Chapter 97: Another Low 3-Star! Chapter 97: Another Low 3-Star! Thunderhide Elk (Low 3-star) – Super Bloodline Thunderhide Elk (Low 3-star) – Mortal Bloodline Thunderhide Elk (Low 2-star) – Mortal Bloodline Leo studied them again with a more focused gaze. The system never specified genders for non-native beasts, but the answer here was obvious. The injured Elk was almost certainly a female—female Elks didn’t develop antlers. And the smaller one, with its timid movements and tiny nubs of horns, was clearly their offspring. It didn’t take much to piece the rest together. The female had been attacked—judging by the deep, raking claw marks, attacked by something brutal and relentless. Somehow, she had escaped. Most likely, the male had intervened, buying time or carrying her away. He must have brought her here to recover, keeping the child close while he scoured the forest for anything that might save her. Anything that would stop the bleeding that still hadn’t slowed even after so long. "So that’s why he was so desperate to get the treasure," Leo muttered under his breath. "If he could enhance her constitution, maybe she’d get strong enough to heal herself... And when he realised I had a healing ability, that became a guaranteed solution instead of hoping those energy stones would work." The logic aligned too neatly. For a moment, Leo was reminded of his own situation—when Lily carried him to James. The only difference was that he hadn’t been in mortal danger. The female Elk, however, was hanging by a thread. He looked at her again. Her legs trembled violently, barely able to hold her weight. Blood seeped continuously from her wounds, running down her fur in dark streaks that shimmered faintly under the silvery moonlight. Her vitality was draining second by second. The young Elk paced anxiously around her, nudging her legs, stepping back, then hurrying forward again—desperation written into every tiny movement. He didn’t even bother to fear Shyra, who watched the scene with cool, predator eyes. To Shyra, they were prey—obstacles to be crushed if they crossed her path. Leo almost felt guilty for making the male Elk bring her outside instead of going into the cave himself. Almost. Because, at the end of the day, this was still a transaction.Ten low purple-tier Earthpulse Heartstones for saving her life. He didn’t waste a second longer. Leo stepped forward, placing his hand gently against the female Elk’s long neck. [Nature’s Heal] [Nature’s Heal] [Nature’s Heal] [Nature’s Heal] ... .. . Warm, vibrant energy surged from his palm with each cast. He watched the injuries slowly begin to knit together, the bleeding ease, the trembling lessen. Her exhaustion also receded noticeably—must be one of the added effects from the skill’s recent upgrade. The male Elk, tense and rigid until now, relaxed visibly. He nuzzled her once, checking her condition, then suddenly darted toward the cave—leaving the mother and child to press close and comfort each other. "Uh... did he seriously just leave his wife and child with strangers?" Leo muttered. But before he could question it further, the Elk reappeared—this time with something clamped tightly in its mouth, with a pair of bony wing-like structures inverted in its mouth. It closely resembled his own antlers, but smaller in size and having a natural white bluish hue, which seemed to glow faintly under the moonlight, looking mystical. When Leo went through the object’s information, his eyes widened. Thunder-Crest Elk Antlers: Low Purple-tier Treasure —A naturally shed antler from a Thunderhide Elk that matured into a female after reaching Low 3-stars. Saturated heavily with thunder elemental energy, it is prized for forging weapons, conductive gear, and high-grade alchemical reagents. These antlers instinctively attract lightning during storms, absorbing massive amounts of electrical power, and—when processed correctly—can function as a stable, high-output energy source. The more Leo read, the more astonished he became. He glanced back at the female Elk, who had settled onto the ground to regain her strength, her breathing slow and heavy but no longer ragged. "It wasn’t a female from the start?" Leo muttered under his breath. "Do beasts from... wherever they came from not even have genders when they’re born?" His brow creased as he turned to look at Shyra. "Then—since I’ve been calling you a ’she’ from the beginning... were you always a she, or just... an ’it’?" He rubbed his forehead. "Ugh. My brain hurts. Let’s just wait until you evolve. Whatever gender you become, I’ll adjust accordingly." Shyra, of course, offered him no reaction at all. Her calm, predatory gaze made it quite clear that gender was the least of her concerns. Leo couldn’t deny it, though—this male Elk was smart. Smart enough to realize that the Heartstones alone weren’t enough compensation and bring out a shed antler—another natural treasure—to settle the debt fully, mirroring Leo’s own straightforwardness. "Well, looks like this wraps up our deal." With a soft exhale, Leo stored the antlers in his spiritual space. Currently, that space was a chaotic dump of items—a cluttered island of stacked treasures, scattered beast cores, and a few things he barely remembered throwing inside. Only two places were kept tidy: where the Elasian Aetherbloom and the Titanbreath Lotus resided. Alongside them was Niri, resting comfortably in the soothing aura they produced. The Elks soon returned to their cave, but not before Leo checked their power levels once more. The female was newly advanced into Low 3-star—her stats were roughly around 100 to 120. The male, however, was near the height of Low 3-star—likely in the 180 to 200 range. It made perfect sense; without that level of strength, it wouldn’t have been able to break through the behemoth’s monstrous defences alone. Which also meant one thing: The antlers Leo received were fresh. Perfect material for forging something deadly. He imagined himself wielding a dagger humming with lightning, or better yet—an electric sword, cutting through enemies with zapping arcs of thunder. And with that, the idea of making something special for Lily—an official gift for their relationship—firmly rooted itself in his mind. He always kept one thing in mind: A yandere needs to know they are loved at regular intervals. Leo hopped back onto Shyra’s back, his thoughts swirling.From Lily... to the beast that left those lethal claw marks on the Elk... to Dale’s party and his so-called superior who still needed his promised "discipline."And above all, the enormous pile of cores he had gathered—and the Titanbreath Lotus, which he finally needed to plant in the spiritual soil. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖 "All right! Let’s do it." Perched atop Shyra—who silently repelled every living presence around her—Leo felt completely safe. Without a shred of worry, he closed his eyes and focused on his spiritual space.