Chapter 145
Chapter 145
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Stamina is Divine Power (3)
Exercise machines connected to tangled cables and weights.
A physical training facility with dumbbells and barbells neatly arranged in order.
As I passed through the stretching area where one wall was entirely covered by mirrors, Esty spoke to me.
"First, we'll measure your baseline stamina. Please wear this on your wrist."
The item she held out was a watch-shaped terminal.
A fitness measuring device with electrodes on the inside.
Esty's explanation continued.
"This device allows us to observe your full-body muscle mass and activity levels. It monitors everything in real time—body composition, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, muscle fatigue, and more. Based on that data, we'll create an optimized training plan just for you, Eve."
"Got it. Like this?"
"Perfect. Now, let's start with the most basic cardio."
I nodded lightly and stepped onto the treadmill she pointed to.
Standing beside me, she fiddled with her trainer terminal for a moment before asking again.
"Eve, are you ready?"
"Yes. Go ahead."
A moment later, the treadmill belt began to move.
It was just a light walk for now, but knowing it was some kind of test—and feeling eyes on me—made me oddly tense.
My reflection in the distant mirror, clad in leggings, was a bit embarrassing too.
A tight-fitting functional workout set.
Up until I left the changing room, I'd wondered if I was overdoing it, but actually walking in it shifted my impression bit by bit.
'It's more comfortable than I thought...?'
The stretchiness allowed free movement without hindrance, while still providing a firm, supportive feel that was reassuring.
I could finally understand why women loved wearing these for workouts.
As I got my body moving, the awkward outfit and unfamiliar treadmill quickly became natural, letting me ramp up the pace effortlessly.
Then Esty spoke again.
"I'm increasing the speed now."
I nodded, and the treadmill began picking up pace.
I matched it with a jog, edging into running territory.
Less than a minute in, my breath started coming short. By three minutes, sweat beaded on my forehead.
Esty asked once more.
"Are you okay?"
"Hoo... yes... haa... still...!"
Keep running, and my breathing grew ragged.
In the midst of that breathless sprint, a long-forgotten memory surfaced.
A scene from a precognitive vision of the future.
During the city civil war, I'd faced countless dire situations.
Imminent airstrikes, terrorist attacks, ambushes by corporate assassins.
While believers held off enemies at the cost of their lives, I'd run like this—breath burning in my throat—to reach safety.
But back then, even at full sprint, I was too slow.
If only I'd dodged a little faster.
The ones who'd sacrificed themselves in my place to buy me evacuation time...
That moment, a voice snapped me from my reverie.
"Eve, focus on your breathing. In... out. Maintain a steady rhythm at all times."
"Haa... ha... hup...!"
Following her instructions, I steadied my ragged breaths, cleared my stray thoughts, and ran on.
But my heart felt like it might burst. My calves and thighs burned like fire.
"Your form is breaking. Keep your upper body upright."
Somehow, I endured.
"Thirty seconds more."
Endure... endure...
Finally, a signal beeped from the treadmill.
Beep-
The moment it stopped, I gripped the handrails to hold myself up.
"Heok... heok..."
On the slowing belt, I matched the pace with trembling legs.
How far had I even run? My whole body was drenched in sweat already.
I braced my hands on my knees, catching my breath for a while. Exhausted, my head spun.
Then a quiet voice came from beside me.
"Good work."
Esty glanced at her trainer terminal and continued.
"Eve... to be frank... it's serious."
"What...?!"
She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the data, then delivered a clinical diagnosis.
"Your cardiopulmonary endurance is 74% of the average for women your age in Omega Detroit. Your overall muscle mass and strength are even lower. To exaggerate a bit, you're at a level that might need rehab therapy. With muscle function this degraded, shouldn't you have pain somewhere?"
"Ah... well, whenever my back hurt, I'd use healing..."
"......"
Esty stared at me silently for a moment.
Her gaze was like a doctor's scolding a patient who'd popped painkillers instead of seeking treatment.
It stung, and I looked away guiltily.
Then came her firm reply.
"Eve, you must build muscle mass this time. No exceptions."
"Hoo..."
After running myself ragged, this harsh critique felt a little unfair.
But there was no need to despair yet.
'If it's lacking, I'll build it from now on.'
I resolved to steadily improve my stamina, steeling my determination.
Completely unaware of the hell awaiting me.
Esty said,
"You've only run for 7 minutes. Up you get."
"...Huh?"
I was stunned. It had felt like half a day.
The workout wasn't over?
Her response was ice-cold.
"What do you mean? That was just warm-up."
So this body was exhausted after a mere warm-up?
Her golden eyes gleamed with particular coldness as she watched my shock.
"Get up. The real training starts now."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In Omega Detroit, there were plenty of ways to boost physical abilities simply.
The prime example: implant surgery.
Artificial muscle fibers for superhuman strength.
Artificial organs surpassing living cardiopulmonary endurance.
Prosthetic arms and legs packed with far more functions than the originals.
With those, anyone could gain a machine-like sturdy body without boring, grueling training.
But strictly speaking, it meant slicing open a healthy body and replacing parts with machines.
To me, with my early 21st-century tech mindset, it was daunting surgery.
