Boe was moving in shadow while Alfred was strolling through forest with his hands behind his back as if he was walking in his backyard. Only now did Boe understand how powerful Alfred was, even though he didn’t use any techniques to conceal himself, his movements were nimble and didn’t attract any attention from any living beings around. When he was passing trees and bushes, all branches and leaves were moving away from his body. Boe was wondering what attribute was Alfred using, but decided not to ask any question right now.
“Frost Bear is considered weak rank 1 beast and only has 1 special active ability, “Frost Slash”, it uses claws to attack enemy with this ability, which upon landing on target will freeze small area and allow bear’s claws to shatter that area. Bear’s strongest side is defense due to very thick fur and massive body, which is considered to be on level close to rank 2, while weakest side is speed. But you have to understand that while bear’s movement speed is rather slow, his attack speed is still pretty fast, so don’t be too overconfident in your speed while you battle him.”
Hearing all instructions from Alfred, Boe only nodded slightly and carried on moving in direction of Frost Bear. He was now rather nervous, but was still confident in his ability to battle Frost Bear. Even if bear would be stronger than he expected and would be able to harm Boe, he was sure that Alfred wouldn’t let him die.
Few minutes later Alfred stopped moving and pointed in west direction with his finger, Boe put Claws of Enthriil onto his hands and started moving slower in direction Alfred pointed. Boe understood that in this battle his first stealth attack would influence the outcome of the battle, so he was using his Shadow Step technique to the extreme. Frost Bear was two meters tall, his fur was gray in color and tips of his claws were shining as if they were frozen. Bear was busy eating something from the ground, it was probably some other animal killed by him.
‘Weak points of Frost Bear’s are their necks and thighs, if I’ll be able to cut through bear’s neck it will be instant victory, and if I’ll cut through thighs It’ll slow bear’s movements and it will be good advantage for me in battle. I have to be decisive in battle, so I will go for neck straight away to snatch easy victory.’, Boe already came up with a plan for his upcoming battle.
*CLANG*
However, expectations and hopes do not always become reality. When Boe attacked Frost Bear using his Shadow Step technique and Claws of Enthriil as a weapon, bear suddenly turned around and blocked Boe’s attack with his mighty claws. Boe felt chill run down his spine. Frost Bear’s Frost Slash ability has to be activated for attack, but tips of bear’s claws were always frosty from using that ability all the time. Boe didn’t make any mistakes in his strategy or actions, but Frost Bear were existence of rank 1 power and had years of experience of surviving in this forest, so he easily detected killing intent from Boe and reacted instantly. Boe was just too inexperienced and weak to kill mighty Frost Bear in one hit.
Boe used impact from his attack and jumped away from bear to avoid any incoming attacks. When Boe looked at bear he realized that bear was already infuriated and ready to tear Boe’s body to pieces. Bear looked at little creature that disturbed his meal and already decided to make a dessert out of Boe’s body.
*ROAR*
Frost Bear roared and jumped to attack Boe, he didn’t want to give Boe any chance of retreating. Seeing huge bear pouncing at him so fast, Boe didn’t see why would that huge animal would be considered to be slow in movements. Bear used his “Frost Slash” technique straight away, Boe barely managed to dodge that attack, but bear’s claws scratched his back a little anyway. Boe now felt his whole back go stiff from coldness of that attack, his movement slowed down because of that.
“Kyolyokyo jebe” – Boe whispered chanting of his “Shadow arrow” technique and pointed in bear’s direction. Black shadow in the shape of an arrow shot right at bear’s neck. Boe was very proud of his fast decision making in that moment and looked at bear as if he was already dead. However, when Boe’s attack reached bear’s neck it didn’t pierce through him, but only damaged him a little with just a few droplets of blood dripping from the wound. When bear felt Boe’s attack he was enraged and started slashing all around with his claws.
“Young master, let’s get back to mansion, I need to heal your injuries and this place will become very lively now. All beasts in this area will smell human blood and gather here to hunt you down.”, Alfred appeared, took Boe in his hands and moved in direction of stairs.
“Difference between beasts of rank 1 and beasts who hasn’t yet broken through to rank 1 is so huge?”, After Shadow Panther ran away from him, Boe was sure he can easily kill any beast under rank 1 so he wanted to fight rank 1 beasts. Only now did Boe understand that he was way too arrogant and started thinking about everything that happened, ‘Panther ran away not because I was strong, but because Claws of Enthriil were able to cut off her claws. When we clashed I was even sent flying from impact, so even that panther was actually stronger than me, I overestimated my power today. If Alfred wasn’t there to protect me, I would likely have lost my life there.’
“In my opinion, it wasn’t an issue of rank of the beast, problem was in selected opponent. Even though young master isn’t a match for that Frost Bear, I think it was mostly because of experience and special attributes of that bear. If young master would pick Fire Tiger to fight and tiger would be young one, young master would be able to kill it with one strike with Claws of Enthriil. That Frost Bear was not only old and experienced, but his defense is his strongest side, so sneak attack isn’t as effective on him as on Fire Tiger.”
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Back in mansion, Alfred took out small bottle and poured out liquid on Boe’s injury. It was minor healing potion, right after Alfred finished pouring it out, all scars on Boe’s back disappeared and all pain seemed to vanish, ‘I really need to practice in alchemy, those potions are going to be very useful for me in future if I want to gain battle experience in outer world.’
“Thanks for saving my life, elder Alfred. If it wasn’t for you, I would already be in that bear’s stomach.”
“I’m just doing my job.”
