Cue the Pokémon battle music! It's time for another chapter!

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Once we returned to the large pond, we saw that at least five herons remained. They seemed to be fidgety and never stopped looking at the skies. I guess the family would send the youngest to go and hunt down the frogs once they became too much or something. I doubt eating frogs will increase the herons’ strength since they are so much weaker than them.

However, if the herons ate any of us, they would probably gain something out of it. Unfortunately for them, I am not going to give them the pleasure. The five Little Jumpers, or Frogfolk, or whatever, hid back in the trees while the Big Siblings quietly slid into the water. The three Little Siblings got in too, but remained near me. I slowly swam in the open to the herons.

The biggest one noticed me first and reacted the loudest.

“You! You dare trespass here on our lands?! What happened to my sons?!”

‘They tasted delicious.’

The looks on their beaks were priceless. They stood there slack jawed when the water exploded with the power of wind. It seemed an elderly heron had flown down.

“Hmm, it seems that the weaklings have gained some small power and now think they can take over? I will pay you back for the way you have taken my grandchildren from me!”

‘So? You sent them to kill us and eat us. Why not repay the favor? Stop being so hypocritical.’

The eyes of the elderly heron flashed and the wind picked up even more, causing the entire pond to ripple and warp. Now it’s my turn.

I call upon the wind energy as well, causing two Wind Drills to appear from each of my palms. The elder stopped in his tracks and looked at me peculiarly.

“A beginner Mage? Fine. Then I can see how my grandchildren were taken by surprise. Now I don’t have to hold back!”

‘Go ahead.’

Soon the whispers of the wind began to converge, just like before with the first young heron. Noticing the change, the Big Siblings appeared from the water and flashed their tongues, slamming the elder with several water spheres. I activated the Strengthening in my legs and flash stepped my way to behind the elder and pulled my reed from underneath the water’s surface.

Swinging the reed, I signaled the others to stay back as I drive the enhanced reed directly into the neck of the elder. Somehow, all I did was nick him, making a line of blood appear, but no fatal damage was applied. I quickly jumped back in time to avoid his wing as it came hurling in my direction.

Instead of pursuing me, the elder instead kept back and looked at me in amazement.

“How? How did you do that? That’s not magic, it’s something else!”

“Esteemed Father! He killed Li Juo and Li Ru!”

“Hush! You can always have more sons! I only have one life!”

“Esteemed Father? What is wrong?”

“You…you don’t look like you belong with that idiot Arthur. From where do you come from?”

Hm. Well he turned polite. It is not in my opinion to casually talk with food so I guess he’s off the menu. Maybe a change of attitude is in order, as well. I might get some good info.

‘Elder, this one hails from further down the river, between the marsh land and the lake. I would think we are descendants of refugees who fled downstream from your tyranny.’

“You! You watch your tongue in the presence of Esteemed Father!”

“You idiot! These aren’t the only members he brought. No need to fear. I want to know your strength. I want to learn from you.”

“Father?!”

“QUIET!”

Seeing a heron shout at another heron strikes me as sort of cartoonish, but it’s fine. I go to signal for everyone to show themselves, but before I do, the Elder interrupts me.

"You...did you say lake? Have you met a turtle somewhere around there?"

'I believe his name was Mr. Black. Is there a problem?'

"Haha! If he didn't kill you, then he must have thought you were friends! Blackie, that old geezer! If he's okay with you, then so are we!"

Bowing, I bring out my siblings.

“So there were even more like you! This means you can do this whatever it is without something to aid you.”

‘Indeed, but it is a painful path.’

“Haha! No pain no gain!”

He reminds me of an old burly man. Grizzled appearance and always a beer in his hand. But he’s a bird. It kind of ruins the elegance he has going on.

We sit around a spot that is apparently where their treasure is hidden. It gives them power whenever they sleep here. Whatever it is, I can definitely feel strong wind energy flowing here.

I show the six herons the rotation I do. Out of the Elder, Family Head, two mistresses, and two daughters, only one of the daughters could complete the process. She quickly passed out much to the surprise of the other birds.

