just stopping; the day had just started, he was still injured and should be resting, but he was pushing body to its limits for a promise of getting stronger that he had no way of knowing if it would work, still he ignored the thought and continued.

His injured leg hovered useless behind him, as he could feel the bandages pulling tight around his calf, with every instinct screaming not to put weight on it. He shifting onto his shoulders and core instead, he ground his teeth as the burn persisted.

One of the maids stood at the edge of the room, tall, and still. Her head angled slightly, as she watched with curious interest, Leo felt eyes on him like he was being judged and couldn’t tell if she was impressed or disappointed.

His arms buckled, but he forced them straight again, held for three more breaths, then let himself drop. The floor thudded softly beneath him.

That was how it started. He worked around the injury, focusing on upper body holds until his arms trembled uncontrollably, grip exercises that left his fingers numb, then raw.

He hung from beams until his shoulders felt like they were being pulled out of their sockets, then balance drills came next, stones set along the edge of the compound, slick with moss, one foot only, he fell multiple times, and each time, a maid repositioned the stones without comment.

Axiom spoke only when Leo pushed himself into bad habits, Leo would adjust, Fail, Adjust again.

On the second day, one of the maids changed his bandages, her movements were quick, and efficient. Her sleeves slid back just enough to show red skin marked with white fluid patterns. The bandages were removed in smooth loops, and when cool air touched his skin, Leo felt a pause.

She’d stopped.

It was then Leo recognized the absence of pain on his leg, the wound was gone, the skin along his calf was smooth, as if he had not gotten a deep wound two days prior, he was mind blown but kept his composure, he had proof now that made him more confident in the training and hardened his resolve.

The maid soon resumed rewrapping his leg anyway, tighter than before without questioning anything, then went back to her station as Leo resumed yesterday’s training. Even if the leg felt ok, he didn’t want to push his luck.

On the third day on, Leo had asked the maids for assistance with training at axiom’s suggestion, to which they seemed too eager to help.

They ran him through forest paths that twisted uphill behind the compound. Roots grabbed at his boots, he’d slip, fall, run and repeat, but improved as it went on. Even during sprints he learned to make sudden stops, and hard turns that were harmful if he hesitated even a little bit, he learned that the hard way. Pain flared, dulled, then faded faster each time.

The maids moved with him, always close. They handed him water or food when necessary with him needing to ask, but making sure he only got little rest before resuming his training, noticing how quickly he recovers.

At the end of training, they moved with grace despite having kept up with him in training, their layered cloth shifted cleanly with each step, never snagging, never tugging at their legs, while he was heaving and could barely stand straight.

His eyes lingered longer than they should have, following the subtle sway of hips beneath layered cloth.

He exhaled sharply and forced his gaze away.

"See something you like?" Axiom said, flat and immediate.

"Shut up," Leo muttered under his breath as he retreated for the day.

Over the remaining days Weapons training followed. Swords, blades, staves, the point obviously wasn’t to make him a weapon master but at least have the most basic idea how they each functioned.

Grappling and wrestling was worse. At first, they let him think he had the upper hand, then they stopped being kind, twisting his joints until his muscles failed, cut off air until his vision dimmed, releasing him only after he found the correct counter to their attack on his own, they never explained anything.

By the eighth day, they had pushed Leo near death multiple times, after a while Leo stopped asking for rest, pain felt familiar to him as seemed now enjoying the burning sensation in his muscles.

"Again," he rasped.

And they were very happy to oblige.

His body went through a lot of changes within that short time, optimizing and only keeping. Suitable adaptation. Training had stripped the excess away, what remained was dense and deliberate, muscle packed tight enough that his body looked carved.

From the edge of the compound grounds, the pale oni had been watching, but never spoke.

Leo had tried to speak to her a few times, but she never responded or acknowledged his presence.

That night, Axiom spoke uninterrupted, as Leo moved through slow stretches, muscles quivering under their own weight, sweat prickling at his temples.

"Due to your body stabilizing and strengthening" it said. "Adaptation is no longer reactive alone, you are now able to retain small changes."

Leo felt it in his arms—every fiber remembering the tension, the burn from earlier drills. He flexed his fingers, testing control, noticing how his joints responded more smoothly than before.

"Physically," Axiom continued, "you have crossed into a second star by aura standards. Your body can now endure sustained combat."

