Training

In the days following his separation from Madeline, Ren earnestly began his training in the region between Zenovia Forest and the border of Nanco, a small sovereign nation neighboring the Empire. 

Dangerous beasts inhabited the region where Ren was training, as both nations avoided stationing troops there to prevent diplomatic issues from arising. This made it the ideal spot for him to train.

He wanted to prepare himself thoroughly for the upcoming duel with Donovan and be ready for any unexpected situations that might arise.

Despite his experience as a sixth-circle mage, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could easily defeat Donovan in a duel as a first-circle mage. He needed time to adapt to his body and master the new spells he had acquired. Furthermore, it was a chance for him to explore where his limits lie.

His experience as a squad commander in House Montville proved invaluable, as he relied on the survival and hunting skills he had learned there to navigate and endure the treacherous forest. If there was one thing to complain about, it would be the sandflies constantly hovering around his face.

Concealed beneath the tall trees and bushes, Ren held his breath as he prowled on the ground. His body had stayed motionless for nearly an hour as he watched the pack of silver-fur direwolves hunting a deer that had wandered into their territory.

The deer was gravely wounded as the pack of direwolves assaulted it from all sides. Things looked dire for the deer as its strength visibly faded away.

As they prepared for the killing blow, Ren finally took action. 

With swift strides, he surged forward and raised his palm toward the largest wolf. Before the wolves could react, a large fireball materialized within seconds and was launched, engulfing the wolf Ren had targeted in scorching flames as it failed to dodge.

The wolf that was struck was killed instantly by the destructive blow of Ren's fireball. It didn't even have a chance to cry out as its corpse continued to burn with scorching flames.

Upon witnessing their comrade's demise, the remaining wolves reacted swiftly to the sudden threat that had appeared. In an instant, the wolves fanned out and surrounded Ren, leaving him no room to escape.

Once they had encircled him, all the wolves bared their fangs at Ren, leaping toward him with their powerful hindlegs, their large claws aimed at his head. If Ren were caught by any of them, he would be torn to pieces within seconds.

A pungent odor assailed Ren's nostrils as he confronted the open jaws of the wolves. Despite the peril posed by their closing distance, he remained calm and collected.

With urgency, Ren gathered all his mana into both palms and pressed them against the forest floor. Instead of conjuring a fireball, he infused his fire affinity mana into the soil and released it prematurely. This action triggered a violent reaction as his mana spiraled out of control, resulting in a powerful explosion occurring beneath the forest floor.

The powerful explosion sent surrounding soil, rocks, and vegetation flying in all directions, while the ground beneath Ren trembled heavily, effectively stopping the wolves' momentum.

The wolves found themselves injured by the flying projectiles, but largely unharmed. A larger wolf assumed command amid the chaos, and within seconds, they reorganized their formation and launched another attack on Ren, pouncing towards him. However, Ren was not finished yet.

A bright smile appeared on Ren's face as he once again unleashed his out-of-control mana into the forest ground. This time, the effect of his actions was even greater than before.

With the soil already loosened by Ren's action previously, the entire ground surrounding Ren cratered under pressure, collapsing into a chaotic mess of debris and dust.

The attacking wolves immediately found the tables turned against them. Caught completely off guard in mid-air, their bodies were thrown violently by the sudden upheaval of the ground. 

By the time they regained their footing, they found themselves trapped in the massive crater created by Ren with no ways to escape. 

While the wolves were still bewildered by their circumstances, Ren looked down at them from above. Having jumped to the side before the ground cratered, he managed to get out of harm's way.

Like a judge who was about to pass judgment, his eyes shone mercilessly as he conjured a giant fireball of immense size above his head. Resembling a mini sun radiating scorching flames, he hurled it down towards the trapped wolves inside the crater without hesitation.

Guided by Ren, the giant ball of flame traveled swiftly and crashed into the crater, exploding on impact. A deafening sound that could break eardrums was emitted as it exploded and flames were spewed in all directions. 

Before long, the crater turned into a literal hell as the inferno consumed everything in its path. The figures of the wolves vanished as the flames devoured them mercilessly. 

After burning for several minutes, the flames eventually diminished in size due to the lack of fuel, leaving only small sparks still burning.

 Throughout the entire time, the exhausted Ren observed the aftermath he had created with a silent, intense gaze. As several tendrils of pale white 'smoke' slowly rose from the pit he had created, his eyes gleamed with greed.

"Devour!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement as fragments of wolves' souls appeared before him.

With practiced ease, he reached out his hand, and as if guided by him, the fragments of souls drifted to his open palm without resistance.

Then, as the intangible souls were absorbed into Ren's body, he felt a subtle change occurring within him. He could clearly sense that his strength and agility had increased.

After throwing a punch at the large trunk of a nearby towering tree, Ren assessed the outcome of his hunt. Although he could not penetrate the trunk entirely, he left a significant mark with his punch.

Judging from the resulting damage to the trunk, he concluded that his physical condition had improved significantly. Although the enhancement was only a small fraction compared to his overall strength, the improvement was encouraging. Furthermore, he discovered that the stronger the opponent he killed, the better the results he would gain.

With this revelation, Ren promptly meditated on the ground to replenish his mana. If he could further enhance his physical strength, it would address the weakness commonly observed in many mages, particularly in close combat.