Chapter 383 - 379: Contracting the Lynx

Chapter 383: Chapter 379: Contracting the Lynx

While the Nobility were all preparing for war, Duane had to take time out to prepare for the most important event of his life.

Brocade Castle was unique and magnificent, but it still needed to be decorated with fresh flowers, fragrant herbs, banners, and red carpets for the wedding.

Under Natalia’s arrangements, Captains like Heck and Mackenzie purchased these supplies along both banks of the Great Michaelson River. This also served as a good opportunity to spread the word about Black Forest Island’s policies and benefits for the Free People.

Ever since his Tailoring Skill reached Perfection, Duane had been spending most of his time creating Level 2 Spell Scrolls.

Over the course of more than four months, he created over a thousand scrolls in total. He finally raised his scroll-making Skill Level for thirteen different types of Level 2 Magic—including the Ice Freeze Technique, Wind Blade, and Fireball Technique—to Perfection.

This was thanks to his abundant Magic Power and strong Spirit. If it were Constance, she would be lucky to successfully create two or three scrolls a day.

All these Spell Scrolls were given to Natalia, who distributed them to the Warriors and Mages, indirectly strengthening everyone’s combat prowess and increasing their chances of survival on the battlefield.

Lately, enormous bursts of Arcane Energy would erupt from the rooftop of Brocade Castle’s main keep from time to time, dyeing half the sky a fantastical shade of purple.

Everyone was in awe of this immense power, and their reverence for their Lord grew with each passing day.

At this moment, Duane was concentrating, tracing profound magical patterns onto the Black Bear Fur. His Spiritual Power and Magic Power flowed through the tip of his pen, drawing the Arcane Energy between heaven and earth to pour into the hide.

HISS!

As he completed the final stroke, the Black Bear Fur let out a loud noise, as if it were a bundle of dry tinder being ignited.

Duane’s brow furrowed. He quickly cast a Solidification Spell, and only then did the violently fluctuating energy begin to stabilize.

The magical patterns on the Black Bear Fur also transformed at that moment, forming special, profound symbols.

"I failed more than twenty times, but I finally succeeded!"

Duane wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing in relief.

Reaching Perfection in Level 2 Spell Scrolls had allowed him to smoothly break through to the rank of Grand Mage, making it possible to create a Demon Beast Contract Scroll.

For the better part of the last month, he had been trying to create one every day. However, the difficulty of making a Level 9 Spell Scroll was simply too great. Either he had problems with his Magic Power output, or his Mind Control was unstable.

He had even been on the verge of success once, but he failed because the Middle Level Solidification Spell he used was unable to stabilize the energy, causing it to run rampant.

His success this time was mainly thanks to the Advanced Solidification Spell Model he obtained after his Middle Level Solidification Spell reached Perfection.

’Creating just one used up more than half my Magic Power!’

Duane stood up. "Logan, tell Natalia I’m going to the Heavenly Mountain Range for a little while. If all goes well, I’ll be back within two days."

Logan stood at the entrance to the rooftop, already drenched in sweat. The intermittent energy bursts had left him terrified; he didn’t even know how he had managed to get through the last few days.

"Yes, my lord!" he replied, wiping away his sweat.

Duane stored the Spell Scroll in his Void Space. The Power of the Wind Element began to float around him, and a pair of translucent wings soon appeared on his back.

He leaped into the air and flew toward the Heavenly Mountain Range.

This was the Level 8 Magic, the Soaring Technique. After Duane raised its Skill Level to Entry Level, he could fly at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour, and it happened to last for exactly one hour.

The Male Servant, Logan, walked to the edge of the rooftop. He watched the Count, who had already become a small black dot in the sky, his heart filled with endless amazement.

In all his life, it was the first time he had ever seen a human who could fly.

’My lord is truly becoming more and more like a god from a Knight’s novel!’

He snapped back to his senses and began to carry the desk from the rooftop back inside.

Duane’s purpose in going to the Heavenly Mountain Range was to find the Lynx.

First, he wanted to see the effects of the Demon Beast Contract Scroll. Second, he wanted to eliminate the last hidden danger in his Territory, which would make it easier to arrange for people to come to the Heavenly Mountain Range to raise Demon-Horned Goats in preparation for making Magic Flying Carpets in the future.

Furthermore, if he could subdue the Giant Lynx, he would gain a powerful ally for the coming war.

Previously, it had taken Duane several days to travel from his Territory to the Heavenly Mountain Range. But with the Soaring Technique, the journey now took him just over half an hour.

From this, one could deduce that the straight-line distance from Brocade Castle to the Heavenly Mountain Range was only about seventy or eighty kilometers.

With the intention of finishing this quickly, Duane lowered his altitude, cast the Wind of Inquiry, and began a grid search.

This was a very troublesome task. This was especially true since Duane had very little Magic Power left after creating the Contract Scroll and then flying for half an hour with the Soaring Technique.

After casting the Wind of Inquiry several times to no avail, he had no choice but to land and recover his Magic Power.

After repeating this process several times, he finally found a trace of the Lynx three days later, on the other side of the Heavenly Mountain Range near the coast.

The creature was resting under a large tree, with the carcass of a wild deer, eaten down to its head, lying beside it.

Duane descended from the sky, landing quietly not far from it.

He activated his Starlight Eye and saw a vast amount of Magic Power within the creature’s Demon Core, shining as brightly as a pearl.

