Chapter 238: One Week Training Arc (1)

“Oh Ivanka, my love. . .”

His gaze settled upon the forest surrounding him—the rustling leaves, the gentle caress of the breeze, the earthy scent of the moss-covered ground.

Images of Ivanka, his beloved, danced in the recesses of Willow's mind, evoking a longing that stirred his heart. He yearned for her comforting presence, her understanding touch, and the solace she brought to his soul. The memories of their shared moments flooded his consciousness, reminding him of her unwavering support and the times she had saved him from his own recklessness.

He also remembered especially how she was unexpectedly clumsy whenever she was left alone. Like that one time, when Willow had gone out into the woods for training, and he came back to an oven that had completely melted down simply because Ivanka wanted to surprise him with some of her cooking. Cooking that she had prepared using something called the “Flames Of Gehenna.”

Oh, the good old days. 

He missed her. He really, really missed her. A smile played upon Willow’s plump lips as memories after memories flowed past him, in the same way the gentle forest breeze swayed past him. 

Willow sighed. “When can I see you again?” He raised an arm at the daylit sky, wishing that it was night already simply so that he could feel a little closer with his lover. He yearned for the touch of her hand, the warmth of her embrace.

But he remembered Ivanka’s recent message. She wouldn’t be able to see him so soon again, this time. How long did he have to wait?

It didn’t matter. For someone who loved him so much that she was willing to break apart one of the most important heavenly rules set by the King Of Gods, Willow was willing to wait for her, for as long as it took. 

However, the ache of missing her presence remained, an emptiness that only she could fill.

“May we meet each other soon,” With a blend of hope and longing, Willow whispered his desires into the ether, his voice carrying his deepest wishes to the realms that separated them. He yearned for the day when he could meet Ivanka again.

But for now, Willow had no choice but to endure the longing, to find solace in the memories they had shared and the love that bound them. 

Willow's fingers brushed against the smooth surface of the amulet that adorned his neck, a tangible connection to Ivanka. As his touch lingered, he felt a comforting warmth emanating from the enchanted trinket, a reminder of their unbreakable bond.

“I guess this little thing still works, eh?” With a gentle squeeze, Willow felt a familiar sensation, one of affection, coursing through him from their soul-link connection.

“Wait, what if I did. . .” A soft giggle escaped Willow's lips as a mischievous thought took shape. He thought back to the very rough, very physically demanding and possessive way in which his lover fucked him, owned him in bed and made sure to send that lust and naughty yearning through their soul-link.

Almost instantly, Willow sensed a small surprise reverberating through their soul-link, a tangible response to his message. “Oops, sorry~” Willow stuck his tongue out playfully.

With a contented smile, Willow released his grip on the amulet, knowing that their souls were intertwined beyond the constraints of their circumstances.

Willow’s thought shifted towards the oncoming tournament, but not before he thought of his general quest of obtaining the Flaming Sword from Lilith, otherwise known as the Succubus Queen. 

“If I get that sword, and give it to Raegis, I’m sure something amazing will happen,” Willow placed a tiny finger on his chin. “Maybe, if I’m lucky, she might even awaken? Or perhaps, her constitution could get a major progress in being unlocked? Well, either way, I need to get that sword.”

Although, to even think of getting that sword, Willow had to first walk into the next step in his chi manipulation. To be in the next realm of power, to be able to manipulate and enhance not just parts of his body, but his entire being and even project it into the outside world. 

An image of Willow punching through small hills, and running through water appeared inside his head. 

Either he reached the next realm, or he mastered his divinity. Yup, he was talking about the peculiar presence that hovered above his chi-pool—an ethereal red mist that would turn everything to salt once awakened. 

The last time he unlocked it, even Ivanka was injured. No, he couldn’t let this thing loose again and it was still too dangerous to even attempt to train it without someone specialized in divinity to teach him. Sure, Ivanka could teach him. . .if she was half as good at teaching as she was at sticking her chakrams in monsters.

He understood the destructive potential it held if unleashed, and he was determined to keep it subdued. It required a delicate balance, a mastery of self-control, but he had learned to walk the tightrope between passion and wrath.

