Thanks for the invite, I'm in Honkai, grinding stats to level up

"Okay, then you should also pay close attention to my movements."

Upon hearing this, You Lan Dai Er didn't dwell on it and nodded in agreement.

With her golden ponytail swaying, two figures clad in golden radiance, one tall and one short, began their morning training in the dawn light...

Half an hour later, You Lan Dai Er helped Gwen, who had been walking slowly, to sit on a bench. She glanced at the physical data displayed on Gwen's wristband, which showed no major abnormalities, and nodded with considerable relief:

"Very good, Gwen, you have perfectly completed today's morning training plan."

Although it was only a half-hour morning routine, with the guidance of You Lan Dai Er's meticulously prepared plan, Gwen's frail body had received a thorough workout.

"...Mm..."

Gwen, still panting heavily after walking slowly for a while, could only manage a vague reply. He felt as if the air was slicing his throat like a dull knife, and he didn't even have the strength to look up and smile at You Lan Dai Er.

At this moment, Gwen, drenched in sweat, was once again reminded of painful memories from his past life. The feeling, identical to or even more exhausting than running a thousand meters during his physical fitness test in his previous life, made Gwen feel incredibly and truly alive.

And as his body sank into extreme exhaustion, a sense of complacency inevitably arose in Gwen's heart.

However, before Gwen could dispel these thoughts, which were absolutely unacceptable for him at the moment, the coolness emanating from his palm shifted his attention.

"It's not good to drink water right after exercising, but given your condition, it's better to drink some sports drink. It will make your body feel much better."

You Lan Dai Er, who had bought two bottles of drinks from the vending machine nearby, casually placed her own bottle on the seat. She then flipped over the seat and came to Gwen's back, placing her hands on Gwen's sports uniform, which was already soaked with sweat:

"I learned some techniques from Rita to help relieve fatigue. Perhaps it can help you a little..."

As she finished speaking, Gwen, who was about to thank her, felt an irresistible force applied to him through those small hands. He instinctively sat up straighter, and a breath of stale air was forced out of his chest.

Five minutes later, You Lan Dai Er, with a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead, stopped her movements. She bent over, tilted her head, and looked at Gwen, asking:

"Do you feel any better?"

"Mm, it's definitely more comfortable than when I first sat down..."

Gwen, feeling considerably more energetic, responded in a low voice while maintaining his current posture.

"I'm glad I could help..."

Hearing this, You Lan Dai Er, who had been carefully controlling her strength and diligently helping Gwen loosen his muscles and relax his body, finally let out a sigh of relief. She sat down next to Gwen, raised her drink, and took a gulp. Her throat felt slightly looser, and a drop of clear liquid traced a path down her fair skin, which had taken on a rosy hue after the exercise, leaving a clear water mark.

Seeing You Lan Dai Er, who had appeared so relaxed and at ease moments ago, in such a state, any lingering feelings of complacency in Gwen's heart instantly vanished—

When others were working so hard for his sake, Gwen couldn't find any reason for him to be complacent.

With his arm, which had regained some strength, he exerted a slight force, unscrewed the bottle cap, and took small sips of the sports drink, which felt like it was nourishing his parched land. Gwen silently felt the fatigue in every corner of his body and the subtle recovery happening within him.

Only Gwen, with his exceptionally sharp mind, was able to calmly perceive his body's state to this extent after shedding his fatigue and complacency.

Beside him, You Lan Dai Er, holding her drink, turned her head slightly to observe Gwen.

Although a scientific plan had been implemented to basically ensure no damage to Gwen's body, the morning training You Lan Dai Er had arranged was by no means easy.

Perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call it training...

Chapter 20: You Lan Dai Er's Considerations and Reflections

Of course, as a Valkyrie aspiring to carry the world on her shoulders, You Lan Dai Er would not make such a basic mistake.

Therefore, this "morning training" that left Gwen exhausted was actually intentional on You Lan Dai Er's part—

While You Lan Dai Er chose to respect Gwen's decision to become a combatant, she still maintained her less-than-optimistic attitude—

Having visited Gwen in the hospital every day, You Lan Dai Er was well aware of his physical condition. For someone with his constitution, choosing this path would almost certainly lead to twice the effort for half the results, and a path fraught with difficulties.

