Freya looked slightly confused by the sudden question, but she answered nonetheless,

  “I learned that in the academy.”

  “Which academy?” Ren asked.

  “The Kingswell Academy. You probably haven’t heard of it. It only accepts members from the Kingswell family and people closely connected to them, so it’s fairly closed off.”

  Ren’s eyes narrowed slightly. The Kingswell family was a noble house. Of course, noble houses had countless members and branches. Freya might not necessarily be someone important in the hierarchy. Still, it was surprising.

  How did dad know something that’s only taught in a noble academy? Ren wondered silently.

  Freya noticed his expression.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked.

  “No, nothing like that.” Ren shook his head quickly. He decided not to mention his father. Instead, he returned the conversation to their current situation. “If those Striped Gazelles were migrating, it might be connected to the red sky. But we can’t really do anything about that. What we can do—"

  He pointed toward the direction the herd had originally come from.

  “—is go that way. We might find the thief who stole your equipment. Of course, if that monster turns out to be too strong, we should retreat immediately.”

  “Let’s go then,” she agreed without hesitation. “They didn’t just take my weapons. My toolkit was there too. Without it, rebuilding my armor and equipment will take much longer. If we want to survive in this place, we need everything we can get.”

  “Then let’s move.”

  The two of them began heading deeper into the forest, following the direction the herd had come from earlier. After a few minutes they encountered another Striped Gazelle. This one was lying on the ground, barely breathing. Its body was covered with deep wounds, and it clearly did not have the strength to stand up.

  Freya glanced at Ren.

  “You should take this one. Your level is lower than mine.”

  Ren nodded. He raised his hand and fired a Water Bullet. The spell struck the gazelle’s head and ended its suffering instantly.

  A notification appeared.

  [Level 7 Striped Gazelle killed]

  [769 days lifespan gained.]

  [1433 EXP gained.]

  Ren noticed something interesting. He had received the full amount of experience. If another awakener had injured the monster earlier, the experience would have been shared. In that case he would have received only a small portion. But that was not what happened. That meant the creature that injured these gazelles was not an awakener. It was a monster.

  Ren and Freya continued forward. As they moved deeper into the forest, they came across several more gazelles. Some were barely alive, while others had already died from their wounds. Each of them had similar sword-like injuries.

  Ren finished off the surviving ones while Freya kept watch. The pattern was becoming clearer. Something had attacked the entire herd.

  Ren’s mind worked quickly as they walked.

  Either the creature is extremely strong… Or it has some kind of advantage that prevents the gazelles from fighting back.

  He glanced upward at the trees again.

  An airborne monster? Or something that lives in the trees and attacks from above?

  If the creature could climb easily, that would also explain how the thief disappeared earlier after stealing Freya’s equipment, and why the Striped Gazelles couldn’t fight back.

  After about half an hour of careful movement, they decided to stop for a short break.

  “I will meditate. I need to convert my EXP,” he said.

  “I’ll keep watch in that case,” she replied.

  She stepped a few meters away and began scanning the forest carefully. They both knew that if they eventually encountered the creature responsible for attacking the gazelles, they needed to be at their best.

  Ren closed his eyes slightly and focused inward.

  Status, he said in his mind.

  [Name: Ren Buttowski (Level 6)]

  [Class: Mage]

  [Elements: Wind, Water, Earth, Fire]

  [Spells: Wind Surge, Mana Zone, Wind Bullet, Water Bullet, Earth Bullet, Fire Bullet]

  [Talent: Heir of Demonic Magic]

  [Strength: 9 / Agility: 11 / Constitution: 11 / Mana: 0 (sealed)]

  [Free Stats: 2]

  [EXP: 6896]

  Ren studied the numbers with mild amusement.

  I have almost sixty-nine thousand EXP. That would convert into sixty-eight stat points.

  It was a ridiculous amount for someone summoned yesterday. Most newly summoned awakeners would struggle for days just to gather a fraction of that. If he wanted to, he could immediately spend all that experience and go on a massive leveling spree.

  He started meditating. Only two minutes had passed when a sudden movement broke the stillness.

  Freya reacted instantly.

  She drew her saw-sword and turned toward the sound above them. Ren opened his eyes halfway through the meditation and shifted his focus upward just as a black blur dropped from the branches overhead.

