Watching those two spar while I help Ortho catalogue his stuff. Kurt was his usual unrelenting self, throwing punch one after another as he continues to overwhelm his opponents' defense. To his credit, Cloud was not bad himself as he was able to endure Kurt's punishing attacks.

"Amazing ain't he? The lad. I haven't seen anyone able ta last that long against Kurt apart from ye." Ortho stated, he seems to be looking for something as he give the pile of gadgets a once over.

"You said he fought Kurtis yesterday right? He doesn't look that good to me. Only defending without throwing a single attack." Not to belittle him of course. Kurtis is one of the best melee fighter in the Western Branch of the Adventurer's Guild. Even I would find myself helpless if he use his 100%. Though he use all of his techniques, right now he isn't even using 20% of his Ki. Apparently this is to not overpower his opponent outright.

"Well what do ye expect? The lad ain't used ta controlling his Ki or somethin. He only learn about it yesterday after all so give him some slack. Once he could control it, their fight will be a sight ta see." He said as he gloss over his busted shield pod. It is a spherical gadget encasing a mananite crystal inside it. When activated, it will open exposing the crystal and creates a shield 5 meters in diameter with the gadget in the middle. It is useful in protecting mages and rune gunsmen since attacks with magical nature from the inside could pass while defending against all attacks, both physical and magical, from the outside. Ortho rarely uses it due to its' massive Mana consumption, enough to drain a high grade Mananite crystal in a matter of minutes, or even seconds depending on the strength of attacks that hit it.

"We will see indeed. We need him to be in fighting form at least as soon as possible."

"We should. But we don't have a clue where they took him. They didn't leave even a single trail for us to follow. It is as if they just vanished on thin air." He stated. True, it should be impossible to escape us without leaving a trail. Especially since we have Alora with us. "Unless…" Ortho suddenly run towards the spot where the intruders vanished. He checked the ground where they stood and he cup some loose soil in his hand.

"What are you doing? Suddenly running like that." I asked. "Did you find something?"

He clenched his hand in anger. "I should've seen it earlier. If Mark was here he would've guessed it long before I did." He muttered.

"Guessed what? Tell me." What could it be? Yesterday we found nothing even after hours of searching.

"They didn't escaped through the trees or through the sky." He started. "They escaped underground." What?! Underground?

"What are you saying Ortho? Are you saying they escaped through a tunnel? Here in the Elven Forest? The Elves would've found them before they could even begin digging." How could it be?

"First, the Elven Rangers guarding the forest are nowhere to be found. But that is not the point." He stated. "Look at this." He showed me the loose soil in his hand.

"Soil. How does that prove that they travelled underground?" I inquired.

"If they did travel in the tree tops or the air, that Elf of ours would have spotted them no doubt. So why didn't she?" He threw the question back at me.

"They must've turned invisible?" I answered.

"That is a possibility. But we have Kurt here and he can sense life-energy so even if they hide from our sight, they can't hide from his Ki sense. Besides." He dig more into the ground. "Look at all of this loose soil. They must've dig at least a couple of meters beneath the ground before escaping Gods' knows where. Tunnel digging is a piece of cake to an expert class earth mage. The only trouble is Air supply while travelling underground." He continued. "I discounted this theory before because I didn't thought that they are crazy enough to try. You would need a mage expert in Earth and Wind element to pull this off. Then I remembered. The crazy lady we were fighting before could manipulate both of those element and unless Kurt extend his Ki sense to scan underground, which ordinarily no one ever does, then he would've known that they travelled just beneath our feet. How cunning." He smiled bitterly.

"So we now know how they escaped. Could we follow the tunnel they used back to their base?" Finally. A trail that we could follow.

"That Crazy lady is good. She covered the tunnel with soil as she travelled underground. If I have me tunneling tools we could dig it and follow it towards where they took Mark. But I didn't expect that we would need it here in the "Forest". So no." Shit. How fast could hope be dashed?

"Don't ye worry. I am sure they will be back. We have what they want." He then gestured towards the man who was parrying Kurt's attack and even returning one of his own.

"So we just wait and do nothing? Are you not worried about Mark?" I asked him.

