Chapter 15: Worried Sick

Elan's mind began to race with possibilities. He imagined the various ways the Spiritual Water could enhance his life and the lives of his clan members. With each sip, they could grow stronger, faster, and more resilient. The thought of becoming significantly stronger excited him. He envisioned his muscles becoming more powerful and his skin becoming more durable. He would be able to leap greater distances and withstand harsh conditions better.

Elan even entertained the idea of using the Spiritual Water for cooking. He imagined boiling it with herbs to create potent soups that would rejuvenate anyone who consumed them. The idea of infusing their daily meals with this mystical water made him smile. The clan's children would grow up robust and healthy, the elderly would regain their vitality, and even the sick would find themselves miraculously healed.

As his mind raced with these grand plans, a sudden thought of his father intruded. Worry clenched at Elan's heart. He hadn't seen his father since the beast attacked. The last image in his mind was of his father collapsing, possibly dead or gravely injured. A pang of fear struck him, and he couldn't shake the anxiety that gripped him. What if his father hadn't survived? The uncertainty gnawed at him, overshadowing his excitement.

Elan wondered if his father had been rescued by their clansmen. Had they arrived in time to save him? Had they managed to carry him back to the village for treatment? The thought provided a glimmer of hope, but the fear of the unknown still loomed large. He needed to know what had happened to his father.

"I need to go back, I need to find out if my father is alive or dead. I also need to let my mother and my siblings know that I'm okay, they might be worried sick," Elan said, his voice filled with worry.

Arion's calm and measured voice echoed in Elan's mind. "Elan, you should hold off on returning for now. Even though you've consumed the Spiritual Water, it doesn't mean you're invincible. You haven't even tested your new strength yet. Don't be overconfident. If you encounter a wild beast that's more powerful than you, it could very well be the end of you."

Elan paused, taking in Arion's advice. "But I can't just stay here, Arion. My family needs to know I'm safe, and I need to know about my father."

"Elan, I understand your concern, but rushing back right now is not wise. We don't know what dangers lie between here and your village. You need to test and understand your new strength before facing any potential threats," Arion said, his tone firm yet understanding. 

Elan's face showed his internal conflict, but he remained silent, listening.

"We need to make sure you're strong enough to handle anything you might face. Take this time to train and enhance your abilities. Once you're more confident in your strength, you'll have a much better chance of surviving the journey back and protecting your family."

Elan sighed, frustration evident in his eyes. "But what about my father?"

"Your father is strong, Elan. There's a good chance he was rescued by your clansmen and is being taken care of. Right now, you need to focus on becoming strong enough to ensure your safety and theirs. If you rush back now and something happens to you, it won't help anyone."

Elan clenched his fists, torn between his desire to see his family and the logic in Arion's words.

Arion continued, his voice softening, "I know it's hard, but this is the best way to ensure you'll be able to help them. Once you're stronger, you'll be able to face any challenge with confidence. Let's focus on your training here for a bit longer."

Elan thought about Arion's advice and realized he was right. If he went back now and encountered any wild beasts or the wild beast that had chased him, he would be in great danger. He remembered the savage creature that had killed Torin and gravely injured his father, leaving him on the brink of death when he last saw him. The memory of his father collapsing, bloodied, and wounded flashed vividly in his mind. The image of Torin's lifeless body filled him with a deep, burning anger. Elan clenched his fists, feeling the fire of vengeance ignite within him. He vowed to avenge Torin and his father, but he knew that rushing back without being fully prepared would only lead to his own demise.

"You're right, Arion. I need to get stronger first," Elan said in understanding. 

"It's good that you understand. Now, you should clean yourself in the stream before continuing to sip the Spiritual Water." Arion replied. 

Elan looked down at himself and felt a wave of disgust wash over him again. He couldn't stand the sight of it any longer, so he walked towards the stream. Each step felt heavy with the weight of his thoughts and worries.

When he arrived at the stream, Elan knelt down and gazed at his reflection in the water. He was a little stunned to see that the bump on his head was gone. The reflection showed a clearer, healthier face than he expected.

