Ozul made a deep cut at the center of the Bears chest.
It was difficult to locate but, the sight that greeted him was of a glass ball only around the size of a nail!
From outside, you could only see a crystal ball, but this little ball contains refined Mana.
Now he just has to test his intuition. Ozul picked up the Magical Core and cleaned it up before putting it in his mouth.
Generally, Humans cannot eat the Magical Cores because such a sudden supply of refined Mana can cause their bodies to explode! They usually create drugs out of these Magical Cores, which they use to restore their lost Mana.
But Ozul was neither normal nor a Human.
Ozul gulped down the Magical Core as it began to release the refined Mana inside his body. Ozul was expecting some kind of backlash, but to his surprise, the refined Mana was just absorbed in his body.
Just as he thought the process was done, A massive burst of glistening Mana was released from his body into the atmosphere.
This Mana was the impurity still contained in the so-called 'refined' Mana.
'Not so refined, I see,' Ozul thought as he began to check what changes the small amount of absorbed energy brought him.
To his surprise, it took effect on both his physical and magical capabilities! It might not be huge, but Ozul could feel that he was a tiny bit stronger than before. But the second change was what delighted him the most—his Ball of Purity got dense!
Just a tad bit more, and he might even be able to pierce the thick hide of Rank-3 Beasts with only needles! Other than the increase in density, he could not feel any other changes.
But he was satisfied nonetheless; He now had a way to increase his strength.
Maybe the higher rank Magical Core would bring even more gains.
Ozul planned to head out home after just testing his hunch, but the excitement felt from getting stronger is now swaying his opinion.
'Sigh... Grandma Carol will be worrying for me if I do not return early,' Ozul just shook the thoughts of continuing to get powerful and headed back to the direction from where he came. It was better not to let her old heart have any stress.
When Ozul came out of the Forest, it was past noon. It took him another half an hour to reach his home.
Coming in front of his house, He could see Grandma Carol slowly pacing left and right, worry written on her face. Ozul felt warmth inside him, seeing that there was someone who genuinely cared about him.
Ozul's lips curled upwards for some seconds before returning to the ever-cold expression. These years, he would occasionally let out a small smile, but even Grandma Carol had only seen him once with that smile.
Of course, that was the first time that Ozul received a head pat.
Anyways, Ozul entered the gate, notifying Grandma Carol as she looked at him, and all her worries disappeared. She smiled warmly at him and came to hug him.
Ozul let her do that as he could guess that she was quite worried.
"You did not have any injuries, right? You sure you're not hurt anywhere? Come on, tell your grandma!" Grandma Carol started bombarding him with questions.
"I'm fine, as you can see," Ozul simply replied to her as he just wanted to head in his room and enjoy the absence of sunlight for a bit.
Taking the cue, Grandma Carol reluctantly released him and also went inside. She would ask him questions later; She knew that he needed rest right now.
Ozul just slumped down on the bed and slept peacefully.
. . .
When he woke up again, he felt refreshed. The Sun had already set.
Getting out of his room, he went to the living room. He saw that Grandma Carol was still awake and just sewing a white shirt for him.
In the middle of the night, in front of the fireplace, an old lady was sewing a white shirt for her grandson—It couldn't get any more peaceful.
Ozul went forward and sat near the couch facing the window.
Grandma Carol gave him a warm smile and asked,
"So, you want to tell me about it?"- Grandma Carol wanted to know why he would put himself in danger.
"To get my 'parts' back, I have to get stronger. Killing the Magical Beasts is the only way." - Ozul explained his goal and the reason to venture into the Forest. It was a good thing that the 'Impure Mana' was just ejected out of his body; he would have been disgusted if such filth was inside him.
"Sigh... you will really give me a heart attack one of these days, young man. So, you will keep going inside the Forest?"- Grandma Carol asked the last with obvious worry.
"I have no choice."- Ozul simply answered. He really could not think of another way to increase his power.
"Then promise me that you will be safe," Grandma Carol again sighed as she couldn't think of anything to change Ozul's mind.
"I assure you that I will be fine... I will not overstep my boundaries to venture anywhere dangerous," Ozul could only assure her that he will not go to any place that he cannot handle.
Grandma Carol again sighed as she focused on the work in her hand. She really can't help but stress out thinking that Ozul will keep diving into the danger.
"This young man will be the end of me, Hu... He won't even care if I die," Grandma Carol started mumbling, but hearing the last part, Ozul narrowed his eyes, and Grandma Carol seeing that, stopped her ramblings, moving her focus back on the shirt.
This young man had shown only two emotions ever since she saw him. She adored that little smile on his face, but the narrowed eyes would just give her the creeps.
Ozul spent some time quietly before he moved outside the house to see the ever beautiful night sky. He had to think some things through.
From tomorrow onwards, he would regularly travel inside the Forest to hunt Rank-3 Beasts.
Also, it will be helpful for him if he can get money by selling the materials. For that, he also needs money to buy a space ring.
'I don't know how to separate the materials from the beasts, and with my abilities alone, I can't bring the whole corpse back.'- Ozul began to think of a way to make money.
Selling the Magical Cores is the only way. He can easily take them back to the market and make a large amount of cash. But the problem is that he also needs the Magical Cores to elevate his strength.
Ozul sighed as he had no other choice but to sell the Magical Cores to buy a spatial item first.
It is quite tricky to find Rank-3 Magical beasts in the area that he has selected. Yesterday, he took 2 hours just to locate one of them. Ozul would also not venture into a territory where Rank-3 Beasts are abundant because it means that he will also encounter Rank-4 beasts, and he was not ready for them yet.
Thinking made him quite sleepy. As usual, he was leaning against the tree while gazing at the void.
Ozul just closed his eyes, and in the next second, he was sleeping.
Unknown to Ozul, a blanket covered him just after the minute he went to sleep.
'Sigh... This kid will never listen and always come out to sleep in the open! Ah... who will take care of him if I ever...' Grandma Carol started her inner speech while gazing warmly at Ozul's sleeping face.
All this time, Grandma Carol could never convince him to sleep under a roof at night. He would nod in agreement if ever discussed but will be found sleeping outside the next night.
Grandma Carol can't help but worry what Ozul would do without anyone overseeing him if she ever passed away.
. . . . .
The next morning, Ozul woke up, feeling the harsh sunlight on his face. Today was more heated than usual.
The intense heat changed his mind to go on the hunt today.
Ozul picked up his blanket and went inside. He was going to go inside his room when he heard Grandma Carol's voice.
"Ozul, you have to do something for me today. Please go out to buy vegetables. And while you're at it, why not have a chit chat with kids around your age? Try making friends with them," Grandma Carol said the last part in an almost pleading voice.
Buying the vegetables was just a ruse. Her real intentions were for Ozul to make friends of his age.
Listening to her, Ozul paused for a moment before he actually nodded his head and immediately went outside.
These days, Ozul would usually comply with most of her requests.
Walking on the streets, Ozul could see the same bustling town with annoying noises here and there. He sped up his pace, and in several minutes, he was standing in front of the vegetable stall.
Ozul quickly bought the vegetables and did not heed the later part of Grandma Carol's request. He did not require any friends. What could he do with them? He was fine without any of those so-called friends.
It took Ozul just 20 minutes to buy the vegetables and return home.
Seeing him here so quickly, Grandma Carol sighed at her umpteenth failed attempt in making Ozul friends with kids his age.
The rest of the day went by like usual, Ozul just kept sleeping and would wake up only to eat.