“Circle around—”

Boom!

Novus called out to Adrianne, who used her Quick Movements skill to burst with speed. Once behind Stash, Adrianne cut Stash's neck with a leaping strike. Distracted by Novus’ crimson flaming sword, Stash didn’t notice Adrianne’s strike until it was too late.

Slice!

WHO!

Adrianne’s swords ripped through the back muscle and fat protecting Stash’s vitals. But, she didn't hit any vitals as Stash rolled. Then, more black iron junk appeared in Stash's hands that they threw at Adrianne.

Boom!

Two treasures seemed to be the limit Stash could take out from his Dimensional Storage at once, but it could do so so quickly that it appeared like a bunch of magically reinforced grenades.

Boom! Boom!

How much damned treasure did those Whookes steal?

Novus complained as he ducked behind the cover of some rock outcroppings. Few remained that weren’t blasted to smithereens, and Novus suspected that they wouldn’t outlast Stash’s supply of bombing treasures.

If we don’t finish this soon, we’ll be the ones to get taken out.

Novus ran over his options.

Circle and carve out its other eye? If I launch my sword into its already injured eye, it should find its brain. I can't disrupt its bombing without taking a blast head-on, which means whatever move I make has to be quick and unnoticed.

Novus peeked, only to be met with a treasure bomb flying at him. Novus hurriedly leapt out of the way as the bomb blasted away the rock, and Stash’s oversized figure barreled through it.

Novus took out a Moonglow Mushroom and ate it for a brief spike of clarity.

"HA!"

Novus watched as Stash's attention shifted to Adrianne.

He quickly climbed, jumped off a nearby rock, and landed on Stash’s back like an acrobat. Thankfully, Stash’s layer of fat helped Novus hang onto something as he avoided their flailing arms.

Slice!

WHO!

Stash had his leg injured again as he dropped to the ground in pain. Not too far away, Adrianne shouted at Novus.

“Quick! I’ll keep him pinned!”

Adrianne slashed at Stash’s injured leg, allowing Novus to climb up towards his head. However, Stash wouldn’t take it lying down as he attempted a barrel roll that nearly squashed them both. The two quickly jumped away, and Stash rolled into some very collapsible rocks.

Thud!

WHO!

The loosened rocks crashed into Stash’s body and tore into his existing wounds, which prompted a wrathful roar.

WHO!!!

An enraged Stash, clearly not thinking straight, attempted to run towards the duo but tripped mid-way through from its injured leg. Though the duo evaded, they were far less afraid of a stumbling Stash than a treasure bombing one.

Is it finally out of bombs?

Adrianne counterattacked, and Stash fell to the ground. Novus’ aura-covered sword flared out, and he was about to pierce it into Stash’s head.

At that moment, Novus felt a sense of immense danger, and the sword heading toward Stash’s eye was quickly yanked back.

WHO!

“NOVUS!”

Time stilled in Novus’ eyes as he saw Stash pull out another treasure bomb. This object wasn’t like the others. It was a pulsating, green core the size of a palm, and when Novus saw it, he cursed.

“What kind of challenge—”

Novus didn’t have time to continue that thought. Behind him, the core lit up like Stash’s other treasure bombs. And within moments, the core let out a blast radius at least three times the size of the others and blew a hole in the ground where Stash’s body used to be.

BOOM!!!!

The explosion rocked the cave, and Novus felt the integrity of the entire area shake. Stones fell from the ceiling, and the duo shook themselves awake from the aftershock.

Cough!

Novus spat out some blood as he struggled to regain control of his limp right arm and leg. Not too far away, Adrianne was on the ground, struggling to find her balance. Suddenly, the two felt the strength of a level-up heal their systems.

Crash!

In a blur, the duo escaped the collapsing cave through the entrance that closed behind them.

Huff. Huff.

Despite having been healed, the two still seemed shaken up. Moments passed before Novus pulled himself up and looked at Adrianne.

“That was your monster core, wasn’t it?”

Lying on the ground, Adrianne hardly held the mental strength to get up like Novus.

“Yeah. An iron rank treasure that helped with your mana thing. I assumed I would need it eventually, but here we are.”

Adrianne pointed towards her roughed-up appearance. The level up may have healed their injuries, but the duo still looked like two dirty travellers.

“All blasted up.”

Adrianne sighed as she plunged into the weary ground. Then, suddenly, she heard a chuckle. She turned her head to see Novus taking out a small grey core.

“You mean like this one?”

Adrianne looked in shock.

“How— is that from Stash?”

“Well, it looks like your luck won over mine. Or maybe, it balanced us out?”

Novus looked back at the screens that flooded his eyes when he had room to breathe.

