He tossed in the Black Cloud Grass and watched with anticipation as the furnace glowed. After a few minutes, a new armor emerged from the forge. Unlike Sunny’s shiny armor with lightning patterns, this set had a dark matte finish, etched with wisps of black cloud patterns.

[Steel Black Cloud Armor

Grade: C-

Defense: 600

Durability: 100

Effect: Releases a cloud of black mist on impact, disrupting attackers

A fine steel armor infused with black cloud magic, casting a mist to interfere when struck.]

Leo grinned as he picked it up, noticing how the dark mist flickered across its surface. This armor would blend well with shadows, perfect for keeping a low profile in dense forests. Wearing it, he could evade monsters or slip away from a tough encounter.

Clad in their new gear, Leo and Sunny made an impressive pair—like a knight and his war eagle mount, exuding an aura of strength. Leo felt a thrill; these upgrades had taught him the basics of enchantment, revealing that adding different materials could grant unique effects. He wondered if he could apply multiple enchantments at once. Could he one day wield a weapon with powers of wind, fire, and lightning? The thought excited him, though he held off for now—resources were still limited, and he didn’t want to risk failure.

His gaze landed on a fine steel sword he had tucked away earlier. “Time to give you an upgrade, too,” he decided. Adding iron ore and Thunder Grass into the furnace, he watched as the blade took on a new form, emerging with a sheen of purple lightning etched along its surface.

[Steel Thunder Pattern Sword

Grade: C

Attack : 400

Durability: 50

Effect: Releases chains of electricity on impact

An enhanced steel sword charged with lightning, sparking with each strike.]

Leo clenched the sword, feeling a surge of excitement. With this blade in hand, he’d have the edge against many monsters. Now fully equipped, he turned to Sunny, who was resting nearby, and waved him over. “Alright, let’s find our next challenge!”

Packing up his things, he decided to leave the furnace on the cliff, safe in Sunny’s territory. It would be a good spot to return to for future crafting. Checking his map, he picked out a direction.

“Sunny, let’s head that way!” he called, pointing ahead. With a fierce cry, Sunny spread his wings, taking off into the sky with Leo on his back.

From high above, Leo looked down over a sprawling forest, lush and teeming with life. Below, exotic beasts roamed, some pausing to glance up at the sight of Sunny, only to turn and flee in the opposite direction. Leo felt a rush of excitement as he watched the creatures scatter from the shadow of his mighty war eagle.

With his new armor gleaming faintly beneath the dark clouds, and his sword crackling with lightning in his hand, Leo felt a surge of determination. “Onward, Sunny!” he shouted, his voice filled with resolve. “Let’s conquer this world!”

Stolen novel; please report.

Flying in the direction Leo pointed, Sunny soon arrived over a dense forest. A threatening aura seemed to loom from below, causing Sunny to cry out a few times, his sharp eyes scanning the trees as if issuing a warning. Watching Sunny circle the area, Leo confirmed their destination was below. According to the map, this was the territory of the Terra Bear.

The Terra Bear was known for its thick fur, immense strength, and lumbering speed—traits that worked to Sunny's advantage as he can easily evade all the attack. Leo knew the beast was no joke; if it managed to land a blow, the impact will be devastating. Without Sunny, Leo wouldn’t have dared to pick a fight with this creature.

If he had faced it with the Electric Python instead, one swipe of the bear’s claws could easily have turned him into mince meat. Carefully, Leo directed Sunny to descend, and soon they spotted a massive, brown bear lying beneath the trees. Yet, something didn’t feel right.

Despite lying down, the bear didn’t seem to be resting. Its muscles were tensed, trembling slightly, and its eyes were fierce and alert. Because of its strange state, it hadn’t noticed Sunny and Leo's approach.

"Sunny, move a bit closer and put me down," Leo whispered. Sunny flew around to a safe spot, allowing Leo to leap off and hide in the bushes, walking quietly until he was about fifty meters from the bear. Examining it more closely, Leo noticed strange, colorful stains around the bear’s mouth and claws, as well as on the ground nearby. Did it eat something toxic?

Frowning, Leo felt uneasy, and just then, his beast control system chimed in with a notification:

[The target Madou is undergoing evolution.]

Leo's eyes widened in shock. He had chosen this bear specifically because it was a strong creature, assuming Sunny’s speed and flight would make it manageable. But if the bear was evolving, its strength could skyrocket, making Sunny and him easy targets.

"Take advantage of the situation and finish it off quickly!" Leo decided, giving Sunny a firm command. With a flap of his wings, Sunny summoned a swirl of dark clouds and dove straight for the Terra Bear. The bear didn’t react immediately, allowing Sunny’s sharp claws and beak to strike at its fur—but to Leo’s surprise, the bear’s thick hide wasn’t even scratched.

Leo hesitated, watching as Sunny clawed and pecked furiously, filling the air with flying fur but still failing to break through the hide.

"Uh... maybe we need a different approach?" Leo muttered, just as the Terra Bear woke with a growl, swinging a massive paw that struck Sunny hard, sending him spiraling back. Luckily, Sunny’s armor absorbed much of the impact, but Leo could see the attack had rattled him. Electricity sparked in respond but it doesn’t have any effect.

"This is going to be tougher than I thought. We can’t brute-force it… Sunny, stick to harassing it from the air! Stay out of its reach!" Leo ordered. Angry but obedient, Sunny adjusted his approach, darting in to swipe and then pulling back, weaving around the bear’s lumbering strikes with perfect dodge.

"That's it! Keep it distracted!" Leo whispered, walking closer to the bear. But the bear sharp sense noticed him almost immediately. With a growl, it turned from Sunny and charged toward Leo, as if understanding he was the true threat.

“Oh no! This thing is smarter than it looks!” Leo yelped, breaking into a sprint. Luckily, his recent training had boosted his stamina, and the bear, still sluggish from its evolution, couldn’t keep pace. Leo was just starting to think he’d escaped when he heard a loud whistling sound, and instinctively ducked as a massive boulder sailed past, smashing a nearby tree to splinters.

If not for Sunny’s interference, Leo would have been in serious trouble. He stared in shock. ‘Can this bear throw rocks?’