The sun had already set. Eric, Lyria, and Livy walked out of the Whisperwood Village gate, and in front of them stood one of the 'androgynous' among the five Elders.
The 'man' didn't speak a word, merely turning slightly toward the trio while gesturing for them to follow 'him.' Then, he darted forward at great speed.
The speed was just enough for a mid-stage Rank 1 Mana Wielder to match with their agility.
Eric, Lyria, and Livy raised an eyebrow at the silent treatment before promptly following.
Eric asked as he neared the figure, "What type of Mana beast is this? Does it have any Element or known ability?"
Mana Beasts were divided into four types: Pure Physical, Elemental, Spirit, and Mystical.
Pure Physical and Elemental were often seen as one type—the Physical Type—due to their many similarities.
It's not that Pure Physical types couldn't have Elements; however, they didn't rely on them, nor did they know or have the capability to use them effectively in combat. Elemental types, however, actively wielded Elements while also utilizing their physical bodies in battle.
Pure Physical types had far higher strength and constitution stats than other types, except Mystical Types, which had mixed varieties.
In terms of killing and destruction, Elemental types were stronger than Pure Physical types.
Among all Mana Beasts, many factors differentiated them, but the most crucial were their combat styles and stat orientations.
Physical types relied mostly on their bodies. They could use Mana; however, like their Elements, they didn't depend on it, and their Mana attacks were more straightforward—similar to the undead during Ringwood Town's graveyard incident or the Abyssal Grinner that Eric, Lyria, and Livy encountered in the deep ocean.
Elemental types were also physically oriented but heavily reliant on their Elements. Their power and destructiveness varied by the Element they controlled.
Spirit types relied greatly on Mana. They may or may not have had complete physical bodies or Elements. Usually physically weaker, they compensated for that with Mage-like trickery, akin to Mana Wielders' 'Mages'—but far more unpredictable.
Finally, Mythical Beasts. Theoretically the strongest, they possessed unique attack and defense methods, wielding Mana in versatile ways. They grew increasingly terrifying with higher Ranks, surpassing other types in both raw strength and capabilities.
Mystical and Spirit types were far rarer than Physical and Elemental types—more elusive, intelligent, and adept at concealment.
Eric, Lyria, and Livy could handle any Rank 1 Mana Beast type; however, knowing a beast's Elemental affinity would greatly aid in preparation against it. Thus, Eric's question was reasonable—something a proper employer should disclose.
Yet, even after Eric asked, the homo Elder remained silent, uttering no words. In fact, since the beginning, he never said a word, only hand signs.
Eric wondered if this late-stage Rank 1 was deaf and hadn't heard him, so he attempted to pat his shoulder.
The dude dodged it so swiftly, like how a woman might dodge if a man was trying to molest her.
The androgynous Elder halted and glared at Eric in fury.
Seeing this, Eric wanted to tease, but the Elder spun away, resuming his sprint without pause.
Helpless, the trio followed.
Eric tried conversing, but no matter what he asked or said, the guy was as quiet as a mute, so in the end, he gave up.
Since it was a silent journey, Eric continued teaching Lyria and Livy the Avis language. They might never use it, but knowing an extra language was like an exercise for the brain, as languages were the most complicated function that brains were bullied to process.
With their intelligence, Lyria and Livy also started comprehending Avis. Though they couldn't speak it yet, they could now understand if anyone talked in this language.
Three hours passed since they started sprinting.
Eric and Lyria found the situation weirder and weirder.
Three hours at their current pace was equal to a day or two of travel for a Mortal.
Why would the old Beast choose to dwell that far away from its livestock?
Did it truly fear that its old ass would get bullied from behind when it's asleep?
Lyria frowned at Eric, who shook his head slightly without saying anything.
After another hour, their guide stopped.
500 meters ahead loomed a towering mountain, surrounded by a few other shorter ones. At the base of the tall mountain was a gaping, huge cave visible to all of them.
The cave's surroundings—especially its entrance—all suggested a Mana Beast residing in it.
Whatever the beast was, it had made extra effort to spread its smell and presence all around the area to warn other creatures of its enormous strength and that the cave was currently occupied, so they better search for other homes elsewhere.
'Thunder...'
The trio sensed elemental energy radiating unabashedly. The Beast again did nothing to hide that and was intentionally advertising it.
Eric glanced back at their 'guide' and found his already pale face had turned paler. It was a comical sight, but he understood that this guy was scared shitless.
'Just what is he afraid of? The Beast or the 'Thunder' Element it commands?'
It was not that Eric couldn't understand this guy's feelings; after all, he was currently burning with jealousy, as Thunder Element was one of his favorite Elements!
