Chapter 181 I'm Swellmit, Not Weak Hermit

As Suzuka strode out of the training room, a menacing aura surrounded her, accentuating her formidable presence. Her icy gaze fell upon the scene before her, where Lisanna seemed to be enjoying the misery of the defenseless goblin. Without a word, Suzuka approached them, her steps echoing ominously through the room.

Suzuka approached Hermit, a glimmer of genuine concern in her eyes as she addressed the bruised and battered goblin. 

"Hey there, my little errand boy. How are you holding up?" she asked, her voice laced with unexpected tenderness.

Hermit, though still timid and shaken from his recent ordeal, mustered a small sad smile and replied, "I-I'm feeling fine, Master Helen. It's just that Master Lisanna is mean to me. Oh, and th-thank you for saving my life again. Your kindness means the world to me. Thank you for protecting me, Hermit is weak and feeble oh mighty Master." His eyes brimmed with gratitude and tears as he timidly reached out and gently hugged her leg, seeking comfort, warmth, and the much-needed affection he had been yearning for.

Lisanna rolled her eyes dramatically and scoffed, "Ahhh! Little baby. Drama queen, that's all you are, goblin."

Hermit's heart sank at her cruel remark, his sensitive soul wounded by her biting words. The tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't help but sob softly as he clung desperately to Suzuka's leg, seeking the comfort and safety he craved.

 "P-Please, M-Master Helen," he stammered between wrenching sobs, "I-I-I d-didn't mean to be a d-d-drama q-q-queen... I-I just... n-n-n-needed a-a little l-l-love and c-c-comfort... I-I'm sorry..."

Suzuka, with a hint of concern in her voice, gently patted Hermit's head as he clung to her leg, seeking comfort from Lisanna's harsh words. 

"There, there, Hermit. Don't let her get to you. You're not a drama queen, you're just a goblin who's been through a lot. And you know what? I believe in you. We'll make you stronger, and those hurtful words won't matter anymore."

Lisanna's laughter echoed through the air as she taunted, "Hit the gym, Hermit. Maybe you won't stumble on your own legs and trip every few steps, like the clumsy little goblin you are! Oh, and let's not forget your habit of running to Helen, crying for her to soothe your boo-boos. Pathetic! You are a little baby, not a goblin."

Hermit's ears drooped even further at Lisanna's relentless mockery, his heart sinking with each cruel word.

 "I-I try my best," he stammered, his voice quivering with hurt and humiliation. 

"I-I just... I don't mean to be clumsy. It's not my fault!"

Hermit looked up at Suzuka with teary eyes, feeling a glimmer of hope.

 "Master Helen? Can you really help Hermit to be stronger?"

"Of course, anyone can get stronger with the right training," Suzuka replied, offering him a warm smile. 

"You're my errand boy. I want to see you grow and become the best errand boy you can be. Come on, let's head to the training room. We'll start with some basic exercises to build your strength and agility."

Hermit wiped away his tears, his heart filled with gratitude.

 "Thank you, Master Helen. You're so kind to me."

As they entered the training room, Suzuka set up a series of exercises for Hermit. 

"Alright, let's start with some stretching to warm up those muscles. Reach for the sky, then touch your toes, and repeat. Simple right? Stretching is very important, the more flexible you are the better."

Hermit clumsily followed her instructions, his tiny limbs wobbling as he tried his best to mimic her movements. Suzuka encouraged him every step of the way, praising his efforts and providing gentle corrections when needed.

"Alright, Hermit, time to unleash the true power within you!" Suzuka declared, her voice sending shivers down Hermit's spine.

 "Prepare yourself for the ultimate workout! When you leave this training room you will be Swellmit, not the weak Hermit."

The goblin leaped into the air with joy, yelping, "Oh, sounds so fun!"

"Okay, now that we stretched, we need to warm up," she pointed her finger at the track encircling the room, "I will be taking your time as you run one lap around the room in a circle. One lap is 50 meters. That will give us a good picture of your speed and endurance."

Hermit's heart pounded in his chest as he nervously glanced at the seemingly endless track before him. This was no longer sounding interesting and fun; it felt like a trial that could lead to his undoing.

"G-Gah! Hermit is not ready for this! Not at all! This is not fun anymore, not at all!" he squeaked, his voice quivering with fear. 

But Suzuka wasn't done with her plans. She pointed at the barbell rack, "Then we will get some weight lifting, that will show us your strength."

Hermit gulped audibly, realizing that he was about to face a series of challenges that would push him to his limits and beyond. The room seemed to close in on him as he weighed the impending ordeal.

Hermit's eyes widened in terror, and he let out a high-pitched squeal that echoed through the room.

