The dense jungle buzzed with life as Eleo, Kenji, Olorun, and Tony continued watching, their eyes still locked on the battle unfolding before them. The shark-like creature and the nimble monkey were locked in a clash of brute force and precision. Water bullets tore through the air, and the monkey effortlessly dodged every shot. The air around them crackled with tension, the sheer force of their fight palpable.

But then, something strange happened.

The shark slowed, its massive body beginning to change. Its sharp fins retracted, its dark skin shimmered, and within seconds, it transformed into a humanoid figure with pale blue skin and sharp, shark-like features. The monkey—Sarugami—also began to shift, his body elongating and becoming more human-like, his fur thinning and revealing a muscular form beneath.

The group, hidden behind the thick trees, exchanged confused glances.

Sharky, now fully in his humanoid form, sighed heavily, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Come on, Sarugami. We both know we can't take him head-on."

Sarugami spat on the ground, his sharp eyes flashing with disdain. "See? You're too weak. Too scared. You're pathetic, Sharky." His voice dripped with venom, and he turned his back on his companion, fists clenched.

Sharky grimaced, his voice filled with frustration. "No matter how hard we train, no matter how many times we push ourselves until we pass out, we'll never reach his level. You know that."

Sarugami didn’t even turn around. His voice was low, filled with disgust. "That’s why you’re weak. Always making excuses."

And with that, he walked away, leaving Sharky standing there, fists trembling, his eyes fixed on the ground. "Damn it..." Sharky muttered under his breath, watching Sarugami disappear into the dense foliage.

Eleo, ever the curious one, turned to the group and said, "Uh, should we go out there and talk to him?"

Kenji shot him a sharp glance. "What for? It's none of our business to get involved in someone else's drama."

Eleo raised a brow. "What's drama?"

Tony scratched his skull, a smirk on his face. "You know, like when things get intense and people start shouting or throwing things."

Eleo nodded slowly, trying to picture it. "So... like what just happened with Sharky and Sarugami?"

"Exactly!" Tony replied, his eyes lighting up. "That was a classic case of drama."

"Ohhh," Eleo said, pretending to understand, though his expression hinted at confusion.

Olorun, sensing the tension, clapped his hands. "Anyway, let's head into town. I'm starving."

Tony scratched his skull, his bony fingers clicking. "Well, we don't exactly know where the town is, Olorun. This is uncharted territory."

Eleo, ever confident, sniffed the air loudly. "I can smell food! Lots of it! Guys, I can smell it that way." He pointed in a random direction, his nose twitching like a bloodhound.

Olorun chuckled. "Must be Kenji’s stinky feet."

Kenji blinked, his face twisting in disbelief. "Wait, how do you even know what my feet smell like?" A silence fell over the group as all eyes turned to Olorun. The silence stretched awkwardly.

"Uh, okay, Eleo," Olorun muttered, quickly changing the subject. "Lead the way."

As they followed Eleo through the dense forest, the scent of food growing stronger, they came across a peculiar sight—a giant panda sitting cross-legged in the middle of the road, meditating peacefully. The panda’s eyes were closed, its breathing steady and calm, its massive frame still like a mountain.

Eleo tilted his head. "What’s he doing?"

Tony smiled knowingly. "He’s meditating."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Ohhh, I remember that," Eleo said, his voice trailing off. He didn’t. But it seemed like the right thing to say.

Olorun, with a mischievous grin, leaned closer to the meditating panda. "Should I poke him?"

Kenji’s eyes widened. "No, just leave hi—"

Before Kenji could finish, Olorun poked the panda’s massive shoulder, rubbing his hand over the thick fur. The panda’s eyes snapped open, and in a deep, calm voice, he said, "Please stop touching me."

Olorun jumped back, clearly startled, his eyes wide. "Uh, sorry!"

The panda sighed, eyes half-closed again. "Thank you."

Tony, still cautious, crossed his arms. "Wait, you're not going to attack us? Most of the inhabitants of the Animal Kingdom aren't too friendly toward humans... or skeletons, for that matter."

The panda shook his head slowly. "I have no need to fight without reason. Conflict arises from fear, anger, and misunderstanding. I choose peace." His voice was calm, measured, like the gentle flow of a river.

Eleo, ever blunt, asked, "So... you're not evil?"

The panda chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "When I fight, I fight with all my strength. When I eat, I savor each moment. When I run, I run with purpose. When I do good deeds, I do them wholeheartedly. As for evil—no, that path shall never be mine."

Tony’s bony jaw dropped slightly. "Wow. That’s... very wise of you."

The panda smiled, his black and white face serene. "Wisdom comes with age and reflection."

Tony tilted his head, curiosity getting the better of him. "How old are you?"

The panda closed his eyes again, his breathing returning to a steady rhythm. "I am 42."

Eleo grinned, whispering to Olorun. "Was it soft?"

Olorun nodded, a sly smile on his face. "Oh yeah. Like a pillow."

After a few moments of silent admiration, the group continued their journey, leaving the meditating panda behind. They walked in silence for a while, the only sound being the crunch of leaves underfoot.

As they approached the road leading into a small village, Kenji paused, his eyes scanning the settlement from a distance. "Wait... if we go inside, won’t they probably attack us? I mean, Tony did say they don’t take kindly to outsiders."

Tony sighed, scratching his skull again. "Yeah... that’s a possibility."

Kenji shrugged. "Then how are we supposed to get food?"

