They were the ones who had trained, fought, and taken the risks themselves. Alex had simply given them a better starting point, and seeing how quickly they had grown made him satisfied and proud of their growth.
"Now, go back and get healed. Take Ophelia with you," Alex said to Tina.
Tina nodded, but she did not move immediately. She seemed to be finally beginning to understand what she had done during the fight, and that realization made her look both afraid and excited. Alex noticed the expression and felt that it confirmed something he had already suspected about her.
Tina could survive in an apocalypse. Most people, when faced with monsters and the constant threat of death, would spend their time hiding, crying, or desperately hoping someone stronger would protect them, and Tina had been the same in the beginning. However, she was slowly changing, and it was not simply because Alex had pushed her to become stronger.
She was starting to enjoy fighting. A part of that undoubtedly came from watching Alex and seeing how he treated dangerous situations, but there was also something in Tina herself that responded to this world. Instead of being crushed by the danger around her, she was gradually learning how to face it, and perhaps that was why she had improved so quickly.
Once Tina and Ophelia left, Alex turned his attention toward the corpse of the Wild Orc. He picked up its Gene Potential and checked its level, confirming that it was Level 11.
Alex narrowed his eyes slightly. From the Wild Orc’s muscles, movements, and incredible control over its body, he had judged it to be around Level 14, but its actual level was much lower than that. This confirmed another suspicion he had been developing.
Monsters above Level 10 had probably lived for a very long time. Their levels might not increase as quickly as he had initially assumed, but that did not mean their combat ability remained ordinary. Just like two Awakeners could possess similar stats while having completely different fighting abilities, monsters could also develop their bodies and abilities through years of experience.
This Wild Orc was a good example. Its level was only 11, but its control over its body was exceptional, and every movement had been precise with very little wasted effort. Alex could only imagine how much stronger a monster could become after surviving for years while constantly fighting.
His thoughts naturally turned toward the leader of the Wild Orcs. What exactly was it?
It was either a Mid Rank Species or a monster that had simply reached an extremely high level. Until now, every Mid Rank Species Alex had encountered had been around the same level as him, and none had surpassed him in level.
If his theory was correct, then perhaps he had been fighting young Mid Rank Species all this time. The leader of the Wild Orcs could be different, because if it was an old Mid Rank Species above Level 10 that had survived for years and learned exactly how to use its strength, then its actual combat ability could be terrifying.
Alex clenched his fist as he thought about it, but there was no fear in his eyes. He would be cautious, but he would not back down because Alex trusted his own growth.
The first Mid Rank Species he had defeated had been the Baby Badger, and that victory had relied heavily on luck. The second had been the leader of the Titan Reef Crabs, and that battle had been completely different because he had fought while severely disadvantaged, eventually winning only after his abdomen was pierced, his skin was melted, several bones were broken, and his stamina was completely exhausted.
He had been knocked unconscious almost immediately after the battle ended. The fight had been grievous, but unlike his battle against the Baby Badger, he had not won because of luck; he had won because he had possessed enough strength to overcome the monster.
Then there had been the Jade Scythe Mantis. Alex had been injured during that fight, but he had not been forced onto the back foot, and instead he had fought the monster on equal footing, matching it throughout the battle rather than desperately searching for an opportunity to survive.
That was how much he had changed. Mid Rank Species were dangerous, and Alex understood that better than anyone, but he was also becoming stronger at an extraordinary speed, having gone from barely being able to use the basic Body Reinforcement Spell to controlling several powerful spells at the same time.
No matter how strong the leader of the Wild Orcs was, Alex intended to defeat it just like he had defeated everything else. He was not going to underestimate it, but he was not going to fear it either.
Then his expression changed.
He sensed it.
The Advanced Battle Instinct Spell was active, and because of it, Alex noticed the approaching danger before it was too late. Something was moving through the air at an incredible speed, cutting through the distance between them, and this time he could detect the attack before it was almost upon him.
The spear was coming.
Alex immediately began weaving his spells. First, he created five threads of Fire Element Mana and carefully intertwined them until they formed a single, thick mana cable. After that, he created a bullet casing from pure mana, hardening its walls and sharpening the tip until it reached an extreme level of compression.
He packed the mana cable into the casing through its open rear before pulling the bullet backward against an elastic mana thread. The process was now smooth, and no one looking at him could have imagined that the last time he created this bullet, the strain had nearly ripped his mind apart.
The white bullet floated above his palm, occasionally revealing dense blue flames slithering with in.
It was strong, powerful, and beautiful.
Alex raised his head and looked toward the sky. He took a deep breath, because no matter how many times he saw that spear, some part of his body still reacted to it instinctively; its speed, destructive power, precision, and lethality were exactly the qualities Alex wanted to achieve himself.
Then the world became quiet.
The Advanced Battle Instinct Spell suppressed every unnecessary sound and sensation. His emotions settled, his breathing became steady, and his mind became completely focused on the space in front of him.
Then he saw it. A flicker in the distance.
Alex fired. The mana bullet tore through the air at tremendous speed and collided with something high above him, causing a brilliant explosion as flames and shockwaves spread outward, with the force nearly throwing Alex from his feet.
He reacted immediately, creating several mana threads beneath his shoes and anchoring them firmly to the ground. The explosion was larger this time, and the spear that had attacked him was stronger, yet Alex had stopped it.
Unlike the first time, when the attack had nearly killed him before he even understood what was happening, Alex stood calmly beneath the flames and spreading shockwaves. This time, he was confident that he could stop more of these attacks.
Notifications followed.
[Mana Bullet Spell has leveled. Level 7 → Level 8.]
[Elastic Thread Spell has leveled. Level 6 → Level 7.]
..
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