Level Up

I took out the magic core I acquired earlier. It was only the size of the thumb, but it should be enough to bring me to Level 3 of the first step.

I closed my eyes as I absorbed the mana inside the magic core at the same time absorbing mana from the surroundings. The absorption was fast, it was after all, a manual from the last stages of the last few years. Mana circulated within my body, strengthening my bones, flesh and skin. It also circulated in certain paths as to optimize the pathway and make it easier for mana to flow through.

And what was this for? It was for the secret techniques unique to every manual. A manual is composed of two parts, the body tempering part, and the secret techniques. If a manual was lacking one of the two, then it was considered incomplete or fake.

After an hour of cultivating, I managed to go beyond expected and reach Level 4 of the First Step.

I then exited the hiding place, as it was now time to hunt those that followed the one which chased after us.

...

Trolls were known to be vengeful creatures. If someone ever kills a troll, a special scent would unknowingly stick to the murderer. This scent involuntarily enrages trolls as they would chase the marked one with all their might.

And this behaviour was present in the new variant.

'That's why they should be around here searching for me.'

I wasn't sure about Lina's fate, but I didn't really care if she dies. I just wanted to save her earlier, and I did. She was the one who strayed from my side.

THUD! THUD!

As I was searching, I heard loud footsteps, it seems there are two this time.

'Good, this should push me to Level 6'

As one progresses in levels, the amount of mana they needed to Level increases by a large margin. As such, twice the amount of cores wasn't even enough to raise me levels two fold.

I waited in ambush as the variant trolls managed to smell the enraging scent in me. They rushed at me with reckless abandon as I materialized Arkenvalle.

One of the variant trolls threw all its tentacles in a punching manner, while the other raised its two arms as it prepared to slam at me. However...

"Sorry but, I'm different from before!"

I had gotten stronger, faster, and coupled with my combat experience and quick reflexes made it easy for me to cope with them.

I avoided the tentacles as I dashed to the troll that raised its arms. I then slashed at its leg, cutting it from the knee and cut the other. Before it fell down, I cut its tentacles from its base as I evaded yet another tentacle punch that was incoming.

GROOAAAH!!!

'One disabled.'

I threw Arkenvalle to the remaining troll as it landed in its eyeball. The troll held its face in agony while Arkenvalle then disappeared as it reappeared in my hands. I kick the ground as I left a crater in a dash and beheaded the variant troll who had let its guard down. It fell on the ground with a thud.

THUD!

'One down. Now to finish the other one.'

I looked towards the other variant troll as I saw it crawling away from me, as if afraid. The dark purple blood painted the ground as it desperately sought to live.

Without letting it suffer anymore, I rushed towards it and beheaded in a single slash.

I then collected their cores, and returned to my hideout.

... ... ... ... ...

After cultivating with the two cores, I managed to Level up to Level 6 without much problem.

'I guess I could take on at least four variant trolls with this.'

Well, even if I do encounter 4 of them, I wouldn't actually bother taking them all head on. I'd rather pick them one by one. Experience had told me countless times, greed wouldn't lead to anything good. Well, unless you're lucky.

I left the hideout once more as I hunted the variant trolls which just kept coming as the smell of their dead brethren steadily accumulated.

Keep it coming, variant trolls, I welcome more magic cores with glee. Hehe

And so, after a week, I finally managed to break through Level 21.

...

During my previous life, I only managed to survive the onslaught as I went directly on this forest and did the same tactic I was doing now.

Back then, however, I left the forest after a few days and didn't gain any Level as I didn't have any Guidance Tome with me.

Guidance Tomes to be precise, were secret techniques from the Ancient Martial Era and it taught exactly how to practice the moves within and how to forge a body optimized for the art.

Anyway, the number of variant trolls entering the forest had sharply declined as I seem to have killed too much within this one area. Instead of attracting the variant trolls, it had the opposite effect as the thickness of the smell probably warned that something dangerous in here.

Well, it's not like I have any problem not encountering variant trolls. In fact, I was getting sick of them already as I was yet to start properly practicing with the secret techniques of the Void Severing Blade Manual.

And just so happened, the amount of variant trolls entering the forest had been abysmal so it was my chance to practice, and use the remaining variant trolls as practical practice dummies.

"Hm? Come to think of it, I'm getting a bit hungry."

Having higher levels in the path you treaded, means having less needs for sustenance. Such, I didn't get much hungry due to the consecutive Level ups the past week.

It can't be helped. For now, I'll find some food. And speaking of food, I shouldn't count on this forest too much as it barely had any fruit trees in here. And even if there's any, I doubt they're bearing any fruit.

Then, to the village it is then. Or what's left of it.