Chapter 11: The Seven-Headed Demon Goat

"Roar!"

Several kilometers away from Richard, a bizarre-looking magical beast was chasing a group of wizard apprentices.

"What the hell is this thing?" a panicked apprentice shouted. He had been resting in the forest when suddenly a horde of people ran toward him, pursued by a monstrous creature.

"Are you stupid? This is one of the beasts the academy put in the exam field!" another apprentice yelled back.

The term "magical beast" was merely a legend to them before becoming apprentices.

Legends spoke of various magical beasts committing atrocities and slaughtering countless people, only to be eventually slain by knights and become trophies of heroes.

But when these monsters emerged from legend into reality, people realized how absurd those tales were.

This monstrous creature, standing over two meters tall at the shoulder and more than four meters long, with seven heads and eight legs, could crush a squad of knights just by barreling into them.

Even more terrifying was that six of the seven heads were stitched together with thread, leaving only the central head resembling a sheep.

It was an artificial creation.

The stitched heads roared and spewed acid and flames, occasionally lowering to swallow any apprentice that strayed too close.

Amidst the chaos, some apprentices attempted spells, but panic robbed them of accuracy, and those that did land barely left a mark on the beast.

Limbs and blood, screams and roars.

The forest became a living hell.

...

Inside the central black tower of Black Tower Wizard Academy, two wizards watched the scene unfold in a crystal ball.

The crystal ball displayed the chaos caused by the seven-headed demon goat.

"Vice Principal, the magical beasts released this time are performing well. I personally crafted them, ensuring top quality," a wizard boasted.

Across from him, Vice Principal Erix, the exam proctor, adjusted his glasses and looked up:

"Jolord, you made these creatures yourself? You, the lazybones, actually crafted such trivial things?"

Jolord, the wizard, froze at Erix's words.

"Why aren't you responding?" Erix smiled at Jolord. "Just provide evidence that this isn't your apprentice's work, and I'll be your pawn in the next planar war."

"A three-ring wizard as your pawn will surely fill your coffers in the next war."

*Cough*, *cough*, "Vice Principal, let's focus on the beasts," Jolord coughed, casually shifting the topic.

"Speaking of which, why did the Principal decide to change the exam this year? Although we suffered losses last time, we gained enough not to be in such a hurry to recruit wizards."

Vice Principal Erix shook his head. "I don't know either."

Although he was the Principal's deputy, he disagreed with the Principal on this matter. Black Tower Wizard Academy's standard for graduating wizards was excellence over quantity. The focus on elite wizardry was fundamental to the academy's rapid establishment and growth, having been founded less than an era ago.

"But if the Principal decided to do this, he must have his reasons. He's a four-ring grand wizard who can directly receive messages from the Council of Truth.

We lesser wizards need only quietly follow his will."

...

As the beast's roar grew closer, Richard's meditation plans were completely dashed.

He climbed a tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening in the distance by moonlight. But before he could reach the top, a bright flash erupted from the nearby woods.

Boom!

The thunderous noise was deafening, even hundreds of meters away from Richard.

"Looks like someone used a powerful magical artifact. That beast should be dealt with," Richard thought, jumping down from the tree to resume his meditation.

But fate seemed determined to thwart him. Shortly after he descended, the hellish beast roar echoed once more, this time closer.

"Can't catch a break," Richard muttered, casting a Lighten spell and a Silence spell on himself.

While the Silence spell was of little use during the day, at night, it was as good as an invisibility cloak.

With spells cast, Richard hid in the underbrush.

He had no intention of scavenging. Though someone had injured the beast with a magical artifact, even a wrecked ship has three nails. As long as he played it safe, he could pass the entrance exam without risking his life for an artifact.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The beast's footsteps grew nearer, reinforcing Richard's decision to hide.

The heavy footfalls suggested a massive creature. If it didn't die in one hit, he would be in serious trouble.

"Roar!"

The seven-headed demon goat burst from the woods. Once possessing seven heads, it now had only three, with the other four blown to bits, leaving charred wounds.

"So this is the beast? Looks like some sort of experimental product," Richard thought, noting the thick stitches on the beast's necks.

Could this be a wizard's experiment, possibly even an apprentice's?

If this creature was man-made, could the Miracle Furnace extract the method of its creation?

If so, could he make a beast like this himself?

A hint of greedy desire flickered in Richard's mind, but reason quickly reined him in.

"No need to stir up trouble. Focus on passing the exam first."

Suppressing his greed, Richard planned to wait for the beast to leave. But then, one of the remaining heads, a wolf's, twitched.

A wolf's sense of smell is tens of thousands of times more acute than a human's, and even in a forest teeming with scents, Richard's human scent stood out like the sun.

"Awoo!"

The wolf head howled, turning toward Richard's hiding place.

"I've been spotted!"

Heart racing, Richard swapped the nearly depleted magic stone in his ice spike ring for a fresh one.

The previous owner had used up most of the stone, and this beast wouldn't fall to a single spike.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The seven-headed demon goat charged at Richard, its human prey promising a delicious meal and the best remedy for its wounds.

The beast galloped forward.

Its hooves were the size of bowls, its roar rivaled thunder, dirt and grass flew from its hooves, and branches danced in its wake.

It resembled a mythical eight-legged Pegasus, unstoppable and invincible.

But with a sudden "boom," the beast faltered, crashing to the ground. Its massive body plowed the earth like a bulldozer, creating a swath of flattened terrain.

Two meter-long ice spikes had severed its front legs.

Thump, thump, thump, thump...

Richard clutched his chest, his heart pounding like a drum, blood surging through his veins like a torrent.

If he had hesitated even a second longer, he would have been dead.

And this was a severely injured beast. Richard couldn't imagine its full strength uninjured.

Steadying himself, Richard fired another ice spike, shattering the only head without stitches as it tried to rise.

The beast convulsed for a moment before finally lying still.

"It's finally dead."

Cautiously, Richard approached, confirming the beast's death before laying a hand on it.

But the results were disappointing.

The Miracle Furnace showed no reaction to the beast.

"Did I guess wrong?"

Frowning, Richard thought for a moment before drawing his magical dagger and slicing open the beast's belly.

With magic augmenting the dagger, it cut through flesh like butter. Richard encountered no resistance as he sliced open the belly.

As he opened the beast's stomach, a wave of foul-smelling blood poured out.

Inside, the organs were visibly decaying.

Ignoring the stench, Richard reached into the beast's belly, feeling around until his fingers brushed something still pulsing.

Finally, the Miracle Furnace reacted.

[Material: Low-Grade Synthetic Beast Core]

[Extractable Skill: Low-Grade Synthetic Beast Core Creation]

[Extraction Cost: 15 Mental Power]

[Proceed with Extraction?]

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