Rise of the Ninth Pavilion

The standoff continued for a short time, the tension thick between them. In that brief moment, Bogi's command cut through the silence like a blade.

"We focus on the weaker one first. Then, we kill the stronger one together."

But the stronger bear, as if sensing their strategy, charged straight toward Oliver, believing them distracted. That was its mistake.

Oliver reacted instantly, but this bear was faster. Stronger. Almost twice as powerful as its fallen counterpart. He barely dodged in time, rolling to the side just as the beast's massive paw tore through the space where he had stood.

While that battle began, Bogi sprinted toward the weaker bear.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Gunfire rang out from Michael's position. His bullets aimed to slow the beast and turn its attention on him so Bogi could finish it off quickly. But real battles never go as planned.

The weaker bear, unlike its fallen kin, learned. It saw what bullets had done to the first bear and instinctively raised its paw to shield its head. The rounds tore into its forelimb instead, stopping it from taking a fatal hit. But as it focused on Bogi and Michael, Zeke struck from the shadows.

Unnoticed, he appeared at the bear's side.

Sizzle.

A plasma blade pierced its spine.

The beast roared in agony, instinctively swinging its paw toward Zeke, but it was too late. Zeke had already retreated. The bear staggered, its balance breaking as its legs gave out beneath it. The momentum of its own attack caused it to topple sideways—right toward Bogi.

Bogi didn't hesitate. In one swift motion, he sliced its throat open, the plasma blade humming as it cut clean through flesh and bone. The weaker bear collapsed. Dead.

But Oliver was in a dire situation.

Dodging frantically, he weaved from side to side, using every ounce of his speed to avoid the onslaught of the stronger bear. Roki and Rashid provided cover fire, their handguns cracking through the air, drawing its attention away whenever they could. But the bear was enraged, relentless.

And then—it happened. The beast, fueled by fury, lunged forward with terrifying speed. Oliver, a fraction too slow this time, felt the full impact.

CRACK.

Pain exploded through his ribcage as the bear's massive paw smashed into his right side. He was sent hurtling through the air.

BAM!

He collided with a tree. His vision blurred. His body screamed in pain. The world dimmed for a brief moment. Bogi, already on the move, saw the moment Oliver went down. He didn't think—he acted. With all his might, he hurled his plasma blade. The bear, mid-step toward Oliver, snarled as the blade pierced deep into its right shoulder.

The wound wasn't fatal, but it was enough to make the beast turn its wrathful gaze toward Bogi. Then, it roared. But this was no ordinary roar. It was infused with its energy. A shockwave blasted through the jungle.

BAM!

Bogi stumbled. The force sent him to the ground. The air rippled, leaves and dust kicked up around him. His ears rang, his vision shook.

But instincts saved him.

Through the blur, he saw the bear's paw coming down to crush him. He rolled, barely dodging, as the beast's weight slammed into the ground, sending tremors through the earth. The bear, now on all fours, prepared for another charge.

It had made a mistake. Roki and Rashid saw their chance. From the trees above, the two scouts gritted their teeth and threw their plasma blades with all their strength.

Sizzle.

Both blades lodged into the beast's back, deep into muscle and bone. But it still didn't stop. With a monstrous growl, it turned its fury toward Michael. Michael aimed, firing rapidly.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

The rounds pierced the bear's skin, its muscle, drawing blood—but they couldn't kill it. They couldn't penetrate its skull. And now it was too close. Michael had no time to dodge. He braced himself, ready to face death head-on.

Then— Zeke. At the last possible moment, Zeke crashed into Michael, pushing them both to the side. They tumbled, rolling just as the bear's massive form barreled past them. The beast, frustrated, came to a sudden stop. This time, it thought before attacking.

Instead of charging blindly, it pivoted. Michael and Zeke, still on the ground, had no time to react. A paw swung toward them.

SWOOSH.

Gunfire. Two precise shots from above. Rashid and Roki had fired just in time, forcing the bear's attack to slightly veer off course. But not enough. The claws grazed Zeke's back. Deep. Zeke let out a grunt of pain, his body twisting from the force, but he was still alive. He couldn't fight anymore, but he was breathing.

And now, the bear had no defense on its left side. That was all the opening Bogi needed. Taking Oliver's fallen plasma blade, he moved. With explosive speed, he drove the blade deep into the bear's skull. The beast twitched violently, its muscles spasming. Its last, dying reflex was to swing its paw one final time.

BAM.

Bogi barely had time to raise his arms in defense before the full force of the bear's dying strike hit him. The impact sent him flying.

CRACK.

Pain seared through his forearms as he landed hard, rolling across the ground. Unlike Oliver, he was lucky—he hadn't hit a tree. But his arms were broken. A long silence followed. The stronger bear collapsed.

Dead.

For a moment, the battlefield was eerily still. Then, Rashid and Roki leapt down from the trees, rushing to Oliver. He was still slumped against the tree where he had landed, breathing heavily.

"I'm okay," he rasped, voice rough. "Ribs are broken. Don't think there's internal bleeding." Michael dragged Zeke toward them, his expression dark with concern. Bogi, gritting his teeth through the pain, forced himself to stand. Every part of him ached. His arms screamed in protest, but he stayed on his feet.

The battle was over. The battlefield lay in ruin.

Three massive bear corpses lay sprawled across the jungle floor, their thick hides steaming, their dark blood pooling into the earth. Their roars had once ruled this place, their presence alone suffocating the very air around them.

But now?

Silence.

The squad stood bloodied and exhausted, their bodies aching, their breath labored. Yet none of them could deny it—they had changed. They had won. But at what cost?

