85 Human Form? (1/2)

When Oli finally woke up early in the morning, he could finally move again, albeit with aching muscles. He slowly unsealed the room and made his way out.

But to his surprise, the moment he unsealed the room, someone charged in and wrapped their arms tightly around him.

”Aaahhh!” yelled Oli, his body shaking in pain. ”Mom, please let go, that hurts…”

”What?” She quickly released Oli and saw him drop to the floor, whining in pain. ”Oli, what happened?”

”I tried the Infinite Compression art for the first time…”

Ania glared at her son. ”When did you get that! Did Rathe give it to you?”

”Mom, stop worrying… You should be glad that I can start it so young, that way I'll be able to increase my potential.”

”But son, you don't know how painful that art can be?! I've tried it myself, but I gave up after completing the second level because I couldn't take it anymore,” stated Ania.

”Seriously?!” Oli was baffled.

Though Ania wasn't his father, she was still a perennial level cultivator. For her to not want to continue using it… That thought scared Oli for a moment.

”Well… If I want to beat Dad, then I'll have to use it!” reasoned Oli, reaffirming his determination to get stronger, no matter what it took.

”Fine… Since you've already started the process and it's your own cultivation, I won't try and stop you. But please, do your best to come home or I'll worry about you, especially if your practicing that art,” complained Ania.

”I'll try my best, but you already know this will happen again until I finally get used to it.”

”Then at least come and get an early dinner before you finish the night with that crazy battle art…”

”Fine.” Oli nodded, agreeing that it was a good idea. ”Every other day, I'll come home right after school for a quick meal before I use the Infinite Compression art.”

Ania finally smiled, though it was small. ”Now that it's decided, let's get to class. If you arrive early, there's less of a chance for the other students to see you so weak.”

”Right… Then let's get going!”

At a snail's pace, the mother and son duo left the academy library and made their way to their classroom. As the first ones there, they sat down but also shared a light breakfast that Ania had prepared and stored before going to find Oli.

They were finishing up the meal as Netra entered the classroom, also coming very early.

The night before, she left late at night and waited for Oli to exit his chamber so they could walk home together like they always do. But when his door never opened and the seal never released, she grew worried.

Before she came to the classroom, she went to the cultivation rooms.

She was happy to find that he wasn't still cultivating but now enjoying a quick meal before class. It was easy for her to guess that he had only recently exited the cultivation room and his worried mother had brought him breakfast.

”Oli, are you okay?” Netra hurried to his side, taking her usual seat. ”You never came out of your room, even when I waited for so long…”

”You waited for me? Even when I never came out?”

”Actually,” Ania chimed in, ”she was the one who told me that you were still cultivating late last night. That's why I prepared this before coming to get you, instead of just searching for you late last night.”

”Really?” Turning to see the shy Netra, Oli shook his head with a self-mocking laugh. ”Netra, I'm sorry for making you so worried.”

”You should be!”

Ania whacked her son upside the head. Normally, it wouldn't hurt the big-bodied ape at all, but his soreness made him extremely vulnerable at the moment.

”Owww! What was that for?!”

”You made a girl so worried, and she still waited for you. All you have to say is sorry?” stated Ania, looking down on her son.

Still shaking from his aching muscles, Oli rubbed his neck. ”Netra, I'm sorry for making you worry. I'll try not to do it again, but I'm practicing a new battle art. Every other day, the same thing will probably happen again until my body can get used to it.”

”Now that you know, please don't be so worried, okay? Inside the room, my body was just too sore to move. But after some sleep, I'm good as new.”

”Really, I wouldn't say that,” added Ania, slapping Oli's shoulder.

”Oww! Mom, stop it already!”

”What, aren't you good as new?” mocked Ania, still not too happy that her son was trying such a painful art.

”Oli, are you really okay?” asked Netra.