Today was different…
Sunlight filtered through the orchard branches, and the gentle breeze rustled the leaves. The old man sat watching his spiritual son, Baran, working diligently, then turned to his old wife and asked in a voice filled with worry:
> "This boy is working hard today. Did something happen to him?"
The old woman did not answer.
A moment of silence passed before the old man remembered that Baran was about to leave. He tried to get up with difficulty and said in a hoarse voice:
> "Yes… yes, it has been three years since Baran came here. He was just like my son…"
He sighed a little, then raised his head and called out with a voice full of nostalgic warmth and weariness:
> "Baran!"
When Baran arrived, he said in an annoyed tone:
> "What do you want now? Can't you see I'm busy? I'm about to become a fighter at the level of existence?!!"
The old man's eyes widened in shock.
He never imagined that Baran thought he could reach the level of existence before completing the skill transformation. However, he saw in his eyes a determination unlike any human.
The old man said hesitantly:
> "Yes, yes... you will definitely arrive, but tell me, have you completed your skill transformation?"
Baran replied, glancing at his hands with some weariness:
> "No, I'm only about seventy-five percent... Do you think this is enough?"
The old man stared at him with anxious eyes and asked:
> "Did Zalfirion say anything else about the skill? Like where to find it or how to do it?"
Baran sighed deeply and replied in a dull voice:
> "I told you, he didn't tell me anything about the skill... All he mentioned was that its name was Black Lightning Dragon."
The old man told him:
> "You must practice more to discover the secrets of skill…"
Then he suddenly stopped and pointed towards the orchard, saying:
> "Look over there."
A man approached quickly, his face full of fear and panic, sweating and screaming:
> "Please… help me! He's going to kill me… he's going to kill me!"
Baran trembled at the horror of the scene but tried to control himself.
He approached cautiously and said in a quiet but firm voice:
> "Calm down, we will help you, but first tell us what happened."
The man sat on the ground, leaning on his legs, blood dripping onto the dirt, gasping:
> "He... he attacked me... he wanted to kill me..."
The old man looked at Baran and smiled — but this time, his smile was mixed with caution:
> "It seems our troubles today have not even begun yet..."