Back at the resort, under the waning light of the day, the atmosphere was one of reflection and accomplishment. The wooden deck, overlooking a serene part of the swamp, had been turned into an impromptu dining area. Here, Mr. Julian, with the ease of a practiced hand, tended to a grill fashioned from the remnants of what once might have been a boat engine and was now repurposed as a grill. The air was filled with the savory aroma of steaks, searing under his attentive gaze.
James and Lauren, freshly cleaned from the day's exertions, sat at one of the few tables that the humidity hadn’t destroyed. Despite the rustic setting, a festive air had taken root, with the steaks at its center promising a meal far removed from their recent fare of swamp-foraged edibles.
Mr. Julian, turning the steaks with a pair of tongs, glanced over his shoulder, a smile playing on his lips. "You two outdid yourselves," he began, his voice carrying the warmth of a proud mentor. "Clearing out a crocodilian village just a few days post-rank up is an achievement many Awakeners who have been D-ranks for years would never dream of."
Lauren granted him a small smile despite her exhaustion, "I can't say it was easy, especially dealing with the matriarch, but we had enough time to prepare properly. That's not something we usually get in a dungeon, so we could handle even the unexpected."
James nodded in agreement, his gaze drifting to the grill. "It's definitely been something," he said, feeling a hunger that went beyond the physical. "What's next for us, Mr. Julian?"
Mr. Julian placed the final steak on a large platter and carried it over to the table, setting it down amidst their eager anticipation. "Eat up first. You'll need the strength for what's to come," he said, serving generous portions to each before taking his own seat. The steaks, cooked to perfection, were tender and flavorful, a testament to Mr. Julian's skill even with the improvised grill. Each bite was a luxury, filling them with the spice rub's warmth and the butteriness of rendered fat.
It's the absence of luxuries that makes things enjoyable. This is high-quality beef, but it's not too far from what grandma usually buys. But spending weeks in a swamp definitely made it tastier. I wouldn't repeat it, but I'll savor the experience while I'm here.
As they ate, Mr. Julian's expression grew more serious. "As you might have come to suspect, I brought you to the Everglades because of reports of the crocodilians becoming increasingly active," he explained. "My task was to clear them out definitively. While you were dealing with the village, I ensured no new raids occurred. But there's more work to be done."
James and Lauren paused, their attention captured by his words. "The strongest crocodilians, including an A-rank that likely survived Towers' rampage, have gathered in a village deep within the swamp," Mr. Julian continued, his tone grave. "They pose a significant threat to this area's balance and, obviously, to nearby human settlements. Tomorrow, I plan to confront them."
Lauren swallowed, her thoughts racing. "You want us to come with you, don't you?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Mr. Julian nodded. "Yes. I want you to understand the vastness of the world and the battles that lie ahead. You don't seem to have fallen prey to the folly of hubris, but it's better to snip certain things in the bud."
James leaned forward, the weight of the task ahead settling in. "An A-rank… If that thing got to a town, it would be gone instantly. I doubt any settlement before Tampa has the means to deal with a being of that power."
"Indeed," Mr. Julian agreed. "But it's important for you to witness. To understand that what you've achieved here is just the beginning. The world is vast, filled with wonders and horrors beyond what the Everglades can offer. What lies ahead will test you in ways you can't yet imagine. But it will also show you how great you can become if you keep pushing yourselves."
As the night deepened, the grilled steaks were consumed with gusto; James and Lauren listened to the old man’s stories.
The meal ended with the anticipation of what was to come. As they cleared the makeshift table, the air around them thrummed with the energy of impending challenges.
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The following day dawned bright and early, the swamp air heavy with tension, as if something intangible had shifted. James and Lauren, having packed minimal gear as ordered, met Mr. Julian at the edge of the resort. The old man seemed more somber than usual; his gaze was lost in the swamp's expanse that stretched before them. He had gone without his straw hat for once, showing just how serious he was.
Without a word, Mr. Julian extended his hands toward them, and before either could react, a surge of power enveloped them.
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Suddenly, they were airborne, soaring above the Everglades with a speed that left them breathless. James, initially startled, soon became awes as the landscape unfolded below them. The swamp was a vast tapestry of life and water, its beauty magnified from this vantage point. The early morning mist clung to the canopy, and the sun, rising slowly, bathed the world in a soft, golden light. Trees poked out of the banks while animals began to wake up.
Lauren was tightly wound at first but relaxed as she took in the view, her surprise at being taken so suddenly forgotten amidst the majesty of their flight. "It's beautiful," she whispered, her voice carrying over the wind.
James nodded, his mind racing with the sensations his senses kept feeding him. They were moving far faster than a car could, yet after his rank up, James could sense things in much greater detail than during their trip from New York.
The mana in the air grew denser as they flew, changing in quality and intensity. It became cloyingly heavy, saturating every breath with its power. James realized then they were entering an A-rank area, and a shiver ran down his spine.
