บท 16: Gain of a Counterattack!

As Jamie ventured deeper into the western reaches of the forest, his mind raced with questions about the tree monsters called pleep. Would they resemble actual trees, or perhaps be creatures with an insatiable appetite for bark and leaves? The uncertainty only fueled his determination to find and face these elusive opponents.

His vigilant search led him to a serene waterfall, where an unexpected sight caught his attention. There, drinking from the stream, was a creature of striking purple hue. Jamie approached cautiously, his senses on high alert. As he drew closer, astonishment washed over him—the animal before him was a mystic wolf, one of his own kind, adorned with a beautiful purple fur coat.

Deciding to initiate contact, Jamie emerged from the bushes. "Can you understand me?" he asked tentatively.

The mystic wolf's head snapped up, her voice carrying a note of elegance and femininity as she responded, "Who is it?"

"I'm sorry, my lady," Jamie began, his tone respectful. "I'm just a travelling wolf in search of powerful creatures to become stronger by defeating them."

The she-wolf's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you want to spar with me?"

"No, not with you," Jamie quickly clarified. "I mean, how could I harm a woman who's one of my kind?"

"Enough with the flattery," she retorted, her voice tinged with suspicion. "Tell me your real motives."

Jamie decided to be direct. "I'm searching for monsters called pleep. Do you happen to know their whereabouts?"

The mystic wolf's expression softened slightly. "Well, I do, but they are monsters who like to stay clear from fighting with other beings."

Disappointment flickered across Jamie's face. "Now that's a problem. Are there other monsters nearby?"

To his surprise, the she-wolf's eyes glinted with interest. "You can fight with me if you want. Trust me, this lady can pack a punch."

Jamie considered her offer but remembered his pressing need. "I can fight with you, but I need to quickly find a counterattack."

"Is there something disturbing you?" she inquired, curiosity evident in her voice.

"Well, yes," Jamie admitted. "I'm trying to get a counterattack against a skill called Hibernation slap."

The mystic wolf's eyes widened in recognition. "Are you fighting with the Lord of Nandy Bear?"

Jamie's surprise was palpable. "Yes, how did you know?"

"The skill you talked about is a special skill which only the Lord of Nandy Bear can use," she explained.

Hope surged within Jamie. "Do you know the way to defeat that skill?"

The she-wolf nodded, a smile playing at her muzzle. "I do. Come with me." Without waiting for a response, she took off running, with Jamie hot on her heels.

As they raced through the forest, the mystic wolf spoke over her shoulder. "Do you know about the monster called tregious?"

Jamie shook his head. "No, I don't know. Never heard of it before."

"That monster is the only one which can teach you the counterattack," she revealed.

Relief washed over Jamie. "Oh, that's reassuring to hear."

The she-wolf's tone turned cautionary. "The monsters are not fond of visitors, so try to be alert around them. They might attack you suddenly if they lack food resources."

"What do the monsters look like?" Jamie asked, his curiosity piqued.

"They are carnivorous tree monsters and tend to eat any predator they find," she explained. "But one of them is my friend, so I'm sure she'll help you."

After a long trek, they reached a gloomy part of the forest that sent shivers down Jamie's spine. The mystic wolf, however, seemed unfazed. "Let's go. They are near."

"Why do they live in a place like this?" Jamie wondered aloud. "It's beyond creepy."

"They are monsters of darkness, so it's sensible that they live in this environment," she replied matter-of-factly.

As they ventured deeper into the gloom, a voice suddenly echoed around them, "Who goes there?"

"It's me, the friend of Gira," the mystic wolf called out.

"Oh, it's you, Safila. Come inside," the voice responded, its tone warming considerably.

Jamie's ears perked up at the name. So her name is Safila, he thought, realizing he had forgotten to ask earlier.

"Let's go," Safila urged. "I have some urgent things to do."

As they entered what appeared to be the tregious's lair, Jamie was struck by the bizarre appearance of the creature. It truly was a fusion of plant and animal, with bark-like skin and leafy appendages. Its eyes glowed with an eerie green light, fixed intently on the newcomers.

"My friend, come into my embrace! It's been so long, I missed you so much," the tregious exclaimed, enveloping Safila in a leafy hug.

"I missed you too," Safila replied warmly, "but I'm here today to introduce you to this wolf."

The tregious's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Are you getting married?"

Safila's fur bristled with indignation. "Of course not! Why did that thought come to your mind?"

"I'm kidding, don't get all worked up," the tregious chuckled.

Seizing the moment, Jamie stepped forward. "Uh, hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Jamie. I'll be in your care for some time."

The tregious's gaze shifted to Jamie, its expression turning thoughtful. "You're not just a normal wolf, are you?"

Confused, Jamie tilted his head. "What do you mean by that?"

"I can sense the vast energy coming from your ki, and it's enormous," the tregious explained.