  Metal clashed. A heavy sword collided with Freya’s weapon, sending a sharp ringing sound through the forest. Freya’s knees bent under the sudden impact. For a moment it looked as though she might be forced down to the ground, but she managed to hold her position.

  The creature standing before them looked like a massive black chimpanzee. It was nearly two meters tall, with thick arms that bulged with muscle. Dark, coarse fur covered most of its body except for the face and parts of its chest where patches of tough grey skin were visible. Its shoulders were broad and powerful, and its hands were large enough to wrap completely around the hilt of the long sword it wielded. Despite its bulky frame, the monster moved with frightening speed.

  Freya shifted her stance quickly. Instead of pushing against the sword directly, she changed the angle of her weapon and adjusted her balance. The sudden change caused the monster to lean forward slightly.

  Freya stepped in immediately and drove an uppercut into its jaw.

  The blow was solid, but the monster barely reacted. Its head moved only slightly as if the impact had little effect. In the next instant the creature grabbed Freya’s arm with its free hand. Its grip was crushingly strong, and it was already preparing to throw her aside.

  A Water Bullet struck the side of its head. The impact snapped its head to the side, but the monster did not release Freya. Instead, its eyes immediately locked onto Ren. At the same time another Water Bullet formed around its head, wrapping tightly like a sphere of liquid. The monster reacted quickly. It let go of Freya’s arm and swatted the spell with its hand. The water did not disperse. Instead, it remained wrapped around its head like a dense shell. Rather than panicking, the creature instantly dashed toward Ren. It had already identified him as the source of the attacks.

  Ren had anticipated this reaction. He fired the charged Water Bullet he had prepared earlier, but the monster twisted its body mid-step and dodged the attack with agility that didn't match its size. The projectile slammed into a tree behind it.

  The creature closed the distance quickly and swung its sword toward Ren’s neck. Its speed was terrifying. It was only slightly slower than Freya.

  Ren had already activated Wind Wrap Spell. The moment the sword came down he threw himself backward, using the enhanced movement to escape the strike.

  The monster grinned as it saw Ren posture broke while retreating. From its perspective, Ren had placed himself in a terrible position. He could not recover fast enough to dodge the next attack.

  The creature raised its sword again. Before it could strike, two arms wrapped tightly around its waist.

  Freya had dropped her weapon and lunged forward.

  “Ahhh!” she roared as she lifted the monster and slammed it backward into the ground with a powerful German suplex.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  The impact shook the earth slightly.

  The creature’s body was incredibly tough, and the throw itself did little damage. However, the sudden collision forced the air out of its lungs. At that moment the monster instinctively tried to inhale. The water sphere around its head forced liquid into its mouth and nose. It began choking.

  Ren and Freya both understood that a creature with such high constitution would not die from suffocation that easily. Still, the sudden lack of air disrupted its concentration.

  Freya took advantage immediately.

  She rolled over the monster’s body, locking one of its arms while pressing her weight down onto its shoulder. Her other hand struck its wrist repeatedly, trying to force the creature to drop the sword.

  The monster’s grip was incredibly strong. The blade did not move.

  Freya changed her tactic without hesitation. Her fingers shot toward the monster’s eyes. However, the dense Water Bullet surrounding its head slowed the movement slightly. That tiny delay gave the monster time to react. Its free hand clenched into a fist and slammed into Freya’s side. The force of the blow sent her flying several meters away like a rag doll.

  Just as the monster tried to rise, a Fire Bullet slammed into its chest, forcing it back down.

  The creature roared in pain as the burning projectile struck its thick fur. The intense heat scorched the hair and seared the skin beneath it. For a brief moment the monster felt as if the inside of its body had begun to boil.

  Another Fire Bullet formed nearby. The monster rolled to the side, dodging, and sprang to its feet. Its eyes scanned the forest rapidly, searching for Ren.

  In the fraction of time it took to locate him, Freya had already returned. She crouched low near the monster’s feet, hidden within its blind spot. Her leg muscles tightened. In the next instant she exploded upward, driving a punch directly toward the creature’s throat. Her movements were swift and decisive, as if the blow to her ribs earlier had not affected her at all.

  The monster reacted by swinging its sword toward her side. Neither of them backed down.

  Then the creature realized a problem. Freya was too close. The sword did not have enough space to deliver a full strike.

  The monster twisted its wrist and redirected the blade, turning the hilt toward Freya’s ribs. At that exact moment a Water Bullet struck its wrist. The impact forced the sword arm backward before the hilt could hit Freya.

