The Grand Hot Springs of the Whispering Woods was a spectacular, multi-tiered facility carved into the base of a small mountain. It boasted pools of varying temperatures, mineral compositions, and a separate, secluded area for high-profile Adventurers—where the Nexus Six was swiftly ushered.
Kazuma, still muttering darkly about the injustice of non-monetary rewards, was the first one in, hoping the hot water would dissolve the persistent Bad Luck Curse clinging to him.
"The water is good, Kazuma-san! You should relax!" Tanjiro encouraged, already sitting serenely in a cedar tub, the Hinokami Breathing Focus Stone tucked safely beside him. His discipline made the heat completely manageable, and he looked perfectly calm and handsome.
The Gojo Effect
Gojo, who had entered the pool wearing only a strategically small towel, was instantly the center of a different kind of chaos. His Six Eyes were fully visible beneath his damp, pushed-back hair, and his sheer, overwhelming physical perfection in the stable, non-cursed environment caused a reaction far exceeding the Guild Hall's frenzy.
Three local, high-level female Arch-Wizards had managed to sneak into the secluded area. They weren't approaching him for a raid; they were openly staring, debating which high-grade Cursed Tool they would trade for a lock of his hair.
"It's true! He's just... conceptually perfect!" one Wizard whispered, accidentally setting a small towel on fire with an excess of excitement-induced Mana.
"This is exactly what I needed," Gojo purred, leaning back and radiating pure, unbothered ego. "Attention and relaxation. Perfection."
The Jin-Woo Dilemma
Jin-Woo sat in the adjacent pool, his demeanor icy and aloof. The Monarch's Cloak of Silent Steps was draped on a nearby rock, but its effect—masking his power—was only temporary. Without the black coat, his latent Killing Intent was palpable, making the water around him unnaturally still.
The women weren't swooning; they were watching him with intense, professional desire. One of the Arch-Wizards abandoned Gojo and approached Jin-Woo.
"Sir Shadow Monarch," she stated, her voice trembling slightly with awe. "I can detect a residual Mana deficiency from your last trial. My specialized healing spell can restore your reserves fully... in exchange for you teaching me your Ruler's Authority technique."
Jin-Woo simply closed his eyes. "The technique is not transferable. And my recovery is already complete." He was the most desired man in the room, not for romance, but for his immense, strategic value as a war asset.
The Okarun Vibe
Okarun, however, had found his peace. He was fully submerged, only his possessed head above the surface. He wasn't talking about philosophy; he was talking about conspiracy theories.
"Man, you gotta realize, the Ancient Astronauts were just chilling in here, right? They built these springs to download cosmic knowledge," Okarun-Granny mumbled, his eyes half-closed.
The Arch-Wizards immediately stopped arguing over Jin-Woo and Gojo and huddled around Okarun.
"A cosmic download point? Is that why the sulfur content is so high?" one asked, furiously taking notes.
Okarun-Granny had become the spiritual center of the Isekai world, dispensing profound, nonsensical insights that had nothing to do with fighting but everything to do with being cool.
The Saitama Factor
Saitama was enjoying the water immensely. He was utterly relaxed, and for once, he was truly ignored by the Arch-Wizards, who couldn't comprehend a man whose strength was disconnected from magic.
However, the Saint of Pure Muscle who had challenged him earlier (a highly respected warrior named Garth) had refused to leave the premises. Garth sat fully clothed on a rock overlooking the springs, holding his gargantuan war hammer, staring intently at Saitama's every movement.
"He does not even use Focus Breathing! He merely exists!" Garth whispered to his scribe. "His mastery of the mundane is the highest form of discipline!"
Saitama, unaware of the deep, theological analysis he was inspiring, was happily testing out the various shampoos provided by the Guild.
The Kazuma Catastrophe
Kazuma's attempts at relaxation were a disaster. Every time he tried to float, a small, benign air current would push him against the scalding hot stone, forcing him to yelp and move. He tried to get a refreshing drink, but slipped on a wet stone and dropped the cup into the main spring.
"My luck is contagious! It's making the very water reject me!" Kazuma cried out.
Driven by pure fury, he saw the final insult. A small, shiny gold coin—likely dropped by one of the Arch-Wizards—gleamed at the bottom of the main pool.
"Finally! A single, tangible, monetary reward!" Kazuma yelled, diving under the water with desperate speed.
He surfaced a second later, coughing violently, the coin clutched in his hand.
"I got it! I got a gold coin! I won!"
Just as he triumphantly held up the coin, a small, highly aggressive Water Sprite (a low-level, common enemy in this world) zapped the coin with a tiny burst of electricity. The coin instantly vaporized, leaving a puff of black smoke.
The sprite then looked at Kazuma, giggled, and vanished.
Kazuma stared at his empty hand. He had been denied his money by a creature the size of a lemon.
"This is the worst vacation of my entire life!" he shrieked, splashing water furiously at the empty space.
The twelve hours of "rest" ended swiftly. Gojo was exhausted from deflecting spiritual advances, Jin-Woo was tired of denying raid requests, and Kazuma was completely broken by the Water Sprite Incident.
As the steam subsided, the familiar, stern voice of the Arbiter returned.
"Time is complete. The Nexus Six has been provisioned and prepared. Return to the Void."
The serene hot spring dissolved, and they were once again standing in the infinite white space, ready for their final, true mission.