Villain's Evolution: Investing in My Minions Yields Crazy Returns!

Abyssal magical beasts were among the deadliest types of monsters in this world.

They could devour mana and possessed extremely powerful shadow adaptation abilities. However, what truly alarmed Leah was the pressure emanating from the creature before them.

That was definitely not an aura an ordinary Level 18 magical beast could possess.

”Second Life Tier...” Ryan slowly exhaled.

According to the academy’s regulations, the highest level of magical beasts permitted inside the screening area was Level 18.

But the Level 45 Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf before them had clearly surpassed the limits of the First Life Tier. It was a Second Tier magical beast.

How could such a monster possibly appear inside an area designated for freshman screening?

While the two were observing it, the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf suddenly stopped moving.

Its crimson eyes, which had originally been fixed on the young man in silver armor, slowly turned toward Leah.

The next moment, the dark purple mana gathered across its scales flared.

”ROAR!”

A deep roar reverberated throughout the rocky forest.

Leah suddenly felt a heavy pressure in her chest.

The astral core that had been circulating steadily inside her body began vibrating violently. Her astral mana seemed to be drawn by some invisible force and actually started flowing beyond her control!

”Ugh!”

She let out a muffled groan and staggered, hurriedly grabbing a nearby tree trunk for support.

Ryan quickly noticed something was wrong.

”What’s happening?”

”It’s... absorbing my mana.”

Leah gritted her teeth and tried to stabilize the astral core inside her body, but no matter how much mental energy she mobilized, the external pulling force refused to disappear.

Worse still, as the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf focused its attention on her, the suction continued growing stronger.

Her face rapidly turned pale.

Ryan glanced at her, then at the distant beast, instantly realizing the severity of the situation.

”Fall back!”

Before his words had even faded, the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf moved.

Whoosh!

Its figure suddenly merged into the shadows on the ground, and in the next instant, it appeared less than ten meters in front of them.

Its speed was astonishing!

Ryan stepped forward almost instinctively and swept his longsword horizontally. The sharp sword light collided head on with the beast’s outstretched claw.

Clang!

An ear piercing metallic collision rang out.

Ryan felt a terrifying force surge through his sword, instantly numbing his entire right arm. His body slid backward several meters uncontrollably, his feet carving two deep trenches into the ground.

’So strong!’ His heart sank.

After just one exchange, he could already tell that the difference in strength between them was far greater than he had imagined.

The Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf paid him no attention, its gaze fixed on Leah.

”Ryan!”

Leah struggled to raise her right hand and cast four new chains from behind her, each wrapping toward one of the beast’s limbs.

This was the control method she had become most familiar with after training under Evelyn.

First, restrict the opponent’s movement, then seal off its charging routes, and finally search for an opportunity to attack.

However, this time, the moment the chains touched the dark purple mana covering the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf, they began trembling violently.

A strange devouring force rapidly spread along the chains.

Leah’s expression changed drastically, and she quickly severed the mana connection.

But she was still a step too late.

A large amount of astral mana was instantly drained from her body. The four chains she had just formed shattered one after another, transforming into countless specks of starlight.

Leah’s legs weakened, and she nearly collapsed to her knees.

”Damn it!”

Ryan cursed under his breath and charged forward.

He could clearly see that the beast had an abnormally strong desire to attack Leah.

If he allowed it to get any closer, she wouldn’t last much longer.

A dazzling silver white sword light suddenly illuminated the surface of his longsword.

Ryan pushed off the ground, transforming into an afterimage as he approached the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf from the side. He unleashed three consecutive strikes, targeting its foreleg joint, abdomen, and the side of its neck.

This was his preferred fighting style.

Using speed to locate weaknesses, then dismantling his opponent’s defenses through continuous, precise sword strikes.

The first strike landed on its joint.The second grazed its abdomen. But the third was blocked by a bone spike that the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf suddenly raised.

Clang!

Ryan’s eyes narrowed as he immediately prepared to change his attack.

But at that moment, the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf suddenly turned, its thick tail sweeping toward him while wrapped in dark purple mana.

Bang!

He hastily raised his longsword across his chest, but he was still sent flying, crashing through a massive boulder and causing fragments of rock to scatter everywhere.

He landed on one knee, and a metallic taste rose in his throat as a thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

”Ryan!” Leah cried out.

”Stay back!”

Suppressing the intense pain in his chest, Ryan supported himself with his longsword and struggled to stand again.

He knew he was in serious trouble.

The strength, defense, and speed of this Level 45 Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf far exceeded those of ordinary First Life Tier magical beasts. Its strange ability to devour mana made conventional combat methods even less effective.

And he was currently only Level 18. An entire Life Tier barrier separated them.

Even so, Ryan held his ground because the Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf was already lunging toward Leah again.

”Stop right there!”

He violently poured his mana into his longsword. The blade emitted a clear humming sound as he shot forward at an even greater speed than before.

This time, he aimed directly for the beast’s eye.

A flash of sword light streaked through the air.

The Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf finally turned its head, bringing down a massive claw.

Ryan forcibly twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the first strike, but the second claw that followed struck his left shoulder.

Blood instantly sprayed into the air.

His body slammed heavily into the ground, and his longsword flew from his hand, tumbling several times between the rocks before finally coming to a stop.

The Abyssal Bone-Spike Wolf raised its foreleg, preparing to crush him completely.