Chapter 33: CHP 33 BEFORE THE BATTLE

Chapter 33: Before the Battle

One week passed.

For seven days, the team trained every day under Kael.

The training was difficult.

Every member of the team had pushed themselves beyond their previous limits.

Kil Ful continued training his White Aura.

Before, his transformation disappeared quickly during battle.

But after Kael’s training, Kil Ful had learned how to control the energy flowing through his body.

His White Aura had become more stable.

He could now maintain it much longer without wasting too much energy.

Rony had also improved greatly.

His Black Force was no longer as unstable as before.

Instead of releasing all of his power at once, he had learned to control the amount of energy he used.

The longer he trained, the more stable his transformation became.

Maddy had spent the week improving his body.

Kael’s training had forced him to focus on his flexibility.

His movements became smoother and faster.

Now, when Maddy used his Invisible Attack, he could attack from even more angles.

Lira had continued fighting Morry.

Their repeated battles had improved both of them.

Lira’s control over mud became faster and more precise.

She could create traps and defensive structures much more quickly than before.

Morry’s Soul Binding had also improved.

Fighting Lira forced him to carefully time his ability.

His control and accuracy had become much better.

Ravian continued his difficult training with Force Manipulation.

Every day, he attempted to control more objects than before.

Rocks.

Logs.

Metal blocks.

Training equipment.

After one week, he could manipulate a much larger number of objects at the same time.

The entire team had become stronger.

---

One week later, everyone gathered at the training ground.

Kael stood in front of them.

Kil Ful.

Rony.

Maddy.

Lira.

Morry.

And Ravian.

They waited silently.

Kael looked at each of them.

"You have improved."

Nobody said anything.

They knew that Kael had called them here for an important reason.

Kael crossed his arms.

"One week of training is not enough to completely change a person."

His expression became serious.

"But all of you have become stronger than before."

Kil Ful looked at Kael.

"So what happens now?"

Kael looked toward the group.

"Tomorrow, we return to the abandoned village."

Everyone became serious.

Maddy tightened his grip around his daggers.

"Juyew."

Kael nodded.

"Yes."

Rony picked up his hammer.

"This time, we’ll be stronger."

Ravian looked calm.

"But he’s also dangerous."

Morry nodded.

"We shouldn’t underestimate him."

Kael smiled slightly.

"Good."

He was satisfied with their answer.

"Strength without intelligence will only get you killed."

The group listened carefully.

Kael continued.

"Tomorrow, we will continue the investigation."

Kil Ful looked toward the distance.

"And if Juyew is there?"

Kael looked at him.

"Then we defeat him."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Tomorrow would be important.

They would finally return to the place where everything began.

The abandoned village.

The missing Knights.

And Juyew.

---

That evening—

Kil Ful walked through the streets of Aurelia Kingdom.

The sun was slowly disappearing.

The streets were becoming quieter.

Morry walked beside him.

For some time, the two best friends simply walked without saying anything.

Then Morry looked at Kil Ful.

"So."

Kil Ful looked at him.

"So what?"

Morry smiled.

"What happened to you while we were separated?"

Kil Ful laughed.

"A lot happened."

"Then tell me."

Kil Ful began explaining everything.

He told Morry about the mission with Maddy and Rony.

The abandoned village.

The missing Knights.

And the mysterious person they encountered.

"Juyew," Morry repeated.

Kil Ful nodded.

"He’s a Transcend."

Morry became serious.

Kil Ful continued telling him about their battle.

Juyew’s Void Dominion.

The pressure inside the domain.

And how Kil Ful and the others had struggled against him.

Morry listened silently.

"You broke his domain?"

Kil Ful nodded.

"With everyone’s help."

Morry smiled.

"You’ve really changed."

Kil Ful looked at him.

"Now it’s your turn."

Morry raised an eyebrow.

"My turn?"

"What happened while I wasn’t there?"

Morry laughed.

"Nothing as crazy as fighting a Transcend."

Kil Ful smiled.

"Still. Tell me."

Morry began talking about his own experiences.

His training.

The missions he had taken.

And his continued development of Blade Master and Soul Binding.

Kil Ful listened carefully.

Both of them had changed while they were separated.

Both had experienced things the other had not seen.

After some time, Morry laughed.

"It’s strange."

"What?"

"No matter what happens, we always end up meeting again."

Kil Ful smiled.

"That’s what friends do."

---

Suddenly, someone called out.

"Kil Ful!"

Both of them turned around.

Lena was walking toward them.

Kil Ful smiled.

"Lena."

She stopped in front of them.

"So, you’re finally back."

Kil Ful nodded.

"Yeah."

Lena looked at Morry.

"And you’re here too."

Morry smiled.

"Nice to see you too."

Lena crossed her arms.

"I wasn’t talking to you."

Morry placed his hand dramatically over his heart.

"That hurts."

Kil Ful started laughing.

Lena shook her head.

"You two haven’t changed."

"That’s not true," Morry said.

Lena looked at him.

"Oh?"

Morry smiled.

"I got stronger."

Lena looked at Kil Ful.

"Did he get more annoying too?"

Kil Ful immediately answered.

"Yes."

Morry looked offended.

"Hey!"

The three of them laughed.

---

After walking for some time, they found Rin.

He was standing nearby.

Rin noticed them approaching.

He looked at the group.

"Why are all of you together?"

Kil Ful smiled.

"We came to meet you."

Rin narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn’t sound believable."

Morry immediately nodded.

"It is true."

Lena smiled.

"He’s lying."

Morry looked at her.

"I didn’t even say anything wrong!"

Rin crossed his arms.

"That doesn’t mean I believe you."

Kil Ful laughed.

"Nothing changes."

Rin shook his head.

"You haven’t changed either."

For a while, the four of them talked together.

They remembered different moments from the past.

Morry continued making jokes.

Lena kept making fun of him.

And Rin occasionally joined the conversation.

For the first time in a long time, Kil Ful felt relaxed.

There was no mission.

No battle.

No enemy.

Just friends talking together.

---

Then another voice came from behind them.

"What are all of you doing here?"

They turned around.

Maddy was standing there.

Kil Ful smiled.

"Nothing."

Maddy looked suspicious.

"Then why is everyone laughing?"

Before anyone could answer, Lira arrived behind him.

"Because you weren’t here."

Maddy placed his hand over his heart.

"Even you?"

Lira smiled.

"Especially me."

Everyone started laughing.

Maddy looked around at them.

"You know, I can still leave."

Morry smiled.

"Please don’t."

Maddy looked offended.

"That wasn’t convincing at all."

Rin laughed.

"Maybe because nobody wants you to leave."

Maddy looked at him.

"That’s better."

Soon, everyone was standing together.

Kil Ful.

Morry.

Lena.

Rin.

Maddy.

And Lira.

They continued talking as the night became darker.

They made jokes.

They teased each other.

And for a few hours, they forgot about the danger waiting for them.

Kil Ful looked at everyone.

A small smile appeared on his face.

Tomorrow, they would return to the abandoned village.

Tomorrow, they would continue the investigation.

And tomorrow—

They might face Juyew again.

But tonight, none of that mattered.

Tonight, they were simply together.

The night slowly passed.

And far away, the abandoned village remained silent.

Waiting.

For their return.