I had written a short note for my parents and handed it to Noah, asking him to deliver it somehow. I just hoped they wouldn't be too angry with me.
Aelira had gone out early to get food. I hadn't eaten anything since last night, and now… it had been almost three hours. Noah still hadn't returned.
I couldn't relax.
The Astryx might still be searching for me. What if they found my parents…? What if they used them to get to me?
Just the thought made my chest tighten.
If that ever happens… I have to be ready.
I need to train—get stronger—not just for myself,
but to protect them.
No matter what it takes… I won't let anyone harm my family.
I stood up and walked toward the river. Splashing some water on my face helped a little. As I looked across to the far edge of the river, something sparked in my mind.
Joe's ability... I have it now. Super speed. Could I make it across in a single dash?
"Only one way to find out," I muttered.
I stepped back, bent my knees slightly, and took position.
Then—
Dash!
I surged forward, wind screaming in my ears, feet barely touching the ground. My body cut through the air like a blade, skimming just above the riverbank. Not a single drop touched me.
I was fast. Really fast.
But—
WHAM!
My legs didn't stop in time.
I slammed right into a tree trunk and crashed hard onto the ground.
"Ow..."
"Are you hurt?" a voice called out.
I twisted my head—and there she was.
Aelira, standing calmly with a grocery bag in her arms.
"I'm fine… Just testing something," I replied quickly, brushing off the dirt.
She didn't say anything. Just walked past me like nothing had happened.
I pushed myself up and followed behind her. Without a word, she spread out a blanket on the grass near the river and sat down gracefully.
She start removing food item she bring and she remove pizza and cold drink I think she was old period women so she didn't like fast food. I take one bite of pizza
"you are looking handsome then before" she say
I fell different
"thanks" I say
Aelira pulled out a book from her bag and quietly began reading. I glanced around—and finally spotted Noah hopping back through the trees.
A breath of relief escaped my lips.
"My parents… are they okay?" I asked quickly.
Noah didn't speak, of course. He simply raised a paw and made an "OK" sign with his fingers—somehow. Weirdly expressive for a rabbit.
I exhaled deeply. "Good…"
But then something else hit me.
But I needed to see for myself.
"Noah… can you take me with you? I want to see everything," I said, stepping closer. "Just show me what you saw."
Without warning, Noah's mouth opened wide—unnaturally wide—and CHOMP!
He swallowed me whole.
In an instant, I was inside his stomach, watching everything through a strange translucent. My vision adjusted, and soon, I saw what he wanted to show me.
My house.
My parents' bedroom—completely destroyed.
They were standing there, shocked and confused. Around them, relatives were murmuring anxiously. A few police officers were present too. One of them held up the note I had left.
They were reading it.
From their expressions… I think they understood me. At least, I hoped they did.
Before I could observe more—
"BLEEEHH!"
Without warning, Noah vomited me out.
Again.
Covered in slime. Again.
Great. Another bath.
As I stumbled to my feet, Aelira walked over, brushing her hair back.
"Noah, give me the 56th collection box," she said calmly.
Noah opened his jaw wide and—blurp!—spit out a small treasure chest.
She opened it and pulled out a single book.
Then, without hesitation, Noah swallowed the entire chest again.
"He can store that many things?" I muttered, still dripping.
Aelira reached into her pouch, pulled out a carrot, and held it out.
Noah's eyes lit up. He leaped into the air and chomped the carrot down in one bite.
"Rabbit monsters have two stomachs," she explained. "One for food… and one for storing objects. In the olden days, people used them as living storage containers."
I blinked. "That's… actually kind of amazing."
She nodded. "But most rabbits didn't have such smelly vomit." She wrinkled her nose slightly and took a step back from me. "You should bathe. Again."
I sighed. "Yeah, yeah… I know."
After taking a bath, I put on the clothes she had brought for me. When I glanced at the label, I was shocked—these were expensive. She must have a lot of money... I thought, adjusting the fit.
Dressed, I walked over to Aelire. She quietly closed the book in her hands and gestured for me to sit.
"Now that you have Joe's power," she began, her tone calm yet firm, "you need to learn to control it. Only then can you protect yourself."
She tapped the book's cover. "After reading this, I finally understand how to train you."
I leaned forward, curious. "Can I take a look at that book?"
"Of course," she said, handing it to me.
As I opened it, I was immediately lost. The pages were filled with symbols I couldn't understand.
"What language is this?" I asked, squinting at the strange script.
