>>5533093 >>5533170 >>5533248 >>5533298No one ever got anywhere without a bit of pain. Or at least you've heard that said - you cannot attest as to the validity, or lack thereof of such an aphorism. Regardless, you shall follow it in this case.
<span class="mu-i">I will begin providing spiritual energy for use during the first half of the day. Absorption of spiritual energy will take place over the course of one minute.</span>
Through your mental connection, you can feel an intense flash of pain. After around two seconds, it suddenly disappears. Confused, you observe Kinzou's current state. After a moment, the reason why there is no longer any pain becomes clear - Kinzou is currently unconscious. You halt the transferal of spiritual energy and silently wait for Takigi or Nui to notice the situation.
「Can't say I'm surprised honestly. Been years for me and I still feel like burning hot needles are being twisted inside my hand twice a day..」 <span class="mu-i">...Should I reduce the quantity of spiritual energy? Or spread out absorption over a long period? It will reduce efficiency, but...</span> Takigi shrugs. 「Up to him really. Based off everything I heard I don't think it hurt him. Just think it'll take a while to get used to. Anyways, it should be about my time for the morning, right? Let's get it over with.」
Slightly over an hour passes before Kinzou stirs. 「What happened?」 <span class="mu-i">The sudden pain of absorption of spiritual energy resulted in your loss of consciousness, commonly referred to as fainting.</span> 「..And that happens every time?」 <span class="mu-i">The fainting? Unknown. The pain? Yes, but for the duration of a single minute.</span>
Kinzou tries to push himself up and off of the rest area, but his arms give out and he falls back to the ground. 「Everything hurts.」 <span class="mu-i">From prior experience, body-wide aches are to be expected. As I recall your father stayed bedridden for several days as he first got accustomed to the absorption of spiritual energy.</span> 「And he still did that thing again during that?」 <span class="mu-i">Yes. Twice a day, every day, for several years. Including when sick or bedridden.</span>
After remaining silent for some time, mulling over something, Kinzou directs a response towards you.「Alright. Do it again.」<span class="mu-i">It is not time yet. The second attempt of absorption should wait until the afternoon.</span>「Oh. Do it then then. Ok?」 <span class="mu-i">Certainly.</span>
Later that afternoon, Kinzou faints again. He faints twice the next day. And two more times the day after that. At that point his annoyance is split equally between the bursts of intense pain and constant aches racking his body, and the fact that he keeps passing out, affecting the efficiency of his training. But to his credit, he keeps coming back to be shocked with pain again, much like Apoths repeatedly pressing a button triggering electrical stimulation when disconnected from the hivemind as part of scientific experimentation. Only, in this case there is a greater purpose behind the pain than extreme boredom. ...Or at least you hope there is.
