Bjorn ate until he couldn’t eat anymore. His belly was so full that he could barely move, yet he watched in amazement as Grizzly continued to eat like a ravenous beast. The mage had the appetite of ten men combined, devouring everything in sight with unrelenting ferocity.Finally, after finishing his meal, Grizzly turned his attention back to Bjorn. "Let's begin," he said.Bjorn shifted into a lotus position, feeling a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. Grizzly placed a hand on his back, and Bjorn could feel a strange but powerful energy start to flow through his body. Grizzly was guiding this energy in a precise, intricate pattern, controlling its circulation with expert skill.“We draw our magical essence from sources beyond this world, often ignoring the natural essence of our own,” Grizzly explained, his voice calm and authoritative. “But it’s this very natural essence that most beasts rely on to gain their power.”As Grizzly spoke, Bjorn could feel the natural essence being
Bjorn can be seen seated in by a serene stream, cultivating and trying to break through on his shadow avatar arts, possessing a second shadow will be a big boost to his power.possessing two perfect scouts would be something anyone would wish for and Bjorn desires the same and his recent breakthrough in the lightning demon arts has only motivated him more to do this.This process is delicate and requires immense concentration. He closed his eyes and focused inward, reaching deep into his soul.With a sharp mental effort, he cut a tiny part of his soul. The pain was intense, like a burning knife slicing through him, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through. He could feel the small piece of his soul pulsing in his mind, a glowing fragment of his very essence.Next, he summoned his shadow from the source, a dark, shifting form that seemed alive with potential. Holding the soul fragment in his mind, he carefully guided it towards the shadow. The moment they touched, a powerful surge of
In a room bathed in brilliant light, the walls shimmered with intricate gold inlaid designs, capturing the eye and enhancing the room's majestic atmosphere. Tapestries adorned the walls, each one telling a vivid story of the church's remarkable feats. Scenes of bravery, faith, and divine intervention were woven into these tapestries, depicting the rich history and spiritual conquests of the church.At the center of this magnificent room stood a grand semicircular table, crafted from the finest wood and polished to a gleaming finish. The table was large enough to comfortably seat thirteen individuals, with one chair, more opulent and commanding than the others, positioned at the head. This grand chair was reserved for someone of immense significance, a leader among leaders.This room was the heart of the church's decision-making body, the small council. Here, a select group of powerful men and women gathered to deliberate on the church's path and its future. These were the twelve cardi
It took Bjorn another full day of travel before he arrived at Nassau, one of the cities in the Order's territory.Nassau sprawled endlessly, with no clear boundaries or gates. Perpetual darkness enveloped the city, as the mountains behind cast a vast, embracing shadow. This gloom was chased away by countless magical lanterns glowing throughout the city.Despite its immense size, Nassau was orderly, with buildings lined along clean, well-paved roads, clearly constructed by mages. Each sector catered to its residents' needs: bustling markets, serene residential areas, and industrious workshops. The city’s layout, with the perpetual twilight from the mountains and the glowing lights, gave it an eerie yet harmonious ambiance, where every part fit perfectly into the grand design.Bjorn passed by many mages dressed in dark trousers and deep blue tops that shimmered like the night sky, adorned with unique lightning patterns that seemed to crackle with energy. Their uniforms were both practic
The following morning, Bjorn woke up with a hangover. He wasn't used to drinking, and Grizzly's brew was strong. Still nursing his headache, Bjorn grudgingly freshened up. He dressed in snug black attire and left his room to meet Avery in the common room as they had agreed the night before. Bjorn ordered a bowl of soup as he waited. "I have a strong body and feel this bad. I wonder how Avery feels," he thought as he scooped the soup into his mouth. An hour later, Avery finally showed up. He looked worse than Bjorn, his cheeks flushed and his eyes drooping from the hangover. Bjorn ordered another bowl of steaming soup for him. Bjorn waited in silence as Avery devoured the soup. After eating and feeling better, they got down to business."We have to go to the arena. You need to show your skills. Important people will be there looking for strong recruits, and I think you'll impress them," Avery said thoughtfully.Bjorn was hesitant. "That will put me in the spotlight. I have powerful
Bjorn and the redheaded mage faced each other in the arena. The crowd fell silent, anticipation thick in the air.Even though Bjorn was furious, he kept a cool head and limited his strength to that of a novice. Revealing his real power to potential enemies would be foolish.Bjorn moved first, lightning crackling around him as he lunged forward with incredible speed. His sword slashed through the air, aiming for the mage's chest. The mage, quick and cunning, dodged to the side and countered with a burst of lightning from his hands.Bjorn spun away, barely avoiding the attack. He struck again, faster and fiercer, his sword a blur. The mage blocked with a shimmering barrier of wind magic, then slid around Bjorn, aiming a kick at his side.Bjorn absorbed the hit and retaliated with a lightning-charged punch. The mage ducked under it and swept Bjorn's legs out from under him. Bjorn hit the ground but rolled away, springing back to his feet with a savage snarl.Bjorn couldn’t get any real a
