In the the training room, a faint golden glow danced at the tip of Aurelion's spear.
Another week had passed. Aurelion, while keeping the weight of his new identity and the potential of his Seal in a corner of his mind, had shuttled between brutal physical training sessions, frustrating balloon attempts, and now, energy control with the spear.
Aurelion was in the starting position of the Single Strike Technique Roric had taught.
He had taken a side stance, gripping the spear with both hands. His eyes were locked on the damaged training dummy opposite him.
He took a deep breath, pulling his mind into state of void. He focused lightly on the Libra Seal in his palms, feeling that balancing warmth emanating from it.
He planted his feet more firmly on the ground, bending his knees slightly. He brought the spear closer to his right side and tensed his arm muscles.
Then, he moved. As he slid himself forward with his feet, he transferred all the momentum through the muscles in his body to his spear using the kinetic chain technique.
Simultaneously, he directed the golden energy through his arms to the spear.
All these movements were in a single, fluid unity.
Just as the tip of the spear was about to hit the dummy's chest, the energy at the tip of the spear intensified.
Whizz!
The spear, with a faint sound cutting through the air, struck the point exactly at the dummy's chest level.
The dummy recoiled slightly from the impact, and the energy glow at the tip of the spear extinguished immediately after contact.
Aurelion retracted his spear without breaking his stance.
He had succeeded. He had completed all the tasks Roric wanted him to finish within two weeks by the end of the second week.
He could apply the Single Strike Spear Technique as Roric wanted, and at the same time, he could channel his energy into his spear in a controlled manner.
He could also now fill the balloons completely with energy without popping them.
However, he knew inwardly that there was a "but" to this victory.
"The Seal," he thought, glancing briefly at his palms.
"Without its help, I can neither control the balloons nor channel my energy into the spear so stably."
The Seal calmed that wild, chaotic energy, making it manageable. But at the same time, he also felt that during that calming, the pure power of his energy, its raw potential, was somewhat diminished. It was a balance, yes, but also a dependency.
"Well done, brat."
Roric's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Your technique has settled, and you can channel your energy into your weapon." Then he added.
"But… you couldn't have completed these tasks without this Seal."
Aurelion wasn't surprised. It was impossible for the Captain not to have noticed.
"Even though you have technically completed these tasks now," Roric continued, "you will continue these trainings. Until you reach this stage without using your Seal."
Aurelion nodded. "Yes, Captain. I was already planning to do so." He gripped his spear again. "Being dependent on something is a weakness in the long run. And at the same time," he added, looking at his Seal again, "this Seal doesn't work for free. When I channel my energy to it, I feel like it absorbs some of this energy."
"Everything has a price, brat. The Seal balances your energy, and in return, you expend some energy on it. It's normal."
Aurelion said, "Alright," and took a stance with his spear again.
He practiced the Single Strike Technique a few more times, trying to feel the effect of the Seal. Then he stopped and turned to Roric. "I suppose it's time for me to learn new techniques, Captain?"
Roric nodded his approval. "Yes. But there's something we need to do before that."
Aurelion looked at the Captain curiously.
Roric continued. "Your friends are safe, brat. They took my warning seriously." He paused. "But some clan leaders insisted on seeing you."
Aurelion's eyebrows instantly furrowed.
"They're not going against my warning, don't worry brat," Roric said in a calm tone. "But that visit you paid to the White Frost Clan… Your plan seems to have worked. Clan Leader Viggo was worried. The others too, especially Ursine and Frost-Axe, have started to bicker amongst themselves, thinking White Frost has drawn you to their side. That part of your plan worked out too."
Roric became serious again. "They came to me with an offer. If I let you meet with them, they gave assurances that they would not directly interfere with my training or your development. In fact," Roric smirked slightly, "they said they understood you were worried about your friends and therefore couldn't fully focus on your training, and they wanted to reassure you."
Aurelion rolled his eyes at this hypocrisy. "They're treating me like a fool still" he thought.
"This evening," Roric said, "a meeting has been arranged with the Clan Leaders. To discuss the situation in Shadow Canyon and Storm Pass. They want you to attend as well."
When Aurelion heard this last sentence, he slowly lowered his spear.
So the moment had finally come. Those curious whispers about him, the indirect moves, were over. Now it was time for a direct confrontation.
He smiled sarcastically inwardly. "So those worried leaders want to see me personally to reassure me."
"It seems we haven't quite brought them to their senses, Captain,"
"They weren't going to stand by and do nothing, brat. They want to understand the situation, to see you. Your visit to White Frost and my warnings unsettled them. For now, this meeting is the most reasonable way to keep them under control."
Aurelion clicked his tongue lightly. "So they were worried. I can't tell how sorry I am for them."
