Leaving the District and heading home, he retrieved the men's clothing from the chest, which consisted of a black long-sleeved jacket and pants. He dressed in them, along with gloves and a bandana over his face. Valt looked like a true Man in Black.
He did this to avoid being recognized. You never know who might be in the forest. He wasn't ready to reveal himself yet; someone reaching the level of a three-star warrior in a single day would attract a lot of unnecessary attention.
"Felix, let's go," he said to the chicken. "Our first battle is about to begin." As he finished speaking, a smile appeared on his face. He was thrilled about his first adventure.
Leaving with the chicken, they headed toward the Spirit Forest. After walking for an hour through the undergrowth, the scenery changed to an enormous area filled with gigantic green trees, invisible to the naked eye—at least for Valt.
Upon reaching the outer area, he moved toward the Spiritual Lake. Walking at a leisurely pace, without much haste, he soon arrived at a spot with crystal-clear water, teeming with fish and some animals drinking from the lake.
"Felix," he spoke seriously, pointing to the lake. "The green alligator usually stays near the edge. Lure it out and fight it. I trust you. You escaped from that woman, so show that you'll become a great bird in the future. Prove that even the ordinary can grow." Motivating his familiar, he lowered her from his shoulder.
The lazy chicken, hearing his words, felt slightly motivated, though still with a hint of laziness. Even so, she walked toward the Spiritual Lake.
Valt watched from a distance, alert to any signs of greater danger. If a more powerful beast appeared, he wouldn't hesitate to act.
Felix stopped at the edge and began observing the water with sharp eyes, as if calculating every move. Soon, she spotted a green silhouette beneath the surface. A predatory smile appeared on her beak.
With surprising speed, Felix leapt directly into the water, driving her spurs into the submerged figure. The impact was precise, and she exited the water as quickly as she had entered.
The target, a green alligator, roared in pain and indignation. Furious, it swam swiftly to the shore. Upon seeing the small chicken that had attacked it, the alligator felt humiliated for being targeted by such an insignificant creature.
Growling, the reptile emerged from the water and charged at Felix with its sharp teeth, determined to crush her. Felix, however, dodged gracefully, letting the alligator lunge past her. Taking advantage of the opening, she struck at its back, but the attack had little effect. The reptile's tough scales shielded it.
Sensing Felix's speed, the alligator stopped underestimating her. It activated its Qi, a glowing green energy equivalent to the strength of a one-star warrior.
"Felix, use your Qi too!" Valt shouted. Obeying, the chicken activated her blue Qi, and a soft glow enveloped her legs. A crescent moon symbol appeared, shining faintly.
Valt's eyes widened at the sight of the emblem. "That symbol… Is it because of Lunar Qi? Could Felix evolve into something moon-related? A lunar chicken? Fascinating…" Deep in thought, he refocused on the battle.
The two opponents stared at each other for a few seconds, studying one another's movements. Then Felix attacked with even greater speed. With her Qi-enhanced claws, she delivered a devastating flying kick to the alligator.
The blow hurled the reptile five meters away. It landed heavily, rolling across the ground and letting out a cry of pain. Despite its tough scales, they were torn by Felix's sharp claws.
Wasting no time, Felix appeared in front of her opponent like a lightning bolt and delivered a direct strike to the alligator's head, driving it into the ground. Without stopping, she continued to attack, blow after blow, on the same spot.
When Valt saw the crater forming and the alligator disappearing into the ground, he rushed to hold Felix back. She seemed to be enjoying humiliating her opponent.
Looking at the reptile, now buried almost a meter deep, Valt couldn't help but feel pity. This wasn't a battle—it was utter humiliation. "How is this chicken so powerful? She only received fifty Qi. That can't be enough… It must be the symbol. Is my ability really this absurd?"
He cast a wary glance at Felix, who wore a satisfied expression from her overwhelming victory. "This chicken is completely insane!" he thought, unsure whether to admire or fear his small companion.
Valt jumped into the crater to check on the alligator's condition. The reptile was in a pitiful state, with injuries concentrated on a few inches of its skin, as if it had been the target of surgical strikes.
"At least it's still usable. Chef Otto will like this. The cuts are already made," Valt commented, laughing nervously. One thing was clear: Felix was no ordinary chicken, and she was definitely not gentle.
Taking a deep breath, he hoisted the alligator's body onto his back. Leaping to the surface, he dropped it on the ground. He then considered his next steps: should he leave the alligator there and hunt the other two beasts, or take it with him? The latter wasn't ideal, as it could hinder his fighting.
After some thought, he decided to toss the alligator back into the crater and cover it with dirt, burying it. His plan was to retrieve it later when leaving the area.
With that settled, he departed with Felix, delving deeper into the Outer Area. According to the mission, the iron-horned bull was in the Mine. These beasts usually inhabit such places due to the high concentration of minerals. Strange, isn't it? A bull feeding on something like that. But that's the nature of the Blue Star world, where peculiar things happen frequently.