The Ger Is A Part Timer [BL]

~ 40 ~

A/N: Hello~ Surprise chapter! I usually post a chapter around the end of August since it's near my birthdate lol. I usually take a week's leave at this time so I can enjoy writing more chapters while off work. After August, it's back to the first Sunday of every month.

Not sure yet if I can take leave due to work schedules and a potential new project, but I've written the chapters in advance. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ Anyways, enjoy reading~!

_+_+_

Slowly, a drop of sweat slid down the fringes of Yu Yan's bangs. It trembled at the tip of a strand, gathering weight, before finally plunging down with a dramatic drip. Watching its journey had reminded Yu Yan of the phrase, 'Dripping water penetrates stones'.

(A/N: 滴水穿石 (dī shuǐ chuān shí) – "Dripping water can penetrate stone" meaning that small persistence or constant small perseverances can achieve great things.)

It was quite the apt description of their current training progress—constant but persevering despite the lack of tangible results.

『 Master! 』

『 Oh? It's unusual for you to reach out to me first, Xiao Ba. Is our Xiao Ba grown up now and taking charge of bigger responsibilities~? 』

『 To answer Master's query, Xiao Ba is a grown up now~ Hehe~ Ah! That's not it, Master! 』

『 Did you remember your purpose now? Not going to get distracted again? 』Yu Yan teased the small ball of light in his head.

『 Waaah~! Master! 』(𖦹ᯅ𖦹)

Xiao Ba pouted—or at least what seemed to be a pout to Yu Yan. It seems that Xiao Ba acted more and more like a child with him and Yu Yan found it quite endearing.

Yu Yan stopped teasing the poor little system prototype.

『 Ehem~! To inform Master, the current progress of Master's integration with the world has now reached a hundred percent successfully! Congratulations, Master! 』The round thing bounced around in the recesses of its Master's mind.

Yu Yan clenched and unclenched his fists, tensing and relaxing his as he examined himself through his mind's eye. He hummed as he rhythmically tapped the heels of his feet on the ground to ensure normal motor nerve functions.

And yet nothing seemed to be amiss, nor was there anything that seemed to differ. Physically, at least.

Yu Yan eyed the drops of sweat on the floor as he ruminated. If not physical, then perhaps the difference was in his soul? Having come from a different world, does full integration mean that his soul was no longer tied to his birthplace but in this new world? Or maybe his soul has become free from any constraints.

He felt a bit of relief but also a bit bitter. The origin of his regrets and grudges—even if he wanted to revisit the places that held his memories and of his family, he could not.

'Yu Yan', no—'Yu YanMing', his old self, no longer existed here in this new world, nor in his old one.

『 Master? 』

Regardless, he smiled kindly at the small system who had become worried over his lack of response,『 Thanks, Xiao Ba. 』

Yu Yan straightened up from his slump, breath still slightly uneven. A line of pods gleamed in the training room, cool and humming faintly. Three out of five pods remained closed.

A cold bottle suddenly appeared in front of him, blurring up the background as his eyes refocused on the condensation dripping down like his sweat.

"Thanks~" Yu Yan smirked without looking up.