Have it all

Two weeks later…

There was a heatwave in the moist but desolate air, with the sound of rippling water running in the distance. Ancient trees rose from the ground, blocking sunlight like many giant hole-filled umbrellas. Only a few spots of sunlight could be seen on the swampy lands.

The Desolate Wilds covered an enormous area.

Some regions were barren with no vegetation, and others were lush and green. There were dark energies present and many dead-looking trees. However, the entire area was closed in by tall ancient trees too thick to let the sunlight in. These wilds were dark and damp even in the daytime. The Desolate Wilds was full of vicious beasts. Even desolate beasts and tricksters made their appearances deeper in the wilds. Some also reached the fifth and sixth levels.

A sixth-level trickster had strength equivalent to 9 AP! This was a terrifying level of advanced power. As the warriors, thieves, and trade caravans crossed the Desolate Wilds daily, they knew that the high-level beasts only appeared in particular areas.

However, those at the lower levels were totally vagrant.

Vicious beasts are animals that can absorb and refine the spiritual forces of the earth. As a result, they are far more powerful than the animals who can't. Once a vicious beast's strength surpasses the ninth level, they will evolve into either a trickster or a desolate beast.

Traders wouldn't encounter danger if they stuck to their routes unless they encountered thieves. However, the warriors and soldiers often dived into dangerous areas, looking for challenges, treasure, or lucky chances.

As they say, go big or go home. Higher risk equals higher reward. Any warrior who managed to kill a desolate beast of the fifth or sixth level would immediately become a rich man once he sold their nascent demon cores. Each trickster or desolate beast had a nascent monster core inside its body, filled with the essence of their strength. The monster core was useful to warriors, alchemists, and blacksmiths. Especially the masters.

As far as killing a trickster of that level to obtain their nascent god cores, or anything else, it was unlikely. Tricksters were far more challenging to deal with. When a ninth-level vicious beast with a twilight bloodline reaches level 10, they start evolution into a low-level demigod beast. These beasts possess superior intelligence, but they lack their own complete demigod physique. For survival, they are forced to take on the form of others to obtain the 'life force' required to condense a monster core by collecting enough of a god beast bloodline.

On the other hand, vicious beasts who reach level 10 but don't have a god beast bloodline will be classified as desolate beasts. Desolate beasts possess comparable strength to tricksters, but not the intelligence. Instead of a magic core, desolate beasts absorb death force to form a demonic core. Condensing a demonic core allows the desolate beast to change its physique into that of a demonic beast, bringing them one step closer to becoming a demon that's able to produce Laws.

Apart from the monster core, its fur, fangs, bones, flesh, and poison were all valuable to a greater or lesser degree. These beasts were basically walking treasures to experts! This attracted the bravest warriors and soldiers, and occasionally even nobles to adventure in the Desolate Wilds. Unfortunately, most of these people wouldn't achieve their goals or gain benefits. Many people who have no prior experience underestimate the craftiness and strength of these beasts and pay for this mistake with their lives.

Deep in a valley of the wilds, Jody was wearing custom black armor made of special materials that outlined his muscles, with a Seven-Colored Serpent design on the chest. His shoulder-length dreaded black hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back. He was currently seated on a branch high in the trees. This branch was so thick that Jody felt he could do a couple of back flips and likely still not fall off.

Next to him, perched on the same thick branch, was a giant and indomitable looking man wearing the same kind of armor as Jody. This was the Left-Hand of the Frozen Night Master, Hughes Song.

Isis was finishing up her assignment, so it was currently Hughes' duty to oversee Jody's training. His primary priority, of course, was to prevent Jody from recklessly endangering himself again. Jody was okay with this arrangement, as he didn't like fighting in front of his mother.

Hughes observed his surroundings for a while and heard the sound of rapid footsteps in the distance. He spoke to Jody in a voice full of deep bass, "Okay young master, your chance is coming. It's two first level Earth Spirit Bears! Defeating these vicious beasts will be your next task."

"Got it. Watch this, girly man!" As Jody finished speaking, he hopped right off the branch into the dead bushes and grass ten meters below.

Hughes rolled his eyes at this obnoxious kid.

He couldn't pummel the brat anyway, so Hughes wouldn't let his mind be affected.

Jody landed on the forest floor in a small cloud of dust. The pupils of his sapphire eyes went vertical as [Pharaoh's Law] manifested on his head, and the [Cosmos Revolving Grimoire] appeared in a flash of purple light. The grimoire flashed open to the second page, and a magic circle lit up on the ground next to Jody as a violent barrier of light covered his form.

A fierce, blazing pillar of emerald fire erupted from the magic circle, transforming into a massive three-meter tall wolf with sleek, metallic black fur. Serenity runes adorned both sides of its muscular body, while a striking two-meter-long black angel wing sprouted from its right shoulder. Hovering above the wolf was a wispy, pale golden celestial ribbon that seemed almost otherworldly, like a shimmering hologram. Etched into the ribbon were intricate symbols representing destruction and the laws of the sky, scattered in a chaotic yet mesmerizing pattern.

This was Jody's combat guardian, the Cosmos Devouring Sky Wolf! Sylvester sat on his hind legs and stared straight ahead as if this entire world were beneath his notice.

Hughes' eyes went wide looking at this big wolf!

Hughes had been guiding Jody's practice for four days now, but this was the first time he had seen the boy summon his artifacts since he previously ranked up, "So that is the legendary Sky Wolf. Imposing indeed. Even scarier is that this kid can summon his combat soul to fight for him at the Sophomore rank. The ancient grimoire, the summoners path. Interesting…"

The trembling on the ground increased in intensity and two giant grey bears, with bulging muscles that appeared to be made of stone, and an earthen rune on each of their foreheads, pushed through the trees to peer down at the boy and sky wolf. These Earth Spirit Bears were standing on their hind legs at nearly twelve meters tall, making Jody feel like he had to fight a stone building and not a bear.

"Listen, kid, if we both use your origin forces, you won't be able to sustain the summon for more than an hour," came Sylvester's indifferent voice to Jody's mind via telepathy.

"Do I even need to use mana?" shrugged Jody. "Have it all."

He stomped his leg and shot forward!