 "Wreeeee! Oh, no, no, no! Hermit is not ready for that! It's too much, too much! Too big, too heavy!" His ears drooped lower, nearly touching the ground, as if seeking solace from the overwhelming situation.

Suzuka chuckled mischievously, her eyes glinting with excitement.

 "Come on, little goblin, time to put those scrawny limbs to work! You wanted to be strong, right? Well, now's your chance!"

Suzuka continued, "After we go through these, I will think about what to do with you next, so get in position and start running the lap. I will take your time."

Hermit's legs felt like lead as he waddled over to the starting line, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. With a trembling breath, he mustered all his strength and started scuttling as fast as he could. But the distance felt like an eternity, and the weight of his puny body bore down on him with each agonizing step.

"Ughh... Come on, Hermit, you can do this! Scuttle, scuttle!" he chanted to himself, trying to muster the courage to push forward.

"Come on, Hermit, scuttle!" he squeaked to himself, his voice quivering.

 His arms flailed around like a deranged CrossFit master, completely out of sync with his awkward scuttling. His head leaned back, weighed down by his dragging ears that scraped the ground like a pair of miserable rags.

"Urrgghh! Why must Hermit run? This is torture! Hermit's legs are like bricks, and the heart is pounding like a war drum! Must... keep... going!"

 Every step felt like a battle against gravity itself, and he huffed and puffed, trying to gulp down as much air as possible as if he were in a contest to swallow the entire room whole.

"Oooff! Ouch! Legs are screaming at Hermit! Why do goblins have such weak legs? Unfair! Unfair to Hermit!"

His eyes bulged out of their sockets like they were on the verge of popping out, and sweat cascaded down his face, creating rivulets that made it seem like he was caught in a never-ending shower.

"It's like... like a shower! Hermit's sweating like a waterfall! Waterfall of pain! Running... why must goblins run? It's torture! Hermit never wants to run again!" 

Not even making it halfway, Hermit was already gasping for air, panting and writhing in pain, his body protesting the relentless exertion. Suzuka stood stoically, counting the seconds with a mix of disappointment and disdain. It took Hermit more than a minute to run just half of the seemingly insurmountable 50-meter lap.

Suzuka, standing with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow.

 "Oh, is the little goblin already tired? Jeez! You're not even halfway there!" she taunted, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Put some effort, Hermit! Keep going! Push it!"

Hermit struggled to push himself, his tiny legs shaking with fatigue. 

"Master, Hermit is trying... but... Hermit can't... keep... going..." he stammered, beads of sweat dripping down his greenish skin.

"You're supposed to be a goblin, fast and agile, but you move like a snail!" She taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hermit's ears drooped in defeat, he mumbled, "Hermit is just a little goblin... not strong like Master... not fast like Master..."

Suzuka's face twisted into a sneer as she replied, "That's because your legs are weak! I've seen mushrooms with more strength than your legs! But don't worry, that's why you are running."

As the finish line drew closer, Hermit's body felt like it was on the brink of collapse.

 "Almost... there, almost there! I see the finish line! Must... reach... finish!" 

Finally, with sheer determination, Hermit dragged his aching feet over the finish line, collapsing to the ground like a beaten and broken doll. His chest heaved violently as he struggled to gulp in gulps of air, but the pain in his body seemed to intensify with each breath.

Coughing and wheezing, Hermit clutched his chest, his eyes wide with exhaustion and agony. 

"Master... I-I did it... I made it to the end... Ughh... like a brave goblin..." he gasped between desperate breaths.

Suzuka, standing nearby, crossed her arms with a smirk. 

"Brave goblin, huh? More like a bumbling buffoon, it took you more than three minutes to run one lap. Even a toddler could finish faster. Come on, get up. Let's go to the weight rack."

Hermit begged, "No! Master, please! No more torture! Hermit has no strength to continue... another day... yes, another day! Uwieee!"

 She remained resolute, and with an icy tone, she coldly uttered, "You better find the strength to go on, Hermit. This is only the beginning of your workout, and you'll have to work even harder if you want to survive in this unforgiving world."

Hermit sobbed, tears streaming down his grimy cheeks as he pushed himself off the ground and stood up.

 "Every step is agony, every breath a struggle. Why must Hermit suffer so?"

With trembling limbs, Hermit struggled to rise, each movement sending waves of agony through his battered body. He took a few hesitant steps, his legs wobbling like jelly, and then he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

As Hermit lay on the ground, his body aching and battered, he let out a pitiful whimper.

 "Ughhh... M-Master... Hermit hurts... so much... sniff... M-Master Helen, can Hermit rest for a bit? T-Tummy feels like it's tied in knots... and legs... legs are like... like wobbly sticks..."