  Freya’s punch landed cleanly on the monster’s throat.

  The creature roared again, coughing violently. As it struggled to breathe, more water entered its airway. The combination of suffocation and accumulated injuries was beginning to take effect. Dark spots flickered in the monster’s vision. Before it could recover, a charged Water Bullet slammed into its leg. The force of the attack made it stumble.

  Freya moved instantly. She climbed onto the monster’s shoulders with a movement as smooth as a snake coiling around its prey. Her legs snapped tightly around its neck.

  With a roar of effort she twisted her body, trying to break the creature’s neck.

  The monster raised its sword again, attempting to stab her.

  A Fire Bullet struck its wrist. The burning projectile hit the same area that Freya had already damaged, and then had been hit by a Water Bullet earlier. The flesh sizzled under the heat, and the creature finally lost its grip on the weapon.

  The sword fell to the ground.

  Instead of reaching for it again, the monster drove its palm into Freya’s thigh. The impact made her muscles tremble with pain. She clenched her teeth hard, refusing to scream, and tightened her legs even further around the creature’s neck.

  The monster staggered toward a nearby tree, trying to smash her against the trunk. Before it could reach it, another Water Bullet struck its knee. The creature stumbled again. Its breathing was becoming weaker. It had already used too much energy while suffocating inside the water sphere.

  The monster dropped to one knee and grabbed Freya’s legs. Its fingers dug deep into her flesh as it attempted one final desperate move, trying to tear her legs away.

  A Fire Bullet struck its chest.

  By now its vision was nearly black, and the monster could no longer dodge properly. The burning spell spread through its torso like molten iron.

  In that brief moment when its strength faltered, Freya twisted her hips with everything she had left. A sharp cracking sound echoed through the forest. The monster’s body went limp.

  A notification appeared in Ren’s vision.

  [Level 14 Ironhide Goral killed]

  [1433 days lifespan gained.]

  [1453 EXP gained.]

  Freya slowly loosened her grip and slipped down from the monster’s shoulders. The moment her feet touched the ground, her body swayed slightly. She steadied herself with a hand on the ground and took a long breath. Her breathing was rough now that the adrenaline of battle began to fade.

  She moved carefully and checked her legs. The cloth around her thighs had been torn during the struggle, and deep red marks had formed where the monster’s fingers had dug into her flesh. The bruises were already swelling, but thankfully the skin had not broken. From the look of it, none of the major blood vessels had burst, and her bones seemed intact.

  Freya hissed quietly when she tried to straighten her back. The punch the monster had landed earlier had struck her side, and the dull ache there was spreading slowly. She touched the spot carefully and winced.

  “Who would’ve thought our thief was a level fourteen monster?” Ren said with a bitter smile as he walked toward her. He was breathing heavily as well. Casting spells continuously while maintaining the Water Bullet around the monster’s head had drained his concentration. Even though the fight had not lasted very long, the intensity of it had been exhausting. “How are you feeling?”

  “For someone who got ambushed by a Level 14 monster and is still mostly in one piece, I’d say I feel quite good,” she grinned, trying to ignore the pain.

  Ren chuckled softly at that.

  “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

  He studied her posture secretly for a moment. Ren had already suspected it before, but this fight confirmed it beyond doubt. Freya’s Constitution stat had to be extremely high. Yesterday he had hit her with an Air Bullet at point-blank range, and she had barely even bruised. Now she had taken a punch from a level fourteen monster—even if it came from a weak posture—and was still able to stand.

  From what he could tell, her highest stat was probably Constitution, followed by Agility and then Strength.

  “Do you think you can recover on your own?” Ren asked while glancing around the forest. His eyes moved constantly between the surrounding trees. The last thing they needed was another monster appearing while they were distracted.

  “Yes, I’ll recover. But I won’t be able to fight properly for at least half a day,” she said, testing the movement of her legs again.

  Ren nodded in understanding.

  A high Constitution not only increased durability but also improved recovery speed. Considering the monster that had attacked them, the fact that Freya could still move at all meant they had gotten lucky.

  Every ten levels, monsters experienced a noticeable jump in power. On top of that, monsters were naturally stronger than awakeners of the same level because of their physical, or mystical advantages. To defeat a level fourteen creature like the Ironhide Goral under normal circumstances, a party of four awakeners would usually be required. A balanced team with a tank, a damage dealer, a support, and someone controlling the battlefield would be the safe approach.

