Chapter - 25
Jennifer Lysander
Age: 19
Level: 1
Strength: 23 (+1)
Endurance: 20
Speed: 18 (+1)
Iridium: 68 (+3)
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Cassia Varro
Age: 19
Level: 1
Strength: 16
Endurance: 20
Speed: 15 (+1)
Iridium: 115 (+5)
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Both Jennifer and Cassia had grown stronger since the start of the year. They'd pushed their stats up probably through rigorous training, proving that even in a school full of promising students, they weren't just here to coast. Cassia's focus on Iridium, now towering over the rest of us, indicated that her talent for magic-based combat was being refined to a terrifying edge. Jennifer, meanwhile, had invested in raw physicality—her Strength and Speed increases were clear evidence of that.
I'd kept an eye on Tiberius and the four women in our year who made up the academy's "main cast," so to speak. Their stats, as expected, had improved, but nothing had skyrocketed the way mine had. Boundless Ascension, and that first quest I'd completed, had given me a powerful leap ahead. 'I can't underestimate them, though,' I reminded myself as we moved through the forest.
As we ventured deeper into the woods, shadows thickened, and every rustling branch seemed to signal another creature waiting to ambush. Jennifer led the way and Cassia kept close, her staff at the ready, while I brought up the rear, my axe prepared to strike.
In just an hour, we'd already encountered and slain enough creatures to reach the academy's minimum requirement of ten kills. Each encounter felt like a different lesson. Some creatures were smaller and nimble, requiring quick strikes and careful footwork; others were larger, brute beasts that took everything we had to bring down. After every kill, we worked together to slice them open, extracting the tags the gods had embedded in them. Each tag held a point value based on the creature's difficulty, that we had to submit at the end of the trial, and every one we collected felt like a small victory—but also a reminder of the lurking dangers.
I kept up surprisingly well, considering Jennifer and Cassia's obvious edge in experience and natural skill. My Frozen Spear skill especially helped in taking down the larger of the monsters we faced. As we went on, the atmosphere between us shifted. There was a grudging acknowledgment there now—an unspoken understanding that, if nothing else, I could hold my own. Cassia had even lost her usual grimace while talking to me, a small gesture, but I noted it.
As we hacked our way through the dense underbrush, the dark trees finally thinned, giving way to an open clearing, and we caught sight of the far edge of the forest. It was a relief to see the openness ahead of us. But it was what lay beyond the clearing that captured our attention.
Off in the distance, a beam of pale blue light shot up into the sky, visible even through the surrounding landscape. It pulsed like a heartbeat, steady and mesmerizing.
"That must be the exit," Jennifer said, her tone clipped but laced with anticipation.
Cassia nodded, her gaze fixed on the beam. "Well, at least they're not making it subtle."
Jennifer nodded once and set a brisk pace toward it, Cassia and I falling in step beside her.
We pressed forward, drawing closer to the towering beam of light marking the exit. We were nearly there when a low, rumbling growl echoed through the clearing ahead, halting us in our tracks. My stomach tightened.
A monster emerged from the shadows, its monstrous frame blocking our path. It was huge—muscles rippling under scarred skin, its lion-like body equipped with a pair of leathery wings, a scorpion's tail arched high over its back. It was a manticore. The creature's eyes glinted with a vicious intelligence as it zeroed in on us, baring rows of sharp teeth that looked ready to shred anything in its path.
Jennifer wasted no time, drawing her sword. Cassia shifted back, her staff and knife ready as she prepared to assist. The manticore let out a ground-shaking roar, charging forward with claws tearing through the dirt.
Jennifer darted to the side, narrowly avoiding a massive swipe. She shouted, "Iron Tempest!" as her sword repeatedly flashed in an arc, cutting into the manticore's flank with a blow that caused it to snarl in pain. But its thick hide absorbed much of the hits.
"Cassia!" Jennifer called out, evading another vicious swipe. The manticore growled, eyes narrowing as it refocused on her.
Cassia muttered an incantation, her hand blazing with arctic blue fire as she raised her staff. "Boreal Flame!" she shouted, sending a freezing burst toward the beast's face. The manticore roared as the cold fire engulfed its eyes, blinding it for a moment. The flames left a trail of shimmering frost, slowing it down as it shook its head, momentarily dazed.
Taking advantage of the creature's momentary disorientation, I decided to test something that had been simmering in the back of my mind. I'd only used 'Insight of the Observer' to analyze the stats of classmates, but what if it could work on monsters, too? Could it reveal their weaknesses or something else useful?
No better time to find out.
"Insight of the Observer," I whispered, feeling a surge of energy pulse through my eyes as the skill activated. My Iridium drained sharply as my vision sharpened, honing in on the manticore.
Text flickered across my vision:
Frostborne Manticore Detected
Level: 1
Movement Pattern: Prefers Leftward Lean in Attacks
Weak Point: Joint between Tail and Spine
Weakness: Base of Tail
Iridium used: 10
--
The words faded slightly, just enough to let me focus on both the creature and its newly exposed vulnerabilities. My heart raced with a blend of excitement and relief. This was just what we needed.
"Jennifer! Cassia! It has a weak point at the base of the tail—focus your attacks there!" I called out, grinning as I realized just how much of an advantage this skill could bring.
Thankfully, the two didn't doubt my words; convincing them while still locked in combat with the monster would have been a problem.
Jennifer adjusted her stance, her gaze shifting toward the creature's tail. Cassia nodded, eyes intent as she prepared another attack. "I'll keep it distracted," she said, stepping to the side.
The manticore shook off the frost, lashing its tail dangerously close to Jennifer, who rolled out of its reach. Cassia's voice rang out as she raised her staff high, the blue glow intensifying. "Glacial Shroud!"
A wave of icy energy erupted from her staff, coating the ground in frost. The manticore slipped, its footing uncertain on the ice, claws scraping frantically for purchase. I seized the moment, gripping my axe tightly and charging toward the monster's rear. Raising the axe high, I aimed for the joint where the tail met the spine, swinging down with all my strength. The blade struck with a satisfying crunch, partially severing the joint. Blood sprayed, and the manticore roared, thrashing in pain as its tail dangled, crippled but not completely detached.
"Jennifer, now!" I called, stepping back as Jennifer dashed forward, her face a mask of concentration. Her sword flashed as she brought it down with surgical precision on the weakened joint, severing the tail entirely. The manticore let out a tortured roar, stumbling as blood poured from the wound.
Sensing this might be our final opening, I moved to the monster's front and summoned the last of my Iridium reserves. "Frozen Spear!" I shouted, forming two spears of ice. I hurled the first spear, but the manticore managed to dodge it. The second spear, however, struck true, sinking deep into one of its eyes, causing the beast to screech in agony as it staggered blindly.
Jennifer saw her opening, her stance low as she prepared her final attack. "Radiant Strike!" she called, and her sword flared with brilliant light. In one powerful motion, she drove it straight into the manticore's open maw. The blade cut deep, severing the creature's jaw and driving up toward its skull, extinguishing the last flicker of life in its eyes.
The manticore collapsed with a heavy thud, its body limp and lifeless. Jennifer withdrew her sword, breathing hard, her face and clothes spattered with the creature's blood.
"Nice work," I said, catching my breath. Jennifer smirked, giving a satisfied nod, while Cassia simply exhaled, watching the last remnants of her ice dissipate from her staff.