The Heartstone Journey

Book 2 | Ch. 20 - Pursuing A New Life

"Wonderful! Everything you acted out was close to perfect! Simultaneously protecting while fighting is no simple task while trying to detect an enemy hidden ready to strike from anywhere."

"Eh~?"

Nick was just as confused as the rest still not over the fact that they attacked Hunter as he continued listing the things they did.

"Using the smoke screen to your advantage making it my weakness was clever, same with wrapping your energy around Royal being the only one who cannot freely escape your heatwave. Although.. If I were to be honest with you, you would've died on the first punch if I actually hit you even a little bit or added in a bit of aura to my blow since you didn't have any aura to keep you safe. That is the only thing I will reprimand you for since that's the largest issue you had at that moment."

Is he telling me that he never actually struck me but stopped at the last moment? What the hell hit me then? Thinking back.. the shockwave was what sent me flying and the impact I felt must've been the wind he produced with his punch. He hit me with nothing but the wind coming from his swing. He's on an entirely different level than all of us.

Hunter moved his head he strode forward aiming for Royal this time.

"How are you holding up Royal? Need more time to heal up?"

"I-I'm doing well t-thanks for asking."

He stuttered nervously with a bit of disappointment in his tone.

"Advice for you Royal is for next time to not burden yourself on meaningless things especially in battle. Why? Because you have two others by your side willing to keep you alive and well."

Royal couldn't help but nod silently with no words capable of leaving his mouth.

Hunter's sight shifted toward Cloudy explaining that he actually did nothing wrong and the only issue was that it was him that he fought.

"You chose all the correct actions in that duration of time. Assessing that the weapons I made were more lethal than it seemed and locating me from above were all choices that put you in a downhill battle instead of an uphill one. Even I was caught off guard for a second forgetting you could come in at unexpected angles."

"Really? I did that great?"

"Well if I were too nitpick.. There is one thing."

"And that is?"

"To understand what you can do on your own or for other words to size up your enemy."

Royal butt in pointing out they had no idea who the opponent was so how would they be able to decide whether or not to flee or know how tough their opponent would be.

"You all saw Cloudy unleash his technique at me. I didn't take a single step back by even a centimeter. That was the clear sign that fleeing would be the best option."

"With me gone and an opponent who seems to know the terrain judging by the knives that were carved possibly filled with toxins there were red flags everywhere. You all saw how hard I flung Nick in the air just by hitting him. If I were to have used aura he likely would've been dead."

"What if they enemy never had aura to begin with?"

Royal said finding flaws in his argument.

"You don't think the enemy doesn't have aura. You ASSUME they DO have and use aura proficiently. Thinking otherwise will lower your expectations and guard down leading to an easy death. Understand?"

He sternly stated making it clear he had experience in his words. They all nodded realizing there was a lot more to aura and combat then they originally anticipated. Hunter gave a small grin rubbing Cloudy on the head making him blush on the nose just a smidgen.