As Willow's awareness turned inward, he found himself in the ethereal expanse of his inner world. The air shimmered with the vibrant energy of his chi, casting a soft glow upon his surroundings. With a graceful motion, he ascended, floating effortlessly above the swirling currents of his chi-pool, his feet barely grazing its surface.

His gaze fixated on the threshold that separated him from the next realm—[Understanding The Earth]. It beckoned to him, a realm teeming with untapped knowledge and heightened mastery over the elements. Yet, despite his proximity to the precipice, an invisible barrier impeded his progress, casting a veil of uncertainty over his path.

Willow's brows furrowed with a mix of determination and curiosity. He had reached a juncture where his current knowledge and memories fell short, leaving him with an uncharted terrain to navigate. The intricacies of chi manipulation and the breakthrough into the next realm eluded him, like fragments of a puzzle he had yet to piece together.

But, he had a plan. Currently, at this stage in time, there was only one person who could help him ascend to the next stage, without demanding his soul or something crazy like that. 

They would be at the Tournament, he knew, and hope swelled within him, for their presence promised guidance on his journey towards transcendence.

Imagining the moment of breaking through into [Understanding The Earth], Willow's mind conjured images of his entire being enveloped in a radiant, protective aura of chi. He visualized the immense boost it would bring to his defenses, fortifying him against the challenges that lay ahead. The prospect of heightened strength, speed, and other attributes sparked excitement within him, igniting a fire that burned with a fervent desire for growth.

By being at such a level of mastery in chi, he was confident he wouldn’t get one-shotted if he met even the Succubus Queen face to face. That was how much stronger a simple advance in one realm made you.

But for now, Willow understood that patience was his ally. He had come so far since leaving Ivanka's realm, and he refused to let the barriers impede his progress. 

As he withdrew his focus from his inner self, Willow's resolve strengthened before focusing his energy on refining his strength. One week. That was how much he had before the tournament started. Not a lot of time, but a lot of pressure.

Well, he’s always worked better under pressure.

***

Somewhere Inside The Woods

Outside the realm of his meditation, Amelia and Raegis were having a bout, a spar, a battle under Willow’s request, but they were actually trying to kill each other. 

After all, that’s what happened when two people in love - who loved the same person too - were pitted against each other. 

“So fucking annoying,” Amelia cursed under her breath. Now that Willow wasn’t anywhere near her, she could finally curse as much as she wanted at the stupid mutt bounding from tree to tree like a monkey.

She watched as Raegis’s lithe form moved with fluidity, her feline instincts lending her an innate ability to navigate her surroundings effortlessly. With every leap, she closed in on Amelia, who was determinedly evading her attacks.

Just as she was about to curse one more time, she sensed danger aimed at her forehead, and immediately, she casted a spell of wind. “ᛟᚢᚱᛟᛞ ᚨᚾᛞ ᚲᚨᚾᚨᚦᛖᚱ ᚨᛞᚾ, Wind!” 

A barrier of wind appeared around her, deflecting what appeared to be branches enchanted to be as sharp as steel, an annoying ability of the beastkin. 

“You’re slipping, long-ears,” Raegis muttered, but in this hollow forest where even a whisper could be heard, her words carried over to the long ears of Amelia. 

“Kk!” Amelia had half a mind to just burn this entire forest to the ground, but stopped, since Willow wouldn’t like that. So, instead, she did something else. “I’m going to break your legs, mutt. ᚠᛟᚱᚨ ᛗᚨᚾᚷᚨᛝ, Earth.” 

At her command, dirt rose from the ground before rotating at extremely high speeds, essentially molding itself into stone from the heat.

BZZZZZ!

They sounded like a chainsaw by the time they had reached optimal speed, and sounded like they could cut down even a dragon if even one of the high-speed stone missiles landed on them. 

Amelia wiggled her finger around, the stone missiles following her finger, rotating around her, before she spread her fingers wide as immediately, without a specific aim in mind other than to simply blitz down the trees, a horde of high speed, rotating stone missiles was launched in a 360 direction.