A terrifying shadow emerged from the trees, advancing toward a group of monsters lying on the ground.
They trembled at his gaze and presence, and one of them stammered:
"Where are the crops? Huff… huff!"
"We'll bring them to you, please…" one replied, sweating, avoiding his eyes.
He stomped on him after he finished speaking and said, "How long will you remain helpless… what nonsense! I'll go myself!"
---
Elsewhere, at the same time, Toki shook off his coat, torn from a fierce attack, while on a large wooden cart covered with leather.
Around the cart, Luna's aura danced with the wind, while the faint sound of the four wheels turning could be heard, as if rolling over sea sand.
As Toki's wounds healed, Raizel adjusted his leather hat and asked:
"You two… your auras are very prominent."
Toki replied coldly and with surprise, "Really? I don't feel that."
Luna nodded her head slightly, noticing eleven monsters in strange, uncomfortable positions.
Raizel continued, "This is unusual; there hasn't been monster interference in a long time.
I spend every day controlling the flow of my aura during this work."
He added, "Monsters are often drawn to greater spiritual energy by instinct, like a dog chasing a ball or something similar."
As they walked atop the treetops along a path of Luna's ash, precision-like monsters shot toward them.
Luna's aura shielding the cart began to crack under the rapid consecutive attacks.
In a split second, both Toki and Luna spun backward, sensing someone watching them — a feeling as if their souls might be ripped from their bodies.
In the blink of an eye, they found themselves in the hands of the Tricerhameo clan leader, who stretched his arms close to crush them along with the cart, mouth wide open.
They didn't even realize it until a thunderclap descended from the sky at that exact moment, leaving a trail of ash in the air.
"Surprise?!" Shun had landed with a sly sideways smile, staring directly into the monster's eyes.
Shun moved the monster to an open area, then the massive creature retreated.
The Tricerhameo leader exuded his aura in anger: "You nuisance?! So you've come!"
Shun entered the scene within a third of a second, confusing everyone.
He brought the cart and horse to a safe place, taunting the glass-shelled creatures' leader:
"Unfortunately… this time, I won't be the one stopping you.
I'll make you a teaching tool."
Luna whispered in astonishment, "Is this what that goat meant about being careful of pack leaders?"
Shun instructed Raizel to continue toward the next village, mentioning he had already defeated those monsters, which enraged the creature.
Toki, ever blunt, asked, "Hey! Can I eat them?"
Shun responded sarcastically, "Huh? What is this?" Opening his mouth in disbelief.
The Tricerhameo leader charged, eyes spiraling with fury, leaving chaos of rocks and fallen trees behind.
"Don't joke with me!" he bellowed.
Shun grabbed him with his right hand: "This is the one you'll face."
Toki barely dodged its attack: "This is bad!" His expression showed he had swallowed something bitter.
Shun then gestured toward Toki with his other hand.
Toki hesitated, trying to back away: "I've had enough of this."
Shun chuckled lightly, grabbed him by the neck, and said seriously: "You…"
"Got it. Got it, I'm with you." Toki sighed.
Amidst the tension, Luna put her hand near her mouth, holding her stomach from laughing, wiping tears from her cheeks.
She was a few steps behind, while the monster surged forward with terrifying speed despite its size, heading toward Raizel's path.
Toki quietly asked about his direction, while Luna said she had already sent four of her copies to handle it.
Shun shouted angrily that it wouldn't be enough — the monster was stronger than it seemed.
The creature ran wildly between tree trunks, tongue lolling in the wind, unaware it was trapped.
Four white copies of Luna, surrounded by ash particles, encircled the monster, wielding weapons.
Before one of them could execute an acrobatic strike, the monster roared violently, scattering them.
A stream of electricity passed around it, returning it to the place where Luna, Toki, and Shun were regrouping.
Shun jumped to a mid-height branch, followed by Luna.
"I admit your skill, Toki, especially your fencing expertise," Shun said.
He then added thoughtfully, "But if you don't master your spiritual pulses… you won't survive in a world full of power and authority, serving hypocrisy amid chaos."
Toki replied coldly, puzzled, "What does that have to do with me?"
The monster glanced left and right, searching for its followers.
"What do you think of this proposal…" Shun added to the Tricerhameo leader:
"…If you win against this boy, I'll bring you something better than crops, but if you lose, you must leave the area."
The monster smirked maliciously: "You compare me to this brat? What a coward."
"Have you started herding strangers instead of your sheep?" it licked its lips, tongue long.
Its terrifying eyes met Toki's directly: "Take that, stubborn one… it's part of our principles too."
Toki stared coldly: "You mean one-on-one direct combat." His eyes gradually turned green.
Toki took his stance: torso slightly forward, right arm carrying the sword behind, knees bent, left hand near the hilt.
Shun told him he now knew how to release his spiritual energy alone, but he needed to learn how to control it and his aura.
Toki closed his eyes, plunging into the depths of his restrained soul, thinking: "What is this strange feeling… like I'm drowning in space or falling from a high sky. I must hear my spiritual heartbeat and find it."
He saw a vast space, sky above, dark ground below.
As he fell, a giant sphere radiating immense black-and-white energy appeared before him. He reached for it, trying to grasp it.
Seconds before touching it, he turned slightly to see a small sphere radiating pure blue; he couldn't see it fully and returned to reality after being swallowed by the sphere.
A terrifying aura erupted from him, screaming through the area. Despite his confusion, he felt a massive energy flow through his entire body.
"So this is what it feels like to possess spiritual pulses… Servaris," Toki muttered, raising his gaze toward the Tricerhameo leader.
Shun was astonished by the pressure around him, thinking internally: he was right — Toki's pulses were only restrained, now freed.
Luna froze, pupils shrinking from the powerful surge.
The surrounding tree leaves were affected too.
The monster's fingers hardened into three blade-like claws, aura a mix of blue and purple.
It launched an attack toward Toki's chest.
Toki countered, enveloping his sword in condensed aura.
He staggered from the force of the blow.
Wind howled violently, sparks flying.
The monster exploited the moment, preparing a spinning attack.
Its scales clashed with Toki's sword.
His sword shattered, and he countered with aura-encased punches.
The monster dodged Toki's last punches, narrowly avoiding him.
Toki looked at his bloodied fists: "I'm starting to understand what flow and containment are… it's similar to my way of using Hiemneh."
Both the Tricerhameo leader and Toki assumed serious stances.
The true battle ensued.
The clash continued from noon until evening.
Hours of equal and violent collisions passed.
Toki stood proudly, immobile, with a serious shoulder injury.
His aura wilted slowly, body covered in blood. Breathing was difficult.
The monster also stood motionless, both staring at each other with respect.
The fight ended in a draw between Toki and the leader.
The Tricerhameo leader muttered in anger:
"What foolishness… to lose to you…"
Then vanished with his followers, leaving Toki gasping: "How long will I remain still like this…"
Luna approached Toki to support him, happiness filling her seeing him at his peak enjoyment.
Shun congratulated them on reaching this level.
Placing his hand on Toki's head, he added with a wide smile: "Take three days off — this is your victory. Agreed~"
Luna raised her head as the calm wind and orange-blue sunlight scattered her pink hair, bringing reassurance once more.
She whispered to herself doubtfully: "But is this all?...."