The open road to Wutai stretched before them, a stark contrast to the suffocating confines of Midgar.
The air, though still carrying a faint tallic tang from the distant city, was undeniably cleaner.
For Arthur, his exhaustion was spiritual, a deep ache in his bones, but the sight of the clear sky and the boundless horizon filled him with a quiet sense of freedom.
He had done his part. Now, the real journey began.
Their first few days outside Midgar were spent recovering.
They found a secluded cave, hidden amongst jagged rock formations, a safe haven where they could finally rest without the constant threat of Shinra.
Aerith, ever the healer, tended to Arthur, brewing soothing herbal teas and applying poultices to ease his magical fatigue.
"I am going to be your personal caretaker!"
She was very cute and Arthur enjoyed her company.
Tifa and Barret took turns standing watch, their eyes scanning the desolate landscape for any signs of pursuit.
Cloudia, Yuffie, and Marlene helped gather supplies, foraging for edible plants and setting snares for small ga.
As Arthur slowly regained his strength, a new resolve began to solidify within him.
He had seen firsthand the imnse power of Sephira, the overwhelming odds he faced.
And Shinra, they might not be as powerful but he could not be careless.
Their true power house was still inactive. If they were to make a move.
Arthur might have a hard ti protecting everyone.
His diversion had worked, but it was a temporary solution. To truly stand a chance against them, to protect his new friends, he needed to beco stronger.
Much stronger.
He shared his thoughts with the group during one of their evening als around a small, crackling fire.
"We can't just run forever,"
He said, his voice a little rough from disuse.
"Shinra will eventually catch up. We need to be able to fight back, to truly defend ourselves. And for that,"
He looked around at their weary but determined faces,
"I need to train. I need to get stronger, and I think this wilderness is the perfect place to do it."
Barret, always practical, nodded slowly.
"Kid's got a point. We can't keep relying on last-minute miracles. But what exactly are you planning, Arthur? You're already powerful."
"I have these abilities,"
Arthur began, looking at his hands,
"And I'm starting to understand them better. But I need to push them, to see what they're truly capable of. And I think,"
He paused, considering his next words carefully,
"I need to fight. To truly understand and control my power, I need to test it against sothing real."
Cloudia, always perceptive, chid in.
"You an, like, monsters? This area is known for so pretty nasty wildlife, even for us. Are you sure you're up for it, Arthur?"
"I have to be,"
Arthur replied.
"It's the only way. I have to push past my limits. And I won't do it alone. I'll need your help to spot potential threats, to help when things get tough. But I need to do this."
The next morning, Arthur began his rigorous training regin. He would spend hours each day venturing out into the wilderness, often accompanied by Tifa, Cloudia, or Barret, searching for suitable opponents.
His goal was not just to defeat creatures but to understand the flow of his Lifestream energy within him, to refine his Dragonic abilities, and to gradually push the limits of his Reality Blending.
His first few encounters were humbling.
While his base power was impressive, fighting real, aggressive creatures was different from conjuring vehicles.
He faced large, predatory beasts with thick hides and razor claws. He learned quickly that simply blasting them with Dragonic Shot wasn't always efficient.
He needed to be more precise, more strategic.
He started by focusing on individual skills. He spent hours practicing his Dragonic Shot, trying to make it more potent, faster, and more accurate.
He would aim for weak points on creatures, observing how even a small increase in focus could lead to a more devastating impact.
He discovered that by channeling more of his Dragon's Aura into the shot, he could make it pierce tougher armor.
Then ca Dragonic Canon. This was a much more energy-intensive attack, a concentrated blast of pure energy.
He practiced controlling its spread, making it either a focused beam or a wider, more destructive wave.
He learned that while effective against multiple enemies, it drained him quickly.
He needed to find a balance between power and efficiency.
His Dragon's Heart and Dragon's Aura were his constant companions.
He would practice extending his aura, feeling its protective field, and using it to sense approaching threats.
He discovered that by consciously expanding his aura, he could deter so smaller creatures without even engaging them.
The Dragon's Heart acted as a wellspring of energy, and he began to understand how to draw upon it more effectively, to replenish his dwindling reserves during prolonged fights.
One particularly challenging encounter involved a pack of agile, wolf-like creatures with razor-sharp fangs.
They moved with incredible speed, circling him, making it difficult to target them effectively.
This was where his Dex and AGI stats truly ca into play. He realized he couldn't just stand there and take hits.
He needed to move, to dodge, to anticipate their attacks.
