With our conversation settled, I decided it was time for breakfast. I reached into my pack and pulled out the rations I had brought with me, basic military fare that was designed for sustenance rather than taste. I unwrapped a portion of dried meat and bread, offering some to Vitaliara.
“Would you like some?” I asked, holding out a piece of the dried meat to her.
Vitaliara wrinkled her nose, her expression one of clear distaste. [Dull human food is the worst of its kind,] she said, turning her head away from the offered food.
I raised an eyebrow, curious about her reaction. “What do you mean by that?”
She flicked her tail dismissively in the direction of the rations. [That dried meat you’re holding and those other rations you brought from the military—they’re bland, tasteless, and devoid of any life essence. They might sustain you, but they do nothing for a creature like me.]
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her disdain. “I suppose it’s not exactly gourmet fare, but it’s what I have for now.”
[Vitality is key for beings like me,] she explained, her tone softening. [Fresh food, full of life and energy, is what sustains us. Dull, processed food like this… it’s almost an insult to our senses.]
“I see,” I replied, making a mental note of her preferences. It made sense that a being like Vitaliara, who was closely connected to life itself, would prefer food that was vibrant and fresh. I would have to find something better for her in the future.
As I finished my meal, Vitaliara watched me with a mixture of curiosity and mild amusement. [You really don’t mind eating that?]
“It’s not the best, but it gets the job done,” I said with a shrug. “I’ve gotten used to it over the years.”
[Humans are strange,] she mused, shaking her head slightly. [You tolerate so much discomfort without complaint.]
“It’s part of what makes us resilient,” I replied with a grin. “But not all of us are like that. In a way, you are parallel to the nobles. They also will not be able to tolerate the food that we are eating.
Vitaliara gave a soft, almost imperceptible nod, her eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and distaste. [I’ve seen my fair share of nobles,] she said, her voice carrying a hint of disdain. [Many of them sent their children to the Azure Blossom Sect, seeking to give them strength and prestige. But those children… they were often spoiled, acting like the world revolved around them.]
I could see the memories playing behind her eyes as she spoke, the way those children must have paraded through the sect with their heads held high, expecting everything to be handed to them.
[They would whine and complain about the most trivial discomforts, refusing to eat anything that wasn’t prepared by a personal chef or presented in the finest dishware. Even in a place meant for training and growth, they clung to their luxuries as if they couldn’t survive without them.]
A small, bitter laugh escaped her. [And yet, they still lived their lives in luxury, untouched by the hardships that would have made them stronger. It was almost amusing, seeing them try to navigate a world they were wholly unprepared for.]
Her words painted a clear picture of the disconnect between those who were born into privilege and those who had to fight for every scrap of survival.
The nobles, with their pampered lifestyles, were so far removed from the realities of the world that they couldn’t even fathom enduring the discomforts that others faced daily.
“I’m not surprised,” I said, shaking my head. After all, I was once a child of a viscount. Though, for me, things were slightly different from a normal child, the comfort and the life I had was not hard compared to the commoners.
“It’s easy to forget the importance of resilience when you’ve never had to be resilient. Those kids were probably sent to your sect because their parents wanted to buy them strength without letting them earn it.”
[Indeed,] Vitaliara agreed. [But the strength that isn’t earned is a strength that will crumble at the first real test. Many of those children never made it far. They either returned home to their comfortable lives or were weeded out by the rigors of training.]
That was how the reality worked. Being comfortable made people weak.
‘Comfort is weakness…..’
That was indeed the case.
[Now, what do you plan to do?]
Vitaliara asked.
“What do I plan to do? Now that I have already agreed to help you and your sect, I need to get stronger right now. After all, those people…..According to what you have said, they should at least have a 4-star warrior in their ranks.”
I was a 3-star warrior now, but I had only just reached this realm, and the truth was, I still didn’t know how to properly control my new powers.
