Barnes quickly dropped to one knee beside Vale. "Don't move! Cross your legs, close your eyes, and use the Breathing Method I taught you. Keep your breathing steady, and don't let your battle aura run wild!"
At his words, Vale endured the searing pain and immediately obeyed, sitting cross-legged and beginning to use the Breathing Method.
With each breath, the power raging unchecked inside him was gradually drawn into a steady circulation.
"Good... feel it. Don't resist," Barnes murmured, letting out a relieved breath.
Louis stood nearby, watching the cross-legged boy.
They had hunted three Frost-Mane Tundra Rabbits in total.
He had kept one for himself.
One had gone to Lambert, the strongest man in the Red Tide Fief.
And the last had ended up in the hands of the boy before him.
Vale, the Red Tide Fief's most promising rising star.
As for why he hadn't eaten all three himself...
Although the Frost-Mane Tundra Rabbit had potent medicinal properties, its benefits diminished extremely quickly.
The first could transform a person completely, but the second offered only a minor boost. The third was practically a waste.
Louis wasn't the sort to insist on having everything. Rather than hogging them all, he would use them to win loyalty and cultivate his subordinates.
He never hesitated when a choice offered the greatest returns.
More than a fleeting increase in his own strength, he needed a group of people he could trust.
Of course, this also carried considerable risks. He hoped the boy wouldn't disappoint him.
Vale's entire body was flushed red and burning hot, but he kept struggling to maintain control, slowly guiding his battle aura along the familiar "return path."
With each breath, that savage energy seemed to be drawn along delicate threads, flowing into his veins and becoming a warm,