There was more than one way to fight the Honkai, and not only those who stood on the battlefield against the Honkai were heroes.

Gwen had a path that suited him better; there was no need for him to stubbornly tread a path that was not friendly to him, like that senior from the assault team.

Therefore, before Gwen truly embarked on this path and lost the chance to turn back, You Lan Dai Er still hoped that Gwen could recognize the difficulties involved before making his final choice.

Of course, all You Lan Dai Er intended to do was this; she did not intend to force Gwen off this path with her own will.

Thus, You Lan Dai Er only provided Gwen with a training volume that was sufficiently strenuous within a reasonable range, without further verbal stimulation, leaving Gwen time to think for himself.

And while You Lan Dai Er wanted to help Gwen recognize the arduousness of the path ahead and make his final choice, Gwen, with his head bowed, had already quietly opened his personal status panel—

Gwen - Lv1
Strength - I0 → I3
Durability - I0 → I5
Agility - I0 → I1
Spirit - EX
Energy - D500
Energy System: None

Looking at his stats, which were dismal yet had shown some growth, Gwen couldn't help but curl his lips slightly.

Although the fact that he was so exhausted for such a small increase in stats was a bit disheartening, Gwen was not discouraged at all—

The fact that his efforts yielded visible rewards was enough of a positive feedback loop to keep Gwen going.

Moreover, this was only the first morning training, and Gwen believed that as his body developed and he trained more, his stats would grow even more rapidly.

Beside Gwen, You Lan Dai Er saw that Gwen didn't show any signs of dejection. Instead, he seemed more invigorated, and she let out a soft sigh, feeling ashamed for having underestimated Gwen earlier.

Silently withdrawing her gaze, You Lan Dai Er felt relieved that she would have such a steadfast comrade in the future. At the same time, she began to reflect, wondering if she had been a bit arrogant in creating a situation where Gwen had to face difficulties and make a choice—

Knowing that her past self was rather willful, You Lan Dai Er, after resolving to carry everyone's fate on her shoulders in the world bubble, would often reflect on her shortcomings like she was doing now.

Just as Gwen and You Lan Dai Er were sitting side-by-side on the bench, with one calmly recovering his stamina and the other reflecting on herself, a sudden voice broke the moment of tranquility—

"You Lan Dai Er?"

"Hm?"

You Lan Dai Er, who was in the midst of self-reflection, looked up at the sound of her name. Her still-thoughtful azure eyes met a pair of surprised, beautiful pink eyes.

"Anna?"

Blinking, You Lan Dai Er quickly recognized the person as she took in the other's appearance.

"Anna?"

Repeating the name in his mind, Gwen, who had also looked up, saw a beautiful girl in front of him. She wore a white T-shirt on her upper body, a sky-blue short skirt below, her slender legs beneath the skirt were encased in pure white stockings, and she had on a pair of white sneakers.

Unlike You Lan Dai Er and Rita, the girl named Anna before him possessed a youthful vitality that was different from You Lan Dai Er's. She had a bit less heroic spirit and a bit more of the gentle demeanor of a well-bred young lady.

However, Gwen had no intention of admiring the girl's beauty—

Upon hearing the name You Lan Dai Er had spoken, Gwen politely observed her hair and eye color, comparing them with the data he had on the Herrscher of Ice from his memory…

It seems to be true…

"It really is you…"

Seeing that she hadn't mistaken him, Anna's pretty face broke into a joyful smile. She moved her slender legs, which looked rather delicate encased in white stockings, and sat down beside You Lan Dai Er. Her gaze, however, fell upon Gwen, who was also looking at her, and she said with a smile, "And who is this…"

"This is Gwen. He's a survivor I rescued during a mission, and we're doing morning exercises together."

Seeing that Anna had noticed Gwen, You Lan Dai Er immediately gave Anna a brief introduction of Gwen. After speaking, she turned her gaze to Gwen and said, "Gwen, this is Anna. She's my classmate and comrade, a young B-rank Valkyrie."

