[ Strike 6 → 8 ]
[ Aura Control 2 → 3 ]
[ Earth-Heart Method 5 → 6 ]
I laughed in amusement. My aura felt different now—and not just it, but me as well.
I could now feel it infused into my bones, the way it always should have been.
Naturally, my understanding of it increased, as did my paws and my circulation technique.
Considering that I could now effectively feel the flow of Primordial Force, I should be able to use it in combat.
And of course… a few more uses as well…
'The first stage is done… now for the second…'
Slowly, I guided the aura through my being, searching for something that would interact with it.
Before long, my aura collided with another foreign aura, causing a chain reaction.
Suddenly, shocks coursed through my body, trying to subdue me—trying to force me into submission.
That was the seal the king had placed on me.
As long as it was there, I couldn't even think about harming humans.
'Ah, how long have I dreamed of this?'
A wide smile crossed my face as my aura concentrated, increasing its density.
An old dream of mine.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
The seal began to shatter inside me as a sadistic glint crossed my eyes.
BOOOM
Suddenly, everything around me exploded, throwing chairs and tables far away.
The mayor watched the scene in awe, even he gritting his teeth to avoid being swept away by the explosion.
'With this, the second stage is complete…'
I stretched my neck and sighed, then turned to face the mayor.
"Pay attention. I'm going to tell you something fun." I laughed lightly as I pulled up memories long buried beneath the desert sands.
"When it comes to wars, there are no winners unless you fight like an idiot. That's why I'll tell you this, you damn fool."
I slowly walked toward him, my aura for the first time slipping out of control as more and more memories flowed back to me.
I could see fear in his eyes as a past that refused to stay buried was forced back to the surface.
"Real men aren't those who fight to the death, but those who punch death in the face and say 'not today!'"
Flames erupted from my body, out of my control.
"Real men are those who win, no matter the battle! Because only victory will bring you peace, only victory will bring you freedom, only victory will set you free! So fight for nothing but victory, because only victory matters! Only victory has value! Only victory has meaning!"
The mayor suddenly fell backward as I approached, his gaze trembling as if he were seeing a demon opening the gates of hell.
It seemed I wasn't the only one remembering a distant past—he was too.
With just a few words, I freed the deepest demons of two hearts.
I sighed, reining in my power before speaking.
"In my name, I, Kai, the one with the heart of fire, promise to fight until victory and place every one of your enemies into your hands. But for that, I need you to fight with victory in mind."
"…"
Silence fell as we stared at each other.
Finally, the mayor took a deep breath and slowly stood up, brushing himself off.
"You're intense, kid," he said with a frown. "But I think I needed to hear something like that."
He inhaled deeply and looked at me.
"My ears are open. What's the plan?"
…
"Euphy, I need you to go to Condor immediately," I suddenly said to my motionless companion.
"I don't want to," she said with a yawn. "I don't know what the hell you're planning, but I want to rest. Do whatever you want, just leave me alone."
"Euphy, I need you to go to Condor immediately," I repeated.
"Repeating it won't change anything. I'm not deaf."
"Euphy, I need you to go to Condor immediately."
She suddenly growled and scratched her head in irritation.
"Who the hell do you think you are to—"
WOOSH
Suddenly my aura shot forward like an arrow, piercing through the tree and penetrating Euphy's skull straight toward her mind.
Euphy let out a sharp scream as her body convulsed and fell from the tree.
"If you're going to reject me, at least look me in the eyes when you do," I said with a snort as she hit the ground with a thud.
"Tsk."
Euphy clicked her tongue as she stood up angrily, teeth clenched. Her eyes were as sharp as her stance.
"You've always been like this, haven't you, Kai? Always thinking you're the strongest. A grand, arrogant bastard, as always!" she said angrily as her aura stirred.
"But let me tell you something. I've always gone easy on you. I've always been the stronger one, and I could always dominate you. And it's long past time I showed you that!"
She quickly assumed a combat stance, her aura controlled with mastery as Primordial Force flowed intensely through her body, visibly strengthening her.
She had never used Primordial Force in combat until now.
She had always held back, since day one.
I took a deep breath.
"I know, Euphy. And you should know that I've always thought you talk too much instead of fighting. Just shut up already."
"…"
"…"
We stared deeply at each other, our gazes sharper than ever before.
And what followed happened within a single second.
Euphy lunged like a spear, her palm aiming to rip off my limb without mercy.
At the same time, my clawn shot forward to crush her slender torso, flames burning fiercely and further propelling the attack.
Euphy watched the movement carefully, knowing it was a technique made of Primordial Force.
