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Lowen swiftly moved through the forest, in his arms he carried Lucy. Trying to hold her gently and yet at the same time firmly, because his movements were so fast, Lucy's body was having trouble adapting to it and her breathing became harder and harder. Right now though, Lowen had no time to worry about her body and he continued forward with his fastest speed.

After about an hour, Lowen finally arrived back at sento village, as it was nighttime, almost everyone was fast asleep in their beds. Walking into Nia's place with Lucy, Ben and Nia we're still awake sitting around the campfire. However they weren't simply sitting around doing nothing, instead, they were meditating and we're highly focused on their task at hand. Lowen didn't want to break their concentration but the situation was dire. Gently tapping Nia on the shoulder he pulled her out of her meditative state. Seeing Lowen, she was at first both excited and happy but looking at his body completely covered in greenish blood as well as red, she nearly jumped in fright. With this small disturbance of hers, Ben had been affected as well and he quickly opened his eyes. His reaction was nearly the same but he instantly noticed Lucy and only grew curious. Lowen quickly told them everything, explaining how all the events were actually tied to the goblins and the one in charge was the goblin who made their father kill villagers. Lowen also told them that there are very few survivors from the whole army of soldiers and right now he needed to go seek Sid's help. After quickly going through the situation, he asked them to take care of Lucy while he was away and like that he turned to leave but just before he did, Ben stood up and said.

"Big bro, now that we've grown stronger, we can both help. I can lift almost 200 lbs and big sis can lift almost double that. If we combine that with our speed, we could take on any man in this village. Plus the snake fist and shadow step you taught us, I'm sure we can go through all those goblins no matter how many there are. So let us come with you, we can definitely help, we're not scared anymore."

Lowen, however, shook his head.

"It's not that simple, this is the goblin that can control you. Do you wish to have the same fate as your father, to kill those around you and disappear forever."

Ben gripped his fist in both bitterness and anger. Hearing that their enemy was the one who destroyed his family, Ben wanted nothing more than revenge right now. Nia walked over and placed her hand on Ben's little shoulder.

"Ben, Lowen's right. If something were to happen to you I'd never be able to live with myself. If Lowen says he can handle the situation than I believe him, don't you?"

To this answer, Ben stomped his feet for a moment in anger and disappointment, causing his feet to sink into the ground with power. After a moment he soon calmed down, he was still young so he still had this childish tendency but because he started to learn how to use ki and because so many events had happened to him from such a young age, his mind was slightly more mature than all the children his age. Sitting back down around the campfire, Ben once more got in the meditative position. Shutting his eyes, he began to circulate his ki, trying to fully focus but at the same time, a nagging thought repeatedly banged around inside of his head.

(I must become stronger, I must become stronger. Then I can help big bro and big sis.)

Nia gently sighed before she walked over to Lucy and welcomed her in her home. Both Nia and Lucy, after being introduced said goodbye to Lowen and he turned around to leave, just before he left though, Ben spoke up.

"Big bro."

"Yes, Ben."

"Come back safe."

Lowen smiled and gave a small nod.

"Don't worry about me, you just focus on your training and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Lowen turned around and vanished once more into the night.

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It didn't take long for Lowen to arrive at old man Sid's place, his house was only a mile away, twisted around a narrow path on the mountainside. Lowen was there in less than a minute. Standing outside Sid's door, he was just about to knock when a rough voice came from inside.

"What the hell do you want? Have you come to cheat me out of more of my treasures? Huh?"

Lowen ignored this haughty attitude and quickly stated his business.

"I need your help, can you please open the door."

But to this plea, old man Sid simply snorted and said.

"Oh, why would you want my help? The great and mighty Lowen, smarter than all, stronger than all. What could the little prodigy genius possibly want my help with?"

Lowen again ignored Sid's unfavorable tone and briefly explained what had happened.

"Sid I need your help, otherwise a lot of people are going to die and I know it's none of your business and I know that you don't care but if they take over all the nearby villages and towns, what makes you think they won't take this mountain from you? Do you really think you'll be strong enough to prevent them from Rolling you over and taking all of your shit if so then keep ignoring my words but If you think for a minute that they won't then You truly are a fool."

After Lowen spoke those words, the surroundings went completely quiet. With no answer, Lowen began to bang on the door with impatience.

*Bang Bang Bang*

"Sid! Do you hear me! Answer me!.... Sid! Did you hear what I said! Answer me dammit!"

Sid's door violently slammed open and he yelled out in a rough voice.

" I hear you, you little shit! So stop Screaming."

With the door open, Lowen once more saw this short stature of a man. The long braided beard wrapped around his neck, thick bulging muscles that protruded everywhere and his cursed eyes wrapped and completely hidden behind a white cloth. Although Lowen couldn't see his expression with his eyes, using his earth sensing, he could see it clear as day. Right now Sid looked pissed but at the same time, he was smiling, giving a creepy feeling.

"Does this mean you're going to help?"

Sid rubbed his chin and thought before he said.

"And just what do I get out of this?"

Lowen couldn't believe this mans greed, knowing the situation and yet still seeking wealth, how can one's apatite be so big, Lowen thought. There were literal life's on the line and yet this man still thought about his coffers even at this point. Lowen was growing more and more desperate he needed some form of back up if he was to even stand a chance. Gritting his teeth, Lowen begrudgingly asked.

