บท 15: Chapter 15: Big Haul! Mastery of Magic User!
Eric had now not only hunted all three of his targets, but his Magic progress had also increased again.
[Skill: Magic User]
[Progress: (310/500)]
This progress boost didn't just make Eric's Magic stronger right away; it also deepened his understanding.
In fact, his internal magic reserves had visibly increased! With each boost in progress, the emptiness he felt after releasing Magic was significantly filled.
"Maybe it's time to head back?" After resting, Eric straightened up. Now, he was definitely ready to report back to the Magic Guild.
This batch of prey had earned him 4,000 dollars!
Just one job, and he made 4,000 dollars! It only took him half a day—far more than the average person would earn in a typical workday!
"This is the difference between extraordinary beings and ordinary people," Eric couldn't help but marvel. However, after the initial joy, his expression quickly darkened.
"Although I'm happy, it's not as exciting as I thought it would be. Four thousand dollars... it just doesn't feel like that much." After visiting the Magic shop, Eric's perspective had broadened.
He hadn't forgotten that even a basic C-grade magic staff cost a whopping 50,000 dollars!
And besides the staff, Eric knew he couldn't stop improving here. Supplements, equipment, and more Magic Study Guides all required a constant flow of money!
"Extraordinary beings make money fast, but the expenses aren't small either!" Eric muttered under his breath. "Maybe I should try hunting more valuable Exotic Beasts?"
Eric's gaze shifted to his phone, browsing the website. "For example, the Furious Boar or the Steel-armored Bear. These Exotic Beasts cost several times more than a Raccoon!"
"Wait... what's that sound?" Suddenly, Eric's sharp senses picked up a noise from the nearby bushes. He immediately began moving cautiously toward the sound.
This was a lesson learned from his previous hunts: approaching prey quietly. If he revealed himself too early, it would either scare the prey away or make the hunt that much harder.
After parting some bushes, Eric froze. He was shocked to see a bear by a small pond!
A bear covered in armor—Steel-armored Bear. This was an extremely rare Exotic Beast, named for the tough, special skin it developed.
More precisely, this was a female bear. In addition to the large Steel-armored Bear, there were five or six smaller cubs around her.
Eric's heart leapt with excitement. "This is it! A Steel-armored Bear is worth fifteen thousand dollars! And with these cubs, this could total up to 20,000 dollars!"
However, Eric kept his expression neutral, doing his best to ensure that the mother bear didn't notice him. The Steel-armored Bear was far stronger than the previous Exotic Beasts he had faced. What's more, this was a mother bear protecting her cubs!
Eric also noticed a warning sign fixed to a tree nearby.
[Warning: This is the Inner Area!]
"Is this the boundary between the Inner Area and the Outer Area?" Eric's heart tightened. Brutus had mentioned that the Inner Area was off-limits and that it contained 2nd-level Exotic Beasts.
If he couldn't quickly deal with the Steel-armored Bear and the other 2nd-level Exotic Beasts were alerted, Eric would find himself in serious trouble. But if he just left, watching 20,000 dollars slip away, he couldn't bring himself to do that either.
The Steel-armored Bear, with its cubs, had its nose to the ground, sniffing continuously, seemingly in search of prey.
Suddenly, the bear seemed to sense something. It froze for a moment, then raised its head and stared in Eric's direction, its eyes flashing with anger.
"Roar!!"
The Steel-armored Bear let out a low growl.
Eric's whole body tensed. "It found me?"
Though Eric was well hidden behind the bushes, the bear's keen sense of smell was far superior. After detecting the presence of a human, the bear immediately became enraged and charged toward Eric.
"Such a volatile temper. Protective mother bear—no surprise she's so vicious." Eric knew he had no choice but to fight, but he wasn't panicking. He remained calm and began to cast his spell.
"Roar!" The Steel-armored Bear was incredibly fast. As it charged, the ground itself seemed to tremble beneath its powerful steps. It only had one goal: to flatten the human intruder into a pulp!
But just as it was about to reach Eric, the ground beneath its feet suddenly transformed. It turned into a swirling vortex of water, its powerful currents tugging at the bear's massive body, pulling it in!
The Steel-armored Bear roared in fury, trying to step out of the whirlpool. But it was like quicksand; the more it struggled, the deeper it became trapped.
"Water Sphere Technique!" Eric didn't hesitate. Seizing the opportunity, he cast the decisive blow.
The bear's tough, armored hide covered its entire body, and it was said that even bullets couldn't penetrate it. So, Eric aimed for the head.