However, she believed I didn't truly master Primordial Force and that this ability was crude, gained through a flawed evolution.
She could devote part of her Primordial Force to neutralize my attack, at worst.
She chose to continue her attack without defending, believing I would abort mine first, resulting in a quick exchange with her having the advantage.
She advanced confidently.
However, that wasn't what happened.
WOOSH BOOOM
"But what?" Euphy murmured as her face burned along with her torso, arms, and legs.
My clawn collided with her unobstructed, carrying searing power.
The force soon split her body in two, the upper half flying away at high speed.
Euphy crashed into seven trees as her body twisted more and more with each impact.
Finally, a rock stopped her body with a heavy thud, her face frozen in disbelief.
"Three to one, Euphy," I laughed, having lost my limb at that moment.
But Euphy had lost half her body and suffered severe injuries.
"This isn't how it ends!" she said as she activated one of her magical artifacts.
A new torso regenerated, already clothed.
"Bad loser…" Just as quickly, my limb began to regenerate, consuming Primordial Force.
[ Skill Acquired: [ Healing (Lv.1) ] ]
"When the hell did you learn that?!" she said, irritated and incredulous. "How do you have these powers?! I never taught you any of that! Even I don't know how to do that!"
"Huh? Weren't you the one who knew everything and more, and I was the arrogant bastard?"
I laughed, provoking her.
Euphy growled, growing increasingly stressed.
Soon she drew her usual weapons: bow and arrows, along with a dagger.
"Then I guess it's time we fight for real!"
WOOSH
In a single step, she crossed dozens of meters, her dagger centimeters from my neck.
BOOM
My paws exploded, propelling me backward as the other lunged at Euphy.
SHING SHING SHING
In an instant, dozens of blows were exchanged.
Blood ran down Euphy's cheek, just as it did mine.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Suddenly I erupted in flames, making each strike carry crushing power.
Euphy tried to dodge as fast as she could, but soon lost an arm to my claws.
Her mind worked at its limit to keep up with my attacks.
At close range, I was stronger.
In the midst of it all, I bit her, sinking my fangs into her other arm and tearing it off.
In the next instant, she was sent flying by a blow to the torso.
Euphy quickly healed herself midair, then collided with a tree, using it as a springboard to disappear into the canopy.
Suddenly, day turned to night as arrows rained down on me—both real and made of aura.
'Damn it, she had an artifact like that… Well, it doesn't really matter…'
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Real arrows don't change trajectory. Just explode the ground to deflect them, or explode the air so the shockwave deals with them.
SHING SHING SHING
As for aura arrows, they neutralize each other with aura. I thought as I summoned hundreds of aura arrows above me.
The darkness lit up like fireworks.
Euphy growled in hatred as I moved closer and closer, following the arrows' trajectory.
Suddenly, her aura condensed into a ballista arrow. Sweat streamed down Euphy's face as a sadistic, broken smile crossed her lips.
She laughed.
"Deal with this!"
BOOOM
With a burst, the ballista arrow shot forward. Colliding with it meant suffering mental damage and collapsing.
I couldn't allow that, or it would be my defeat.
'This will be a gamble…'
Breaking is easier than building.
However…
That ballista wasn't of an enlightenment beyond my reach, but of a different one.
I learned to increase aura density, while Euphy learned the ballista arrow.
Suddenly, my aura condensed into a dense, heavy shield in front of me.
That was the peak of my aura.
That was the peak of Euphy's.
BOOOOM
Shockwaves swept through the forest as bolts of aura spread across the contact zone.
I clenched my teeth, trying to keep the shield's form intact, while Euphy screamed, trying to push the arrow forward.
CRACK
One of them began to fracture, the sound echoing everywhere.
CRACK
We both watched, tense.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
Thick sweat ran down my forehead, and then…
BOOOM
The arrow exploded into a sea of beautiful sparks, shining in the deep darkness, while the shield remained standing.
"W-what?" Euphy stammered as I cut through the sea of sparks in the same instant.
I reached her quickly.
One more attack and she would lose.
I would win in what she was sovereign over.
But then…
"Fuck! How annoying…" she said before sighing heavily and letting her body fall from the tree, defeated.
She accepted her loss.
I watched her fall and sighed as well, following after her.
"Clear your head?" I asked, sitting beside her.
"I think so. Fighting brought me back to reality," she said as she stood up and stretched her back. "So we're going to save this village, right? What do you need again?"
"I need you to cross the Condor border and fetch something for me." Euphy pondered my words for a moment.
"Okay. Just tell me what it is."
"You'll obey that easily?"
"Yep. Why not?"