Aster, whose body was fatigued from running earlier now was surging with energy. The heavy feeling he had a few seconds prior was now completely gone.
The translucent mask also returns, with it Johan gains control of Aster's body.
The bear is taken aback by Aster's sudden transformation, now keeping its distance from the boy.
Aster stumbles around a bit, struggling to move now that Johan was piloting half his body.
However, the two surprisingly got in sync with each other relatively quickly. This was convenient as the creature in front of them believed it had spotted an opportunity to attack.
Once again charging at Aster, the bear extends its arm and attempts to slash the boy with its claws.
Unfortunately for this animal, it had just waltzed into its own demise.
Aster is able to maneuver around the bear before launching a blast of purple wind energy directly at the bear.
It seemed this attack literally knocked the wind out of the beast, as it collapses to the ground, struggling to get back up. Before given the chance to recover, Aster jumps directly above the bear and Johan creates a sphere of fire in Aster's right palm.
The sphere is then surrounded by shards of purple ice as Johan thrusts Aster's arm through the bears exposed chest.
After being impaled by such a powerful attack , the creature shouts in agony. A few moments later, it is evident that the bear is lying on the ground lifeless.
'Whew, it's been awhile since the last time I've fought.' Johan exclaims, shaking the arm he had just slain the monstrous bear with. 'Do you know what kind of creature this thing is? Is it safe to eat?'
"It's an Azure Bear, relatively common in this forest. They're one of the top predators here and also a monster that more experienced fighters and hunters like to go after," Aster explains. "They're edible, but not many people like the taste of its meat. The only valuable part of the bear is its claws."
'Beggars can't be choosers, this bear is huge! You'll have some good protein for the next few days, which is perfect timing as we start developing your physique,'
A few moments later, Aster's body returns to normal. While he does vomit after, Aster notices the fatigue and strain that was plaguing his body was now muted. He could move around without feeling much soreness.
"Seems like that form can heal my body, even better than me just absorbing essence," Aster concludes. "It also seems like I can only activate it when I'm in a life-threatening situation,"
'You mean when Victor tried to kill you, you just accepted it? You trusted that your affinity would save you?!' Johan was in shock. Although Aster was still a child, he could not believe that the boy would gamble his life like that.
"Well, I just assumed that it would activate if I was in any mortal danger. After all, that sandworm would've incinerated me if it didn't,"
As a hitman, it was essential to avoid risk. Everything had to be guaranteed to ensure that nothing could go wrong. A good hitman had control of every variable around him.
'I should cut him some slack, I'm forgetting he's only ten.' Johan thought to himself.
Aster proceeds to take a quick dip in the river, cleansing himself of the filth and blood staining his clothes and skin. He then heads back over to the dead bear.
After sharpening a nearby tree branch, Aster divides the carcass of the bear into different sections, throwing away the head. There was little value in keeping it.
Johan quietly observed the boy carve up the animal. While it was far from perfect, the man was surprised with how well a child could wield a sharp object like that.
After cutting the bear meat into chunks, Aster dug a hole in the ground and buried the majority of the meat.
'Smart, did a survival guide teach you that?' Johan inquired.
"Yeah, storing that meat underground will prevent it from rotting,"
Johan recalled that there were cultures in his world which would do something similar.
'You know quite a lot for a pampered rich boy,'
Aster had left three big slabs of the bear for dinner. It was late afternoon, and Aster was now even more famished after his skirmish with the monster bear.
After creating a quick fire, Aster places roasts the slabs of meat over the inferno. He makes sure to cook each piece thoroughly, as the meat even blackens and chars.
Unable to control his appetite, the boy tears apart the meat, ravenously eating each chunk swiftly. Despite the gamey and bloody taste of the meat, it tasted better than anything he had eaten in his life. Aster resists the temptation to dig up the rest of the meat and cook it right now.
"I don't know when the next time I'll be able to get a kill like this. I need to preserve what protein I have," He mutters.
'Why not indulge yourself? I do think we will be fighting more animals in the near future,' Johan counters. He was sure that the two would come across more monsters in this forest.
"Not every animal we kill will be edible, and you can never guarantee food in the wild," Aster refutes, to which Johan agrees. The boy was right, it was narrow-minded to believe food would come so easily.
'Seems like he doesn't need me when it comes to survival tips,'
Turning his gaze over to whatever was left of the bear, an idea pops in Johans head. 'You should use that fur and turn it into clothing. If you're out here when winter rolls around, that fur will prove to be very useful.'
Aster nods in agreement and cuts a large strip of fur off the dead animal. "A scarf should suffice."
As night approaches, Aster and Johan talk, their conversation eventually shifting to the prophecy and finally the dark affinity.