Epic of Caterpillar

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Ruby flew around Frank, showing her great bond with him, as both Frank and Ruby fought together, covering each other's backs while taking care of blind spots.

The little wyvern flapped her wings, releasing flames from her mouth, and then even summoning fireballs at her foes. She had been training a lot by Frank's side alongside Matsuo, Harumi, and Erika.

And through the intense training, even without leveling up, her stats had increased a lot, her skills leveled up, and she even gained some new skills along the way.

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[Name]: [Ruby]

[Race]: [Baby Ruby Flame Wyvern]

[Titles]: [Tamed Monster] [Evolved Monster]

[Types]: [Reptile] [Fire] [Wyvern] [Crystal]

[Mana Core Cultivation]: [Rank 1 (Initial Stage)]

[World's Source Energy (Terra)]: [0/150]

[Monster Rank]: [Tier 2]

[Level]: [0/40]

[Health Points]: [1.370/1.370]

[Mana Points]: [2.600/2.600]

[Strength]: [1.400]

[Defense]: [2.100]

[Magic]: [2.200]

[Resistance]: [1.450]

[Agility]: [1.500]

[Passive Skills]: [Iron Scales: Level 7] [Fire and Burn Resistance: Level 8] [Mana Core (Crimson Red): Level 1] [Mana Control: Level 7] [Magic Reflecting Crystal Scales: Level 4] [High-Speed Flight: Level 6] [Draconic Protection: Lv2]

[Active Skills]: [Fire Breath: Level 8] [Licking Wounds: Level 7] [Bite: Level 10] [Body Size Alteration: Level 6] [Fire Attribute Magic (Innate): Level 7] [Crystal Attribute Magic (Innate): Level 4] [Mana Regulation: Lv2]

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The little Ruby from before was no more!

The speed in which she progressed and grew stronger was simply staggering! After training for two whole weeks, her stats had increased almost seven to eight times what they were originally.

The reason was quite simple, after her recent evolution, Ruby's potential was increased tremendously, and through intense and arduous training where she let out all her flames and even actively battled Frank's friends, she was able to awaken her inner draconic strength.

The more she was hit and the more her scales regrowing the more health and defense she gained. The more magic spells she resisted and then regenerated back from, the more resistance she gained.

The more physical battles she had where her claws broke and then regrew, the tougher her scales and her muscles became…

And the more magic and mana she used constantly, grew exhausted, and then recovered from it, the more her maximum mana capacity began to skyrocket, and so did her magical power.

Some might say it was quite cruel to train a little monster like that, but Ruby was always the one asking for more battle and to test her limits.

It was as if within her blood, there was a latent bloodthirsty monster!

"Ruby, {Fire Breath}!" Frank said. "Spread your {Ruby Spear Rain} as well!"

"RAAARR!"

Ruby obeyed her master, conjuring dozens of spears of blazing rubies, part of her crystal magic, and then releasing a fiery breath from her jaws, burning and scaring the nearby slimes.

Her spears then pierced them and exploded, dealing massive damage to several slimes at once.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Excellent! Well done!"

Frank nodded, feeling accomplished and proud of his Familiar. He wondered when he would get a second one though, but Ruby alone was more than enough anyway.

As this happened, Frank continued battling the incoming black slimes, bullets exploded before him, but his skeleton aura protected him from the explosive damage, while he charged rapidly towards the slimes and crushed them with several kicks, or slashing waves of his claws.

As he devastated a group of slimes, he regrouped with everyone else, noticing that the slimes began gathering together after a minute of fighting.

"There's at least a few dozen more, but is this my idea or are they acting weird now?" Erika wondered, glaring as she noticed six slimes merging into a giant black blob. "Huh?! Those guys combined!"

"I noticed…" Nodded Harumi. "I can feel a greater power from them…!"

"Shouldn't we have stopped them from doing that?" Frank asked them, as he swung his black colored cursed spear he created using [Magical Projection (Weapons)].

"Killing a big one will help us out take several of them down at the same time," Matsuo explained. "So it's ultimately better… Ah, but isn't this a bit too big…"

"GRUOOHHH!"

The combined black slimes roared, as suddenly, white skeleton surged from within its slimy body, overflowing with negative energies and corrupted, miasmic mana.

The slime gained a skeleton, while the slime itself wrapped around it as a protective layer… Phantasmal flames overflowed from the giant monstrosity.

"Is that a Gashadokuro?!" Matsuo asked.

"Maybe that's the Yokai they used?" Harumi asked.

"It can't be that big of a coincidence though…" Matsuo said.

"Careful, it's coming!" Frank said, the entire group leaped away as a giant bony foot crushed the ground where they were standing a second ago!

BAAAAM!

"GRAAAHHH!"

The skeletal slime roared, releasing black flames from its opened, skeletal jaws, releasing a sea of black, cursed fire.

FLUOOOSH!

As the flames rushed towards Frank and company, Matsuo stood in front of his friends, noticing these were flames they couldn't withstand, not even little Ruby.

"{Radiant Sunlight Barrier}!"

He slammed the floor with his wooden staff, as a large magic circle formed, composed entirely of Japanese Runes spiraling together, a golden barrier protected everyone from the inferno of black fire.

BOOOM!

"Damn Matsuo, you save our skin there…" Erika said. "I hate to admit it, but the Amaterasu Clan members sure know useful magic!"

"Hah, I'm flattered, I've polished it so its even more useful," Matsuo said. "This time, nothing is catching us off-guard anymore, not as long as I am here."

"Matsuo, is it possible to give the barrier to each one of us?" Frank wondered.

"Not possible, it is a static barrier, it draws power from the earth," Matsuo explained. "To expand it over us all would be- Huh?! Frank?!"

However, Frank quickly touched the barrier and suddenly somehow pulled it out as if it were a piece of cloth, wrapping a veil around Matsuo, himself, and the girls.

"How about now? I call it the Veil version!" Frank smiled proudly.

"I-it' still working even as a veil?!" Matsuo was shocked. "Frank, that ability you used…!"

"I can explain how I did it later," Frank said. "Although it just involves the manipulation of Mana… And a few skills."

"GRUOOHHH!"

The skeletal slime rushed towards them, making the ground tremble.

RUMBLE!

There wasn't any time to chat, it was either them or this thing!

They had to slay it as quickly as possible.

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