Liam lay on the makeshift bed, his body still aching all over. But now there was a new discomfort—a throbbing, insistent ache that had nothing to do with his injuries. He had gotten a boner, and it was getting increasingly difficult to hide it. He cursed under his breath, trying to will his body to calm down, but his mind was a traitor, which was flooded with thoughts of Rin.
He couldn't stop thinking about the softness of her thighs as they pressed against him, the warmth of her body so close to his. He remembered the way her breath had hitched, the slight parting of her lips, and the spark of desire in her eyes.
His imagination ran wild, picturing what it would be like to feel her lips on his, to explore the curves of her body with his hands, and to hear her moan his name in pleasure.
He shifted uncomfortably, and tried to adjust his position to hide his erection, but his injured thigh made it impossible to turn to the side. He was stuck, quite literally, with his desire on full display. He groaned softly in frustration, as his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and arousal.
Fortunately, Rin had left Liam unattended and had gone to do something.
"Fuck, Liam, get a grip. You are not like others. You don't lust after women. Pain and pleasure is temporary, but power is eternal," he muttered to himself, trying to think of anything but Rin.
He recited battle strategies, and tried to remember the layout of the training grounds. He even attempted to do mental math—anything to distract himself from the throbbing rod between his legs.
But his efforts were futile. His mind kept drifting back to Rin—the way her hair fell around her face, the softness of her skin, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
He imagined what it would be like to run his hands over her body, to feel her respond to his touch, to see her eyes darken with desire.
He let out a shaky breath as his heart pounded in his chest. He knew he needed to get his body under control, but it was proving to be a monumental task. He closed his eyes, and tried to focus on his breathing, on the pain in his thigh—anything but the vivid, tantalizing images of Rin that filled his mind.
"Should I just fap it off? That's the best and the easiest solution. I don't want to use Rin as a fapping material, but I have got no choice. She is the cause of it, so she shall be the solution."
Just as he was about to give in to the torment, he heard soft footsteps approaching. His eyes snapped open when he saw Rin walking towards him with a concerned look on her face. He quickly threw an arm over his eyes, feigning exhaustion, and prayed that she wouldn't notice his boner.
"Lee, are you okay?" Rin asked softly, her voice filled with worry. "You look flushed. Do you have a fever?"
Liam swallowed hard as he replied. "Yeah, I'm just... really tired. I think I need to rest some more."
"See? I told you. Rest as much as you want. I am right here. And let me know if you need anything."
Liam felt really guilty for lusting after Rin.
'I suddenly feel like shit!'
Liam's mind was racing with a mix of frustration and confusion. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong with him. He took a deep breath and asked the system, "What the hell is wrong with me?"
The system responded promptly, [You've got a boner after lusting over Rin. Pretty obvious, isn't it?]
Liam snapped in anger. "I wasn't asking about that, you idiot! I was asking what's wrong with my body. Why do I feel so weak and in pain? There's no way I should be feeling like this just because of a wound."
He paused as his mind raced with possibilities. "Was the dagger laced with poison? Is it slowly killing me? Or has the wound gotten infected?"
The system sighed, [You're thinking too much. You're feeling weak because of Qi fatigue. Your body used up all its Qi during that ten-second fight.]
Liam's brow furrowed as he processed the information. "Qi fatigue? So, my Iron Skin skill also uses Qi?"
The system complimented him, [Well done, genius. Since the skill is cultivation-based and was a reward for achieving the first stage of the Muscle and Bone Realm, it uses Qi to harden your body like iron.]
Liam nodded. "So, since it was my first time using the skill, my body wasn't used to it. That's why I'm feeling like shit now."
The system confirmed, [Exactly. You won't suffer the same way the next time you use the Iron Skin skill, although you will still feel weak and your Qi will be used up.]
Liam let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit more at ease knowing the cause of his weakness. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Alright, so I just need to rest and recover my Qi. Got it."
He shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position. The pain in his thigh was still present, but knowing it wasn't poison or infection gave him some peace of mind.
As he lay there, he couldn't help but think about Rin again. The memory of her soft body pressed against his, the warmth of her breath on his face, and the spark of desire in her eyes flooded his mind. He groaned softly, trying to push the thoughts away, but they persisted, taunting him with what could have been.
But as he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for him and Rin. Would they ever have a moment like that again? Or would it remain a fleeting memory, a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been?