The two of them headed to an open field where they would have a great view of the sunsetting. Leo and Joe spotted a tall building at the edge of the area. Leo carried Joe to the top so they could see from up high.
They looked out and saw many majestic bison grazing without a care in the world. They had their own families and just seemed at peace with their life.
"Leo, what is that over there?" Joe asked, pointing at something in the bush.
"A Coyote," Leo responded, jumping up.
Before Leo or Joe could do anything, the coyote attacked a bison on the edge of the herd. The attack scared the bison to huddle together.
"I need to go down there."
Joe grabbed Leo's leg. "Leo, don't go down there," warned Joe.
A weird humming started to echo through the plain. The herd's strange grunting began to flow into a chant almost.
"Sir, energy is condensing into the ground surrounding the bison," stated Sprite.
"Leo, we need to discuss Sprite making statements out loud," said Joe.
"Hold that thought, Joe."
The ground shook, and a large crack was heard!
Mounds of earth rose around the herd. The bison then head-butted the hardened earth, sending clumps towards the coyote. The coyote was caught off guard. Impaled by the chunks of dirt and rocks, the coyotes never saw it coming. The bison continued their barrage until the coyote was buried.
"They are using earth energy!" Shouted Leo. After talking to Shadow, Leo was curious about the different types. "What realm are they in, Sprite?"
"Leo, I just said."
"Sir, they are in the Qi Fighter realm," replied Sprite, cutting Joe off from finishing his sentence.
Joe felt defeated by these two. He sighed but then looked at the herd. He remembered hearing about cowboys and cattle as a kid.
"Amazing, the animals of our planet can sure adapt and grow stronger than even us humans," said Joe.
"We need to train harder."
"How do you get training harder from this?"
"Well, we can't let a bunch of furry cows be stronger than us."
Sometimes, the stuff Leo says and does makes Joe laugh. "Haha, okay, well, you promised to help me heal up faster. So count me in."
Leo picked up Joe and carried him down to his chair when night came. Once in the chair, Leo rolled him home. That night, both of them had a good night's sleep.
'Wake up, Sir.'
Leo sat up and looked at Joe, who was fast asleep.
"Sprite, did you wake me up?"
'Yes, Sir. I wanted to test a new method of communication.'
"You had to wake me up for that?" asked Leo.
Joe turned a bit in his sleep but soon drifted back to sleep.
'Sir, you might want to keep your voice down. Joseph is sleeping. Yesterday, he mentioned we need a better way to communicate. So, I can speak directly to you using Qi and your body as a conduit.'
'Then can you hear my thoughts?'
'Yes, Sir.'
Leo felt a headache going on. He always felt Sprite could read his mind, but now it could do it.
'It doesn't matter. You have always been with me. I have nothing to hide.'
'Sir, I'm detecting the beastmen named Lycan and Shadow outside.'
'Thank you, Sprite.'
Leo got up and snuck out of the gas station. He saw Lycan and Shadow standing there waiting for him.
"Morning Human. You ready to train with the beastmen," said Lycan.
"I think so," responded Leo with a bit of reluctance. Even though he had talked with Lycan before now, his aura felt ferocious and as great as a mountain.
"Human, can you tell us what level you are at?" asked Shadow.
"Like I said, I stepped into 4th stage. The Tempered Bone stage."
Lycan looked at Shadow, and she looked at him, knowing he would.
"Humans have five stages in the Beast Body realm." The statement from Lycan seemed like a question.
"Beast Body realm?" remarked Leo, puzzled too.
'Sir, I believe from my deduction that the Tempered Body realm and the Beast Body realm are the same.'
Leo nodded his head in agreement, but the Beastmen looked at the boy as if he was talking to himself and now agreeing.
"Can you explain each stage of your cultivation to us?" asked Lycan.
Shadow interrupted, "We can have this conversation back at the training ground."
"Agreed. Shadow informed me you would like to test your affinity for energies, little human."
Leo nodded, and three of them left right away. The boy looked back, wishing he informed Joe first, but Joe still needed a lot of rest. Soon, they arrived at what looked like a destroyed complex.
"Please wait here while I retrieve the device," stated Shadow.
Lycan let out a howl, and the warrior division soon appeared.
"While the pack gathers, I will explain our cultivation, and in turn, you can explain yours. Deal?"
"Deal," Leo said and gave a nod at the same time.
The other beastmen just watched as Lycan explained the basics to the human.
"We beastmen only have three stages in the Beast Body realm. Our beastmen tempers the skin, the claws, and muscles in each stage. After that, we enter the Beast Fighter realm, the Qi Fighter or Aura Fighter realm."
