Central Black Tower, 99th Floor.
"Kiddo, I'll say this up front, if you get hurt, I'm not paying for your treatment," Chayle muttered as he opened a long-sealed door. Edwyn followed close behind, strapped with the greatsword he got from Saban.
Just moments earlier, he had asked Chayle if he could spar with his chimera beast to get used to his new physique and train his combat skills.
His sudden surge in physical strength had left him slightly unbalanced, but also curious.
Just how strong am I now?
As the door creaked open, a musty smell hit them.
Behind it was a room about the size of a basketball court. Scratches and bloodstains marred its walls and floors.
On one side was a crystal-sealed chamber. Chayle walked in and tossed his waist pouch outside.
This was no ordinary bag, it was a special magical pouch with three cubic meters of storage, and it could temporarily contain living creatures.
"ROAR!"
A strange growl echoed from inside the bag. A black wolf's head peeked out next.
"Close the door, kid. This is where the professor tests his beasts. Go ahead, use everything you've got. The room is reinforced, it can take it."
Edwyn shut the door, cracked his neck, and stepped into the center of the arena.
Chayle' chimera beast had now fully emerged from the bag. It looked like a large wild wolf, jet-black and sleek. Its tongue lolled lazily from its mouth as it stared at Edwyn, harmless at first glance.
"You ready, kid?"
Edwyn raised his sword, exhaling white mist from his nostrils.
With his second bloodline infusion complete, his transformation was dramatic.
His muscles, already bulky, swelled even further as his bloodline activated. He stood nearly ten centimeters taller. The black scales on his body had thickened into a full-body armor.
Before, he was like a knight in plate. Now, he was a walking tank.
"Ready, Chayle."
"Good."
Chayle shouted, and the chimera beast lunged like lightning.
Boom!
Edwyn staggered back two steps. His arm tingled from the impact, and two deep wounds bled across his chest.
Meanwhile, the wolf hadn't even lost a hair.
"What strength…?!" Edwyn stared, shocked. That gentle-looking wolf packed monstrous power. Its claws had cut through his thickened scales like paper.
"Careful, junior," Chayle chuckled. "Don't let Cookie's size fool you. Her physical stat is 39."
"Her muscle mass may not match yours, but her density outclasses you by miles."
Edwyn was stunned. That little thing had 39 body stat?
The wolf charged again, fast as a blur. This time, Edwyn was ready. He twitched his blade, the air screamed.
Wind Crow Slash.
But the wolf twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the blade's edge.
Edwyn wasn't just brute force.
A fireball appeared beside him and rocketed toward the wolf like a meteor.
Boom!
The explosion scattered flames, briefly blinding his vision, but Edwyn sensed something rapidly approaching.
Clang!
Screeeeech…
The wolf bit down on his blade, its teeth scraping metal like nails on a chalkboard. The fireball had only singed its fur.
"How?!" Edwyn's eyes widened.
Still, he didn't slow. He twisted his sword, forcing the wolf's jaws open, sparks flying from the clash. The blade now bore a row of teeth marks.
"Pretty good, huh?" Chayle grinned. "This chimera's defense can tank anything under Level 30. Unless you've got a focus staff, your spells won't do much."
"Want to keep going? Or maybe pay me to build a training chimera for you instead?"
"It's strong, I admit." Edwyn smirked. "But you're underestimating me."
A Mage doesn't conquer planets with brute strength alone.
Chayle sighed. Still so stubborn.
Edwyn hadn't even reached Intermediate Apprentice. Armed with just a sword, there was no way he could win.
"Fine, let's keep going."
He directed the wolf to attack from various angles.
Edwyn struggled. Unused to his bulked-up body, he stumbled often. Claws ripped into him again and again.
But his troll bloodline shined here.
Each wound healed almost instantly, faster than even his enchanted bracers could manage.
As the battle raged, Edwyn gradually adapted to his new form.
Clang.
Another attack, this time he blocked cleanly, parrying the claws.
Only a few minutes in, but he'd fully adjusted.
"Still going, kiddo?" Chayle called.
Edwyn smiled. "Mm, just about time to end this."
Suddenly, two fireballs appeared beside him.
Chayle raised an eyebrow, disappointed.
Under Level 30? Still useless.
Wait…
One fireball flew straight at him, BOOM!
The explosion blinded his view. Chayle' heart jumped.
"Something's wrong."
He quickly tried to sync with the chimera's senses, only to be met by flames.
And in that flash of distraction, a massive sword came crashing down on the wolf's head.
CRACK!
The wolf was smashed to the ground.
Had that been a Wind Crow Slash, it would've taken off half its neck.
"How's that, Chayle?" Edwyn walked up, smiling smugly.
Mages don't win with spells or muscle alone, wisdom is their greatest weapon.
Chayle had limited vision from the observation chamber and was remotely controlling the chimera. Edwyn spotted the weakness.
If both Chayle and the beast lost visual contact, and Edwyn moved beyond their sensing range, Chayle would lose track entirely.
A clever trick, perhaps not viable in open battle, but effective nonetheless.
"Ugh, I got careless," Chayle muttered, recalling the chimera.
"Didn't think you had that in you, kiddo."
"Haha, how else was I gonna win?"
Edwyn laughed, already reviewing the fight in his mind.
He'd gained a lot, adapted to his body, sharpened his combat instincts…
But he also saw a glaring flaw.
His gear was garbage.
A few basic enchantments, most from his entrance exam. His sword, while high-quality metal, had zero alchemical enhancements. A blank slate.
If word got out, people might think Joron neglected his students.
Edwyn rubbed his chin.
"Looks like it's time for a gear upgrade."