’The last time I found Fur Ball, I guessed it was a Level 6 Demon Beast. Looking at it today, it must be Level 7.’

A Level 7 Demon Beast was stronger than an average Shooting Star Warrior. He just didn’t know which was stronger, this Lynx or the Black-eyed Cyan Snake.

A gentle breeze stirred, carrying Duane’s scent with it.

The Lynx’s ears shot up. It sprang to its feet almost as fast as lightning, its eyes locking onto Duane. All the fur on its body stood on end, and it let out a low, warning growl, looking just like a cat with its fur bristled.

Duane looked relaxed. He smiled and said, "Submit to me!"

The Lynx clearly remembered Duane; it had seen him when he annihilated the Silver-Maned Wolf clan, so its instincts told it this human was dangerous.

SWOOSH!

It hesitated for only a fraction of a second before turning and bolting into the mountains, its explosive speed like a flash of dark golden lightning.

"You used that same trick to escape last time."

With a flicker, Duane appeared directly in front of the Lynx. His Fighting Qi coalesced into a giant palm and swatted toward it.

The Lynx lifted its right foreleg and swiped. Its Magic Power tore through the space in front of it, colliding with Duane’s Fighting Qi palm.

BOOM! Although the Fighting Qi palm was diminished, it still struck the Lynx with unstoppable force, sending it flying back to the base of the tree.

’The difference in our strength is too great. If I didn’t have to defeat it before making it my Contracted Demon Beast, I wouldn’t even have bothered to attack.’

The Lynx cried out in pain and trembled violently. Right before Duane’s eyes, its body abruptly shrank, turning into a smaller lynx about two meters long and one and a half meters tall at the shoulder.

SWOOSH!

This time, it changed direction and was even faster.

’It has an ability like this?’

Duane was amazed. He then used Snake Fang Assault to appear in front of it again.

"I admit your burst speed is fast, but it’s not enough to impress me!"

This time he didn’t use Fighting Qi. Instead, he rushed forward and gave it a "head pat of death," slamming it to the ground.

"ROAR!"

The Lynx had never encountered such a powerful enemy. It felt a primal fear, and its body began to swell, transforming back into a four-meter-long giant in the blink of an eye.

Duane could clearly feel the power of the beast beneath his hand increasing. He decided to let go and step back, allowing it to get up.

’Shrinking makes it faster, and growing makes it stronger?’

Duane was reminded of a cartoon he had watched as a child.

The enlarged Lynx didn’t try to run again. In this state, its speed was at its slowest; escape was impossible.

But it also knew it was no match for him. It didn’t choose to attack, instead hoping to force its opponent to retreat without a fight through a standoff.

This was a common tactic used by Demon Beasts of similar strength to avoid mutual injury.

Duane didn’t care about that. He took the initiative, held back his strength, and unleashed a torrent of attacks.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Lynx was completely powerless against Duane’s assault. The number of its injuries gradually increased, its iron-like, knotted muscles slowly lost their strength, and its cold eyes were filled with nothing but fear.

However, during the three to five minutes of being pummeled, it seemed to realize that the human before it didn’t want to kill it. So, after being sent flying one more time, it completely shed its wild nature and lay on the ground, not getting up again.

"Good. You finally know how to give in."

Duane took the half-meter-long Contract Scroll from his Void Space.

When the Lynx saw the pattern on the scroll, it seemed to understand something. A flicker of unwillingness appeared in its eyes, but this was ultimately drowned out by its desire to survive.

Duane couldn’t help but glance at the pattern on the Contract Scroll. ’Could it be that Demon Beasts are born knowing what this is?’

He unfurled the scroll. "Now, you can choose to become my Demon Beast. If you refuse, you will die!"

The Lynx whimpered but didn’t move.

Duane smeared some of the creature’s blood from the ground and dripped it onto the Contract Scroll. The patterns on it seemed to react, taking on a blood-red hue.

’A Level 9 Spell Scroll... it really is something magical.’

Duane infused it with Magic Power. The Spell Scroll immediately erupted with an intense purple light that enveloped the Lynx, and a hexagram mark formed on its forehead.

At first, the Lynx seemed to want to resist, but when Duane’s aura enveloped it again, its body went limp, and the hexagram mark sank into its brow.

In an instant, the light receded and dissipated. Duane felt a connection form between himself and the beast. Now, with a single thought, he could make it suffer unbearable pain or even kill it.

"Master!" The Lynx’s voice rang out in Duane’s mind.

At that moment, he finally understood how King Eric communicated with his Black-eyed Cyan Snake.

"Not bad!"

The corners of Duane’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up. The novel feeling put him in a very good mood.

"From now on, your name is ’Big Cat.’"

Because they were communicating via their souls, the Lynx understood Duane’s meaning.

It corrected him, "Master, I am a Demon Patterned Lynx. I have nothing to do with cats."

Duane found the soul communication novel and patiently replied, "A lynx is a feline, too."

The Lynx flicked its tail defiantly. Perhaps knowing it wouldn’t die, its former wild arrogance returned.

"Feline? Those little things in the forest that only know how to meow can’t even take a single swipe from me!"

Duane raised an eyebrow. ’What’s with this guy? Does it enjoy arguing?’

He reached out and kneaded the tip of its furry ear. It felt very nice. "I say you’re a cat, so you’re a cat."

The Lynx fell silent for a moment, then turned its head slightly to the side and said weakly, "Call me whatever you want..."