While he might have had some experience in B-rank dungeons, the difference between B and A rank was not merely a step but a chasm. He thought back to his early days, to the forums and discussions where the might of America’s most popular Awakener, Michael Towers, was debated. James had believed Towers to be around level 400, a figure he had read online. But now that he had personally experienced the difference between tiers he understood that Towers, an S-rank Awakener, must have been at least level 600, likely much more.
Which means so is Mr. Julian. I knew it objectively, but that's different from experiencing it on my skin. The old man keeps his power so well hidden that sometimes, I almost forget how powerful he truly is. The world is like a crystal shop for people like him and Towers. So fragile that any wrong move could destroy everything.
They flew silently for a few more minutes until Mr. Julian slowed, and they hovered half a mile above the swamp. Below them, a large village was visible, its structures and defenses more formidable than anything they had seen in the previous one.
Gently, they lowered in altitude, coming to a stop at around three hundred feet. It was far enough that they should be spared from any attention but close enough that they'd be able to watch without problem.
"Prepare yourselves," Mr. Julian said, his voice firm. "Engrave what you're about to see into your minds. The world of Awakeners, your chosen path, is filled with beauty and danger in equal measure. Today, you witness the scale of that reality."
With an effortlessly casual gesture, the old man encapsulated James and Lauren in a bubble shield. It shimmered faintly around them and prevented the oppressive atmosphere from affecting them. Examining the shield, James could tell that its construction was of a caliber beyond anything he'd encountered. It was clear that nothing short of a sustained, concerted attack from a powerful being could ever hope to breach it.
With another nod, more to himself than to his charges, Mr. Julian began his descent. As he moved, he loosened the tight rein he'd kept on his power, allowing it to expand and touch the world around them.
The effect was immediate and overwhelming. James was forced to immediately retract his perception, the raw power emanating from Mr. Julian threatening to overwhelm his mind. It was akin to staring directly into the sun, a brilliant force that could blind with its intensity. The swamp seemed to acknowledge the presence descending upon it, the air trembling as if in fear.
Below them, the village stirred into a frenzy. Cries of alarm and the sound of hurried preparations rose to meet them. The crocodilians, flash-banged by the immense presence appearing out of nowhere, were thrown into disarray, their reactions an understandable mix of fear and surprise.
Despite his senses still reeling from the exposure to Mr. Julian's power, James watched in fascination as a figure emerged from the largest building within the settlement, seemingly unaffected while the other villagers ran for shelter. It was a crocodilian of massive stature, standing at least ten feet tall, with scales so dark they seemed to absorb the light around them.
Clad in armor that bore the marks of master craftsmanship and several amulets that glowed ominously, the creature radiated power and authority that set him apart from his kin. In his hands, he wielded a massive glaive that seemed to hum with latent energy. It was a fearsome weapon, especially in the hands of its wielder.
That's a big boy. If the ones at six feet are juveniles, and those at eight are adults, what does that make this one? Even just looking at him, it's obvious he's not an opponent that should be taken lightly. I honestly don't know where I'd start. Not that the old man is any less intimidating. Even just an instant of exposure to his power was enough for me to almost black out.
The crocodilian didn't seem to share his hesitation. Upon locking eyes on Mr. Julian, the monster let out a roar that shook the ground. With no hesitation, the creature charged forward, the glaive raised high and glowing with dark light, ready to strike down the intruder who dared challenge his domain.
As the crocodilian leader closed the distance, Mr. Julian remained motionless, the calm at the eye of the storm. His expression was unreadable, but he didn't seem particularly impressed.
When the crocodilian jumped, intending to finish the threat in one blow, the old man moved. He lowered his center of gravity, bending his knees. He lifted his right hand and shifted forward with his right shoulder, bringing the other back. Then, just as the glaive was about to descend on him, he placed his right hand on the blade, protected from the dark aura surrounding it by a golden glow, and slapped it away.
The air was rent asunder.
Between one blink and the next, the crocodilian was gone, as was a few hundred square feet of the Everglades.
Then, the shockwave hit, and the fortified village disappeared too. Houses flew alongside crocodilians until only ruins were left. Golden light disintegrated stone and flesh alike.
Still, the old man didn't relax. Rightly so, as a few seconds later, his opponent returned, wreathed in a dark aura so intense it hurt to look at.
James timidly expanded his senses again, his curiosity too strong to ignore. The titanic battle going on below him was something he could have only dreamed of, and he didn't want to miss anything.
He slowly acclimated to the immense power being thrown around until he could feel everything around him again.
In the meantime, the battle had progressed as the crocodilian bled profusely from where Mr. Julian had stabbed him by redirecting the glaive.
He wasn't done yet. The wound closed in a blink, the pulsating dark aura that seemed to cling to him being absorbed into the nearby scales, turning them even darker.
A weird chuffing sound left the crocodilian's throat, and it took James a moment to realize he was laughing. With his senses operational again, he reached for the monster, trying to understand, and was surprised to find that the only emotion present was satisfaction.
The crocodilian was having fun.