No matter how much I needed enhanced abilities, I shied away from that method.
There was also the religious issue of damaging the saintess's body—the holy vessel.
Thinking back to the fierce backlash when I'd jokingly considered cutting my long hair short because it was a hassle... I didn't even want to imagine their reaction to implants.
Above all, impairing the saintess's body just to gain basic stamina was too risky.
I still didn't fully understand the principles behind my miracles.
What if replacing part of this body with machines made that power unusable forever?
It would be a devastating loss for me, the church—everyone.
'Of course, it doesn't feel like a power that vanishes so easily...'
Still, no need to gamble.
Bottom line: only one way to boost my stamina.
Honest, grueling exercise.
To improve this body's hopelessly low physical capabilities even a little...
I'd have to endure equally arduous effort.
"Hah... hngh...!"
My breath leaked out up to my chin.
The airy sound felt a bit embarrassing, but I had no time to care.
The clear voice right beside me mercilessly counted without pause.
"Seven... eight... nine... nine... nine..."
"Euk...!"
Matching Esty's cadence on squats, I shot her a resentful glare.
I wanted to demand why she wasn't counting properly.
But one wrong word mid-set, and I'd just get a lecture on breathing.
So I pushed my quivering legs one more time.
"Hngh...!"
"Nine."
Esty's demeanor had changed since we started.
The moment training began, she'd transformed into a strict trainer.
She never let me slack, no matter how winded I got or how my form faltered.
"Eve, your weight's shifting forward again. Put force through your whole foot."
"Eut...!"
"Your back's arching. Tighten your core to stabilize."
Her tone was ruthlessly detached, but it worked.
If she'd been her usual polite self, I might've leaned on that kindness and quit.
It was that tough.
Maybe she was the same, and I was just too exhausted to see it as anything but harsh.
"Kngh...!"
"Nine. Eve, keep your knees from caving inward."
Proper workouts are supposed to hurt. It was obvious, all for my benefit... yet Esty felt maddeningly responsible for the ordeal.
After enduring that trial, the final count finally came.
"Nine... ten."
"Haaa..."
I collapsed like my legs gave out.
And dropped the 5kg dumbbells I'd gripped throughout.
Yeah, dumbbells.
Not an empty 20kg bar, not a 10kg barbell.
Just 5kg dumbbells had left me utterly drained.
Even for a woman's body... this stamina was despairingly low.
"Heok... heok..."
As I sat gasping on the floor, a towel appeared before me.
"Good work, Eve. Take a short break."
"Hek... hek... thanks."
I wiped the sweat beading on my face and neck with it.
But it wasn't enough. I was soaked everywhere.
Especially the cover-up over my crop top—meant to modestly cover skin—was now hot and sticky with sweat.
After a moment's hesitation, I cautiously slipped it off.
Fresh air hit my midriff and underarms through the crop top, and I finally felt alive.
"Haaa..."
Embarrassed about bare skin earlier? When you're dying of exhaustion, modesty is a luxury.
Right now, teetering on collapse, I felt zero qualms.
Lounging on the floor in just the crop top, I noticed Esty's gaze shift as she watched my break.
Her golden eyes silently scanned me up and down.
"......"
'W-what?'
Was I being too rude?
I vaguely recalled debates from my old world about revealing gymwear being a nuisance or not.
But this space was just us two.
Dangerous with others, sure—but in front of her, what was there to hide?
I trusted she'd understand.
"......"
"......"
Even as I rested, her eyes never left me.
A bit burdensome even for us, so wondering if something was up, I opened my mouth to ask.
Esty spoke first.
"Eve, one more set."
"...Huh?! W-wait!"
I panicked. My energy was already gone.
Refusing the dumbbells as I pleaded I couldn't, she flatly rejected my rejection.
"Your measured muscle fatigue and lactate levels haven't hit optimal growth limits. You can do one more set."
"No, no...!"
Unbelievable. Did Esty even have a heart?
The dumbbell she offered looked like chains from hell.
And that's why, perhaps...
Unthinkingly, instinctively, I let my eyes droop pitifully.
I wasn't in my right mind, truly feeling near death.
A survival instinct kicked in, drawing out the most sympathetic tone.
"Estiii... it's the first day. Since it's the start, can't you be just a tiny bit gentler...?"
"......"
But... her impassive face didn't twitch an eyebrow, even after ages.
Assuming it failed, I sighed and reached for the dumbbell to give in.
'Huh?'
The weight felt subtly off from before.
Imbalanced. Looking closer, the metal handle was oddly bent.
With her handprint still imprinted from when she'd handed it over.
"Esty, what's wrong with this?"
"...My mistake."
She snatched it back in a flash and swapped it for another.
But...
"Wait...! Isn't this even heavier?!"
"Very appropriate weight."
Esty shoved the heavier dumbbell at me and pressed the attack.
"You'll need tremendous stamina later, Eve. Far more than you think."
"What are you talking about! Wait!!"
Protests fell on deaf ears. Her eyes were already in the zone.
"Set starts. One."
"Hnghk...!"
For some reason, a faintly annoyed Esty in tow...
I had no clue why, and once more wrecked my body.