"Hello, Gwen. It's nice to meet you."

Upon hearing that he was a survivor from the Honkai, Anna's gaze towards Gwen immediately became more sympathetic. She quickly stood up and walked over to Gwen, extending her small hand.

Looking at the fair, small hand before him, Gwen pushed himself up from his knees, gently took hold of her slender, jade-like fingers, shook them slightly, and smiled back, "Hello, Miss Anna. It's nice to meet you too."

"What a strong child…"

Having seen many survivors, Anna met Gwen's gaze for a moment. Not seeing any familiar expression on his face, Anna mentally gave him the assessment of "strong."

After a brief introduction, the two sat down again. Anna, worried that discussing Gwen's status as a survivor might bring up unpleasant memories, changed the subject.

"Bianca, are you two doing morning exercises?"

"Yes, Gwen is a bit weak physically and needs someone to guide his training."

You Lan Dai Er nodded and replied with a smile.

Although You Lan Dai Er became a Valkyrie a little later than Anna, who had received preliminary training from a young age, the two could be considered classmates as they had attended classes and trained together before.

Facing Anna, her classmate, You Lan Dai Er felt comfortable.

"For beginners, it's indeed best to have professional guidance…"

Hearing this, Anna nodded in strong agreement, then asked with a smile, "Would you like me to help you with some advice?

After all, one person's thoughts are limited, but two heads are better than one…"

"Hmm… alright…"

You Lan Dai Er nodded at this. She then turned to Gwen and said, "Gwen, please take out the plan for Anna to look at. She was the top student in our class exams, so she'll definitely have some good suggestions."

"Okay…"

Gwen nodded and took out the few sheets of the plan from his pocket—

Thanks to the special design of the sportswear, the papers in his pocket were still dry and hadn't been soaked. The handwriting remained clear, allowing Anna to understand the contents without any difficulty.

"Hmm… for a beginner, let's reduce the training volume a bit more. It'll be easier to adapt, especially since it's just morning practice…"

Having noticed Gwen's soaked sportswear earlier, Anna, while seeking the opinions of the original author and the person involved, took out a pen from her small bag, preparing to revise the plan…

Chapter 21: Senior Anna

"I've made some adjustments to You Lan Dai Er's original plan. For the time being, follow the revised plan. Gwen, your body should adapt to it more easily.

Once your physical fitness improves, it won't be too late to switch back to the original plan."

In less than ten minutes, she had finished revising You Lan Dai Er's original plan. Anna put away her pen and said to Gwen with a smile.

As she spoke, Anna also showed the revised plan to You Lan Dai Er, signaling her to check it again.

"Mhm, based on today's situation, this might indeed be more suitable for you..."

After a brief look at the new plan, which didn't deviate much from the figures in her mind, You Lan Dai Er handed the document to Gwen and said in a deep voice.

"Thank you, Miss Anna."

Gwen took the plan and carefully examined the additions and subtractions to the program. Feeling that it should still be effective for training and wouldn't be as exhausting as today, Gwen carefully put away the plan, smiled happily, and thanked Anna.

"You're welcome. I only made a few minor adjustments to You Lan Dai Er's plan; the main framework hasn't changed. Even without me, You Lan Dai Er would have likely made corresponding modifications."

Anna, receiving the thanks, waved her hand, a look of relief on her small face.

"Also, don't call me Miss Anna anymore. Just call me Anna. It's not a formal occasion."

The smile that bloomed on the young girl's pretty face, bathed in the bright sunlight, was like a quietly blooming flower, delicate and captivating.

As she spoke, she caught sight of the time on her wristband out of the corner of her eye. Remembering her business, Anna jumped up from the bench. The smile on her face vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

"Ah... You Lan Dai Er, Gwen, I have another mission to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now..."

"If you have a mission, Anna, you should go prepare quickly. We've rested enough, and it's time for us to head back too."

Hearing that Anna had a mission, You Lan Dai Er nodded in understanding, signaling Anna to leave ahead.

"Have a safe trip, Anna."

Gwen, who had indeed rested enough, nodded and also offered his well wishes.