"Of course I am worried. The man was my first friend ever since I left home. No one else would want to save him more than I do." He said while gritting his teeth. "But if we mustn't lose our calm and waste our time worrying about things that we can do nothing about. Instead we should focus on things we could." He then stood up and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Sometimes the best action to take is to not act but wait. You are still young so it is understandable that you are hot blooded. But you are our leader. We need you to stay collected and do the right decision." He then started to walk back to his pile of gadgets.

I let out a long sigh. What am I doing? I have been too strung up these past few days. As a noble, I always focus on what people might say about me. My pride demands it. I am always afraid to fail so I make sure everything is perfect and where does it get me? Trouble, where my companions always have to pull my ass out of the fire resulting to me wracking my brains more to being more perfect which results to more snags than success. Even when they tell me to loosen up, I just couldn't help it. Especially right now with Alora. I just want her to my good sides, instead she see me fumble.

My shoulder slumped as I sighed once more. I guess I will try and relax just like Ortho advised. Just like he said, there is no point on getting strung up on things I can't control. What's left to do is calm down and wait for the enemy to take the bait. Only after that we will worry on what we will do next.

Since I am going to relax a bit, it won't hurt to watch the two men sparring right now. I might even learn a thing or two.

---------------------------------------------

Ki really is amazing. Not only I feel myself stronger and tougher, I am a lot faster too. Unfortunately it matters not against this relentless monk. He came charging in from the start and ever since never loosen up. Using his usual offensive tendencies he zips towards me like a bull. The only thing that changed is that he is much faster and stronger. Him being predictable is the only thing that enable me to stay standing as he continues to rain down attacks against me.

Maintaining my Aura while dodging is still a bitch but it is the only thing that allows me to keep up with the speed of this dump truck that is this bald headed monk. It has been three days and his head is still shiny. Does he shave his head? If so, will he at least lend me his razor so I could shave this itchy beard in my face? God I just realized that I haven't taken a bath for at least 3 months! I must stink like a pig's ass right now. How come I can't smell myself? Am I so used to my smell that I can no longer smell my own stink?

My sudden loss of focus earned me a bruised rib as I narrowly slip under a punch which brushes against my cheek only to be met by a knee to my left side. My Aura was able to block much of the blow that could've killed me if left unprotected by my Ki but damn it still hurt as hell. I almost double over due to the pain but I soldier on just in time to block another punch targeting my head. The bones in my forearm creaks in protest and I jump backwards to kills some of the force of his punch least the bone in my arms break totally.

"Nice Aura control on that block." He praised me while keeping the pressure.

"Nice block my ass. You almost broke my arms. Can you tone it down a bit? I might really die if I get hit cleanly by that monster of a punch of yours." I pant as I utter those words. I continued to dodge and parry hit after hit. I was able to find openings due to him over extending but wasn't able to capitulate since he recovers his posture quite fast due to Aura buffing his body's capabilities.

"Why? This sparring is working. By exposing you to life and death situation, your body adapts much faster in controlling Aura in order to survive." He answered after he threw another straight punch aimed to remove my head from my shoulder.

I used this chance to catch his punch and shoulder throw him to the ground. Using Aura to amplify the strength of my attack, Kurt hit the ground with a loud thud, the force of the throw was enough to make a small crack in the ground. For a moment I was afraid that I gravely injured Kurt but I worried for nothing as he quickly stood up and brushed off the attack like it was nothing.

"Good throw. You used your Ki well in that counter." He paused for a moment to complement me. "To be honest, I am surprised that you could keep up against me. This style is the fastest and the strongest I got." He said about his rush style.

"I was only able to fight back because I can read your attacks." I stated. It is indeed fast and powerful if it connects. But it is too straight forward and easy to dodge once you know what attacks to anticipate and I was only able to do what I do because I have already experienced fighting against a same fighting style before back in Earth. Lei Shen use this same technique that uses his superior strength and speed to defeat his opponent before they knew what hit them. I was beat up to a pulp by this technique before so I made plans on how to deal with it.

"Am I really that predictable? Hmmm… Normally I use this to fight mages so that I could close out on them before they could cast their spells. I see, it is not useful against other fighters eh?" He puts his hand under his chin as he ponders about something. "If this style is not effective, the how about this?" He then changed his stance. From the aggressive stance where his left fist is forward while his right fist is ready to unleash a devastating blow into both hands forward, open palms with elbows slightly bent. A defensive stance surely.

