The Endless Void stretched infinitely around Lennon as he floated silently through the dark expanse. His cold eyes scanned the area, seeking the faint magical signatures of his prey. Magical beast cores were vital for his advancement—each contained condensed energy and insight into the mysteries of magic. The stronger the beast, the more valuable its core.
Lennon's wounds from his encounter with the Threxian Warlord had healed, but the humiliation of that near-death experience lingered. It was a harsh reminder that power was the only currency that mattered in the Void.
Lennon soon locked onto a series of signatures clustered together. He navigated through the floating debris of shattered worlds until he came upon a massive crater-like plane. Inside, a group of **Void Fangs**—vicious, serpentine beasts—gathered around a shimmering pool of volatile energy.
Each Void Fang was a Level 3 beast, and their scales glistened with innate defensive magic. This would have been a challenging fight for any ordinary Third-Circle Magus, but Lennon had no intention of letting them overwhelm him.
He raised his staff, his expression void of emotion. The first beast lunged at him, its fanged maw glowing with dark energy.
"Third-circle spell: **Netherstorm Bastion**."
A storm of dark energy erupted around Lennon, shredding the Void Fang mid-air. Its body disintegrated into ash, leaving behind a pulsating core. The other beasts hissed and coiled, preparing to strike.
Another charged from his left, its tail lashing out like a whip. Lennon moved with precision, sidestepping the attack and retaliating immediately.
"Third-circle spell: **Oblivion Spiral**."
A vortex of destructive energy spiraled outward, catching two of the beasts. They writhed and screamed as the energy tore them apart, their cores falling to the ground.
Lennon's breathing was steady, his focus unbroken. He pressed on, dismantling the Void Fangs one by one. Despite their numbers and coordination, they stood no chance against his relentless assault.
After collecting the cores, Lennon left the crater and continued his hunt. The Void was vast and teeming with life, but the further he ventured, the more dangerous the beasts became.
Days later, he found himself before a colossal, crystalline forest. The trees radiated a faint blue light, and the air was heavy with magical energy. Somewhere within lurked a **Skelarian Titan**, a Level 4 beast known for its overwhelming strength and regenerative capabilities.
Lennon knew this fight would not be like the others. The Skelarian Titan was a predator of predators, and unlike the Threxian Warlord, it had no sense of pride or reason. It would simply crush anything in its path.
As Lennon stepped into the forest, a deep rumble echoed through the crystalline landscape. The ground trembled, and the massive form of the Titan emerged from the shadows. Its body was a towering mass of chitin and crystal, its glowing eyes fixed on the intruder.
Lennon's grip on his staff tightened as he prepared for battle. The Titan roared and charged, each step shaking the ground.
"Third-circle spell: **Graviton Collapse**."
The Titan's movement slowed as it was caught in the crushing gravitational field, but it resisted fiercely, forcing its way forward. Lennon unleashed another barrage of spells, each one precise and calculated.
However, the Titan's sheer resilience was overwhelming. Even as Lennon's attacks carved chunks of crystal from its body, the wounds regenerated almost instantly. It retaliated with devastating force, sending shards of crystal flying through the air.
Lennon narrowly avoided a fatal blow, but a sharp fragment struck his side, tearing through his armor and drawing blood. He gritted his teeth, refusing to let the pain distract him.
This battle was unlike anything he had faced before. Despite his power, the Titan's regenerative abilities and raw strength were a level beyond his current capabilities.
Lennon quickly realized that prolonged combat would only lead to his death. With a calm yet ruthless calculation, he made his decision. He activated one of his few remaining trump cards: a **Temporal Step Talisman**, a relic designed for swift escape.
A temporal ripple enveloped him as the Titan's claw came crashing down. In an instant, Lennon vanished, reappearing miles away at the edge of the crystalline forest. The Titan roared in frustration but made no attempt to pursue.
Lennon stood there for a moment, his hand pressed against his bleeding side. His face remained stoic, but his mind was already analyzing the encounter. He had underestimated the regenerative power of a Level 4 beast and paid the price for it.
Back in his hidden sanctuary, Lennon spent the next several months recovering from his injuries. The Titan's attack had left him physically weakened, but his determination remained unshaken.
Once his body had healed, he shifted his focus to spell creation once more. He needed stronger spells, techniques that could tip the scales against more powerful opponents.
After months of intense study and experimentation, Lennon successfully crafted two new spells:
- **Third-circle spell: **Void Barrier Fortress**:** A powerful defensive spell that could absorb even the most devastating attacks for a limited time.
- **Third-circle spell: **Chaos Void Spear**:** A high-penetration offensive spell designed to bypass regenerative abilities and strike directly at an enemy's core.
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**End of Chapter 10**