The members of the Silver Lining Mercenary frowned as they observed people and beasts running in different directions in a state of panic and fear. Darius approached a man in an attempt to understand the situation.
"What happened?" Darius asked.
"Madman!! Total madman," the man replied, his words incoherent.
One of the Silver Lining members released his wood element to help soothe his panic. As the man calmed down upon seeing their emblem he became more reassured."Now that you're calm, can you please explain what happened?" Darius requested.
The man took deep breath and began narrating, "You see, the Tiger Mercenary drove everyone away when they were about to confront an unfamiliar group. This small team clashed with the Tiger Mercenary team led by Scarface. The Tiger Mercenary, in their usual domineering manner, tried to claim a fire tree that the other team had discovered and fought the beast guarding it. Unfortunately for the Tiger Mercenary, this new group turned out to be a formidable opponent. Their leader, without uttering a single word, shockingly beheaded Scarface. This triggered the remaining Tiger Mercenary members, led by their vice captain Larry, to retaliate and ambush the other team."
As the man continued his narration, he took another deep breath and continued, "Their leader also possesses Adept-level abilities, and all the other members of the team have elemental powers. It was no easy fight. I stayed in the vicinity, wanting to see how this new group would respond. But then, I witnessed a scene I had never seen before. It was like purgatory, as massive thunder strikes decimated the Tiger Mercenary group, leaving no survivors."
"That's impossible. Larry is at the Adept level; he should have been able to escape," another member of Silver Lining expressed in disbelief.
"I saw it with my own eyes. Vice Captain Larry couldn't escape, despite being disoriented," the man pondered.
"Soul attack," the Silver Lining vice captain stated.
"Boss, are you saying Larry suffered a soul attack? That's why an experienced warrior couldn't defend himself?" another member asked.
"Not only that, but I believe the spell grade is also high. Even those of us who were farther away felt the impact," the vice captain added.
"Yes, the spell grade is definitely not low. Everything in that area has been completely destroyed. The surrounding areas are scorched by thunder. The only reason I escaped is because of a defensive artifact I possessed, which was destroyed by the thunder after protecting me," the man lamented.
After sharing his account, the man left.
The Silver Lining vice captain remained deep in thought.
"Boss, what are you considering?" a member asked.
"I think I underestimated this group once again. A combination of both soul and elemental powers at the Adept level... If they are able to survive their clash with the captain of the Tiger Mercenary, they will truly become a force to be reckoned with," the vice captain replied.
Cyan and his group were currently finding refuge in a secluded space within a mountain, all of them feeling drained of essence, particularly Cyan. Battling an Adept-level warrior and constantly monitoring the battlefield had taken its toll on him. Running both his soul power and essence at a high level, Cyan was determined to replenish his energy using the energy-replenishing potion.
Quickly entering the tower, Cyan began to recuperate a little bit of his essence. As the tower surrounded him as usual, Cyan greeted it by touching its surface and instructed it to activate the pharmacist lab.
Inside the lab, Cyan's goal was to practice making the energy booster potion. He had never attempted it before in order to not waste the stardew he had obtained from the realm, as he needed to wait for new stardew fruits to grow from the seeds.
Cyan's practice attempts proved successful. The potion proved to be effective even for someone at the expert level. Encouraged by this, Cyan wasted no time in turning his practice into reality.
Unfortunately, in the first batch of potions he made, not a single one was of top grade. Cyan adjusted his breathing and continued to produce more energy boosters, using up all of the stardew fruits. In the end, he was able to create 100 potions, with 20 of them being top grade and the rest being high grade. If other pharmacist see this they will be surprised, some don't produce top grade potions while the capable ones might produce ten top grades in 100 potions except for grandmaster levels who have control over the essence and elements.
After drinking one of the top grade potions, Cyan felt a surge of energy fill his body, replenishing his essence. Leaving the tower, he distributed the high grade potions to his team members, as the top grade potions would be too much and would go to waste.
Each member quickly consumed the potion, feeling the energy coursing through their bodies and restoring their essence. Aware of the ongoing danger in the secret realm, they all decided to continue practicing and honing their skills. The battle with the Tiger Mercenary had exposed their shortcomings, particularly in their movement techniques, which needed refinement.
They focused on practicing the gust sprint technique. By channeling their elemental energy, they could momentarily enhance their speed and agility. With a burst of acceleration, they surged forward like a gust of wind, covering short distances quickly. This allowed them to close the gap between themselves and their opponents or make quick escapes from hazardous situations.
Cyan agreed with their decision, and using his soul power, he scanned the area to find the best opponent for them to practice against. He located a group of Trail runners residing in a nearby valley and led his team there. The Trail runners would serve as worthy opponents for their training.
The team looked at the fat, flightless birds known as Trail runners with a mix of surprise and skepticism.
"Don't underestimate them," Cyan warned, sensing their disbelief. "These birds may not be able to fly, but they possess high speed, sharp talons, and beaks. The higher-level ones can even cast wind blades, although not as powerful as the attacks of the gale leopard we encountered before. What makes them dangerous is their coordinated group attacks. So, everyone, be cautious and watch out for their synchronized assaults."
The team nodded, taking Cyan's words seriously. They understood that even seemingly docile creatures could pose a threat in the Secret Realm. With a shared determination, they prepared themselves for the practice battle, focused on honing their agility, strength, and stamina while also considering the potential meat they could obtain from the Trail runners.
With a signal from Cyan, the group advanced towards the Trail runners, ready to test their skills and face the challenges posed by the creatures.