Noctis ran across the green forest with all his might. Running on the forest floor, jumping to avoid roots or occasional branches and shrubs in his path, practically tethering at the wind more than on ground.
The forest looked nothing more than a green blur as he ran without grace or poise. He ran and ran just basking in his new found strength until he reached almost in the middle of the jungle.
He stopped and took deep breaths, panting but overjoyed at the sense of power he felt. It was unlike anything he ever felt in life.
He felt as if he had reached peak athleticism possible for humans in the span of a night. He tightened his fist that itched for a fight.
More than a passive hunt, a physical brawl to test his skills with this new power.
On a more serious note, he felt it was only pure raw force too. He couldn’t help marvel at what he could do after honing this force.
He thought he had hit the limit of what he could do with just his 9 year old self. But this... this changes everything.
He could train more now. He could advance some more now. And he could continue moving without stopping.
This sense of freedom was far too intoxicating.
Noctis force calmed himself down. Best of raw potential is nothing in front of cultivated experience.
Besides he knew the pitfalls of power getting to one’s head. He didn’t need to burn his own hands to learn this as he had seen enough people do it.
He thought, recalling his past life.
Noctis stood and gave a long pandiculation, spine arching, arms wide, like a cat waking from sleep.
He didn’t need rest now. He couldn’t rest. He had some bones to crack.
Noctis could be seen sitting on the forest floor beside a tree close to the clearing at the creek. He sat in lotus pose, currently focusing on his body.
While trying to assess his strength he noticed a strange feeling moving through his arms, legs and most muscles.
Focusing on it he felt an energy moving about throughout his body like blood in his veins. Tracing it all the way back he noticed it started from his temple.
Focusing a bit over there, the feeling Noctis felt this morning about going back to the dreamy space came back. Noctis followed it this time.
The next instant his eyes opened again to vast ephemeral forest with the sapling in front him.
Now looking at it, he felt the warmth as well as the energy nourishing his body and probably responsible for his physical change emanating from it.
’The change is caused by this, but what caused this in the first place?’
Unable to think of anything he gave up and went back, satisfied at least in his findings.
As he woke up in the real world, a squirrel standing close to his lap noticed his little movement and immediately bolted towards the tree.
Noctis moved his hands towards the tree instinctively and grabbed on to something squishy.
Noctis’ expression froze as he brought his hand in front of his face, a desperately flailing squirrel stuck to its grip.
’How I wish I could throw some hands right now.’
He obviously could not go on taking on a boar or deer with just his hand. That would be stupid.
But he couldn’t help but think what he was capable of compared to his past world peak, considering his similar build but much superior strength and reflexes.
He stood up once again intending to go back to his house. He hadn’t even taken his bow in the hurry to test his strength.
Just as he stretched his body a little he felt something moving towards his sides. Looking towards it, he found a wild boar charging towards him from a distance.
He didn’t have the luxury to be confused for long however as the boar closed the distance and kept charging towards exactly where he was standing.
He moved a little into the woods and climbed up a tall tree. He was moving through the branches but quite slowly, assured that the boar wouldn’t reach him.
And it wasn’t as if he could down the trees like that elk.
The moment he thought this, a massive force struck his back throwing him metres into the forest crashing through bushes and roots.
A sound akin to a thunder blasting a tree came.
He hurriedly stood back up fighting through the pain and looked towards the region where he stood.
Instead of the tall tree, all it was remaining was a splinters of woods and bark. The nearby trees shook from the impact of it.
In between all of this stood the wild boar staring him down.
Without any hesitation Noctis bolted away from the position as fast as he could with the vertigo the crashed just caused.
Without even looking back he understood the boar was following him. He ran and ran with all his might, changing his direction every now and then and stopping after getting quite far.
"What- what the hell was that?"
He uttered out between panting. He regretted exhaustively himself earlier for no reason but adrenaline rush.
As Noctis stood with a tree to his back his instincts suddenly screamed at him to move.
Without thinking he jumped to the his side leaving his position.
While in mid-air, his body moved a little and he saw the position behind the tree where he stood.
The wild boar was here again.
He saw the boar with a glowing tusk slam into the tree with full momentum.
Contrary to his expectations, it wasn’t the boar that got hurt in this exchange. If anything it looked even more excited. No it wasn’t the boar.
It was the tree that got blasted to bits as if lightning had struck. It’s sharpnels struck Noctis up close wounding him at many places.
During the impact, Noctis felt something even more absurd. He felt the same energy he felt coursing through his body, coalesed at the tusk of the boar and blasting at the tree.
Noctis was as amazed by this as he was terrified.
The boar looked towards its sides where he sat. It moved its to face him upfront.
Noctis weighed his options. He didn’t have his bow. Didn’t have a sturdy enough knife to take this tank out. And he didn’t favour his chances against that tusk.
The two; man and the beats stared at each other without anyone moving an inch.
The moment the boar heard such it stared charging towards him once again.
Noctis stood up and bolted towards a stream nearby forcing his strength even as he bled at multiple locations.
He thought, he hoped, the boar was tailing him through smell and wouldn’t persue him into the water.
Noctis jumped through the trees as sound of thunder blasts came from time to time from his back. His back was soaked in cold sweat.
Finally the steam came into his view as he jumped directly from the tree beach into the stream just missing the final impact of the boar.
Although he still got hit by the numerous sharpnels wounding him even more.
The boar came at the stream and looked towards him washing away. It gave a fierce growl.