"The early stage is where we drill in the trainees the Beast Arts. The early stage is where one absorbs Qi into their skin or hides. The middle stage is where we sharpen each beastman natural weapons, their claws. Lastly, in the late stage, they finish off by tempering their muscles."
'Sprite, is this true? My cultivation art uses more stages.'
'Yes, Sir. It will take more time, but it will make you stronger in the future by creating a solid base. Your body is the foundation for the path of cultivation.'
Leo nodded at Sprite's remark, but Lycan continued his explanation.
"As Shadow explained, each beastman learns the basic arts and additional techniques that suit their affinity. Speak of the beastman."
Shadow arrived with a stone with fifteen sides and a symbol on each. She handed it to Leo.
"Channel energy inside and wait. Each symbol that lights up has an affinity with you. Most Beastmen have many affinities but choose their strongest two."
"How will I tell a strong and weak affinity apart?" Asked Leo.
"Just activate. Showing you is better."
Leo complied and injected his energy inside. Soon, the stone shook, and many of the symbols lit up.
"These two symbols for Yin and Yang have a medium affinity with you. This one here for Fire and Water is weak. Your Earth affinity is very bright. I would focus on this as your primary and choose Yin or Yang as your secondary."
"What about the other lit up?" Asked Leo as he fiddled with the stone in his hands to see each side.
"You could learn energies too, but it would not come naturally to your body and may reject you in the future," responded Shadow. "Can I please have the stone back?"
Leo returned it to her as the lights began fading on the stone.
"Can Joe try the stone later, too?"
"If you mean the human who lost his legs, yes, he can." Once Shadow responded, she disappeared to what Leo suspected was to put the stone away.
"Now, boy. Can you enlighten us about your cultivation?"
Leo complied and filled them in on his technique and stages. He left out the bits about Sprite, which just made Leo seem even more impressive. Even on their planet, very few individuals cultivate Yin and Yang energies.
"Going further and tempering one's bones and blood vessels never occurred to us beastmen. Our bones are already durable, and our blood vessels are wider than humans. This must be why you further temper your body." Remarked Lycan.
He seemed hot-tempered to Leo, but right now, he appeared very Sprit-ish with how knowledgeable he was acting.
'Actually, Sir, if beastmen tempered their bones and blood vessels too, they would create an amazing foundation.'
Leo said, ignoring Sprite, "Lycan, Sir, do you have any other questions?"
"Not at this time. Alright, let's get training started. So, boy, I want to see what you can do. Binx, get over here. Are you up for it?"
"Of course," replied Leo confidently. With Sprite and his techniques, beastmen are not difficult to fight.
A feline variant beastman came over. She was a multi-colored fur beastman and just entered the Beast Fighter level. Leo walked forward and met the beastman in a circle drawn on the ground.
"Begin!" Shouted Lycan.
The beastman dove at Leo and used a sweeping kick to knock him off his feet. Then she lunged at him using her claws. Leo rolled out of the way but still had his shirt slashed in the back. The catwoman ran after him to follow up with a second swipe.
Using Yin Step, Leo spun and stepped out of the way.
Spinning on her heels, Binx leaped at Leo again.
Leo used Yang Step to launch him towards the attacking beastman. He followed up with an Ascending Sun to uppercut the feline variant in the chin while her attack flew over Leo's shoulder.
The beastman tumbled a bit before getting back to her feet.
The cat woman started clicking. "My next attack won't be so easy to counter, human."
'Sprite, I think I'm going to need your help.'
'Of course, Sir.'
The beast-woman began to dash right and disappeared.
"Where did she go.."
The cat woman appeared behind him and performed a Shadow Strike.
'Behind you, Sir.'
Leo spun around only to block the attack with a cross guard of his arms. The strike caused Leo to tumble backward this time.
"Try and block my next attack."
The beastman disappeared again using her movement technique.
'To the left.'
Leo turned to the left to counterattack, but it was a feint. Up to this point, Leo or Sprite wasn't used to feints.
'Behind you.'
Leo turned to see Binx retreat again.
'To the right.'
Leo executed Yang Step to strike, but Binx disappeared once again.
All the beastmen watching were impressed with the human boy somehow able to keep up Assassin Beast Arts. Binx felt slightly frustrated, but she knew to wait for her chance.
She attacked from the front this time but changed at the last second to attack from the right.
'Sir, from the front, now to the right.'
Leo punched to the right but hit nothing. It was another faint.
'Behind you…'
A Shadow Strike hit Leo square in the back, launching him forward to the ground.
'Sprite, for now, let me handle her. Just analyze her and wait for my command.'
'Yes, Sir.'
Leo picked himself off the ground. He turned to see the cat beastman give him a curved smile, showing her sharp teeth.
She executed her movement technique, and this time, Leo had a plan.