Chapter 51 The Source

At night, Orion decided to go out and stroll around the street. He knew that sometimes bad people appeared in the middle of the night, and Orion decided to stroll at midnight to see if he could find someone that connected to the accident earlier.

Orion walked through the dark and quiet streets of Gaia, the only sounds being the distant hum of nightlife and the occasional barking of a dog. As he walked, he kept his senses sharp, scanning his surroundings for any sign of danger.

He walked past the same shops and markets he had seen during the day, but now they were all closed and quiet. The bustling crowds and lively atmosphere had been replaced by an eerie stillness that seemed to permeate the city.

Suddenly, Orion heard a noise coming from a dark alleyway. He stopped in his tracks. He approached the place where the sound he heard was coming from.

As he drew closer, he could make out the faint sound of voices, muffled and indistinct. His curiosity piqued, Orion moved closer, being careful not to make any noise that might alert whoever was in the alleyway.

Peering around the corner, Orion saw a group of men gathered in the shadows; their faces were hidden by the darkness. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but their body language and movements indicated that they were up to no good.

Orion watched them for a few moments, trying to determine what they were up to. He noticed that they were passing something around between them, but it was too dark to make out what it was. He strained his ears, hoping to catch a snippet of their conversation.

At first, all he could hear were murmurs and grunts, but as he focused more intently, he began to pick up on snippets of conversation.

"Boss ain't gonna like this," one of the men said, his voice low and urgent.

"I don't care about the boss," another replied. "This is our chance to make a real score."

Orion's curiosity was piqued even more. He knew that these men were up to something, but he couldn't quite figure out what. He listened intently, hoping to hear more.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" a third man asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"He's the best in the business," the first man replied. "Trust me, he'll get the job done."

Orion felt a chill run down his spine. It was clear that these men were planning some kind of crime, and they had hired someone to help them pull it off. He knew he had to find out more.

As he listened, he heard the name of a place being mentioned - a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It seemed that this was where they were planning to carry out their crime.

Orion took note of the location and decided that he needed to get closer to the group to gather more information. He slowly edged closer, his steps quiet and measured. As he got closer, the group seemed to sense his presence, and one of them looked up sharply.

"Hey, who's there?" the man called out, his voice tense.

Orion froze for a moment, considering his options. He knew that he couldn't let the group see him, but at the same time, he couldn't just walk away and ignore what was happening. He decided to take a chance and stepped forward, revealing himself to the group.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

The group reacted quickly, surging forward and surrounding him. Orion tensed, ready for a fight, but to his surprise, the men didn't attack. Instead, they looked him up and down, sizing him up.

"What's it to you?" one of the men growled.

Orion stood his ground, refusing to back down. "I heard you guys talking," he said, trying to sound confident. "I just wanted to know what was going on."

The men exchanged a look, then stepped closer. Orion tensed, ready to fight, but to his surprise, they simply pushed past him and disappeared into the night.

Confused and unsure of what to do next, Orion decided to follow them. He trailed behind the group, keeping a safe distance as they made their way through the dark and deserted streets. After several minutes, they finally arrived at their destination - a large warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

The group huddled together outside the warehouse, whispering to each other as they prepared to carry out their crime. Orion watched from a safe distance, trying to stay hidden as he listened in on their conversation.

"Okay, everyone knows the plan, right?" one of the men said, his voice low and urgent. "We get in, grab what we came for, and get out. No messing around."

"What if we run into trouble?" another man asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"We won't," the first man replied, sounding confident. "We've got the best in the business with us, remember?"

Orion's mind raced as he listened in on the conversation. It was clear that the group was planning a robbery of some kind, and they had hired someone to help them pull it off. But who was this person, and what was their connection to the group?

Orion watched as the group continued to discuss their plans, trying to pick up any additional information that could help him solve the mystery. They spoke in hushed tones, using coded language that was difficult for him to decipher.

Suddenly, one of the men looked up and caught sight of Orion lurking in the shadows. He called out to his comrades, and the group turned to face Orion, their expressions darkening with suspicion and hostility.

"What are you doing here?" the man demanded, taking a step forward.

Orion stepped back, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "I was just passing by," he said. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

The group exchanged a look, then one of them snorted. "Right," he said, his tone skeptical. "You just happened to be walking by a warehouse in the middle of the night?"

Orion hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He could feel the tension rising between him and the group, and he knew that he needed to diffuse the situation before things got out of hand.

"I'm just a traveler," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I don't know anything about what you guys are planning. I'll leave you to it."

But the group wasn't convinced. They took a step forward, their eyes narrowing in suspicion. Orion could feel their hostile energy building, and he knew that he needed to act fast if he wanted to avoid a confrontation.

Without warning, the group summoned their spirit beasts, a pack of Wolves that charged at Orion with deadly intent. But Orion was not afraid because he could feel that these wolves were only low-level Spirit Beasts. He himself could handle them.

Orion stood his ground as the wolves charged at him, their teeth bared and their eyes fixed on their prey. He braced himself, waiting for the right moment to strike.

As the first wolf lunged towards him, Orion sidestepped and delivered a powerful punch to its side, sending it flying into a nearby wall. The other wolves circled around him, but Orion was too quick for them. He ducked and weaved, delivering quick and precise strikes that sent the beasts tumbling across the ground.

The group looked on in shock as Orion easily dispatched their spirit beasts with his bare fists. They had thought that they had the upper hand, but it was clear that they had underestimated Orion's strength and skill.

In a matter of minutes, the wolves lay defeated on the ground, whimpering and defeated. The group looked on in disbelief, unsure of what to do next.

Suddenly, one of the men from the group grabbed a small vial of liquid from his pocket and ran toward one of the defeated wolves. He forced the wolf's mouth open and poured the liquid down its throat.

Orion watched in horror as the wolf began to convulse and thrash about, its eyes turning a sickly shade of green. It was the same reaction he had seen from the Rock Salamander earlier.

"What did you do?" Orion demanded, his fists clenched in anger.

The man just smirked. "I just gave it a little boost," he said, his voice laced with malice. "Now it's going to rip you apart."

The wolf let out a savage howl, its muscles bulging and its eyes glowing with an unholy light. It lunged at Orion with renewed ferocity, its teeth bared and its claws extended.

Orion didn't hesitate as he sprang into action, his movements fluid and precise. He sidestepped the wolf's attack and delivered a powerful punch to its side, sending it staggering back. But the wolf wasn't deterred, and it continued to attack relentlessly.

Orion ducked and weaved, his reflexes honed from years of training. He struck the wolf with a flurry of punches and kicks, each blow landing with deadly accuracy. The wolf let out a pained yelp as it stumbled back, but it quickly recovered and lunged at Orion again.

Despite the wolf's heightened strength and agility, Orion was able to stay one step ahead. He moved with lightning speed, dodging the wolf's attacks and striking back with deadly precision. He could feel the energy coursing through his veins, his own power surging to meet the wolf.

In a final burst of energy, Orion delivered a devastating blow that sent the wolf crashing to the ground. It let out a final whimper before its body went limp, the green glow in its eyes fading away.

The group looked on in shock, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. They had never seen anyone take down a spirit beast with such ease, let alone one that had been enhanced with a booster.

The group knew that they were now messing with the wrong person.