After registering with the caravan manager, Ryuji and Rosh finally learned that their destination was the De Los Empire. The reason they weren't taking a sea route was simple—they were heading to small mountain villages to sell goods.
The caravan would be traveling through the Elven Line, where there would be a rotation of guards and caravan personnel. That was also why Chobung had asked Sizki to help get Ryuji and Rosh included—since the journey was short and relatively safe, it would be a good learning opportunity. Moreover, the adventurers who typically joined these return-guard missions weren't reckless amateurs. If Ryuji wanted to find reliable teammates, this would be a good chance.
And the whole trip would take no more than a week. Without the caravan, it would only take two or three days to return to Hendon Myre.
However—
"Also, Chobung asked me to help train you and improve your physical condition."
Sizki looked Ryuji up and down and shook her head.
"I can tell just by looking at you—you've never done proper physical training. You've only been in a few fights recently. She told me your Physical strength is terrible, so we need to fix that."
Her assessment was blunt, but accurate.
"…That's true," Ryuji admitted, scratching his cheek a little awkwardly.
He had never trained his body. The only reason he'd lost his belly fat was due to starvation and constant labor in the 7 Days to Die world.
As for Chobung's complaint about his lack of stamina… that was really just because she had too much stamina. They'd only done it once or twice, and already he felt like his back was going to snap. Without the buffs from that world, his white-collar office worker physique just couldn't keep up.
Truth be told, even this morning, his legs had started to feel wobbly.
"That's why I'll be supervising your training during this journey. Here—this is your training gear, along with some potions I got from Loton. Don't worry, they're not poisonous."
Sizki pulled a bundle from one of the wagons and handed it to him. When Ryuji opened it, he found several metal rings—just like the ones worn by the female martial artists in the city.
"See this button? It applies even weight distribution across your muscles. One notch adds twenty kilograms, with a maximum of two hundred. And this is the on/off switch. Just flip it off before a fight, and you'll be back to your normal weight."
Sizki pointed at the armband to demonstrate. Ryuji finally realized it was a kind of weight-training device—high-tech, or rather, high-magic.
Ordinary folks probably couldn't even get their hands on something like this.
"Oh?" he followed her example, fastening one of the bands to his arm and flipping the switch.
In the next moment, the band clamped itself to his arm—but rather than cutting off blood circulation or compress his muscle, it sat snugly and comfortably. A heavy pressure immediately weighed down his whole body, distributed evenly from head to toe.
It was just 20 kilograms, but he could feel the difference—his entire body suddenly felt sluggish.
"Is this… gravity magic?" he asked, surprised.
Before Sizki could answer, Rosh cut in with a sarcastic tone.
"It's not that terrifying. Just a simple application of gravity magic, really. If it were the real thing, your brain, blood vessels, and internal organs would be liquefied in seconds. Even basic gravity spells would destroy your body's microcirculation—and your eyes and retinas would be shredded."
Sizki nodded.
"I don't know much about magic, but Miss Rosh is right. This is standard stuff. High-end bands can target specific muscle groups, and they look a lot fancier. But for fighters like us, full-body training is best. This model may be simple, but it's the most effective. If you want stronger versions with higher multipliers, you'll have to buy them yourself."
She handed him another pouch.
"This contains muscle recovery potions, nutrition boosters, stamina restorers, healing tonics, and some blood pressure stabilizers. They'll help protect your blood vessels during high-load sessions. I've labeled each one with its effects and price—they're affordable. Once you run out, you can buy more from Loton or the other caravan members. Over the next few days, I'll teach you when and how to use them."
"…Right."
Ryuji looked at the bundle of bottles in his hands, then glanced around at the medieval-style buildings and outfits nearby. He scratched his head.
Honestly, hearing all this from Sizki —and seeing these high-functioning training tools and potions—it all felt a little absurd.
But when he thought about it, it actually made perfect sense. Martial artist training clearly wasn't something you could manage with just a few push-ups and a good meal. Even on Earth, real athletes needed specialized gear and supplements. In a world with magic and aura, having magical tools and potions for physical development was completely normal.
Even if Rosh refused to admit it was gravity magic.
"I get it. By the way, Rosh… is training in magic like this too? Do you need a bunch of potions and stuff?"
It was a rhetorical question—he knew the answer—but he still wanted to be sure.
"Of course. And way more than this," Rosh sighed. "Even someone like me, who just practices Rune weaving, still spends dozens of gold coins every month on magic training."
Making a living wasn't the problem for someone of her strength. The problem was balancing daily needs with training expenses. If she spent all her income on food, she had no money for magic or combat training. But if she cut back on meals to fund her training, she'd be too weak to actually do it.
That's why, when Ryuji made his request—
Rosh had absolutely no ability to refuse.
~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 PS.