Chapter 26: Drastic Change

Elan pondered how to get out of the secluded area surrounded by towering mountains. The sheer height and steepness of the cliffs made it clear that climbing was not an option, especially without proper equipment. He needed a clever solution to escape this natural fortress.

As he sat on a large rock near the base of the waterfalls, Elan surveyed his surroundings. The sound of the rushing water filled the air, and the mist from the falls cooled his skin. He considered the possibility of using the river that flowed through the area, remembering how it split and wound its way around the central mountain before continuing on its path.

He thought about the map Arion had created, which showed a small pathway where the river flowed through the mountain. If he could follow the river downstream, it might lead him to an exit. The river had already carved a path through the mountains, so it seemed like their best bet.

"Arion, what if we use the river to our advantage?" Elan suggested, excitement building in his voice.

"Explain your plan," Arion responded, intrigued.

"The river flows through a small pathway in the mountain that we discovered on the map. If we follow the current of the river, it might lead us to an exit. The river has already carved a path through the mountains, so it should be our best bet," Elan explained.

Arion considered it at first, weighing the potential benefits and risks. The idea of using the river was tempting—it provided a natural path through the mountains that they wouldn't have to create themselves. However, the unknowns loomed large. Eventually, he decided against it. 

"Nah, it's too risky, we don't even know where it leads. The path might narrow when we're deep inside the mountain, and if it does, we could get trapped or worse. The current might become too strong to manage, or we might encounter obstacles that we can't bypass. It's too dangerous to rely on a path we can't fully predict or control."

Elan thought for a moment about what Arion said and came to the conclusion that Arion was right. The uncertainty and potential dangers of following the river were too great to ignore. They needed a more reliable and safer way out.

"Looks like that hole I fell into is the only way to get out of here," Elan said, realizing that the crevice might be their best option.

"You're right, let's go back first and check how high the hole is," Arion suggested.

"Alright, let's go," Elan agreed.

Minutes later, Elan was standing at the same spot where he had been unconscious for two days. He looked up at the hole above him and estimated it to be about six meters high. The hole was about a meter wide, and Elan smiled, thinking it would be easy for him to clear a six-meter gap now that his jumping ability had increased after breaking through to the third stage.

'Why did I even suggest to Arion that we should let the current of the river carry us out of the secluded area when there was an easier way right here?' Elan thought.

He felt his face flush with embarrassment just thinking about it.

"Elan, those Skyforge Crystals you took, make them into two knives and use them to climb through the hole instead of using your hands. It will be much easier," Arion suggested.

Elan nodded in agreement, appreciating the practicality of Arion's suggestion. "Good idea, let's do that."

Elan sat down and took out the Skyforge Crystals from the storage ring. The Skyforge Crystals he had taken were only about ten inches long. 

He carefully split them in half using the Scarlet Reaper, creating two knife-sized pieces. Next, he looked around and found two small pieces of wood near the tree. He picked up the wood and used the Scarlet Reaper to carve them into handles. Once the handles were shaped to his satisfaction, he used some sturdy vines to securely attach the Skyforge Crystals to the wooden handles, creating makeshift but strong knives.

Twenty minutes later, he was done. He looked at the two knives in his hands. They looked like crude imitations of knives, but Elan didn't care about their appearance. What mattered was that they were strong and perfect for climbing.

He nodded in satisfaction, put the sword back into the storage ring, and stood up.

He looked at the hole again and was ready to jump, but Arion stopped him and said, "Cut that branch blocking the hole first. Your clansmen might hit it when you lead them through here."

Elan looked at the tree branch and remembered that it must have been the branch he hit that knocked him unconscious. Realizing how dangerous it could be for others, he took out the Scarlet Reaper again and carefully cut the branch, ensuring the path was clear.

Once the branch was removed, Elan repositioned himself and then jumped towards the hole. As soon as he reached it, he thrust the two knives into the edge of the hole.

Immediately, Elan went into the hole and began to climb slowly and effortlessly. He drove one knife into the rock above him and then pulled himself up, repeating the process with the other knife. The Skyforge Crystal blades sank easily into the rock, providing a secure grip. He moved methodically, ensuring each knife was firmly embedded before shifting his weight. 

When Elan reached about twenty meters, he was able to see the light at the end of the hole. The faint glow gave him a surge of excitement.

Seeing the light, Elan hastened his climb, eager to reach the top. His movements became faster but still controlled.

Minutes later, Elan was finally out of the hole. As soon as he made it out, he shouted loudly to make his presence known.

He paused and looked at his surroundings while gripping the knives tightly, ready to use them if the wild beast that had chased him was nearby. Minutes passed, and seeing nothing unusual, he loosened his grip on the knives and relaxed.

Elan smiled, thinking about how to get back to the village. He scanned the trees, looking for broken branches that might indicate his path.

Compared to the veteran trackers in his village, Elan's tracking skills were minimal. However, he knew enough to look for disturbed bushes or broken branches.

Then Elan remembered that he had jumped over a fallen tree before he fell into the hole. But the fallen tree was nowhere to be found.

Elan was baffled. "Weird, did someone move the fallen tree? Why is it gone?"

"Don't worry about it. I already detected broken branches nearby. I can trace your path back," Arion reassured him.

