At that moment, it was so quiet it felt as if time itself had frozen.
Oliver crouched low, peering through the gaps in the thick bushes at the colossal Shatterbeast. Its stone-like hide reflected a harsh, steely glint under the sun, making it look like a mountain that had come to life. Its massive body lumbered heavily between the trees, each step causing the ground to tremble. Its eyes were closed, seemingly oblivious to any nearby threats.
“Big Cat, Little Boar, get ready. We're going in!” Oliver sent the mental command to his two companions: the hulking tiger and the hefty boar poised nearby.
The tiger bared its sharp fangs, letting out a low huff in response, while the boar snorted and rustled the leaves with an eager sweep of its tail. The excitement radiating from their mental link was palpable.
Taking a deep breath, Oliver ran through the battle plan in his mind one last time. He straightened up, raised his hand slightly, and quickly chanted,
"Sar-to-nek!"
Rock Spikes!
A cluster of sharp stone projectiles materialized in the air and shot toward the Shatterbeast’s eyes in a swift, lethal burst.
At the same time, the tiger sprang forward, a blur of muscle and fury as it dashed toward the Shatterbeast's left side. From the right, the boar charged with incredible speed, both animals moving with a perfectly coordinated rhythm.
Sensing the impending threat, the Shatterbeast’s rocky armor flared defensively. It spun, and its massive claw swiped powerfully toward the tiger. But Oliver’s stone spikes were already nearing their mark. After countless hours of practice, his earth magic had grown immensely potent—this attack hit with 150% the power of a novice spell. Swift and precise, the spikes struck directly at the beast’s eye.
In that instant, the Shatterbeast paused, its defensive stance faltering as pain fractured its focus. Vulnerable joints at its armored seams, usually well-protected, were now exposed.
“Now!”
Oliver shouted.
The tiger leaped, clamping down on its neck with savage force. Blue-purple blood spurted forth as the Shatterbeast roared in agony, but its resilience was astonishing; despite the bite, it fought back. A massive paw slammed down on the tiger, flinging it through the air and crashing it into a thick tree, which cracked under the impact.
It started to turn toward the fallen tiger, but the boar charged headlong into its side, hitting with the force of a speeding battering ram. Though the strike didn’t break through its defenses, it halted the beast’s movements. At that moment, Oliver leapt from a nearby tree, diving like a cannonball. He aimed a powerful kick at the creature’s eye, his strength augmented by the magic core of his boar form. The impact echoed through the forest.
Boom!
The Shatterbeast stumbled, collapsing back onto the ground. Its guttural roar shook the trees, sending birds scattering.
Incredibly, even now it fought on, struggling to rise as it clawed at the earth, its furious gaze fixed on Oliver. But Big Cat had recovered, launching himself again, sinking his massive fangs into its weakened armor. Pushed back, the Shatterbeast faltered, while Oliver prepared his next attack.
Bang!
Once more, the Rock Spikes spell burst forth. Basic though it was, the spell’s short cooldown made it ideal for this continuous assault. Oliver’s strategy was simple: alternate between powerful physical strikes and precise magic attacks, repeatedly hammering at the Shatterbeast’s vulnerable eye. Whenever magic was available, he cast; when not, he struck with brute strength. The boar core lent him a tremendous boost, making each hit count.
The forest filled with the sounds of shattering wood, roaring fury, and the trembling ground as their battle raged on.
Meanwhile, at Oakridge Academy, a different kind of battle was intensifying.
Daniel, known for his love of strong drink and even stronger impulses, now looked like a bull charging recklessly forward, too furious to stop. By contrast, James was usually cool-headed and calculated. But even he had reached his breaking point with the nobles’ smug arrogance.
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Seething with anger, James snatched up a broom, eyes blazing with a fiery determination as he stormed toward Edmund. Fueled by raw rage, he swung wildly, the wooden shaft connecting with Edmund’s body with resounding cracks. No matter how Edmund retaliated, James fought on, undeterred.
Seeing James in full swing, Daniel rushed to join, transforming the skirmish into an outright brawl. Edmund’s cries of pain echoed as the two relentlessly bore down on him.
Yet, this couldn’t last long. The older students, many of whom trained in knightly disciplines, were more than a match for them. With superior strength and numbers, they quickly surrounded Daniel and James, cutting off their assault.
One large student lifted James with ease, twirling him before tossing him straight into the campus fountain. With a loud splash, James struggled to surface, dripping wet and covered in algae, his pitiful appearance drawing a chorus of laughter from the noble students.
