Chapter 27: Home Again

After slaying the last wild beast, Elan ran toward it to retrieve his knife. He looked at the fallen creature and asked Arion, "Arion, do you know the name of this wild beast?"

Arion responded, "This isn't just a wild beast. It's a spiritual beast called a Sabreclaw, although this one is still in its weakest form. Sabreclaws are known for their immense strength and agility. Normally, their skin is so tough that it can't be harmed by any normal weapon."

Elan was baffled. "A spiritual beast? You mean, like the ones you told me about in the novel?"

"Exactly," Arion confirmed.

"But how come I was able to injure one like this?" Elan asked, still confused.

"The one you injured was not fully a spiritual beast yet, but it was close. If it had fully transitioned, you wouldn't have been able to escape. You're just lucky back then," Arion explained.

"So, the one that chased me is still somewhere in the forest?" Elan asked.

The thought of another Sabreclaw roaming out there made Elan worry about the village. His mind raced with the possibility that it might attack the village, endangering his family and the people. He knew how formidable the creature was and the damage it could inflict. The image of the Sabreclaw attacking his village filled him with dread.

"Maybe, but you don't have to worry about it. You can easily deal with it," Arion reassured him.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm just worried about my clansmen," Elan said.

As soon as Elan mentioned his clansmen, he turned around and saw them staring at him with their mouths wide open, filled with disbelief, shock, and awe. Their expressions were a mix of amazement and wonder, as if they couldn't believe what they had just witnessed.

Seeing their reaction, Elan smiled and said, "Hi guys, long time no see."

"It wasn't that long," Arion commented.

Elan just ignored Arion as he watched his clansmen, who still hadn't reacted to what he said.

"Ah, guys, are you okay?" Elan asked.

Finally, his clansmen reacted, and they erupted in cheers, whooping and clapping as they ran toward Elan. Even some of the veteran hunters joined in, their cheers mingling with those of the others. When they reached him, they patted him on the shoulder, and his three best friends, Aiden, Jarek, and Lian, enveloped him in a tight hug. Elan tried to push them away, worried about the blood covering him, but his best friends didn't care. They were just too happy that he was alive and, most importantly, that he had saved them in the most awe-inspiring way possible.

Gawin stepped forward and calmed the group. "Alright, alright. Calm down, calm down."

He looked at Elan and said, "It's good that you're fine, and thank you for saving us. We owe you our lives."

The others chimed in, expressing their gratitude to Elan.

Elan smiled and replied, "It's okay, you don't owe me anything. If any of you were in my position, I'm sure you would have done the same."

The group appreciated Elan even more after hearing his humble response. His bravery and selflessness had already earned their admiration back then, but his humility only deepened their respect for him. They realized that the elders were right about Elan. Elan was not only powerful but also a true leader who cared deeply for his people.

Elan's words resonated with them. They understood that if they were as powerful as Elan, they would have done the same thing he did earlier. They aspired to become as strong and capable as Elan, not just for their own sake but to protect and support their clan just as he had.

"By the way, how are you so powerful?" Gawin asked with a playful smile.

As soon as Gawin asked the question, the group broke into a frenzy, bombarding Elan with all kinds of questions about his strength. Some of the kids even mimicked his actions, including his best friends, exclaiming that it was the most unbelievable thing they had ever seen.

Elan couldn't help but smile at his clansmen's enthusiastic antics. Their excitement and curiosity were infectious, and he felt a swell of pride in their reactions.

"It's a long story. I will tell you guys when we get back to the village," Elan replied.

"It wasn't that long," Arion interjected again.

Elan ignored Arion again and chuckled, feeling a deep sense of joy now that he was with his clansmen.

After a few short interactions, the group quickly turned their attention to the eight wounded hunters. They worked together, searching for vines and large leaves to help stop the bleeding. Some hunters expertly tied the vines around wounds to act as makeshift tourniquets, while others used the broad leaves to cover and protect the injuries. Despite the dire circumstances, their combined efforts and quick thinking began to stabilize the wounded.

