Chapter 30: One year
Micky sent an image of a shadow sneaking through the bushes. He was perched atop a branch, gazing at their surroundings from the high vantage point, scouting the area. The crow was already fully grown by now. Percy felt it practically salivating through their bond as it eyed their misguided ambushers.
‘Thanks. I see them now.’
Percy pulled most of his mana to his channels, nearly emptying his core before taking a deep breath to refill it. The motes spiralled into his lungs like a vortex, as an even denser river gushed through his body. But he wasn’t done yet. He pumped even more mana through his pathways, feeling them swell and burn, his muscles brimming with strength, his frame threatening to pop like a pufferfish.
SWOOSH
An arrow shot out from behind him. The young man only tilted his head slightly, dodging the projectile as the wind brushed harmlessly by his ear.
Another mouthful of mana later, he saw faint cyan lines glow under his skin. The pattern wasn’t exactly the same as Micky’s. Even though they shared their affinity, their cores were located at different points, forcing Percy to modify the technique slightly. They shone less brightly too. There was definitely some room for improvement, but the Status had still been kind enough to register the technique a couple months back.
‘You chose the wrong guy to attack.’ Percy smirked.
Then, he stomped hard, his foot making a loud sound as it cracked the dried dirt, catapulting him towards the goblins.
SWOOSH, SWOOSH