"It's an ancient language," she replied casually. "You don't know it?"
I shook my head and returned the book to her. "Is there more... like that pink diamond?"
"There are," she nodded. "And each one has a different ability. The pink one you found is for power exchange. Red grants for overpower. Green can bring the dead back to life. Blue shows the past. And black... it lets you control spirits."
Her expression turned serious.
"But these stones are extremely rare. I only found the pink one after 3,000 years,".
Then, she stands and stretched.
"Anyway, enough talk. It's time to begin your training."
Aelira stood beside me, her arms crossed.
"Start walking normally," she instructed. "After a few steps, gradually increase your speed."
I nodded and took a step forward. My pace was steady at first, but by the third step, I quickened it. Then faster. Soon, I was running at a regular pace.
"Good," she said behind me. "Now, don't go any faster. Just run two laps around this area."
I kept running, waiting for the familiar burn of exhaustion—but it didn't come. My breathing was steady, my legs light. No sweat dripped from my skin. My stamina wasn't dropping at all.
"After every two laps, increase your speed," Aelira called out.
I followed her instructions—two laps, then faster. This process helped me find my rhythm and push my limits. The hardest part wasn't the speed—it was keeping my mind balanced. At first, my brain couldn't keep up. My thoughts lagged behind my body. But I kept pushing, again and again.
Eventually, my speed reached its peak. My mind didn't panic anymore. I was calm… silent inside. I can control it now… I can handle this speed.
It took three hours to reach that point.
Nearby, Aelira was gathering her papers while Noah slept peacefully next to her. I ran over and quickly sat down on her left side—but the sudden gust from my movement stirred the air.
The papers flew into the air, scattering around us.
Aelira shot me a sharp glare.
"S-sorry!" I panicked and scrambled to pick up the papers, gathering them as fast as I could.
The air around me still trembled with speed—but Noah? He didn't even stir. Somehow, he was still sleeping through it all.
Aelira placed a single slice of pizza on a flat rock. I stood about meters away, watching her curiously as she picked up a wooden stick.
"Joe's eye can track and predict movement," she said, holding the stick like a weapon. "Your task is to grab the pizza… without getting hit by me."
I nodded. Sounds easy enough.
Then she muttered a short spell. A faint glow surrounded her eye—it turned crimson red.
"This eye lets me see your movements in slow motion," she explained. "I even used it on Joe once, but… I still couldn't land a single hit on him."
I stepped forward, ready. As I began moving toward the pizza, Aelira stayed still, eyes locked on the spot where I had just been. Maybe she didn't see me properly...
Just as I reached out to grab the slice—
Whack!
Her stick cracked against my hand. It was thick and heavy—pain shot through me instantly, leaving a red mark across my skin.
"Come on. Again," she said firmly, resetting her stance.
I gritted my teeth, got up, and tried again. I weaved toward her, watching her closely—but before I could get close, she struck again. I stepped back, dodging. She kept swinging, fast and precise. Each step I took pushed me farther from the pizza.
I missed my chance and tried to slip around the side—but she was faster. Another strike landed on my back.
Thwack!
A sharp sting ran down my spine, another red line forming. But after a while, the pain faded. I stood again.
And tried.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Hours passed—three, maybe more. My body was covered in red welts. The wooden stick had painted lines across my arms, legs, and back.
Still, I kept moving.
I have to finish this. No matter how much it hurt. And I stand again
Even with her red eye activated, my speed was higher.
I focused—locked my gaze on her—and timed every movement. The moment her arm lifted to strike, I dropped low, blocking the attack and slipping past her defense. I was getting closer… closer to the pizza.
She turned quickly, swinging the stick again—but this time, I moved with precision.
My hand snatched the slice, and I dashed away before she could land another hit.
Finally,... I did it.
Aelira lowered her weapon and gave a small nod. "Congrats. You did it."
I dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. My body ached, and I could feel my stamina draining fast. My energy was nearly gone.
"That's enough for today," she said, her voice softer now. "We need to leave this place. Right now."
I groaned. "Can I just sleep... for a long time first?"
"You can rest inside Noah's stomach," she offered casually.
I sat up, shaking my head. "No, I'm fine. I don't need rest. I'm ready to go."
I took my clothes, wrapped them in a plastic bag, and stored them inside Noah's compartment.
"Alright," I said, standing. "Where to?"
"We're heading to Nexora," she replied. "We'll fly there."
Nexora… that was 500 kilometers away.That's a long journey...