The more he thought about it, the more it annoyed him. Cultivating was incredibly simple and most of the process had become second nature to him. Circulate Altaris, then use the excess to strengthen his Altar. He already circulated his Altaris while in battle, so now he only had to master infusing the excess Altaris into his Altar to the point that it was second nature as well.

Going through the process a few times, he already felt very familiar with it. So, he decided to see if he could do cultivate while splitting his focus to do something else.

Opening the comprehensive Altaris manual, he picked up where he last left off. When reading the first few words, he felt the cultivation process change, his Altaris still circulated but it no longer infused into his Altar. He had shifted slightly too much of his focus.

He didn't feel any frustration as this was still a big step forward. Restarting the process, he looked around the camp lazily, letting his gaze rest on each of the kids for a moment before moving on. A smile began to form before slowly morphing into a grin. It worked.

After testing for a few minutes he found that he could multitask, cultivating while performing basic actions and with simple thoughts as long as it wasn't too intensive or required too much focus. This confirmed his assumptions and sparked excitement. With enough practice, he would be able to cultivate nearly every moment that he was awake, instead of a single hour per day. Reading, exercising, conversing, and most of his responsibilities could be taken care of while cultivating. Though, anything requiring Altaris was likely off the table, for the near future, anyway.

He continued to absorb and assimilate the energy within the beast core while observing his surroundings as practice. Observing the kids, he realized that the ones absorbing the energy couldn't do so with the same ease as he was. Each of them had their eyes shut and their bodies were still, requiring their full focus.

'Guess I was wrong.' He thought with a raised brow. He had believed that the kids might have already figured this method out and had been employing it early on, leading to their current cultivation levels, but Jay's performance told him otherwise. He didn't think too much on the issue and swapped his attention to Obruo.

The pup was lounging beside him groggily, ignoring the remaining seven beast cores. 'And this punk. He is always so voracious for beast cores, but has only eaten six?' This was slightly surprising, but the most likely reason was that Obruo could only absorb so much energy at once. Six cores absorbed, even in a day's time, was absurd.

'Wait... How many cores has he consumed now?' He wondered. Including the six, it should be around twenty cores by now. He couldn't be sure, as thinking too deeply might break his cultivation, but he was positive that it was fifteen or more. 'Surely he would have undergone some sort of change or evolution by now.'

He was far more knowledgeable now than he had been on his first trip. He now knew that all animals could form a core and evolve into a stronger form, which they referred to as beasts. They just needed some way to obtain energy to form their core, sometimes they absorbed it from a natural treasure or the core of a dead beast.

Obruo eating beast cores made sense, but the amount absorbed without noticeable change didn't. Even under the assumption that they lost some of the absorbed energy due to low efficiency, surely ten or more would be enough...

Feeling his 'passive' cultivation fail again, he restarted the process and let the issue go for the time being. Obruo would evolve eventually, and even if he didn't it wasn't a big deal. The pup was family and would get the treats when he could afford them regardless if they helped him grow stronger or not.

A content sigh escaped his lips as he gazed around, he felt freer than he had in a very long time. For once, he could find the time to relax and enjoy nature and the surroundings, there wasn't anything more important that he should be doing.

A few hours passed in relaxation before, around midday, the others finished with their daily cultivation.

"Are you feeling well enough to continue hunting?" Jay probed, feeling antsy after resting for too long.

Kade nodded "I'm good to go. Ben already healed the worst of it." His muscles were still sore, but that wouldn't prevent him from doing what needed to be done.

"Alright, let's get to it then!" Jay hollered with some excitement.

They had developed a routine after so many days, which made the most frequent and mundane tasks fly by. Even when it came to hunting they had a system in place, Jay's team would hunt together while Kade kept watch and prevented any accidents, and vice versa when it was his turn to hunt.

Today was no different. They first searched for a beast, they had specifically ventured deeper into Detrius to find this hunting ground which was filled with beasts at every corner, resulting in very little time needed to find the desired prey.

Kade took position on a tree branch roughly twenty meters away and spectated while cultivating. Jay's team would have the first hunt, unlike before he didn't have much left to teach them and they stood to gain far more from personal experience. This was a welcomed development considering his newfound ability.

The team started out with the first formation again, but this battle proved more difficult. They weren't fighting a weak rat this time, this beast was far more robust and required them to pace themselves.

In the end, they won without having to change formations, allowing them to further train their teamwork with the first formation. They received a few injuries, allowing them to understand the value of a healer and what they were capable of with a proper strategy.

"That was smooth, boys!" Jay exclaimed through labored breaths.

"I'll say." Trey replied with a large grin "We kept control the entire time, The beast couldn't do anything."