Why are you called Ghost?” Bjorn asked Avery as they walked toward the governor's mansion.Instead of answering him, Avery thought it would be better to demonstrate his powers to Bjorn. With a focused expression, he began to manipulate the light around him. The air shimmered as the light bent and twisted under his control. Slowly, his figure started to blur and fade.The bright rays of sunlight seemed to wrap around Avery, creating a halo effect that made it difficult to distinguish his outline. As he continued, his body blended more with the surroundings. Soon, he was almost invisible, just a faint ripple in the air.Bjorn watched in awe as Avery nearly disappeared. His presence was only betrayed by the slightest distortion in the light, like heat waves on a summer day.Bjorn was stunned, even Savage was impressed by Avery’s display. He had to admit that the kid possessed an insidious power, perfect for assassination.It took some time for Bjorn to collect himself. “I have to always
**Clang! Clang!! Clang!!!**The sound of clashing weapons rang out as Bjorn and Avery trained on a hill some distance away from the farm.Bjorn lunged forward with a quick strike. Avery blocked with his spear, the metal clanging loudly. Bjorn stepped back, then swung his sword in a wide arc, trying to catch Avery off guard. Avery danced away, his movements smooth and fast.They continued to clash, their weapons meeting with powerful strikes. Bjorn’s attacks were strong and precise, each blow aimed to overpower. Avery, however, was quick and agile, dodging and parrying with ease.Bjorn stepped back, a slight smile on his face. "You're fast, but let’s see how you handle this," he said. He incorporated the first stage of the lightning demon arts. The air crackled with energy as blue sparks danced around his body and blade. Bjorn’s speed increased, his attacks becoming a blur of lightning and steel.Avery matched him using his light magic, showing his speedster ability as he left behind a
It’s been five days since Bjorn started training his new, unexpected students. He had a little difficulty passing on the absorption technique to the warriors, but once they understood it, their growth and progress were exponential.The quality and quantity of beasts' corpses available made it possible for everyone to train nonstop for days, and Bjorn made sure that the supply of beast meat never ran dry.With his shadows scouting the perimeter, he spotted any beast long before it arrived at the settlement and swiftly dispatched the powerful ones while directing some warriors to deal with the weaker beasts. But lately, the number of beasts coming their way had been gradually increasing, and Bjorn had already noticed that trend.“You need to move your community,” Bjorn said as he stood before a meditating Chief Martel, who had already achieved a body breakthrough to the adept level after absorbing numerous adept-level resources.The chief looked to have aged backward, with the wrinkles
The old mage who introduced himself as Chief Martel led Bjorn towards their camp with a small entourage of warriors, the rest of the warriors stayed back to loot the battlefield and take of their dead.They led Bjorn past a small wall that barely reached his chest and into their settlement made of a sea of tents, the tents are made of thick cloth, flapping gently in the warm breeze. The tents staked into the ground are arranged in a circular way, and they get larger the closer they get to the center.Bjorn noticed the nervous running around of the locals to get things back in order; he also noticed their looks of appreciation and admiration since word has gone around of his help in defeating the beasts that would have definitely killed most of them.As they got closer to the center of the settlement, the environment turned greener and Bjorn caught the sweet scent of water in the air; he saw the large tents in the middle of the camp go round an oasis, a shimmering pool of water surroun
After days of relentless training, Bjorn was finally ready to continue his journey. He felt on the cusp of a physical breakthrough, but his instincts warned him to hold back."I just need to focus on my essence training now," he thought as he donned black garb from his space ring. "But first, I need to get out of here," he mused, hearing the sounds of roaring and fighting in the distance.The region had transformed into a striking scene. The once fiery rivers of molten lava had hardened into dark, jagged rock, sprawling like a frozen wave across the barren land. The surface was cracked and rough, with some areas appearing smooth and glassy, as if the ground had been glazed. The desert sand, once soft and golden, now mingled with the blackened rock, creating a stark contrast. Wisps of steam still rose from small fissures here and there.Due to the still-erupting volcanoes and the region's new appearance, lava beasts had invaded the area, disrupting the ecosystem. This could not be tole
