When I opened my eyes, it was already the afternoon of our 26th day here.
“Oh, you’re finally awake?”
Leo was munching on a sandwich, relishing a snack while my stomach grumbled in hunger as usual.
“Angh,” I groaned while trying to sit up straight.
My vision was blurred, and it was clear from the throbbing headache I was feeling that I might have had a concussion.
After my vision cleared, I glanced around and realized that we were currently in the middle of the woods.
The tall trees stood proudly around us, covered in a thick coat of snow, much like the wintry ground beneath our feet.
Surrounding us were huge boulders, which was a common sight since we were in the mountainous terrains.
Naturally, taking shelter in the woods was dangerous since there were bound to be numerous vicious mana beasts hiding in the forest.
However, I also knew that none of them would dare to approach us because of Leo’s presence.
After all, they were wild creatures. They will listen to their instincts which would tell them to stay the fuck away from this red-haired jerk.
“Are you alright?” Leo walked up to me with concern. “Here, take this.”
He threw me a jacket.
“Hmm?” I glanced back at him, puzzled.
“Your clothes are in tatters. It’s better to change out of them,” Leo responded to my questioning gaze.
Frowning, I looked down and discovered my T-shirt was in shreds.
Although my slacks remained in better condition, the lack of upper body coverage left me feeling chilled.
Nodding in understanding, I slipped on the jacket.
Oh, it was so very warm~!
I had been feeling cold for so long that I had almost forgotten the sensation of warmth.
“Feeling cozy now?” Leo asked, an amused smile adorning his face.
“If only I could have a comforting bowl of chicken soup,” I sighed dramatically.
Suppressing a chuckle, Leo remarked, “Haven’t I already told you that I’m not going to share my food? However, I guess it’s about time. You can go on another hunt.”
“….Huh?!” I exclaimed in surprise, my eyes widening. “Really?!”
“Yes,” Leo affirmed. “I must admit, I was genuinely impressed by your performance yesterday. Your technique alone was commendable, but what stood out was how you acted on a single plan and followed it through. You had a clear plan of defeating me in your mind. I’m impressed.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, waving my hand dismissively, not interested in what he was talking about in the least. “So, when can I start hunting again?”
“Now, now, don’t be impatient, my dear disciple,” Leo teased. “Before that, I have one more thing to teach you.”
“Hmm?” I raised an eyebrow. “What’s that? Are you going to teach me how to walk on air like you did? Or perhaps how you made those illusionary clones when we first sparred?”
“…None of them,” Leo replied with a blank expression.
“…..”
“Do you have an interest in learning those arts?” Leo inquired curiously.
“Yes!” I eagerly responded to his offer. I would’ve practically jumped if I had the strength to do so.
Learning even one of those things would prove to be a big help in my future fights. So yeah, of course I was excited.
“Alright, here’s the deal. If you manage to successfully hunt down that pack of Ice-Claw Bears, I will teach you one of those arts,” Leo proposed.
“Great! Can I go hunt them now?” I asked.
“Not just yet,” Leo chuckled. “As I said earlier, there’s something I need to teach you first.”
“Hmm? What would that be?” I questioned. “Will you teach me how to walk on air or create illusory clones similar to what you did in our very first sparring session?”
“….?” A frown appeared on Leo’s face as he looked at me with concern-filled eyes. “My dear disciple…”
“Yes?” I prompted.
“Is hunger affecting your brain?” Leo questioned. “You seem to be talking in circles.”
“Whaa?” I blinked, confused. “No, I’m not.”
“…..” Leo pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “Alright, get up. I’m going to teach you a weapon art.”
Taking a deep breath, I tried standing up but struggled to regain my balance, stumbling a few times before finally steadying myself.
“So, what will you be teaching me?” I asked. “Perhaps how to walk on air or maybe how to create–”
Leo quickly cut me off as soon as I began speaking. “The technique I’ll be teaching you is called the 12 Movements: Scarlet Demon Devouring Art.”
“Woah, that’s a cool name!” I exclaimed.
Yes, it was a little chunni, but it sounded cool nonetheless.
“Indeed,” Leo responded, running his fingers through his red hair which was neatly tied neatly in a bun.
“As I mentioned before since you’re my disciple, it’s important for you to look cool no matter the situation. Therefore, I will naturally only teach you weapon arts that are cool,” he added in a dramatic tone.
“Oooh!” I clapped my hands excitedly. “So, is it a spear technique?”
“Actually, it can be performed with both polearms and longswords,” Leo explained. “Its effectiveness depends on the skill of the user, rather than the specific weapon used.”
“I see,” I nodded. “So, how do I use it?”
In response to my question, Leo infused mana into one of the dimensional rings on his finger and summoned a Japanese-style scroll into his hand.
