Four days had passed since Leon and his group arrived at the Crystal Basin. Life at the camp had settled into a rhythm, and the three quickly adapted to their roles. So far, the mission had been uneventful, with no major disturbances reported.
Leon developed a routine to make the most of his time. During the day, he trained diligently in the White Flash Fist, his family's combat technique. He practiced each strike with precision, gradually refining his control. At night, he cultivated using the Crystalline Shards left for them. As the Essentia flowed into him, he noticed the red crystal within his soul refining it into a purer form, far superior to the standard Essentia.
The results were undeniable. In just four days, Leon felt his strength increase significantly. He estimated that in terms of raw power, he could match an Aspect Master in the 2nd phase of the Initialization Stage. However, he remained realistic—power alone wasn't enough. He lacked the experience and combat instincts that seasoned Aspect Masters possessed.
This morning, Leon was outside near the edge of the camp, running through his White Flash Fist routine. His strikes tore through the air, leaving faint traces of Essentia as he pushed his body and Aspect to their limits. Each movement carried strength and precision, though he knew he still had much to refine.
As he launched into another series of strikes, a voice broke through his concentration.
"Your form's not bad," Amara said, walking toward him. Her light brown hair was tied back as usual, and her gaze lingered on his movements. "Actually, it's really good. I can feel the strength behind those strikes."
Leon stopped, lowering his fists and patting the dust from his hands. "Thanks. I'm still working on it, though."
Amara crossed her arms and raised a brow. "Well, you might have to save the practice for later. Darin sent a message—there's been a report of an Essentia Beast nearby. It scared off a few miners, and he wants us to check it out."
Leon nodded, his expression turning serious. "Got it. Let me grab my gear."
He quickly dusted off his clothes and grabbed his essentials before following Amara. They used the coordinates Darin sent via their Essentia Bands, making their way toward the location.
Leon and Amara arrived at the location Darin had pinged. The air was tense, with miners huddled in small groups, their faces pale and drawn. A few whispered among themselves, while others kept their eyes on the surrounding crystalline formations as if expecting another attack at any moment.
Darin stood near the edge of the clearing, his arms crossed and his expression serious. He waved them over as soon as he saw them.
"Glad you're here," he said as they approached. "Garic's busy helping the injured miners. Luckily, most of them managed to escape with just minor injuries. They should be fine after some rest."
Amara's eyes flicked toward the miners. "That's a relief," she said, her tone soft but measured. "Things could've gone much worse."
Darin nodded grimly. "Yeah, but we're not out of the woods yet. The Essentia Beasts retreated after the attack, but they could come back at any moment. We need to be ready."
He raised his wrist, activating his Essentia Band. A faint blue light flickered to life, projecting a small hologram into the air. The image displayed a glowing moth-like creature with crystalline wings, its body shimmering faintly with Essentia. Text scrolled alongside the image, but before anyone could read it, the device's built-in voice assistant spoke.
"Luminescent Moths: A species of Essentia Beast known for their glowing crystalline wings and ability to drain ambient Essentia. These creatures are typically attracted to sources of concentrated Essentia, such as Crystalline Shards. While not particularly strong individually, they are dangerous in swarms, capable of overwhelming opponents with their numbers and disorienting flashes of light."
The projection lingered for a moment before fading, leaving the three students to process the information. Leon glanced at Amara and Darin. "So they're drawn to the shards," he muttered. "That explains why they attacked."
"Exactly," Darin said. "If they come back, they'll head straight for the shard deposits again. We need to figure out how to deal with them before they disrupt the mining any further."
Amara nodded, her gaze shifting toward the crystalline formations nearby. "They're not strong individually, but swarms could be a problem. We'll have to work together."