CHAPTER 104: 104 I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CULTIVATE! (1/3)

"Master, are you... really sure this is the right spot?"

"Yes, it’s here! A little higher with your hand is fine too, I can handle it."

"But this place, I’m afraid it really won’t work..."

"Don’t worry about me, obey my command, go ahead boldly! Get hands-on!"

"...Alright, since you insist, I will do as you wish."

The petite Enchanting Demon sighed and reluctantly reached out her small hand towards the young man in front of her, moving it up and down and lightly hooking a few times.

Poof!

A giant hand formed of magma burst forth from the Magma Pool, grabbing the tiny Herbert!

Hisssss—

Accompanied by the harsh sound of burning, the white-haired boy was instantly melted—of course, such a thing didn’t actually happen.

Herbert’s flesh, fire immunity!

Even so, his current appearance didn’t look particularly relaxed.

Indeed, the flames and high temperature couldn’t destroy Herbert’s body.

But suffocation and high pressure could.

Magma covered his face, leaving only a small gap for breathing through his mouth and nose, while the pressing force from all directions made his chest almost unable to move.

Herbert felt as though he was being buried alive, unable to breathe normally.

Yet in such a critical situation, Herbert didn’t call for a stop.

On the contrary, he was surprisingly delighted and began to laugh!

"Huh! Huh... cough, haha!"

After a brief adjustment, Herbert opened his eyes wide, blinked at the Enchanting Demon, and laughed with difficulty: "Flora, don’t stop! You can apply more force, I’m okay with it."

Flora watched Herbert for a moment, shook her head helplessly, raised her hand in a virtual grip, and sighed: "I understand."

"Everything... as you wish."

Crack, crack, crack.

The magma giant hand tightened gradually with Flora’s movements, Herbert seemed to hear his entire body’s bones crying out in lament.

He could almost feel the fine lines forming on his bones, flesh being squeezed and deformed, organs beginning to shift within his body...

Awakening in consciousness, feeling his body steadily heading towards destruction, Herbert couldn’t help but laugh.

"Hahaha, hahaha!"

"Yes, yes, just like this!"

Herbert wasn’t a masochist, of course.

If there was a choice, he’d rather be the one inflicting pain rather than the one suffering.

But right now, he had no choice.

Or rather, he actively chose this path—fast yet tens of times more dangerous.

Herbert gave his reckless behavior a catchy name— "Reborn in Another World by Stewing Myself in a Pot"!

Very cryptic, but certainly enticing enough for some curious person to click in and take a taste.

Abstract as the name might be, Herbert’s actions actually followed a logical pattern.

After repeated tests, Herbert discovered a pattern—the effect of flame strengthening the body was best when energy was accumulating but not yet full, with the enhancement speed slowing greatly after reaching the peak.

To maintain this state of near-full equilibrium, he had learned this method as early as second grade.

Mastered completely!

Exactly.

It’s like those math problems about pools with simultaneous water input and output—just meaninglessly abstract.

Not necessarily examining anything specific, but definitely wasting water and time.

To simplify, it’s like having input while simultaneously having output.

High pressure destroys Herbert’s body, internal accumulated energy repairs the body, magma heat replenishes energy for him...

The three complement each other, forming a dynamically balanced assembly line.

Without high-pressure destruction of the body, the energy accumulated by Herbert would have nowhere to vent, and the speed of enhancing his body would stall after reaching the peak.

No body repair ability, no need to explain, he would have long been squashed.

Without temperature replenishment, his accumulated energy would soon deplete, and he would be squashed too.

But with these three elements cooperating indispensably, he is now repairing and enhancing the injuries while aggressively absorbing energy to strengthen his body.

Admittedly, the approach is wild indeed, but effective nonetheless.

Double the effort, not just simple addition—the effects directly doubled!

Just in this short period, Herbert felt his body had been strengthened by a full twenty percent!

High temperature and high pressure—this is the forbidden power of the pressure cooker!

Following this momentum, he wouldn’t need to wait for another week as originally planned; soon, he’d reach the High Tier Early Stage and continue getting stronger!

High Tier Early Stage is the limit of the blessings obtained after evolution in terms of the body’s enhancements, but not his.

Herbert wants to grow even stronger!

Logically, such risky behavior should involve someone he trusted more.

Even if not seeking the high-ranking figures in the Monastery like the Archbishop, he should have chosen a more trustworthy character among the Monster Girls like Valentina.

Why did he end up choosing Flora?

There are two reasons.

First, Flora excels at manipulating magma, fulfilling the basic condition of providing high temperature.

Second, Valentina is unsuitable.

This isn’t about disparagement or distrust, it’s simply that Valentina really couldn’t handle this task.

This requires delicate maneuvering and needs detailed communication and exchange with the operator in the early stages.

Indeed, Valentina can breathe fire, her body could provide pressure, but... she lacks finesse.

Herbert genuinely fears he might accidentally get crushed by her...

His current small build really isn’t much tougher than porcelain in her eyes; a slight misstep would lead to pieces.

Herbert trusts Valentina wouldn’t intentionally harm him, but he doesn’t trust her paws.

Because he really tried already!

And almost got crushed outright... let’s leave it be.

This kid isn’t bright, but the strength is overwhelming. JPG

As for Flora, while not fully trusted, she still can be given basic trust given she has something to scheme at the moment.

After all, smart people know when to do what and what not to do.

Plop, plop, plop...

Within the tranquil Molten Hell, only the sound of liquid bursting echoed; even Kreti was tired of cursing, hanging upside down while constantly staring at the Paladin being squeezed by magma.

Several bubbles emerged on the blazing surface of magma, growing larger as the pressure decreased, eventually bursting at their limit.

Plop.

Finally, when all the heat was absorbed, the fiery magma dissolved into a layer of black, hard crust.

Crack.

A fissure appeared on the surface of the hardened igneous rock; a fair and strong arm suddenly reached out from within, beckoning to the side.

Flora flapped her small wings and flew over, offering the prepared clothes with both hands.

Crack, crack, crack...

Moments later, a fully dressed Herbert emerged slowly from the stone shell.

["Congratulations! You are born!"]

He ignored the Harmonious God’s banter, turned back to look at the "stone egg" he broke out of, blinked, and pondered while stroking his chin:

"You know what, is this what it feels like to be a monkey?"