  This was why it was surprising to Ren that Freya fought a monster like this in close combat.

  Even if she had high stats, she was not a Martial Artist. She didn’t receive the damage, speed, or other physical bonuses that a Martial Artists received on top of stats. Even the Martial Artists who received those bonuses would struggle to do a 1v1 against a monster, and yet Freya did just that, thanks to her inhuman combat instincts that allowed her to avoid fatal attacks.

  She really is a freak of nature, Ren smiled wryly.

  “Did you say something?” Freya glanced at him suspiciously.

  “Nothing,” Ren replied quickly.

  He bent down and picked up the saw-sword Freya had dropped earlier during the fight. The heavy weapon felt awkward in his hands, but he carried it back to her anyway and leaned it against the tree beside her. After that he knelt beside the corpse of the Ironhide Goral and began opening its chest carefully to extract the monster core.

  As he worked, Ren spoke again. “Why did you drop your saw-sword during the fight?”

  “The saw-sword is big and requires wide swings, and that monster was too fast. If I kept using the saw-sword, it would have controlled the distance easily and cut me down before I could land anything meaningful.”

  Freya leaned back against the tree while watching him work, and continued,

  “So instead I closed the distance completely by giving up my saw-sword. When I entered its range like that, it couldn’t swing the sword properly either.”

  “That makes sense.” Ren nodded slowly while cutting through the monster’s thick hide.

  Freya continued explaining her reasoning. “Also, our goal wasn’t really to injure it. We needed to force it to breathe harder. If it ran out of air while that water ball was around its head, it would choke faster. Punching its chest and throat was much more effective for that than trying to cut through its hide.”

  Ren glanced up briefly and gave a small nod.

  Now that he thought about it, the strategy had worked surprisingly well.

  Freya must have faced plenty of dangerous situations during the two months she had survived in this region. Her willingness to dive into close combat against something that could crush her skull with one punch suggested she had learned how to fight under constant pressure.

  Perhaps that was also why she had invested so heavily into Constitution.

  In an unexplored region like this, injuries were often unavoidable.

  If someone wanted to survive long enough to improve, they either needed to avoid damage completely or have a body tough enough to endure repeated battles. Since they had no healer and no reliable medicine, accumulated injuries could easily become fatal over time.

  Ren finally pulled the glowing Core from the monster’s chest and wiped the blood from his hands with the white dust Frey had before storing the Core safely.

  “Do you use these Cores when building your weapons?” he asked.

  “Yes. Monster Cores are excellent materials for reinforcing and repairing weapons. They make using Aura on weapons easier while making the structure more durable,” she replied.

  Ren almost asked her question why she called herself a Martial Artist when she was blatantly using the abilities of a Mechanic class to build and upgrade weapons. But after thinking about it for a moment, he decided not to bother. He could already imagine the answer. Something along the lines of a true martial artist understands every part of their weapon or some other philosophical explanation. So, Ren stayed quiet.

  Freya slowly pushed herself upright and secured the saw-sword across her back. She then fastened the second sword at her waist using the belt she had taken from her satchel earlier.

  “Now we just need to find the rest of my things. My armor, two daggers, a few knives, and my toolkit,” she said.

  Ren looked up at the thick branches above them.

  “They might be up there.”

  “Above?” Freya frowned slightly.

  Ren gestured toward the trees.

  “It looks like this Ironhide Goral lived around here. This area was probably its territory. That would explain why it attacked the Striped Gazelles when they entered during migration but didn’t chase them after they left.”

  Freya slowly followed his gaze upward. The branches above were massive, some of them nearly twice the thickness of her waist. The canopy was so dense that only small patches of sky were visible through the leaves. It was entirely possible that the creature had made a nest or resting place somewhere in the upper branches. If that was the case, there was a good chance Freya’s missing equipment had been dragged up there as well.

  Freya tried to take a step forward, but the moment she shifted her weight her expression twisted slightly with pain.

  “You stay here. I’ll go up and check,” he said.

  Freya hesitated for a moment before nodding. She knew climbing in her current condition would only slow them down.

  Before attempting the climb, Ren closed his eyes again briefly. He still had to convert the EXP he had accumulated during the last few battles. More stats would help him face whatever monster he find in the trees above.

  The meditation was complete in five minutes.

  [EXP: 8349 → 49]

  [Free Stats: 2 → 85]