Oliver entrusted the slime to the wild boar for safekeeping and, alongside the large cat, made his way back to the cave near the mountain.
The cave was small and low. Oliver had to bend down to enter, but he didn't rush in. Instead, he activated the hound form of his mana core, carefully sensing his surroundings. Once he confirmed that there were no immediate threats, he cautiously stepped inside.
Once inside, he realized the cave wasn’t deep. A few steps brought him to the end, where a single flower stood, quietly blooming in the darkness, emitting a scorching heat.
The flower resembled a small sunflower but was only palm-sized and lacked seeds.
[*Heatlight Grass*: A relatively low-level magical plant rich in fiery mana.]
[*Effects*: Can be used to brew potions or consumed directly to increase life essence by 20 points.]
20 points of life essence?! And it could be consumed directly? This was certainly a good find!
Oliver was thrilled, carefully plucking the flower. It was curious—when still attached, it radiated heat, but once separated, it quickly cooled down and released a fragrant aroma.
The large tiger perked up at the scent, its expression shifting to one of joy and longing. Even the wild boar, holding the slime in its mouth, was frolicking outside the cave.
Oliver pondered for a moment, then decided to tear off a few petals and toss them to the two eager creatures. Delighted by the treat, they rolled around happily on the ground.
As for Oliver, he wasted no time, taking a bite of the flower himself.
It didn’t taste like much—just a faint, green, plant-like flavor—but the moment it passed his lips, he felt his mana core start to glow. Warm currents surged through his body, flowing into his mana core.
[*Life Essence +1*]
[*Life Essence +1*]
[*Life Essence +1*]
...
A series of small notifications flashed before his eyes, the final count settling at *21*.
It was nearly identical to his previous calculations.
21 points of life essence. Should he save up to reach 50 for a core upgrade, or focus on improving fusion? The thought weighed on him.
Right now, his primary goal remained clear: to attend the Magic Academy, study magic, and become a true mage. Only then could he escape the oppressive grasp of the nobility. Until then, he was vulnerable—he could be in danger at any time.
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After all, he'd gained quite a reputation as the best hunter in the village recently. Walter and the others must have heard about it. They might already be plotting how to deal with him.
It seemed wise to prioritize increasing his strength for the time being.
With that in mind, Oliver decided to use the 21 points of life essence to enhance the fusion level of his wild boar form's core.
Standing in the forest, Oliver felt his mana core glow softly in his mind, the life essence driving a warm flow of energy through his body.
Moments later, he exhaled deeply and checked his status.
*Oliver Stark*
[*Mana Core 1 – Elysian Nexus Core – Red – Current Form: Wild Boar Form.*]
[*Life Essence*: 0]
[*Forest Favorability*: 0]
[*Captured Creatures*: Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red), Fusion Level: 65%]
[*Captured Creatures*: Unknown Hound (Red), Fusion Level: 10%]
[*Captured Creatures*: Striped Giant Tiger (Red), Fusion Level: 10%.]
[*Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red)*: Current fusion level low; can significantly enhance strength (120kg).]
[*Special Skill*: Super Adrenaline, which triples strength for a short duration and allows one to ignore pain!]
His wild boar form’s mana core fusion level had risen from 21% to 65%, greatly enhancing his strength from 40 kg to 120 kg. And with the Super Adrenaline skill, that number would triple!
At that moment, Oliver felt an overwhelming surge of power course through his body, as though he could smash a century-old tree with a single punch!
The sensation of being full of strength was incredible.
Moreover, Oliver’s physique had become noticeably more solid. His arms, stomach, and thighs were now clearly muscular. He was no longer the thin, starving figure he had been when he first arrived here. In such a short time, he had transformed into a sturdy, fit young man—a remarkable change.
“Life essence from magical plants really is a great thing,” Oliver thought, smiling. “No wonder mages and knights are always willing to pay high prices for it.”
His gaze shifted to the fire slime. This creature also contained powerful mana and could be converted into life essence. But Oliver had no intention of eating it. He planned to sell it for some profit.
Carefully packing the slime into a burlap sack, Oliver made his way back to the village. Upon arriving outside the tavern, he found it much livelier than usual, with a crowd gathered outside.
What’s going on? Why are so many people here?
Curious, Oliver pushed through the crowd and spotted a familiar face—James.
He grabbed James by the shoulder, asking what was happening and why everyone had gathered. But in his excitement, he didn’t realize his newfound strength and squeezed a little too hard.
“Ouch! Easy, easy! Are you trying to crush my shoulder, Oliver? Do we have a grudge or something?” James yelped, wincing in pain.
Realizing his mistake, Oliver quickly released his grip and apologized.
James looked at him, surprised. “Wow, you’re so much stronger now! What happened to you?”
Oliver didn’t explain. Instead, he pressed on, asking again what was going on.
James grinned excitedly. “A slime! Someone caught a water-type slime, a huge one! They’re worth a hundred silver coins, at least!”
What a coincidence!
Another slime had been caught?
Oliver smiled, untied the sack, and pulled out his own slime. A faint heat radiated from the red fire slime as it appeared in full view.
The crowd gasped in unison.
“Another slime?!”
“This one’s a fire slime! Those things are pretty aggressive!”
“No way! Two people selling slimes on the same day?”
The crowd, already large, grew even more packed as more villagers from nearby shops gathered around. Magical creatures were rare, and now two had appeared all at once.
“It’s this kid, the farmer’s son!”
“He’s a hunter now—his hunting skills are top-notch!”
“Damn, a single slime’s worth at least a hundred silver coins. That could take me months to earn!”
“Oliver! Tonight, meet me by the violet flowers outside the academy!”
“Jennifer, didn’t you just get engaged to the tailor’s son? Isn’t this a little… much?”
“The tailor’s son doesn’t even come close to Oliver. Don’t you see? I really like him!”
“Jennifer’s so plain compared to me. Oliver, look at me! I bought some new perfume today, and it smells amazing!”
The crowd erupted into noise, with bold and passionate young women throwing flirtatious glances at Oliver.
Oliver, young and handsome, with exceptional hunting skills, was irresistible to the ladies.
Just a month ago, he had been on the verge of starving, with hardly anyone willing to lend a hand. Who would have thought that in such a short time, his life would change so dramatically?