"My injury... it's gone. Does the Spiritual Water have healing ability?" Elan said in surprise.

"Yes, the Spiritual Water has healing properties. It not only strengthens you but also heals your injuries," Arion confirmed.

Elan stepped into the middle of the stream, feeling the cool water rise to his knees. He began to wash himself, the grime and impurities slowly dissolving and flowing away with the current. As he scrubbed his skin clean, he couldn't help but think about his father. If the Spiritual Water could heal his injuries so effectively, it could do the same for his father. The thought filled him with hope. If his father could drink the Spiritual Water, his wounds would heal, and he would recover fully. 

After thoroughly cleaning himself and feeling satisfied, Elan returned to the pond with the Spiritual Water to drink another scoop to strengthen his body. He scooped up the water with his hands and drank it, bracing himself for the pain. As expected, the searing pain returned, but this time it wasn't as painful as the first time, and he managed to endure it better.

Minutes passed, and the pain began to subside. Elan noticed that the effect of the Spiritual Water wasn't as significant as the first time he drank it. The surge of strength and vitality he felt earlier was now just a faint echo of that initial experience. Disappointment washed over him. He had been so excited earlier, imagining the immense power he would gain with each sip, but now the results were far less impressive.

Arion, sensing Elan's disappointment through their connection, broke the silence. "Why the long face?" Arion's voice broke through his thoughts.

Elan sighed and replied, "The effect of the Spiritual Water isn't as strong this time. I thought I would feel a lot stronger, but it's not as significant as before."

"That's normal, the first time you drink the Spiritual Water, your body undergoes a significant transformation as it absorbs the initial surge of energy. Subsequent doses won't have the same dramatic effect because your body has already adjusted to the initial change. The changes will be more gradual now, but they will still add up over time. It's better than nothing," Arion explained.

Elan nodded, understanding Arion's point. "I guess you're right. Gradual improvement is still improvement."

He looked down at his body and noticed that impurities were again seeping out of his skin, but not nearly as much as before. The amount of black residue was significantly less, indicating that his body was gradually becoming purer with each dose of the Spiritual Water.

"How many impurities do I have? When will this end?" he muttered in frustration.

Arion chuckled at Elan's complaint. "Your impurities will eventually be exhausted if you continue drinking the Spiritual Water," he reassured.

Elan nodded and walked back to the stream to clean himself again. After washing off the new layer of impurities, he felt slightly hungry despite drinking the Spiritual Water twice. He looked at the various fruits hanging from the trees, uncertain if they were all edible or if some might be poisonous. However, he felt reassured knowing Arion could scan them for safety.

He walked towards a nearby tree that had blue-colored fruits. The fruits glistened in the light, looking both tempting and mysterious. Elan reached out and picked one, waiting for Arion to say something regarding the fruit in his hand.

But seconds passed, and Arion remained silent. Growing impatient, Elan exclaimed, "Dude! Can this fruit be eaten or what?"

"Oh! My bad, I thought you were just going to eat it straight away. Well, yeah, you can eat that lumaberry. There's nothing special about it," Arion finally responded.

"Good," Elan said, taking a bite of the lumaberry. As he chewed, he realized it tasted remarkably like grapefruits from Earth. "Hmm, not bad," he thought aloud. He quickly finished the lumaberry and started looking for another fruit to try.

Moving through the grove, Elan spotted a tree with vibrant crimson fruits hanging from its branches. He picked one and held it up for Arion to scan.

"How about this one?" Elan asked.

Arion responded after a brief moment, "That's a pyrofruit. It's safe to eat, but it's quite spicy. Be prepared for some heat."

Intrigued, Elan took a cautious bite of the pyrofruit. The fruit had a sweet initial taste, but a wave of spiciness followed quickly. He winced slightly at the heat, but found the combination intriguing. "Wow, that's got a kick to it, but I won't be eating that again," he said, finishing the fruit despite the spiciness.

Before Elan could continue picking other fruits, Arion suddenly said, "Elan, you should explore this whole area thoroughly. Let's see if there might be spiritual herbs or spiritual fruits like in the novels," Arion suggested.

