Chapter 217: A Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 217: A Blessing in Disguise

"And besides, you saw me too. You don't really have the right to say anything about me!"

Thomas tried to keep his voice steady, but the slight tremble gave away his inner turmoil. His mind was racing with other thoughts.

Mary's face turned even redder at his words.

In a soft, almost whispering voice, she said, "I'm sorry, I almost got you hurt before." Her voice was barely audible, filled with guilt and self-reproach.

After they straightened their clothes, the atmosphere remained awkward. Neither dared to look the other in the eye.

Whenever their gazes met, they quickly looked away, their eyes filled with shyness and embarrassment.

But beneath the awkwardness, there was a sense of relief and deep gratitude for each other.

They knew they had narrowly escaped death, and this shared experience had made their bond even stronger and more precious.

"It's a miracle we're still alive," Thomas broke the silence first, his voice tinged with the tremor and awe of someone who had just survived a life-threatening ordeal.

He lifted his head slightly, a hint of determination in his eyes.

Mary nodded slightly, her eyes glistening with tears, clear and bright. "Yeah, I thought we were really done for this time. From now on, we have to be more careful."

Her voice was gentle yet firm, filled with reverence for life and hope for the future.

"We need to study this Deer Fruit carefully. We can't let something like this happen again."

Thomas found the Deer Fruit fascinating, with many secrets they had yet to uncover.

Once they had recovered, Mary and Thomas experienced an unexpected surprise. They clearly felt astonishing changes in their bodies.

Mary suddenly felt a surge of strength throughout her body, a power that leaped and danced in every muscle, making her feel light and agile.

Unable to contain her excitement, she started running. In an instant, her speed was beyond imagination, like a gust of wind.

With a light tap of her feet, she covered a distance of over ten feet in a flash.

"I get it!"

Mary stopped, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"The most amazing thing about this fruit isn't just detoxification; it completely transformed our physical abilities! My speed now is several times faster than before!"

With that, she moved again, circling Thomas at an incredible speed. This time, she was even faster.

Her figure became a blur, a phantom-like streak of light flashing before Thomas's eyes, much faster than before.

Thomas's eyes widened, but he could only see a vague blur, unable to catch her precise movements.

Witnessing Mary's incredible speed, Thomas was both shocked and curious, eager to know what changes had occurred in his own body.

His gaze fell on a solid stone wall in front of him, which looked thick and unbreakable.

Taking a deep breath, Thomas slowly gathered his strength into his right fist.

He could clearly feel the power surging through his muscles, his arm tensing with explosive force.

With a loud shout, he swung his fist and struck the stone wall hard.

A loud bang echoed through the space, causing the entire area to tremble violently. Stone chips flew, and dust filled the air.

A four-foot-deep hole appeared in the stone wall, its edges jagged, with rubble scattered all around.

Thomas stared at his fist, then at the large hole he had created, his face filled with disbelief. "Did I really do that?"

Mary was equally stunned, taking a moment to snap out of it before exclaiming, "Oh my God! Is this even possible?"

"Thomas, how much strength did you use?"

Thomas, still in shock, shook his head and stammered, "I-I didn't expect this. It felt like I only used about 20% of my strength."

Mary's jaw dropped even further. She knew Thomas had always been strong, but never capable of such destruction.

If this was just 20% of his strength, the full force would be unimaginable, like a powerful bomb leveling everything around it. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

Thomas tried to calm himself, closing his eyes to feel the surging power within him.

At that moment, his body seemed like a powerful energy container, with strength coursing through it.

He could feel his muscles becoming more solid and powerful, each one brimming with energy, ready to explode at any moment.

His bones felt harder, like steel, capable of withstanding immense impact.

His breathing became deep and strong, each inhale filling his body with more power.

The sensation of controlling such immense strength was both thrilling and a bit terrifying.

"This fruit's effects are unbelievable!"

Thomas couldn't help but exclaim, "If this were in a novel, it would definitely be one of those miraculous treasures that transform you completely!"

This thing was truly a rare treasure, not something you could get just because you wanted it, though the process was painful.

Mary smiled and nodded, "Yeah, we really turned misfortune into a blessing this time."

"With this kind of power, we finally have the strength to leave here and return to the outside world."

Just then, George came bounding over, landing lightly on Mary's shoulder.

Mary's eyes fell on George, immediately noticing its significant changes.

George's once ordinary brown fur had turned a brilliant gold, shining brightly even in the dim room.

Its eyes were brighter and more intelligent, as if it could see through everything, exuding a lively and mysterious aura.

Mary reached out and gently petted George's head, smiling, "You little guy, you must have eaten the Deer Fruit too, huh?"

"Look at you, you've changed a lot too!"

George seemed to understand Mary, shaking its head proudly and letting out a few happy chirps.

It was as if it was responding to Mary and showing off its new look, clearly pleased with itself.

Thomas watched Mary and George, feeling a flood of emotions.

Reflecting on their arduous journey, they had faced countless challenges and dangers, even coming close to despair. Yet, this accidental poisoning incident, thanks to the Deer Fruit, had given them such powerful strength and physical transformation.

He knew this power was not just a physical enhancement but also a heavy responsibility and mission.

"We can't waste this God-given opportunity."

Thomas said with determination, "Now that we have this power, we need to use it to do meaningful things and protect the people we care about."