Chapter 255: That’s Dangerous
The tension from the training ground followed them as they walked away from the dispersing crowd.
Grim could feel the residual dark mana still coursing through his body, making his skin feel hypersensitive and his thoughts unstable.
"We need to get away from here," Ruxi said quietly, guiding him toward a path that led deeper into the forest surrounding the fox spirit realm’s heart.
Grim nodded, not trusting his voice. The purple glow in his eyes had faded, but the scar on his face continued to pulse with faint energy that made him acutely aware of every sensation around him.
They walked in silence for several minutes.
The sounds of civilization gradually faded behind them, replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant sound of flowing water.
"How are you feeling?" Ruxi asked as they approached a small hill, her voice carrying genuine concern.
"Unstable," Grim admitted, flexing his hands as residual dark energy crackled between his fingers. "The corruption is getting stronger each time it manifests. I’m not sure how much longer I can contain it."
"You need to caintain it quickly.," she suggested thoughtfully. "Fighting against it might be making the problem worse."
The path they were following opened into a small clearing where a waterfall cascaded down rocky cliffs into a clear pool below.
The sound of rushing water created a natural barrier of white noise that would mask their conversation from any potential listeners.
"This is beautiful," Grim observed, though his appreciation was filtered through the dark mana’s influence, making the falling water appear more vivid and alive than it should have been.