Standing in front of the first block, someone stepped out of the crowd, placing the needles into Norbert, and well, trying to. The first few were sliding off his skin as he turned around, the gallons of liquid behind him.

As he was closer, Norbert could see taps coming out of each pipe, allowing it to be released. Currently, there was liquid in the pipes already that connected to the needles; I was happy that they weren't going to be injecting him with air as he wondered if that would even kill him.

"Ah, so that so that’s how." Norbert heard from the person behind him as a needle entered his body. Face twisting at the unexpected sting that came, Norbert relaxed himself as he felt several more enter him on each of his arms and back. Thankful that there were no cameras, a picture couldn't be taken of him, likely looking ridiculous, having no shoes or a shirt, just his trousers hooked up by several pipes to a glass barrel taller than him of mana potion.

As the last one entered him, giving a slap on the back in confidence as Norbert walked forward, seeing the first metal pillar in front of him, racked his knuckles on it and heard the thunck of metal, the same as the previous. Looking around the ground, Norbert didn't see any welds or bolts hinting at how the metal attached to the floor.

He sees himself in the reflection of the metal, and Norbert looks back at himself. Behind him, Norbert saw the crowd forming, unable to see the detail on their faces but assuming they were expecting something. As he stood there, the taps were opened, allowing the potion to trickle into him. His reserves filled up quickly, turning around to see that the container had barely been touched.

Feeling the energy fill up within himself, Norbert made his stance as he held his fist over it, seeing in his peripheral vision the crowd behind him looking at him expectantly. Norbert placed his hand in position as he felt the energy pool within himself.

Focusing on his fist, forcing the energy through it and sending the metal flying away when it touched, drowning out the stares from behind him. Leaning backwards, Norbert punched his right fist, smashing into the first pillar.

Like the one in the bubble, this one also shot out, but instead of hitting a barrier, this pillar flew into the hall, embedding its top half. The bottom half is even dented compared to the first one, and it is nearly coming clean.

Turning around, Norbert felt the tubes connected to his pull to the left. He turned his head around and saw the potion dispenser was on wheels, allowing it to move forward and backward as it tugged him to the left.

Taking two steps, the next pillar in front of him as it stopped; already, his reserves were halfway total as he sucked in the rest to be topped up. Lining his fist up again, Norbert released it, letting the energy out of him.

And again, the one on the wall had a friend next to it. Norbert was in front of the third without tugging the pipes, letting him know to move on. Norbert was already filled up in the two steps it took to line up; getting into position, he sent a third friend into the wall, taking the following steps.

Making it through the first line, Norbert seeing it was the same as before, all just lining up nicely as the next row was pushed forward, Norbert seeing them slide without hearing anything, making his ears starting to imagine the sound.

Looking down at his arm in his several-second reprieve, Norbert watched as it was once more atrophied, not as bad as before but still not normal. He took more energy from the potion tank behind him as he watched his arm regain its colour and muscle again.

Its veins were now dark purple, and everyone was making a lattice down his arm, slightly worried. Norbert flexed as the next row was lined up in front of him, confirming that he could still flex his hand correctly, confirming that nothing shot out and no pains rocketed up his arm.

Punching forward once more, Norbert sent it flying into the wall

CLAAAANG

CRACK

Snapping his head up, confirming what made the sound. Seeing half of the pillar on the floor, looking up at the wall, the one still embedded there now with a dent. Nodding his head, he stepped to the side, and without thinking, he drew from the mana potion behind him.

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Punching again with the relative clangs, Norbert made it through the line of ten again. Now, going through more than he thought possible, Norbert looked behind him, over half of the liquid already gone, his arm feeling like it was bursting as he watched the following line of metal pillars line up in front of him.

He was sighing, rocking back on his heels before standing up straight. He shook his hand before punching the pillar again, blocking out the sound he knew was happening as he slid his feet to the next one, punching once more.

He made it halfway through the sight of something coming off his arm in his peripheral vision, lining up once more, and saw his arm as purple vapour started to come out of it. Confirming his vision was normal, Norbert punched forward again, knowing those behind him would stop him if it became too dangerous.

