The Twenty Virtues Book 1- The Twenty Generals

11- The Empty Shell and the Lonely Pack.

Pedro was static, unable to comprehend what he saw in front of him. He had killed Leo, taking every precaution to finish him off with a single, precise blow, so why? Why were there two Leos in front of him? Why was he still alive? But the worst part was that now the wolf was furious, growling like never before:

"You won't take away the freedom I fought so hard to get. Not a chance." Both animals advanced at the same time, and both were faster than before. Pedro could still keep up with them, but due to the surprise of their increased speed, he ended up reacting with a delay. He tried to protect himself by controlling the araucaria he had just created, making its roots form a wall between him and his opponent. "NO! No wall will hold me back."

The wolves then separated, each running in a different direction, fleeing into the darkness. And that was bad; Pedro knew very well that wolves are creatures that hunt in packs, especially in the dark. They observe their prey, waiting for an opening, circling and wearing it down until there's no strength left for resistance, occasionally launching bold attacks.

As he had predicted, one of the wolves emerged from the shadows and advanced toward him from behind. The young man reacted quickly and sent the tree roots against the creature. They moved like wooden serpents, ready to strike, but the wolf's agility and dexterity allowed it to easily dodge the attack and return to the darkness. Too concerned with the wolf in front of him, Pedro didn't notice the second animal sneaking up behind him with great care.

But the tree saw it, and by shaking its leaves, it warned the young man of the ambush. The priest dodged the attack just in time. The second wolf evaded the attacks with caution and retreated into the shadows.

"They're really slippery and silent... damn, how is this guy still alive? Either way, I have to try to cover as much area as I can." He took out more of what he had in his pocket—they were seeds. The young man had been collecting tree seeds for a long time as a way to learn about his plant friends. His collection was vast, containing seeds from trees that didn't even exist in the country where he lived.

This was an idea the young man had a while ago; not only did he talk to plants, but he could also control them and even accelerate their growth. This was a technique he had developed after many attempts, but one that would use a lot of his energy if he wasn't careful. In the place where he was, there was no sunlight, no oxygen, let alone nutrients to sustain the plants. The tree could only stay alive thanks to Pedro's power. If he took too long, he would start to weaken physically and become mentally exhausted. But against this opponent, he had no choice; he was cunning and sharp. Until Pedro could understand more about the enemy, he couldn't let his guard down in any way. He then threw more seeds on the ground, creating a cherry tree, bamboo, and various others.

"Alright, girls..." Pedro said in a rush. Before he started feeling any kind of limit approaching, he should try to end this fight quickly. "...Be on the lookout for any attacks from those wolves. Catch them as fast as possible."

The young man climbed onto one of the araucaria roots and tried to elevate himself to the top of the tallest tree he had produced. However, its top was already out of reach of the crystals, becoming pitch black. Pedro saw no advantage in staying up there, so he opted to position himself on the highest and best-lit branch he could find.

Meanwhile, Leo watched from the shadows. That guy was rebuilding the forest again... The young deceived was already starting to feel uneasy, thinking about the sensation of branches scratching his body, the pain of the cuts, the cold, and the fear. There were now a good number of plants around, and they would start chasing him as soon as he moved. The wolf watched calmly, each of them on the opposite edge of the forest, circling and looking for an opening among the plants, a way to advance and defeat the priest.