Ch16: Beast Cores

The next day both team separated and went off hunting, Just like the day before their hunting went relatively easy with all 4 of them being very powerful for their age. Because of the relative easy hunting they decided to pick up the pace and even hunted larger groups of magic beasts which netted them a total of 102 beast cores, many of which Light elements. This made Lucas fairly happy as he netted 12 Light beast cores, Ray came out with 7 Thunder and 12 light cores as well.

When they were returning Ray asked the others if they already absorbed beast cores and just to be left more frustrated as they all had already managed to find the way to absorb beast cores before even joining the academy.

"You know this thing happened to my uncle once" Yate spoke as he followed behind them

"My uncle could not find a way to absorb beast cores no matter what he tried, he tried many different ways for 4 full years with no success. Everyone started making fun of him and because of his frustration he decided to try something no one would try, he chopped down a beast core." The other who heard him were dazed "He ate a beast core? That is as hard as metal, how did he?" Nate asked as he looked at him

"Forget about it being possible, him eating a beast core ought to make him sick if not worse." Ria spoke as she spoke looked at Yate .

"Under normal circumstances Yes, but he just bit down on the beast core with no effect, so in return he cut It in tiny pieces to swallow them, after which he did and surprisingly he absorbed them."

"Well, that is an interesting way to absorb, though not ideal since his stomach has a limited capacity and will limit his growth."

Yuki spoke as she did not even look back.

Yate had a wry smile on his face because he knew, that method was not the greatest.

Ray who heard this decided to try, though he may get sick, it is better than not having a way to absorb beast cores.

After they reached the camping site where the others already were, they traded beast cores which netted 3 thunder and 2 light beast cores. While the others were still talking he went to his tent and took out a beast core.

He tried to bite it and to his surprise it was soft, he could bite through it If he wanted to, he took it out of his mouth and saw the bite Mark's on the beast core. he once more tried to bite it and felt the beast stone melting in his mouth, he bit through it after which he swallowed it, right after he felt a warmth spread through his body.

'This does not look like it needs time to absorb, it is almost instant, doesn't this mean that I can increase my strength as long as I have beast cores?' Ray grinned after which continously ate beast core after beast core.

If anyone saw him they would be scared shitless, if someone else would try this they would explode due to excess of foreign mana inside their bodies.

The next day when everyone saw Ray they were surprised, they could feel his mana capacity increasing and the guardians even more as they could feel the increase more accurately.

This kept on hunting day after day and every day Ray would improve his mana capacity while also strengthening his thunder cloak and skills, the others however were not slacking off, Lucas created a skill of his own, he called it Berserker Fury, for the skill deal destructive damage with each punch or kick he dealt. Even the guardians were impressed by it, it had a lot of room to improve it. Ria had completed her Thunder cloak which increased her defense and offense to heights that could rival Lucas Berserk skill. Yuki was getting better at crystallizing her snow into ice with her increased mana reserves, which improved her strength. Because her family skill can only be trained when she becomes an Archmage she has no option but to wait.

A month and a half later, they were returning to the camping ground, they had to move it many times as their strength increased.

"Guys, why don't you become Archmages?" Ray asked Yate and Nate curiously, he could tell now that they were at the peek of mana capacity a normal body can hold and would need a mana mana baptism to make their bodies stronger and increase their lifespan together with a way to become even stronger.

"Because we are too young." Yate answered while nate just nodded, Nate became close to them in the past one and half month and would often chat with them.

"Huh? what has that got to do with it, aren't you guys 16 already?" Ray asked confused while the others looked at him before signing

"Ray, you know that lifespan increases as one becomes an Archmage?" Nate asked as he looked at him.

"I know that much, yes, so?"

"What do you think would happen if our lifespans were to increase now?" Yate asked him this time, hinting him at the answer.

"Then you would age slower...." Ray then perked up his eye and looked at the others as if asking for confirmation. Seeing his look Nate and Yates both nodded.

"I see, so if we become Archmages at a young age, our bodies will be In their child form for longer which will not be at its optimal for battle." Ray said before adding "and other things."

Becoming an Archmage was fairly easy, the hardest part was getting a suitable beast soul to integrate with. He finally understood why he never saw anyone young looking Archmages.

After they reached the camping ground they were surprised to see the others not being there yet, they waited for half an hour with no news and became a bit restless, they decided to go to their training spot where they found blood stains from both humans and magic cores. Before they kept looking Nate and Yate both got a message from the teacher in they district to be extra careful and told them about the situation.

"They are fine, let's go to the camping site for now." Nate said as he walked them back.

"What happened?" Yuki asked

"They came across another group, which led to a fight breaking out, the teacher was close by so he managed to come before anyone got killed. But they are all heavily wounded so they are done with the excursion." Yate said, hearing him the other were relieved and angry at the same time. Seeing their reaction Nate warned them in a stern voice "Don't even think about it, If not for two teachers being close they would not even have been able to run away." Ray who heard that dropped his head. he contemplated what he would do if he were to face them.