Felgura City was enveloped in a warm glow as the first rays of sunrise spilled over the horizon.
The bustling streets were slowly coming to life, their sleepy citizens stirring from their slumber.
Aizel's eyelids fluttered open, the morning light pouring in through the window of his room. With a deep yawn, he stretched his arms and legs, feeling the stiffness of the last day's uneventful training session still linger in his muscles.
Despite his best efforts, he hadn't made significant progress with his technique, leaving him dissatisfied and disheartened.
Aizel shuffled his way to the bathroom, the cool tiles sending shivers up his bare feet. As he fell into the warm water, the steam from the bath engulfed him, and he let out a sigh of satisfaction.
He emerged from the bath feeling renewed, the water drops sticking to his skin with a gleaming shine.
He scanned through his meager wardrobe and settled on a simple cotton shirt and pants that he had purchased from the local garment shop. They were quite comfortable for everyday use.
The enticing aroma of food drifted towards him as he made his way to the hall. He spotted the kids gathered around Daisy, happily munching on their lunch.
"Vespara didn't come today?" he asked while taking his seat next to Lilly, Emma, and Ruth.
Oliver, Justin, and Seth who were already sitting at the table, hungrily munching their meal, met his gaze with an intense stare.
Despite their mouths being full, the trio kept their eyes fixed on Aizel.
"She had some business related to the royal gala tomorrow. She is keeping her shop closed today," Daisy replied.
"Okay, what is it? Why do you three keep staring at me like this?"
"You don't spend time with us," Justin replied.
"What do you want to do?" he asked.
"Take us out somewhere, only the boy's group," Seth said.
"Why only boys? We also want to come." Lilly quickly commented.
"Let them go, Lilly; I will take you girls to a place that Vespara suggested to me," Daisy said.
"YEAH!" The girls cheered in unison.
"Now where should I take them?" Aizel thought
He furrowed his brow, his mind busy with finding a suitable location where he could take the boys for some fun. He searched his head, but couldn't come up with a single location that would be both safe and enjoyable for them all.
"Do you guys know any place or do you want to go somewhere?" he asked.
"How should we know? It's not like we roam everywhere in the kingdom," Oliver replied to him.
"Take us somewhere and show us magic,"
"Yeah, show us some cool skills."
"Let's go and hunt some monsters."
As soon as the topic of magic and monster hunting came up, a flicker of excitement lit up the kid's faces.
The mere mention of the magic and skills piqued their interest and set their hearts ablaze with the excitement of adventure.
"Hmm, it's not a bad idea, but we will go somewhere safe," Aizel replied with a smile.
"YEAH!"
*****
A carriage rumbled out of Felgura's crowded streets, its passengers huddled within.
The carriage bounced along the gravel road, and Aizel and the kids chattered enthusiastically, the lush greenery of the neighboring forest looming on the horizon.
The kids' hearts thumped with anticipation, seeing the dense canopy of the forest approaching.
The carriage came to a halt, and the group emerged.
The kids' eyes widened in awe, noticing the lush beauty of the woodland that surrounded them.
"Now remember what I told you before?" Aizel asked.
"Yes, no rushing alone. Always staying with you. Never try to be a hero." Oliver quickly replied.
"Good, now follow me."
Eagerly, the kids trailed behind Aizel, their hearts pounding with excitement and anticipation at what lay ahead.
"Aizel, which monster are you going to hunt?" Seth asked.
"Let's see what we find first."
"Don't kill them with one move; try to show some spells and magic," Oliver commented.
"AYE AYE, SIR!"
Aizle cautiously avoided any creatures over Grade I while heading deeper into the forest, keeping a close lookout for any signs of danger.
The group proceeded for an hour, pushing through dense vegetation and using the less-used path.
Suddenly, Aizel's mana sense picked something up. He focused on enhancing his hearing.
He quickly heard some low growling sounds coming from somewhere close by. His gaze finally settled on a large pack of wolves gathering in the distance.
The kids shuddered in fear and amazement.
They watched the fierce predators, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
"Remember, don't be a hero. Stay close to each other, and don't run," Aizel reminded again.
"Yes!"
Aizel approached the wolf pack with a calm and steady walk, his senses alert and his mind focused on the task at hand.
The kids trailed behind him, their steps cautious and careful.
The wolves eyed them warily, their hackles raised and their growls growing more menacing as they sensed the group's intrusion.
Aizel's eyes and mana sense scouted the surroundings, making sure no one sneaked past behind him.
Suddenly, he observed an odd sight: a pristine black egg nestled atop a small, steep hill guarded by four wolves.
Aizle's brows furrowed in confusion, knowing that wolves did not lay eggs.
He wondered if these creatures had undergone a mutation due to the presence of mana.
"Might as well steal the egg from them. Maybe Vespara might know something about it."
*howl*
The pack of wolves came at Aizel and the kids with thunderous howls, their eyes flashing with fury and their teeth bared in a frightening snarl.
"Now let's try this technique, which I learned from Fulgur Grimorium,"
Aizel's eyes narrowed in concentration. He raised his hands, the air around him crackling with electricity.
His hands began to glow and spark with a sudden rush of energy, the lightning pouring forth in a brilliant display of strength.
It was as though his hands had transformed into storm clouds, each bolt of lightning striking down the wolves one by one with a deafening crack.
The wolves howled and yelped. They were scorched and dazed, unable to overcome Aizel's overwhelming strength.
The kids stared in astonishment as Aizel's hands continued to spew lightning, his actions precise and controlled, protecting them from the wolves' vicious onslaught.
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