He started incorporating Dragonic Hand into his combat. This skill allowed him to manifest a powerful, draconic claw of energy, perfect for close-quarters combat.
He would use it to parry attacks, to deliver crushing blows, and even to grapple with the faster creatures.
It was a brutal dance, a whirlwind of claws and energy, but with each encounter, his movents beca smoother, his reactions quicker.
He wasn't just relying on brute force anymore; he was adapting, learning.
Aerith, observing from a safe distance, often reminded him to use his healing abilities.
Dragonic Heal and Dragonic Cure were crucial for his recovery after intense fights.
He learned to nd minor wounds quickly, allowing him to push through more training sessions without needing extensive downti. This was vital for his progress.
As Arthur fought more and more, he began to feel a shift within him, a deeper connection to his core power.
He was not just using his skills; he was embodying them. His Super Focus allowed him to hone in on his targets with laser-like precision, ignoring distractions and amplifying his intent.
This was especially useful when dealing with multiple enemies or fast-moving opponents.
The true breakthrough ca when he started consciously experinting with Reality Blending (Partial Released).
Initially, he had only used it instinctively, like when he conjured the vehicles in Midgar.
Now, he tried to control it, to understand its nuances. He started with small, subtle changes in his imdiate environnt during combat.
He would make the ground slightly uneven for an approaching enemy, or create a montary gust of wind to throw off a flying creature's aim.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible to the untrained eye, but it gave him an edge.
He was bending reality, not breaking it, just enough to tip the scales in his favor.
He discovered that by channeling his Soul Magic alongside Reality Blending, he could imbue his alterations with a deeper, more profound effect.
He wasn't just changing the physical world; he was subtly influencing the very fabric of existence around him, making it more favorable to him.
This was a complex and draining process, but the potential was imnse.
His King skill, which had appeared suddenly, remained a mystery for a while.
It didn't seem to offer a direct combat advantage. However, as he fought alongside his friends, he noticed a subtle change.
When he issued commands or made strategic decisions, his companions seed to respond with an almost instinctual obedience, their movents more coordinated, their morale boosted.
He realized that "King" wasn't about raw power; it was about leadership, about inspiring and empowering those around him.
This was crucial for their survival as a group.
Weeks turned into months. Arthur's daily routine was a relentless cycle of training, fighting, and recovery.
His Level slowly but steadily increased.
His Pow, End, Dex, AGI, and MAG stats climbed, each incrental gain a testant to his sheer determination.
He faced increasingly dangerous creatures, from colossal terrestrial beasts to agile aerial predators. He even encountered so mutated, energy-infused monsters, remnants of Shinra's experints, which pushed his limits to their absolute breaking point.
He wasn't just surviving these encounters; he was mastering them.
He learned to analyze his opponents, identify their weaknesses, and exploit them with a calculated precision.
He developed a seamless flow between his Dragonic abilities, transitioning from a close-range Dragonic Hand strike to a long-range Dragonic Canon blast without a mont's hesitation.
His Reality Blending beca almost second nature, subtly altering the battlefield to his advantage without conscious thought.
His friends, too, grew stronger. Tifa honed her martial arts, her punches becoming even more devastating. Barret, with his gun-arm, beca an even more formidable long-range combatant.
Cloudia, with her intuitive understanding of the environnt, beca their most effective scout and strategist.
Aerith continued to be their anchor, her healing magic a constant source of comfort and recovery.
Even Yuffie, ever the energetic ninja, refined her shuriken skills and developed new evasive maneuvers.
One evening, after an exceptionally grueling battle against a monstrous, armored beast that had taken all of
Arthur's newfound strength to defeat, he sat by the fire, utterly spent but filled with a quiet satisfaction.
The road to Wutai remained long and perilous, but Arthur knew they could pass through it.
[Parater]
* Na: Arthur Leywin Stark
* Alias: Adolescent Reality Blending Cosmic True Dragon
* Level: 7 ( 1)
* Pow: S-963
* End: A-874
* Dex: A-852
* AGI: S-905
* MAG: SS-1087
[Skill]
* Dragon Gods' partner
* Authority of Sloth
* Authority of Greed
* King
* Low Tier Godling
[Power]
* Dragonic Shot
* Dragonic Canon
* Dragonic Heal
* Dragonic Cure
* Dragonic Hand
* Dragon's Heart
* Dragon's Aura
* Super Focus
* Reality Blending (Partial Released)
* Soul Magic
...
Little spoiler: Show your brave heart...(If you know then you are old...)
...
[email protected]/phelio 110 chapters
Reviews
All reviews (0)