Then his face replaced by his usual serious demeanor. "Alright, what's the latest situation, Captain? If I'm going to attend this meeting and listen to discussions about Storm Pass and Shadow Canyon, and perhaps even express an opinion, I need to know the latest developments."
"Yes," Roric said "You're right. Storm Pass is as you know. We haven't been able to deal with it sufficiently because of those insect monsters in Shadow Canyon. According to the latest reports, the storms have intensified further, and abnormal energy waves have increased. The pass is now completely unusable due to monster attacks."
Aurelion listened silently, committing the information to memory.
"As for Shadow Canyon... Do you know latest situation, brat?"
"I only know they attacked Ashstone Village, Captain."
"Yes, that happened," Roric said, his voice growing serious. "But it was a trap."
Aurelion's eyebrows rose with interest, looking at Roric.
"These insects were smarter than we thought, They seem to operate with some kind of hive mind. Their attack on Ashstone Village was just a distraction to ambush the support troops. The first response team sent there was ambushed. That's why I had to rush there myself."
"A hive mind, you say..." Aurelion murmured. This information was interesting. An organized, intelligent, and numerous enemy... A dangerous combination.
"Something on your mind, brat?"
"It caught my interest, Captain," Aurelion said, his gaze returning to Roric. "Giant insects with a hive mind... If they're not brought under control, they will cause you a great deal of trouble."
"I'm aware," Roric said. "By the time I got there, I had largely brought the situation under control. We did a good cleanup with the Wild Guards and Silver Guards. But they retreated in an organized manner deeper into the canyon without too many casualties... Pursuing them was too risky."
Aurelion thought again. Smart, organized, and know when to retreat... "What exactly did these insects look like, Captain?"
"They have long, segmented, centipede like bodies. But their forelimbs have large pincers. They have thick, dark colored carapaces, resistant to arrows."
"Antennae?" Aurelion asked suddenly. "Did they have antennae on their heads?"
Roric was surprised. "Yes, they did, brat."
"Even if their appearance is different," Aurelion said, as if talking to himself, "their organizational structure and communication methods might be like ants then."
Then he turned to Roric. "So Captain, I assume you've discussed this with the others. What did you plan? What is the current strategy?"
"The Guilds and Clans will cooperate with the Guards, The primary goal is to conduct controlled exploration and hunting expeditions into the canyon to both reduce their numbers and study their corpses. This seems to be the most efficient thing we can do right now. Experienced hunters and alchemists are examining the corpses we've collected. Maybe we'll find a weak point, maybe we'll understand their reproductive cycle... We hope to find a more effective way against them over time. The better we understand them, the more effective a way we will find."
"Alright, brat, let's hear it before the meeting. Do you have any ideas?"
Aurelion paused for a moment. "Actually... I have an idea, Captain. But whether it would be effective... that's a bit... doubtful."
Roric raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, brat, what is that idea?"
Aurelion paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "People, what do they do when ants invade their homes? They usually use strong smelling things like vinegar, lemon juice, certain plant oils. These smells disrupt the ants, confuse them, make them lose their way."
He looked at Roric. "If these creatures also operate with a hive mind and use their antennae or a similar method for communication... we can disrupt their communication by using strong, smells? I'm not saying attack the insects with lemon juice, of course," he added, looking at Roric's expressionless face, "but the principle is the same. If their communication is cut off, their organization will collapse, and they will become easier prey. A pungent mixture smells placed at certain points in the canyon or even sprayed on them could prevent them from moving in an organized manner, even cause panic. Or maybe... that hive has a center, a queen? Targeting her might be more effective than hunting the entire swarm."
He finally added. "One of the caregivers at the orphanage used something with a strong smell like that for ants." This last part was, of course, a complete lie.
Roric silently weighed Aurelion's words for a while. Even though he didn't quite believe the child's orphanage memory, he still asked, "Did you really see this at the orphanage?"
Aurelion just shrugged. Roric continued, "It might work. At least it's worth trying. I'll pass on this idea of a scent attack and communication disruption to the alchemists studying the insect corpses. Maybe they'll find a way."
After closing the subject, Roric became serious again. "Alright, brat. Keep this idea in mind, maybe you'll bring it up at the meeting. But now there's a more important issue."
"Your demeanor this evening. How you will stand before those clan leaders. There will be six clan leaders there. All eyes will be on you. They will definitely try to communicate with you, to size you up. I'm not telling you not to voice this idea, but try not to attract too much attention. Observe, listen, don't unnecessarily step forward. Understood?"
"Why, Captain?" Aurelion said, and before Roric could answer, he resumed his training stance with his spear.
However, this time something was different. As Aurelion made a few trial movements with his spear in the air, not only a golden glow but also white blue sparks began to emerge from the tip of his spear.
