20. Power
Icarus was filled with a sense of weightlessness that permeated his entire being as if he were floating above the ground. His senses seemed to sharpen, and he was able to perceive the world around him with a newfound clarity, noticing even the slightest details that had previously gone unnoticed. The voices emanating from within the house seemed to reach his ears with a new intensity as if he was able to decipher every word with perfect clarity.
He looked back to his master, Chrona.
"What is this feeling?"
"You are awakening the dormant potential within you. Your five vessels are already perfect they just needed fuel, the Raging Heart method will provide that fuel."
Icarus couldn't contain his excitement, for the first time in his life he could feel this feeling.
The feeling of power!
"so if we do this again I'll be Level 3, right?"
"Yes, but if we do it before your body adjusts to nova, you will explode and die."
Icarus's jaw hung, "Why, Master?"
"You have new energy coursing through you now, your body needs to adjust to it, otherwise adding Nova of even higher quality will be too much for you to handle, and then BOOM!" Chrona explained, emphasizing the boom.
"But enough of that for now, I will explain your training regime that you will complete every day from here on out, okay?"
"Yes, Master!"
Chrona explained that the basic training routine was meant to strengthen his body and create a foundation for the martial arts he planned on teaching the boy.
It consisted of a 25-kilometer run, 500 push-ups, 500 sit-ups, and 500 squats.
"But, Master, that will take all day."
"You better get started then."
Chrona chuckled, 'Being a Master rocks!'
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As Chrona watched the scene unfold before him, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Icarus, his new pupil, running around with pure joy on his face during his training session. His energy was infectious and it was clear that he was thoroughly enjoying every moment of it.
As he continued to observe, his attention was drawn to the black and gold eyes eyeing the pair from behind bushes. It was evident that the eyes were focused solely on the boy.
'Back for your prey, I see.'
Chrona slowly approached the bush aiming to catch the beast off guard.
'Such dazzling eyes will give you away in the daylight you stupid beast'
Chrona grinned as he believed he was about to catch the beast unaware.
As he leaped towards the bush a small figure shot out and beelined to Icarus.
Back turned, Icarus was unaware of what was closing in behind him, and only turned upon hearing Chrona yell out to him.
"Icarus, look out!"
Turning around, Icarus saw a small black ball of fur and teeth leaping towards him. Being taken by surprise the beast landed on his face, climbing up onto his red hair and making itself comfortable.
"What the.."
Icarus shot his hands up to grab the creature but it easily evaded, countering with a swipe of its tail.
Though the attack lacked any power, the impact it left on Icarus was incredible.
"Nu?"
The beast, now the size of a rabbit, looked up happily at the boy, "Nuu!" it cried.
Icarus embraced Nu, overjoyed he was reunited with the mysterious beast.
"I thought I lost you, buddy, what happened to you? How did you get so small?"
Chrona looked on in shock.
'No matter how I look at it, that thing is related to the Nova Beast that was carrying him here?'
The man scratched his short gray hair, the situation was confusing.
'Does the kid have a relation with Nova Beasts?'
Unable to wrap his mind around the situation, Chrona came outright and asked the boy.
"Hey, Icarus, you never told me what happened after you fell in the river and came to be with the Nova Beast I saved you from."
Icarus looked down at Nu with a smile and opened his mouth before answering.
Smack!
Nu smacked the boy with its tail, giving him a look that conveyed a clear message despite being a beast.
Lie!
Icarus looked down in shock.
'Nu really is smart!'
His previous suspicions regarding Nu's intelligence were confirmed, and Icarus played along.
Looking back at his master, Icarus smiled nervously and began his lie.
"I crashed into the water of the river below, and when I came to, I had found myself on the edge of the Kalypso Forest. I survived on fruit and fish from the river when I came across this little guy here."
He scratched Nu's furry head, noticing the pattern of his fur had changed.
"Then what?"
Chrona could see the boy was stalling for time but didn't understand why.
"Well, it might sound unbelievable."
"Try me."
"This little guy liked Kalypto fruits so we ended up getting along. So, as we were eating a Forest Spirit, like a huge one, came from out of the forest."
"Forest Spirit?"
"Yeah, it was a bear type and it was massive. It had red and black fur."
Chrona was stunned. The 'Forest Spirt' that the kid was talking about was a High-Grade Nova Beast, a beast on the verge of ascending to a higher state.
"So you are telling me that you encountered the Obsidian Blood Bear, and survived?"
"I don't about the name and all that, but I told Nu to run while I bought time and the bear struck me and I was out. When I woke up I was in the room with your daughter."
"I don't like how you worded that last sentence, but you said it struck you?"
"Yes." Icarus sighed, annoyed that the old man questioned the honest part of his story.
"Hmm, I see," Chrona said to himself nodding.
Icarus was shocked by the response, not expecting such a reaction.
"Uh, are we done?"
"Yeah, that's all. Head inside and introduce your little friend to Iyo and Luna, I will be in shortly."
Laughing, Icarus raced into the house carrying the joyful Nu.
Chrona looked back at the forest, his eyes following the direction of the river Icarus and the beast carrying had come down.
"It's gonna be a long day." Chrona sighed as his body flickered and he disappeared into the forest.
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With lightning-fast speed, Chrona darted through the dense forest, his heart pounding and Nova surging through his veins.
He expertly weaved through the maze of trees, his keen instincts guiding his every move as he avoided any obstacles in his path.
The sound of hid rapid footsteps echoed through the woods as he effortlessly leaped over fallen branches and ducked under low-hanging branches.
Despite the rough terrain, Chrona remained focused and determined, his eyes fixed on the horizon as she pressed forward toward his destination.
'I sensed a large Nova being discharged here a while before the kid showed up.'
As Chrona arrived at a clearing, the scene before his shocked the man.
A pack of Fira Felis' had made a home here and were feasting on the corpse of the Obsidian Blood Bear.
' A pack of Fira Felis' of this size could never hunt a beast of that grade.'
Chrona observed the area from his vantage point in a tree to see any clues as to what happened to the mighty Blood Bear.
His eyes came to rest on a path clearly carved out by a nova beam, and a powerful one at that, one capable of killing a High-Grade Nova beast.
'So that little beast did that?'
Chrona was convinced the beast that carried Icarus down the river and the one that appeared at his home were one and the same.
'Don't tell me that kid has a Guardian Spirit.'
Chrona rubbed his temples at the thought of this.
Looking up at the sky, Chrona once again pleaded with Heavens,
"Please, not a spirit, I can't afford another mouth to feed."