Chapter 37: Shocking Orb
The boundary between the outer and inner realm of the Forest of No Return was invisible, yet palpable. Jin felt it the moment he crossed the unseen line—a sudden shift in pressure, as though the forest itself exhaled ancient killing intent. The air thickened with essence, both rich and chaotic. Shadows lengthened unnaturally, and the chorus of birdsong and insects fell eerily silent.
Jin paused, instincts screaming.
It happened fast.
From a copse of ancient, moss-laden trees, a beast emerged—towering, muscular, and horrific. It looked like a boar twisted by elemental fury. Its body was layered with jagged stone-like scales, tusks gleaming with a dull metallic sheen, and crimson eyes that glowed with brutal sentience.
A mid-stage Adept Realm beast.
"A Stone-Tusk Ravager," Jin whispered, blood draining from his face.
The beast roared—a sound that echoed like grinding boulders—and charged.
Jin turned on his heel without hesitation. He activated *Flowing River*, summoning water essence under his feet that propelled him with fluid grace through the terrain. At the same time, *Dance of Zeus* wrapped his form in bursts of wind, letting him weave through the trees like a phantom.
Branches whipped past. Roots threatened to trip him. But nothing could distract from the thunderous crashing behind him. The Ravager was relentless, matching his speed with terrifying consistency.
Jin's breath came in sharp gasps. *How is this beast this fast?*
Even with both evasive techniques running at full power, the Ravager gained ground.
The ground trembled with each step of the monstrous boar. Its tusks tore through tree trunks like parchment, and its growls shook leaves from the canopy.
Gritting his teeth, Jin twisted mid-air, spinning to face the beast. Two orbs of essence swirled to life in his palms—one fire, one earth. He hurled them with impeccable timing, letting the momentum of his movement carry the explosive force forward.
The resulting blast tore a gash in the forest floor, sending shockwaves through the trees. Smoke and fire danced as a cloud of debris rose.
Jin didn't waste time. He leapt backward, scanning the dust.
A growl emerged from the smoke. Then the beast stepped out.
Burn marks scarred its front, and part of its left tusk was chipped—but it was very much alive. And livid.
It charged.
Jin cursed and slammed both palms to the ground. *Gallant Armor!* Earth surged up and condensed across his body, but instead of forming a complete armor set, Jin compressed all the essence into his back—thick, fortified layers of stone and soil.
The Ravager struck.
Pain lanced through his body as he became a projectile. He crashed through trees, bouncing and skidding, until his flight ended in a massive tree trunk that cracked under the force. Bark exploded outward. Jin slumped, coughing blood, armor in tatters.
His vision spun.
*That would have killed me if I hadn't compressed the armor...*
No time to think. The beast bellowed again, charging through the remains of the trees.
Jin's hand trembled as he raised it, summoning essence from all four elements. The orb began to take shape—a sphere of volatile, swirling energy, unstable and wild. It hissed and vibrated violently.
He knew this was a gamble. A four-element orb wasn't something he could use lightly.
As the Ravager thundered toward him, Jin narrowed his eyes. "Blitz."
He vanished, reappearing in a flash behind the beast. The movement left a sharp thunderclap in its wake. Before the Ravager could turn, Jin hurled the orb straight at its exposed flank.
Time slowed.
The orb struck.
A flash. Then light. Then fire, wind, earth, and water erupted together.
The explosion was blinding.
A crater bloomed from the epicenter, and the shockwave sent dirt, flame, and vaporized foliage high into the air. A tree two hundred meters away cracked and toppled. The detonation could be seen from miles.
On a distant mountain peak, the old man watching Jin's progress felt it.
He opened his eyes. "That presence... Four elemental signatures?"
With a flick of his sleeve, he sealed off the escaping aura, his face showing rare astonishment. "What kind of monster did I take under my wing?"
Meanwhile, Jin activated *Blitz* again, disappearing from the outskirts of the explosion. His body ached, his vision blurred, but he kept moving. He prepared another elemental orb, just in case he had to shield himself from the backlash—
Only to realize the explosion had already peaked and was dissipating.
Ash rained like snow. The forest around him was a charred wasteland.
Cautiously, Jin made his way to the blast site. Smoke still curled from shattered trees. Scorched remains littered the ground.
In the middle of the destruction lay the beast—its body torn apart, fur blackened, stone-scale armor shattered.
It was dead.
Jin knelt beside it, searching quickly. Amidst the gore, he found it: a glowing core, pulsing with residual essence.
A mid-Adept core, intact.
He pocketed it, chest still heaving. "Worth it."
But pain wracked his limbs, and he stumbled to a nearby boulder, slumping against it.
"I need to be more efficient", he thought. "My techniques are strong, but my body can't keep up. I need better control, better coordination..."
Images of the Ravager's speed, strength, and brutal power flashed through his mind. He remembered how its muscles flowed like liquid stone and how his own reflexes almost failed.
*I need limbs as flexible as a leopard's, and a defense as solid as turtle shell...*
His eyes narrowed.
The forest had shown him a glimpse of what true danger looked like.
And he intended to be ready next time.
Jin stood slowly, body battered and bruised, and began limping toward the edge of the inner realm. He had a lot to think about—and a lot to improve.
The Forest of No Return had tried to break him.
It would live to regret failing.