Be that as it may, because the artifact had levels, Sarah had heard of some physically enhanced hunters using it for training because their bodies were too strong for ordinary weights to matter.

Of course, even those hunters were called crazy bastards for doing it, but it still happened.

Most of those hunters trained at Level Three, a level where even standing becomes exhausting.

The stronger ones touched Level Four, a level where the body feels like it is carrying several times its weight.

The truly crazy ones used Level Five for short bursts of time, this was done because at this level, muscles begin to tear under prolonged exposure.

While Sarah thought of all this, Lucian placed the Coffin Dial at the center of the room.

"You should step back."

He spoke as he turned towards her but Sarah was already standing further away from the artifact’s range.

"Good instincts."

Lucian grinned.

"I have no intention of being part of this."

Sarah shrugged.

One look was more than enough for her to know what Lucian was.

The truly crazy one.

He would definitely use level five to train and that absurd pressure was the last thing she wanted to put her body through.

Lucian laughed, then, he crouched beside the dial and placed his hand on it, with a click, the dial turned and Lucian moved it all the way to—

Level Eight.

"Are you insa—!?"

Sarah’s face changed, she tried to move, to stop him but—

BOOOOOOOOM

Lucian’s body crashed to the floor instantly.

"Turn it off!"

Sarah screamed.

Level Eight was absurd!

That shouldn’t be used at all!!

This was the level used to intimidate supernatural beings, a level where blood starts to flow out from their orifices as their internal body starts to collapse!

This was NOT used for training!

Lucian didn’t care, his fingers dug into the floor, his shoulders trembled, for a moment, it looked like the pressure would crush him flat but then—

Demonic energy spread through his body, strengthening his muscles, bones, and organs. He then started breathing in rough patches, then, under this severe pressure he pushed himself up.

He grinned with a strained face.

Then, he went down again and pushed himself up again.

Yes, he started doing pushups.

His arms shook, his back bent, his teeth clenched, his elbows trembled, his shoulders strained, veins appeared on his forehead, but the smile on his face didn’t fade away.

He continued the pushups.

He didn’t go far.

He couldn’t go far.

At the eighth pushup, his body collapsed and he turned the dial off.

"Haaahh... Haahhh... Hahah..."

He took breaths as he collapsed on the ground.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!?"

Sarah rushed towards him and screamed.

"Calm down... Street Girl... I am... not dying before... our date..."

He grinned weakly.

"If you continue like this, you WILL die!"

Sarah screamed.

"No... I will improve..."

Lucian spoke as his eyes shone with determination with a determined look on his face.

"Don’t worry... I won’t go... to level nine...

Not until... I reach... hundred pushups..."

He explained, the more he talked, the more absurd Sarah felt.

This monster...

To survive level eight like this...

Just how strong was he!?

No, that’s not important!

Was he alright in his head!?

He definitely doesn’t look alright!

And that teacher of his! Who in her right mind trains someone like this!? To think she would even send the entire kit! What was wrong with her!?

Sarah couldn’t believe it.

But then—

"Alright, step back. I’ll do two more sets of pushups."

Lucian spoke as he sat up.

"Even now...?"

Sarah questioned with an absurd face.

"What? You expect me to stop with 8 pushups? My gym bros would laugh at me."

He did not have gym bros.

Sarah looked at him with an absurd look on her face, then she just stepped back, not wanting to be near someone as crazy as this.

Lucian continued his training.

After two sets of pushups.

He started with squats, then planks, mountain climbers, superman holds, and finally, for complete body coordination, bear crawls.

And an hour later—

He was done.

"Haaahh... Haaahh... it... really is... the best..."

He smiled as he lay down on the floor and looked at the Coffin Dial.

"...you are insane."

Sarah couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Lucian just laughed.

He rested for twenty more minutes because that was how exhausted his body was, then, he finally stood up, walked towards his case, carefully placed the Coffin Dial back and looked at the three remaining artifacts. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Then he looked at Sarah and—

"You should leave for this part."

"No."

She instantly shook her head.

"I am being considerate here, Street Girl."

"I am a hunter, Lucian.

Not some weak girl afraid of blood."

Sarah answered with a shine in her eyes.

For once, Lucian did not answer immediately.

Sarah then folded her arms and—

"And the fact that you are telling me to leave means I should definitely stay."

Lucian watched her for a moment, then he shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

Without waiting, he picked up the last three.

Butcher’s Mercy.

False Death Seal.

Widow’s Thread.

Her stomach tightened, she felt like she was going to regret her decision, and the smile on Lucian’s face only made it more apparent.

Lucian then sat down on the floor with his legs stretched in front of him.

Sarah watched him arrange the artifacts one by one.

Butcher’s Mercy was placed beside his right hand, close enough for him to activate without moving much.

He pressed the False Death Seal on his chest, a faint black mark spread over his skin, and almost immediately, his breathing weakened, his body became colder and his heartbeat slowed.

His body’s natural functions were being limited.

Lucian didn’t care, clearly, this wasn’t the first time he was doing this. He picked up the Widow’s Thread, wrapped it around his thigh.

Then he took out a knife and the instant he did, Sarah’s stomach churned even more strongly.

Lucian did not hesitate, he tightened his hold over the knife and then—

Pierce

He stabbed his own thigh.