The powerful and fiery attack launched Songi up in the air and fell on the ground several meters away from Dyne.

The monks watched silently at the gruesome defeat of Songi. He didn’t even have a chance.

Dyne brushed off his hands.

“Man… He’s strong. Or was that because of the Power Elixir? My fist hurts.” Dyne looked at his left hand, which he used to clash directly with Songi’s fist.

“I compressed an entire body's worth of Spirit, and I almost lost in that punch…” Dyne sighed.

“I got to get me some Power Elixirs!” Dyne began to plot secretly.

“Alright, Vahn. Tetsu. Tell me what you learned in that battle?” Dyne began to ask.

“I think it’s also time to do that 360 peer review thing…” Dyne nodded as he recalled the common habits that he would do with his team after a mission.

Dyne began to chatter and drew the attention of all the Monks.

Meanwhile, Songi had finally swallowed the Healing Berry in his mouth. He had secretly placed one to restore his body when harmed. And the potent life energy allowed Songi to battle the damage that Dyne had made on him.

He was raging mad. The energy around him had dispersed. The Shield Elixirs' effects had all been diminished from the horrifying attacks that he received.

“Fury Boost, Power Elixir, and Speed Elixir are all that’s left. I’ll have to make the most of it.” Songi secretly calculated.

Several Monks had already approached him and checked on his body. But before they could approach, Songi had jumped forward and run towards Dyne. It was so fast that they couldn’t even shout.

Songi channeled the Spirit Energy of the Power Elixir on his shoulder and rushed at Dyne.

The Monks were still cheering at Dyne’s actions that their cries couldn’t come out.

Songi was close in tackling Dyne with his shoulder, but right at the last second, Dyne made a quick pivot turn.

He had long sensed the potent life energy in Songi’s mouth and knew that it must have been a restorative item. And while no one warned Dyne, the Grim and Calamity were there and communicated to Dyne.

It was as if Dyne had an extra set of eyes. His communication with Calamity and Grim had grown stronger as the days passed.

The sidestep was so sudden that in Songi’s eyes, it was as if Dyne just disappeared.

But then, he felt a painful sensation in his stomach.

Dyne was crouched down and punched upwards. He then carried Songi and threw him upwards.

“How many hits?” Dyne laughed.

Everyone was surprised at that, but only Vahn and Tetsu understood what he was planning.

“Mufufufu. Lord Dyne is so cruel.” Meta laughed.

Songi was falling, but then a powerful force shot him back up in the sky.

He fell down again, but a sudden force attacked his right shoulder. The strange thing was that the force pushed his entire body upwards.

The punch that brought him higher caused his body to spin, and as he was about to hit the ground, another kick struck his chest and sent him flying up.

“Juggles!” Tetsu watched with a horrified expression. He didn’t know that Songi had recovered, and thus, it looked like what Dyne did was overkill.

“Don’t- Be- fooled. Songi- Cheated- Again!”

Dyne said with each punch, kick and would even catch Songi and throw him up again.

“He- ate- a- healing- berry! Dyne explained and continued to attack with a variety of combos.

“Monks! Learn- this- attack-! You- can- sacrifice- defense- and- focus-on- oh crap. I missed.” Dyne cursed.

Songi’s body crashed to the floor, and he began to groan.

"Twenty-six strikes... And Master Dyne was not even concentrating." Vahn praised.

The sight was marvelous and would have caused a standing ovation if the Dyne did this to a monster. But this was Songi! The Legacy disciple of Biron Monastery!

The attacks were powerful that Songi had been screaming in pain at the strikes.

Songi no longer had the effect of Shield Elixir. Dyne intentionally targeted places that wouldn’t leave critical wounds. But after all those hits, Songi’s entire body was so sore, and he couldn’t move.

“Patriarch! That was too much!” Zopu didn’t hide his discontent.

“Oh well. All's wells end well. He won the previous tournament with Jigul grass, and now the effect of Jigul grass is affecting him. But as I said, he ate a healing berry.” Dyne explained.

“He cheated once more. What kind of a monk is he? The solution to such terrible behaviors? Beatings. If you want proof, check his body for any burns. You will find that he has none. By the way, can you guys show me a healing berry? All I got is a healing flower.” Dyne began to walk towards the exit.

“Man. That battle adds a sour taste to this party. Anyway, I’m going to rest.” Dyne began to move.

Vahn chuckled and followed.

Tetsu went back with the Monks to check on Songi’s poor battered body, but their eyes looked at Songi in plain disappointment as his body was indeed free from any burns. This proved what Dyne just accused.

“It seems Patriarch’s punishment was not as brutal as I thought.” Kin gave his assessments as he approached Songi.

“Songi. Patriarch seems to pay no heed of this, but I am greatly disappointed. It seems Master Teacher was the clear winner of that fight. So I am hereby stripping your position as Legacy Disciple.” Zopu stepped forward.

Songi couldn’t move, but his eyes were tearing up, and his expression grew extremely angry.

