Raze returned to the real world, it was still cold and dark out there, but he could tell that it would be morning soon.
He sat down beside Elaine, but gave her enough distance so that he didn't disturb her. Then he shut his eyes.
"Find the energy deep within, Qi, find it." He muttered, falling into his trance-like concentration state.
Minutes turned to hours and finally he sensed it, an energy that originated not from his mana core, but from his body, every fiber, every vessel, they held this power.
As he found it, a soft blue glow surrounded his body for a few seconds and then died down.
[Qi sense awakened]
He got up on his feet and looked at his hands, he could already feel all the energy that his body was releasing now, he grabbed a rock from the ground and with a good squeeze, he shattered the rock right there, its debris fell to the ground.
"Damn, this is crazy." He muttered.
But this state wasn't his real strength, it was a state where he was channeling all his Qi constantly. There was no way for him to sustain this, because the Qi put an enormous strain on his muscles and over time he would have to stop.
The only thing he could use those for was what the book specified, some exercises. He had flipped over to the other page to see what exercises he needed and the first he saw was basic ones that he knew already.
So without wasting time, he got to work and started push-ups. He was a person that never needed much exercise in both lives, but now he had to, if he wanted to get stronger.
He kept going, switching from push-ups, to sit-ups and to squats.
Before long, the sun rose, and he had been working out for hours non-stop, the Qi worked like steroids on steroids.
By the time it was morning, he stood there, covered in sweat, his body no longer like what it was a few hours back, he was looking far more toned and stronger.
"If humans from Earth knew about Qi, bodybuilding would be taken to a whole new level." He muttered.
He put on his shirt and walked to the site, feeling rejuvenated despite the fact that he worked out that long, all thanks to Qi.
He started working on the walls by himself, lifting large planks of wood and placing them before nailing them properly. The sound of the hammer hitting a nail woke Elaine up.
She rubbed her eyes as she got up, "Young master." She muttered, looking up when seeing him at the site working already.
Half an hour went by and the men of the town came back, this time more than yesterday, they got to work immediately and with Raze's guide, the bathhouse was rising fast, it looked like at this pace, they would finish this today.
Raze was stunned to be honest, seeing the speed of construction, it went without saying that the average man in this world was a lot stronger than someone from Earth.
But Raze couldn't allow them to know this, why would he do that?
"Hey!!! It's already day two, come on, work faster, but don't dare compromise on the quality. We should already be soaking in the good warm water of the bathhouse." He yelled, and his yelling worked, the men worked with more vigor.
But that wasn't the only thing that changed on this second day, as women came from their houses, some to help work and some came along with food that they had prepared from their homes.
"Young master, it seems your actions are bringing the people together." Elaine said, standing behind him.
"Yeah I guess so, I honestly didn't think we would make this much progress in the first few days.
Sadly, when things go this good, there is always an issue looming, I wonder what my father will do today. I refused to return home and I have continued on my path, I can already tell that he is enraged." Raze said, he stood there, looking in the direction of the manor.
[.....]
BAM!
The baron slammed his fist into the table, he looked at the knight that had come bearing the report, his eyes burned with anger.
"Ready my knights, ten of them, and ready my horse, we'll ride to see my son today." He said.
"My Lord, if I may ask, what is it you plan to do?" The knight asked.
The baron shot him a cold look, "Do not question me. The boy wants to play, I'll play with him. Do as I have said, we ride out now."
The knight bowed and got up, soon after he left, Raze's mother walked into the office, she saw her husband standing there with a grim expression.
"Husband, do you really need to get violent with the boy?" She asked.
"He has disobeyed me, and gone to do something of his own accord in my town, I have to ensure that I teach him a lesson." He said.
"But what he has done has brought together the townspeople, brought happiness and given them a common goal.
Why not see it from their perspective and allow it be." She said.
He looked at her, walked to her, and hugged her close.
"The best I can do is to say that I won't harm our son." He said and walked past her. He left the manor, the horses were already outside with the men on them, he got on his horse.
"Hya!" He rode out immediately, rushing towards the edge of town, the wind blowing in his hair as he rode.
At the edge of town, Raze who had been watching keenly picked up the horses in the distance.
"It's time, my father is coming." He muttered.
"So what do we do young master?" Elaine asked.
"Whatever we must, but this project cannot come to an end." He said, a sharp gaze in his eyes, he clenched his fist hard.