Suddenly, when the group felt they were on the verge of being overwhelmed, warrior Jean leapt into action, bellowing, “Enough! Retreat now, I’ll handle the rest!” Without hesitation, they turned back and ran, all except Orion who remained oblivious to warroir Jean’s command. Orion continued to hack and slash at the dense tangle of Vylkr vines, determined to clear them until there were none left.
Watching the boy’s reckless bravery left warrior Jean conflicted. While he admired the boy’s courage and relentlessness, he couldn’t ignore that his brash attitude and carelessness could lead to his downfall as a warrior. This would not only harm the boy but the entire village as well. Nonetheless, warrior Jean couldn’t help but feel satisfied by Orion’s fearless hacking of the Vylkr vines with his machete.
Still, when warrior Jean looked back and saw that the rest of the group was safely behind him, he strode towards the Vylkr vines, extended his right hand, and activated his gift. In an instant, the air in front of his palm began to swirl and condense, thickening until it became visible to the naked eye. With a few more seconds of concentration, warrior Jean unleashed a powerful ball of air forward, hurling it towards the Vyklr vines with deadly force.
With a thunderous “Boom!”, the condensed spherical air landed on the Vylkr vines beside Orion, bursting them apart into shreds that scattered lifelessly around him. But, warrior Jean was not done yet; he conjured several more visible, condensed spheres of air and launched each one forward without hesitation. He continued to do so until the entire area was clear of any shred of the Vylkr vines, which lay lifeless on the ground around them. ｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖
By this point, Orion had ceased his attempts to cut down the Vylkr vines around him due to the relentless barrage of air bombs from the warrior, Jean. With tremendous force, warrior Jean’s attacks shredded the vines into countless pieces, leaving no place for the remaining Vylkr vines to hide.
Looking around at the aftermath of his explosive attack, warrior Jean let out a satisfied sigh. The area was now eerily peaceful, much like it had been before their arrival, except for the scattered remnants of the Vylkr vines that littered the ground. The rest of the group behind him let out a collective breath of exhaustion, their faces etched with weariness from the intense battle.
Warrior Jean narrowed his eyes and gestured for Orion to step forward. “Come here,” he commanded. Orion deactivated his gift and caught his breath before moving towards the warrior. Warrior Jean fixed him with a piercing gaze and spoke in a stern tone. “Your fight was impressive, but don’t let it go to your head. If you are not careful, the consequences of recklessness can be grave.” Orion nodded his head in understanding as warrior Jean gestured for him to rejoin the rest of the group.
Ursa was the first to leap into Orion’s arms, her hands clasping tightly around him as she whispered, “You scared me.” Orion responded by pulling her closer, his hands wrapped firmly around her waist as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, pressing her body against his. The rest of the group watched on with a newfound admiration for Orion, who had not only shown immense potential with his six-star potential but had also managed to hold his own against the swarm of Vylkr vines.
“He’s too good,” Grim muttered under his breath, loud enough for Tala to hear and nod her agreement. Despite his recklessness, there was still time for him to learn and grow. Meanwhile, Gorg watched from a distance with a withdrawn expression, keeping his thoughts and emotions hidden behind a stoic facade.
Warrior Jean turned to the group and posed a serious question, “I know that you have all awakened the potential for your inner strength with the black crystal… However, do any of you have any idea how a warrior truly awakens his inner strength?” The group shook their heads, including Orion, who was curious about the answer to this mystery that Mr Tog and Warrior Grulm had kept hidden from them.
Warrior Jean nodded, having expected their response, and then instructed, “All of you should go around and pick up a part of the dead Vylkr vines.” At first, the group was puzzled, but they followed his orders and picked up a piece of the dead Vylkr vines, each one grabbing an arm or a foot-long piece. Ursa released her grip around Orion’s body and joined the rest of the group, wondering what was about to happen.
Once they had returned to their positions, Warrior Jean didn’t hesitate before giving his next instructions. “Eat it,” he commanded. The group stared at him, wide-eyed and confused.
Warrior Jean looked at their bewildered faces and chuckled before explaining, “The black crystal only awakens your potential, but it is the Vylkr vines that hold the key to unlocking your inner strength. Eating a piece of the Vylkr vines will help you absorb its energy and awaken your inner strength.”
Noticing his piercing gaze, scanning the group for any inquiries, Tala quickly raised her hand and spoke up: “But isn’t that dangerous? Wouldn’t consuming something like the Vylkr vine harm us?” she asked, her tone tinged with concern.
Warrior Jean, observing the group’s reactions, began his explanation: “As you all already know, the Vylkr vines pose a threat on par with our own potential. A one-star Vylkr vine, which you have all faced, can be easily destroyed by a newcomer warrior or a warrior with a three-star potential. A three-star warrior can handle a two or three-star Vylkr vine, but will struggle against a four-star Vylkr vine. However, a warrior with a four-star potential can easily handle a four-star Vylkr vine and those below it. As for a five-star Vylkr vine…” A sly grin spread across Warrior Jean’s face. “Well, let’s just hope we have enough warriors on hand to handle such a threat if and when it arises.”
Tala was on the verge of asking another question when Warrior Jean interjected, “Hold on a moment. Before I address any more of your questions, why don’t you eat the vines first?”
