Im sprinted ahead, glancing over his shoulder just in time to see his Ice Barrier shatter. The spell erupted into a cloud of frigid mist, coating the grass and the ox's hide in a thin layer of frost. For a split second, the cyan ox hesitated—then it shook off the cold and surged forward, its hooves thudding louder than ever.
The barrier had barely slowed it down.
The ox was faster, its four legs eating up the rocky terrain. Leon, Dahlia, and Flower stumbled over loose stones, their boots scraping against gravel. A misstep here would mean a deadly fall—no need for the ox to finish them off.
"I'll hold it!" Im shouted, skidding to a halt and spinning around. "Go—get to the traps!"
He summoned three Wind Blades, slicing through the trunks of two nearby pines. With a flick of his wrist, his Mage Hand shoved the trees inward, sending them crashing across the trail. The ox skidded to a stop, darting sideways to avoid the falling wood. But instead of circling, it lowered its horns and rammed the trunks—splintering them like kindling before charging at Im again.
Im retreated step by step, throwing up obstacles: a patch of quicksand conjured from loose dirt, another fragile Ice Barrier, even a gust of wind to buffet the ox's eyes. None of it stopped the beast—its magic resistance was staggering, brute strength shattering spells that would have felled a lesser creature. Im's spells were weaker on the move, but even so, the ox's resilience was impressive.
"Teacher! The tripwire's right behind you!" Leon and Flower shouted in unison.
Im glanced at the red cloth tied to a nearby tree—their trap marker. He cast a Featherlight spell, leaping over the hidden wire, and summoned a massive Fireball. It streaked toward the ox, glowing orange against the mountain's green backdrop.
The ox tried to dodge, skidding to the left. But Im flicked his fingers, and the Fireball curved, homing in on its target. With no escape, the ox lowered its head, horns pointed skyward, and slammed into the spell.
Boom.
Flames engulfed the ox's head, sending plumes of smoke curling into the air. When the fire cleared, its cyan hide was scorched and matted—but the beast barely flinched. Its eyes glowed red with rage, steam snorting from its nostrils as it charged Im, ignoring the searing pain.
It didn't see the tripwire.
The wire tightened around its front leg, yanking upward as the weighted net surged from the underbrush. The ox roared, planting its hooves and digging in—too strong to be lifted off the ground, but trapped nonetheless.
"Now!" Leon yelled.
He, Dahlia, and Flower raised their camshaft crossbows, firing in unison. The three-edged steel bolts—grooved to tear flesh—sank into the ox's flanks, drawing streams of dark blood. Leon reloaded immediately, firing again, his adult mind calculating angles and weak points.
Moo!
The ox reared up, slamming its hooved foot down with a crack. The tripwire snapped. But as it freed itself, green vines erupted from the grass, wrapping around its legs, torso, and neck—thick, tough, and growing tighter by the second.
Leon sighed in relief—until the ox turned its red eyes on them and charged.
"Teacher! Your magic isn't holding!" he shouted, scrambling backward.
Im was mid-cast, a crackling sphere of Lightning Bolt forming in his palm. He couldn't abandon the spell—not when it was his best chance to disable the beast. The ox crashed through the vines like they were thread, its hide now reinforced by the same green growth—Vine Armor, a defensive talent.
Flower sliced a rope with his dagger. A row of sharpened wooden spears shot upward from the dirt, their tips capped with crossbow bolts. The ox couldn't stop, slamming into the spears, splintering the wood and driving the bolt-tips deep into its chest. It stumbled, crashing to its knees, blood pooling beneath it.
Im's Lightning Bolt struck.
A jagged streak of white light split the air, slamming into the ox's back. The beast convulsed, smoke rising from its scorched hide, and collapsed onto the ground, twitching weakly.
"That's not my Vine Armor," Im gasped, clutching his bleeding hand. "It's the ox's—defensive magic. Be careful."
Leon and the others backed away, circling the injured beast. Im's hand streamed blood—a deep gash across his palm, inflicted by something Leon hadn't seen. He later learned the ox had sent sharpened leaves slicing through Im's shield, a silent, deadly attack.
The ox struggled to its feet, swaying, but its red eyes softened. It lowered its head, knees buckling as it knelt before Im. A faint mental pulse washed over them—clear, urgent, and full of surrender.
Im froze. He'd never seen a magical beast beg for mercy. Most fought to the death, or fled. This one… was different.
He dismissed the Lightning Bolt he'd been recharging, creeping closer. The ox didn't move, didn't snarl—just kept its head bowed. Im dipped his bleeding finger in his palm, drawing a simple binding rune in the air, and pressed it to the ox's forehead.
