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Power. Thats what all mana beasts want. At least the ones that live long enough to know what power is. It's what I've spent my whole life chasing ever since I was a mere kitten. Though Lunar Leopards are never truly just mere kittens.

By the 2 leggeds standards of classes even the cubs of my race start at the B class. Most don't get passed AA, but some like myself eventually reach the S class after countless battles. I've killed many pointy ears, many round ears and even man of the short legs.

My power has grown to such that mana beasts and 2 legged alike flee on site, if they even get that close. However despite all that I still haven't achieved the evolution I desire. The ascension to an even stronger predator.

The mages or whatever they call themselves may think I'm the strongest, but I know that not to be true. I've seen true apex of this world. The Asuras.

They tend to take human like forms but I know that they have bestial backgrounds. Dragons, Phoenixes and many others. That is my goal and I won't stop until I achieve it.

However my time is short. My power doesn't wane but I can feel my body reaching its limits. Another year and I would pass on. I do not know what comes after this life, whether I start again or if nothing happens. I'm not willing to risk such a fate.

That's why I've devised this plan to condense all my power into my core and form my core early with as much of my strength as I can. Then I will dominate whatever 2 legged attempts to claim my will!

Yes. This is my plan and it's why I've moved myself to the edge of the grand forest that has housed me for so many years. Most of the mana beasts are slain before they reach this point and the other stronger ones never leave because of the abundance of mana in the depths of the forest. Where they can grow stronger.

Now I will take my first steps out of what they call the Beast Glades and enter the forest of the pointy eared mages. Elves I think they call themselves. I guess I'm going to need to learn these 2 legged races names if I'm going to be living amongst them.

A dense fog engulfed this forest and I could feel the misdirection and the influence of it trying to confuse me. But experience in tracking and my superior senses kept me from wandering in circles.

A few hours in and I finally found what I was looking for. Well not exactly. I came across a lone male child elf. He was hesitantly making his way through the forest, but he seemed like he knew where he was heading.

I could tell that his core had not formed yet, something that I found odd as we mana beasts were born with working cores. Though I did know that this wasn't uncommon, after all while stalking the mages I had them talking about the age they formed their cores or the family members forming their cores.

I couldn't imagine being so weak, but no matter. I have spent my entire life growing stronger, so perhaps a vessel that hasn't formed their core yet will be better. Besides I smell the element of wind on the boy. One of the 2 elements I don't have. Being a Lunar Leopard I was born with power over Water and Earth mana even acquiring their higher forms of gravity and ice. All of my race gains these abilities once breaking into the AA class. Adding another element could be just the thing I need to grow stronger.

I crouched low as approached the elf. My pure coat giving off a faint glow from the amount of mana I was condensing. The glow seemed to catch the boys attention and I could see my golden yellow eye reflected in his terrified greens ones.

"Be calm elf." My voice came out strained and rumbled, causing the boy to shiver.

"I have chosen you to accept my core and beast will. Allow me to live on inside you. My power is more than you can imagine." My words were not exactly wrong, but I didn't tell him anything about him having control when it's all over.

"B-b-but I haven't formed my core yet." He stuttered as he trembled in front of me.

"That doesn't matter since I'm choosing you. All you need is to hold my core and concentrate on it. My power will do the rest in pouring into your body." I responded.

"Will I be strong? Will… Will the Princess notice me even though I'm an orphan?" He asked and I restrained the smile from forming across my feline lips.

"Yes."

That word was all it took for him to nod and begin to approach me. I began the finishing process and soon I felt my vision grow dark and shrinking sensation as my body condensed into a core.

It was terrifying feeling basically being powerless, I just had to hope I had chose right. I couldn't see around me but I was still conscious and and feel my surroundings to an extent.

I felt the elf boy pick me up and I could feel the small bits of mana flutter around him as he began to focus all he had on my. I couldn't suppress the giddiness inside of me as I latched on to it much like I would use my claws to latch on to prey.

I felt him recoil and try to pull away but it was already too late. I poured my mana into him and slammed my consciousness against his. It soon became obvious his body wasn't strong enough to withstand this sort of attack and I felt the boy fade.

His body fell to the ground and I quickly began to form his core. However as I did his memories began to floods into me. All 5 years of his life as an Elven orphan, sneaking in to get peeks of the Elven Princess Tessia Eralith.

His life growing up in the orphanage, his parents having dropped him off as they went off to become adventurers. He hadn't led a bad life, it seemed that he had been well taken care of inside this place.

But I didn't care about that, I just focused on forming his core. Slowly losing consciousness and falling into a deep sleep. Little did I know that I was going to be moving far sooner than I expected.

"Hey boss, look! Another little Elven brat, and this one is taking a nap in the forest!" A lanky man said as peered down at the body of a young elf boy. Though the boy had pure white hair and was covered in sweat.

"I don't care if he was jumping through the trees, pick the damn kid up and throw him

In the back!" The leader shouted. The lanky man quickly following his command slung the kid over his shoulder and tossed him into the cage.

"Now. That Elf girl can't have gone far. Load up and let's find her."