I quickly tell them the other method since they can’t take the pain. After learning of their birth path, they easily begin training. Heck, the Elder never budged all night as he continued to practice, ignoring the mothers’ demands to eat already.

I could feel the power of wind here quite well. I decide to use the wind energy for my rotation, although I want to use the turquoise energy already. After a round, I feel lightheaded and the power within me soars. Just like when the power of the water energy increased as well!

I had about the same amount of wind energy contained in me now as the water energy. I also had better chances to increase my strength. I wanted to ask the Elder how his feathers were so tough, but he was busy. And he looks bigger as well. Must be my imagination.

No, this is kind of like what happened to the Big Siblings. Disturbing me from my thoughts was one of the new followers carrying a familiar plant over her shoulder. Wow! It was definitely bigger than the last one! But why did she take it all?

Oh? These were all pulled from separate stalks! I separate the kelp into little pieces about jerky sized and split it evenly to every one of us, including the herons. They were perplexed at first, but after feeling it, even the Elder woke up and immediately began eating it.

Eventually the girl heron woke up and we could all see her reaction to her new appearance. How was she? Well, right now she had thicker legs that weren’t like before, they were softer and more flexible. The edges of her wings could move, showing her appendages on her new hands. Her wings grew thicker and her head also grew. She was bigger, but not too different. I bet that would change once she practiced more.

She was kind of upset and called herself a freak, but her grandfather’s eyes were glistening.

“You brat! This is amazing! Now I have to do it as well! Eh? I can’t!”

‘Sorry, Elder, but after you progress down a path long enough, you can’t go back.’

“Damn. Fine. Treat my granddaughter well.”

‘What?’

“You are going to continue to train her, right?”

‘Umm…if that is what you wish.’

“Don’t talk like that! Haha! We’re friends now!”

‘Really?’

“Truly! But if anything happens to her, I will find you, and I will kill you.”

‘R…right. Although, I wasn’t planning on leaving yet. The supply of that kelp is essential to us raising our power. Once we can’t receive any more benefits, we will take as much as we can back to the other frogs and continue upstream.’

“Hoh, you got yourself a plan! Good luck! I will be continuing my training, can’t keep losing to you youngin’s over and over again, eh?”

‘Thank you, Elder.’

The daughter’s name was Hu Lao. Somehow, these names sounded familiar, but I wasn’t completely sure of Chinese stories…Anyways, she stuck to me like glue. Everything I did she would do. I am getting really tired of this.

I take a bite of kelp, so does she. I practice my water spheres, so does she. I go to the bathroom, she follows me. Look, that is something that needs to change.

I scolded her, telling her some bull about how she would never grow if all she does is what I do. My siblings heard me and all looked at each other. Oops, I guess they realized how I felt about their following me everywhere.

Then they all split off into different directions. Were they waiting for this? Did they think I was forcing them? Hmmm…

Hah, whatever, I was finally alone. I sat at the bottom of the pond and just felt the flow of the water. I almost switched into that depressing mode that causes problems so I focused on something else. I saw the bubbles reaching for the surface.

Soon, a thought occurred. Wind was air, right? Could I somehow control air? I tried using the wind energy and saw the little bubbles float towards me, circling around me. Not long after that, I was surrounded by a cylinder of bubbles. I forced the motion of the bubbles to collide, and they became bigger. Soon, all the bubbles had amalgamated into one huge bubble. I stepped inside, and was surprised it stayed.

I walked around and willed the bubble to rise to the surface. But once it hits, won’t the bubble pop? What if the water still surrounds the bubble? Hmmm…

I try focusing on the water energy while still controlling the wind. Thankfully it works and the bubble is covered in a layer of water. I slowly rise out of the pond and was happy that the water was just wide enough to cover the bubble while still being thin enough to let me see through.

Hehe, Gramp’s face looks hilarious. Did he just fall? Ha! Oops, I ran out of energy.

The ground hurts. I am going to sleep now and say that I meant for that to happen.