The first ray of sunlight fell on the ground. A pleasant smell was originating from the greenery. Smokes were still coming out from the furnace but the heat was clearly put out.

"Bang!"

Max punched the earth mold and it crumbled under the might of his fist. What remained was a shiny silver staff.

Max took the staff in his hand. The staff look ordinary. But if one looked closely, they would realise that the top of the staff was a bit different. It was actually a holder made to place a spear head.

Yes, it was a spear.

"I will use it as a staff until I find a good material to cast a spear head."

Max suddenly moved and executed several moves like striking, scooping, penetrating, pulling, twisting, cracking….these were few of the moves that he remembered like the back of his hands from the weapon mastery skill.

"It's time….", Max mumbled as he looked towards the forest.

….

In the grassy plain towards the north, a small herd of Red Horned Deer was grazing quietly. These beasts were one of the most docile one unless provoked. They could grow up to the peak of the Ferocious level. It is said that even the stronger beasts would avoid them due to their sharp horns.

At this moment, the ears of the beast perked as a sound entered their ears. But there was nothing in the surroundings.

"Bang!"

"Where are you looking at!!"

Out of nowhere, Max fell from the sky and struck with his staff. The staff bended from the impact to an astonishing degree. But it didn't break, and sent all the force back through the strike leading to web-like cracks on the ground.

The beast's brain was almost forced out of its head and it lay lifelessly in the crater.

Seeing this scene, the rest of the Red Horned Deers entered a frenzied state and rushed towards Max.

But Max with the weapon in his hands was like a war god. He struck the beast rushing in and used that force along with his wings to propel himself in the air and landed a devastating blow on another one. He then made a swift landing and kicked the incoming beast and parried another. The fast paced battle made Max's blood boil and soon he began to sense an energy seeping into his body.

Max smiled as he moved and thrust his staff into the incoming Red Horned Deer's mouth. He then used all his strength to lift this beast weighing more than a normal car and threw it towards the other two who were rushing towards him.

As soon as Max did that, he felt a chill crawling up and immediately pulled his staff and parried behind.

"Bang!"

The collision sent Max rolling and eating mud as he slid a few meters away.

"Finally….", Max muttered in excitement as he looked at the Red Horned Deer who was twice the size of the previous ones.

It was an adult at the peak of the Ferocious category.

Max had two main reasons for coming here to hunt this beast.

First, he had to challenge stronger opponents if he wanted to get a faster breakthrough.

Second, he wanted that horn. The red horn was the best thing here which could probably be made into a spearhead.

If he could get a spearhead. It would definitely help him to kill that Water Cobra. He could get a savage core as well as those Elemental fruits.

" Come!!!"

Max roared and the Red Horned Deer rushed towards Max.

Max too flapped his wings and sent himself flying with all his might. He used all of his momentum and struck the beast square onto its face.

"Bang!"

The beast released a painful cry as the skin on its forehead ruptured. Max on the other hand too wasn't in a good shape. The rebound from the strike had dislocated his left wrist while his arms were aching severely. What was most irritating was the pain from his skin between his fingers splitting apart.

"F*ck! It hurts like hell!!"

Max held the staff with his right hand. The dislocation of his left wrist had almost made his hand look mutated and he couldn't do anything with it. It was already tough for him to keep up with the pain.

But it seemed like the beast was now more pissed off. It rushed towards Max and rammed its horn into him.

Max took a side step but it wasn't enough to completely dodge the attack. He lifted the staff to parry. But the strength behind a single hand wasn't enough.

The horn pierced Max right below his left lungs and sent him flying a few meters through the air before he fell onto the ground.

"Splash!!"

Blood spilled out both from Max's mouth and the hole in his stomach. He struggled to get up but in doing so, he used his left injured hand which sent him back plummeting to the ground.

"Damn!!"

Max cursed before he looked at his left wrist with gritted teeth and then held it with his right hand.

"Twist!"

"Crunch!"

"Ahhhh!!!!"

Max screamed in pain as he managed to get his wrist back in its right position. The pain was still there, but as long as he could tolerate it. He had a bit of mobility.

"Huff! Huff! I will kill you…"

Max who was covered in sweat and blood got up. He felt the flow energy clearer than ever and the first layer of Ancient Manual began to revolve around in his body. Faster and faster….

"Ahhhhh!!!!!!"

Max released a battle cry as he made a mad dash towards the Red Horned Deer.

The Red Horned Deer looked at Max once again clearly irritated that this bastard who it once thought to be dead was back on its feet again.

It once again charges towards Max in rage.

Max closed in like a bolt of lightning and when the beast stooped below trying to ram its horn into Max's body.

Max disappeared.

The Red Horned Deer looked around in confusion. When it finally realised and looked up, it was already too late.

Max used the momentum from the fall and pushed the staff all the way into the beast's eyes.

The Beast released a pitiful cry before falling to the ground.

Max too fell to the ground along with vapors rising from his body. These vapors were not the ordinary one. But it contained the excess amount of energy which was left unabsorbed in Max's body.

"I finally get it….so this is what it means to Refine the will…."