Chapter 09: 1st Stage Energy Absorption

When Vir’s group saw the white lion was losing, they wanted to know the reason why. There was a possibility that there are more beasts around that injured the white lion. So, Vir gave an order to one of the hunters to search the vicinity silently, to see if they going to find some clue.

While they are waiting, the 3-Eyed Snake finally attacked, It tried to bite the White Lion. The White Lion didn’t move and tried to deflect the attack with its paw. One of the hunters became confused and reacted to this.

“Why did the White Lion fight it head-on and did not dodge?”

After hearing this, another hunter also reacted.

“That is right, this is not how the White Lion fight. In the past, I saw the White Lion fighting another beast. The white lion liked to move around while it was fighting, It never let its enemy land a hit. Is it because of its injury?”

While the other hunters are talking to each other, Vir finally reacted

“The White Lion injury is severe, but it can still move. It chooses not to move.

All the hunters looked at Vir with confusion, but before they could ask him a question. Vir raised his hand and pointed behind the White Lion.

“That is the reason, the White Lion did not move because it is trying to protect its cubs. That is also the reason why the White Lion is losing the fight. The white lion just give birth to its cubs so it is still weak, and the 3-Eyed Snake saw this as an opportunity to attack.”

While the hunters were talking to each other, the 3-Eyed Snake attacked again using its tail. Because the white lion was protecting its cubs, it didn’t move and just received the hit. The white lion tried to counterattack by scratching the snake using its sharped claw, but the 3-Eyed Snake backed off to avoid it.

After attacking the White Lion came back to the same position, then howled at the 3-eyed snake. After the white lion howled, the 3-Eyed Snake used its tail to smack the White Lion. The two beasts repeated the same action over and over again. Because of so many hits the White Lion received, it finally fell.

The 3-Eyed Snake saw this as an opportunity, it charged to White Lion, then coiled its long body around the White Lion. The White Lion whimpered as its body was slowly crushed to death by the 3-Eyed Snake. When the 3-Eyed Snake felt that the White Lion was dead, it opened its mouth and devoured the White Lion’s whole body.

After devouring the White Lion, the snake just glanced at the White Lion cubs and leave. The hunters felt a little sad when they saw the whole fight. They didn’t know if it was because they saw a majestic beast’s life end just like that, or because of the desperation of the White Lion to protect its cubs.

After the 3-Eyed Snake left, Vir’s group walked toward the white lion cubs. When they finally reached the cubs, they saw three newborn White Lion cubs, whimpering around as if they know they lost their mother.

When the hunters saw this view, they felt even sadder, but they didn’t let their emotion hinder their objective.

“Head arrow what should we do with these cubs? Should we bring them back? We can still use them as food.” One of the hunters asked Vir for his order.

Even though Vir didn’t like the idea of consuming these newly born monsters, he still chose to bring them to the back tribe to let the Elders make a decision. If not for the dire need for food in the tribe, he wouldn’t even think about bringing these cubs.

“Bring them, we will let the Elders decide what we do to them.”

One of the hunters wrapped the three White Lion cubs in some kind of monster skin, then put them inside a basket on his back. The basket was filled with wild plants, fruits, and some mushrooms. After they took the White Lion cubs, Vir’s group resumed their hunt for more food.

After three days, Vir’s group and Gunnar’s group came back to the meeting place. They both hunt an additional three monsters combined, not adding the three cubs. Vir’s group got two more monsters while Gunnar’s group got one.

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Alfred was getting impatient waiting for Shaman Catori, he wanted to go out and went to Shaman Catori’s shelter himself, but he restrained this thought. Alfred remembered that Shaman Catori said that she would personally come to his tent to help him, he didn’t want Shaman Catori to think that he didn’t trust her; Therefore, he waited hoping Shaman Catori would come sooner.

After a while, Shaman Catori finally came. When Alfred saw Shaman Catori, he became excited and eagerly greeted her like a puppy waiting for its owner. Shaman Catori immediately waved her hand.

“Come on, we do not want to waste our time in the pleasantries. Sit in the lotus position, and I will teach you how to store the Life Energy.”

Alfred instantly followed Shaman Catori’s instructions.

“Now close your eyes, then focus. Try to absorb the life energy, but this time you will control it and take it to your heart.” Shaman Catori instructed.

“But how?” Alfred asked.

“Feel the Life Energy inside of your body, then imagine that you are controlling this energy towards your heart. After doing that, keep the energy inside your heart, you will feel that with every pump of your heart the energy will flow into every part of your body. This energy will keep flowing until you use them or your heart stop beating.”

Alfred followed Shaman Catori’s instructions, he felt that every blood that came out of his heart became warmer. This warm feeling was slowly taking his whole body over, Alfred felt like his whole body was slowly getting stronger, and he didn’t want this feeling to stop.

After a while, Alfred was consumed by the feeling of becoming stronger, he didn’t realize that he was already in a tranced. Alfred didn’t know that he was absorbing too much Energy. Shaman Catori sighed, she forcefully woke Alfred up, she was a little disappointed in Alfred. Because only weak-minded people fell under a tranced, and she thought Alfred was not one of them.

When Alfred woke up, He saw the disappointment on Shaman Catori’s face, he wanted to ask why, but he was afraid that something went wrong. While Alfred was contemplating if he should ask Shaman Catori or not, shaman Catori spoke up and congratulates Alfred.

“Congratulation you are now a 1st Stage Energy Controller.”

Alfred became confused.

“I do not understand?”

“You see young Alfred, people who can control Energy are called Energy Controllers. There are stages that define how much control you have in Life Energy. Currently, we only know four stages, and these are 1st Stage Energy Absorption, 2nd Stage Energy Manipulation, 3rd Stage Energy Coating, and 4th Stage Energy Enveloping.”

Alfred became interested in this topic

“Currently? Is that mean there are still more stages?”

Shaman Catori couldn’t help but show her regret.

“You are this smart, yet why is your mind weak?”

Alfred became baffled he didn’t understand what Shaman Catori meant.

“I do not know what you mean”

Shaman Catori sighed.

“Never mind, yes there are more stages.”

“How do you know if there are more stages? You said earlier that you only know the four stages.” Alfred asked.

“That is right, we only know four stages, because that was the only stages the man who taught my ancestors the breathing technique told them. We know there are more stages because the same man also said that there are 9 stages in Controlling the Energy.”

“Taught your ancestors the breathing technique? The tribe did not create the breathing technique?”

“Yes, someone taught us the breathing technique. If we have the knowledge to create something like a breathing technique, do you think our tribe will be in its current predicament?”

“That… is reasonable, do you know the person who taught your ancestor the breathing technique?”

“We do not know who the person is. The only thing we know is, that he was traveling around the world to meet new people, and spread the breathing technique as much as possible.”

Alfred stopped, then thought for a second.

“If he can travel alone, that means he is very strong, but why would he do that? Why does he want to spread the breathing technique?”

“Yes, he is strong that is why we believed that there are more stages in Controlling the Energy. We do not know why he wanted to spread the breathing technique, but we believed he did it for a good reason.” Shaman Catori replied.

Before Alfred asked another question Shaman Catori stop him.

“Let us stop with that topic, I am not here for that. Now that you are a 1st Stage Energy Absorption, I will now teach you how to manipulate energy. This is the last lesson I can teach you, after this, you are on your own.

Alfred still wanted to know more about the mysterious person, but he knew he has more important things to learn.