With the newfound power Julia had possessed in a span of 3 hours, Sora was left amazed by the surprising results. "You're a natural! No one has able to grasp the basic within such a short time..." Given the time could be long and tiring, Julia had fully controlled the Natural Energy and mixed it with her own spells. "This feels... Warm and easing... So this is Natural Energy?"
"Yep, well... As impressive as it is, this is still the basic steps. A baby walk. As for the next step, would be far too complicated. We'll start that on later times. Go home and rest, you deserve it."
The training was put to a hold, for resting the tired mind and body. Sora was gone to settle his matters and Julia to rest in her home. Dinner was fun with both of her parents and grandfather, training was done felt like a celebration.
"How was your training, my Julia?" Her grandfather asked after the dinner was over he head into her room.
"It was great. I've given my all and now I'm significantly stronger." Julia responded with a cheerful tone of her exciting news.
Her grandfather smiled in relief, expressing joy and curiosity. Knowing she needed rest, her grandfather kept his questions for some other time to let her rest.
The dawn of a new day brought renewed hope and energy to Julia. She sought out her grandfather, only to find his absence. Her parents were nowhere to be found in the fields.
Returning to the village, she was met with a scene of chaos and despair. The village was ransacked, the villagers injured and terrified. Without hesitation, Julia sprang into action, her water magic flowing effortlessly. She extinguished the fires, cleared the rubble, and rescued those trapped beneath the wreckage. Her father and mother was saved as well, they were unconscious. Three villagers lay critically injured, including a young boy traumatized by the ordeal.
"WHO DID THIS!?" Julia demanded, her voice filled with anger and concern. Ru, the injured boy, his eyes glazed over, uttered a single word: "Debt collector."
A healer, an elderly woman, explained the situation. "A man came to collect a debt. We paid him in full, but he greedily took more and attacked us. We knew it was Sora, but his problems shouldn't have involved us."
"Do you know where he went?" Julia asked, her determination unwavering.
"South," the healer replied.
Without delay, Julia set off towards the south, her heart heavy with a mix of anger and sorrow, ready to confront the mysterious debt collector.
The air crackled with an ominous energy, a stark contrast to the peaceful aura Julia had expected. The debt collector was not alone; a group of five men, led by a menacing figure clad in purple-black armor and fiery red hair, stood before her.
"Are you the one responsible for this?" Julia demanded, her voice trembling with righteous anger.
Her worst fears were confirmed as she spotted her grandfather, held captive in a cruel chokehold. Her parents, too, had fallen victim to their brutality.
"Looks like we've missed one," the leader unamused. "Deal with her."
The four henchmen lunged forward, their spells aimed at Julia. But she was ready. A powerful water dragon, summoned from the depths of her magic, unleashed a torrent of destruction, obliterating her attackers.
"I'm stronger than they are," Julia warned, her eyes flashing with determination.
"Strength is relative," the leader retorted, his own magic surging purple.
"Julia, watch out! This man can deflect your attacks-"
Just as her grandfather had cautioned, the debt collector's shield deflected Julia's next attack. "Silence." The old man, silenced by a swift blow, was cast aside like trash. Julia, however, managed to cushion his fall with a timely spell.
Undeterred, Julia launched another water dragon, but it was met with the same fate: a swift deflection. The counterattack that followed forced her to dodge, barely escaping a fatal blow.
"You're quick," the debt collector acknowledged, a hint of respect in his tone.
Julia, realizing the futility of direct confrontation, resorted to a different tactic. She summoned a water blast from the surrounding environment, hoping to catch him off guard. But the debt collector, ever vigilant, extended his shield to protect himself.
"A clever trick," he mocked. "But it won't work."
With a menacing grin, he unleashed a terrifying weapon: a spinning energy shield, capable of slicing through the toughest of materials. Julia, overwhelmed, was forced to create a defensive shield of her own. However, her makeshift barrier proved inadequate against the relentless onslaught. The spinning shield tore through her defense, inflicting painful wounds. Due to her not being a tank role, creating a shield proved challenging.
Strategic retreat was not an option. Julia, a novice in the art of combat, was ill-prepared for such a formidable foe. The weight of her village's suffering, coupled with her own trauma, threatened to overwhelm her. Yet, she persevered, her spirit ignited by a burning desire for revenge.
"Your power... It's magnifying," the debt collector observed, a flicker of concern in his eyes.
Drawing upon the raw energy of the earth, Julia summoned a force beyond her wildest dreams. The ground trembled, the air hummed with power, and droplets of water materialized from thin air. Nature itself responded to her call, fueling her with its life force.
[Nature Water Magic: Water Dragon]
The colossal water dragon, a testament to her newfound strength, unleashed a devastating attack. The debt collector, though powerful, was forced to retreat, his shield buckling under the immense pressure. The very ground shook, the air rippled with energy, and the dust obscured the outcome.
But the battle was far from over. The debt collector emerged unscathed, his laughter echoing through the ruins. "Natural energy, huh? A mere trick. I've faced far greater threats. I am the hired assassin, unmatched in power."
Julia, weakened and injured, could barely stand. The debt collector, relentless, advanced, his eyes filled with predatory intent. "You've had your chance. Now prepare to-"
"Quite the impressive shot, have to hand it to ya." Sora admitted, his voice laced with genuine respect. "But the show's over, young lady. You've earned your rest." He stepped forward, shielding the exhausted Julia from the encroaching danger. Sora had arrived on time.
"You..."
"If you're here to collect debts, your business is with mine," he declared, his gaze fixed on the debt collector. "As their guardian angel, I'm not going to let this slide. The villagers' troubles are separate from yours, but since you've involved them, it's time to make things even." Sora's wind magic raged, the furious wind was the result of his magic.
"A measly spell won't pierce my shield, not even with your precious student's Nature Magic," the debt collector sneered. "I was hired to eliminate you if the payment wasn't met. Your time is up."
"I've faced death threats before," Sora retorted, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Clearing one out won't hurt." With a flick of his wrist, a surge of wind magic gathered at the tip of his wand.
"Try it!" the debt collector challenged. "I'll deflect your attack right back at you!"
Sora unleashed his spell.
[Spirit Wind Magic: Arrow of Sylph].
The once-small arrow swelled with raw power, a silent testament to his mastery. The attack struck the shield, a clash of elemental forces.
The debt collector's expression morphed from confidence to terror. The shield, once impenetrable, began to crack under the relentless assault. In a final, desperate attempt, Sora amplified the attack, shattering the shield and obliterating the debt collector. The blast was so devastating that it left a gaping hole in the rocky wall, the debt collector's remains vanished without a trace.
"That was for little Ru."
"What was that...?" Julia was left in questioned because of how strong the spell was.
"Spirit magic, we'll get into that later. First, we need to fix the village. It's my responsibility, and yeah... I think I'm gonna get punished for this." Sora nervously laughed.
"I'll forgive you if you teach me that spell! But for now, you're right. I need to go back to my mom and dad, and I need to treat my grandpa." Julia rushed to her grandfather to aid him.
"Sure," Sora smiled. "Let's head back."
With the sudden encounter finally over, both Sora and Julia saved the village. However, Sora was tied to a post and being punished by a group of mischievous children throwing pebbles to teach him a lesson.