Roric's eyebrows instantly furrowed. "Brat! What are you doing?"
"Captain," Aurelion said, his voice was self assured. "This is an opportunity. Everyone thinks I'm a puppet, the helpless orphan Elf under Captain Roric's protection."
The sparks at the tip of his spear became even more distinct. "They were continuing to make foolish moves until we showed them our teeth."
Roric looked first at the spear emitting sparks, then at Aurelion's back.
Aurelion turned to Roric over his shoulder. "What difference will it make if they understand I can perform lightning manipulation? They already know who I am, they are aware of my potential."
"You've already attracted more than enough attention. Both with your potential, with your Seal, and with that identity of yours!"
"Absolutely!" Aurelion said, as if confirming Roric's words.
As the sparks at the tip of his spear continued to crackle, he took a step towards the dummy and delivered a hard blow. "Why should I be afraid?"
"Will these clan leaders go against War Chieftain Varkas Silverfang? Or will they defy that old fart Sage Ulfar?"
Roric's eyebrows furrowed. Aurelion continued
"What will they do against me? Will they continue to make secret plans?"
He began to strike the dummy repeatedly with his spear, the sparks at the tip of his spear flashing with each blow.
"Captain, from the moment you told me the meaning of this Seal, my lineage, I understood how I should act! No more hiding! No more making plans, telling lies!"
He stopped and turned to Roric. "What can they do if I confront them and say, I'm a genius, you bastards, and you can't force me to do anything! Greater powers are after me!"
He delivered one last, powerful blow to the dummy. "If I continue to hide, if I show fear of them, they will continue this nonsense! But if I am the one who attacks, if I show them I'm not afraid, what can they do to me? How can they retaliate, Captain? If they dare to do anything to harm me, wouldn't they incur the War Chieftain's wrath?"
"Are you relying on the War Chieftain to protect you under all circumstances, brat? Do you think it's that simple?"
Aurelion stopped, the sparks at the tip of his spear died down. He looked at Roric. "I don't expect anything from anyone, Captain. I don't trust anyone. But I'm making a simple deduction. What can they do? If I don't show fear of them, if I laugh off their threats, if I stand before them and smirk in their faces... What can they really do?"
Aurelion's eyes were still locked on Roric, waiting not so much for an answer, but more for his reaction.
"Captain, We've come this far. If something is restrained, if it's constantly suppressed with be careful, don't attract attention, it can never fully reveal its true power."
"Am I going to hesitate to use my potential, this lightning manipulation. Just thinking what if they notice, what if they get provoked'? Am I going to stop focusing on getting stronger because of their possible reactions?"
"Never!"
He quickly put his spear aside. He clenched his left hand into a fist, and those white-blue sparks began to seep from between his fingers again.
"Something," he continued, his voice rising, "only shows its true power when it's freed from its restraints!"
His gaze shifted to the Seal on his palm. This time, he wasn't trying to control his energy, to use the Seal's balancing power. On the contrary, while focusing on the Seal, he released all control mechanisms in his mind.
"Balance is perhaps important..." he murmured"...but true power..." He released his energy, allowing golden storm within him to pass through the Seal, but he didn't want it to balance it, he wanted it to fuel it even more. "...IS UNLEASHED IN CHAOS!"
With the last word, the energy enveloping his body exploded. The sparks in his palm suddenly multiplied, thickened, and spread throughout his body.
Golden and white-blue lightning bolts coursed through his arms, legs, chest, ionizing the air around him.
The energy was so intense that some points of his training clothes began to smoke slightly, to burn.
Roric, calmly looked at the child before him.
Aurelion gritted his teeth. This flow of power was straining his body. He clenched both hands into tight fists and pulled his elbows towards his stomach.
His muscles was tensing, his veins becoming prominent. Every cell in his body ached, burned under this extreme load. He was pushing his limits, perhaps even exceeding them. But that smirk on his face didn't fade. His eyes shine with a bright energy.
"TONIGHT!" he roared. "THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO!"
Then, using the solid basic steps of the Northern Mountain Stance, he took a step forward with all that chaotic energy in his body.
He stopped when he reached the base of the wooden dummy. He tensed with all his might, clenched his fists, and combining that kinetic chain and lightning in his body, he swung his arms forward.
Both his fists struck the dummy's chest simultaneously.
BOOM!
A muffled explosion, resembling a mini thunderclap, echoed in the room.
The chest part of the wooden dummy, as if exploding from within, shattered into pieces, splinters flying everywhere.
Aurelion staggered back a few steps from the impact. The sparks enveloping his body quickly thinned, the crackling ceased.
He was breathing heavily, his body trembling, his face drenched in sweat and pale.
He slowly turned around and looked at Roric, who was staring at him.
"Trust me, Captain."