Seven days passed just like that.
At first, Leo could last only half an hour in the Owl-Ants’ nest. Now he could last fifteen minutes longer.
After soaking in the hot pool, he ate dinner. Then polite little Leo sat quietly and waited for Corvin’s next order.
After a week of training, Leo respected Master Corvin. But deep down, he was also a little scared of him.
"No more practice tonight. Go home. But don’t you dare skip your sitting meditation. Come back early tomorrow morning."
Corvin tossed a bottle of Elemental Training Liquid to Leo. The meaning was clear. *Now go.*
Leo felt like he had been given a new life. He rushed out of the hut.
*I can finally go home!*
Corvin watched him leave, and a smile crept onto his face. Leo never saw it.
"Silly boy. Did you forget where you are? Three years. I can only stay here for three years. In that time, I’ll teach you everything I can."
Leo’s body felt light. It was a strange feeling, but a really good one.
He sensed the changes inside him as he ran down the mountain.
In just one week, his senses had become much sharper than before.
The Owl-Ants’ nest had tortured him badly. But every day, the experience was different. And after one week, he could feel ants attacking from every direction. His reaction speed was also far better than on day one.
He hadn’t tested it yet. But Leo was sure the biggest change was in his Spiritual Energy.
In just one week, it had gone up at least two levels!
Painful training every day. Not even a chance to sleep. And still, over the past week, his thin, weak body had clearly grown stronger. His face looked brighter too.
The reason was the healthy food. And the hot pool every day.
Leo had no idea how deeply the pool and herbs were changing his body. Its name was the Bone Marrow Forging Bath.
He was racing down the mountain, full of excitement, when a sudden stinking smell caught his attention.
That week with the Owl-Ants hadn’t been wasted.
Leo stopped at once and jumped to the side. At the same time, he pulled both Bamboo Swords from his back.
*Rustle!*
A dark shadow leaped onto the path he was about to walk through.
Evening had almost fallen. Even so, Leo saw the terrifying attack clearly. Get faster updates on g.com.
The creature stood 1.2 meters tall. Black body. Four strong, short legs. And the scales on its back kept trembling.
"A Magical Beast?!"
The scream burst out of him. He was terrified.
Corvin taught him many subjects every day. That included different kinds of Magical Beasts.
Luckily, just a few days ago, Leo had read about this exact type.
This was a Scorpion-tailed Lizard. A primary-level Magical Beast. Its strength was equal to a person with a Spiritual Energy rank between 3 and 5.
Magical Beasts were divided into four levels. Primary, middle, high, and peak.
The biggest difference between a Magical Beast and a wild animal was this. Magical Beasts could use Spiritual Energy to make themselves stronger. Wild animals couldn’t.
Primary-level Magical Beasts were quite weak. They couldn’t use Spiritual Energy to attack enemies. But they could use it to strengthen their own bodies.
The Scorpion-tailed Lizard was a meat-eating beast of exactly this kind.
The scales on its back had amazing defense. The tail had a poisonous stinger. And its weakness was its belly. But since it attacked by crawling on the ground, its belly was almost never exposed.
The lizard glared at Leo with hungry eyes. Thick white teeth showed in its huge mouth. It looked like it was wondering when it last ate a human.
Facing a Magical Beast for the first time, a chill ran down Leo’s spine.
He gripped the Bamboo Swords tight with both hands. But he didn’t panic. And he would never turn and run.
Staying calm at a moment like this was incredibly hard for a nine-year-old. But he held his ground, because he remembered what Corvin had told him about this lizard’s speed. And Corvin had also taught him one more thing. *Never show your back to your enemy.*
*Hiss!*
The lizard didn’t think twice. Its four strong legs shot straight at Leo. Its teeth aimed for his thighs.
At that moment, the result of seven days of hellish training showed.
Almost by instinct, Leo stepped to the left. At the same time, he struck the lizard’s head with both Bamboo Swords.
His step to the left wasn’t a retreat.
Corvin had taught him. Never back away easily unless you’re sure that staying means certain death. Otherwise, you can be attacked from behind, and lose without a fight.
But stepping sideways was different. You could keep your eyes on the enemy, and still dodge the attack.
Two sounds rang out.
The Bamboo Swords were hard, but very light. They didn’t have much smashing power. So they landed on the lizard like hitting rotten leather.
But today’s Leo wasn’t a fresh Knight Squire. His Spiritual Energy had reached around 30. That was enough to knock the lizard back to the ground.
But the lizard wasn’t done. The source of this chapter is g.com.
The moment its body hit the ground, its tail swung around, stinger aimed right at Leo!
Leo trusted his reaction speed completely and jumped straight up.
A full meter in the air, he blocked the stinger coming from below with one strike of his right sword.
In just those few exchanges, he had stopped two attacks. And suddenly he realized this Magical Beast wasn’t as scary as he had thought.
Deep in his heart, the resentment he felt about those seven torturous days faded away.
Compared to seven days ago, his strength and speed were so much greater.
And the credit, without a doubt, belonged to Master Corvin. Before meeting him, Leo had never grown this fast.
The Owl-Ants’ nest was a nightmare to him. But now he had to admit it. That training had made a huge difference.
But the lizard wasn’t going to give up so easily.
After its failed attack, it leaped at Leo again. And this time, its body seemed to swell.
Leo had relaxed a little after the first round. This sudden attack threw him off. His reaction slowed. Still, he managed to stop it with his Bamboo Swords, striking its body.
But this time, the lizard didn’t fall!
*Oh no. It’s using its Body-Strengthening Skill!*
Leo was shocked. His swords bounced back. And in that instant, his body lost its balance. He started falling backward.
The lizard’s huge mouth was right in front of his eyes.
Leo felt the danger hanging over his head. His pupils shrank fast.
It felt like something burst open inside his head.
And then, suddenly...
The lizard’s movements slowed down.
As Leo fell onto his back, he could see every single move it made, perfectly clear.
If someone had seen Leo’s eyes at that moment, they would have been stunned. The pupils in the middle of his blue eyes had shrunk to the size of a needle’s tip. And he was calm. Shockingly calm.
None of the panic that ordinary people have in their eyes was there.
And somewhere deep in those eyes, a faint golden light began to flicker.