A large chimpanzee with flames running down it's back and tail. It has charcoal black fur and red fur on its hands.
30ft away it's sitting on a tree similar to his, glaring at him with a sinister light in it's eyes.
'That's a [rank-F]{Master stage} flaming ape you got this.' Arthur encourages Ray.
Rose immediately notices the beast and shouts up to Ray. "TAKE YOUR WEAPON OUT FAST!"
Ray glances at her. "Who said I needed a weapon?"
he looks back at the chimpanzee to see it was sucking in a huge breath of air.
On the way here, Ray spent a lot of time learning the common types of attacks fire beasts would release from Arthur. This monkey is using a fire blast.
Now he was ready to put what he learned to the test.
The monkey releases it's breathe and blazing hot flames roar towards him.
Ray jumps down as just as the flames hits right where he was sitting. It torches the top of the tree like lighting up a match.
He kicks off the tree and barrels towards the chimpanzee. He throws his left fist forward, at the same time the chimp threw it's right fist forward.
As they are about to clash, Ray unfurls his fist and angling it enough to counter the chimp.
He caught the chimp's wrist and used the tree and momentum to throw the monkey over his shoulder and into the ground.
It flew down fast followed by Ray.
It lands with a large boom and a slight bounce. Then Ray's fist slammed into the monkey's chest causing another boom as they hit the ground.
The chimp was in pain but it still managed to attack. It threw it's left fist at Ray's face from the ground.
It hits Ray and sends him careening into a nearby tree!
He coughs up some blood and immediately gets up ready to fight. He felt more alive now then he did when fighting the guards.
He sees the chimp already running at him with fists full of flames.
"Alright let's do this!" Ray yells with an energetic smile on his face. His fist start to gather a bright light in them but then he stops.
'Don't use your solar energy! This creature is the perfect sparring partner.' Arthur orders in Ray's mind. He agrees especially since his energy is scarce.
He uses fist to clash with the chimp fists. A barrage of blows is rapidly exchanged, each fist matching fist.
Flames dance wildly as beast faces man in a battle of attrition. Each not giving an inch.
This continues for 30 seconds before Ray realizes his fists just couldn't keep up. They were being damaged faster compared to the chimp and he can't keep this up.
So he decides to switch up his style.
The chimp attacks with his left fist, at the same time Ray unclenched his right fist.
As the chimps attack is about to land Ray grabs its forearm pulling it's arm while he moves to its left. The next second he pulled the chimp's fist down while sending an uppercut to its jaw!
This attack lifts the chimp off the ground as it uses the chimp's own momentum and Ray's power to deal fatal damage to the chimp.
It's skull is cracked and it's brain is rattled as it goes flying.
Or so it thought!
Ray wasn't done, still having a firm grip on the chimp's arm. He pulls it back towards him before letting go to deliver a full force cross to its face.
The already brittle bones shatter on impact as the chimp's face goes from an inny to an outty. It goes flying back wards lifelessly like a wooden doll.
Ray let out a victory sigh as he gazes at the chimpanzee laying on the ground without moving.
Rose was watching the fight closely, ready to step in at any moment. She however was stunned.
The martial arts he used aren't advanced but still impressive for someone of his age. His combat knowledge and reactions are on par with the two brothers.
'That was a [rank-F]{master stage} beast, yet he managed to beat it. He was also getting ready to use some energy attack which shouldn't be possible by a seven year old.' Rose thought to herself.
'well it was decent enough.' Arthur remarks with a disapproving tone.
'You could have done that after the first attack. You took unneeded damage to your fists. Your output was sloppy' Arthur continues to criticize his every move.
'I had to show off a little.' ray retorts.
'Show off by ending things as swift as possible! Speed is greater than strength any day but you need to have both.' Arthur says sternly.
Hearing this Ray puts on a depressed face.
Rose immediately notices this. 'Is he disappointed after defeat a rank-F at his age. What's wrong with him?'
"I'm very impressed Ray. You managed to kill a rank-F at master stage." Rose says to cheer him up. She looked at him with a new light no longer thinking he is just some arrogant brat.
"It was nothing more than practice." Ray says as instructed by Arthur.
He then walked over and shoved his arm into the chest of the beast. Rose's eyes went wide. She wasn't shocked he already knew about beast cores.
What is shocking is the fire energy that was draining from the core into Ray!
"RAY STOP! Are you trying to kill yourself!" Rose yells at him with worry in her voice. Beast core mana is dangerous to humans because of it's unrefined chaotic energy.
Yet he was absorbing it so brazenly.
He ignores her and continued on.
Arthur had explained to Ray before this, that solar energy is one of the strongest purification energies. It is so strong that it can purify the harmful chaos energy in other cores. This allows the user to consume elemental cores with great speed and safety.
Rose wanted to stop him but doing so could be more detrimental so she just watches as he absorbs the energy. Ready to take him away if need be.
______
Ray finished absorbing the energy of the core after 20 minutes.
He feels amazing and then he notices there is a pulsing in his chest. It is getting stronger and causing him more pain with each pulse.
This is his core forcefully forming.
{Usually at the age of 10 is when the core is fully formed which is why they test that age group the most. The core starts forming at 5 and the process can be sped up in a mana dense area but that has the possibility of the body not being able to handle it.
It is common among the rare pre-ten awakeners to form the core a month early or half a year, but 3 years early should've been impossible. The earliest recorded core being fully complete was by Arthur Solaris and it was 1 year early. The information is so old however it was presumed to be another myth of the great Arthur Solaris.}
"IT HURRRRRTS!" Ray cried out with a wretched voice. Rose starts to sprint over to him, in the same second Arthur spoke.
"Release all the energy of your core with a mana discharge." Arthur guides him calmly. "use the energy release to strengthen your body, bones then nerves, then muscles, and last skin."
Ray did as he instructed and tries to collect the energy flowing out of his core. Waves of energy start rushing out of his core and across his body.
The waves gradually begin to weaken and decrease frequency. Ray can feel his body getting stronger and the sun light that barely pierces through the trees, helping him absorb it.
Rose watches with utter disbelief 'My brother just got (rank-F) after absorbing a core.'
He's only seven, how is that possible!'
Her face could only show more shock.
After ten minutes his core is finally contained and Ray has never felt better.
The solar energy, he can feel coursing through him as it provides him with what feels like infinite energy.
'This is the difference in power between an awakener and non awakener.' Ray realizes.
He wakes up from his trance. He looks at his sister's surprised expression and gives her a warm yet arrogant smile. "I told you it wouldn't take 6 years."
She was too speechless to say anything.
She thought about what this would mean for their branch family. After some though she smiles back saying.
"little brother is so spectacular, when we get back we will check your element." She compliments him with the sweetest voice she could muster. She is truly proud of what he's done here today breaking insane records.
"Father will be very pleased with this. Let's go back." Rose says thinking about all the great possibilities. The literal golden goose of the family has finally been achieved.
"We can't leave yet, the hunt just began." Ray says while looking around the forest.