The fight ended just at dawn broke.

It knew it was going to die and tried escaping. It almost escaped by creating a body double. With one tentacle in the ground and putting the core in it, it attempted to abandon the bigger body and hide in that one lone tentacle. Had i not notice the trace amount of spirit still left in the core as it travelled underground we would still have been fighting the fake body that ‘died’ shortly after.

“What sneaky bastard” Gattsu pounded hard on that tentacle with a massive grumble after we managed to dig it out of ground.

Unlike most cores, this core that we now gained is very, very odd. It is not a exactly solid. We almost mistook it for something else had we not felt the spirit energy that was coming from it.

After a long debate, Gattsu made a compromise on the ownership of the core. A tier 5 core is not easy to come by. Mimick cores are rare and hard to get. Not only that, the transformative ability of the Mimick if obtained will boost the combat capability of the user. In the end, in exchange for the core, we provided them with 8 tier 4 cores. It greatly beyond the value of a typical tier 5 core but to us it is worth it.

There is just a very simple reason to it. My tree is already able to imitate various object already. (not by ability but by sheer skill)If i gain that ability as well, it would be even more seamless. The only issue would be color which any color changer type of beast will do.

After another brief debate, we and the band of the hawks decided to return after a brief rest. We barely had any sleep. 1 tier 5 is enough to keep us all away from this area for the moment.

As we headed back, Gattsu extended his invitation to me multiple times as we travelled. He could see how crucial I was as I almost literally ‘pick’ up more and more lower tier beast for breeding. A routine of scare and snare from me and Amy. Daniel would occasionally be put to work when a beast starts charging in. it was almost eye power for Joyce and the 2 others that came along with us. She was just there to help hide my ability as a spirit lord.

When we finally left the woods and got back to civilization, the people from the band of the hawk were all drooling. We had amassed more living beast than they have had in their 10 best

Hunts combined.

30 tier 1 beasts, 18 tier 2 beasts, 12 tier 3 beast. 2 tier 4 beast. And that is just those alive. We have about 3 times that dead.

The tier 4 beast was a true bonus. They were just spirit bear pups that had wandered out of their parents protection. Once they grow up they would be tier 5 beast and if lucky they may become tier 1 lord class beast.

There was nothing much the band of the hawks could do about it though, we were just too efficient. There was just no need for them to do anything.

“Hey can my band get some front row seats to watch the exhibition tournament that he will be in? He is going to be in it right? The one that is coming up in 2 months from now.”

“Front row seats? Sure, but pay up. 1 tier 2 core per person for front row seats. The viewing gallery is just cost some fragments only if you find it too expensive.”

“Urgg” after a brief contemplation, Gattsu decided to pay up it is cheaper than buying off others still. It cost 5 tier 2 cores at least at the blackmarket. They do want to find more people to join them as hunters and these tournaments are made with this idea in mind. Of course there is a separate reason as well. Betting. They have seen my battle prowess and would like to make use of the chance to make some money. I am a dark horse that they saw first hand.

“Exhibition tournament?”

I had forgotten about the tournament. It was the only time where students officially fight for their branch of the school to decide the school ranking and at the same time. There is also the lynchpin core that they will provide for the top 32. The top 32 to 17 gets a single lynchpin core of their current tier. The top 16 to 9 gets 1 lynchpin cores 1 tier above their current tier. The top 8 to 5 gets 1 lynchpin cores 1 tier above their current tier and 1 lynchpin core of their current tier. The top 4 and 3 gets 2 lynchpin cores 1 tier above their current tier. The 2nd place get 2 lynchpin cores 1 tier above their current tier and 1 fruits worth of filler cores of their current tier. The top gets 3 lynchpin cores 1 tier above their current tier and 1 fruits worth of filler cores of their current tier.

Each tier has their own battle so it would be rather interesting to watch.

Tier 0 vs tier 0. Tier 1 vs tier 1 all the way to tier 4 vs tier 4

Tier 3 and tier 4 are battles between teachers. It is more of a show than battle

As it is an exhibition tournament, the top 4 of each tier will get to battle it out after for additional rewards. The reward varies from person to person. It is about talent and it only looks at that.

