As Orion gazed at the towering Fiona, a wave of apprehension washed over him. Her towering presence was enhanced by the swirling black strands of energy emanating from every inch of her body. Her eyes held a fierce intensity, and the ethereal strands of her hair seemed to defy gravity, giving her an even more imposing figure. This was a side of Fiona he had never seen before, and he couldn’t help but gulp instinctively, realizing that warriors possessed such a formidable form.
However, refusing to be overshadowed, Orion made a bold decision. He released the suppressed Vylkr energy within him, allowing it to surge through his body. Instantly, the intensity of his lightning increased, crackling with renewed vigour. Bolts of electrifying energy erupted from his outstretched hand, cascading across the ground in a mesmerizing display. They bounced and weaved, creating a vibrant dance of visible blue lightning that illuminated the reddish clay ground around Orion.
Internally, Fiona was taken aback by the sheer power of Orion’s lightning. It wasn’t fear that coursed through her, but rather a sense of familiarity that stirred within her as the electrifying energy danced around her body. However, before she could fully grasp the nature of that familiarity, Orion abruptly deactivated his gift, locking eyes with Fiona’s blackish gaze. He taunted, “Even if you were the most skilled warrior of your generation, do you think it would bode well for you if I were to report that I was threatened and assaulted by my fellow warrior?” Fiona’s eyes narrowed in response, ready to retort, but as she parted her lips to speak, she abruptly shut them tight, as if a sudden realization had dawned upon her. After a moment of contemplation, she cautiously began, “There’s no way th…” only to immediately clamp her mouth shut once more, realizing that she may have mistaken him for someone else entirely.
Witnessing Fiona’s reaction and hearing her hesitant words, a triumphant smile unfurled on Orion’s face. This was his chance to finally leverage his growing reputation. As one of the skilled warriors in the village, evident from Fiona’s unearthly appearance, he was confident that she had heard of a young man who had aced the inner strength evaluation with an outstanding six-star potential. Although uncertain of Fiona’s own star potential, he doubted it exceeded three or four. The compelling prospect emerged: What if a young man possessed greater potential than her, capable of surpassing her in the very pursuit she had dedicated her entire life to? And what if this same young man had always been captivated by her, seizing every opportunity to engage in conversation and delve into her life? .
Orion acknowledged the uncertainty of the situation and the unpredictability of Fiona’s reaction. After all, he possessed neither the ability to foresee the future nor the gift to read minds. However, he understood the ever-changing nature of a woman’s emotions—how they could shift from intense hatred to curiosity or even love in the blink of an eye. As Fiona remained speechless, seemingly lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, Orion cleared his throat and took the initiative. “I believe this misunderstanding stems from the fact that I haven’t properly introduced myself,” he began. With a confident tone, he continued, “I am Orion, one of this year’s awakened warriors who managed to awaken a six-star potential during the inner strength evaluation.”
Fiona’s eyes widened in astonishment as the black strands of energy abruptly dissipated into thin air, leaving no trace of their existence. Her gaze scanned Orion’s entire body, searching for confirmation. Without warning, she extended her right hand and firmly grasped his shoulders. Orion tensed, unsure of how to react, but as he witnessed the dark wisps of energy emanating from Fiona’s palm and seeping into his own body, he remained motionless, feeling the Vylkr energy within him stir with newfound intensity. With a deep sigh of release, Fiona loosened her grip and sank down to sit on the ground, massaging her head with her fingers.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a warrior, or better yet, the Orion I had heard so much about?” Fiona asked, a mix of curiosity and frustration evident in her voice.
“Because, to be honest, I didn’t want you to suddenly develop an interest in me solely based on my popularity,” Orion responded unpretentiously. He had never been the type to leverage his fame as a tool to attract others, recognizing that fame could be fleeting and unreliable.
Fiona studied Orion intently, contemplating how the young man standing before her was the same famous Orion she had heard about. Her thoughts momentarily derailed, as she had anticipated him to bask in the privileges that accompanied his fame. She had expected him to enjoy the fawning over him simply due to his extraordinary six-star potential, which promised unparalleled skill and strength, potentially surpassing her and everyone else in his generation. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but respond, “Nevertheless, this situation is quite troublesome. If you hadn’t revealed your identity as a warrior, what would you have done if I had attacked you?”.
“Then, I would have found myself in a lot of problems,” Orion promptly replied, his face twitching ever so slightly at the thought of Fiona’s previous form.
While his original plan had veered off course more than he had anticipated, there was still a lingering uncertainty as to whether it would have worked at all. However, he felt a sense of relief that it had indeed worked out. “Bur, I doubt that our previous conversations would have gone the way they did if I had introduced myself like that, right from the start,” Orion added, his gaze fixated on Fiona as she sat before him, her imposing figure and immense bust now fully exposed to his eyes.
“You’re right,” Fiona admitted, her voice tinged with weariness as she let out a sigh. “If you had introduced yourself like that, I would have seen you as nothing more than an arrogant brat who cares more about exploiting your fame than reaching your full potential as a warrior. However, based on what I’ve seen of you so far, I don’t believe that’s the case. So, I’m open to hearing your explanation for going to such lengths to introduce yourself in this manner.” While she acknowledged that her initial reaction may have been excessive, she couldn’t deny that his approach had successfully caught her attention, prompting her curiosity about his motives.
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