Oliver entrusted the red slime to the wild boar for safekeeping, then, with his tiger by his side, made his way back to the cave near the mountain.

The cave was small and cramped. Oliver had to crouch to enter, but he didn’t rush. Instead, he activated the hound form of his mana core, carefully scanning the surroundings. After confirming there were no immediate dangers, he proceeded cautiously inside.

Once within, Oliver discovered the cave wasn’t deep—just a few steps to the end, where a single flower stood in the darkness, blooming softly and radiating intense heat.

The flower resembled a small sunflower, palm-sized and seedless, but it pulsed with a fiery glow.

[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.]

Twenty points of life essence?! And it could be consumed raw? This was a find worth celebrating!

Oliver carefully plucked the flower. The moment it was detached, it cooled rapidly, releasing a subtle, fragrant aroma.

The tiger, excited by the scent, perked up and began to show signs of joy and longing. Even the wild boar, holding the slime in its mouth, had started frolicking outside the cave.

After a moment of consideration, Oliver tore off a few petals and tossed them to the eager animals. They immediately rolled around on the ground in delight, savoring the treat.

As for Oliver, he wasted no time and took a bite of the flower himself.

The taste was faint—like a mild, green plant—but as soon as it passed his lips, he felt a surge of warmth. His mana core pulsed with energy, and a steady flow of power filled his body.

[Life Essence +1]

[Life Essence +1]

[Life Essence +1]

...

A series of notifications flashed before his eyes, the total count settling at 21 points.

The result was almost exactly as he had expected.

Twenty-one points of life essence. Now the question was: should he save up to reach 150 for a core upgrade, or focus on improving fusion? The decision weighed on him.

But for now, his goal was clear—attend the Magic Academy, study magic, and become a true mage. Only then could he break free from the grip of the nobility. Until that day, he was vulnerable—danger could strike at any moment.

His reputation as the best hunter in the village had spread. Walter and the others had likely heard of it by now and might be planning something. It seemed wise to focus on strengthening himself for the time being.

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With that resolve, Oliver chose to use the 21 points of life essence to enhance the fusion level of his wild boar form’s mana core.

Standing in the forest, Oliver felt his mana core hum with power, the life essence filling his body with warmth and energy.

After a few moments, he exhaled 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%

· Unknown Hound (Red), Fusion Level: 10%

·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, triples strength for a short duration and allows one to ignore pain!

His wild boar form’s mana core fusion level had risen dramatically—from 21% to 65%. This boosted his strength from 40 kg to 120 kg. And with the Super Adrenaline skill, his strength would triple when needed!

A surge of power filled him. He felt as if he could shatter a century-old tree with a single blow.

The sensation of newfound strength was exhilarating.

Oliver’s body had visibly transformed. His arms, stomach, and thighs were now muscular and solid. He was no longer the gaunt, starving figure he had once been. In just a short time, he had become a robust and fit young man.

“Life essence from magical plants is truly invaluable,” Oliver thought, smiling. “No wonder mages and knights pay such high prices for it.”

His gaze turned to the fire slime. This creature contained potent mana that could be converted into life essence, but Oliver had no intention of eating it. He planned to sell it and make a profit.

Carefully packing the slime into a burlap sack, Oliver made his way back to the village. As he arrived outside the tavern, he found it busier than usual, with a crowd gathered around.

What’s going on? Why are there so many people?

Curious, Oliver pushed through the crowd and spotted a familiar face—James.

He grabbed James by the shoulder and asked what was happening, unaware of his increased strength and squeezing a little too hard.

“Ouch! Easy, easy! Are you trying to crush my shoulder, Oliver? Do we have a grudge or something?” James yelped in pain.

Realizing his mistake, Oliver quickly released him and apologized.

James looked at him with surprise. “Wow, you’re way stronger now! What happened to you?”

Oliver didn’t explain. Instead, he pressed on, asking what was going on.

James grinned with excitement. “A slime! Someone caught a water-type slime, a huge one! They’re worth at least a hundred silver coins!”

What a coincidence!

Another slime had been caught?

Oliver smiled and untied his sack, pulling out his own red slime. A faint warmth radiated from the creature as it was revealed to the crowd.

The onlookers gasped in unison.

“Another slime?!”

“This one’s a fire slime! Those are pretty aggressive!”

“No way! Two 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 at once.

“It’s 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!”

“Stark! 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 come close to Stark. 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 with chatter, and bold young women sent flirtatious glances at Oliver.

He was young, handsome, and had exceptional hunting skills—irresistible to the ladies.

Just a month ago, he had been on the brink of starvation, with no one willing to lend a hand. Who could have predicted that in such a short time, his life would change so dramatically?