Three days later, six o'clock in the morning.
On the main road east of Heavens Arena, pedestrians were sparse. The morning mist had not yet fully dissipated, and the streetlights cast dim yellow halos through the haze.
Leo stood alone at the agreed-upon intersection, carrying a simple knapsack, his breath condensing into white mist in the cool air.
The sound of footsteps came from the distance.
Biscuit walked over with light steps, her golden twin-tails swaying slightly with her pace.
Today, she had changed into light green sportswear that was easy to move in, looking like an ordinary young girl preparing for an outing.
Wing followed behind her, carrying a bulging large bundle in his hand and a hiking backpack on his back.
The bundle looked quite heavy, making a dull metallic clashing sound with his every step.
"Morning~"
Biscuit stopped in front of Leo and greeted him with a smile, showing no sign at all that she was a mentor about to begin rigorous training.
"Morning."
Leo nodded in response, his gaze falling on the bundle in Wing's hand.
Before he could ask, Biscuit had already turned her head to give Wing instructions.
"Take the things out."
Wing gave an affirmative response and gently placed the bundle on the ground.
The fabric made a dull 'thud' when it touched the ground; clearly, the contents were of no light weight.
He undid the fastenings and pulled back the bundle's cloth—a set of specialized weighted equipment was revealed.
A dark gray metal vest, heavy bracers, and a pair of shin guards.
All the components were cast from some kind of high-density alloy, with a matte surface that reflected only a dull luster in the morning light.
Biscuit pointed at the equipment and said to Leo.
"This set of weights totals 100 kilograms. Put it on. You are not allowed to use Nen. From here, start running south."
She paused, a hint of ill intent showing in her smile.
"Until you reach the Moonlight Tundra Dense Forest. No resting and no stopping midway."
Leo didn't ask further and squatted down to start putting them on.
The moment the vest buckled onto his back, his shoulders suddenly sank—the weight was distributed evenly, but a very real sense of burden immediately spread throughout his body.
The bracers and shin guards were secured in turn, and the flexibility of his limbs was clearly restricted. 100 kilograms of extra weight was equivalent to carrying an adult's body weight during a long-distance run.
"How does it feel?"
Biscuit asked, tilting her head.
"It's acceptable."
Leo moved his shoulders a bit and adjusted his breathing rhythm.
His body had been strengthened by Life Energy, and his basic physical attributes far exceeded those of an ordinary person, but a long-distance run with this much weight was still a challenge.
"Then let's head out."
Biscuit clapped her hands, then turned to Wing, her expression instantly becoming stern.
"Wing, you better cultivate properly for me! I'll be checking your progress when I get back. If you slack off..."
She squeezed her fist, her knuckles making a crisp clicking sound.
"...wait for a beating!"
Wing rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"Okay, Master Biscuit. I will cultivate seriously."
He looked at Leo and pushed up his glasses.
"Mr. Leo, I wish you a safe journey. Goodbye."
Leo nodded and waved to Wing.
"Yes, goodbye, Mr. Wing."
Without further farewells, Leo took a deep breath and set off.
The first few steps were a bit sluggish, the weights making his pace heavy.
But after running dozens of meters, his body gradually adapted to the rhythm, his step frequency stabilized, and his breathing adjusted to a deep pattern suitable for long-distance running.
Biscuit followed easily behind him, maintaining a distance of about three meters.
She even pulled a fashion magazine out of her hiking bag, flipping through it while observing Leo's state.
The two of them, one in front of the other, soon left the urban area.
Tall buildings were gradually replaced by low bungalows, the asphalt road turned into a gravel road, and finally became a dirt road stretching south.
Buildings on both sides of the road disappeared completely, replaced by continuous farmland and scattered woods.
The morning mist dissipated completely, and the sunlight became scorching.
Biscuit closed the magazine, her gaze falling on Leo's back.
His running posture was well-maintained—spine straight, core tight, stride even, and landing soft.
The weight clearly affected his speed, but his movements didn't lose their form in the slightest.
"His physical fitness is indeed quite good."
Biscuit thought to herself.
"It's 289 kilometers from here to the Moonlight Tundra Dense Forest... I wonder how long he can hold out."
Time passed amidst the sound of footsteps.
Two hours later, they had already left the city over forty kilometers behind.
The road had completely entered the suburban zone, with stretches of forest and the occasional farmhouse flashing by on both sides.
The sunlight shone directly down, and the temperature rose significantly.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on Leo's forehead, but his breathing remained steady.
He thought with a Divided Soul while running:
"With 100 kilograms of weight, at the current pace, the cardiovascular burden is within a controllable range. Muscle fatigue is starting to accumulate, but I'm still far from the limit. The problem is not knowing how long the total distance is..."
Without information on the distance to the finish line, it was impossible to distribute physical strength rationally.
This was both a psychological and physical test.
He adjusted his breathing rhythm and concentrated his attention on every current step.
He didn't think about how much further it was, only ensuring that this step was taken solidly, and the next step would naturally follow.
Biscuit noticed Leo's adjustment, and a flash of appreciation crossed her eyes.
To be able to realize the problem so quickly and find a way to deal with it, this Heart-Nature was more precious than mere physical fitness.
Five hours passed. The midday sun baked the earth, and the dirt road kicked up fine dust.
Leo had already run over half the distance, and the surrounding scenery became more desolate—large expanses of wilderness, sparse shrubs, and the occasional outline of distant mountain ranges.
