Reborn as the Last van Ambrose
Chapter 255: That’s Dangerous

Chapter 255: That’s Dangerous

The tension from the training ground followed them as they walked away from the dispersing crowd.

Grim could feel the residual dark mana still coursing through his body, making his skin feel hypersensitive and his thoughts unstable.

"We need to get away from here," Ruxi said quietly, guiding him toward a path that led deeper into the forest surrounding the fox spirit realm’s heart.

Grim nodded, not trusting his voice. The purple glow in his eyes had faded, but the scar on his face continued to pulse with faint energy that made him acutely aware of every sensation around him.

They walked in silence for several minutes.

The sounds of civilization gradually faded behind them, replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant sound of flowing water.

"How are you feeling?" Ruxi asked as they approached a small hill, her voice carrying genuine concern.

"Unstable," Grim admitted, flexing his hands as residual dark energy crackled between his fingers. "The corruption is getting stronger each time it manifests. I’m not sure how much longer I can contain it."

"You need to caintain it quickly.," she suggested thoughtfully. "Fighting against it might be making the problem worse."

The path they were following opened into a small clearing where a waterfall cascaded down rocky cliffs into a clear pool below.

The sound of rushing water created a natural barrier of white noise that would mask their conversation from any potential listeners.

"This is beautiful," Grim observed, though his appreciation was filtered through the dark mana’s influence, making the falling water appear more vivid and alive than it should have been.

"I come here when I need to think," Ruxi replied, settling onto a flat rock beside the pool’s edge. "The water has cleansing properties that help stabilize spiritual energy."

Grim approached the water’s edge cautiously, kneeling to cup some of the clear liquid in his hands. The moment it touched his skin, he felt a cooling sensation that seemed to soothe the burning sensation the dark mana had been causing.

"Better?" Ruxi asked, watching his expression carefully.

"Somewhat," he confirmed, though the relief was temporary. "The corruption runs deeper than surface cleansing can reach."

"Then we need to address the source," she said, rising from her position and moving to stand behind him. "May I?"

Grim tensed at her proximity, the dark mana responding to her presence in ways that were both calming and arousing. "What are you planning to do?"

"Help you find balance," she replied softly, placing her hands on his shoulders. "But I need you to trust me completely."

Her touch sent warmth through his body that seemed to counteract the cold fire of the dark mana. Where her fingers made contact, the corruption’s influence lessened, replaced by something that felt more natural and controlled.

"How are you doing that?" he asked, leaning slightly into her touch as the tension in his muscles began to ease.

"Our spiritual energy is compatible," she explained, her hands moving to massage the tight spots where the dark mana had been causing the most strain. "I can help channel and stabilize the corruption rather than fighting it directly."

Her fingers worked along his neck and shoulders, finding pressure points that correspond to his mana points. Each touch sent waves of relief through him, gradually reducing the chaotic mana.

"This feels..." Grim began, then stopped as her hands moved to a particularly sensitive area where his neck met his shoulders.

"Intimate?" she suggested with a knowing smile in her voice. "Spiritual healing often requires close contact. Mana flows more freely when barriers are removed."

The double meaning wasn’t lost on him. As her hands continued their work, the boundary between therapeutic touch and something more personal began to blur.

The dark mana’s influence was receding, but it was being replaced by a different kind of intensity.

"Ruxi," he said, his voice carrying a warning note as her touch moved to areas that were definitely not purely medical in nature.

"The corruption responds to emotional states," she replied, though her hands didn’t stop. "Anger and fear feed it, while other emotions can help dissipate its influence."

Her fingers traced along the edge of his collar, occasionally brushing against bare skin in ways that sent shivers through his body. The dark mana continued to subside, but the relief was accompanied by growing awareness of her proximity and the subtle scent of her hair as she leaned closer.

"Is this part of the treatment?" he asked, though he made no move to stop her ministrations.

"Does it matter?" she replied, her breath warm against his ear. "It’s working, isn’t it?"

It was. The chaotic energy that had been threatening to tear him apart was gradually settling into something more manageable.

But the process was creating other complications—a growing tension between them that very intimate.

"You’re playing with fire," Grim warned, though his voice lacked any real protest.

"I’m playing with ice," she corrected, her hands moving to his chest where she could feel his heartbeat accelerating. "Your mana runs hot and chaotic. Mine runs cool and controlled. Together, we find balance."

"How long have you known you could do this?" he asked, closing his eyes as her touch moved to areas that made coherent thought increasingly difficult.

"Since the night we first met," she admitted. "Fox spirits are naturally sensitive to spiritual imbalances. I could sense the corruption in you immediately."

"And you didn’t think to mention this earlier?"

"Some things can’t be explained," she replied, her hands moving to unfasten the top of his shirt to access more of his skin. "They have to be experienced."

The additional skin contact intensified the effect. The dark mana continued to settle and integrate, but the process was accompanied by sensations that were definitely not purely therapeutic.

"This is dangerous," Grim observed, though he leaned into her touch rather than pulling away.

"Everything worthwhile is dangerous," she replied, her voice carrying a husky quality that suggested she was as affected by their proximity as he was. "The question is whether the benefits justify the risks."

Her hands moved lower, tracing patterns on his chest that seemed to follow his mana circuits while simultaneously exploring the muscular definition that years of training had created.

"Ruxi," he said, his voice carrying both warning and invitation.

"Trust me," she whispered, her lips close enough to his ear that he could feel their movement. "Let me help you find balance."

The combination of her spiritual energy and intimate touch was creating a feedback loop that was rapidly approaching a point of no return. The dark mana was settling into harmony with his natural energy, but the process was generating heat and tension.

Just as the situation was reaching a critical point, a rustling sound from the nearby bushes interrupted the moment. Both of them froze, suddenly aware that they might not be alone in this secluded location.

"Did you hear that?" Ruxi whispered, her hands stilling on his chest.

Grim nodded, his senses still enhanced by the residual dark mana. Something or someone was definitely moving through the forest nearby, though he couldn’t determine whether it was animal or human.

The rustling came again, closer this time and definitely deliberate rather than random. Someone was approaching their position, though whether by accident or design remained unclear.

"We should—" Ruxi began, but the sound of footsteps on the forest floor cut off her words.

They remained motionless, listening as the unknown presence moved closer to their secluded waterfall.

The intimate moment was suspended, replaced by wariness and the sudden realization that their private encounter might have been observed by unknown eyes.

The footsteps stopped just beyond the tree line, leaving them in tense silence as they waited to see whether their mysterious visitor would reveal themselves or continue watching from the shadows.