"What do you want?"

Sid couldn't help but chuckle with laughter, he rubbed his chin once more.

"Hmm, I suppose I'll be wanting that technique you used to defend yourself against my eyes. Yes, that sounds good to me, your technique for my help, is it a deal?"

Lowen immediately shook his head in refusal, he didn't mind spreading his technique but to give it to so greedy, to one so self-absorbed, Lowen felt hed only be doing a disservice to the world around him. There had to be something else that Sid but what it was, Lowen had no clue.

" I can't give you this technique."

"Can't give me the technique, I thought you said there were many lives at stake and yet you still won't give me the technique, interesting. Are your secrets more important than those lives, if so, then why use my help? Why try to save anyone at all? If you can't make a sacrifice, then why should I?"

Lowen was stumped, he had to admit, Sid was right. Could he let all those people die just to protect this one secret that had already been partly revealed to two other people? Would it harm the world if Lowen's techniques spread? As Lowen thought it over, he already knew the answer. Lowen had only been in this world for less than a year and he was already stronger than any regular human and he was still just six years old. If his techniques were to spread, regular people would gain strength like his left and right and this world could easily sink into chaos. Lowen now wondered if it was a mistake to pass some of his techniques on to Nia and Ben. He couldn't help but doubt himself. Was this all worth it? The consequences, should problems come about because of his technique, wouldn't he be responsible. Lowen continued to contemplate but no matter how much he did, he still couldn't find the right answer. Sid saw this hesitation and knew that Lowen didn't realize his intention was to bargain, scratching his head for a moment, he finally said.

"Geez kid, you really suck,hehehe. It's only been half a year since I've seen you and you've already forgotten how to make a proper deal. How about this, do you still have those mammoths boar hairs?"

Lowen's ears perked up and he looked up at Sid, on his face was a sly smile. Lowen couldn't help but think.

(So that's what he wanted all along, he just went high with his price and he was waiting for me to come back with something lower, I'm so caught up with the terrible situation that I just didn't realize he was merely bargaining. )

Thinking of this, Lowen wanted to slap himself in the forehead but instead, he said.

"How many do you want?"

Sid then held up all the fingers on his right hand.

"You only want five."

Hearing this Sid suddenly grew loud.

"Five, dammit kid, no no no, fifty, I want fifty. In exchange, I'll give you three of these."

Sid then pulled out three small rock size stone spheres and showed them to Lowen. However, upon seeing this, Lowen was completely confused.

"What the hell are those? Why would I trade 50 Mammoth boar hairs for 3 little balls of stone? Are you trying to trick me or something, you crazy old fool?"

Sid grew angry and took immediate offense to this, he offered Lowen the help he so desperately wanted but instead, Lowen had immediately said he was tricking him and called him a fool, Sid yelled out.

"What did you say you little bastard! I offer you help and this is how you act. Are your eyes made of dogshit or what? Look at them closely before you speak."

Lowen was about to explode with rage, every time he came to this old crazy man's house, again and again, this old man would be incredibly irritating but hearing the end of Sid's words, Lowen grew curious and took a look. His eyes focused on the balls of stone before they suddenly widened in shock. Looking closer, Lowen could see dozens of inscriptions zigzagging and converging on one another intricately.

"These, these are."

Sid rotated them in his hand a couple of times and said.

"These are statue cores, some of the strongest I've ever created. You have a problem and boy...these are your solution."

Sid then gathered a bit of earth energy into one of the statue cores before throwing it out onto the ground.

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Lowen and Sid made a deal right there and then. Lowen had traveled and hunted in the forest hundreds of times by now and he had found a few hundred of the mammoth boar hairs simply lying around, so the deal was in no way a negative. Lowen agreed to deliver the hairs within the week and Sid agreed to let Lowen borrow the three statue cores. After telling him how to properly use them causing Lowen to feel surprised.

(No wonder why I fainted when I tried to control multiple golems. With Sid's method, controlling multiple golems will become 100 times easier for me in the future.)

Lowen was ready to leave but something bugged him. With a question on his mind, Lowen curiously asked.

"Sid, instead of borrowing these statue cores, why don't you just come with me and help deal with the situation in person?"

But to Lowen's surprise, Sid's answer made very little sense.

"I can't fight, I don't know how. I may be an earth mage and have great strength but I've never properly learned hand-to-hand combat. Why do you think I make so many powerful statues? Part of it is the art, yet the other part, however, is for protection."

Lowen hearing this simply couldn't believe it, he looked Sid up and down with all those huge bulging muscles and didn't know whether he should laugh or cry, Looking at Sid, Lowen thought to himself.

(What's the point of all that strength if you don't ever use it to fight.)

Lowen looked at Sid in a new light before he turned around and left.

With the cores tucked away in his pocket, Lowen had one more thing to do. Having these three cores was a perfect backup but it still wasn't enough. If Lowen wanted to have a real fighting chance, then he needed to do something extreme, he needed to get stronger and fast. The only option for that right now was for him to enter the aura body stage immediately. To do that, he had to push himself past his limits once more. Lowen, with these thoughts in mind, raced off into the forest, disappearing into its dark embrace once again..