"So uh… That aside, do you guys have any pointers to help me win tomorrow's match? Anything would help." Emery said.
"Of course we'll help." Brutus nodded. "What's a family for, if not for helping each other, right? Haha!"
"Yeah, we'll try our best to help." Tatjana smiled and nodded.
Emery did not know what to feel about this. Just hours ago they kidnapped him and had their disagreements. Now, Not only these three willing to help him, all of them even seem so enthusiastic about it. Emery really considers fixing his previous negative first impression towards them.
Brutus gestured for Emery to stand next to him before instructing.
"Alright, we'll start with the main basics of the wolf bloodline's abilities. Are you ready?"
Emery took a deep breath, realizing that he was about to receive a piece of important information, and nodded. "Yes, I am ready."
Brutus looked up at the ceiling, took a deep breath, and shouted.
"Hoooouuuulll"
It was not just an ordinary shout, there was a certain rhythm forming a sort of twisted melody that went on for several seconds. Emery realized Brutus was howling, just like a real wolf.
After a while, he stopped and turned to look at Emery. "Now, let me hear your howl." Brutus said.
"Yeah, brother… I want to hear your howl too." Andrei begged. For his size, he acted oddly cute. He looked at Emery with a wide innocent gaze usually seen on little children.
"I'm sure your howl would sound nice, too," Tatjana added in an attempt to encourage him.
Meanwhile, Emery stared at them in stunned silence. He has no idea how to howl at all.
"Don't think about it too much, Emery. Just shout your heart out." Brutus added.
"Alright, I will try."
Emery took a deep breath, mimicked Brutus' earlier howling stance and shouted on top of his lungs.
"Hoooooowwwwwwwuuuuuooooooo!"
The other three winced upon hearing Emery's attempt. Right as he stopped, Emery could tell from their facial expressions the result he gave them was not as expected.
"What the hell is that? That sounded really bad." Brutus scratched the back of his head. Andrei and Tatjana also gave him a judging stare. Realizing how they said it was important, Emery decided to look up at the ceiling and try again.
"Hooooooouuuuuwwwwwllll!"
"Hmm… Still not good, but that's a little bit better." Brutus nodded. "Oh well, these things come with practice, after all. Alright, now repeat after me…"
The howling practice continued on for a few hours and before he realized it, it was almost midnight. Even though he had been howling with the three of them non-stop, Emery was no closer to understanding what they would achieve with the seemingly pointless activity.
Brutus finally nodded in approval at Emery's last attempt. "Alright, I think your howl strength and rhythm are good enough for now. Next, I will teach you how to combine it with the spirit core"
Brutus took the same stance again, but this time, he used a channeling technique to empower his voice before he howled.
Emery decided to do the same. He focused on his dark core and channeled power into it before shouting.
"HOWL!"
[You have learned a new innate skill, Howl!]
"That's exactly it! That's one very good howl indeed, we all can feel it. Well… At least, it's pretty good for a newbie, haha." Brutus praised.
When he heard Brutus finally praised him, along with Andrei and Tatjana's expressions, Emery decided to ask.
"Alright, thank you, but… I don't really get this howl. What is it supposed to do?"
"Ah, my apologies, I forgot to cast it first. Let me give you a demonstration, you'll understand after you see this." Brutus said, before letting out a powerful howl.
Right as he heard the melodic rhythm of Brutus' howl, Emery could feel energy stir within his body.
[Your battle power has increased by 3 points!]
"Amazing, right? It's a really useful skill in a group fight, but unfortunately, I'm only a beta-rank wolf. If an alpha did this, the effects will be much better. If a chief did this, it'd be even better… Oh, can you imagine if the patriarch did this? We'll be unstoppable in a large-scale war!"
"Yeah!" Tatjana exclaimed in excitement.
"The power we'd get would be amazing!"
"Aaa… I want to hear the chief's howl, too…" Andrei sulked.
Upon listening to the explanation, Emery's mood turned sullen again.
"No offense to all of you, but… I wonder how is this skill going to help me in tomorrow's match? It's not like you guys are going to be there other than maybe for emotional support…"
The three of them fell silent after hearing Emery's question. It seems they have realized the same thing.
"…"
"Yeah, you're right."
"…"
"That's true…"
"Ah dang… If we could join the fight, this skill would be so useful…"
"…"
Emery stared at them, unable to believe they made him waste a few precious hours learning such a skill. Though he had to admit the skill could be useful in a variety of situations, it would be no help to the match that was growing closer by the minute. It seemed every single thing he obtained in his encounter with them could be useful for literally anything beside the imminent match.
Nevertheless, he took his decision to reevaluate their initial impression back.
Brutus apologized and insisted on teaching him another skill. Knowing what just transpired mere moments ago, of course Emery was about to reject the offer. However, before Emery could answer, among Brutus' explanations, he found something that interested him.
"Brutus… What did you say? Partial transformation?" Emery asked in the middle of Brutus' explanation.
"Yeah… Don't tell me you don't know about partial transformation, Emery?"
"No, I don't know, actually." Emery shook his head.
"Ah… That's actually a very important bit to know." Brutus answered. "Alright, first things first, you need to know about the difference between full and partial transformation. The first stage of all transformations is considered as a partial transformation, while the second stage is considered a full-body transformation.
With partial transformation, you can just change a part of your body. For example, if you need more strength, you can just change your arm or maybe if you need speed you can change both your legs."
Hearing it gave Emery a new insight. Though it sounded trivial, it was a very important skill that could help Emery increase his power and his chances of winning.
During his fight with Zach the dragon boy, he felt that his transformation only hindered his spell-casting. The decrease of spell-casting speed contributed to his defeat, as he was unable to blink away from Zach's strikes.
Emery used the last few hours before sunrise to learn how to balance his bloodline transformation and his spells. For such a difficult skill to master, he managed to get the hang of it within a few hours.
Morning came and though begrudgingly, Emery finally gave his respect to his newfound 'family' of sorts.
While lying tired on the ground Emery said "Thank you guys... this will be very useful for me"
"Glad we could help Emery"
Tatjana approached him real close and said. "Emery don't forget next week there will be a Moon Rave Gathering and you Must Must come"
"What's that?"
"It's our quarterly gathering of all the wolf bloodline. You will learn more about us there... and you will also be able to meet the patriarch. You have to come, Emery."
Brutus added. "And Emery, especially if you win today's final, you will surely be the honorable guest."
"I see I will definitely come then."
"One last thing Emery, I need to warn you again about the grand magus and your master, magus Xion."
Emery startle hearing it
"Magus Xion is a half blood as well? I don't think so"
"No, but magus Xion is her most trusted follower and you must know your magus has a very dark past."
Emery remember the magus mention about his regretful past therefore he's not really worried hearing the information.
Tatjana added, "Emery you must know, when I came to follow you last time? The Magus told me to leave you alone"
"!!!"
Now Emery became concerned, he remembered the magus told him he didn't see anyone, why did the magus lie to him?
Unconsciously, the question created a small doubt in his heart, Emery remembered what Granny and the Bagdemagus did. It would be too painful if the magus also has a hidden agenda towards him.
Emery surely would not tell about this to the group and decided to put it in the back of his mind. He then left quickly, as the game would start shortly.
Emery quickly returns to Lord Izta's palace. Right as he arrived, he faced murderous glares from his friends.