In his past life, there was a time when he laid a dozen or so meters away from a tall coconut tree, under the shade of a building, and watched how Thunder furiously bullied the daylight out of that tree. It had struck the tree numerous times, and within a minute, it had made the tree go completely bald.
Since then, Eric understood the power of Thunder—it was to make anyone go bald! How could he not yearn for this power? It was perfect to bully others and make them hairless.
Eric thought a little and, in the end, didn't console the deaf-mute guy and strode toward the cave with Lyria and Livy on both his sides.
After they reached the cave mouth, Eric turned to see the pitiful Elder had backed off nearly half a mile away but was still glaring at them sternly.
Eric's mouth twitched. He felt this guy was truly a failure as a Mana Wielder.
He shook his head and entered the cave.
Inside the cave was dark, yet it was as bright as day for Eric, so he started to observe their cave's interior structures.
The walls of the cavern were ribbed with stalactites, hanging like teeth from the ceiling, and the floor was a jagged mosaic of rock and pebble. The ceiling was high. The air carried the faint scent of damp and the musky odor of the beast. The interior of the cave was vast, stretching far into the depths of the mountain.
The sound of their footsteps echoed through the space, bouncing off the walls and mingling with the distant dripping of water.
"Ly, Liv, if necessary, pull out your Mana Lamp."
Lyria and Livy glanced at each other and agreed.
Livy pulled out a very well-designed, old-fashioned lamp, which could provide white light 360 degrees around it. As she sent her Mana inside, the area brightened up as if a white sun had risen inside the dark cave.
This lamp was created by Eric within the artisan room. It would consume a bit of Mana from the user to lighten up an area.
Lyria and Livy could see fine so far; however, they had learned their lessons on 'blindness,' so they didn't hesitate to pull out the artifact to lighten up the environment.
Eric whispered, "Ly, Liv, we won't end the fight quickly. After the fight, we will act exhausted and weak. No need to intentionally injure yourselves, but we should show pale faces like we are drained out of Mana and Stamina. Got it?"
Lyria and Livy's eyes flashed. They smiled and nodded in understanding. They were no fools and could understand what Eric was planning.
After some turning and twisting, they arrived at an opening.
It was one big hall, with high ceiling. The area was as vast as a stadium.
Within the empty space of the cave, they saw a huge dark 'thing' lying on the ground and snoring. However, they knew the beast was already awake and was only pretending, as they hadn't taken any measures to mask their presence along the way.
After noticing the intruders were not approaching to ambush it in its sleep, the Thunder Panther's large eyes snapped wide open, revealing its piercing yellow irises surrounded by a ring of electric blue.
It raised its head and turned to observe the humans who had come to disturb its peaceful seclusion.
Eric, Lyria, and Livy also studied the Mana Beast. It looked ancient; its fur mottled with shades of steel grey and charcoal black, the once-vibrant streaks of electric blue seemed to have faded quite a bit due to its old age.
Its four tails lay limp at first but soon began to twitch with an unrestrained power of thunder, each ending in a sharp, crackling point of lightning.
The panther's muscles rippled with the promise of thunderous strength as it pushed itself up from the ground and stood on all fours.
Its eyes never left the trio. The deep, resonant growl that emanated from its throat echoed all across the cave.
The creature was a blend of majesty and weariness, a living embodiment of the storms it once commanded.
Despite its age, the presence of power surrounding the Thunder Panther was palpable.
Eric, Lyria, and Livy felt their mouths twitching. They wondered if they had some unsettled grudge against 'Panthers' as a species.
Why did the first Mana Beast they properly encountered have to be a Panther?
They recognized the beast the moment it turned to look at them. It was 'Thunder Panther,' who could command multiple 'Thunder' Element abilities. It could also use its long tails, paws, claws, jaws, and strong and agile body for both offense and defense.
It was an Elemental type, Elder-stage Rank 1 Mana Beast—Thunder Panther.
Even if there were five late-stage Rank 2 Mana Wielders present here, they wouldn't be able to kill this beast and could only scratch it before getting wiped out. That was mainly because it was not only an 'Elder' Rank but also had the 'Thunder' Element—even running away was unrealistic.
Thunder commands both speed and power, one of Eric's favorite Elements, but sadly, due to his peace-loving nature, he was stuck with the harmless Darkness Element. Thanks to this, he could only cry alone silently in the corner of his dark room.
At least now Eric understood why those feminine Elders were so afraid of this Elder Stage. If it was just a Physical type, they might be able to drive it away after bullying it using their wits; however, since it was an Elemental Type, its capability and strength were no joke.