Leo exhaled slowly, letting his shoulders drop. He rolled his neck, listening to the soft creak of his own spine. The ache from days of training throbbed, but it was tempered now, almost pleasurable.

"You have also formed the foundation of mana circulation. One star. Incomplete, but functional." it added.

A tingle crawled along his forearms, like static electricity dancing under the skin. He clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of something new within him. His breath caught for a moment, excitement mixing with fatigue.

" And what are my chances of surviving the hunt now" Leo asked, letting out a slow breath

"You should now be able to complete it safely," Axiom said. "That is as long as you don’t try hunting something too dangerous."

Leo pressed deeper into the stretch, toes brushing the floor. Muscles hummed, ribs rising and falling with slow, deliberate breaths.

Is everything I’ve done really enough? he thought. Enough to survive? What if I missed something that’ll get me killed?

His fingers flexed against the wood, legs pressed forward, and for a moment he imagined the wolf again — the sheer speed, the weight, the teeth. He clenched his fists against the floor, letting the tension steady him.

I can handle it... I have to.

Leo exhaled slowly. He let the stretch out fully, then rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. The body felt different now — stronger, taut, ready. But the mind...the mind kept spinning, racing ahead to the hunt.

He rose, eased into a hot bath, letting the warmth seep into every sore muscle. Steam curled around him, and he closed his eyes, tracing the memories of the past days: the maids’ silent guidance, the relentless drills, the pulse of his own adaptation.

Water ran over his shoulders as he straightened, the tension loosening, but not disappearing. He stepped out, towel around his shoulders, and slid into the mattress.

You can’t control what’s out there Leo. All I can do is trust yourself and what you’ve learned, he told himself.

Leo exhaled, letting the weight of everything settle, and sleep finally came.

The ninth day, the last day before the event, was slow and simple for Leo.

With no training to be done, he wandered the compound and the gardens and forest at the back yard of the compound till evening, he then climbed up a vantage point he had found overlooking most of the outpost.

From there, he could see it all.

The scale of the preparation. The pattern of lanterns lite that beautified everywhere, and how small beast men, Oni’s, and some other races he couldn’t really name looked from up there.

There was awe in his eyes, despite the circumstances he had found himself in, he couldn’t help but acknowledge the beauty of it all.

Uncertainty also started to rise again as he thought about tomorrow but quickly shook it off.

"there was no point in getting worried now" he told himself. "I’ve prepared as best as I can... If I do end up surviving this thing..."

His mind flashed to Axiom’s words about how he’d lived before—the endless caution, the hubris of thinking he could control everything, the reckless chain of events that led to death, reincarnation, and that insane chase with the wolf.

A small chuckle escaped him. Axiom had once asked if he planned to live this life like the last. Now, staring down the hunt, he finally had an answer.

"...I’ll try living much more selfishly, and enjoy it all to its fullest."

His attention shifted to the footsteps approaching.

The pale oni had joined him up there, she made sure to make her presence known.

Up close, he noticed the way her evening attire balanced elegance and ease, a loose flowing robe that draped over her shoulders and flowed down her body, the soft fabric naturally conforming to her curves without restraint.

"Damn" he thought.

"How do you feel about tomorrow?" she asked. "Nervous or excited?"

"a bit of both," Leo said honestly. "But I definitely feel ready"

"You do seem much ready now than you were before"

She’d noticed Leo now had the aura levels of a two star aura user, which isn’t crazy for someone at Leo’s age but it is impressive that it happened under a week, she also noticed he had mana as well, something incredibly rare. He now seemed a bit interesting.

They watched the outpost together, enjoying the scene before them for a while in silence.

Leo hesitated for a bit, then smiled faintly. "If I survive the hunt...you tell me your name."

She looked at him for a long moment.

Then smiled.

"Win, and I’ll tell you much more than that" She said as she turned around and walked away, Leo couldn’t help but watch.

Without the usual wrappings binding her form, the loose evening kimono revealed her natural figure, large breasts that moved freely beneath the flowing fabric, swaying slightly with each step. Her narrow waist flared dramatically into wide hips and thick thighs, her backside full and rounded.

At her height, every proportion was amplified, powerful and feminine in equal measure, the loose garment emphasizing rather than concealing what lay beneath.

"Damn". Leo thought again, watching her walk away

That night, the outpost roared with sound. Leo had slept anticipating the future with a smile. Morning would come and with it, the hunt.