Safila's eyes widened in surprise. "You can sense it too?"

"Yes, I can," the tregious confirmed. "It's so humongous and refined."

Feeling out of his depth, Jamie interjected, "Sorry to butt in, but is something wrong with me?"

The tregious was quick to reassure him. "No, you're fine. I was just a bit curious about the fact that you can communicate with us through the mind."

"Oh, it's one of my skills. Nothing special," Jamie shrugged.

"We'll see about that," the tregious mused. "Please wait for some time while I talk with my friend."

As Safila and the tregious, who Jamie now knew as Gira, conversed privately, Jamie found himself pondering the strange turn of events. He had come seeking a way to defeat the Lord of Nandy Bear, and now he was in the company of a mystic wolf and a tree monster, discussing his "KI" as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

When Gira returned, she got straight to the point. "Okay, so let me get this straight. You are here to learn a counterattack against the Nandy Bear's special skill, Hibernation Slap?"

Jamie nodded eagerly. "Yes, that's right."

What followed was not what Jamie had expected. Instead of immediate training, Gira put him to work on various tasks around her lair. "Come with me first. Help with my work," she instructed.

Confused but willing, Jamie agreed. "Okay, I'll help you as long as you teach me a counterattack so that I can kick his ass."

Days passed, filled with menial tasks that seemed to have nothing to do with combat training. Jamie arranged flowers, sorted leaves, and performed other chores that left him puzzled and increasingly frustrated. Finally, unable to contain his impatience any longer, he confronted Gira.

"When will I get to learn the counterattack?" he asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. "I have a short period of time left."

Gira's response was cryptic. "The work you're doing is the counterattack you need."

Bewildered, Jamie pressed for clarification. "I don't understand. How will arranging the flowers help me?"

"The flowers are herbs which have a certain factor," Gira explained patiently. "By eating them, you can stay awake for at least an hour after getting slapped by the skill."

A glimmer of understanding dawned on Jamie. "So just tell me which flowers are the counterattack."

But Gira shook her head. "No, you have to find it yourself. Just focus, and you'll get it."

Left alone with the array of flowers, Jamie decided to rely on his keen sense of smell. He sniffed each bloom carefully, eventually identifying three with unique scents. Now faced with the challenge of choosing the correct one, Jamie took a risk and sampled each in turn.

The first flower sent him into a deep sleep. The second left him feeling disoriented and drugged. But the third—the third flower cleared his mind and sharpened his senses. With a surge of triumph, Jamie realized he had found the counterattack he sought.

When Gira returned, her eyes twinkled with approval as Jamie shared his discovery. "Did you find it out?"

"Yes, I did," Jamie replied, unable to keep the pride from his voice. "I guess I'll take this flower with me and leave."

But Gira had other plans. "Wait. Safila will come back tomorrow night, so stay here for another day."

Uncertain, Jamie asked, "What will I do staying over here?"

Gira's response opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. "Let's see... why not nurture and feel your KI?"

The concept was foreign to Jamie. "What is KI in the first place?"

"It's your life energy," Gira explained. "It will increase the more strong you'll get."

Remembering the earlier comments about his energy, Jamie couldn't help but ask, "Is my ki unstable?"

Gira was quick to reassure him. "No, it's alright. Just a bit unique, which I have never seen before."

"Is that a bad thing?" Jamie pressed, suddenly concerned.

"Stronger ki doesn't necessarily mean it's bad for you," Gira clarified. "It makes you stand out as different from the other wolves."

Intrigued, Jamie asked, "How can I sense it?"

Gira's instructions were simple. "Just take a deep breath and close your eyes. You'll feel magic energy flowing all over your body, and it'll have a color which will help me to better understand your ki."

Following her guidance, Jamie closed his eyes and focused inward. To his amazement, he could indeed sense a flow of energy coursing through his body. "I see it," he breathed. "It's half black and half white colored."

As the image solidified in his mind, Jamie was struck by its significance. It reminded him of the ancient symbol of yin and yang—a perfect balance of light and dark, each containing a seed of the other.

Opening his eyes, Jamie found Gira watching him with a mixture of awe and curiosity. He realized that this journey had led him not just to a counterattack against the Lord of Nandy Bear, but to a deeper understanding of himself and his unique place in the world.

As he prepared for Safila's return and the challenges that lay ahead, Jamie felt a new sense of purpose and strength. He had come seeking a way to defeat a powerful opponent, but he was leaving with so much more—new allies, a greater awareness of his own abilities, and a renewed determination to face whatever trials awaited him in the Colosseum.

With the counterattack herb safely in his possession and a growing mastery of his KI, Jamie knew that his rematch with the Lord of Nandy Bear would be very different from their first encounter. He was no longer just a wolf fighting for survival; he was a being of balanced power, ready to shape his own destiny.