Bogi's arms throbbed with unbearable pain, each movement sending shocks of agony through his nerves. He clenched his fists, his breath ragged. His forearms were fractured, his body screaming for rest, yet something inside him refused to let him collapse.

Then—he felt it. Something inside him stirred. An invisible force—his own energy—began wrapping around his broken arms, an instinctive attempt to heal what was shattered.

But it wasn't enough. Whatever strength he had left, he had burned through it all. Yet the thought lingered—if there was another crystal, if there was more energy to take in, could it help him recover?

"Roki. Rashid." His voice was low, but firm. "Check the bears. See if they have crystals."

The two scouts nodded, moving toward the fallen beasts. Yet as they did, a wave of realization washed over them all. The pressure in the air—that suffocating weight that had pressed down upon them the moment they had stepped into this part of the jungle—

Was gone. Not fading. Not lingering. Gone. Everyone felt it. Not just Bogi. Not just Oliver. Everyone here had changed. Bogi turned toward Michael, whose hands were stained with Zeke's blood. His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "How is he?"

Michael wiped his hands on his uniform, his face grim. "The bleeding's stopped," he muttered. "But the wound's deep. He'll survive… but it's bad. Could leave a nasty scar. Maybe even limit his movement. Can't say for sure."

Zeke remained still, his breath shallow but steady. Against the tree, Oliver coughed, wincing as pain tore through his ribs. His voice was hoarse. "Take care of him," he rasped. "Please."

Michael nodded once. Only now did Bogi shift his focus to Oliver. He hadn't truly looked at him until now. "You good?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Oliver grimaced. Then—despite everything—he laughed. "Yeah… I'm fine," he rasped. His smirk, though pained, still held its sharpness. "As you can see. Haha." He exhaled, shifting slightly. "I'll sit here for a while, though."

Bogi let out a short breath—half a sigh, half amusement—but said nothing.

Then—Roki returned. "Captain!" Roki called out, his voice urgent. "The weaker bear had nothing. But this one…" He lifted something in his palm. A crystal—larger than any before. It was the size of a baby's fist, smooth yet pulsating faintly in the dim jungle light.

Even without touching it, Bogi could feel it. Roki turned it over in his hand. His expression was unreadable. "This one is different," he muttered, stepping closer to Bogi and giving him the crystal. The moment the crystal touched Bogi's skin—It dissolved.

CRACK!

A thunderous, earth-shaking boom tore through their minds. Not a sound. Not something physical. Something inside them. A lightning strike to the soul. Bogi and Oliver's eyes snapped shut as the energy surged through them.

It was overwhelming. The second pillar inside them—the strange foundation of their new strength—was completed instantly. Then, before they could process it, the third pillar began forming. Stronger. Faster. More stable than before.

And then—it didn't stop. The fourth pillar began. The energy was too much. Bogi gritted his teeth, his breath hitching as his body struggled to absorb it all. Then—it halted.

The third pillar was complete, but the fourth remained only a foundation.

Then—it happened. Everyone else present felt it. Michael, Rashid, Roki, and even the unconscious Zeke jerked as a shockwave of energy coursed through them. Their second pillar formed instantly. And the foundation of the third began building within them.

Back at the camp—Lazar and Ogar felt the same impact. The thunderclap rang through their minds. Both of them froze, wide-eyed, feeling a rush of power course through their veins. The second pillar snapped into place instantly, and, like the others, they were left with only the foundation of the third.

For the rest of the soldiers, the effects were split.

Half of them felt the formation of their first pillar, finally stepping into the realm of heightened perception and power. The other half… only felt a brief moment of intense clarity before the energy faded. Then, another change.

Bogi and Oliver lurched forward, coughing violently. A thick, viscous black mass expelled from their mouths, hitting the jungle floor with a sickening plop. The stench was unbearable. Bogi stared at it, his breath shallow.

His arms… The pain had faded. He clenched his fists, slowly moving his arms. The ache remained, but the fractures? Almost healed. Oliver, still on one knee, felt his ribs with a shaking hand. His breath came easier. His injuries—nearly gone.

Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet. But the moment he moved—He froze. Something was different. Bogi felt it too. His eyes narrowed, his breath slowing. "Now I really don't know what's happening to us," he muttered, his voice cold—so cold it could cut through steel.

Then—he looked at the stronger bear. And in that moment—his eyes changed. For a fleeting second, the green-brown of his irises was overtaken by an intense, vivid green. His gaze sharpened—not just seeing the bear, but perceiving something deeper.

The bones. They glowed. Faintly, but undeniably. Bogi's breath steadied. He understood. His voice, when it came, was quiet. Absolute. "We leave everything else. But we're taking its bones. And its claws." Roki and Rashid looked at each other, then nodded without hesitation.

Rashid and Roki worked fast, their hands steady despite their exhaustion.

Roki took the plasma blade and pressed it against the bear's massive paw. With a sharp hiss, the blade sliced through tendon and bone, severing the first claw cleanly. He tossed it to Rashid, who wiped away the excess flesh before setting it aside.

One by one, the remaining claws were removed, each detached with precise, efficient cuts.

Next, Rashid moved to the ribcage, using his combat knife to slice through the thick hide. As he peeled it back, the pale, dense bones beneath were revealed. Without hesitation, he and Roki pried them loose, snapping some free while carefully cutting others from their joints.

The largest ribs were stacked first, followed by sections of the spine. The bones, though heavy, were loaded quickly, their subtle glow still visible under the fading light.

Within minutes, the dismantling was complete. No wasted movements. No hesitation. As soon as the last bone was secured, Rashid and Roki stepped back, blood staining their hands. "Done."

Bogi gave a sharp nod. "We move."