Sweat soaked his back, his training clothes clinging to his skin.
His lips were a bit dry from breathing for a long time, but he had no intention of stopping to drink water—Biscuit had said "no resting midway," and he strictly complied.
Biscuit still followed easily behind, without even a noticeable change in her breathing frequency.
She looked at Leo's state from time to time, then estimated the remaining distance and expected arrival time in her head.
"His endurance is better than expected... It seems his past experiences provided a good foundation."
Ten hours. The sun slanted to the west, and the sky was dyed orange-red.
Leo's physical strength was mostly consumed, his breathing began to grow heavy, and every step was more laborious than before.
Sweat constantly dripped from his chin, leaving dark spots on the dry dirt road one by one.
But he didn't slow down or stop. His eyes were still focused, staring at the road stretching ahead.
Biscuit looked at the panting Leo, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.
"He's almost at his limit... but it's not far now either. He should be able to arrive in another four hours."
At this point, only the last 80 kilometers remained until Moonlight Tundra.
Night fell, and the temperature dropped sharply.
A cool wind blew across the wilderness, bringing a bone-chilling cold to his sweat-drenched body.
Leo's muscles began to protest with soreness, and his lungs felt like they were on fire, every breath bringing a stinging sensation.
His speed inevitably slowed down.
But he did not stop.
One step, then another. His legs mechanically alternated, his body instinctively maintaining the running posture.
His consciousness began to blur, with only one thought remaining to support him.
Can't stop, can't stop...
The moonlight rose.
Cold moonlight spilled onto the wilderness, turning the road into a silver-gray ribbon.
In the distance, toward the horizon, a hazy glimmer began to appear—it wasn't moonlight, but some kind of spontaneous light source, outlining a vast forest in the night.
That forest emitted a soft halo, with glimmers of pale blue, light green, and crystalline white interlacing and flickering, like a scene from a dream.
The light was not dazzling, but it was enough to penetrate the night, reflecting the surrounding scenery clearly.
Moonlight Tundra Dense Forest.
Leo saw that light, and the last of his strength surged from his exhausted body.
He gritted his teeth, quickened his pace slightly, and ran toward that dreamlike light.
Four hours later.
When Leo finally stepped into the edge of the Moonlight Tundra, Biscuit's voice came from behind him:
"Mm, we're here."
Leo stopped, his legs going weak, and he almost collapsed to his knees.
He barely steadied his body, his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably, and his face appeared pale under the reflection of the tundra's glimmer.
289 kilometers. 100 kilograms of weight.
15 hours of non-stop running.
Biscuit walked in front of him, looking up at him with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Not bad. I underestimated you."
She looked around at the glowing forest, the light dancing in her eyes.
"To be able to endure and finish the entire 289 kilometers... your physical fitness has indeed exceeded my expectations."
Biscuit turned back, her smile carrying a hint of danger.
"It seems the special training later will have to be increased in difficulty."
Leo panted heavily, sweat sliding down his cheeks.
He worked hard to calm his breathing, and a few seconds later, his voice, though raspy, said clearly:
"Give whatever instructions you wish. No matter how arduous the training, I will endure it."
Hearing this, Biscuit's smile became even more brilliant.
She patted Leo's arm—this simple action made Leo grimace in pain; his muscles were already in a state of extreme fatigue.
"Fine, get a good night's rest tonight. Consider it your reward."
She pointed deep into the forest.
"Two hundred meters inside, there's a clearing suitable for camping. Tomorrow morning..."
Biscuit's smile became meaningful.
"...the devilish special training begins."
Leo nodded and, dragging his legs that almost refused to listen, followed Biscuit into the glowing forest.
The interior of the Moonlight Tundra Dense Forest was even more fantastical than it looked from afar.
The ground was covered with thick moss, each cluster emitting a soft glimmer.
The trunks and branches of the trees were also covered with glowing lichen, pale blue light points dotting the foliage like stars.
This light was enough to illuminate the path without being dazzling.
The air had a fresh scent, like earth after rain, mixed with a faint sweet fragrance.
The two of them set up camp in the clearing.
Biscuit took out a simple tent and cooking utensils from her hiking bag.
Leo, on the other hand, almost collapsed onto the ground, slowly removing the weighted equipment.
The metal parts made heavy thuds as they hit the ground.
Dinner was simple: compressed dry rations and heated meat soup.
Leo ate quickly; his body desperately needed to replenish energy.
After eating, he didn't even have the strength to tidy up, directly crawling into the tent and collapsing onto the sleeping mat.
A whole day of weighted running had indeed exceeded his previous expectations.
Every muscle in his body was aching, and every joint was protesting.
But at the same time, he could also feel that under this extreme fatigue, something deeper was being awakened.
It was the instinct of Life Energy combining with the physical body, a resilience already carved into his marrow.
Outside the tent, Biscuit sat on the glowing moss, looking up at the starry sky visible through the gaps in the leaves.
She toyed with the "red storm" in her hand, the gemstone reflecting even more hallucinatory colors against the tundra's glimmer.
"Only two months of cultivation... and he has this kind of foundation."
She whispered to herself, the corners of her mouth turning up.
"It seems for this special training, I can play for real."
The night deepened, and the light of the Moonlight Tundra gently enveloped the camp.
The chirping of unknown insects came from afar, their voices ethereal and distant.
Leo fell into a deep sleep in the tent, his breathing gradually becoming steady and long.
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