Jay nodded "This is the fruits of our labor. Two months ago we had to run from a lizard. Today, we fought a bear head-on and dominated it. As long as we keep putting in the work we will continue to grow stronger. Maybe one day we will slay a dragon!"

Kade cracked a grin at the speech and the subsequent cheering, their emotions were affecting him along with his own pride as their mentor. They were advancing at a rapid pace, he didn't doubt that with time they would grow into a fierce team and though he never really thought of them as an investment, he felt lucky to have them join FwD.

"Got the core." Cal said before tossing the small crystal to Jay "Let's go get another!"

Kade chuckled as he shook his head "You better curb that excitement, the next one is mine."

The group set out again with renewed vigor, navigating the woods was a breeze, and finding a second beast was simply a matter of walking in a straight line for ten minutes.

Kade eyed the Mantis twenty meters ahead pensively. This was the first insect beast he had come across and its size seemed exaggerated. It was nearly two meters tall with blade-like limbs, otherwise, it resembled a praying mantis in every other way.

If this beast was anything like the Earth counterpart that it resembled, then it shouldn't be exceptionally fast. Overall he was confident that he could handle the beast, the question was how he would fight it.

As a mage, the most common method was to bombard the target from a range. Such a style was both safe and effective while his spells, with the exception of Armament, synergized well with the style. However, he felt that fighting from a longer range didn't take full advantage of his skills, nor did he enjoy it as much.

'Screw it. What matters most is my own style and what suits me best.' He decided. He was fighting solo right now and didn't have to worry about his actions affecting anyone else, any mistakes would be suffered by him alone.

Casting Armament he summoned the same chain he had fought with before. He began casting spirit chains, his casting still hadn't returned to max proficiency but the beast hadn't spotted him yet so he had plenty of time.

The moment the spell formed he cast it forward as he sprung out. A light blue apparatus formed at his back before he was launched forward into the air by a surge of wind, rapidly gaining speed and closing in on the beast.

Right after spirit chains landed, he lashed out with the chain in his hand and used the control provided by armament to make it wrap around one of the bladed arms of the Mantis. Spirit chains kept the beast locked in place as his momentum carried him past, pulling the Mantis's arm back.

As the Mantis's arm was pulled back it created resistance from the beast's struggle, which Kade used in conjunction with another wind surge to propel himself to the other side of the beast. He flipped in the air before giving the chain some slack and flicking his arm, causing the loose section to wrap around the Mantis's other arm.

Casting wind surge for the third time, he sent himself behind the Mantis and landed on its back. He had managed to trap the chain under his left foot, increasing the length of travel and pulling the Mantis's arms back.

Finally, a white fireball formed in his hand as he raised his palm at the back of the beast's head. At mere centimeters, the beast had no chance to dodge and Kade certainly wouldn't miss.

The result was anti-climatic. The beast was bound even though spirit chains had worn off and could only chitter in pain as its life ebbed away, the fire burning on its head reaping its life. For good measure, Kade buried his knife in the beast's head before dispelling armament.

"Holy... Dude. That was so fucking cool!" Walter exclaimed as the team ran over.

Jay, Cal, and Trey all seemed to share the same opinion. Ben, however, looked both confused and disdainful.

"Why didn't you just cast the fireball from a range? You could have used that arrow spell too. Both would have been more simple and reliable than the flashy display." Ben stated, pointing out all of the obvious flaws.

Kade shrugged "I won't lie, part of the reason was that it felt good and looked cool. The other reason is that I realized being too rigid has consequences too. Casting from a range won't always be effective and I need to hone my skills at fighting in close quarters."

This wasn't an excuse. He learned from his battles and the mistakes he made during. His fight with the moose was one of the biggest eye-openers. He realized that the moose had a weak body and wasn't good at fighting close range, had he just changed his style and relied on speed he could have avoided being caught off guard and injured.

He also had to factor in enemies with a higher intelligence that would actively dodge or block his spells, employ tactics to counter ranged casting, or try to take advantage of his weakness in melee combat.

He wanted to be well-rounded as a cultivator, capable of fighting at any range and with multiple methods so that he could make the most of any situation.

"Wouldn't it be easier to join a team that can make up for your weaknesses?" Ben asked, pointing out the obvious solution.

Kade raised a brow "Does joining a team mean that I shouldn't continue to work on myself?"

"Well, sort of. I'd want to spend more time focusing on fulfilling the role my team needs." Ben replied.

Kade shrugged. He once had the same idea and opinion, but he learned from his mistakes. He was confident that his new outlook was the correct one, even in a team setting.

Pulling out his knife, he deftly worked to harvest the beast core, pulling out a crystal less than a minute later.

"On to the next target."

...

"Haaa, Haaa" Panting heavily while glancing from left to right.

