Morning mist curled between the violet trees as Seraphina pushed herself from the moss bed. Her wounds from the last encounter still stung, and her tattered clothes clung awkwardly to her exaggerated chest and hips. Each movement demanded care, her body reminding her it was a tool and a hindrance at the same time.
> [Cultivation: Body Building Layer 2]
[EXP: 0 / 22.5]
[Shop Points: 0.85 SP]
She breathed deeply, adjusting her posture. Agility allowed her pivots and dodges to flow more smoothly, but she still had to account for her chest and hips, which often threatened to throw her off balance in tight spaces.
The forest hummed with life. Tiny insects skittered over moss, and a soft rustle in the undergrowth made her freeze. Her heart thumped. She scanned carefully, wary of both weak and strong monsters—the world did not guarantee a gentle encounter.
Ahead, a small cluster of creatures moved near a crystal-clear stream: a Glowing Slime and a Crabclaw Beetle.
> [Name: Glowing Slime]
[Type: Beast]
[Cultivation: none]
[HP: 14]
[Attack: 1]
[Defense: 0]
[Speed: 0.8]
> [Name: Crabclaw Beetle]
[Type: Beast]
[Cultivation: none]
[HP: 18]
[Attack: 2]
[Defense: 1]
[Speed: 0.5]
Seraphina crept forward, crouching low. Her chest shifted with every careful step, hips swaying, but her new strength allowed her to plant her feet firmly and control her center of gravity.
The Glowing Slime surged first. She dodged awkwardly, the gelatinous body wobbling under her punch, barely staggering. She gritted her teeth and swung again, finally collapsing the creature after several tense seconds.
> [Glowing Slime Defeated]
Her arms burned, sweat slicked over tattered sleeves, and a small cut opened across her shoulder from a misjudged dodge. She didn't pause. The Crabclaw Beetle snapped its claws suddenly, forcing her to retreat. The movement was clumsy; her hips lagged, chest threatening to throw off her balance, but she ducked, twisted, and landed a solid strike on its armored shell.
Minutes passed. Each strike left her knuckles raw, her energy draining. The beetle was tough, resisting several of her attacks. She twisted awkwardly, pivoted deliberately, and finally crushed it against a mossy rock.
> [Crabclaw Beetle Defeated]
Her chest heaved, her arms trembling, clothes shredded further across her shoulders. She took a shallow breath, scanning for further threats, and spotted another Glowing Slime nearby. It lunged immediately, forcing her to dodge sideways. Her movements were less hindered than yesterday, but still awkward; her chest and hips made sudden turns slow. She staggered, jabbed, and finally collapsed the slime.
> [Glowing Slime Defeated]
By now, Seraphina was bruised, bloodied, and sweat-soaked. Her exaggerated body had slowed her—but her strength and agility now allowed her to handle multiple creatures without total collapse. She glanced at the system:
> [Cultivation: Body Building Layer 2]
[EXP: 2.6 / 22.5]
[Shop Points: 1.0 SP]
The forest suddenly grew quiet. Her pulse thumped as a shadow leapt from above—the Razorfang Wolf, Layer 2 Body Building, that had watched her before, now attacking without hesitation. Its teeth gleamed, eyes red, claws slashing the air.
> [Name: Razorfang Wolf]
[Type: Beast]
[Cultivation: Body Building Layer 2]
[HP: 40]
[Attack: 6]
[Defense: 3]
Seraphina tumbled back awkwardly, chest threatening to throw her off balance, hips lagging in pivots. Claws raked her arm and shoulder, tearing her tunic. She rolled under its second strike, struck with all her remaining energy, and staggered away. Each blow left cuts and bruises, sweat stinging her eyes.
The fight dragged on painfully. Her fists landed incrementally, her body learning control over her exaggerated form. Finally, the wolf collapsed, leaving her panting, bloodied, and with shredded clothing.
> [Razorfang Wolf ]
Her total EXP now reached 7.6 / 22.5, still below level-up—but the day had proven something: her exaggerated body was no longer only a hindrance. Strength and agility improvements allowed her to survive multiple weak and even stronger creatures.
She sank to moss, her chest heaving, bloodied and tattered, a shy, mischievous grin on her lips. Tomorrow, she would continue—more cautious, more skilled, more determined.
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