[Life Essence +1]

[Life Essence +1]

[Life Essence +1]

...

The sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of the forest, casting soft, dappled spots of light on Oliver's face.

Reclining lazily on the grass, he idly toyed with the hard shell of a Shatterbeast cub, feeling the steady digestion of his recent meal continue to replenish his Life Essence.

The sensation was pure bliss.

Finally, the number stabilized at 54 Life Essence points—exactly as he had predicted.

Looking over at the wild boar and the little cat, both of them had consumed a significant amount of Stonecrack Beast flesh and, as a result, had experienced impressive gains of their own.

[Can expend 95 Life Essence to evolve the Silver-Maned Wild Boar into a Unicorne Wild Boar]

[Can expend 93 Life Essence to evolve the Striped Giant Tiger into a Blood Demon Tiger]

The original cost to evolve them was 150 Life Essence, but now, it only required around 90!

And the benefits weren't just reflected in the numbers.

The two animals had undergone astonishing growth in size.

Within just an hour after feeding, the large cat had grown to an imposing seven meters long. It crouched there, casting a shadow so massive it seemed to blot out the sunlight, resembling a mountain in its intimidating presence.

The wild boar wasn't far behind, nearing six meters in length. Its tusks had lengthened and sharpened, gleaming with a chilling light under the sun, sharper than any sword or knife.

"Hahaha, this harvest is just too good!"

The rare Red Mana Core was still untouched, and yet his strength had already increased significantly.

Oliver had a plan—he needed to find someone who could craft a wand from the Mana Core.

With a wand, his casting speed and power would increase by over 50%. Some spells, particularly those of the orange-tier, had such unique mana flow that they could only be cast with a wand.

Becoming a true mage required mastering nine red-tier spells and three orange-tier spells. Therefore, a wand was essential!

If he had to buy one, a basic wand would cost dozens gold coins, and better ones could go for hundreds, even thousands. Converted into silver, even the cheapest wand would cost a small fortune.

It would take years of selling rabbits and goats to afford such a sum.

But with the Red Mana Core in hand, crafting a wand would be far more affordable.

Of course, it would still be expensive. He'd have to consult with someone about the specifics.

In addition, the Shatterbeast’s hard shell was also worth a pretty penny. It could easily fetch a large sum if sold.

"Given my current status, using the Red Mana Core and the Stonecrack Beast shell would raise suspicion. I need to keep my identity hidden..."

There were black markets in the town that allowed for anonymous transactions.

But black markets were chaotic and dangerous, so Oliver needed to grow stronger before he could confidently navigate them.

"With the 50 Life Essence I just gained, I need to use it right away to boost my power."

Taking a deep breath, Oliver rose from the grass and began channeling the Life Essence to increase his fusion with the wild boar form.

[Life Essence -5]

[Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red), Fusion Level: 95%-96%]

[Life Essence -8]

[Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red), Fusion Level: 96%-97%]

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

...

The final 5% took longer to increase. With each upgrade, the cost in Life Essence grew.

However, after expending 40 Life Essence, the fusion level finally reached 100%.

[Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red), Fusion Level: 100%]

The system's notification chimed in.

[Wild Boar Form Mana Core fusion is complete; transformation enhancement will increase strength by 100%]

Wait—double the strength?!

Oliver had expected a significant boost at full fusion, but the increase was even more impressive than he'd imagined.

Quickly, he pulled up the panel to check his inherent talents.

Current Inherent Talent:

* Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red): Fusion level low; significantly enhances strength (400kg).

With this boost, Oliver’s strength had now skyrocketed to an incredible 500kg!

For comparison, a full-fledged knight only possessed a punch strength of 800kg.

Oliver now possessed strength comparable to that of a knight-in-training—meaning, he was almost on par with someone like William!

William, known for his impressive prowess at the academy, was a figure of significant status.

But Oliver didn’t just have raw strength; he also possessed a unique skill that allowed him to triple his power for a short period of time.

In other words, in an instant, he could unleash power rivaling that of a true knight!

