With the ascent of the morning sun, the stifling heat of the desert once again enveloped the land. Zeke could feel the intensity of the sun's rays penetrating through his clothing, baking the ground beneath his feet. The air shimmered, distorting the horizon, and even the occasional plant seemed to wilt.

However, today, the oppressive heat of the desert didn’t manage to dampen his mood. The night before, he had taught the Chimeroi his Breathing Technique and instructed them to practice during their watch, and it was time to check on their progress.

“Show me,” he ordered the three figures gathered before him. Ash was the first to demonstrate. After a deep breath, the grey-haired wolfman took a step forward and assumed a state of utmost focus.

At first, nothing seemed to happen, until ever so slowly, his demeanor transformed with a frenetic energy. There was a glint in his eyes, a wild intensity that betrayed a burgeoning restlessness. Moments later, his fingers started to jerk and twitch, a clear sign that the man was beginning to lose control.

“That’s enough,” Zeke ordered. It took a few moments, but Ash managed to calm himself and emerged from his entranced state. Zeke nodded appreciatively, “You’ve done well, Ash.”

The man took a step back, bowing his head. “I've still got a long road ahead of me,” he admitted. “This technique... It gives me an odd sense of unease, and I can't help but instinctively fight its effects.”

Zeke nodded slowly, considering the words. From what he observed, there was likely more than just the physical factors at play. The Technique seemed to tap into a feral side of the Chimeroi psyche, drawing on their more bestial roots.

That was likely not an easy change to accept. It was a struggle Zeke was all too familiar with. He had spent many sleepless nights thinking about what he’d done after surrendering to his Draconic Essence, and it might be even harder for the Chimeroi, who had been taught to suppress their bestial instincts since they were young.

After a quick nod, Zeke turned his gaze on Gravitas, silently urging her on. The woman looked uncharacteristically hesitant as she took a step forward. The reason for her reluctance became clear as she tried to employ the Technique. Every time Zeke thought she might succeed, something went wrong.

“That’s enough,” he said with a sigh.

Upon his words, her head drooped, and her eyes didn’t even meet his own. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled while taking a step back.

Zeke smiled wryly. He knew that Gravitas prided herself on being the strongest of his followers. Even though the disparity wasn’t large, she often came out on top when they sparred. It must have been quite the blow to her to fail so miserably.

He turned to the last member of the trio. Vulcanos seemed wholly unconcerned as he took a confident step forward. He stood in the middle of the small circle with a lazy smirk.

However, when Zeke signaled for him to start, Vulcanos' demeanor changed entirely. It wasn't the same gradual transformation as with Ash, but an instant switch. His eyes sharpened with alertness, his jaw clenched, his muscles tensed, and the dull lines crisscrossing his body began to glow with a blinding light.

Yet, those changes were nothing compared to the infernal heat. The blaze emanating from his body was so hot that it forced all three others to take a few steps back. Before Zeke could get his bearings, the sand was beginning to crystalize before turning utterly black.

“That’s enough! Stop!” Zeke yelled with wide eyes. He hoped Vulcanos still had enough self-control to get out of that state. Yet, to his utmost surprise, the heat died down instantly.

Instead of looking like an enraged beast, Vulcanos was looking back at him with a slight pout. “Just when I was getting warmed up,” he complained.

Three pairs of eyes were staring at him, full of disbelief, and, for a change, Zeke had no explanation either. If anything, he would have expected Vulcanos to struggle the most with self-control. Yet, it now seemed that he had been completely wrong.

“H-how did you do that?” Gravitas asked with a slight waver in her tone.

Vulcanos seemed puzzled. “Do what?”

“You entered that state effortlessly and got yourself back under control just as quickly. How did you do that?” Ash said.

Vulcanos shrugged. “It felt comfortable...”

While the three started to bicker amongst themselves, Zeke considered what he had just seen. Vulcanos was apparently able to enter the state of Blood Boil instantaneously and exit it just as fast. There didn’t seem to be a loss of control either, at least not to the point that he didn’t recognize his allies anymore. Zeke smiled. He didn’t yet know how this was possible, but this would make the next step of his plan much easier.

While he had been lost in thought, Ash and Gravitas began questioning Vulcanos about his rapid progress. Vulcanos, however, appeared to have no answers. The technique seemed to come naturally to him, leaving him at a loss for words.

Zeke intervened to break up the argument as the frustration mounted between them. “That's enough,” he declared. “This is only the first day, and I'm sure you two will have plenty of opportunities to catch up. Besides, since this is a new technique, we don't know everything yet. It's possible that the technique is simply much more compatible with Vulcanos than with the two of you.”

“But—” Gravitas began to argue but then seemed to realize how petulant she sounded. After a momentary pause, she nodded resolutely and fell silent. It was only in moments like these that Zeke remembered the usually mature woman was likely only around his age.

He gave her a reassuring smile before redirecting his full attention to Vulcanos. “Since you seem the most comfortable using the technique, you'll be the one testing it. I want you to go and confront the nest of crawlers on your own. Can you do that?”

“You can count on me!” Vulcanos exclaimed with an energetic nod. At that moment, he resembled Zeke’s little sister, who had just been handed a new toy. His childlike enthusiasm was so infectious that Zeke couldn’t help but return the smile.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“What about us?” Ash asked.

“You two…” he said, glancing between Ash and Gravitas, “will follow after him. Stay out of sight but close enough to intervene if something goes wrong. Remember, we don’t know how this will play out, so it is of utmost importance that you are there to save him if something unexpected happens.”

Both nodded, their slightly disgruntled expression turning serious once more. Zeke was gratified to see this shift. Despite the rivalry between the Chimeroi, they were clear about their priorities.

“Come here for a moment, Vulcanos.” Upon his call, the dark-skinned Chimeroi approached and Zeke put his hand on the larger man’s chest. He closed his eyes while focusing solely on his Spatial Perception.

[Notice]

Scanning initiated... Progress: 12%... 45%... 71%... 100%. Scan completed.

Subject 'Vulcanos' exhibits a Mana density of 45.3 particles per unit.