"Focus your mind. You need to carefully observe the changes happening in your body."

Rose spoke to me.

She tapped the areas where I felt the heat rising, and each time she did, my senses became more sensitive.

"Your body is currently undergoing abnormal changes. But whatever is happening inside your body, you can control it."

Last time, she showed me how she transformed herself.

Self-transformation is the pinnacle of physical control techniques in martial arts.

Rose's words implied that I could do it too.

"You're lucky, Lemon. Usually, someone at your level, a white belt, wouldn’t even consider this, let alone be able to do it."

"...If I manage to do it, could I earn a yellow belt?"

"Yes."

Great.

It's been six months since I started learning the Rose style of Marital arts.

Finally, I have a chance to advance.

The time has come to shed my white belt, the symbol of a beginner.

"You can't do everything at once. Start little by little from the extremities."

Sweat was pouring down like rain.

The heat radiating from my entire body made me feel like I was in a scorching hot bath.

And now I have to control my body under these conditions?

‘Easier said than done!’

If I could do this, would I still be a white belt?

I tried with all my might to intervene in the changes happening in my body, but the more I tried, the more foreign my body felt.

Whenever I thought I had grasped something, it slipped away from my hands.

Soon, the heat reached my head.

Dizziness and drowsiness overwhelmed me.

It would be easier if I just lost consciousness for a moment.

But then, I heard a voice in my ear.

"You're doing well, Lemon. You're doing just fine."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

A voice that soothed my mind.

Rose kept talking to me without pause.

Every time I heard her voice, the heat in my head seemed to cool down a little.

Then I realized.

At some point, she had stopped tapping and was pressing down on a single point.

At that moment, my mind focused on that point.

‘Move.’

It’s still too much for me to observe my entire body at once.

I can only manage a single cell.

‘Move.’

I concentrated all my willpower on that single cell.

‘Move.’

It’s definitely possible.

Rose had explained it to me several times and even demonstrated it.

Moreover, as the original author of this story, I subconsciously believe it's possible.

‘Move.’

One cell.

I don’t dream of complete self-transformation.

But I can at least control this one cell that is already undergoing change.

‘Move.’

I envisioned what I wanted to happen.

The characteristic of the helmeted boar, ‘Deep Lungs.’

The lungs, fused with alien DNA, are far too abnormally large to fit within a human body.

If this transformation were completed as is, it would severely disrupt the balance of my body.

‘Move.’

So, I suppressed it.

I accepted the increased efficiency but only allowed the growth to match the body’s structural limits.

‘Did it move?’

My body accepted my will.

Though it was just one tiny piece, the cell that was growing too much stopped its activity.

‘More….’

But perhaps because I had poured so much mental energy into this, my consciousness, already on the brink, began to darken.

"I've got it."

The voice brought me back to consciousness.

Rose, drenched in sweat, was smiling.

In that moment, she looked like a lioness who had just captured her prey.

"You did well, Lemon. Leave the rest to me."

Rose smiled at me as our eyes met.

And with that, my consciousness completely faded.

*

When I opened my eyes again, I was still in the facility.

The first thing I did was check the time.

Almost a day had passed.

‘Did Rose go back?’

I got up.

But there was someone lying next to me.

“Mm…”

A woman with long crimson hair wrapped around her body like a blanket.

It was Rose.

I forgot where I was and just stared at her.

Seeing her sleeping peacefully, she looked like an angel, so different from her usual mischievous self.

"...Mm? Lemon?"

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Rose stirred a little and woke up.

I instinctively shot up and, trying to act natural, looked around the room before responding.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“Good morning.”

Good morning?

It’s almost time for dinner.

Given that I came here after yesterday’s afternoon class, the timing made sense. When I opened my eyes again, I was still in the facility.

I informed Rose of the time.

“Oh, really?!”

Rose was startled and quickly got up.

“Let’s go eat. I’m starving since I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

“Yeah. But why didn’t you go by yourself? Why were you here?”

“Huh? I came with you, so how could I leave my friend behind?”

Her words sounded so natural that I couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

“By the way, have you checked your body’s condition? You really went through a lot.”

“My body?”

Come to think of it, even though I just applied a new trait, I don’t feel much discomfort.

Especially considering that my lungs, which should have expanded enough to press against other internal organs, had only grown to a reasonable size.

Rose had done it.

“Did it turn out well?”

“Wow, this is… really amazing.”

“Right? Right?”

“Uh… Thank you so much. I feel like I can never thank you enough.”

“It’s nothing. I benefited too, you know. This time, I got to see everything in detail from the beginning, so I could make use of it myself.”

“…What?”

What did she just say?

Is she saying that she already copied it while I was unconscious?

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

“Of course, not as much as you. Your body is beyond just a human’s, you know? I’m jealous.”

“……”

“But with some adjustments, I think I can upgrade it to my style. When it’s done, how about we have a contest to see whose lung capacity is better? Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Uh… yeah.”