"That's great. Let's get going. I can't wait to see the reaction of my clansmen when they see I'm still alive and even stronger," Elan said, laughing as he began walking.

As Arion guided Elan, Arion detected several footprints along the way. He shared this with Elan, and they concluded that his clansmen must have been searching for him, as there were many footprints.

Elan was touched by the efforts of his clansmen. They had searched for him despite knowing about the wild beast. He quickly grew worried that his clansmen might encounter the wild beast.

Determined to reach the village quickly, Elan started running. 

As Elan ran, he suddenly stopped running. He heard a faint sound from a distance on his right. Elan could hear several voices; he listened intently. Before Elan could focus more on the sound, Arion broke the silence.

"It's your clansmen! Hurry! Something must be wrong. I analyze their voices, they sound desperate."

Hearing the urgency in Arion's voice, Elan immediately ran towards his right. As he ran, he put the two knives into the storage ring and took out the Scarlet Reaper.

Elan ran faster, dodging trees and underbrush with remarkable speed. His enhanced strength and agility from reaching the 3rd stage of the Radiant Body Realm allowed him to navigate the forest swiftly.

Minutes later, Elan emerged from the forest and immediately saw his clansmen, about fifty meters away. They were desperately trying to defend themselves from three wild beasts that looked like the ones that killed Torin, severely injured his father, and chased him.

Elan's eyes burned with anger as he sprinted with all his might, determined to reach his clansmen before it was too late.

Meanwhile, Gawin and the other hunters were desperately trying to fend off the wild beasts. Their weapons clashed against the beasts' thick hides to no avail. The wild beasts remained eerily calm, as if the hunters' weapons were mere toys. Frustration and fear gripped Gawin and the others as they watched the beasts circle them, blocking any chance of escape.

Elan's three best friends, Aiden, Jarek, and Lian, stood in the middle of the group along with twelve new hunters, all of them terrified. Most of the kids were shaking, their faces paled with fear as they held their weapons. They could do nothing but watch as Gawin and the nine veteran hunters struggled. Eight of the veteran hunters were already injured, with deep wounds marking their shoulders, legs, and backs.

Each hunter shared the same grim thought: this could be the end. They were going to die here and end up in the bellies of these wild beasts. The ten veteran hunters were particularly saddened by the young lives behind them. The thought of these kids dying here in such a brutal manner filled them with despair. Despite their best efforts to protect them, the three wild beasts were too formidable. They just couldn't turn the tide.

Despair thickened the air as the three wild beasts closed in. Suddenly, a blur appeared out of nowhere and struck the largest wild beast, which exploded upon impact. The beast's innards scattered everywhere, painting the ground with blood and gore.

The hunters, along with the two remaining wild beasts, were stunned by the sudden turn of events. They stared in disbelief at the gruesome scene before them, it was so unexpected that it caught them off guard, and they didn't know how to react.

The largest wild beast, once a towering symbol of their impending doom, now lies in pieces. Its death was both horrifying and relieving, a shocking twist that left everyone momentarily paralyzed.

As the innards of the wild beast splattered everywhere, Arion cursed, "Damn it, how many times do I have to tell you to use your spiritual energy when using the Scarlet Reaper? Now look at yourself, you're covered in gore and blood."

Elan was apologetic and replied, "I'm sorry, my mind was too focused on saving my clansmen."

He tried to fling off the gore and blood from his body, feeling a wave of disgust. It was only the second time he had killed something, and his reaction was still understandable. The sight and smell of the beast's innards made him nearly gag.

'I will never get used to this,' Elan thought as he shook off the mess.

The hunters stared at the blood-covered individual in shock, wondering who this man was and where he had come from. When the stranger wiped the blood off his face, their shock even deepened. They recognized him—it was Elan, the missing kid they had been searching for the past few days. Now, he stood before them like a battle-hardened warrior, his appearance, even covered in blood and gore, was still fierce.

Elan was not only alive, but he had also managed to slay the largest wild beast in the most gruesome way, as if it were nothing.

"Elan!" the hunters called out in unison, their voices filled with surprise and disbelief.

Elan's best friend, Jarek, shouted, "I knew you were alive!"

"Talk later, guys. I have to finish this first," Elan said.

Turning his attention to the two remaining wild beasts, Elan leaped toward the closest one.

Seeing Elan jump towards it, the beast snarled in anger and leaped to meet Elan in mid-air, swinging its right paw. But it was futile. Elan was too fast and strong. With a swift and powerful swing of the Scarlet Reaper, he cut the wild beast from its nose to its rear end, splitting it cleanly in half. The beast's body fell apart in mid-air, blood and gore raining down.

Elan landed smoothly on the ground, his eyes now fixed on the last wild beast.

Witnessing the brutal and effortless demise of its companion, the last wild beast turned and ran. But Elan was already in motion. He took out one of the two Skyforge Crystal knives from his storage ring and threw them with remarkable accuracy.

The knives whistled through the air and pierced the wild beast on its right side, the blades emerging from its left side. The force of the throw was so powerful that the beast staggered three steps before collapsing, dead.

The hunters watched in awe as Elan slew the last two wild beasts with such precision and strength. They looked at Elan with newfound respect and wonder, thinking about what he must have gone through in the past few days to undergo such a drastic change. Elan, once just a missing boy, now stood before them as a formidable warrior.