Chapter 24: The Daily Death of Dahlia
Garion had increased Dahlia’s training to the next level. Every session was harsher than the last.
"Now, let’s increase the weight to eight kilos. Now, go!"
Dahlia stepped under the barbell, and Garion stood behind her.
She inhaled, bent her knees, and pushed back with trembling legs.
"One rep. Don’t stop until twelve."
By the seventh, her face was red, sweat dripping down her body.
She almost collapsed, but Garion placed two fingers lightly on the bar.
"Form first, then control it and fix your breathing."
She gritted her teeth and finished all twelve. WHen she racked teh bar and starggered back, Garion clapped hsi hadns
"Good. Better than yesterday. Now down to the floor. Let’s do push-ups!"
Dahlua groaned but obeyed. Her arms shook as she lowered her chest to the ground.
Garion crouched down and corrected her, pressing his finger against her spine.
"Keep your back straight! Don’t let your hips sag! And... Push!"
She forced herself up, gasping.
Garion nodded and casually added more.
"Thirty more!"
Dahlia was shocked. "Thirty?!"
Garion smirked.
"You want to win the tournament, right? Then thirty."
Dahlia frowned, but could only do it.
After push-ups came sit-ups. Dahlia clutched her core, groaning as Garion held her ankles down.
"Come on, Dahlia. Every rep strengthens your center. You need a strong core to have strong balance to become strong."
He slapped her lightly on the stomach when she fell back with a wheeze.
"One more set. Let’s go."
Next was overhead presses with dumbbells. Dahlia staggered as she lifted them over her head, arms trembling.
"Lock your elbows at the top! Don’t wobble around!"
Garion quickly corrected her posture by nudging her shoulder back.
Then came bicep curls, her arms burning as she pulled the weights up.
"Don’t swing them! Use your arms, not your whole body. Control it!"
Garion grabbed her elbows and locked them at her sides.
When she nearly dropped one dumbbell, he caught it midair and tossed it back to her palm.
"No excuses. Finish the set."
Tricep overheads came next. Dahlia nearly screamed as she raised the bar behind her head, arms shaking.
Garion only laughed.
"Good pain! That’s the feeling of growth!"
Finally came the deadlines. Garion loaded the bar with more plates.
"Strong back, strong foundation. Grip it tight, chest out. Pull!"
Dahlia struggled to lift it, veins popping at her temples. Her legs shook, but she managed to raise them.
Garion nodded, pleased. "Good. Do it again."
When she collapsed afterward, panting, he ordered the last set.
"Bench press. Lay down."
Dahlia groaned but obeyed. He placed the barbell in her hands and guided it down.
"Don’t let it crush you. Push through your chest, not your arms."
He hovered his hands above her bar, ready to catch, in case her grip loosened.
"Yes. Like that. Keep it up."
By night’s fall, Dahlia was drenched in sweat, her whole body shaking.
She rolled onto the floor and spread her arms out.
"Master... I think I’m dead."
Garion crouched beside her, grinning.
"No, you’re very much alive and stronger than yesterday. And also with your passive mana cultivation, your recovery is faster, that means..."
She graoend.
"That means tomorrow you’ll torture me again..."
He smirked. "Exactly."
As Dahlia laid on the floor, catching her breath, Garion’s system chimed in again and again.
[Disciple Dahlia completed one perfect squat. Owner gains 10x the results.]
[Disciple Dahlia completed one perfect push-up. Owner gains 10x the results.]
[Disciple Dahlia completed one perfect bench press. Owner gains 10x the results.]
[...]
Garion clenched his fists, feeling his muscles surge, mana flowing faster through his veins.
He quickly laughed quietly to himself.
"Feedback every day... full-body workouts every day... and I keep getting stronger. Perfect"
He looked down at Dahlia, who was already half asleep.
"Rest well... Tomorrow, we train again."
---
Garion was now training alone in his courtyard at night since the daytime was spent training Dahlia.
Now, catching his breath, he wiped his forehead and called up the system.
"Training is good, but I also need supplements. Training and nutrition go hand in hand."
"The tournament is also this Sunday. If I don’t push her recovery, Dahlia will collapse before we even get there."
In the last treasure realm, Garion had filled his storage space with numerous strange herbs, all of which he didn’t even know what they were.
The system chimed in front of him.
[Feature Unlocked: God Gym’s Divine Supplement Creation]
Garion raised an eyebrow.
"Divine Supplements? Now we’re talking. Show me the list."
The menu expanded, and his eyes immediately widened at the top three options.
All of them were made around the Dragon Tooth Flower, which he had risked his life to get.
---
[Dragon Force Shake]
[Ingredients: Dragon Tooth Flower, Ironwood Root Powder, Spirit Goat Milk]
[Effect: Surges raw physical strength quickly, boosts explosive power, and hardens muscles like dragon hide. Recovery speed after heavy training also increases.]
[Side Effect: Causes extreme body heat and occasional steam-like breath. The drinker may feel overly aggressive.]
---
[Dragon Whey Powder]
[Ingredients: Dragon Tooth Flower, Spirit Goat Milk, Red Bean Husk]
[Effect: Promotes steady muscle growth, strengthens tendons, and builds "dragon-like durability," allowing the body to endure heavier strain over time.]
[Side Effect: Users sometimes grow temporary scale-like patches on their skin after intense training, but they fade after a day.]
---
[Dragon Recovery Blend]
[Ingredients: Dragon Tooth Flower, Spirit Honey, Cooling Grass.]
[Effect: Rapidly heals micro-tears in muscles, cools mana channels, and restores stamina with a "dragon’s endurance."]
[Side Effect: Drinkers may enter a short, deep sleep where they dream of flying or roaring and waking up groggy but fully restored.]
---
Garion whistled low.
"The system even gave me the recipes, effects, and side effects. Not bad, though..."
He rubbed his chin, seeing the side effects.
"Breathing steam, growing scales, roaring in your sleep... That sounds more like cosplay supplements rather than training supplements."
Still, his grin widened.
"Dragon effects or not, they’re perfect. Dahlia will need every edge in the tournament."