Birth Of The Crafts-God

The pill Astar took was called a booster drug, which was a type of drug that was best effective for Body Strengthening stage practitioners. Booster drugs increase one's physical prowess by pushing their body to its limit or burning one's vitality.

Since the focus of the drug's effect was on one's physical strength, this was the reason why it was best effectively used by a Body Strengthening stage practitioner.

At the Apertures Opening stage, the determinant of one's power was in their stellar energy and not just physical strength. So, booster drugs weren't used by most Apertures Opening stage stellar practitioners. But unlike the Apertures Opening stage, the Body Strengthening stage focused on honing the body and improving it. As a result, physical prowess became the determinant of one's power.

This made booster drugs very useful for such practitioners.

Since booster drugs worked by either stimulating one's potential or burning their vitality, they had intense side effects and were frowned upon by many. The Greendale Highschool had also listed booster drugs as a prohibited item for the practical tests for this reason and one more.

The longer the effective period of a booster drug was, the costlier both its price and the side- effects would be. A booster drug with a fifteen-minute effective period wasn't something just anyone could afford and the side effects were nothing to smile about either.

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But neither Wally nor Klein paid attention to any of this. They were in a life-and-death situation, so the current goal was to survive.

"I'll take the front." Astar said as he held the sword and charged at the desolate beast, Helokiel.

With the stimulation from the booster drug, Astar was currently on par with a fifth or peaky level Body Strengthening stage practitioner. Together with his Grade 2 vestige, Astar was currently capable of taking on a first level Apertures Opening stage monster. Defeating one though, was still under debate, even more so for a peak first level.

As a flash of sunlight glittered on the blade, the sword swept forward and aimed for the monster.

*Clang*

The desolate beast, Helokiel, struck its claw against the vestige, managing to block it as sparks flew away from the collision.

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Wally, despite being afraid, held back his fear and recalled his training with Lucas. He had been watching Astar's moves, looking for an opportunity. When he spotted one, Wally attacked right away with his spear.

At some point, he was already beside the beast and thrust his spear forward.

"Roar."

The helokiel was incensed and shoved Astar away, before swiping its other claw towards Wally.

*Bang*

A loud metallic reverberation resounded as the two weapons clashed. Despite its weak appearance, the spear forged by Lucas for Wally was very strong. It was only a Grade 1 but its structural integrity and stellar energy purity could almost compare with an average Grade 2 vestige. As such, the weapon was able to hold out against a direct clash with the helokiel's claw.

Astar, who was flung away, managed to get his feet back on the ground and charged back at the monster.

Klein hid behind and fired a few arrows at the monster. Since he couldn't use stellar energy just yet, all his attacks consisted of physical arrows, which were expensive. Every shot was precious, and Klein didn't just randomly fire them. He only made his move when an opportunity provided itself or one of his two friends was in danger.

The helokiel was enraged by the irritating tactics and tried to go after Klein, but Astar intercepted it.

Astar went full out, brandishing his sword in a flurry in this battle of life and death. At times he would abandon the option of defence just to force the helokiel to show an opening, which Klein would then capitalise on.

The result of such a self-inflicting tactic became obvious as the helokiel was constantly being harassed by both Wally and Klein. Eventually, it growled furiously and ignored attacks from the two sides, before lashing out at Astar.

"Astar!" Wally screamed as he watched his friend sent flying by the desolate beast.

However, there was no time to hesitate as the helokiel appeared before him.

'Just like mister taught, use its force to my advantage.'

Wally calmed his breath as he concentrated his attention on his opponent.

With a formidable roar, the desolate beast swung one of its four claws at Wally. Wally waved the spear at the beast, blocking the strike while taking a few steps back as his strength couldn't compare with it. But this in itself was already impressive, after all, even Astar—after taking the booster drug—was sent flying by the monster.

When facing Lucas, Wally was able to force him to use five percent of his fourth level Body Strengthening stage power and still suppress Lucas. Five percent might sound so little but when Lucas was at the second level, he had killed a third level Body Strengthening stage practitioner and two second level practitioners with ease.

Five percent of his ability wasn't something an average inexperienced teen could handle.

The two metres tall helokiel was incensed that Wally still stood in front of it and immediately lunged right at him once again. Wally jumped to the side and avoided the attack, but the monster's reflexes were faster as it reacted right away and chased after him.

'Damn it.' Wally cursed as he thrust his spear at it to force the monster back.

The helokiel dodged the spear's tip and opened its mouth as it tried to devour Wally.

"Are you ignoring me you fucking beast?!" Astar shouted. He ignored his injuries, which were clearly bleeding, as he slashed his sword at the desolate beast's right wing.

*Spurt*

The vestige managed to not only hit the monster but penetrate almost halfway through its wing, spilling blood on both the blade and Astar.

"Roarrrrr!" The helokiel stopped its assault as it cried out in pain.

It immediately moved its body and bashed Astar away as it retreated in fear. The damage dealt to its wing disabled its airborne capability and the monster was clearly infuriated by this.

*Twang*

The sound of a bowstring being drawn quietly resounded from the grove of trees as an arrow tore through the shades. It pierced through the wind and stuck its tip right on the hind legs of the desolate beast.

"Roar!"

The helokiel almost fell to the ground but managed to barely regain its composure. However, on its left hind leg was a black arrow firmly latched.

From the point of entry of the arrow, a mixture of green and black fluids steadily poured out, staining the shaft of the arrow and the monster's leg. The green liquid was its blood whereas the black liquid was poisoned blood. The arrow was a unique type of arrow that could be termed as a vestige. The arrowhead was crafted with a special material that was poisonous to most desolate beasts.

The moment the helokiel had tripped, Wally, who had been on alert all this while, gripped his spear tightly with one arm and chanted a word.

"Rez."

The spear suddenly gleamed with a dull purple light and released an inaudible hum as Wally lifted it over his shoulder. In the very next second, he forcefully threw it at the monster.

The spear flew mid-air, tearing through the air and moving at a speed closely approaching the speed of sound. Even with the difference between them and the strength of the helokiel, it failed to notice the flying spear in time.

The spear aimed for the cut on the monster's wing and before one could even say the word 'go', it dug deep into the injury, tearing through the flesh, muscles and bones of the desolate beast and detaching the wings off from its body.

"Roar!"

The helokiel cried as it did its best to retreat away.

"Wow."

Astar and Klein were both shocked by this. Wally's throw had impressed them, being capable of cutting off the half injured wing after being thrown out. But what was even more astonishing was the quality of the spear, and the weird effect it gave off just then.

"Concentrate, guys."

Although astonished as well, Wally recovered quickly and yelled at them. He had already tested this special effect with Lucas during his training, so he wasn't as stunned by it. Nonetheless, Wally never expected it to cut through the helokiel's flesh like hot knife through butter. If he had known this, he would have just aimed for the monster's head or body instead.

With its right wing cut off, depriving it of its aerial ability; its left hind leg injured, inhibiting its movements; and finally, the monster having been poisoned, it looked as if the team was on the road to success. If they kept on and defeated it, this record would be put down on their student data folders, increasing their chances of getting admission into their various academies.

The same was true for Klein, as even though pure Technical path schools didn't care as much about one's fighting strength, having it as a bonus wasn't bad.

At this moment, ten minutes had already gone by since Astar took the booster drug. There was only five minutes left and they had to make it count.

"Let's end this." Astar grinned as he held on tightly to his sword.

Just then, the desolate beast of the air, the helokiel, froze and began to shudder.