Free Web NovelChapter 52: Chapter 52 I was practicing some makeup
Instead of punching, it suddenly kicked her in the stomach.
"Ugh!" Ivy gasped sharply.
Her eyes widened as the impact hit her abdomen, sending a wave of unbearable pain through her body. For a brief moment, her vision blurred completely.
She felt like she had seen something beyond stars.
Hell itself.
Even the "king of hell," as her mind desperately tried to process the pain.
Her stomach....still sensitive from childbirth and recent recovery throbbed violently. Despite her enhanced strength, the pain was overwhelming and sharp, making it hard for her to breathe properly.
{Two more attacks remaining from the dummy.}
{Five minutes remaining, host.}
The dummy raised its fist again, preparing to strike.
But Ivy moved first.
She rushed forward and unleashed a series of rapid punches into its face, its chest, and its midsection. Each strike was fueled by frustration, pain, and raw determination.
Even though it was just wood, each hit gave her a strange sense of relief as if she was transferring her pain back into it.
Before the dummy could retaliate again, Ivy struck its waist with a precise punch and quickly dodged its counterattack.
She didn’t stop.
Punch after punch followed, until the dummy staggered slightly under the continuous assault.
Ding!
{Training complete!}
{Congratulations, host.}
The dummy immediately disappeared from her sight.
Ivy’s body gave out completely as she collapsed onto the ground, finally allowing herself to breathe properly.
"That... was intense..." she murmured weakly under her breath.
{Close combat level 1 completed.}
{Next: Reflex Training. After a thirty-minute break.}
{Also, your baby is awake. Your two daughters are on their way to inform you.}
"Mommy!"
Lila’s voice called out.
Ivy slowly turned her head toward the sound, her exhausted gaze softening instantly as she saw her children approaching.
Lila held little Hope in her arms, the baby crying softly.
"What happened to your face, Mommy?!" Aria and Lila chorused at the same time the moment they saw the different marks and bruises painted across their mother’s face. Their voices were filled with immediate worry and concern.
Ivy couldn’t help but swallow hard.
She slowly managed to push herself up from the ground, ignoring the ache in her body. Afterward, she walked toward the girls and knelt down in front of them. She forced a small smile to appear on her face, even though every muscle in her body protested.
"Uhmmm... Mommy is fine, babies," Ivy said softly. "I was just practicing some makeup on my face."
It was a lie.
A very obvious one. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
"Are you sure about that, Mommy?" Aria asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "Even your face looks like it’s in pain."
She reached out and gently touched Ivy’s cheek.
Ivy flinched instantly from the contact, unable to fully hide the pain that shot through her face. But she quickly recovered and masked her expression, forcing another smile.
"Of course I am, sweetheart," Ivy replied gently. "But trust me... Mommy is fine."
She leaned forward and planted soft kisses on both of their foreheads.
Afterward, she slowly rose back to her full height, her movements careful so as not to show how much her body was still hurting.
"Anyway, it’s better we feed Hope now," Ivy added calmly.
Aria still looked unconvinced, but she didn’t push further.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly. "What’s going on outside, Mommy?"
Lila also looked up curiously, adjusting Hope in her arms.
"Sometimes, whenever we come out here, we hear screams... and loud growls too. Even though it’s not that loud, we still hear it. What is happening?"
Aria raised an eyebrow as her gaze shifted toward the shelter fence.
Ivy’s expression tightened slightly at the question.
Aria was right.
The screams and growls of monsters were real but the children were only able to hear faint traces of them thanks to the system’s protection barrier. Inside the shelter, everything was muffled and controlled. However, once outside, faint echoes of the chaos could still reach them.
Still, Ivy couldn’t tell them the truth.
"You don’t have to worry about that, sweetheart," Ivy said softly.
She reached out gently and collected Hope from Lila’s arms.
The moment Ivy brought Hope close to her chest, the baby slowly stopped crying. Her small body relaxed instantly as she recognized the familiar warmth and scent of her mother.
Her crying faded into soft hiccups.
"There we go..." Ivy murmured softly, her voice turning gentler as she adjusted Hope in her arms.
She gently pressed Hope’s cheek against hers, rocking her slightly.
"Let’s go inside now," Ivy added.
Aria and Lila exchanged a look. Although still curious and slightly worried, they both nodded obediently.
"Okay, Mommy," they said together.
And with that, they followed Ivy back into the shelter.