Two large hyenas were circling him with thick, viscous slobber danging from their sharp teeth. Obnoxious cackles rang out continuously, taunting him.

Pulling the length of chain in his hand, he prepared himself for the next clash. He couldn't run, the kids were fighting a tough battle behind him. He had to stand and fight, no tricks, no terrain advantage, just a head-on battle.

After circling one more time, one of the hyenas lunged forward with an open maw. Spinning his body, Kade flicked his wrists to send the loose section of chain between them toward the beast's jaws. Casting wind surge, he launched himself over the Hyena while using the chain to arc around to the opposite side.

His brows locked as he spotted the second Hyena already poised to intercept his landing. Raising his left leg, he brought it down like an axe with the full momentum of gravity on top of the beast that was trying to take a bite out of him.

Intense pain radiated from his heel after the impact, The Hyena didn't get off free either, it yelped in pain or possibly surprise.

Supporting himself with his right leg, he pulled his left into his chest as a spell trace formed at the bottom of his foot. Extending his leg again, a cylinder of water blasted out and struck the stunned Hyena, sending it stumbling back a few meters.

Turning his gaze back to the first Hyena, he was preparing himself for anything. The chain gave him some indication of the beast's actions, so he knew that it had stopped fighting the chains. The moment his eyes fell on the Hyena, he ducked, narrowing avoiding its teeth.

Opening his left hand, he released the tail of the chain while retreating a few meters before reeling the chain in. Working quickly, he wrapped the tails around his forearms repeatedly, shortening the chain considerably and securing them to his arms to free up his hands. Once finished, two meters of slack chain remained between his arms.

Pulling his knife from the sheath on his belt, he dashed forward. It was his turn to engage! One of the Hyenas lunged forward to meet him.

Raising his arms, he pulled the same move as before and put the slack section of chain between its jaws. However, his feet remained firmly planted on the ground. Tilting his head, he dodged the bite and used the force flowing through the chain to assist as he stabbed out with his knife.

Grasping the Hyena's thick fur with his left hand and pulling himself close, he used his right to force the knife to slide across the beast's neck. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain followed by intense pressure on his left arm.

Quickly glancing to the left he found the second Hyena with its jaws clamped onto his upper arm, tearing at his flesh and threatening to crush the bone. It shook its head violently, sending waves of pain coursing through his body.

"ARRRG" He growled in pain.

Releasing the knife, he brought his right arm under the first Hyena's body and aimed his palm at the Hyena munching on his arm. He didn't have much time, his left arm was losing strength rapidly and he needed his right to control the first Hyena.

A Procyon sprouted in his palm and rapidly grew to full size before he unleashed it. Ignoring the results, he immediately returned his hand to the knife and gripped it tightly. The Hyena released muffled cries but refused to release his arm.

'Damn...' He thought hatefully while grinding his teeth. This was the problem with low-level spells, and more specifically fire. Though fire could do a lot of damage after prolonged exposure, it took time.

Kade's mind raced as he ran through his options. He could dispel armament and use his knife to deal with the second Hyena, but that would give the first one too much freedom and could come back to bite him in the ass, literally.

Another choice was to endure the pain and finish off the first Hyena. He already had it subdued, all he had to do was finish cutting its throat. With any luck, the second Hyena would release him due to the pain from Procyon.

His brows dipped and his gaze sharpened. His choice was made, he wouldn't abandon the progress he had made in this fight!

"You want to play that way?!" He roared "I can bite too!"

Stretching his neck, he opened his mouth wide before chomping down on the beast's snout, sinking his teeth in and biting as hard as he could. He stared into the beast's eyes from centimeters away with defiance.

It was a comical but brutal sight.

He growled like a wild beast as he exerted strength in his right arm to pull the knife across by a few more centimeters. Rocking the knife back and forth while fighting against the struggle of the beast, he did everything he could to force the knife forward.

The timer had started. He had to finish off the first Hyena before he faltered due to the agony of the second's bite. He wouldn't be able to recover if he failed, and he held no hopes that the second Hyena would release him.

The seconds ticked by, his knife slowly creeping across the Hyena's throat, a stream of blood following in its wake. He couldn't see his arm but he knew that it was mangled beyond belief. Fatigue was building up rapidly, he felt dizzy and the only thing keeping him conscious was the constant pain.

'Guess this is it...' He thought numbly 'At least I've taken these two down with me.' He consoled himself. He was moments from finishing the first Hyena, and even if the second didn't succumb to Procyon, it would likely die to another beast.

Suddenly, he spotted a shadow rushing toward them. With insane speed, it leaped and flew through the air before slamming into the second Hyena.

Kade grinned, his teeth still buried into the beast's snout. 'Guess it's not my time.'