Congratulations! You have defeated the monster Whooke Chieftain, Stash. The body of Whooke Chieftain, Stash is unable to be retrieved. Reward items will be sent directly to your inventory Items obtained: Stash’s Prickly Box x1, Pseudo Mana Core x1, Copper Coins x167, Silver Coins x3,… Congratulations! You have levelled up! Health and Mana have been fully restored. The system would like to announce this achievement. Would you like to register your name in the announcement?

“No.”

Adrianne and Novus denied the system's glory message.

Novus twirled the pseudo mana core in his hand, and Adrianne quickly used her Spirit Eyes on the object.

Pseudo Mana Core

The attribute-less core of a beast that has almost condensed a true mana core. Due to the lack of a bestial will and an infusion of its own condensed mana, the core cannot correctly contain mana and will steadily dissipate.

Rank: Black Iron (High Tier)

A part of Adrianne felt regret at losing her no-doubt higher-ranked mana core from the oversized wolf. However, she felt better when she relished the feeling of looting a treasure instead.

“We’ll have to use it right now to preserve the most gains from it. You said you aren’t sure about having a core, right?”

Adrianne nodded at Novus’ words.

“Well then, it's time for some mana cultivation.”

The two quickly sat down, and Novus walked Adrianne through the basic steps. Then, he bisected the core with a slash of his aura-reinforced sword and gave half for Adrianne to hold. Meanwhile, Novus held the other half in a focused grip and changed his hand signs.

They weren’t too scared of being pestered. Any forest area with a unique monster would no doubt fend off the others, at least for a while. The fact that the whookes had moved in so closely after the wolves’ deaths was bizarre in its own way.

“Are you sure I have to make these funny hand signs?”

“Yes. Watch me.”

Adrianne watched Novus drift into his mind and activated her Spirit Eyes to monitor him. Thankfully, She faced no obstacles when she wasn’t trying to peer into Novus’ soul space.

Adrianne watched the mana flow enter and circulate inside Novus’ body. Various parts flowed like water, while others slowed and remained stuck at dead ends. She saw the ambient mana glitter as Novus sucked it in through his nose and exhaled the excess. Novus was taking in the limit his body could circulate when his hands changed signs, and the mana avoided him like the plague. Suddenly, the split core in Novus’ hand slowly shrunk. She watched as the process accelerated, and a burst of wild mana particles seeped directly into an area with one swirling crimson mana drop.

“Mmmkmm.”

Novus’ face scrunched in exertion, and Adrianne noticed the mana particles all begin to flow inwards. Despite their earlier rowdiness, the mana particles behaved under Novus’ Divine Sense. Slowly, Adrianne saw the mana change colour, rotate around Novus’ existing mana drop, and gradually form a close replica.

An hour later, and through great pains, Novus managed to condense another mana drop.

??? claps in delight.

Whew!

Novus' eyes opened, and he saw Adrianne as she mimicked his actions.

What a diligent student.

However, Novus was dumbstruck as he saw the core crumble in Adrianne’s hands.

She's leeching the mana faster than the core can physically handle. However, Adrianne wasn’t willing to give up even remnants, and the core crumbles dissipated into a mana flow that entered her body.

Was that even a minute?

Adrianne awoke in shock as she felt Novus’ stare.

“Done. Easy. My body did most of the work.”

??? claps in delight!

Novus’ shoulders slumped.

Oblivion Physique. I thought it might be related to the Oblivion Goddess, but now I’m sure. She burnt through that core in moments. Probably absorbed everything, too.

“Hello! Earth to Novus!”

Novus woke up from his thinking trance and again put his hand over Adrianne’s snapping fingers.

“Yes...?”

“Ah, you’re back. What are those things floating in my body?”

“You mean the mana drops?”

“Yeah, those.”

Novus thought for a moment and explained it as simply as he could.

“Well, let’s say that a bunch of rivers get diverted and led into the same sinkhole. Eventually, those rivers would build up a lot of water inside the hole, right? It fills up to the brim until eventually, it can’t hold any more water.”

Novus continued at Adrainne's head nod.

“The mana is river water, and the hole is your body. Your body can only hold so much mana before it spills over and begins leaking mana to alleviate the excess. So to prevent any mana loss, we condense it. That's what those drops are: condensed mana. Not only does it leave more space for uncondensed mana to enter, but you can also expand the hole that fills mana over time.”

Adrianne took a moment to think and then spoke out.

“Is there a limit? I only have six mana drops, but it feels like I could hold even more.”

Novus’ eyes glowed with envy.

“Six is great already….”

I only have three, and it feels like my body is approaching the limit.

Novus breathed for a moment before explaining more.

“It all depends on how well your body contains mana. Some talented creatures naturally condense mana, which I feel you did. Conversely, some require treasures to expand their body’s mana ability like I’ll probably need.”

Adrianne seemed pleased with herself. From the sounds of it, her talent for absorbing mana was on par with the greater natural mana-wielders.

Having discussed Adrianne’s success long enough, Novus got to his feet and beckoned her.

“Come on. We still have a quest to finish."