“Elder Alfred, I think I will need to learn more shadow techniques. Can you please gather all shadow attribute movement, attack and defense techniques for me?”
“As you wish, young master.”, Alfred vanished right after he finished healing Boe.
Boe was sitting in his training room and looking at five books in front of him. These books were all shadow techniques suitable for training before reaching rank 1 Alfred found in Thomas’ mansion.
“Shadow clone” is attack technique, it creates clone using shadow attribute battle aura, clone would be identical to user, but it wouldn’t be able to move, talk or even move a muscle. This technique is a copy of high level “Shadow clone” technique which can create real clone, which can move, attack and even use battle techniques, but user has to be of rank 5 or higher to use it.
“Shadow hand” is attack technique, it creates huge hand from shadow attribute battle aura, which can grab and restrict opponent’s movements. If opponent is of lower rank than user, he will be frozen in place for a few seconds. If opponent is of same rank as user, his movement speed will be slowed down for 50-80% depending on opponent’s strength for a few seconds. If opponent’s rank is higher than user’s, his movement speed will be slowed down depending on difference of ranks.
“Blinding darkness” is illusionary attack technique, which attacks opponent’s mind. It creates illusion of being in absolute darkness, but it only works on opponents of same or lower ranks as user.
“Shield of regret” is defense technique, which creates transparent shield from shadow attribute battle aura around user’s body. This technique is considered of the strongest from all known shadow techniques. This shield doesn’t block all damage, but any damage dealt to shield is divided, 50% of damage then goes back to attacker and another 50% are received by user. This technique is copy of higher level technique which can actually deflect all 100% of damage to attacker, but requirement to use it is to be of at least rank 4.
"Phantom translocation" is movement technique, which allows user to teleport anywhere inside of one shadow, user can’t move through any lightened ground while using it. This technique is considered to be very powerful, but it has one big problem, it requires user to be in shadow form for at least one second. In other words, if opponent will be able to lighten whole shadow within that second then user will perish with that shadow. There were a lot of people in history who died while using that technique, so anyone using it had to be absolutely confident in being able to preserve shadow for at least a second. And it considered to be taboo technique when shadow attribute wizard was fighting light attribute wizards.
“Alfred, I will be learning all those techniques, so please don’t bother me for the time being.”, Boe decided to go into inner garden again when he will finish learning all those techniques.
“Yes, young master”, Alfred left training room with joyful smile on his face, he was very happy that his new young master wasn’t arrogant and stupid child who would charge into inner garden after the loss just to prove himself to be strong and brave.
Two months later Boe finally walked out of his training room with satisfied look on his face. He managed to grasp all five techniques, it took him a lot less time than he anticipated. He would come out even earlier, but “Shield of regret” was truly hard to master, Boe spent whole month on this technique alone, when each of all other four techniques took him only around a week to master.
“As expected of young master, it took you only two months to master five techniques. Back when my master was teaching his students “Blinding darkness” technique, best result was whole month to master it. And when master tried to teach “Shield of regret” to his best students, even top geniuses couldn’t grasp it after a year of trying.”, Alfred was looking very happy, but Boe noticed that in Alfred’s gaze was something strange now.
“Young master, can you tell me which shadow attribute battle technique do you train in? I thought I know all battle techniques my master has, but it seems like your technique is rather unique and unknown to me.”, Boe started panicking in his heart, afraid that Alfred found out he wasn’t Thomas’ student, but he didn’t show any sign of panic on his face and already came up with story.
“It is expectable for you to not recognize my battle technique since my master acquired it from some ancient tomb just a hundred years ago. It is indeed very unique and I’m the first student of my master who managed to grasp this technique, that is the reason why I’m still struggling to break through to rank 1, while my peers are all broke through long ago. It didn’t have any name when my master got a hold of it, so he called it “Demonification” himself.”
“That is rather interesting name… Well, I guess I can’t fathom my master’s thoughts, so I won’t be asking any further about it.”, As Alfred said it, his eyes became kind as usual. Boe sighed with relief, it seems like his story worked out and he wouldn’t be killed on spot.
“Let’s go back to inner garden, I want to take my revenge on that bear.”, Alfred only nodded in response and they both walked in inner garden’s direction.
“Kyolyokyo Kol”, Boe whispered chant for Shadow hand technique, pointed in bear’s direction and jumped to attack him with Claws of Enthriil. But this time he wasn’t as stupid as he was before and attacked bear’s left thigh. Bear tried to block attack, but he was slowed down by Shadow hand technique already, so he wasn’t able to do it. Blood sprayed from bear’s right thigh as he roared in rage.
*ROAR*
Bear immediately leapt in Boe’s direction and managed to catch up to him, he then slashed at Boe with his claw and used Frost slash. Bear’s attack landed on Boe’s body, but to his shock, there were no blood, only black fog.
“Kyolyokyo Kylon”, Bear attacked not Boe’s real body, but shadow clone that Boe prepared according to his plan.
*SLASH*
Blood sprayed everywhere around bear from his neck. Boe attacked bear from the branch of a tree and cut through bear's neck with his Claws of Enthriil. Boe wasn’t sure he could cut through bear’s fur with just his strength, so he used power of gravity to strengthen power of his attack.
*Clap, clap, clap*
“Nice job, young master.”, Alfred seemed very pleased as he was clapping.
“It’s time for a hunt now, elder Alfred, find me another prey.”, Boe’s eyes were glowing red and his smile seemed extremely sinister as he was saying those words and looking at his bloodstained hands.