Translator: CinderTL “Haha!
We’ve hit the jackpot this time!” Gray’s wild laughter echoed through the air, his body drenched in wolf blood, giving him a savage appearance.
Each wild wolf carcass was worth three silver coins, and Gray had slain at least six or seven this time.
That was more than he had earned in the previous five days combined.
A cold, arc-shaped glint flashed as Gray severed the front left leg of a wolf attempting to ambush his neck.
The unfortunate creature whimpered and collapsed, blood gushing from the wound in its leg as its life force rapidly faded.
Seeing this, Zellier’s eyes lit up.
The wolf isn’t dead yet!
If I land the finishing blow…
will I get experience points?
I’ve been looking for a way to level up.
No time like the present!
Zellier channeled mana, meticulously visualizing the formula structure of the fireball spell in his mind.
To ensure a fatal strike, he poured as much mana as possible into the spell.
The entire casting process took about five seconds.
A searing flame erupted in his palm.
He aimed at the wolf…
and fired!
The air temperature rose slightly as a dazzling trajectory streaked across the space, striking the wolf’s thickest fur at the neck.
The magical impact of the fireball shattered flesh and bone, igniting the fur into a roaring blaze!
The already dying wild wolf, struck by this sudden calamity, writhed and thrashed on the ground like a grass carp.
The combined agony of its lost foreleg and the burning flames drove it to emit a pathetic howl before falling silent.
The first drop of blood!
Zellier’s face lit up with delight.
Just as he’d predicted, killing the wild wolf had increased his experience points.
Level 1 to Level 2: Upgrade!
An inexplicable power surged into his body, spreading to every limb and organ.
A faint blue, illusory light, visible only to him, materialized before Zellier’s eyes.
Four attribute points were waiting to be allocated, and the previously grayed-out talent skills had been unlocked.
Spell Surge and Formulaic Evolution.
Zellier hesitated for a moment before ultimately choosing Formulaic Evolution.
Talent skill “Formulaic Evolution” has been unlocked.
Suddenly, a progress bar appeared beneath Formulaic Evolution.
Great Creation Art: Analysis Progress – 0% Zellier blinked in surprise.
Great Creation Art…?
What is that?
It sounds incredibly powerful.
But…
did someone cast that magic in front of me just now?
He had no time to dwell on it.
With a thought, Zellier allocated all four attribute points to his spirit attribute.
Zellier’s spirit attribute increased from 67 to 71.
He couldn’t help it.
Although formulaic evolution relied heavily on intelligence, a mage’s spirit attribute was absolutely paramount.
Otherwise, what use was learning countless spells if they lacked any power?
Even the strongest mechanisms needed numerical support.
With the four-point increase in his spirit attribute, Zellier clearly felt the source seed circulating slightly faster, and his magic power also increased accordingly.
He smiled contentedly.
At least he had finally crossed the threshold to becoming a mage.
With a talent skill like formulaic evolution, his path to becoming stronger would be much smoother.
Gray, who had been preparing to finish off the wild wolves, paused and glanced at Zellier.
Zellier smiled apologetically.
Sorry, I just had to get that kill.
In the subsequent battle, Zellier was unable to intervene.
Marcus and Gray were both capable of one-hit kills, and Vales’ arrows left no survivors.
The nighttime ambush ended swiftly.
The pack of wild wolves fled in panic, leaving behind over a dozen corpses as they scattered into the dense forest.
That was quite a pack.
No wonder the villagers reported it to the Adventurer’s Association.
If they had attacked a settlement, the casualties would have been devastating.
“Clever little things, aren’t they?” Gray wiped the mixture of blood and sweat from his forehead.
“You’ve learned to scavenge already, huh?” “Sorry, I just cast it instinctively…” Zellier said.
“No worries, no need to be polite with me.
This wild wolf is yours.
It’s good to get some extra loot on your first mission.” Gray grinned.
“See?
This is the charm of adventuring.
Three silver coins—that’s a day’s wages for hard labor, and you got it with just one fireball spell.” The team began cleaning up the battlefield.
Marcus selected wolf carcasses with intact hides, while Vales pulled arrows from the bodies.
Some arrowheads were barely damaged; after wiping off the blood, they could be reused, saving them some money.
Gray hung a wolf carcass upside down from a branch and made a circular incision with his knife at the ankle of its hind leg.
He ran the skinning knife along the circular cut, precisely slicing down to the anus, then curving toward the other thigh.
Next, Gray began skinning the wolf, starting with its hind legs.
His movements were steady.
One hand gripped the already cut flap of skin and pulled it taut, while the other held the skinning knife, its blade carefully severing the fascia and fat connecting the hide to the flesh.
“Zellier, come give me a hand.
Lift this leg.” Gray said.
With their coordinated efforts, the wolf’s hind leg hide came off smoothly, like a sock.
Then came the torso.
The skinning process was filled with the dull tearing of fascia and the metallic-sweet stench of exposed flesh.
Zellier felt his stomach churn, but he forced himself to keep his gaze fixed on the task.
He knew this was a skill he had to master.
The Adventurer’s Guild only offered a bounty for the wild wolf’s life, with the left ear serving as proof for claiming the reward.
The team was free to keep the rest of the hide and sell it themselves.
A pristine wolf hide could fetch about three to four silver coins, a substantial income for low-tier adventurers.
The squad had just taken down fifteen wild wolves, and there were several intact carcasses worth skinning.
This unexpected windfall brought a rare hint of joy to Marcus, usually so solemn.
Gray began cutting into the hind leg of the last wolf carcass.
His movements were clean and efficient, exuding the practiced grace of an old hand.
In contrast, Zellier was clumsy.
Zellier’s task was to grip the already cut flap of skin and pull it taut as Gray sliced through the fascia, creating a flat surface for him to work on.
But the job proved more difficult than expected.
The greasy wolf hide made his hands feel like they were coated in oil, and he nearly dropped it several times.
“Hold it tighter, Zellier!” Gray instructed without looking up.
“Yeah, maintain that tension…
You don’t have the hands of a mage.” He caught a glimpse of Zellier’s hands in his peripheral vision: calloused knuckles, prominent veins on the back of his hands—clear signs of a life of hardship.
(End of the Chapter) —————————————————— What happens next?
Find out on CinderTL (just search it on Google!).
You can read the free chapters up to [Ch50], or unlock up to [Ch182] without even needing to sign up.
Details can be found on our site.
Go to CinderTL for more details.
🏆Giveaway Grand Prize: 2 Months UNLIMITED Reading + Download and 25 More slots.