Grief and Rage

The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the village as Jin carried the lifeless bodies of his siblings—Storm and Zephyr—in his arms. Their once-bright faces were now pale and lifeless, their bodies cold against his skin. Tears streamed silently down Jin's cheeks, his heart shattering with every step he took.

He walked toward the mountains, to a place his younger siblings had loved—a small clearing surrounded by wildflowers, with a single sturdy oak tree that they often climbed. It was their favorite spot, where laughter had once filled the air. Now, it was silent, except for Jin's ragged breathing.

With trembling hands, Jin began digging two graves with his axe, the blade tearing into the earth. Each strike was fueled by his grief and rage, his vision blurred by tears. The memories of Storm's mischievous grin and Zephyr's soft laughter flashed before him, twisting his heart in agony.

When the graves were deep enough, he gently placed their bodies into the earth. Jin knelt beside them, his shoulders shaking as he whispered through clenched teeth, "I'm so sorry. I couldn't protect you."

Jin stood over the graves of his siblings, his body trembling with grief and rage. The pain in his heart felt unbearable, like a fire consuming his very soul. The memories of their laughter, their dreams, and their innocent smiles replayed in his mind, each one sharper than a blade.

Then, something within him snapped.

A primal scream tore from his throat, echoing across the mountains. Birds scattered into the sky, and the forest fell into an eerie silence. Jin's fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. His vision blurred, and his heart pounded with unrelenting fury.

"It's all their fault!" he roared, his voice shaking the ground beneath him.

As his rage consumed him, the two cores within his body, dormant until now, surged to life. They pulsed wildly, drawing in mana from the air around him. The once-calm energy in his body turned chaotic, circulating through his veins like a storm. The pressure was immense, his body trembling as the cores worked in unison, expanding his cultivation at an alarming rate.

The Essence Gathering Stage, Level 3- then Level 4. The cores showed no signs of stopping, their hunger for mana insatiable. Jin's aura grew darker, more terrifying, as waves of raw energy rippled outward. The surrounding trees bent under the pressure, their leaves trembling as if bowing to an unstoppable force.

His presence was suffocating, his anger palpable. Villagers watching from afar cowered in fear, their whispers carried by the wind.

"What... what is he becoming?" one of them muttered, their voice quaking.

Jin's eyes glowed faintly, the mana swirling around him creating an almost ethereal glow. Madness danced in his gaze as he turned toward the mountain trails. He couldn't stay here, not while his fury demanded an outlet.

"It's the Snow Wolf Escort," he growled, his voice low and guttural. "It's all their fault. I'll kill every last one of them."

Fueled by rage and the surging power within him, Jin sprinted into the mountains. His axe swung wildly, cutting through trees, beasts, and even the very earth beneath his feet. The cores continued to circulate mana, pushing him beyond his limits. His strikes grew faster, harder, and deadlier, each one a reflection of his uncontrollable grief and anger.

The blood of beasts painted the snow crimson, and the ground was littered with the remains of everything in his path. His mind was lost to the madness, his thoughts a whirl of vengeance and sorrow.

Finally, his body gave out. The surging mana within him slowed, and the chaotic storm in his heart dulled. Jin collapsed against a boulder, his chest heaving as exhaustion claimed him. His eyes fluttered shut, and the forest grew silent once more.

When Jin woke up, the world around him was unfamiliar. The biting cold of the mountains was gone, replaced by a warm, vibrant atmosphere. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of trees above, casting shimmering patterns on the forest floor. The air smelled fresh, almost too fresh, carrying the faint scent of flowers and damp earth.

He groaned as he sat up, his body aching from the nightmarish rampage. The memories of what had happened flooded back in an instant: the Snow Wolf Escort, the village, his siblings... their lifeless faces. His heart ached, but something else stirred within him—a quiet, growing dread.

Jin scanned his surroundings, his sharp eyes catching a glimmer of light reflecting off a cascading waterfall nearby. The water sparkled as it tumbled over smooth rocks into a crystal-clear pool below. Around him, the forest was unnaturally green, lush in a way that felt almost magical. Thick vines twisted around ancient trees, and the ground was covered in soft moss that cushioned his movements.

"This… isn't the mountain," Jin muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

He stood on shaky legs, his hands brushing against the bark of a nearby tree for support. But as his fingers touched the tree, memories of the village returned with a vengeance.

The images of bloodied floors, his siblings' lifeless bodies, and the betrayal of the villagers crashed into his mind like a tidal wave. Anger flared again, hot and searing. His breathing quickened, and his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"It's all their fault," he whispered, his voice trembling with restrained rage.

Before he could stop himself, his fist lashed out, striking the tree with a thunderous crack. The impact sent splinters flying, and the tree groaned before toppling, taking others down with it.

The raw force of his strike surprised even him. He looked down at his hand, now covered in blood and trembling. The power surging within him had grown. He could feel it—wild and untamed, like a beast barely under control.

But before he could contemplate further, the ground beneath him shifted. Jin stumbled backward, his foot slipping on wet moss. He tried to steady himself, but his body tilted, and he fell.

The world spun as he tumbled down the slope, crashing through bushes and over rocks. His descent ended abruptly when he hit the freezing pool beneath the waterfall.

The icy water shocked him awake. Jin thrashed to the surface, gasping for air. He pulled himself to the edge of the pool, shivering as he collapsed onto the soft grass. For a moment, all he could do was lie there, his body aching and his mind racing.

As the sun peeked over the treetops, Jin stared up at the sky. A single tear rolled down his cheek, though he wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the grief still gnawing at his soul.

He clenched his fists again, his resolve hardening. "I'll make them pay," he whispered, his voice filled with quiet determination.

The Snow Wolf Escort would know his fury. They had taken everything from him, and he vowed to take everything from them in return.