The water sphere, like a grenade, slammed into the bear's skull, exploding on impact. The force was enough to send it reeling, and its vision blurred as its brain suffered severe damage.
Meanwhile, the whirlpool beneath the bear continued to tear and twist, its strength never relenting. The Steel-armored Bear eventually stopped struggling, its massive body finally sinking into the vortex.
A fully grown 1st-level Steel-armored Bear along with its cubs—Eric had successfully taken down all of them. For someone on their first hunting mission, this was an unbelievable achievement!
"Ha, 20,000 dollars are finally in the bag!" Eric thought to himself, his face breaking into a smile filled with a sense of accomplishment.
[You have successfully killed an Exotic Beast. Progress: +20]
[Critical hit triggered! Progress: +200]
[Skill: Magic user (Mastered)]
[Progress: (10/1000)]
[Description: A skilled Magic user with a solid foundation and initial combat abilities.]
[Effect: Deeper understanding, faster magic recovery, increased power when casting magic, and reduced time to learn new spells by half!]
The progress bonus, combined with the critical hit reward, had Eric ecstatic. He had officially reached the next level—Mastered Magic user!
Almost instantly, Eric felt a tremendous change throughout his body.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of magic experiences flooded his mind. The accumulation of knowledge had reached a tipping point, and he could now grasp techniques that would take many Magic users years to master.
His magic power had surged. Previously, after casting multiple spells, including the C-level Water Vortex, Eric had felt a significant amount of fatigue.
But at this moment, he felt completely rejuvenated, as though he had just woken up from a restful sleep, full of energy.
"Hey, brother, looks like you did well," a man's voice suddenly interrupted Eric's moment of triumph.
Eric turned around to see a tall, muscular man with red hair, carrying a massive sword. The man walked toward him and introduced himself, "I'm Red Snake."
From his appearance, Eric quickly assessed that the man was likely a Physical-Cultivation Practitioner, probably in his mid-to-late twenties, and perhaps even stronger than himself. A sense of caution stirred within Eric.
"Don't worry, I'm just here to hunt as well," Red Snake explained, "I'm a Low-level Physical-Cultivation Practitioner, a Heavy Swordsman. I've been here for a few hours, but my luck's been terrible, and I haven't caught anything yet."
Eric nodded but stayed alert, noting the man's casual tone.
"I didn't expect someone as young as you to be able to take down such a big prey. Impressive!" Red Snake said, with genuine enthusiasm, though his gaze kept drifting back to the Steel-armored Bear that Eric had killed.
When Red Snake realized how young Eric was, there was a clear shift in his expression—something more calculating, more predatory.
Eric replied coldly, without a hint of emotion, "I'm not a college student. I'm a high school student, studying at St. Cuthbert's College."
At this, Red Snake visibly froze for a moment. He hadn't expected such a big kill to come from a high school student.
"A high school student, and already a Low-level Magic user. Truly a talented genius," Red Snake said, rubbing his nose. There was a hint of jealousy in his voice, but he kept his expression friendly and complimentary.
Red Snake continued, "But little brother, such a large prey... You can't haul it out on your own, can you? How about I help you? In exchange, you can just give me a fair share of the money."
Eric paused for a moment. He had taken down such a large prey, but he quickly realized that, as a non-Physical-Cultivation Practitioner, he probably wouldn't be able to carry it out by himself. This kind of thing wasn't uncommon in the Exotic Beasts zone—people would team up, help each other out, and split the profits afterward. However, Eric was far from comfortable with Red Snake's proposal.
Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from the bushes behind him.
Eric whipped around instinctively. His hand moved swiftly, and without a chant, a Water Sphere Technique shot out with lightning speed. Everything happened in an instant!
Boom! A 1st-level Furious Boar was slammed by the Water Sphere Technique, flipping over and dying on the spot.
Eric's expression shifted slightly. He had sensed the boar just in time, and had decided to act. However, even he hadn't expected his spellcasting speed to be this fast!
"What..." Red Snake was completely stunned, his face a mask of shock. The high schooler in front of him seemed far more terrifying than he had imagined.
No chant, instant casting, and in a single strike, he had killed a Furious Boar, which was worth 2,000 dollars, instantly!
This level of power was downright terrifying!
In the next moment, Red Snake's attitude did a complete 180. His face broke into an overly friendly grin. "Uh, little brother, how about I help you carry your prey? Forget about the money; let's just be friends. You know, my name's Red Snake, and I'm well-known in the streets. My gang's reputation is unbeatable!"
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