Once they had done all they could for the injured, they started walking back to the village. Gawin took the lead, ensuring the path was safe, while Elan and his three best friends, Aiden, Jarek, and Lian, stayed at the back, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

As they walked, Elan couldn't contain his curiosity and concern any longer. "How are my parents and my two siblings?" he asked.

Aiden was the first to respond, "Your father was injured pretty badly, but he's recovering. Your mother has been taking care of him non-stop. But man, I doubt your father will be the same after he recovers; his injuries were too serious."

Elan was deeply saddened upon hearing about his father's condition. The thought of his father being permanently affected by his injuries weighed heavily on his heart. But then he remembered the spiritual water he had discovered. The sadness quickly faded as hope filled him again. With the spiritual water, he was confident his father would fully recover from his injuries.

Jarek added, "As for your siblings, your sister has been worried sick about you, but your brother Kael wasn't even worried. He always believed that you would eventually return. Dude! I don't know what you taught your little brother, but he has immense faith in you."

Elan was a little surprised to hear how much faith his younger brother had in him. The thought of Kael having such unwavering confidence in his return was both touching and humbling. He realized that this was what it felt like to have a sibling who looked up to him with such trust and belief. The feeling of being a role model, someone his younger brother could completely rely on, filled Elan with warmth and pride. He hadn't fully understood the depth of Kael's faith in him until now. 

Lian nodded. "Yeah, man, your family is strong. They've been holding on, hoping you'd come back. They'll be so relieved to see you."

Elan nodded, feeling glad that his family had not lost hope. 

"Thanks for telling me. I was just worried sick about them, even though I was the one who was missing, you know what I mean," Elan said with a laugh.

His best friends patted his back and laughed along with him, saying, "Anytime."

Jarek, unable to control his curiosity any longer, asked, "Brother, you gotta tell us how you became so powerful. And where is your sword?"

At the sound of Jarek's question, all the hunters perked up, eager to know the answer. They were all curious about how Elan had gained such strength in less than a week.

Elan couldn't help but laugh as he answered Jarek, "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything. I even plan to teach you all how to become powerful so we won't struggle in our lives anymore."

"Really? We can be as powerful as you?" one of the hunters, a young man named Jorren with bright eyes and an enthusiastic demeanor, asked excitedly.

"Of course, I wouldn't lie about this," Elan reassured Jorren.

Hearing Elan's confirmation, the rest of the hunters got very excited and began to imagine what they could do when they became as powerful as Elan. The air buzzed with their eager chatter and dreams of newfound strength.

Elan then took out the sword from his storage ring. When the sword was out of the storage ring, his three best friends exclaimed in surprise.

"Whoa! Not only are you powerful, you're a magician as well," Lian said as he admired the cool sword in Elan's hands.

Elan burst out laughing and then explained to them about the storage ring on his index finger. "This ring can store items inside it."

"It must be so convenient! If we all had storage rings, life would be so much easier. Please tell me you know how to make this so called.. storage ring," Aiden said, hoping Elan knew how to make it.

"I wish. I just found this one. If I knew how to make them, I'd make one for each of you," Elan explained.

"Aw, that's a shame. I hope someday we'll find a storage ring," Jarek said optimistically.

"But Elan, how did you know it was a storage ring? As far as I know, we don't have any records about storage rings in our library," Aiden asked curiously.

Elan was stumped by Aiden's question. He knew how curious and intelligent Aiden was, always seeking knowledge. Elan didn't know how to answer Aiden truthfully without revealing too much. "Uh, I just knew when I touched it," Elan lied.

He had no choice but to lie. He couldn't tell them about the artificial intelligence inside his body, right? Even if he explained the concept of artificial intelligence, would they understand it? And what if they misunderstood and became fearful of him because something else was living inside his body?

Aiden could tell that Elan was lying, but he didn't mind. He respected Elan's privacy and chose not to press further.

The group continued to walk towards the village, talking about random things that weren't so important. They discussed their daily lives, shared jokes, and talked about their hopes of becoming powerful.

After almost four hours of walking, the group finally saw the village from afar. Elan smiled widely at the sight of the village. After almost a week, he was finally home again.