“Blood and Bloom”
A boar the size of a bull, with dagger-like tusks and bloodshot eyes, emerged from the vegetation and charged at Leonard with ferocity.
But this was no ordinary boar. It was a leirion, its eyes burning with malevolent intent.
A mass of muscle and fur, the creature exuded primal ferocity. Its sharp tusks gleamed in the dim light passing through the leaves, and its panting breaths created clouds of vapor in the cold morning air.
Leonard barely had time to react. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the boar's tusks, which sank into a tree trunk with a terrifying crash, reminding him of the beast's raw power.
Leonard drew his sword without hesitation, the steel blade shining against the groves darkness, and took a fighting stance. His muscles tensed, and his gaze fixed on the boar. He wished to move like the wind, fluid and instinctive, channeling Roland's lessons into every step.
And so he finally understood what it meant to embrace inner silence, clear his mind, and allow his body to act.
The beast lunged again, its powerful hooves kicking up clumps of dirt and leaves. Using his focused concentration to enhance his speed and stay out of reach of the boar's tusks, Leonard evaded the attack with an agile leap.
The fight intensified, a deadly dance between man and leirion. Leonard's heart pounded like a runaway train.
He delivered swift and precise strikes with his swords, aiming for the boar's weak points. The creature responded with brutal attacks, attempting to trample Leonard with its massive body.
But in his haste and inexperience, Leo made a mistake.
He misjudged the boar's movement, and its tusk caught him, tearing into his left leg. Leonard was careless and the boar's tusks struck him, tearing into his left leg and leaving a deep wound. Excruciating pain shot through his body, but Leonard refused to be defeated. It was him or the monster.
The world narrowed to a pinpoint, the boar's snarl echoing in his ears. A strange calm descended, a clarity born of desperation. And the world slowed down, every detail becoming sharp and clear.
He channeled his energy into his ELEV, sending an electric shock through his body.
The boar's charge was meant to be the final blow, but with an aerial butterfly twist, he dodged it.
Still in the air, his blade lit up with a bluish aura from the moonlight, and with a powerful mid-air strike, he hit the boar squarely under its front leg, straight through the heart.
The beast let out a roar of pain, its body convulsing in spasms.
Seizing the opportunity, Leonard delivered a fatal blow, plunging his sword into the boar's neck and severing its spine.
The leirion collapsed, its lifeless body forming a dark mass amidst the vegetation. Leonard withdrew his sword, the boar's blood staining the steel blade.
He took a deep breath and leaned against a nearby tree. The pain in his leg was agonizing—a burning throb that radiated through his entire body.
As the adrenaline left his body, the pain in his leg got worse. He had won his first battle, but he knew the journey was just beginning.
"Fuck… I need to go…" Leo said, standing up.
There was not much time left; the sun was dipping below the horizon, and morning twilight was beginning to show.
Leonard searched the whole grove, slashing ferns and vines with his sword as his heart raced and his breath got short.
The golden light of dawn shone through gaps in the trees and made the forest floor dance with light and shadow.
Suddenly, a silvery shimmer caught Leonard's attention.
Hidden beneath the shade of an ancient oak, small buds emitted a soft, pulsating light. Their delicate petals, with silvery edges, stretched towards the light as if to absorb every particle of energy from the rising twilight.
It was the Uhenda Malakesia!
With caution, Leonard moved forward on one leg, still in awe of the plant's beauty. He felt a revitalizing energy emanating from it—an aura of healing and vitality.
But as he reached for the flowers, a sticky, nearly invisible web caught him.
He looked up instinctively and saw a giant spider, the size of a tower shield, with shiny black fur and menacing red eyes.
It descended its web strands with haste, bearing its fangs at Leo.
"What???" Leo thought.
Leonard prepared to defend himself when he felt something was wrong with his body. He had lost a lot of blood. His vision blurred for a moment, the edges of the world turning hazy.
"Something is really wrong… Am I dying?" Leo's mind was numb.
He felt the blood loss weakening him, but a strange calmness came over him. The side effect made everything around him seem to move in slow motion, sharpening and enhancing every detail.
He observed the spider with superhuman precision, his eyes capturing every movement, every muscle contraction, and every twitch of its fangs.
Everything slowed further, giving him a clear view of what was going on.
Leonard moved with bursting agility, dodging the spider's claws with an ease he didn't expect. His reflexes were heightened, and his movements were precise and fluid.
Instinctively, he parried the spider's attack, crossing its fangs with one of his swords and impaling it through the throat with the other.
He watched, almost detached, as the spider twitched, its legs thrashing wildly.
He felt a strange mix of triumph and revulsion.
Leo collapsed, drained of all energy, and watched the spider twitching spasmodically but lifeless. He retrieved his swords and wiped them clean on his clothes.
The creature struggled for a few moments, its legs flailing in the air, before finally becoming still. Leonard, exhausted and wounded, fell to the ground, observing the dead spider at his feet.
"Shit… that was close…" Leo murmured.
The battle had caused significant damage. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his leg throbbed with deep, searing pain.
He gasped for air. The adrenaline that had sustained him during the fight dissipated, replaced by exhaustion, followed by his leg throbbing with pain, and the blood loss made him increasingly dizzy.
He had survived but at what cost?
With great effort, Leonard pulled himself up, using his swords for support. He knew he had to leave the grove as quickly as possible. The forest was a dangerous place, and he was injured and vulnerable now.
Looking at all those Uhenda Malakesia, he kneeled and carefully picked the flowers, storing them in a leather pouch.
Seconds later, sunlight flooded the area, withering all the unharvested flowers.
Leonard took a bandage from his starter kit and wrapped it tightly around his leg to stop the bleeding. He poured an acceleration healing potion over the wound.
Then he thought, "Silica would probably laugh at me now, seeing me use the starter kit after all." A faint, humorless chuckle escaped his lips.
With the mission complete, Leonard left the grove, limping towards the light of the rising sun.
The journey back would be long and difficult, but he was determined to survive, as always—driven by a burning desire for revenge, a mission to complete, and a promise to keep.