Without wasting a second, he tossed the scroll to me and then quickly summoned a longsword from another one of his dimensional rings.
As I caught the scroll, I couldn’t help but wonder, just how many weapons does this guy carry with him?!
He’s like a living, walking inventory!
“The key to executing this weapon art with utmost perfection is hunger,” Leo declared while slowly channeling mana into his weapon.
“Hunger?” I furrowed my brow in confusion.
“Yes,” Leo affirmed. “Embrace the sensation of hunger. Channel that feeling into your attacks, and recreate it with your weapon!”
“…But how can I do that?” I inquired skeptically.
Hunger is an abstract feeling. How can I physically recreate it through my weapon in the real world?𝒏𝑶𝓋𝖾𝑳𝐧𝑬xt.𝚌𝒪𝗆
“Understand the pain, Lucas,” Leo replied almost instantly. “Allow yourself to feel the chill and the pain that comes with hunger. Surrender to that pain and let it guide your movements.”
Stroking my chin thoughtfully, I attempted to comprehend the concept Leo was trying to convey, but I still couldn’t understand it.
Observing the visible confusion on my face, Leo strengthened his posture and raised his sword high above his head.
Swish—!!
With a decisive step forward, he brought his sword down in a powerful swing.
“…..!!”
I must have seen Leo swinging his sword countless times by now, and each time I found his technique and precision to be captivatingly beautiful.
However, in all my time spent with him, I had never seen him swing his sword with such… pain!
His swing wasn’t clean and precise like usual. Instead, it was now replaced by a much more raw and bold style.
His technique was still there, but it carried a distinct alternation. His movements were ‘cold,’ and he appeared to be in genuine pain.
I don’t know how to describe it, but it felt like he was hungry, desperate to find food, and ready to devour the very world itself…
Ah, I see.
So this is what he meant earlier.
I have to imbue my weapon with the essence of hunger.
As I reached that realization, Leo continued his relentless display of swordplay, executing a series of slashes, stabs, and skilful footwork.
His each strike carried the unmistakable presence of pain and the chilling agony of hunger.
After approximately 11 swings, Leo pulled back his sword and prepared for the final strike.
Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped in front of a massive boulder.
The mana surrounding his sword twisted and churned, crackling with energy as tendrils of scarlet electricity flickered around the blade.
Even his sword looked like it was in hunger.
After his preparations were done, Leo unleashed a horizontal slash with a step forward.
Thruck—!!
The boulder shattered into countless pieces as a visible crack split through its center.
However, before those chunks could even fall and touch the ground, Leo swiftly raised his sword high and transitioned into a vertical slash, driving his sword downward.
He then immediately followed it with a rapid succession of two cross-shaped slashes aimed at the boulder.
Thruck, Thruck, Thruck—!!
The swirling mana and the vivid scarlet lightning emanating from Leo’s blade pulverized the boulder with each swing he performed with his sword.
In the end, the previously huge boulder was reduced to nothing but fine dust, crushed by his sword.
“…So cool!” I couldn’t contain my excitement and exclaimed aloud with stars in my eyes. “That was so cool!”
“I know,” Leo responded with a smug grin. “Do you understand now?”
I nodded eagerly. “Can I give it a try?”
“Of course,” Leo granted permission. “Study the scroll and attempt to replicate the movements you just observed.”
“Alright!” I nodded once more and unfurled the scroll before starting to read its contents.
After dedicating around an hour to reading and understanding the scroll, I grasped the basics of this weapon art.
With determination, I picked up my spear, clutching it tightly, and closed my eyes.
The essence required to execute this weapon art is hunger.
But what exactly is hunger?
Is it the exhaustion I feel due to lack of food?
Is it the frustration and anger that builds within me when I witness others indulging in food while I starve?
Or is it the gut-wrenching pain I feel when my belly twists and churns as if it were trying to eat itself?
The answer is… all of the above and even more.
Hunger is a driving force.
It is a feeling that compels us to take action.
After all, it is the fear of hunger that pushes us to work, earn a living, and secure food.
Without hunger, we would have no purpose. Whether it be physical hunger for food or metaphorical hunger for revenge, power, or any other aspiration.
Hunger is a path. A path that leads to empowerment.
In hunger, I feel pain. And in pain, I find strength!
Suii—!!
Infusing my spear with a dense layer of mana, I fluttered open my eyes.
The mana twisted and churned around my weapon, causing the surrounding air to crackle with intensity.
This sensation mirrored the chilling emptiness I’d been feeling in my stomach— starvation.
“That’s the way, Lucas,” Leo’s voice echoed in my ears, although my focus was somewhere else. “Devour the world!”
Tendrils of scarlet electricity began to manifest around my spear, as I raised my spear above my head. “Let’s go!”