The ox shuddered, then went still, accepting the pact.
"Come out," Im called, cutting the remaining vines with a Wind Blade. "It's surrendered. It's ours now."
Leon rushed over, pulling a clay jar of healing salve from his pack. He'd made it from Eldrin's recipes—comfrey and wolfroot, infused with a hint of mana. He spread it over Im's palm, wrapping it tightly with linen bandages.
"Your hand's deep," Leon said, his voice serious. "The salve will help, but it needs time to heal."
Im nodded, watching as Leon, Dahlia, and Flower tended to the ox's wounds—pulling out crossbow bolts, stitching gashes with magic-treated sheep gut thread (absorbable, no need for removal), and slathering on salve. The ox's hide was thicker than Leon expected; most bolts had barely pierced the muscle.
"It's not a magical beast," Im said, once his hand was bandaged. "It's a Wilderness Beast—descended from ancient bloodlines."
"Wilderness Beast?" Flower asked, wiping blood from his hands.
"Creatures that existed before mana settled into the world," Im explained, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. "Their power is in their blood, not mana cores. Smarter than most magical beasts—higher ranks are nearly as intelligent as humans. They're rare now—sealed or hunted, since their bodies are priceless."
He patted the ox's neck. "This one has Cyan Wilderness Ox blood. Even diluted, it's stronger than most magical beasts."
With the ox tamed and wounds treated, they turned toward the cave. Dahlia stroked the ox's smooth hide, grinning. "We should name it!"
Im shrugged, still tired. "Big Cyan. Simple, direct."
No one argued—they were all still shaken from the fight, and none had better ideas. Big Cyan, or Da Qing in the old tongue, seemed to accept it, nuzzling Dahlia's hand.
From Big Cyan's mental feedback, Im confirmed the cave was safe. They grabbed their crossbows, summoned light orbs (Leon, Dahlia, and Flower—Im conserved mana), and followed the ox inside.
The cave was dark, swallowing light within a few steps. Big Cyan led the way, its hooves clicking on stone. The air grew cooler, damp with the scent of earth and something metallic—mana, thick enough to taste.
They walked for two hundred meters, the cave winding downward, until they reached a larger chamber. Leon's light orb illuminated the walls—black, glassy stone, transformed by centuries of mana exposure.
"Magic-infused obsidian," Im murmured, running his fingers along the wall. "Perfect for rune arrays or magical buildings. Worth a fortune—if we could transport it."
But transporting stone from a mountain cave was impractical. The cost would outweigh the value.
"Teacher, look!" Leon called, dropping to his knees. He pointed to a small hole in the chamber floor, barely visible in the dim light. He tossed a light orb inside. "It's empty below."
Im waved Leon back, casting Wind Blades to widen the hole. The stone was resistant—mana-infused, hard to break—but eventually, they carved an opening large enough to crawl through. Big Cyan stayed behind; its bulk wouldn't fit.
On the other side was a cavern, its ceiling dotted with glowing stalactites that refracted their light orbs into rainbow hues. Dahlia gasped, reaching out to touch a stalactite. "It's beautiful."
Leon grinned, shifting his light orb to blue. The cavern exploded in color, turning the stalactites into shimmering pillars. Im paid no attention—his eyes were fixed on the ground, where veins of dark stone glinted in the light.
He knelt, chipping off a piece with a Wind Blade. He crushed it in his palm, mana humming faintly. "Mana Stone Mine."
Leon's eyes widened. Mana Stones were low-grade energy sources—failed mana crystals, too impure for direct absorption. But they were invaluable for powering magical tools, rune arrays, and alchemy. Rich mines sparked wars among mages.
"Thought this region was mana-poor," Leon said, stunned.
Im nodded, scanning the cavern. "Mostly low-quality. The main deposit is a small vein running through the center—three or four meters deep, but long. Still, there are companion minerals—mana storage crystals, small gems."
They spent hours digging, filling packs with Mana Stones, crystals, and handfuls of gems. The vein wasn't large, and most stones were low-grade, but the haul was valuable—easily worth thirty to forty thousand gold coins.
It was Big Cyan's low moo from outside that finally pulled them away. The ox was restless, sensing dusk approaching.
Leon stood, brushing dust from his robes. He looked at the cavern, at the glowing stalactites and piles of Mana Stones, and smiled.
Eldrin had spoken of hidden treasures in the mountains. This wasn't the ruins they sought, but it was a gift—one that would fund their expedition, buy supplies, and secure their future.
"Let's go," he said, turning toward the exit. "Big Cyan's waiting. And we've got a mine to report."