A week went by, and Leo returned to Machu Pichu. He left Pedro and Isabella in Shui's capable hands. Shadow stuck around to gain intelligence and to keep an eye on the different races.
Upon return, Leo started to train harder than ever. Their bouts always consisted of Leo vs. the two of them. In the afternoon, Leo would cultivate to recover and devise his next course of action.
He needed to create techniques that used very little mana but packed a punch to bridge the gap in power difference. Not only was the world in chaos but this new foreign enemy was even stronger.
Leo spent some time thinking on the aspect of his fighting style. He focuses on powerful earth attacks, surprise metal attacks, and prefers mace techniques. The weakest out of the group was his mace techniques. He only ever used weapons to support his attacks never had he ever truly focused on studying it.
After talking to many of the golems, Leo realized none of them used a mace as a primary weapon. One of them spoke about how Leo could fight with his forging hammer and gave him a manual on it called "Forging the Sun with a Hammer."
Leo sent a message back Shadow to see if there was a manual in Lankani City for him to peruse. After talking to a few winged humans, she obtained a Tempered Body warrior manual. The manual called the "27 Meteor Strikes." She sent a digital copy over, and Leo had it made onto parchment.
The 27 Meteor Strikes manual was a simple mace technique book. It showed the user how to perform 27 different movements to make up the technique. Each one was from a different starting point and made a distinctive arc to hit the enemy.
Leo devoted his time to learn this basic technique. He knew it wouldn't make him much stronger, but it would lay down a foundation for him to create his future technique. It took Leo about another week to master the movements and then he started to pour all of his time into creating a Mana Fighter technique.
On a cloudy day as the sky started to rumble, Leo cultivated cross-legged behind his house. Leo opened his eyes and looked into the air when a loud voice echoed in the air.
"Leo, there is trouble in the forest to the south."
"Master?" Leo said in surprise. Urcaguary the golem who passed on his cultivation techniques was floating above him.
"Leo, we have no time to waste. Mallqui was dispatched with a few warriors to the east, and a threat up north needs my attention. We can talk once I return."
"Alright. I'm glad to see you are well."
Urcaguary had been in a deep slumber to heal his body and soul after the battle with the draconians. Since then he had not left his training tomb deep within the mountains. Upon looking at him and sensing his aura, Leo could tell he had mostly healed up which relieved him.
Leo gathered his things and headed south. On the outskirts of Machu Pichu, a golem guard met up with him.
Seeing the large rock-man, Leo asked, "You come to babysit me?"
"Yes. Mallqui told me to stay behind to guard you."
"Alright, but you better keep up."
The warrior was surprised but didn't refute him. The peak Core Builder just followed after Leo. With the warriors leaving to the east there weren't any ships to take so the two Core Builders had to run there.
"Leo, what is down in the southern jungle?"
"I don't know, but it had Urcaguary worried."
"Do you think it the warriors from before?"
"The changelings? Maybe."
They both stopped in their tracks when jungle beasts started to sprint past them. They could hear blasters in the distance about a kilometer from them. Using his superb vision, Leo was able to see a crippled beastman trying to run.
"Goblin?"
A fast hatchet was swung down and landed cleanly into Leo's shoulder.
"Ahhhh." He screamed as he whipped around and leaped backward. "You're one of them." Leo realized that these changelings had already infiltrated Machu Pichu.
The golem attacked Leo with the ax technique unique to this golem only. Leo was surprised that the warriors could copy the host's looks and techniques. Each chop was swift and quick, and Leo could barely dodge with his Buffalo Three Step.
In the corner of his eye, a blaster nailed Goblin the back, and he fell to the ground. Leo flung out his arm to manipulate the earth. He erected a Buffalo Cage around Goblin to defend against the enemy's blasters. Leo had to use his bracer to block the incoming hatchet. The force from the blast flung him into a tree uprooting the tree and causing Leo tumbling with it.
The rock-giant relinquished his strongest vertical chop causing mana to cover the head of the ax. Leo activated his King's Roar and defended himself with Stone Statue. The spy's ax faltered losing most of its momentum from the mental disturbance from the roar. It then smashed into Leo's arms, which were cross, shattering the outer stoney-skin.
Once again his bracer saved him from being cut in half. Leo kicked the ground to push himself forward, and he executed an Ascending Sun launching the enemy backward. Several cracks appeared upon the golem's torso where he had been punched.
Leo dashed over to Goblin. He collapsed the wall and picked up Goblin. Seeing the human try to rescue the beastman, they opened fire upon him. Two warriors stepped off towards the right flank to catch Leo off guard.
Leo activating his movement technique easily dodged the blasters. While avoiding, he glanced over the beastman he was carrying. Goblin's hands and wrist were shattered and bloody. His feet and ankles were in the same shape. He looked malnourished and tortured.
A flash of anger appeared in Leo's eyes but now was not the time for revenge. He needed to get the two of them out of the area. All of a sudden, a vast expanse of effect attack, produced from wind and fire mana, engulfed Leo and Goblin. The fire explosion obliterated most of the jungle nearby.