"Healing? You can't mean you'll create a healing-type Spirit Beast." Flender's thinking was still rather conventional, but that was only natural. A power like a Stand demanded quick thinking and imagination; someone slow to adapt would struggle to understand it. Having only just encountered one made it harder still.
"I can't do that yet, but I'll get the hang of it soon. If I can create life, what about parts of a living thing? I don't see why I couldn't make organs." Jodio smiled.
"Make organs?" Flender felt as though his entire understanding of the world had been shaken. He had never imagined healing could work that way. Ordinary healing-type Soul Masters used powers such as healing staffs, or Oscar's sausages and Shao Xin's jelly beans, to heal injuries. But making a new organ outright? What kind of bizarre method was that?
"Right. If an organ or a patch of skin is damaged, why not replace it? Apart from the brain, every part of the human body can be replaced." Jodio spoke as if it were obvious.
"Well..." Flender wanted to say something, but the words would not come. He had no idea how to describe such an ability.
"It would hurt. This is surgery, not healing. Say someone had an arrow lodged in his palm. I'd pull it out, turn a stone into new flesh, and put that flesh into the wound to fuse with his hand. It would still hurt throughout the process. I can't make anesthetic, after all," Jodio explained.
"Hongjun and the others are in for a treat," Flender remarked dryly.
"But that still wouldn't solve Hongjun's Martial Soul problem, would it? It's only healing," Flender asked.
"That's what we'll have to test. I need to find the source of Hongjun's evil fire and see which organ is causing the problem. We'll even need to see whether replacing that organ in time can lessen an outbreak. It all takes experimentation," Jodio explained.
"Hongjun is truly lucky to have met you," Flender said dryly again.
Their Spirit Hunting trip ended quickly. Thanks to their efficiency, the two were back a little after eight that evening. On their return, Jodio spotted Ma Hongjun and Oscar, those two little troublemakers, slacking off again to eat roasted rabbit. He discussed it with Flender and decided to give the pair a scare.
Slacking off was absolutely forbidden. When Jodio let the boys sneak off to have fun, it was only for a little while after training. At this hour, they were supposed to be in their dormitory memorizing their lessons. If they were out having a picnic, they certainly had not done it.
"Gold Experience." Jodio's second Spirit Ring lit up. Gold Experience struck the rocks beside a tree, and they immediately turned into a whole crowd of wild rabbits. These rabbits, though, were unusually sturdy, each about the size of a small dog.
"Go." Jodio waved the rabbits toward Ma Hongjun and Oscar. They burst from beneath the tree and charged straight at the two boys roasting rabbit on the field ridge.
"Hm?" Ma Hongjun froze.
"What is it?" Oscar looked up from the fragrant roast rabbit, his mouth watering.
"Something feels wrong. I think there's danger nearby." Ma Hongjun scanned their surroundings. After spending more than a year with Jodio, he had picked up a thing or two. Jodio had taken their lessons in reconnaissance especially seriously, teaching them the intelligence-gathering tactics at the heart of Stand combat.
"When should Boss be back?" Ma Hongjun asked Oscar.
"He left this afternoon, didn't he? Spirit Beasts are hard to hunt, and Boss seemed to want some pretty rare ones. Maybe tomorrow?" Oscar prodded the crisp rabbit meat with a little wooden skewer.
"No. Something's really wrong! Come out, Phoenix Legend!"
Ma Hongjun rolled aside and summoned his Martial Soul. Purple fire roared to life around him as the Evil Fire Phoenix possessed him, illuminating everything nearby. This time he saw clearly: countless pairs of eyes stared at him from the shadows, their owners looking ready to pounce.
"What the hell?!" Oscar jumped and hurried behind Ma Hongjun. They stood back-to-back, both on guard.
RUMBLE!
"Rabbits? No, how could rabbits be that huge?" Ma Hongjun shouted in astonishment as they emerged. Every rabbit was the size of a dog, with powerfully muscled limbs. On any other day, he and Oscar would have eagerly made a meal of them. But the sight was far too strange, especially at night!
One rabbit suddenly lunged, aiming a powerful kick at Ma Hongjun. His Martial Soul gave him just enough speed to dodge. He swung back and punched it, sending it to the ground coughing blood and struggling. But then...
RUMBLE!
The rabbit twisted and slowly turned into a rock roughly the same size. Cold sweat broke out all over Ma Hongjun. He was afraid—truly afraid.
"This is a Martial Soul attack!" Ma Hongjun roared.
"Oscar! Stay close! Don't get separated!" Ma Hongjun looked around tensely. Who was it? Who would dare attack Shrek Academy? There was a Soul Sage and three Soul Emperors here!
In theory, seven-and-a-half-year-old Ma Hongjun should have been a clueless little kid, screaming in panic. But Jodio's training had served him well. The first lesson he had taught Ma Hongjun was: "Never dismiss an attack lightly. Your enemy won't always be reasonable."
He might think the academy's Soul Sage and three Soul Emperors would keep him safe, but what if the enemy did not know they were there? How could he be sure the enemy feared the teachers? For all he knew, someone had come for revenge, intent on killing him even at the cost of their own life. What would he do then?
"The moment you come under a Martial Soul attack, you must treat it as a fight to the death. Immediately!"
Ma Hongjun activated his first Spirit Skill, Phoenix Scorching Flame Protective Shield, at once. Oscar, in perfect understanding, gripped a sausage and readied himself for the fight. Both boys sweated as they waited tensely for the next assault. They were only level fifteen to eighteen and did not even have second Spirit Rings. Forget an enemy on the dean's level—even Jodio could beat them easily. All they could do was stall and wait.
The rabbits suddenly sprang forward. Ma Hongjun struck with both fists, knocking one away with each blow as he swung without mercy to keep them back. Oscar pressed close behind him so Ma Hongjun would not be attacked from the rear. Oscar himself had already taken several kicks, but his sausage could restore his energy. He could endure it!
"Ma Hong... JUN!" Araki lines spread across Oscar's face as he screamed in terror and fury.
←To Be Continued
Before you continue