Chapter 80: Absorbing Dark Ki, Part 1

At the West Branch, on a bright beautiful morning.

The sun brushed against the cobblestone pathway inside of the courtyard while a few students went about their daily chores.

Monica and Zack woke up early and went to the training facility together in order to try and get stronger. Zack had frozen two gigantic ice pillars that he struggled to hold over his head. With every movement, his muscles seemed to crack. After a year of not being able to train, his body barely maintained its hold of the C rank. Yet every fiber of his body, and muscles, had grown stronger after suffering in the Workalin prison. Every single hour since he returned he dedicated to returning to his former glory.

At the same time, Monica barely managed to hold two buckets of ice water. She kept peering at the gate of the West Branch, waiting for Howard to arrive so she could scold him!

"Monica, what are you doing? You should be training, sprout." Zack tossed aside a pillar, and walked over to her side. "We can't save Una if you're weak and restless."

"I-I want to see that idiot!" Monics tossed an ice bucket on the floor, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. "I-I thought you said you can communicate with him when you sleep! Where is he!"

"He-he said he'll be here soon," Zack smiled, pointing at the gate. "Ugh, just go wait for him. You look weird training in a dress."

Monica had woken up early this morning and carefully tied her hair into a bun before she spent a full hour decided on her dress. She had missed Howards warmth at night, every night, and had to get filled in on the gruesome details of Howard's time with Jenny.

Jenny had no problem telling her about the dozens of time she feasted on Howard's arm, and even thanked her for letting her do it. She had to make sure when Howard got back that she showed him whose his girlfriend! Harley had apparently made progress and it made her extremely upset!

Boom!

A green bus in the horizon crashed into a mountain, causing a large cloud of smoke to shoot into the air. Twisting on its side, the bus slid over to near the front gate, before Howard and Barabin rolled outside of it with smiles on their faces.

"Heh, I told you it's hard to drive," Howard smiled, pushing himself to his feet. "Barabin… I think we're going to have to walk back now. Where are we anyway?"

"Howard?" Monica said, cracking her knuckles before she burst into a run. "I-I'm going to kill you idiot! I-I can't believe you're finally back!"

"Do you hear someone?" Howard turned to look, seeing the West Branch had appeared in front of him. "Huh, how far did we go flying? Heh, you hit that mountain really hard Barabin."

Howard had gotten good at driving two days ago when they exited the Open Furnace, but Barabin insisted he had to learn to just incase a bad situation befell them. He seemed to have the belief, though, that using the breaks would waste his time, and had gone 200 kilometers an hour.

It had been going well until a rock punctured the tire and the bus spun and flipped in the air before falling down the side of a mountain. Luckily, Howard was able to jump out in time with Barabin. He hadn't wanted to abandon the bus, but at least they had gotten back.

Smiling and looking at the West Branch, Howard finally noticed a small girl flying in the air. Her green hair fluttered behind her, her eyes sparkling, before she pressed down on the ground and flipped into Howard's chest.

"You-you Asshole!" Monica thrust Howard down onto the floor, and dropped her legs over him. Her green dress instantly covered his entire bodies as she locked her knees around him. "I-I missed you! Close your eyes and take your punishment!"

"I-I guess we made it back," Barabin smiled before he collapsed back and stared up at the sun. "It be nice if Sally cared about me as much. Heh, I guess I have to go and find her?"

"Mmmm!" Monica slammed her lips into Howards face, before her tongue slithered into his mouth. Her chest started to beat harder and harder, her skin blushing, before she completely engulfed herself in him. Even with Barabin watching, it had simply been too long since they kissed! She practically kissed every part of him before her hands wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"Monica, your horn poked me," Howard smiled, kissing her once again. "You look so pretty, and feel so warm! Did you miss me?"

"Miss you?! I missed making you suffer!" Monica kissed his neck once before gently nibbling on it. "RRRRR! You're so getting it! I'm not letting you leaving my side tonight no matter what girl knocks on the door!"

'And I'm her brother," Zack waved from the gate with his arms akimbo. "I forgot Monica had turned sixteen. Geez, I guess I should let her have a boyfriend, huh?" Zack smiled and waved at Howard, seeing him stare at him in disbelief. "Nice to finally see you out of my dreams! She's not embarrassing you is she?"

