Chapter 46 Weak?

46 Weak?

A cry of pain escaped Ikem's lips as he suddenly found himself suspended in the vast expanse of the sky. The searing pain in his shoulder intensified and as he realized he was ascending, Ikem was gripped by a profound unease. Glancing at the formidable huge claws embedded in his shoulder and the colossal bird carrying him, Ikem knew he needed to act swiftly.

This wasn't his first encounter with bloodshed, so he forced himself to calm down, his mind racing for the next course of action. Drawing upon the mana within him, Ikem focused it into his arm, shaping it into a sword. With determination, he swung the blade at the claws, but the bird exhibited no reaction. The awkward position made it difficult for him to strike with the necessary force, prompting the realization that remaining in this precarious situation would yield no results.

In a daring move, Ikem seized one of the claws as they ascended into the cloud-layered sky. Agony seared through him as he tore the claw out of his shoulder, leaving him hanging from a single point. Rapidly channelling mana into his injured shoulder, Ikem felt the wound miraculously healing as a sword construct materialized in his hand once more. His head darted left and right, evading the bird's attempts to seize him once again.

This time, the sword in Ikem's hand targeted not the claw but the vulnerable space beneath the eagle's wings. Upon impact, a golden light enveloped the eagle, attempting to shield the wounded area. Undeterred, Ikem infused more mana into the sword, increasing its density and sharpening its edge. The blade sliced through, drawing blood.

The consequence of Ikem's daring move was immediate—the eagle relinquished its grip on his other shoulder. As the realization dawned on Ikem, he plummeted through the cloud layer, hurtling toward the ground with alarming speed.

Desperation seized him as he fell. Ikem channelled mana throughout his body, maintaining a pristine and ready state as he healed. The faster he descended, the more panic set in, forcing Ikem to contemplate how to minimize the impending damage from the impending fall.

Wing construct would have been Ikem's immediate solution, but a vivid memory held him back—a conversation with his father that unfolded in the realm of Ikenga.

Flashback:

One day, Ikem, driven by the desire to experience flight, crafted a wing construct adhering to his back, mimicking the flapping wings of the birds he had observed. To his dismay, nothing happened when he attempted to take flight. Undeterred, he found a tree in his father's realm, climbed it, and leaped, hoping the wing construct would lift him into the air.

The attempt ended in failure, resulting in a face-plant on the ground. His father materialized beside him, gazing down at his bruised face. "Creating and handling constructs easily doesn't extend to things like wings. It's something you've never had and experienced before, constructing things require experience, knowledge and imagination. You lack experience and knowledge, merely copying what you see me do."

Flashback ends.

Back in the present, the eagle had its own plans for Ikem. Out of nowhere, a golden light descended from the cloud behind him, reaching him in an instant. Prepared, Ikem surrounded himself with a mana armour. From the golden light enveloping the bird, a wing struck his armour, accelerating his descent.

The golden light continued, flying past Ikem to the ground. Bewildered as to why the bird let him go, Ikem reacted just as the same golden light ascended from the ground, impacting him once again and propelling him back into the sky.

The bird repeated the action with different patterns, leaving streaks of golden light in the sky. After a while, It became apparent to Ikem that the bird possessed a remarkable speed talent. Even now in his demigod form, he found it challenging to react to the bird's unparalleled speed.

The immediate effect manifested as the earth and roots around the tree absorbed the moisture, reflecting the presence of added vitality. The water treant, now detached from the tree, surveyed the devastated forest, a newfound sense of purpose stirring within.

17:00

Driven by instinct, the water treant raised its hand to the sky, coaxing clouds to form above. Sprinkles of water infused with mana fell over the area. Sensing the water treant's actions, the stone treant paused, feeling the subtle changes in the earth.

With its hands engaged, the stone treant utilized its feet as a conduit, sending a wave through the earth. The surrounding soil absorbed the magic-infused water at an accelerated rate. After a while, the two treants ceased their joint effort. The water treant by now had re-joined the stone treant.

"Hopefully, this will aid in restoring the forest to its former state," the water treant expressed.

"Hmm," the stone treant responded, still carrying Ikem through the woods.

Eventually, the two treants reached a clearing. The stone treant gently laid down the wooden shell covering Ikem. "Should we accelerate his healing?" the stone treant inquired.

"No, he is already healing on his own. Besides, no interference unless he faces grave danger," the water treant asserted, turning to retreat into the depths of the forest.

The stone treant, unfazed by the water treant's warning, settled beside Ikem. Placing a hand on the wooden shell and built a connection which it used to assess Ikem's condition. Sensing that most external wounds had healed, the stone treant perceived that the internal injuries, particularly to Ikem's organs, were still mending, progressing slowly. The treant estimated that healing would likely conclude by nightfall.

As dusk approached, the water treant, dragging a substantial deer corpse, joined the stone treant in the clearing. Explaining its intent, the water treant said, "This is for compensation, as we already lost the one the young master handed to us."

Stunned, the stone treant nodded in acknowledgment. Night descended, accompanied by a coughing sound emanating from the wooden shell enveloping Ikem.

As the shell opened, Ikem emerged—a human with a shrivelled brown complexion, braided hair adorned with a red root, bare chested and wrapped in clothing straight down. The stone treant, attempting levity, remarked, "Looking good, young master."

Ikem, unamused, surveyed his shrivelled state. His nose twitched, detecting the scent of a pre-prepared meal near a bonfire. Eagerly, he sprung up, reaching for the meat and devouring it hungrily. Silence enveloped the camp as Ikem consumed the meal, bones being the only remnants.

Gradually, changes manifested on Ikem's skin as it went from shrivelled to looking full and alive but a few noticeable changes in his skin was seen by everyone available who already knew what he looked like before—claw marks adorned his body. Touching the marks, Ikem muttered to himself, "I thought Father's training was tough with him spitting out blood after each session, but now I understand he was taking it easy on me. He never used sharp weapons; it was always his hands and I always healed fast from that."

"Now, facing a sharp weapon, I realize I can't heal from everything" Ikem said while looking at the marks "I may not be weak against most creatures in this forest, but just an encounter with two unique animals makes me question if I was ever truly strong, and if the things I considered a challenge before was merely weak in comparison."