The next morning dawned grey and bitter. Leo's head still ached, a dull reminder of his failure, but the confession to Mira had lifted a different, heavier weight. They broke camp in a wordless, efficient routine, the shared silence now comfortable instead of strained.
"So," Mira said, stomping her feet to bring back circulation. "Back to the Caverns? We need more than one mushroom to make this trip worthwhile."
Leo shook his head, looking past her towards the darker, denser part of the forest. The map called it the 'Shattered Ridge,' marked as a high-density E-Rank zone. "No. We're done with F-Rank."
Mira followed his gaze. "Leo, that's an E-Rank zone. You barely handled the goblins."
"That's the point," he said, his voice firm. "I need to be pushed. Real pressure, not theory. Korran always said mana grows fastest in real combat. I can't just… wait for a miracle." He met her eyes, the unspoken words hanging between them. I can't rely on the ring.
She studied his face, saw the new resolve there, and sighed. "Fine. But we're being smart about it. We scout. We avoid groups. We run at the first sign of anything bigger than a large dog. Deal?"
"Deal."
The Shattered Ridge was aptly named. The ground was a jagged landscape of sharp, bluish rock, and the air hummed with a faint, wild mana that made the hairs on Leo's arms stand up. They moved carefully, sticking to the high ground and watching the shadows below.
They didn't have to wait long. A low growl rumbled from a crevice. A moment later, a creature the size of a wolf emerged. It had coarse, stone-like grey hide, six stubby legs, and a wide, tooth-filled maw designed for crushing rock—and bone. A Crust-Boar. E-Rank.
"Okay," Leo whispered, his heart starting to pound. "Just one. We can do this."
He dropped his pack and stepped forward, falling into his stance. He focused, drawing on his mana. This time, the shimmer around his fists was a little brighter, a little more solid. The training, the fear, the resolve—it was all fueling it.
The boar charged. It was surprisingly fast. Leo sidestepped, but the boar twisted, its thick shoulder slamming into his side. The impact drove the air from his lungs and sent him stumbling. The mana around his fists flickered.
Stronger. It's so much stronger than the goblins.
He gritted his teeth, pushing back the panic. He couldn't afford to lose focus. He danced back, avoiding another charge, and landed a solid punch on the boar's flank. It grunted in annoyance, the hit barely denting its stony hide.
It was a battle of attrition. Leo was faster, but the boar was a tank. Every block sent shocks of pain up his arms. His mana was draining rapidly just to reinforce his body against the impacts. He was tiring, and the boar showed no sign of slowing.
Then, he misjudged a retreat. His heel caught on a loose rock. He fell hard on his back, the world spinning. The boar saw its opening. It lowered its head and charged for the kill, its jaws wide.
"LEO!"
Time slowed again. The fear was there, cold and sharp, but this time, it was different. It was cleaner. This was a fight he had chosen. He hadn't run. He had fought until he fell.
His gloved hand clenched. The ring was right there. A whisper of power, a promise of salvation. Usopp's aim. Shinji's strength. Anything.
But Mira's words echoed in his mind. 'You train until you don't need a miracle.'
No. He wouldn't use it. Not for this.
He rolled, a desperate, graceless movement. The boar's tusk gouged the ground where his head had been. Scrambling to his feet, he saw a sharp, spear-like fragment of the blue rock jutting from the ground. An idea, born of pure desperation, sparked.
As the boar turned for another charge, Leo didn't try to punch it. He ran towards it, at the last second diving into a slide under its belly. He grabbed the sharp rock fragment as he passed, wrenching it from the earth.
The boar skidded to a halt, confused. Leo was on his feet behind it, heaving the jagged rock like a javelin. He put every ounce of his remaining mana, every bit of his strength, into the throw.
It wasn't elegant. The rock spun clumsily, but it struck true, embedding itself deep in the boar's hind leg with a sickening crunch.
The creature screamed—a high-pitched, unearthly sound—and collapsed, its leg useless. It thrashed on the ground, snarling and snapping.
Leo stood panting, his body screaming in protest. He picked up another, heavier rock. He walked over to the wounded beast. Its yellow eyes glared at him with pure hatred. He felt a pang of something—pity, remorse. Then he remembered the charge, the feeling of its tusk scraping past his skull.
He brought the rock down. Once. Twice.
The thrashing stopped.
Silence returned, broken only by Leo's ragged breaths. He felt exhausted, bruised, but… clear. He had won. On his own terms. With his own strength and wits.
A soft pulse emanated from the ring on his finger. It wasn't the urgent call of power it gave when his life was in immediate danger. It was different. Acknowledging.
Then, a voice, faint and androgynous, whispered directly into his mind, clearer than it had ever been before.
"Adequate."
Leo froze. Adequate?
"The vessel strengthens," the voice continued, cool and analytical. "Mana threshold rising. Efficiency improved. The connection deepens."
"What… what does that mean?" Leo whispered, unaware he was speaking aloud.
Mira, who had been watching in stunned silence, rushed over. "Leo? Are you okay? You're talking to yourself."
He ignored her, his focus entirely inward.
The ring's voice was like a chill wind in his soul. "It means your survival is becoming statistically more probable. The random selection protocol remains. But the duration of manifestation may now be extended. The power drawn may be… less diluted. Continue to strengthen the vessel. The true test approaches."
And then, the presence was gone. The ring was once again just a cold piece of metal.
"Leo!" Mira grabbed his shoulders, shaking him gently. "What happened? You spaced out."
He looked at her, his eyes wide. "It… talked to me."
"The voice in your head? From the… incident?"
He nodded slowly. He had told her a flash of light saved him. He hadn't mentioned a voice. But now, the lie was crumbling. "It said… 'adequate.' It said I'm getting stronger. That the connection is deepening."
Mira's face was a mask of concern and fear. "What connection, Leo? What is it connected to?"
He looked down at the dead Crust-Boar, then at his gloved hand. The victory felt hollow again, replaced by a new, profound unease. The ring wasn't just a tool. It was a being. And it was testing him.
"I don't know," he said, and for the first time, he was telling the complete truth. "But it's watching."