"Hmph, embarrassing. What will be embarrassing will be his escape attempts," Monica hugged him tighter, picking him off the ground and kissing him one more time. "Hehehe, Howard. I've gotten stronger! I can probably carry you with one hand now!"

Monica finally realized Barabin hadn't got up yet, and gulped before seeing him gently get to his feet. She instantly regretted being so affectionate, especially considering Barabin was one of the four guardians.

The Four Guardians had the highest position in Horned Nation aside for the Founders and those in charge of the Shrines. She didn't mean to be so impetuous, but after not seeing Howard for weeks she was truly ready to beat him up!

"It's okay. I'm married," Barabin smiled, standing up. "Go ahead, and have fun with Howard. I guess I can go find my wife."

"What do you mean find?" A woman said from up above, staring down at Barabin with her black hair flowing in the wind. She seemed small, but was actually 1.8 meters tall and had a gorgeous body with unbelievable curves. Wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt, a green gale seemed to surge around her. "I watched you drive, Barabin. I think I'm going to give you driving lessons."

"Sally?" Barabin smiled, immediately wiping the dust off his shirt. "Wow, you actually came? I thought you forgot about me?"

"Hmmm, I think it's about time you remember," Sally's body shifted, appearing in front of Barabin before she snatched his head and brought it gently against her lips. "Mmmm, hahahaha! You crashed, idiot! Did you forget how to break?"

"I don't believe in breaks," Barabin kissed her one more time before seeing Zack approaching him. "However, I also have a student that I have to talk to. Mind if we meet later. I think you owe me some blood."

'I'll be ready," Sally smiled, before the wind around her fluctuated and her body seemed to disappear. Because of her ability to use wind ki, sally could be considered by far the fastest of the Four Guardians. Though she lacked in power, speed increased her might manifold if she truly had to attack. For this reason, she also was considered the second strongest guardian. Of course, when Barabin picked her up, she began to question this position.

'He's finally decided to drink blood again. Is it weird that I'm happy for him?' Sally smiled, watching him and Zack reconnect. 'Heh, and this is exciting. The brother and boyfriend finally meet.'

'I wonder if Howard is going to be able to do what Annibell predicted, and live up to the expectations that so many people have put on him.' Sally watched Barabin push Howard forward and introduce Zack to him. Seeing this, made her feel somewhat strange, because in a month these young students had to put their lives on the line.

'In a few months, the competition with the Aresoul and the Varlen will occur,' Sally began to prepare her surprise for Barabin and laughed. 'This year, unlike ten years ago, we will crush them. I can't wait.'

###

"Howard, so my sister seems to like you a lot," Zack nudged Monica who had started to blush from her brother's conversation with Howard. "Heh, however, you know I'm in aware of your dreams right? You better not imagine doing anything funny to her!"

"I promise I'll only think bad stuff when I'm awake!" Howard smiled, and gently nodded his head in a jocular manner. "However, Barabin took us here for another reason, right? I-I think I'm supposed to help you." Howard had talked to Barabin on the way, and they came up with a best practice for him absorbing Dark Ki.

If Howard absorbed Dark Ki for ten minutes a day, he should still maintain his lucidity. If he absorbed it for too long, he'd most likely go crazy. However, because of the competition with the Aresoul coming up, the most important thing was to delay the coming of the Massacre.

"Howard, just like we discussed," Barabin said, crossing his arms. "I need you to try and tune into the energy that's flowing between Zack and Monica, and suck it up. It might make you feel a little strange, but it should also increase your power."

"You-you sure it won't make him evil?" Monica said, squeezing his hand tightly. "I won't lose my idiot to the darkness?"

"It will depend how this first session goes," Barabin stood back, watching Howards horns begin to grow larger on top of his head. "Howard, have you found the energy I described? It should feel malevolent and almost massive. It should almost feel like a massive storm of darkness. I need you to channel that, and pull it inside. The more of it you drain, the longer the massacre will be delayed. Do you have it?"

"Yes, I found it," Howard said, closing his eyes and starting to focus. "It feels like a deep abyss thats both endless and frightening. All I have to do is take a little bit of that energy, right?"

"Yes, and hopefully, I won't have to kill you," Barabin gently stepped back a few steps before a black vortex began to appear around Howard. His eyes darkened, and even the air around him seemed to crack. "Just buy us a little time Howard. Once we get Una back, it can all be over."