*Andy*
Andy and Clyde stood on top of the slope from before, staring up at the dark-haired boy in front of them, who made himself comfortable on a tree branch. It didn't feel like the same person from just a few days ago. This Melchior was entirely different from that one. And that disturbed him.
All his life he had been overshadowed by Mel, only to get his revenge when it was discovered that the other couldn't use Spirit Energy. After that, he was on top of the world.
Finally, he was better, stronger, faster than him. Or so he thought. That had changed a few days ago when he came back from the dead. After that, he wasn't the same person again.
'He walks, talks and acts differently now.'
Melchior stared at him with those eerie blue eyes of his, mocking him.
'Like someone who doesn't have a care in the world' No. 'Like someone who is above the entire world.'
Andy's trance was broken quickly.
"Why are the both of you so weak against these hounds? You should still have a better time against them than I do," Melchior spoke. The hateful bastard said it with no malice, but it felt like that.
"It's-"
He cut Andy off promptly, "Whatever the case may be, your current state isn't conducive to my plans at all,"
"Well, do you have something in mind, then?" Clyde questioned.
As talented as he was, Clyde was a simpleton. That quality alone made him an excellent follower, but also a pain in the ass to interact with.
Melchior's eyes paused to regard them for a brief second, but it felt like all their secrets had been exposed in that short time.
Eventually, a minute or two later, he spoke. And it was a single word.
"Infusion."
Silence at first.
"What?" Andy voiced out.
"Spirit energy infusion," the other boy continued, "That should be amongst the first things you learned after Bonding. Infusing your body with Spirit Energy to increase your physical parameters."
Andy frowned, crossing his arms. "Yeah, we do that already. What's your point?"
"You're not doing it well enough. It's sloppy work at best. If you used the skill to its best potential, then those little dogs wouldn't bother you much."
'Fuck.'
This asshole was right. He hadn't noticed it at first, but he and Clyde were operating Infusion at a much weaker pace than usual.
'We've grown so used to only being at maximum outputs when only with our manifestations that situations other than that make us much weaker.'
Clyde had realized it as well.
"Okay, we can fix that. What do you intend to do, though?"
Melchior raised a finger to the air, then pointed it straight at the largest hound sitting at the centre of the remaining Lesser Flame Hounds.
"This little game is irrelevant to me," he started. "Clear the way, and I will let the light shine through."
Andy paused at that. There it was again.
It was like talking to a massive giant. The pressure nearly suffocated him.
A strange aura seemed to have engulfed Melchior's body, but that couldn't be. He chalked it down to something else and swallowed the feeling. There was no time to get intimidated by a spiritless individual.
Andy took in a deep breath, then nodded to Clyde. "Alright, we'll follow your plan. However, don't forget the only reason we're doing this for you."
"Rest assured, I break no promises. Now, go."
His body moved without his control, turning around and heading straight to the crowd of hounds just in front.
. . .
*Melchior*
He watched on as Clyde and Andy began their attacks on the Lesser Flame Hounds. And it was just as he had expected. Their attack potency had drastically increased.
Andy slammed a fist into one hound, and three more behind fell to the force and impact of the original shot.
Clyde was even more impressive. He weaved between throngs of lesser Flame Hounds and cut clean jabs straight into their bodies. The difference from before was stark and very noticeable.
Infusion was a beginner skill. So beginner that even he had used it without realizing it. He had realized it after checking their statuses and comparing them with his. Flow was an upgraded version of Infusion. It was more similar to the way Spirits and Spirit Beasts utilized their energy than the way humans did.
It gave him an edge over most of his peers, those two included.
After talking about it to them, he had gotten an idea of how to use Infusion and Flow to make his attacks even more dangerous than they already were.
Gradually, the lesser hounds were dwindling, so much so that they could be counted on both hands unlike before.
"It's about time that I began moving,"
Melchior readied himself, then grabbed a single arrow from his quiver. His hands were more stable than before. This time, he held steadfast with a new knowledge and reawakened confidence in himself.
It was time to finish this facade.
Then… he moved.
A small push of spirit energy sent him flying more than sprinting.
He blasted through the open path made by Clyde and Andy. Wind coupled with the surrounding flames gathered around him, causing his clothes to light up with small fires that were put out quickly after.
Those fires were restarted as soon as he reached a certain point of closeness to the large spirit beast. This time around, they weren't eliminated, and instead spread all across his body till his clothes were completely burned.
He adjusted himself just before the landing, then pointed the bow and arrow straight at the largest flame hound.
A small stream of energy moved from the depths of his body to his fingertip, then all the way into the arrow.
SWHIP~!
The wind picked up, and then a slight white energy appeared on the tip of the arrow.
"The light has come," Melchior spoke.
With more energy than all of his previous attacks combined, the glowing white arrow boomed through the air, reaching the target and piercing the beast's eyes just like that.
Silence first. Then…
"AOOOOOOOORF!"