Hiding from the Fire Monkeys, I took a moment to catch my breath inside a large tree trunk. The Fire Monkeys are currently outside looking for me, but I just hid in a really small space.
To be honest, I could actually just fight against them...but only one of them not three at once. I could beat them all together if only I had [ Flesh Eater ] with me, but sadly I don't have it, all because of that damn master of mine who told me to fight without weapons and learn his random ass named footwork.
A few minutes passed before the monkeys stopped looking for me and disappear. Watching from the squirrel hole, I went down to the root and stepped outside the tree trunk and dusted myself.
"That was a close one...I wonder why Geoffrey 4.0 exploded, was my Ki too strong? I doubt so...it is only Pristine Red"
Thinking about the incident from earlier where my Geoffrey 4.0 exploded to splinters, I could not help but hum in wonder about the reason for such. But thinking about the most important thing which was learning the Footwork, I decided to discard those thoughts and tried to recall my Master's words before he sent me to die...I mean train alone.
[ "You are no King. You are no ruler. You are nothing. Therefore, you are free. Be an animal, and see the world in a new perspective" ]
As I recalled those words in a lotus position, I opened my eyes and try to decipher the meaning behind those words.
I am no ruler. I am no king. I am free.
Muttering those words, I continued to walk around the forest, avoiding the den of the Fire Monkeys since that was the reason why they were chasing me earlier anyway, I passed by their turf and taunted them.
Therefore, I am free. I need to become an animal.
Trying to take those words literally, I spotted a squirrel eating acorns on the ground. Hearing my footsteps, it stopped eating and scurried away with its light legs...
Light legs?
Thinking about that, I had an idea as I got on all fours, like a wolf. I looked really ridiculous, but I paid it no mind. If I learn footwork, then shouldn't I start to learn how to be step and run lightly? Like a wolf.
I imitated a wolf for the next few minutes as I also drank on the river with my mouth, I tried to catch rodents without using ki or hand but just my mouth and on all fours.
While I was doing that, I soon spotted a dire wolf growling at me.
See the world in a new perspective...
Trying to be an animal, I also growled at the wolf which resulted to the wolf getting mad at me and lunge at me. It was just a Pristine Red rank wolf. I could easily kill it with my bare hands, but I am a wolf right now.
Easily dodging it by jumping to the side in all fours, The wolf missed its maw and only bit through the air.
I did not give it any chance to do another attack as the moment its back was turned on me, I decided to lunge at it and bite on its neck. It let out a whimper when my teeth dug through its thick fur and tear off a skin as I soon pressed my fingernails onto its skin to tear its flesh. Like I was scratching it.
When it tried to struggle, I also struggled to hold it down with my human strength, I did not use any ki to strengthen myself and only just used my strength, so we are pretty much even as we wrestled on the ground.
Not giving up, the wolf also bit on my left shoulder and we decided to roll around and wrestle even further. We decided to do a battle of attrition until finally the wolf gave up because it sustained more damage than me.
It died in my arms.
I spat its flesh and winced at the wound on my shoulder, I stared at its corpse before offering my silent respects to it and decided to walk away in my two feet.
"What the fuck does he mean by those words..."
I grumbled as I wiped the blood on my mouth with my sleeve and decided to head to a river to wash up my body. Taking off my clothes, I submerged my body to wash every stain in my body and looked at the clear blue sky with a deep sigh.
"Be an animal....animal..."
I continued to mutter as I was washing up my wound and also spotted a fish in the river. I have already learned how to be a fish, Master wouldn't say something so pointless.
Laying on my back, I let myself stay afloat in the water and just stare at the skies where a bird passes by from time to time.
Wait...a bird?
Recalling the moment when my master demonstrated his technique, I then got up from the river and started dressing up.
When he demonstrated the technique, he looked like he was flying with his light steps in the air, it was like he was being held by the wind. He disappeared like he was the wind and flew like he was with the wind.
Thinking about his tips, I smiled as I felt the air in my surrounding. I watched a bird fly in the sky as I try to marvel at that sight...what a beautiful world we live in.
I spread out my hand trying to embrace the wind as it welcomed me. Inhaling the fresh breeze, I then took a light step, then another...then another and another until I realized that I was running. But no, I was merely walking...I just felt like I was running because the wind was guiding me.
I recalled my master's words.
"[ You are no king. You are no ruler. You are nothing. Therefore, you are free. Be an animal, and see the world in a new perspective ]"
He probably said those words because of the recent incident, he seemed to have noticed that I am still hung up on the past. I still long for it and desired to become a hero to prove everyone wrong about them branding me as Evil, but my master taught me something new. It was not just martial arts....it was also Philosophy.
Why should I be a prisoner of my past? Am I going to obsess on proving those people wrong? Did I forget my original desire to be someone great like the First Hero? Come on dude...I must make that little me proud and look up at his future self with awe. I am no longer the prodigy that I am, I am no longer the Hero, I am no longer the Chosen One, I am no longer Rauke Enidryll. I am reborn as Roanoke. I am who I am, therefore the opinions of others about me means nothing. I am nothing.
As I felt the wind guide me as I zoomed through tree to tree with light steps and can move freely, I then jumped into a cliff as I admired the sun on the horizon with a smile and let my steps glide me through the air. Seeing that, I thought about some famous lines of the First Hero in the legends.
"[ For the dust that you are, to the dust you shall return ]"
According to the textbooks, The First Hero said those words after winning against his enemies. I had no idea what those words meant but I have a feeling.
I am who I am, so I must act to who I am.