He slowly slides towards me and I threw a pre-emptive right jab, and as I expected it was brushed off with his hand using a circular motion. Using the same hand he used with the parry, he quickly execute a palm thrust towards my chest which I parried with my left. He then slapped away my left hand with his right and proceeded to do a chop to my shoulder blade. I then grabbed his right hand with mine and kneed him to his side but his left hand was able to block it before trying to elbow me in the chest which I also blocked with my left. On and on we continued trading attacks after attacks while constantly parrying or blocking each other. My mind goes into overdrive as I struggle to keep up against the monk who was looking calm and smiling as we are locked in a dance like combat not even half a meter apart from each other.

This is going nowhere. I can barely keep up with this monk and it looks like he isn't barely trying! I need to create some space, I am being sucked into his rhythm and if this continues he will surely overwhelm me sooner or later.

I stepped back to create space between us but it was a grave mistake. It seems this is what he was waiting for as soon as took a step back, he kicked my foot from under me and I lose balance. As I fall down, he follow through with a palm strike to my face.

This is going to hurt like hell. I thought as his palm travels at a speed which my hand will fail to block in time and I just closed my eyes, accepting that the fight was over.

I did my best and I regret nothing. There is no shame in losing against a superior fighter.

Moments pass and I waited for the strike to land. But after a few more seconds it still didn't arrive. I slowly opened my eyes and saw Kurt's extended hand.

"Good fight. Truly impressive." He said as he offered his hand to me. "You now have a great grasp on Aura mastery, only slipping your control a few times throughout the fight."

"Thanks. But you are so strong. I am no match against you." I answered as I took his hand and he helped me to my feet.

"Being stronger doesn't mean that you will win a battle. It only helps tip the scale in your favor." He smiled as he continued. "Those with the mind to outsmart their opponent, the heart to persevere, and a bit of luck on your side, will usually determine the victor of a match. This is evident with our spar, if I slip up just once, it will be I who would be lying in the ground for you to help up."

"Ha. Even if I am able to land a punch, it would be enough to hurt you even by a little bit." I point at the crack in the ground where I threw him earlier.

"That is because I have a stronger body and Aura. But don't be disheartened. There are ways to overcome an opponent who have stronger Aura than you. But you are not ready for that yet." He motioned me to walk beside him as he walk towards the seats near the camp fire. Philip the Knight and Ortho the dwarf are there. Ortho was still looking for something while Philip have this serious look pasted on his face. To be honest, I am nervous when I am near him. He just exudes this intense vibe around him, like a homeroom teacher looking at you as if you have done something wrong.

"That was a great fight." Philip said as he smiled at Kurt. "I have never seen you use those moves you used in the end of the fight before. Is that a new style or something?" He asked Kurt.

"Not a new style. That is the style I use the most back when I was still in the Monastery." The Monk answered. "Cloud was able to read my rush style so I am kind of forced to use it."

"Quite an amazing fighter no? He might even make ye run fer yer money!" Ortho laughed.

"Is that so?" He paused for a second while intensely looking at me. He then smiled. "Watching you two spar made my blood pump. How about you and me spar also? I want to experience for myself the skill that Kurt praises so." He then stood up and proceeded to walk towards the clearing.

I look at Kurt to see what he thinks and he just answers. "Wonderful. Facing a different opponent with a different fighting style maybe what you need to your mastery of Aura. You are near mastery as you may have noticed with our fight earlier, and this should further your path."

"Can I take a break? I am tired from our fight earlier." I asked. Although Ki boosts my body's capability, it is still exhausting to use.

"No. This is the perfect opportunity. The harder we push our body to our limits, the more we could overcome them." The bald monk stated. He seem to be happy with this situation. What a sadist.

"You heard the man. Plus working up some sweat does great to relieve me from my stress." A smile is pasted on his face as he cracks his neck and knuckles while he waits for me.

"Yeah lad. Put on a great show will ye? It is great to pass the time while we wait for our guests ta arrive." Ortho stated.

With no choice, I walk towards the clearing to face Philip. As I walk, my mind ponders on Ortho's words. Guest he says? I didn't know we were waiting for guests to arrive. Whoever they are I hope they bring some meat to eat. I feel like a damn goat now, eating nothing but vegetables for two days straight!

God damn it, daddy needs his meat.