The moment Nis's hand touched Lunke's skin, Lunke shuddered violently and let out an unconscious scream of agony.
At the same time, a bright red mark appeared on Lunke's skin.
Nausicaa stared blankly at the scene before her. Nis had only touched him lightly, so how had it left such a large red mark? And why was Lunke screaming?
Nausicaa looked at Nis. "Sir, what is happening to him now?"
Nis did not answer at once. His brows were tightly furrowed as he observed Lunke. However, he did not touch him again, instead examining Lunke's condition through an energy-based perspective.
After a while, Nis slowly said, "I had thought the 'forging' stage of the Forging Water had passed. I didn't expect it to still be ongoing."
"What do you mean?"
"The effect of Forging Water is just as its name suggests. It hammers out a human's potential, blow by blow. Every strike may cause the body to collapse and the mind to lose control." Nis said, "You should remember that fellow's bloodcurdling screams before we left, right?"
Nausicaa nodded. The live broadcast of those screams had left everyone aboard the Moonlight Tu Bird deeply unsettled.
Humans might find it difficult to empathize, but those bone-piercing screams still sent chills down their spines.
From that alone, one could tell just how terrible Lunke's suffering had been.
Nis said, "Actually, Lunke's current state is the same as before we left... Well, not entirely the same. The toxins in his body have long since been hammered away. Lunke is still activating his potential now."
Nausicaa froze. "You mean he is still undergoing the tempering of Forging Water? Enduring immense torment?"
Nis nodded, and for the first time, there was a trace of approval in his gaze toward Lunke.
"This fellow has an exceptionally