Shelby's earlier demonstration of power must have terrified every beast within a five-mile radius.
For hours, they had trekked deeper into the forest, but not a single monster dared show its face. The sun had started its slow descent from the zenith, casting slanted golden rays through the tangled branches overhead.
Finally, they spotted movement.
A corrupted beast emerged from the undergrowth, letting out a guttural growl as it locked eyes with them.
Zane narrowed his gaze. "What the hell is that thing? It's got the body of an elephant… and the head of a dinosaur."
A chime rang in his mind.
[Prey Detected!]
[Species: Mutated Carniphant]
Carniphant – Stats:
Health: 470/470
Mana: 357/357
Strength: 410
Agility: 389
Intelligence: 355
"That's quite normal," Shelby commented casually. "This place is another world altogether. Go on. Deal with it. And remember—hold back your strength. I'm starving, so try to leave some meat on the table."
Zane nodded and stepped forward toward the beast, which bared its fangs and trumpeted an eerie cry.
"A normal punch would turn this thing into paste," he muttered, bracing himself. "Let's try something lighter."
The Carniphant let out a horrific screech that sounded like the cries of a hundred babies—raspy, shrill, and disturbing. Then it charged.
"Ugh, shut up already. Just attack me," Zane snapped.
As it lunged, jaws wide to bite off his head, Zane calmly raised his right hand and flicked its forehead.
Thud!
The beast flew back several yards, crashing into a tree.
It shook off the impact, roared again, and charged a second time—this time aiming for his legs.
Zane sidestepped effortlessly and flicked its ribs.
Bang!
It was hurled across the clearing once more.
The routine repeated.
Zane, amused, kept track of the damage as he tested his control. Each flick, he noted, dealt about 50 HP.
Health: 200/470
Mana: 350/357
"Not bad," he murmured. "A few more flicks should do it."
Despite its limited intelligence, the Carniphant started to realize this small prey was far too dangerous. Pain surged through its body. It halted its charge and backed away slowly.
Then it roared again—but this time the sound wasn't meant to intimidate. It was magic.
A deep sonic boom erupted, hurtling toward Zane in a wave of compressed air.
[Warning: Sound Magic Incoming!]
Zane dashed sideways, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the attack. The beast wasn't done. Another blast echoed from its throat.
But this time, Zane was ready. He weaved through the forest, closing the distance between them with calculated agility. His eyes tracked the beast's stats in real time.
Mana: 205/357
Another shot.
Mana: 108/357
Final shot.
Mana: 3/357
The Carniphant screeched one last time—only this time, nothing happened. Its body tensed, confused. It tried again. Still nothing.
It had run dry.
"No mana, huh?" Zane smirked. "Tough luck."
Realizing its trump card was useless, the Carniphant turned and ran.
But Zane was faster.
In a blink, Zane appeared ahead of the beast. Calmly, he raised a finger and delivered a final flick—right to its forehead.
BOOM!
The Carniphant howled in agony as it was hurled backward, crashing to the ground like a toppled boulder. The soil tore apart beneath its tumbling body.
Zane approached with a cold gaze and began flicking again—one, two, three—relentless, rhythmic. The strange, choked cries of the beast echoed through the trees. He didn't stop until the health bar above its head hit zero.
With one last gurgling wail, the Carniphant exhaled its final breath.
From behind, Shelby strolled over and lightly slapped Zane on the back. "Well done. I'll start dressing it."
He reached into his coat, pulled out a gleaming dagger, and knelt beside the cadaver. Without hesitation, he began skinning the massive beast.
Zane watched, impressed. The way Shelby handled the blade was mesmerizing—precise, fluid, and almost artistic. The thick hide peeled away with ease, the dagger gliding as though the flesh offered no resistance. Though it looked effortless, Zane knew that level of finesse came only through years of experience.
Within minutes, the skinning was complete.
Shelby didn't toss the hide aside. Instead, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a multicolored silk pouch—no bigger than his palm—and tucked the enormous hide inside.
"Is that… an Inter-spatial Pouch?" Zane asked, recalling lectures back at the Pre-Academy. These pouches, marvels of dimensional tech, looked deceptively small but could store massive volumes.
"Yep," Shelby replied casually as he continued breaking down the carcass. "Everything's in perfect condition. Organs intact. Beautiful specimen."
"Can I have its beast core?"
Shelby didn't hesitate. He pressed his forefinger into the center of the beast's forehead, and with a sickening squelch, extracted a green crystal. It shimmered with faint magical runes across its flat facets. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to Zane.
The moment it touched his palm—
Ding!
[Quest Completed]
[Mana Core Acquired]
[Reward: One Special Skill Available]
[Do you want to accept the Special Skill or reroll for another reward?]
Zane glanced at the glowing core, then whispered, "I accept the current reward."
[Permission to transmit Special Skill to Host: Y/N?]
"Yes."
Ding!
[Special Skill: Divine Restoring Skill Ready]
[Transmitting Skill Data…]
Suddenly, his vision warped.
Clusters of floating symbols, glyphs, and numbers—none of which resembled any Earth language—streamed through the air around him. Ancient characters from a forgotten civilization spiraled into his consciousness.
Zane's mouth moved on its own.
He chanted, voice echoing with a strange cadence as he recited the cryptic symbols aloud, his body glowing faintly with divine energy.
Shelby paused mid-cut and turned. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "He's either undergoing an inheritance ritual… or deciphering a lost law of nature," he murmured to himself.
Still, he didn't interrupt. He returned to his work, quietly placing various beast organs into the silk pouch.
A few minutes later, the last symbol faded. Zane's vision cleared, and clarity returned.
The System pinged again.
Ding!
[Special Skill Learned: Divine Restoring Skill]
[Effect: Allows the caster to convert Beast Mana Cores into mana or health.]
[Mana Restorable Stones: 1 available]
[Strength Restorable Stones: 0 available]
Even before the notification concluded, Zane instinctively understood the function. The skill didn't just restore mana—it allowed him to recycle mana cores, drawing strength from the remains of his prey.
He looked down at the core in his hand. His mana bar was full for now, so he decided to test it later when the time was right.
With a satisfied grin, he slipped the stone into his pocket, his eyes already scanning the forest for the next hunt.