Rain ventured deeper into the forest, this time paying much closer attention to his surroundings. He couldn't afford to be careless again—his last battle had nearly cost him his life. Although the near defeat was partly due to the energy-draining ability he had tested, he still felt frustrated at being caught off guard.
He paused and sat down on the ground, thinking about how the bear had been able to sense his presence. Up until now, he hadn't had much trouble blinding opponents with his skills, and if it had just been about scent, the vineclaws wouldn't have been so easily fooled. It had to be related to the internal energy he had accessed before. While he had no trouble controlling it within his body, he needed a way to project it outward without relying on a skill.
As he focused on the flow of energy within him, Rain realized he could feel his organs and bones, almost as if he were mapping out his own anatomy. It made sense that he could do something similar outside his body, but he needed to find a way to force the energy outward.
Sitting in a meditative stance, Rain instructed the hydroclaws to stand guard. He began swirling the energy inside him and let out a controlled breath, pushing the energy outward. He could feel it leaving his body, sensing its interaction with the objects around him.
As he took control of the energy, he spread it thinly around himself in a sphere. Suddenly, he could feel Aqua, Tide, and Cascade, the gentle rustling of the leaves, and even the tiny movements of insects on the ground. He had figured it out. It was simple, and best of all, it didn't drain him like his other skills. He could still use his abilities, keep watch over his surroundings, and even strengthen his body if he condensed the area he was sensing.
Rain stood up and resumed his march through the forest, using his new sensing ability to keep a close watch on his surroundings. As he pushed forward, the fog in the forest thickened, making it harder to see. Suddenly, he felt something enter the sphere of his awareness. He looked up into the trees and spotted an onyx leopard perched on a branch, its tail twitching nervously as it realized it had been detected.
The leopard's eyes narrowed, and a low snarl escaped its mouth, sending a chill down Rain's spine. He gripped his staff, readying himself for battle. The leopard, no longer content to hide, sprang from its perch with lightning speed. Rain barely managed to block the strike, the force of it pushing him backward. The leopard landed on the ground, and sparks of black ignited beneath its feet, quickly flaring into menacing black flames. It charged forward again.
Rain rolled backward just in time to avoid the flame-enhanced strike, spinning around to face his adversary. He activated Torrent Dash and lunged forward, launching a powerful kick. The kick connected, and Rain quickly followed up with a flurry of strikes from his staff. Caught off guard by the rapid assault, the leopard took the full brunt of the combo and was sent hurtling into the trees.
Seizing the opportunity, Rain burst forward, channeling water through his staff. He leaped into the air and brought his staff down with a devastating blow, aiming to finish the fight. But the leopard dodged at the last moment, and Rain's attack left a deep crater in the ground.
Rain quickly turned toward the leopard, but it was too late. The beast clamped its jaws around his arm and yanked him to the ground. Rain screamed in pain as his staff was ripped from his grasp. The leopard pulled on his arm, trying to tear it from his body. In desperation, Rain drew his wakizashi from its sheath and slashed down on the beast, forcing it to release its grip. He rolled to his feet, panting heavily.
Tide ran to his side, dropping the staff at Rain's feet before preparing to attack alongside him. Aqua and Cascade circled the leopard, unleashing a barrage of water bullets from the scruff around their necks. Rain stepped back, focusing on healing his injured arm, while the trio used their range to overwhelm the monster.
As Rain concentrated on healing, a wave of black fire erupted from the leopard, spreading in a circle around it. Aqua and Cascade managed to dodge, but Tide was caught in the full force of the attack, igniting instantly. Before Rain could react, the beast lunged at Tide, sinking its teeth into his neck and tearing viciously. By the time Rain could move, Tide was already gone.
Anger surged through Rain as he watched in horror. He stepped forward, his voice cold and commanding. "Aqua, Cascade, get back. You're in the way." His piercing blue wings materialized, and he felt a deep rage toward himself for underestimating his opponent. Tide had paid the price for his hesitation, and he swore not to make the same mistake again.
Rain got into position, channeling his fury. A torrent of water surged beneath his feet, propelling him forward at blinding speed. He launched an upward strike, knocking the leopard into the air. Before the beast could even register the hit, six orbs of water shot forward, slamming into it with immense force. As the leopard fell, Rain positioned himself directly beneath it, summoning a water mirror above his head. The moment the beast made contact, a spear of water burst from the mirror, impaling it through the stomach.
The beast slowly rose to its feet, its entire body now enshrouded in searing black flames. As it began to grow in size, its form became a mass of fire, and it prepared to pounce. Rain watched with cold indifference, letting the creature make its move. Just as the beast lunged, another water mirror appeared in front of him. The creature, expecting only one spear, was caught off guard when sixteen bolts of water shot forward. It managed to dodge a few, but eight found their mark, forcing the monster to the ground.
Rain quickly advanced, summoning a water clone, and together they channeled Aqua Vortex around their staffs. They thrust forward simultaneously, double-impaling the creature. The vortexes dissipated, and the beast collapsed to the ground.
["Obsidian Blaze Leopard Slain. High Rune of Agility awarded. High Rune of Dexterity awarded."]
Rain turned toward Tide's lifeless body, sorrow welling up inside him. His mistake had cost Tide his life—there had been no reason to hold back, but he had. Rain knelt beside his fallen comrade, grief and regret heavy in his heart. Tide hadn't been with him long, but he was one of the few allies Rain had in this place. After a moment of silent reflection, Rain buried Tide and skinned the leopard, taking its fur for a project he had in mind.