Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 66: The girl walked with the help of the wall. Could she be more gentle?

_____

About a quarter of an hour later, the effect of Izzy's magic finally dissipated, and Ais gradually regained the ability to move her arm again.

"Hey, Ais, how do you feel now?"

Noticing the light of the star map dimming on Ais's hand, Tiona immediately asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

"My arm feels really sore..."

Ais replied truthfully, her usually calm demeanor showing faint signs of weariness.

The sensation of having her entire arm confined to another space while being constantly compressed was taxing. Even if she did nothing, the strain was palpable.

"Wait, that short amount of time made you sore?"

Tione's curiosity was sparked.

For first-class adventurers who had reached Lv.5 like them, regular training was no longer effective. Their bodies had become so resilient that most normal exercises barely had an impact.

Short training sessions were too light to work, and excessively long ones were inefficient.

Because of this, their usual routine consisted of light sparring with companions and delving into dungeons for tangible growth.

Even then, the improvements after each expedition were often minuscule, though still better than nothing.

But now, seeing Ais complain of soreness after only holding out for a quarter of an hour, Tione couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Hey, hey, Izzy! Can you cast that magic on me too? I want to feel it myself!"

Sharing the same idea, the more spirited Tiona eagerly wrapped her arms around Izzy, grinning innocently.

"Alright," Izzy nodded slightly but offered a warning. "But this time, I'll spread the effect of the magic over your entire body."

"No problem!"

"Count me in! I want to try it too!"

"Uh... I-I'd like to give it a try as well!"

Hearing the last hesitant voice, Izzy turned his gaze to the small elf who had somehow joined the group.

He resisted the urge to sigh.

It was one thing for the three Lv.5 adventurers to try out the spell, but Lefiya—a Lv.3 defensive mage with noticeably weaker physical fitness—was clearly in over her head.

Do you realize that if I go all out, you might not be able to get out of bed tomorrow?

However, he refrained from voicing his thoughts.

A mischievous smile briefly flickered across his face as he imagined Lefiya struggling with her inevitable soreness.

Meanwhile, Ais also expressed her interest in experiencing the full-body version, and Izzy didn't see a reason to refuse her.

After all, first-Class adventurers were far from fragile. Their combat-hardened physiques were so durable that even cockroaches would be envious.

Even when gravely injured, they could still operate at peak combat efficiency, as if their wounds only heightened their performance.

This level of spatial compression magic wouldn't pose a serious threat to them.

With this thought, Izzy methodically applied the spell to each of them.

When the magic took effect, the two Amazon sisters, Tione and Tiona, staggered for a moment, instinctively grabbing onto the wall for balance. Their wide eyes betrayed their shock and awe at the immense pressure.

"I didn't expect the effect to be this strong..." Tione muttered in disbelief, her usual composure faltering.

Tiona, though surprised, was quicker to recover, flashing a determined grin despite the strain. "This... is tougher than I thought! But I love it!"

Ais, having experienced a smaller-scale version earlier, adapted more quickly. She began moving her body deliberately, testing her limits as she grew accustomed to the oppressive sensation.

"How is it? Difficult enough for you?" Izzy smiled as he looked at the three, their legs visibly trembling. "I doubt you can even hold your weapons steadily right now. But if you train or fight in this condition, your basic abilities will definitely improve."

To put it bluntly, his method involved using magic to apply "weight" to Ais and the others. Their entire bodies were subjected to a 360-degree suppression, making every movement a struggle.

This training technique was inspired by countless anime he'd watched in his previous life. How could he not borrow such a classic method?

"Tsk, Izzy, don't underestimate me," Tione grumbled, forcing herself to move. "Give me a day, and I'll fully adapt to this."

With difficulty, she began walking toward the door.

"Hey, sis, where are you going?" Diona called after her.

"To train!" Tione replied without looking back.

Hearing this, Diona, who was leaning against the wall, brightened up and grinned. "Wait for me! I want to go too!Izzy~ I'm off to train, see you later!"

As they made their way to the door, Diona turned to wave at Izzy.

"The magic will only last about an hour," he reminded them briefly.

"I know~" she replied cheerfully.

Ais, who had remained quiet, also nodded at Izzy and followed the other two. Watching them leave, Izzy didn't stop them further. As he'd said earlier, this was just a hypothesis. The best way to validate it was through practical experience. Whether or not it worked, they'd know by tonight.

In the stairwell of the Twilight Manor, three figures could be seen clutching the walls for support as they descended.

Next door to Izzy, Raul, who had just packed his gear to invite him on a dungeon expedition, opened his door at that exact moment. He froze, staring at the trio struggling to walk out of Izzy's room.

Raul: "…"

For a moment, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Then, after a beat, he chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh wow, I must have had too much to drink last night... I'm hallucinating."

Realizing his current state, he sighed. "I'm in no condition to explore the dungeon like this. I'd better go back and take a nap."

With that, he quietly closed his door and returned to bed, choosing to dismiss the bizarre sight.

Meanwhile, back in Izzy's room, a soft voice broke the silence.

"Mr. Izzy..."

The elf Lefiya, who had seemingly been forgotten, hesitated before speaking.

"Hm? What is it, Lefiya?" Izzy turned to her with his usual grin.

"Could you... um... could you please be a little gentler?" Lefiya asked, shrinking slightly under his gaze and avoiding eye contact.

"Huh?" Izzy blinked in confusion.

Gentler? Gentler about what?

Wait... What was he thinking? What was she thinking?

One of them was definitely misunderstanding something.

"Uh... about the magic," Lefiya clarified, her voice growing fainter. "Could you make the effect a little less intense?"

It finally dawned on her that her physical abilities couldn't compare to those of Tione, Diona, or Ais. If even Ais was struggling under the magic's suppression, then trying to train under the same conditions would likely leave her bedridden tomorrow. Realizing this, Lefiya hesitantly tried to negotiate.

Izzy's expression shifted as he processed her words. "Ohhh! You mean that! I thought—"

"Thought what?" Lefiya tilted her head, confusion written across her face.

"Ahem, nothing, nothing at all!" Izzy coughed, quickly brushing off the subject. "Alright, stretch out your hand. I'll give you a gentler buff, just as you asked~"

_________

T/N: Join my Patreon for access to 50 advanced chapters!

You can also read other fanfics that haven't been uploaded here, exclusively on my Patreon.

Patreon: Patreon/LovedOne