“Don’t you see what the Patriarch is doing? This battle, your defeat, and your shame… This was all to hinder your descent to depravity. You believe yourself to be deserving of such lofty positions that you began to cheat! What of honor? What of friendship? Was your relationship with Gala that cheap? What of Strength Begat Love? Don’t you see? Where you are right now is a lesson! The Patriarch allowed you to cheat and defeated you effortlessly. He even used your fight to train Tetsu and Vahn!”

Master Zopu turned around.

“Get him out of here and let him recover. I still have high hopes for you, Songi. Overcome this trial! If you can find peace in this, you will grow stronger as a Monk! You may even attain the level that Patriarch has!”

“Your… Patriarch is… a boy!” Songi made an effort to say as he coughed out blood.

“He isn’t just a boy.” Tetsu corrected.

“Remember what he said. While he was in the Mist, Tieg spoke to him. I didn’t understand why he seems so skilled in Soul cultivation or why he has the wisdom of those three times his age until he explained that mystery. He had been training with Tieg for nearly seven years! Mentally, he is older than you. And in terms of wisdom, he even is older than Master Zopu and Guardian Kin!” Tetsu chastised.

Gala stood at the back, not daring to help and approach Songi. He could only sigh and move up.

Tetsu noticed it and followed Gala.

“Gala.” Tetsu called when they were on the next hall leading to the chambers of Dyne and Vahn.

“Master Dyne, er - Patriarch secretly told me to tell you to go to his chambers. He wants to discuss something with you.” Tetsu stated.

Gala nodded and began to head towards the room.

He opened the door and could see Dyne seated on the center of the room, and bright energies were surrounding him. Vahn was on the other side, and surprisingly, the fire energy was even more apparent as it gathered around Vahn.

This shocked Gala.

“Close the door.” Dyne spoke with his eyes closed.

Gala immediately shut the door as he realized that these two were undergoing some form of training.

“My apologies for intruding! Patriarch, there are rooms on the bottom chamber where the fire energy is richer.”

“We don’t need rich fire energy. I am trying to create my own fire, while Vahn is trying to wield it.” Dyne explained as he opened his eyes.

Gala was startled at Dyne’s words.

“You guys train to improve the body. But my method of using Gimard’s to purge the energy is far more efficient. That’s why Tetsu, me, and Vahn will find this place not suited or in anyways beneficial for Body cultivation.”

Gala was shocked.

“May I ask why I am called here, Patriarch?”

“Master Teacher, Gala. What do you think is the peak of cultivation?” Dyne asked with a serious, cold, and detached expression. Dyne was trying to present himself as someone who was an expert who had transcended mortal desires.

Gala bravely looked into Dyne’s eyes and fell into deep thought.

“Answer as you wish. There are no right or wrong answers to this question.” Dyne urged Gala.

“I believe that the peak of cultivation is… love.”

“What the fragment?!” Dyne cursed out. His immersion as a detached otherworldly expert immediately vanished.

“What do you mean, love?! Wrong! That answer is wrong!” Dyne chastised.

“But-But Patriarch! You said there were no right or wrong answers!”

“Well, your answer is as right as my butt! What kind of answer is love?!”

“But- But- Strength begets love!”

“And butt begets fart! Jeez! Never mind! Ugh. You ruined it.”

Vahn was laughing at the side. Even Meta appeared to have enjoyed the conversation.

“No wonder you’re good in stand-up comedy…” Dyne shook his head as he recalled a certain detail about Gala later on in the game.

“I want you to come with us on the journey to follow. We will be leaving for Voz forest. I need your knowledge of the forest, and you must guide us.”

“It would be my honor to do so.”

“Now, let me ask you this… You must be among those who have a knack for training and gathering the fire energy of this place, correct? Is that why you were still selected as Master Teacher even though you lost to Songi in the ritual, right?”

Gala was surprised. How did Patriarch Dyne to know about this?

Dyne had already guessed something of this vein happened. In the game, even after Gala’s embarrassing defeat against Songi and how that secret was never leaked, Gala still managed to acquire the title of Master Teacher.

Dyne simply had to deduce why this was so in this world.

“You are better than him in Bodily Cultivation, right?” Dyne guessed.

“Yes.” Gala nodded.

“Actually, you, Songi, the Monks everyone believed that to be true… But it’s not. You’re not better than him in bodily cultivation. There is a reason as to why you are better than Songi.” Dyne revealed.

“Then may I ask Patriarch, what is the reason why I am better than Songi?” Gala asked.

Tetsu, Zopu, and Kin knocked and entered the room.

“The reason why you are better than Songi is because you are hotter than Songi.” Dyne gave Gala a meaningful glance and even winked. Dyne was confident of what he knew. This was definitely the reason why Gala appeared to be stronger than Songi. Songi would soon grow stronger that despite having only one Seru, it would take all the Ra-Seru heroes to work together to defeat him.

“I’m sorry, Patriarch. I seemed to have missed the context of the conversation.” Zopu asked once more.

“No context, really. The reason why Gala is better than Songi is because Gala is hotter.”

“What?” Tetsu was shocked.

“What?” Zopu was appalled.

“What?” Gala was confused.

“What?” Dyne was even more confused as he glanced at everyone’s sudden whats.”