Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

Chapter 145: Against A Corrupted Beast (1)

"Mana, is the lifeblood of our world. It is the unseen force that fuels spells, strengthens warriors, and transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. It is both a gift and a curse, for those who do not respect it often find themselves consumed by its power."

Kyle could remember his most recent history class when Professor Grendel had thought them on the evolution of mana beasts.

The Professor had explained that when mana seeped into the atmosphere, it began to affect the natural world. Beasts that lived near the original sources of mana—like mana pools or ley lines—slowly began to change.

Their bodies adapted to handle the influx of energy. Over generations, their physical forms became stronger, their senses sharper, and their instincts more refined. These were the first mana beasts.

Grendel had explained that mana beasts are creatures that have evolved naturally. Their transformation is gradual, allowing their bodies and mana cores to grow in harmony with the energy around them. "But," Kyle remembered him add, even raising a finger for emphasis: "There are exceptions."

It was then that the topic of Corrupted Beasts arose.

"Unlike mana beasts, corrupted beasts are not the result of natural evolution," Grendel explained. "They are created when a beast forcefully absorbs more mana than it can handle. This usually occurs when a creature attempts to feed directly on a mana source without the capacity to process it. The mana core becomes oversaturated, destabilizing and corrupting the beast's entire being."

A corrupted beast was far deadlier than its mana beast counterpart. The sudden influx of power gives it immense strength, speed, and resilience. However, this power comes at a great cost. The beast's life force is consumed rapidly by the unstable mana, burning it out from the inside.

A corrupted beast will only live for a few hours after its transformation, but in those hours, it is an apex predator—a force of nature with no regard for its own survival.

Just like the villagers, many people mistake mana beasts for corrupted beasts because of their strength. But true corrupted beasts are rare. When one encounters one, you'll know. The air around them becomes heavy, almost suffocating. Their movements are erratic yet terrifyingly precise. And their power... their power is enough to make the bravest warrior tremble.

Kyle was excited when he heard the description back then. But he hadn't expected he'll ever encounter one. Now he stood before one, he couldn't feel the same excitement he once felt for it before.

The wolf before him was a straight up example of a corrupted beast. Its transformation had begun moments ago when it unleashed that bone-chilling howl.

The air around it was thick with mana, making every breath Kyle took feel like he was inhaling pure energy. The golden light radiating from its body was blinding, pulsating in waves that seemed to shake the ground. Its fur, once sleek and dark, now glowed faintly with a silver hue, streaked with veins of gold that pulsed in rhythm with its heartbeat.

Kyle's knowledge of corrupted beasts provided some comfort. He knew the beast was living on borrowed time. Within a few hours, the unstable mana coursing through its body would tear it apart from the inside. But those few hours were more than enough for it to kill him and Void.

Worst of all Kyle was still trapped in the ice. He tried to free himself out of it but it was all to no avail. He had even tried using a spell but his element wasn't known for melting ice. Void was also just as trapped as him so Kyle saw no way going further.

Once again, he couldn't help but felt powerless. Just when he thought all hope was over Kyle heard a voice call him from afar. "...Kyle..."

The voice belonged to a girl and it seemed familiar... Very familiar.

"Hang on!"

A sphere of heat pierced through the cold as a fireball roared past him, its warmth melting the ice that encased his legs. The light from the corrupted wolf also dimmed momentarily, giving Kyle just enough clarity to see the fireball's source.

Lina.

Her flames weren't strong enough to melt the ice but the desperation in her attacks carried weight. Each fireball she hurled was aimed with precision, melting the ice that had spread across the battlefield and slowly freeing Kyle and Void from their frozen prison.

Another fireball hit the ground near him, melting the frost creeping over Void's legs. The beast let out a low growl of relief as it began to regain its mobility.

Kyle blinked rapidly, the golden radiance fading enough for him to see clearly again. He turned his head toward Lina, wanting to shout his gratitude, but the words caught in his throat as his instincts screamed a warning.

Just above him, the wolf's paw was about to decend, in an attempt to make him one with the ground.

Without thinking, Kyle activated [Lightning Dash]. Energy surged through his veins and his body reacted faster than his mind. In a flash of crackling electricity, he rolled out of the way allowing the wolf's claws to slam into the ground where he had been moments before.

The impact sent shards of ice and stone flying and a few grazed his face and arms as he landed in a crouch several feet away.

Kyle's breaths came in ragged gasps as he stared at the ground where the wolf's paw had struck. The sheer force of the blow had left a crater, steam rising from the molten claw marks etched into the ice.

For a moment, Kyle remembered the situation. Lina and potentially the rest of the team had somehow managed to follow him into the forest. There were even there already. Kyle didn't know how long they had been watching him for but he couldn't take chances.

In a swift motion, he withdrew the [Veil of Silence] and stored it in his inventory before turning around to meet his teammates with his eyes.

They all stood some meters away from his spot and looked back at him with eyes filled with nervousness, but there was alot of confidence present in their body language. They looked ready, ready to help Kyle.

Kyle wanted to smile at their help when a certain thought crossed his mind. 'Void!' Kyle said inwardly, tuning his eyes to meet his dragon pet and as expected he stood before Kyle looking at the team lazily and wondering what made them come here.

'They had seen Void!'

Kyle had never told anyone about his dragon companion. To begin with, he wasn't able to explain how he had acquired it in the first place because the academy had made sure to be aware of every object that was brought in during their recruitment. .

And now, he might have just blown it.

'How could I be so careless?' Kyle cursed inwardly, clenching his fists. He replayed his actions in his head: the lack of attention to detail while sneaking away earlier, and, worst of all, failing to consider the possibility of his teammates waking up.

Before he could blame himself further, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice

[You really botched that one, didn't you?]

Kyle was surprised that he could hear Void's voice sounding clearly in his mind, not through the system pet space as usual but through raw telepathy.

'You could talk to me like this?' Kyle thought with surprise.

[Of course, I can] Void replied, [You just never asked. Anyway, this is hardly the time to marvel at my brilliance]

Kyle frowned, shaking off his initial surprise and returning to the more pressing issue. 'It's risky enough that they've seen you. This could ruin everything,'

[Relax, we're in the middle of a forest. It's the perfect setting for a good lie. Say you found me while exploring. That I, in all my magnificence, decided you were worthy enough to be my companion. Simple]

Kyle though about Void words bringing himself to accept that it was truly brilliant.

'Wow, that's a nice one.'

[Obviously] Void said smugly. [And when we head back, maybe I won't have to live like a prisoner anymore. You could even take me to class with the pet space. Or, we could eat at the cafeteria]

Kyle felt like laughing at Void's remark but kept it to himself. He turned around to meet his teammates once again, with the perfect tale formed in his head.

But just before Kyle could tell them anything. The beast stepped back with an ear-splitting roar, its glowing maw releasing a wave of freezing energy.

Shards of ice began to erupt from the ground afterwards racing towards Kyle's position with deadly intent.

Read Author's Note*