Chapter : 29

Vali and Dylan were flying high up in the sky, surrounded by the endless expanse of blue. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow on the white clouds beneath them. They were moving at a fast pace, the wind whipping past them, brushing against their skin and ruffling their hair.

Suddenly, Vali initiated a descent, plunging through the clouds with Dylan following closely behind. The rush of wind intensified as they descended, eventually landing on an empty street with a swift grace.

Vali retrieved a folded paper from his pocket, his eyes scanning its contents intently before gesturing for Dylan to follow him.

*Time skip*

They stood in front of a ramen shop named Ichiraku Ramen. It wasn't particularly large, but as they entered, they found a fairly spacious interior with about ten people scattered around, the noise of slurping noodles filling the air.

"Oh my! We have two little customers today," greeted a middle-aged man with a warm smile, clad in the traditional chefJapanese outfit of a white jacket and pants, with a bandana tied around his forehead.

"Why don't you take seats over there?" the ramen guy gestured, and Dylan and Vali walked over, settling into their seats near the counter.

"Do you need help?" the ramen guy asked Dylan, noticing the chair was taller than him. To his surprise, Dylan used one hand to climb up.

"It seems like you're quite strong. So, what kind of ramen would you like? Non-spicy, mildly spicy, make-you-cry spicy, or killing spicy?"

Vali ordered a make-you-cry spicy, and Dylan copied him, ordering the same.

As they waited patiently, the rhythmic sounds of culinary creation filled the air. The ramen chef worked gracefully, placing the noodles in the bowl, then pouring the soup and garnishing it with precision.

"Thanks for waiting, here is your ramen," the ramen guy said with a soothing smile as he placed the bowls in front of them.

"Itadakimasu," they both said at the same time, placing their hands together and bowing slightly.

Vali took the first bite, and the flavors immediately kicked in, sharpening his senses, widening his eyes with delight.

Meanwhile, Dylan struggled to take a bite, his height proving to be a challenge. At home, his furniture was tailored to his size, but here, it was difficult to manage.

Seeing his struggle, Vali held him by the collar and placed him on the counter table. "Don't worry, you can sit there and eat," the ramen guy assured him.

As Dylan finally took his first bite, a warm sensation enveloped his body, and his spiritual power surged unexpectedly. "What is this?" he muttered, mystified by the sudden boost in his spiritual energy.

The ramen energy continued to flow through their veins, giving them more strength with each mouthful. Their hands couldn't stop as they kept slurping the noodles until they were finished. Satisfied and full, they placed the empty bowls back on the table, their faces radiant with contentment. They wanted one more bowl, but they also needed to go back home, so they contained themselves for today, knowing they could come here again.

"Did you like it?" the ramen guy asked, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

"Gochisosama," they both said simultaneously, expressing their gratitude for the delicious meal.

"Douitashimashite," the ramen guy replied with a chuckle, acknowledging their thanks.

As they paid and walked out, the ramen guy watched them leave with a warm smile. "I hope they come back soon," he murmured to himself, already looking forward to their return.

...

They returned home the same way they arrived at the ramen shop—flying in the sky— and settled in the house before Emma returned.

Later, after everyone had gone to bed following dinner, Dylan found himself inside Almenia in the Arena, ready to challenge the skeleton warrior once more, but this time with increased gravity.

"Dylan asked Liridian, "How much gravity should I start with?"

"Start with around 2 times the current gravity. It will be good training, and your body will soon adapt to it," Liridian replied.

"2 times," Dylan muttered, feeling like it might be too low.

Liridian understood Dylan's thoughts. "2 times will be enough to start. If you increase it too much, you might not be able to move, let alone fight. But if you feel it's too low, just let me know, and I can increase it."

[<Initiating 1 Level Under 2X gravity>]

echoed the announcement.

As the sound resonated, a skeleton materialized with a sword. Observing Dylan, he provocatively rubbed his sword with his hand as if polishing it.

"This bastard hasn't learned, till now," Dylan muttered, his brows furrowed, his left eye twitching. The skeleton persisted with irritating gestures.

Dylan's first step felt heavy, his movements cumbersome, even his sword seemed unusually weighty. He dashed towards the skeleton, attempting a slash, but the skeletal foe effortlessly blocked it, a smirk playing on its non-existent face.

Stepping back, Dylan aimed for the skeleton's knees, yet once again, it skillfully parried. "Has he gotten faster?" Dylan wondered.

[Uh, Dylan, I forgot to mention, the gravity only affects you; it won't be affecting your opponents.]

Liridian chimed in explaining.

"So, this is the reason he was so confident," Dylan muttered to himself. He dashed once again, delivering slashes, only to be blocked every time.

Both Dylan and the skeleton warrior were locked in an intense gaze. Dylan started running around, circling him, then dashed for another slash towards his chest. However, it was a bluff attack; he slid between the skeleton's legs and went for his knees from behind. The skeleton immediately blocked him, put his sword back, rotated his head, and looked down on Dylan, smirking.

"Bastard, why are you laughing?" Dylan hissed, his eyes glowing bluish. "Wait, I can't always rely on my telekinesis power," he muttered as his eyes returned to normal blue.

In the midst of this, the skeleton kicked him away, and Dylan rolled like a ragdoll. After the momentum vanished, he stopped rolling and got back to his feet, expressionless, having felt this before.

Dylan looked at the snickering skeleton, calmed himself down, and took a deep breath as he assessed the situation.

"Since gravity only affects me, his speed hasn't decreased a bit. Even before when I defeated him, I needed to use my telekinesis power. But now, without it, it's impossible to touch him," Dylan realized.

"I need more speed," he muttered.

"Liridian, stop level 1 and increase the gravity to 3X," Dylan commanded as the skeleton warrior vanished, and gravity increased even more. He started jogging around, knowing he needed more speed and strength to defeat him, and for that, he needed to train first.

As he completed one round, he collapsed on the ground, with no energy left to even move. If the size of the arena could be calculated, it would be approximately 500 meters in circumference.

To be continued...