Capítulo 45: Growth After A Year

"..Are intermediate mages supposed to be like that?"

"..."

The blonde man muttered as he asked the man clad in a military uniform beside him, as they both watched a young man fight a pride of short lion-type beasts with his bare hands.

His upper body was completely naked, showcasing his sculpted muscles tempered from hard work. Marks of claws and jaws were imprinted on his torso as blood dribbled down the man's body.

"Ugh," groans escaped Damon's mouth as his armored hand wrapped around the last remaining lion's neck, his claws digging deeper and deeper, piercing the flesh of the beast without encountering any resistance.

His other hand held onto the majestic golden mane of the beast as it struggled to break free from Damon's clutches.

"..Golden Black Demonic Lion, the smallest of the lion-type beasts found in Africa. It may be small, but its skin is one of the best materials to make defensive clothes."

"Their strength might not be the best among the primary beasts of the feline type, but still, to think a pride of them could be hunted by a human, and with bare hands... Is it possible?"

One of the mercenaries who encircled the battlefield, where the dead bodies of nine lions lay, muttered as he watched Damon holding the struggling lion in his grip.

Damon's claws dug deeper into the lion's skin as it struggled for survival. Its movements became weaker and weaker as time passed.

"You know, Evan... the biggest reason humans are so afraid of the beasts and the vast difference in our strength... it's our bodies."

David, who silently stood by Evan's side, sitting on the car's trunk as he smoked a cigar, finally spoke as he exhaled a cloud of smoke, watching the so-called training of his disciple-turned-boss.

"The strength of beasts... it's not something humans can compare to. Even advanced mages have to be careful around them, wary of the speed and strength of these abominations."

"...But then what are we looking at? How is it possible for an intermediate mage to do this? Only super-tier mages might be capable of something like this..."

Hearing Evan's questions from the side, David just sighed and took another drag of his cigar before exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

"Who knows..." David sighed as he watched Damon with curiosity. Over the past year, both Evan and David had grown closer to Damon. David had also become one of Damon's teachers, being one of the strongest advanced mages in the Crown's domain, with the elements of Space and Curse both at the advanced level, and very close to reaching super-tier.

"Maybe another one of those talents..." David, being an experienced mage who fought on the frontlines, knew more than Evan, who was in charge of managing the Domain and the group's business. Evan had become a mage only after joining the Crown group.

'Just how many talents does this kid have?' David couldn't help but shake his head as he looked at the lion in Damon's clutches, slowly ceasing its struggle.

As Damon's teacher and the one who arranged his resources and teachers, David knew more about Damon than anyone else in the world.

David, who arranged everything Damon asked for, was also one of the most trusted of Damon's subordinates, and Damon had grown to trust him over the past year. Damon had revealed the existence of his multiple awakening talents to him.

It was shocking news for David, who took measures to maintain secrecy about Damon's talents. But even he doesn't know how much actually Damon has hidden from himself.

"Damn... I wish I had something like that... Just imagine if everyone had the same talent as he does... We wouldn't have to fear the beasts anymore."

"Haha," David chuckled lightly, not hiding his mockery. "You really think so?"

"Even with physical strength nearing that of monsters, humans might still not stand a chance against them."

"The population of monsters is insane, not to mention the types they are, with natural talents and traits that humans can't even comprehend, let alone contend with."

"Monsters also don't need to chant spells or follow the rules of magic as strictly as humans do. The higher-tier ones have far more control and authority over the elements."

No one knew better than David about fighting. Before Damon approached him, David was just a small lord of intermediate level, fighting regularly on the frontlines to defend his lands from both beasts and humans alike.

With countless fights under his belt, David understood the threat of monsters better than anyone and had long given up the dream and wish to fight back against them.

Watching the fight unfold before him, where the lion finally stopped moving and gave up its resistance, David appeared lost in thought.

Moving the body of the now-dead lion to the side, David watched as Damon panted hard, his blood-covered figure resting on the ground. His chest heaved up and down as the armor that covered his hands disappeared, revealing a complex and beautiful tattoo deeply ingrained in his arm.

"Heal..."

A soft whisper reached David's ears as the wounds on Damon's body began to shine with a faint light, healing rapidly, visible to the naked eye. The wounds disappeared as if they had never been there, leaving Damon's body without any scars, though the blood still painted him red.

David got up from the car and approached the lying Damon, who seemed to have recovered from his injuries and fatigue. He couldn't help but click his tongue at the mess Damon had made before offering him a hand as support to get up.

"You're one crazy kid..." The man couldn't help but comment as he helped Damon up, causing the latter to chuckle.

"Well its all thanks to you.."

David watched in silence as Damon walked away, his muscular back, still covered in blood, facing him.

'...But if it's him... maybe we can.'

***

Oh yeah.. that's a chapter for today. Well I have released an auxiliary chapters about Characters today would update it with David too. Well for the ones wanting about the world, cultivation and all will try to release it tomorrow, and I have some things to attend to tomorrow so might not release any chapters so anyway bye!