The two didn't stop searching for beasts to hunt because max insisted that they should hunt more so that they can sell all of them later taking advantage of ataraxia's inventory wherein everything you put inside will stay as it is even if years go by
Later on the two saw a gecko as big as half that of a human body up a trunk of a tree seemingly waiting for a prey that it can eat. This beast is called Gyrzar it looked just like your normal gecko but larger and has this colorless spots around its body. This gyrzar is still young and young gyrzars are actually quite troublesome for young and newbie adventurers because of their invisibility. Gyrzars are actually beasts that has pyrokinesis, the invisibility ability will be lost in exchange of the pyrokinesis when it entered adolescent
The two fasten their pace and when they are almost near it xia slowed down and told max that
"This is mine" xia said as he then speed up knowing max heard and understand him
Max slowed down until he eventually stopped at and sat a nearby tree's root watching the surroundings carefully for beasts that might interfere with the oncoming fight
Xia would fight the gyrzar alone
When ataraxia got near the location of the gyrzar, the beast looked at ataraxia sensing if it could take down the enemy before it
Seeing the beast didn't backed down it seems that the beast didn't sensed any mana from ataraxia which is true since he really didn't have mana but that doesn't mean he can't fight
Although the beast knew in its instinct that hunting down prey that doesn't have mana is a waste since it wouldn't help them grow stronger it still would hunt them just not that often by eating them as snacks
The gyrzar immediately lunged at ataraxia which the latter saw as an opportunity to use his Time Sphere but didn't used at the last minute since he wants to know how much did he improved in his training and also to see where his body's limits lay without using any ability
Ataraxia also lunged at the gyrzar and readied his sword in its sheath when the two is in range the gyrzar shot out its long tongue severely underestimating the enemy in front it thinking that since it doesn't have mana it cannot do anything
Xia then unsheathed his sword as he intended to cut down the long tongue of the gyrzar
Sensing danger the gyrzar immediately retracted its tongue back but its too late
The tongue of the gyrzar was cut at almost at its tip since the gyrzar was able to retract it back minimizing the damage but still too painful for the beast immediately creating a noise that a gecko would do
Xia didn't stop there as he immediately lunged at the noisy gecko
Acting in pure instinct, the gecko sensed that the enemy that cut its tongue is getting nearer, this made the gecko angry and mad that it would do anything to devour and tear the seemingly trash enemy
The gyrzar looked at ataraxia then it slowly became transparent like it was never there, seeing this xia thought that the gyrzar's abiliy is invisibility, he immediately pushed his senses at its limit to try and sense where the beast is
Looking around, xia sensed something fast moving at his back, he immediately looked there but he didn't saw anything then he sensed it again at his back but didn't see anything
Xia felt pain from his back when something clawed at it making him grimace as he fought away the pain he is feeling trying to sense where would the beast attack next
Xia was then thrown away when something slapped at his lower back sending him to a nearby tree making him cough blood from the force and impact
He immediately looked at his previous place but the only thing he can barely saw is a tail
Xia tried to stand straight and he did showing what he trained for this past month if its him back in his first week this kind of damage would already made him use his ability but right now is still bearable
With his back in the tree to reduce his blindspots he focused again this time on the blood that may have been caught at the claws of the gyrzar
Xia with eyes closed then focused on the movement and sound of the wind, and the plants around him, calming down his breathing as well as his whole body making himself one with the forest
He is making progress but then the beast decided to attack again when it saw that its prey has closed its eyes
Xia this time was able to dodge the attack of the gyrzar but still can't attack because of the swiftness of the beast
This continued on for more than ten minutes and by then xia already has cuts and wounds all over his body while the gyrzar also has few since in the ten minutes that has passed xia was able to sense the beast better than before
Xia after dodging the attack of the gecko closed his eyes again, calming his erratic breathing, focusing on the movement and sound of his surroundings and making his self one with nature
The beast saw that its prey closed its eyes again just like what is happening in the last ten minutes, the beast is a lot more wary than before since up until now it can't kill the prey in front of him when it thought it will be easy since the prey doesn't have mana
The Beast by instinct instead of attacking at the prey's back just like what happened ten minutes ago, decided that this time it would attack in front
And this is the decision that the gyrzar would regret forever
Sensing the abnormal whistling of the wind in front of him as well as the movement of the plants and vibrations of the ground, xia readied his sword as he then kneeled in his place dodging the beast while also unsheathing his sword as he cut down the beast in half
Blood spurted out of the beast as xia unsheathed his sword looking and thinking about his progress this past month
His body is much stronger than before
Senses, control and instinct is sharper now than ever
Swordsmanship as well is better
He couldn't believe that he can kill advanved grade beasts now without using his ability, if its before he wouldn't win not even a chance without using his time
Happy with his strength xia then put the body of the beast into the inventory as he walked to max with his usual poker face
Max nodded at xia as they then go to the nearby stream to wash of theirselves of the blood after that they immediately left not wanting to stay any longer lest they attract stronger beasts with the scent of blood
Arriving at the house they immediately took out one of the beasts they hunted which they cleaned and cut from before leaving the stream and cooked it for their dinner
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Xia is now laying in his bed thinking of what happened in their hunt
Seeing that he is getting stronger is exhilarating and it made him want to train more
He can't wait to start their training again tomorrow and get stronger again