"What is going on here?" Mokuri asked.
Miaru, Mokuri, and the elder village chief, Karu, are in one of the shelters, sitting around a wooden table.
"So let me get this straight: because I saved you, my reward was to become the village leader? Plus, without telling me, you told everyone?" Mokuri said.
"Please accept it," Miaru replied.
"I get it, but why can you, Miaru, be the chief?" Mokuri questioned.
"Don't bother asking her, Sir Mokuri. She is just stubborn, and the reason is—" Chief Karu interjected.
"Because if I accepted it, I would not be able to do my own stuff and would be forced to stay with the people. But I found out it does not apply to trusted foreigners," Miaru explained.
"Now I get it," Mokuri said.
"Now would you accept it?" Miaru asked.
"Fine, I will, but—" Mokuri began.
"Anyway, here is a token of my gratitude," Miaru said as she pulled two items from a leather bag next to her.
"She ignored me"mokuri thought
"What are these?" Mokuri asked.
"Here on my left is a magic-suppressing bracelet that limits your power at a certain point," Miaru explained.
"Oh, I can use that for magic and mana training," thought Mokuri.
"And here is a black coat to replace your old clothes," Miaru said.
Mokuri grabbed the black coat and put it on, which he thought fit him perfectly. "So, what are the features of this one?" Mokuri asked.
"I'm glad you asked. This coat is made with magic-amplifying fabric and has fire and ice resistance," Miaru explained.
"Neat," Mokuri replied.
"Sir Mokuri, the village wants to see you," Chief Karu said.
He stepped outside to see the villagers smiling and excited at his presence. "Everyone, my name is Mokuri Oraku, and I have accepted being your leader. Let's work together in the future."
They all cheered at Mokuri's amazing presentation.
"Are you serious?" he thought, giving them an awkward smile.
"Anyways, Sir Mokuri, just head straight to that large hill over there so you can face the Trial Guardian," Chief Karu instructed.
"Come back safe, Chief Mokuri," Miaru said with a playful grin.
After walking for 20 minutes, he reached the rocky base of the hill And there was a inscription on the rock: [Those who wish, wish but must face me for a prize.]
"Interesting....." Mokuri said.
The reason Mokuri wants to challenge the trail guardian is that he could test his limits, since fighting the same level or lower won't give him enough experience.
However, his reasoning was going to be more of a problem.....
Judging from Chief Karu, there are only seven left in this world. "I wonder what my prize is if I win," Mokuri thought.
At that moment, the text began to glow, and Mokuri was transported to an open but enclosed cave where crystals provided the only illumination.
"So, is that...?" With a grin on his face, he spots the trail guardian as it senses him and stands up on its hind legs, slightly hunched,also one exhale removes a small amount of steam.
The trial guradian in front of him is mostly covered with boney white scales . However, his head, spine and clavicles appear to be made from exposed bone, resulting in these features being a contrasting white.
Large plates with dorsal spines cover the back of his head and neck above the shoulders with the very top piece being white. As for his head,as a 'demonic skull-face' with two short, thick horns, a hole for a nose, and sharp, exposed teeth that extends down his neck. His eyes have black sclera with a yellow iris.and also looked incredibly masculine.
"This is going to hurt," Mokuri said.
Mokuri tries to lift his guard, but before he can react, the guardian had already closed the distance between them. "Eh..."
The guardian punches him hard, sending him flying backward and breaking the wall behind him upon contact. "PWAH!!!" He spewed blood from his mouth; it was not understandable.
He looked at his cut pinky finger, already bleeding. "If I hadn't blocked that, I could have been in big trouble."
The trial guardian did not give him a chance to recover or think, so it launched itself again with another punch ready and locked.
But as the distance closed once again, Mokuri let his body sink and then ducked down, dodging the punch, which created a force that affected the surroundings behind him.
Placing his palm on its abdomen, he turned his hand and caused a big explosion of wind that sent it flying back to its usual position.
To stop itself, it sinks its limbs into the ground and adjust itself. After a moment, they stood in silence in their usual fighting stance.
"Well, that didn't work... Does it have impact resistance?" Mokuri thought,sweating nervously.
"Plus, it seemed to be having fun," Mokuri added.
Suddenly, the atmosphere around him started to become thick as the trial guardian began to release a high amount of magical energy. The ground broke beneath it, and the floor shook.
Mokuri stood there in shock. "What is this? My body is sensing dangerous waves from that thing... But I have come this far, and I am not about to lose."
Concentrating his mana,Mokuri closed his eyes and then formed an aura around him, directing it to his arms and legs. "NOW, BEAST, SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!" He stomped the ground hard and maintained a martial arts stance.
The trial guardian grew extra arms from its two, with electrifying magical energy surrounding it. It launched forward, but this time it was ten times faster and more powerful.
Mokuri also launches himself forward; both were so fast that they reached each other in an instant. Colliding their fists with one another the single punch made first blew everythingaround them away, they create a strong shockwave, destroying the ground below them and pushing rubble and dust in all directions.
Both beings step down hard, anchoring themselves to the ground with there feet, and then begin to trade punches, colliding each incoming fist at incredible speeds. Shockwaves move around rapidly, and the air pressure is so strong that it breaks rock with each punch.
"I can handle two, but four is too much," he said shockingly. As He tries countering the four arms with his two.
With a slide of Mokuri's feet, he swiftly moves behind the Trail Guardian within a second, hoping to land a kick on its face, but it detects this and blocks the kick. "What!!" Then it punches Mokuri backward again.
However, Mokuri blocks the punch with both his wrists and anchors himself to stop moving backward.
"Ow!... I kind of have that feeling of why am I doing this," he thought.
The trail guardian opened its mouth and clutched its fists; energy was forming near its face, and it was directed towards him.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!... Can I really counter that?" Mokuri was shocked.
The guardian beast released it from its mouth like a breath attack. the blast was so big and powerful, it destroyed and melted the rock beneath it.
"Guess there is only one choice." Mokuri closed his eyes, focusing on the incoming electrifying blast, raised his right hand, and attempted a chopping counter.
The blast made contact and then formed a large nuclear laser explosion that reached the clouds; it could be seen from miles away.
"You've got.....to be..... kidding me." With the entire cave disintegrated, Mokuri looked at the beast regenerate half of its body caused by the explosion, then collapsed.
The trail guardian stopped midway before approaching Mokuri's body and looked back where Miaru stood, serious and arms crossed.
The trail guardian made its arms two again and spoke, "I would like this man as my master." It giggled a little, but it was not that audible, resembling a distorted female voice.
It left Miaru to wonder why.