Lying naked on the hot ground, Bjorn heaved a sigh of relief. It had been a crazy week— from the assassination attempt and robbing master-ranked beasts to surviving the chase of one and ending up in his current situation. He was tired and needed some rest, but he couldn’t afford to yet.Bjorn lay with smooth, flawless skin, untouched by any burn marks despite his fiery ordeal. The fire had scorched away every hair on his body, leaving him completely hairless. His smooth skin gleamed in the light, unblemished and soft, with no eyebrows or eyelashes remaining. He looked strikingly different, with his bare, smooth skin.With a groan, Bjorn sat up and took in his surroundings. The lava had carried him a long distance into an unknown region. Looking around, he found himself in a desert, but it looked nothing like a desert anymore. A large river of lava flowed through the sands, with smaller streams diverging from the main river. The hot, glowing lava lit up the surroundings, making the san
Pain, pure unrestrained pain, was the only thing Bjorn could feel as he sank to the bottom of the lava. He felt as though he was being swallowed by an ocean of fire. His skin sizzled and burned, and the pain was beyond anything he had ever felt.Every nerve in his body screamed in agony. His bones were already shattered from the impact of the molten rock. It was as if his entire body was being crushed and melted at the same time. He couldn’t move. His limbs refused to obey him. His vision blurred. He tried to scream but only managed to swallow more lava and gurgled up blood that burned immediately. It was as if the world had been reduced to an endless sea of pain and fire.“Damn it, everything hurts!” That was the first thought that entered his mind. His mind was a storm of suffering, flickering between consciousness and darkness as the lava continued its merciless assault. Time seemed to stretch on forever, each second an eternity of suffering and pain. Bjorn could have easily given
The ground shook violently beneath Bjorn and Bloodblade's feet as they raced across the volcanic land. Just as they thought they had gained some distance from the monstrous snake, the earth rumbled again, more fiercely than before. Another fissure cracked open in front of them, spewing bright orange lava and flames into the air.They skidded to a stop, barely avoiding the molten rock that bubbled up from the new fissure. The ground beneath them trembled continuously, making it difficult to maintain their balance. It was as if the entire landscape was alive, groaning and shifting with the immense power beneath its surface.Around them, they could hear the terrified cries of different beasts. Not only that, but they could also see some of the beasts running towards their direction, heading towards the grove they had just run out from.Various species that would never tolerate each other's presence on a normal day were now running side by side, their fear of the volcanic eruption suppres
Bjorn and Bloodblade stood before the massive tree, its trunk so large it needed fifteen arms to go around it. The tree was so large and tall that they appeared like ants standing before it. Standing this close to the tree, they could feel the welcoming, soothing warmth emitted from the fruits hanging from the branches.Bjorn could feel his devouring core stir, showing just how wonderful and valuable the fruits of the golden sage tree were.“Let's hurry up and get out of here before we are discovered,” Bjorn urged Bloodblade.With a powerful jump, they leapt onto the lower branches of the tree and moved in different directions. Bjorn jumped higher and to the left, while Bloodblade jumped towards the right side. They moved this way because the fruits were located far apart, and moving like this was the most optimal way to get all the fruits.It took about three minutes of jumping and climbing before Bjorn arrived in front of one of the fruits. The fruit seemed to carry the sun as it re
"You really do want to get us killed," Bjorn said with a sigh. He could see the crazy look in Bloodblade's eyes and knew nothing he said would stop Bloodblade from going after that fruit."I don’t see any way to get to that tree without going through the battlefield; that will be extremely dangerous." Bjorn massaged his temple."We have to get it, Wildheart. It will also be beneficial to us since we can use it to stabilize our cores if we force a breakthrough with those essence pills," Bloodblade urged him."This is madness. You are lucky that I am mad," Bjorn said as he grinned madly. "Let’s steal from some masters."Bloodblade returned the grin, and they got down to plotting their move. They studied the chaotic battlefield. After an hour of observation and planning, they were finally ready and set off to rob the beasts of their treasure.Bjorn and Bloodblade silently crept towards the battlefield of the adept and novice-ranked beasts. The battlefield was chaotic, the wolves clawing
"I can sense two snakes a hundred meters to our right," Bloodblade whispered to Bjorn beside him."One is coming up quickly behind us, and my shadow spots an adept-ranked one in the distance ahead," Bjorn replied as they hid on top of a huge tree with their invisible robe activated, hiding from the snake directly beneath them.The boys had come to discover that it's not so easy to get out of the Hollow Gloom Grove, as it is infested with thousands of snake-type beasts. The only reason Bjorn managed to survive the previous night was because it was a stormy night and most of the snakes had burrowed under the earth with their ability to manipulate the earth."Let's move," Bjorn said as he hurriedly followed the most optimistic path that his shadow mapped out for him.They moved steadily and stealthily, climbing the colossal trees sometimes and hiding under the roots at other times. On some occasions, they also encountered smaller, weaker snakes hiding from the stronger ones.Bjorn and Bl