Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Simulation Breakthrough

At first, Rhett fought with lethal intent for efficiency, aiming to end the battle as quickly as possible. However, when only three Fire-Maned Dogs remained, he no longer felt the urgency.

One was pinned to the ground by an earthen spike, while the other two were suspended in the air, flailing their limbs and letting out strange, pitiful howls. The sight was both comical and eerie.

"Tyles, the remaining three are yours to deal with," Rhett said, turning to Tuck. "Tuck, accompany Tyles and help process the materials from the beasts."

Rhett then glanced at the Wind-Patterned Tiger cub, covered in blood. He instructed Reilly, "Reilly, give this little one some water and clean its fur."

Reilly nodded and approached the small cub, curled up in a pile of dry grass. His eyes softened with warmth as he focused on the task. A thin stream of water formed from his magic, gently flowing into the cub's mouth, while another water ball carefully washed away the dirt and blood from its fur.

Rhett watched as the tiny, plump cub stirred, opening its small mouth to drink the water. Its little body twitched slightly before it let out a series of lively, high-pitched cries.

"Father, I think it's hungry," Reilly observed as he knelt beside the cub. It was barely 20 centimeters long, with a head not much larger than a fist. After drinking, the cub seemed to perk up a bit, even though its eyes remained closed. Its tiny tongue poked out, searching for food.

Reilly offered his finger to the cub, which eagerly latched on, suckling with its warm, wet tongue. He couldn't help but smile at the sensation.

"Here, feed it some Fire-Maned Dog meat," Rhett tossed a strip of meat, freshly cut from one of the dogs.

"Little one, time to eat," Reilly said as he tore the meat into small pieces and began feeding the cub. The moment it caught the scent of food, the cub's natural instincts kicked in, and it eagerly devoured the meat. Despite its tiny size, it ate voraciously, letting out small, contented sounds after each bite.

After a few minutes, the cub had eaten its fill and lay down, falling into a deep sleep. Newborns of all species, including magical beasts, were naturally inclined to sleep after a good meal.

Reilly gently petted the now-fuzzy cub, which instinctively sniffed the air and nestled closer to him, making a soft whimper before drifting off again. His face lit up with a tender smile as he carefully held the sleeping cub, only to find it burrowing deeper into his chest for warmth.

"Reilly, it seems this little one has taken a liking to you," Rhett whispered, not wanting to wake the cub.

"Thanks to you, Father, for giving me the chance to care for it," Reilly replied sincerely. "If Tuck were taking care of it, he would have earned the cub's trust just the same."

At that moment, Tuck returned, carrying a half-filled sack of low-grade magic crystals they'd gathered so far. He overheard Reilly's words and laughed it off. "It doesn't matter who has the cub, brother. We're both strengthening the power of Falcon Town. Besides, you're a mage and need a close-combat magical beast more than I do."

Rhett smiled with satisfaction at Tuck's maturity. "So, Tuck, does that mean you want a magical beast that can cast spells?"

"Of course! Father, are you planning to give me the Firefeather Eagle egg?" Tuck teased, pretending to be surprised. "Oh! Thank you, generous Father. I'll take great care of it!"

"You wish! Who said I'd give you the Firefeather Eagle?" Rhett laughed, shaking his head. "But I will make sure to find you a suitable magical beast."

"I trust you, Father," Tuck replied, his gaze drifting deeper into the forest. "I hope there's another magical beast cub in there that meets my expectations!"

Tyles, brimming with excitement, ran over to Reilly and tugged on his arm. "When this Wind-Patterned Tiger grows up, can I ride it around the territory? Having a magical beast as a mount would be so cool!"

"No problem," Reilly chuckled, estimating that the cub would need at least a few more months before it was large enough to be ridden.

"By the way, Father has a Firefeather Eagle too, right? How come you've never asked to ride it?" Reilly asked, curious.

Tyles scratched his head sheepishly. "Uh... I'm a bit afraid of heights."

…

Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye.

Night had fallen in the dense forest. The thick mountain blocked the moonlight, shrouding the land in darkness. In a small, 20-square-meter cave, the blackness was absolute.

[Real Simulation ended. Please choose one attribute to retain.]

[1. Constitution]

[2. Battle Qi]

[3. Spiritual Power]

"I choose Spiritual Power!" Rhett's eyes suddenly opened in the darkness, and he took a deep breath. He could feel that his mental state had reached a subtle, almost breakthrough point.

During the past half-month, he had used the Fate Points accumulated from hunting to perform 80 Real Simulations. This was equivalent to more than two months of uninterrupted meditation in the real world.

In the simulations, he didn't hold back, dedicating almost all his time to meditation, except for basic needs like eating and drinking. Now, his remaining Fate Points had dwindled to just over ten, but Rhett could feel a significant change deep within his mind.

Though the total amount of his Spiritual Power hadn't changed, the barrier blocking his advancement to Tier 3 Mage had noticeably weakened. It was as if the obstacle had been worn down little by little, and now only a thin layer remained between him and the breakthrough.

Howl, howl, whimper...

The soft, babyish cries of the cub pulled Rhett out of his contemplative state. Before he could even turn to look, the fluffy white tiger cub playfully nudged his side.

"Hehe, Little White, why aren't you asleep yet?" Rhett gently petted the Wind-Patterned Tiger cub, which he had named White.

White had grown quickly over the past two weeks, reaching nearly half a meter in length. Its once chubby, furless body was now covered in soft, fluffy fur.

...