Moving to the next one, Norbert pulled from the potion, feeling like he was pulling more as he watched the vapour turning to steam as it came off, swirling off. Disregarding it from his mind, Norbert continued to the next pillar.

Punching it again, Norbert started to see stars dance slightly in his vision, shaking his head to make himself focus again as he stepped to the right again. Lining himself up, Norbert punched again, stepping to the right without seeing the damage, his head getting lightheaded.

Pulling more from the potion barrel, even when it wasn't used, his body wasn't used to continue progression to the side. Punching again, Norbert felt pain spike through his hand before it partially healed.

Suddenly the energy within him plummeted to nothing, unable to keep on his feet anymore Norbert fell to the ground, the last thing he saw was the empty tubes connecting into his arm.

***

A splitting headache wrenched Norbert from his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes, even though that movement was too much for him, as he stared at an unknown ceiling. Looking down, seeing himself in a large bed, out of the corner of his eye, Norbert saw a balcony.

The snow blew outside once more as he continued to stare, his brain kick-starting up as he stared out, wondering why he was looking out towards a balcony with the snow; there shouldn't be any snow where he was from at this time of year.

As his brain continued to tick along, the last thing he was doing came back to him in the hall, punching the pillars and sending them flying.

Remembering what he was doing to his right arm, Norbert brought it up from under the covers, staring at it as if it didn't look right. Still, too many veins could be seen, all stained slightly purple as their muscles looked more diminutive than they should be, but no loose skin hung on them.

He was tapping his fingers on the bed, confirming that he still had movement in all of them, and he thought the imp wasn't there. His head still beating, Norbert looked around the room, seeing the other occupant sitting in a chair in the corner.

Well, other than the two more on his bed with him. Norbert watched Obsius and the fox, which Norbert had to do a double take as it blended so well with the white sheets. I do not want to imagine trying to catch the thing in the snow outside and seeing the snow pick up once more.

His eyes returned to the person in the corner, Norbert recognising Count von Count, his head drooped down as if sleeping.

Wetting his lips and swallowing, making sure his mouth was wet enough, Norbert whistled and immediately stopped. The tune came out much louder than he thought as it died instantly from his lips.

The sound awakened the vampire as his head bolted upright, staring at Norbert before a smile came along his face. Norbert smiled back before cringing in pain, the headache blaring at him again.

Count von Count stared at him, raising an eyebrow and tapping his forehead where it was hurting Norbert's whispered the single word "Headache" as quietly as possible, not wanting to make it any worse.

Receiving a nod, Count von Count reached down, picking up a bottle beside the chair leg as he soundlessly walked towards Norbert, placing the drink in his mouth and pouring it in.

Norbert, not having much choice unless he wanted to make a mess he quickly swallowed the liquid, tasting like honey as it bathed his mouth and caressed his throat.

Finishing it off, the headache significantly reduced from before, and the pain was still there, but it was no longer all-consuming to him.

" Your lucky that’s the only injury you have." Count von Count said, pointing Norbert's arm.

He nods, looking down at his arm and seeing it the same as before. "Ed. "Overuse of mana in one appendage blowing it out. And the mana itself, in this case, healing it up ag" in?" He asked the vampire.

Only receiving a nod in response, Norbert asked the next quest" "Was it better than it was healing, or I wasn't"?" He asked the vampire.

Count von Count collapsed on the bed, going on Norbert's legs as he shrugged shoulders. "It was "Hard to say; you would have never been able to do that in the first place. Instead you would have just blown your arm "ff." Count von Count said.

Norbert opened his eyes in shock as he stared at him "Or if you pushed it any longer, you could have turned into a mana bomb, and those things are nasty." Count von Count said, shivering at the thought of the mana bomb going off near him.

Jumping off the bed and landing on his feet, he headed for the stairs leading to the main floor.

Norbert tried to move, but a wave of vertigo hit him. Looking back up to Count von Count, shaking his headache, "You need to rest; you only have two days before your ship out of here."

Norbert watched the vampire leave as the words of two days echoed in his mind, wondering how he kept losing so much time.