"Spiritual Fruits? Spiritual Herbs? Are they like the Spiritual Water that can strengthen my body?" Elan asked.

Elan's curiosity was piqued. He had already experienced the incredible effects of the Spiritual Water. These spiritual herbs and fruits Arion talks about must be even more special than Spiritual Water.

"Correct. Let's gather the fruits you can eat after we've explored the area while there's still some daylight," Arion advised.

Elan looked at the sun and noticed that it was almost sunset. He began to explore the area systematically. He started his exploration with the fruits, checking each tree meticulously. The first fruit Arion scanned was a glowberry, its skin shimmering faintly.

"Edible, but not special," Arion noted.

Then came the sunpear, bright yellow and juicy-looking.

"Again, edible, but not special," Arion confirmed.

Next was a moonmelon, with a silver sheen to its rind.

"Interesting name, but still just a regular fruit," Arion concluded.

Next, Elan moved on to the vegetables. He bent down to inspect each type, hoping for something extraordinary. There were root vegetables like firecarrots, which glowed faintly, and leafy greens like starspinach, with leaves that sparkled under the sunlight.

"All regular vegetables have no spiritual properties detected," Arion reported.

Finally, Elan searched for spiritual herbs, but despite his efforts, Arion did not detect any. He looked at various plants, from those with delicate flowers to those with robust, sturdy leaves.

"No spiritual herbs here either," Arion said after scanning each plant.

After almost an hour of searching, they returned to the pond to rest. Elan sat down, feeling a bit disappointed.

"How disappointing. I really thought we would find a single spiritual item." Arion sighed inside Elan's head.

"At least we have the Spiritual Water here, and there's plenty of it. Plus, there are many fruits and vegetables to eat. That's a lot better than nothing," Elan replied.

Arion acknowledged Elan's point. "That's true. The Spiritual Water alone is incredibly valuable. You should make the most of it."

Elan nodded, feeling a bit more optimistic. "Yes, I'll keep using the Spiritual Water to get stronger. And who knows, maybe we'll find more spiritual items as we continue exploring. We've only searched a small part of this vast area. Tomorrow, we'll search more thoroughly, and hopefully, we'll find something."

The prospect of finding spiritual herbs and fruits was exciting. The small area they had covered today was just a fraction of the entire grove. With Arion able to scan only a five-meter radius, Elan would need to walk and systematically cover the entire area.

Elan knew that a diligent search was key. They would need to map out sections of the area and investigate each one carefully. Arion would scan as they walked, looking under rocks, in the dense foliage, and around the bases of the trees. Every nook and cranny within Arion's scanning range could potentially hold something valuable. It would be a painstaking process, but the potential rewards made it worthwhile.

Arion agreed with Elan's plan. "Yes, let's continue our search tomorrow. But now that you have more energy, you might be able to open the Storage Ring."

Elan's eyes lit up as he remembered the Storage Ring. He looked at it again, wondering what might be inside. Treasures? Useful items? His curiosity was piqued. He laughed and quickly took the ring off his index finger, closing his eyes to concentrate.

But before he could focus, Arion interrupted, "It would be better to do this inside the hut. If you collapse from exhaustion again, you'll be safer there. Out here, a wild beast could show up, and you wouldn't be able to defend yourself."

Elan realized Arion was right. He needed to be cautious. He put back the ring on his index finger, stood up and started walking towards a tree with thick, sturdy vines. He cut off a meter-long piece of vine.

Arion was puzzled. "What are you going to do with that vine?"

Elan replied, "I'll use it to lock the door once we're inside the hut. If any wild animals come by at night, they won't be able to get in."

The idea of securing the hut for the night gave Elan a sense of safety and preparedness. With the vine in hand, he walked back towards the hut.

Once inside, Elan tied the vine around the door to secure it. He wanted to ensure that nothing could disturb them while he tried to access the Storage Ring. Feeling safer and more prepared, he sat down and took the ring off his index finger. Closing his eyes, he focused his mind, feeling the connection form once more. This time, with his increased energy, he hoped to finally see what's inside the Storage Ring and discover its contents.