Eleo, never one to back down from a challenge, grinned. "How about I get us some food? I’ll charm them with my... Eleo-ness."

Olorun raised an eyebrow. "Your 'Eleo-ness'?"

Eleo winked. "Exactly

The group stood cautiously just outside the village, their stomachs grumbling. Eleo, as always, was brimming with enthusiasm, ready to charge into any situation headfirst.

“I’m a bunny. I’m one of them,” Eleo declared with absolute confidence, puffing his chest as if it would somehow convince the others.

Kenji sighed, rubbing his face in frustration. “Oh yeah? Sure, Eleo,” he muttered, facepalming in disbelief.

Olorun, always ready for a joke, smirked. “Alright, Eleo, this is a super-deep mission, probably the most dangerous one yet.”

Eleo's eyes widened. “Really? Okay! I’m ready!”

Olorun chuckled and pointed to the village. “Good. Now go, bring us food.”

With his "mission" clear, Eleo trotted off toward the village. But as he walked, he spotted something that made him freeze in place. Ahead of him stood a massive bear clad in black kung fu robes, meditating on the side of the road. Eleo’s jaw dropped.

“Guys… it’s Kuma,” he whispered, his heart pounding in his chest.

Tony, Kenji, and Olorun exchanged confused glances. “Who?” they all said in unison.

Before they could ask more, Eleo bolted forward, tears streaming down his cheeks. “KUMA!” he cried out, running at full speed toward the bear.

The bear opened his eyes, scowling. Before Eleo could reach him, the bear’s paw moved in a blur. In a split second, he smacked Eleo across the face with such force that he was sent flying, landing harshly in the dirt.

“Back the hell away from me, kid,” the bear growled, his voice deep and menacing.

Kenji, Tony, and Olorun rushed to Eleo’s side, all three glaring at the bear, fists clenched. The village animals began to gather, their eyes narrowing with suspicion as they recognized the outsiders.

Tony knelt beside Eleo. “You alright?” he asked softly.

Eleo rubbed his cheek, groaning. “Y-yeah, I’m okay.”

The bear loomed over them, his eyes cold and calculating. “You mistook me for Kuma,” he said with a low chuckle. “I’m not him. My name is Agharna, his older brother. And I’ll tell you this—he’s rotting in a jail cell right now, suffering every day.”

Eleo’s heart sank. “W-what?”

Agharna grinned, a cruel smile spreading across his face. “Yeah. I tortured him myself. Beat him, made him bleed, made him suffer. All that fun stuff.”

Eleo’s eyes darkened. Rage bubbled up inside him. He clenched his fists, and a dark aura began to swirl around him. “Ink First!” he shouted, raising his right arm. Ink spiraled around his body, covering him in black tendrils of power.

Without hesitation, Eleo charged at Agharna, his fists flying as he unleashed a barrage of ink-covered punches. But Agharna was faster. He dodged every blow effortlessly, his eyes glowing dark blue, with a thin, curved line stretching across the upper part of both eyes.

Agharna caught Eleo’s right arm mid-punch, his grip like iron. “You’re weak,” he sneered. “That ink thing was impressive, but I thought it’d actually do something. Seems I was wrong.” With a swift motion, Agharna slammed his fist into Eleo’s neck, knocking him out cold.

Kenji’s eyes blazed with fury as he unsheathed his twin swords, their edges gleaming dangerously. Olorun’s hands crackled with lightning, the air around him humming with electricity. Tony activated his Aura, a glowing shield of energy surrounding him.

But before they could even make a move, the ground trembled as a group of massive, armored gorillas—Agharna’s personal guard—emerged, their auras flaring to life. The tension between the two groups became palpable, thick as the humid air around them.

Agharna stood there, grinning, his confidence unshaken. “Give up, you fools,” he said, his voice cold and smug. “If you fight, I’ll kill you. And trust me, I don’t make empty threats.”

Tony’s Aura flickered, then dimmed as he stepped forward. “Guys… we need to give up,” he said quietly.

Kenji looked at Tony in disbelief. “What? We’re just gonna let this guy get away with what he did to Eleo?”

Olorun, still crackling with electricity, glared at Agharna. “Tony, he tortured Kuma. You want us to just walk away?”

Tony shook his head. “We’re outnumbered and outmatched. The gorilla guards could easily take us down, and we don’t need more trouble here.”

Kenji hesitated, his swords still drawn, but after a moment, he lowered them. “Fine,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

Olorun’s electricity faded as he unclenched his fists. “This better not come back to bite us.”

The gorilla guards wasted no time. They moved in, cuffing Kenji and Tony, along with the unconscious Eleo and a still-fuming Olorun. They slapped heavy collars around both Eleo and Olorun necks, their cold metal surfaces humming with power.

Agharna smirked. “These collars? They’re for people who possess Aether Shards. They cut off your power and make you weak as a kitten. But I won’t bore you with the details.”

Kenji struggled against his cuffs, glaring at Agharna. “You think this is over?”

Agharna laughed, a dark, echoing sound. “Oh, I know it’s over. Take them away.”

The gorillas hauled them to their feet, dragging them off toward the village, their bodies weighed down by the suppressive power of the collars.

As they were led away, Tony cast a glance at Agharna, his expression unreadable. “We’ll be back,” he said quietly, a promise of things to come.

Agharna simply smiled, watching them disappear from the village. "I’ll be waiting."