Knowing that i am already behind others of my age in terms of level, getting top position would be very important to me. Most of those that are nine and manage to stay in the school are at least at tier 1 3 fruits already.

I am still at tier 1 0 fruits. I got lots to work on to catch up to them. Not to mention that i need at least 5 times more core than others to gain a fruit. Hopefully i will get enough lightning gonzales by the time of tournament. I am trading 1 tier 3 core for 30 tier 2 and 1 tier 3 core for 5 tier 3 king gonzales. A very tempting offer for the people at the mercenaries guild. Not many people want lightning gonzales even though it is good for the speed type. The issue with it is that the odds of gaining the speed aspect. The multiplying aspect tends to appear more often than the speed aspect. I want both aspect so it works for me.

Reaching back at the school, I headed to the mercenaries guild. 2 lots of tier 2 cores. No kings yet. Give it a week or so and I should have it. With that I paid the 2 tier 3 cores and left. It is quite a win win situation for the farmers, hunters and I. 1 is rid of pest, 1 gets fame and a good core payment and 1 get his needed filler cores. I am overpaying them anyway. It would need at least 40 lightning Gonzales core to trade for a tier 3 core. If it were any other non pest tier 2 core it would only take 5 cores at maximum. Pest cores are just that worthless.

With my tier 4 covered thanks to the mimic, my tier 3 core as that unknown core from the cave. I am missing a tier 2 core. Contemplating since leaving the woods, i posted a new request.

Tier 3 core with poison, numbing, paralyzing aspect. 50 needed

Payment: 20 tier 2 filler core per core.

Tier 3 leader type core with poison, numbing, paralyzing aspect.

Payment: tier 3 defensive magic shield

With these 2 set in place, i am all ready for my tournament.

Or at least that is what i thought.

Upon stepping into combat class, I realize I had missed out on too much combat experience. I have plenty of combat techniques in my head. But that did not mean i am able to perform them. Spending the day fighting the people around, i was steadily gaining my battle reflexes. I emded up gaining the nickname “relentless”. i would end up “visiting” Alice many times a day just for a quick recovery before rushing back for another quick battle. The defensive hate me and the offensive love me. The support class would play about a game of tag. I would be the one to catch them. They need to evade my attack or block my attack with their own tree. There is even a wall of fame as to how long they lasted before they got caught by me. The longest lasting was 3 minutes and 28 seconds. It was by a tool user. She uses a mirror and she would direct light at me and blind me so that I would miss her. I won by luck when she tripped as she was too focused on me. With that battle, i was reminded on the need to make use of topography.

My main annoyance was the flame element users.

Be it offensive or defensive, they would easily burn through my vine. It took a while longer to win them and much shorter time to lose to them.

At night I would spend it cultivating. It is the only benefit of not being able to sleep. While waiting for the king lightning gonzales, 2 weeks later, i used up all 60 cores. Sadly, I could not feel the limit coming up.

Heading to the mercenaries guild I picked up more of my needed cores.

5 sets of cores and 2 sets kings. That is 7 tier 3 cores. With the previous 2 I have used up a total of 9 and I have 5 left only. After splitting the loot from the hunting trip I gained plenty of cores but it seems that I am using cores as fast as I am gaining cores.

I cancelled the filler core request knowing that it would be useless for me. I kept the king lightning gonzales thinking to use them as filler cores instead. No point wasting time with the normal filler cores if i am unable to level up with them already.

Checking with the staff on how many more groups of hunters are hunting the normal lightning gonzales, there were 8 more teams who picked up the job. This sucked from my point of view. I have 5 cores left to trade and there are 8 more teams.

Not a very good sign. Not having a choice i got a little thick skinned i headed to Amy for help.

After many “konks” on the head, Amy hand me another 10 tier 3 cores. I could have gotten them from Joyce but if i did, she most likely would have cancelled my request and put a more tempting offer than what i put up. She would most likely put the new request at about 1 tier 3 core for 25 lightning gonzalez and 1 tier 3 core for 3 tier 3 king gonzales or something along those lines. Mother hen can be scary for the wrong reason more often than not.

With everything settled, i headed for more combat practice.