Divine Beast Ascension

All of the young men then looked to Jonon, stunned to see the spec of blood on his lips. But Jonon was also quick to disperse their concerns. “Oliver should be ready for the tournament now. If he can hurt me this badly, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Though Oliver should be ready, none of you are to visit him for the rest of today or tomorrow,” Hurman added. “He’s still mentally preparing for battle and needs all the time he can get. With his skills, Oliver has a good chance at victory but only if he can keep the mental advantage and stay one step ahead of his opponents of a higher realm.”

Keldon spoke next, nudging his nephew forward, “That being said, please hurry and patch him up. With that, he’ll be ready to meditate and reflect on what he’s just learned. As will we all.”

“R-right...” Shadur then stepped forward and began to immediately bandage Oli’s arm and shoulder, making sure to apply his nature essence through the salve to enhance the natural concoction of herbs and ingredients.

“So Oliver won?! Oliver beat Uncle Jonon?!”

“No, I lost,” answered Oli, shaking his head at the naive preteen.

.....

Jonon laughed and rubbed his side, adding, “But he didn’t lose without giving me a good pounding first. I’m excited to see what he’s learned from our fight and how much better he’ll handle the tournament. Good luck, Oliver.”

As Jonon waved goodbye and left for his own courtyard, Hurman bowed to Oli as well before departing. Keldon was the final person to leave with a smile and follow after Hurman with more they still needed to discuss. Oli, on the other hand, sat quietly with his eyes closed, enjoying the soothing feeling of the salve pumped with nature essence.

“But you almost beat Uncle Jonon, right? Were you the one that shook the building? We all thought something had happened and–”

“Pauller!” Knocking his little brother on the head, Leon groaned, “Let’s leave Oliver alone to reflect on his loss. Doesn’t he seem busy at the moment?”

“Then I’ll be getting back to my class...” Johan sighed, taking one last look at Oli before scurrying back to the smaller building to the left of his father’s larger sword school.

“There. Don’t do anything for the next day and your wounds should be sealed before the tournament. Until the first round, no more sparing or training,” insisted Shadur. “I should probably go check on Master Jonon now. His side seemed harmed and I’d rather not leave him without a medical inspection.”

“Go ahead. Thanks, Shadur.”

The medic left and Oli got up to his feet, stretching his arms and shoulders to get used to his new bandages. Nodding to Pauller and Leon, Oli waved as he turned to leave. “Hurry back to training or you might fail your grandpa’s challenge.”

“I won’t fail!” shouted Pauller.

“Then get back to training!” Leon stated, pushing Pauller back toward the training grounds. “Hurry up and get back to training before grandpa cancel’s your deal.”

The walk back to his courtyard was slow but steady. Oli used the time to reflect and think over the small intricacies of the fight. From the get-go, he knew winning wasn’t an option. However, he saw it as a learning experience that may allow him to defeat Jonon in the future, as well as others on Jonon’s level.

Upon entering his courtyard and resting peacefully in the lounging area, Vloz reappeared and laughed softly, “Not bad, Oli. Had you used your soul training as well, you might have actually beaten Jonon.”

“But I’d rather not reveal too much about me, not unless that’s necessary.”

“There’s nothing wrong with showing your talent for soul arts. If anything, it should allow you to stand out in the right way.” Vloz reasoned, “Soul arts aren’t something that anyone can handle. It shows your mental fortitude more than your physical strength, proving your immense willpower in place of an opponent’s raw strength. Finding a pupil with mental fortitude is something any capable instructor would want in a place like Trighton Institute.”

“But wouldn’t that make things worse for me?”

“You’ve mentioned that man giving you a warning. Did he warn you against using soul arts?”

“... No.”

“Then perhaps wielding them would be beneficial and not detrimental. Now, don’t misunderstand my logic. You should only use them when necessary and when an opponent is truly worth going through the effort. But when such a scenario occurs, why hold back when you’re trying to impress the territory leader and his subordinates?”

“I’m not against using them, but I’m still only able to use the first level,” replied Oli.

“Well, the first level should be enough to close any gap between the human you and someone slightly above your realm.”

“I’ll consider it...”

As Oli mentally sunk into his soul jade and stopped responding to Vloz’s shared thoughts, the leopard sighed. Vloz was curious to see Oli in action come tournament day, but he was also searching for a moment to discuss Oli’s dark essence cultivation, as well as the technique that surely wasn’t the one Vloz had shared.

For the moment, however, Vloz let Oli cultivate in peace. He kept a low profile and remained quiet for the time being.

In another part of the family property, Shadur stood outside a courtyard gate. Surprised, he bowed his head. “Lady Cethlin, I’ve come to inspect Master Jonon’s injuries. Given his remarks and how he held his side, I believe it’s worth examining him.”

“We appreciate your concern but my husband is fine. With some rest, he’ll be as good as new,” Cethling responded, nodding politely to Shadur. “There’s no need to worry about him. I’ve seen the wound and he’s reassured me as well.”

“Okay... Well, thank you for letting me know.” Shadur bowed once more. “Should that change, don’t hesitate to seek me out.”

As Shadur left, Cethlin turned and entered her home once more, sighing as she closed the door. She glanced at her shirtless husband and clicked her tongue. “Will you ever learn to trust medicine?”

“I trust it, but I don’t need it this time.”

“Honey, that’s a terrible bruise. You may have broken a rib.”

“Maybe... But I’ll be fine,” argued Jonon, applying a course potion to the bruised skin. “If I feel any pain from my ribs, I’ll make sure to visit Shadur, okay?”

“Okay...” Sighing in protest to her husband’s pride, Cethlin left the room to give Jonon the space he wanted after his long-anticipated fight.