All of that Life Essence he’d poured into the Wild Boar core had been well worth it.

"I’m a mage... and I have this much strength?"

A wave of excitement surged through Oliver. He realized that as his Mana Core developed further, the physical and strength enhancements it provided could easily rival those of any war core!

Grinning with excitement, Oliver couldn’t help but laugh aloud in the forest, feeling as free and powerful as Tarzan.

He was eager to start testing out his newfound strength.

At that moment, an immense surge of energy flowed out of his Mana Core, rushing through his limbs and body.

With the added force of this unique magic, Oliver felt invincible.

Every cell in his body seemed to radiate boundless vitality.

With a single, effortless leap, he landed on top of a five-meter-tall tree. Looking down, he saw cracks spreading across the ground beneath him, resembling a spider's web.

A slight movement, and he felt like a human-shaped cannonball—powerful beyond belief!

If he encountered a full-grown Shatterbeast now, he wouldn't need to struggle at all. Defeating it would be effortless!

"Maybe I'm the type of mage who can just knock people out with a wand, like a strength-focused mage!"

After going over his spoils, it was already late afternoon. Oliver quickly wrapped the remaining items in linen cloth and hid them in his cottage back in the village.

As for his three little pets, they stayed in the forest. He gave the two larger animals strict instructions to look after the small cub before heading back to the village.

After stashing his loot and tending to a few minor wounds, he changed into fresh clothes and rushed toward the town to head to the academy.

Tonight, the mysterious Professor Arcanus was returning, and Oliver wasn't about to miss it.

The path to the academy was long.

As the sun sank lower, stretching Oliver’s shadow across the ground, he walked with a spring in his step, feeling as though the world had never been so beautiful.

Even the flowers and grass along the roadside seemed particularly charming and lovely.

Finally, reaching the town, he treated himself to the gingerbread he’d long been unable to afford, buying three pieces. He ate as he walked, savoring the familiar sweet taste that blossomed on his tongue, feeling deeply content.

The taste reminded him of medieval England, where sugar and honey were rare commodities, and gingerbread—a simple treat in his past life—was a delicacy only the wealthy could afford.

He had arrived at Oakridge Academy!

However, as soon as he stepped through the gate, something felt off.

Students from both upper and lower years were staring at him.

What’s going on? Why do I suddenly feel like a celebrity?

With a hint of suspicion clouding his mind, Oliver hurried to find Deniel and James. At this moment, the two of them were hiding in a corner of the academy’s garden.

It took Oliver a while, but when he finally spotted them, his jaw dropped in surprise.

The two were sitting by a small campfire, their clothes caked in dirt and still damp from the afternoon. Shivering, they were trying to dry their clothes by the flickering flames.

It was already nearing winter, and poor folks like them didn’t have thick clothing to begin with. Now, with their clothes soaked through, the chill of the wind was unbearable.

Under normal circumstances, they should have gone back to change. But since Professor Arcanus was returning tonight, both James and Deniel were determined not to miss his class.

So, they stayed out in the cold.

"What happened to you two?" Oliver asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

Looking them over, he noticed not only their dirty and wet clothes, but also the bruises on their arms and bodies—clearly the result of a brutal beating.

James and Deniel exchanged a silent glance. With a deep sigh, James finally spoke up and told Oliver about what had happened earlier.

"Edmund and his group said... unless we each pay them one hundred silver coins, they’ll beat us every day until we leave the academy," James explained.

Deniel, looking defeated, added, "We don’t have that much silver. For us, it’s like a death sentence."

Oliver’s heart burned with anger upon hearing this.

This was nothing less than bullying and discrimination.

"What about Griffin? Isn’t he supposed to be supervising us as a temporary tutor?" Oliver asked, his voice rising.

Deniel scowled in frustration. "Griffin acted like he didn’t see anything. He just went straight back to his room to read."

James spoke up, his tone tinged with hopelessness. "For commoners like us, learning magic was always hard. Maybe we have no choice but to give them the silver. If we don’t, we’ll be forced to leave."