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The afternoon sun shone brightly, yet only a few rays managed to pierce through the thick canopy of the forest, casting patches of light on the ground. The occasional sound of massive trees crashing to the earth broke the quiet, sending clouds of dust billowing upward and birds and insects fleeing in frantic haste.
Oliver and his companions had turned this part of the forest into utter chaos in their fierce battle with the Shatterbeast.
"Sar-to-nek!"
Another spell unleashed, and even with the power of his supreme mana core, Oliver could feel his magical energy running dangerously low. The toll of magic exhaustion was setting in, making his vision blur momentarily. His hands trembled slightly, the aftereffect of his intense grappling match with the creature. Sweat soaked his clothes, mixing with blood and leaving dark patches wherever he stepped—a mixture of his blood and the beast’s.
They were both wounded, and heavily so. A finger-length gash marred Oliver’s chest—a close call from the beast’s horn that nearly pierced his ribcage. The Shatterbeast, meanwhile, was a pitiful sight. Its once-fearsome eyes were now hollow black pits, blinded, and the thick stone-like armor covering its body was shattered in places, exposing patches of purple-brown flesh beneath. With its armor compromised, the beast was more vulnerable to the relentless attacks from the big cat and boar by Oliver’s side.
But losing its vision had only driven the beast into a wild frenzy. It lashed out blindly, swinging massive paws and stabbing with its horn at anything that ventured too close.
"Hold back; let’s drain its strength!"
Oliver commanded his companions through their psychic link. Now was the time to wear the creature down—keep their distance, harass it, and exhaust it. Once its energy was spent, they could finish it off.
The beast’s rampage continued, ripping trees in half as it thrashed. The once-vibrant forest now looked as if a hurricane had swept through. But, at last, the Shatterbeast’s strength waned. After smashing through one final tree, it collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, with thick, purple-black sweat dripping from beneath its cracked armor.
"Now’s our chance!"
Oliver roared.
The boar and tiger surged forward, the boar’s tusks stabbing straight into the exposed flesh of the beast’s abdomen, where its armor had shattered. The Shatterbeast bellowed in pain, swiping weakly at the boar but too drained to do any real harm. At the same time, the tiger pounced, sinking its jaws into the creature’s throat. The Shatterbeast stiffened, its massive legs twitching uncontrollably.
Oliver approached, dagger in hand, pressing the blade against its chest, directly above its mana core. The dagger bit into the flesh with a satisfying resistance, burrowing through the dense layers protecting the core. The Shatterbeast let out a desperate, guttural sound, thrashing wildly, but Oliver’s companions held it firmly in place. With a final push, he drove the dagger deep into the core’s protective layers.
A sharp crack signaled the end as the beast’s body went limp, its connection to the mana core severed. Oliver extracted a glowing red mana core, the magical heart of the Shatterbeast—a true trophy from a magical creature.
Oliver could hardly contain a triumphant grin.
He had just brought down a full-fledged magical beast, a creature nearly on par with a trained mage. It was a true accomplishment—proof of his growing strength. He hadn’t even realized how powerful he’d become until now.
But exhilaration quickly gave way to exhaustion. Collapsing onto the forest floor, Oliver took a moment to catch his breath, his body drained of both mana and energy. If he hadn’t blinded the Shatterbeast, this fight could have gone very differently.
He didn’t waste time admiring his prize just yet. Taking out a vial of hunters' healing salve, he poured the liquid onto his wounds. The alcohol stung fiercely, making him wince, but it would have to do.
After regaining his composure, Oliver finally examined his loot. This battle had been well worth it. He gazed down at the red mana core, and a stream of information began to flow through his mind:
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> [Red Mana Core of Stone]: A rare artifact formed from condensed mana, a priceless treasure.
>
> [Consuming it will grant incredible magical power.]
>
> [Can be used in crafting wands and other valuable magical items, highly sought after.]
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A wand! Even the simplest wand would cost a dozen gold coins,and a mana core was an essential ingredient for making these magical tools. Selling this could fetch a fortune, but if he chose to use it himself, the mana within would very likely propel him to new heights, potentially allowing him to become a true mage apprentice, while bringing him within reach of the Red-ranked mage status.
And beyond the mana core, the Shatterbeast’s hard shell could be fashioned into armor, its sharp horns made into weapons—both would sell for a high price.
Even its flesh, rich in magical energy, could be consumed both to replenish mana and to enhance one’s Life Essence.
His eyes wandered to the Shatterbeast’s young cub, which the tiger had already placed beside him. The little creature lay there, unconscious from fear, having fainted long before the tiger brought it over.
“Once I handle the adult, I’ll capture the cub using my mana core…” Oliver mused.
Binding a new creature as a companion took a considerable amount of mental energy, especially one as rare as this.