Rain sprinkled at the mountain ranges while the sun still shines brightly, wild beast roams around, insects creep into small spaces, birds hide under the tree, butterflies dancing along with the raindrops of water. The rain plus the sun created a rainbow that shines throughout the magical forest.
"Who would have thought that the girl I meet seems to be hiding something. Then at that time if she hit me..."
Zoran was thinking about the girl hitting him he couldn't help shaking his head it would be the end of him.
"Luckily I hurriedly got out. Hu! It is really different now even a kid that looks like an innocent girl could have been so deadly I better think differently"
---------------
The torrential downpour, thunder, and lightning mixed in.
Suddenly. A flash of lightning struck the tree near the cave. Evening came and a massive downpour came crashing the forest.
"Rumble!"
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk... Hey, kid don't you think this weather looks normal to you? It's been two days. I mean two and a half days and the weather still won't go down."
Zoran said while looking at the sky near the entrance of the cave.
"Maybe? Maybe there's a low-pressure area near us or something."
"Really? By the way, do you often see some people visiting the forest? It's weird."
Zoran said while looking at Michael attentively which made Michael feel like his guarded by some beast.
"M-mister why are you looking at me like that?"
Michael awkwardly said while looking at Zoran.
"Huh? Ahh... It's nothing really I just thought that nowadays kids like you are more secretive than an adult does."
"Why do you say so, mister?"
Zoran scratches the back of his head while he throws a stick on the fire.
"It's nothing... By the way, why did those people chase after you? Are you a criminal or something?"
"Ehh!?"
Michael exclaimed in response and was dumbfounded.
"No! No... It's just that I don't know why they want to kill me but I know that it has gotta do something with my girlfriend"
Michael said in a low voice Zoran could feel how sad he was. Although he didn't know the whole story at the very least he knows something and he gets it.
"Haa... It brings back memories... It seems like your girlfriend ditch you huh. It's okay It's not like she's the only girl you know."
Zoran said while looking at the fire dancing while burning the stick he just thrown.
"I know... But for once she showed me how to be me when I was just a fatty. No one likes me... They said I'm ugly and I'm aware that I am really fatty. But she... She didn't care... She showed me how to be me even when people disapproved of our relationship. She doesn't care."
Michael said while trembling Zoran knows he was about to cry so he said, "Just cry kid let it all out. It's okay to cry but let me tell you this don't cry at someone who hurt you but cry on someone who loves you dearly until the end."
"But... I know it won't work. Emotions can't be stopped from showing."
Zoran sighs thinking about his son he really wants to visit his son saying he's still alive and happy for his success.
'Maybe I should just visit him. I'm sure he will recognize me even if I look a little younger now'
Zoran was lost in thought it was when the fire was about to extinguish did he realized he should be giving any advice to a boy who was lost in love.
"You know... One day she's going to remember you and how much you loved her… then she will gonna hate herself for letting you go."
Zoran said.
"Lovers, well, they'll come and go. And, I hate to say it, most of them actually pretty much all of them are going to break your heart, but you can't give up because if you give up, you'll never find... You'll never find that half who makes you whole and that goes for everything."
This time Michael's body stopped trembling when he looks at him. So he smiled and continue.
"Just because you fail once, doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don't, then who will? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling. Anyways it's your choice to make."
When Zoran was about to lie on the ground Michael spoke to him.
"Mister I know that this might sound harsh but whenever you... You know, spoke or act it's kinda forceful I just notice. But the most you really do not show any emotion at all some of it is just forceful."
Michael said while arranging his little bed.
"Really?"
Zoran said as he stared at the ceiling of the cave where a little water ran throughout its way inside.
"Yeah... I even doubt you can't properly smile or should I say you don't know how"
-----------------
Early in the morning when the sun still about to rise Zoran crossed his legs and began practicing the Body strengthening technique.
Behind him was a spirit or should I say the Fenrir, devouring the surrounding's Ki energy. Zoran noticed after his advancement to warrior rank, his absorption speed on Ki energy had increased substantially.
Aside from that, he didn't how the heck did the beast cultivation he cultivated materialize into a life-like one and even now it had grown double in size, its radiant black scales and blue fur becoming thicker and brighter. As the spirit devoured Ki energy from the surroundings, its whole body shimmered constantly.
Multiple strands of Ki energy are being absorbed into Zoran's meridians, converting into battle qi continuously, which the manual called it, flowing in the second layer meridians over and over again until all the converted Ki energy went to the center of his chest where it first open. Quickly, a few days passed just like that.
When Zoran opens his eyes what greeted him was the ever so wonder Michael who just keeps staring at him when he cultivates. Aside from cooking and fixing the things in the cave Zoran never seen him cultivating.
"Kid, why don't you cultivate also? Seeing you like that makes no wonder why no girl likes you because you are not hard-working."
Zoran straightforwardly said to him. This time Michael sigh and made a you don't know look.
"It's not like I don't want to. It's just that manual is as precious as... Ahm priceless yeah priceless even if I work myself with all my remaining life I could never afford something so precious as that."
Then Zoran realizes something he was lucky the system given him such a priceless treasure. He could only sigh.
'It was regrettable although it is sad to know I can't help him it's not worth it even if I help him theirs no benefits at all'
"I understand. I'm going now I think I've stayed here too long now."
Before Michael could say his words Zoran immediately added.
"And... Of course you will follow... I know."
Zoran said.
"You are wrong mister I think I'm not going to follow you this time."
Michael said as he keeps the things he used to lie.
"Ohh?? Why?"
This time Zoran was the one who was shocked. The kid was the one who said so that he will follow him but now they will go into separate ways.
"I've been thinking... If following you can at least guarantee my safety and because I also have nowhere to go but now I've changed my mind I cannot repay you if I'll just follow you. I'll be a burden so this is the reason why I will not follow I'll find a way, a way to get through this with my own hard work."
Michael said confidently although Zoran knows how hard this decision be. But the kid needs a push and be responsible for saving a life once is enough twice is a choice and trice is bull**it. He didn't find it weird so he just goes with it.
Without looking back Zoran walks out of the cave where he sun-kissed the warm sunshine.
"Be careful on the way mister! I'll make sure to repay you... I promise!!"
Michael waved his hands while smiling he also made his way but his direction was the opposite to where Zoran go.
An hour later from the opposite direction where Zoran went a shadow flashed holding a sword bath with blood beside him was the lifeless boy who was smiling hour before his death.
{Be careful on the way mister! I'll make sure to repay you... I promise!!}
The boy's face who was lying on the ground was bathed by a pool of blood there was a huge cut on his abdomen. Tears run through his cheeks he clenched his hand seeing the shadow once again raise his sword to finish him.
"M-mi-s-tr."