The teachings of my master were still fresh in my mind, but I had yet to fully practice and internalize the skills he left behind. Without mastering those techniques, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand against a seasoned warrior, especially not someone of 4-star caliber.
There was also the matter of my new ability, the Flame of Equinox. It was a power unlike anything I had encountered before, born from the fusion of life and death, fire and frost.
But it was also a chaotic force, one that required careful control and a deep understanding to wield effectively. For this ability to grow stronger, I needed to feed it—by killing living beings and absorbing their mana of death.
And what place could be better for that than this forest?
“The Shadowed Thicket is filled with dangers,” I said, my mind already working through a plan. “But those dangers are also opportunities. The creatures here are strong, and their mana will make me stronger if I can defeat them. I’ll use this forest as my training ground, honing my skills and mastering the Flame of Equinox.”
Vitaliara nodded, understanding the gravity of what I was saying. [It’s a dangerous path, but one that will make you stronger. The creatures here won’t hold back, and neither can you.]
“Exactly,” I agreed. “I need to feel the power in my own hands, to experience it in battle. Only then will I be able to control it, to wield it effectively against those who stand in our way?”
There was a time when I might have hesitated when the thought of deliberately seeking out danger would have given me pause.
But not now. I had already endured too much, and I had no intention of backing down. The Flame of Equinox was a part of me now, and I needed to understand it and bend it to my will if I was going to survive the challenges ahead.
“And who knows,” I added with a wry smile, “maybe by the time I’m done here, the 4-star warrior won’t seem so intimidating.”
Vitaliara purred softly, her confidence in me clear. [I believe in you, Lucavion. You’ve come this far, and you’ll go even further. But be cautious. The creatures here are unlike any you’ve faced before. They’re born of this forest’s darkness, and they’ll test every ounce of your strength.]
“I’m ready for that,” I replied, determination burning in my chest. “I need to be ready for anything.”
[That is good, then. I will also try to recover my strength as much as I can.]
“What do you need to do to recover your strength?”
“What do you need to do to recover your strength?” I asked, genuinely curious. If there was anything I could do to help speed up her recovery, I wanted to know.
Vitaliara paused for a moment, considering my question before responding. [To fully recover, I need to absorb life energy—pure, untainted by darkness or death. The natural energy of the forest can help, but it’s not as potent as the life force of living beings. Animals, plants, and even the essence of the land itself can contribute, but it’s a slow process.]
I nodded, understanding the significance of her words. “So, absorbing life energy is similar to how I need to absorb death energy to strengthen the Flame of Equinox. We’re both drawing power from the balance of life and death.”
[Exactly,] she confirmed. [But my connection to life energy is different. It’s more delicate, more nuanced. The life energy I need must be pure, free from corruption or decay. The forest can provide some of it, but for a faster recovery, I would need to find areas where the life energy is concentrated—places where the natural world thrives without interference.]
“Like sacred groves or areas where nature’s balance is particularly strong?” I suggested, recalling some of the knowledge I had picked up during my training.
[Yes, precisely,] Vitaliara replied, her voice tinged with approval. [Such places are rare, but they exist. If we can find one, it would greatly accelerate my recovery. However, they’re often hidden and protected by powerful creatures or natural defenses.]
I frowned, realizing the challenges that lay ahead. “So, while I’m hunting and absorbing death energy, we should also be on the lookout for places where you can absorb pure life energy.”
[That would be wise,] she agreed. [But don’t worry about me too much. The forest can still sustain me to some extent, and as long as I stay close to you, I’ll gradually regain my strength. My presence near you will help stabilize the life energy within your Flame of Equinox, preventing it from becoming too imbalanced.]
“That’s reassuring,” I said with a nod. “We’ll keep an eye out for those areas, but in the meantime, we’ll focus on growing stronger together.”
Vitaliara gave a small, contented purr, her tail curling slightly around my neck in a gesture of trust.
“Then, let’s start with hunting some monsters.”
———————–
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