Sword God in a World of Magic

A majestic stag slowly walked through an icy forest. The trees around it had a blue sheen, and some of their needles had seemingly transformed into icicles.

The Stag's body was only 1.5 meters high, making it only a bit taller than a normal stag. However, its antlers were majestic beyond compare. The antlers were a deep blue, and white veins seemed to travel through them, releasing a blue glow periodically.

The antlers stretched upward and to the side like a tree, making one believe that this Stag was some sort of envoy sent by nature.

Whenever the Stag passed an icy tree, the blue color of the trees slowly subsided until the trees no longer shone in any color, and after that, they simply looked like normal, almost lifeless trees made of ice.

The Stag absorbed the Ice Mana in the Ice Wood Trees as it passed them. The Ice Mana in the trees acted as the Stag's sustenance and energy.

Humans weren't afraid of this Stag.

Why?

Because this was a peaceful beast.

It was one of the few beasts that didn't consume meat.

One of the few?

But weren't there many herbivores?

Well, one had to differentiate between animals and beasts.

Beasts were animals that took their first step towards power. Beasts were the animals that managed to come into contact with the Mana in the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, animals were just animals.

As beasts became more powerful, their diet slowly transitioned into one mainly made of meat. The reason for that was that there were not as many plants that came into contact with Mana.

Yes, the Ice Wood Trees were one of these kinds of plants, but the Ice Wood Trees were not powerful. A beast in the First Realm could become more powerful by consuming them, but they would be useless for beasts in the Second Realm.

This Stag would also only consume these trees while still being in the First Stage.

As soon as it became an adult, it would change its diet to water beasts.

This Stag was the very beast that the Elder had asked Alex to kill.

It didn't injure or endanger the villagers, but it consumed all the Ice Mana in the Ice Wood Trees, making them nearly worthless.

So, while the Stag didn't directly threaten the villagers, it was essentially softly pushing them into stagnation and poverty just by existing.

'That's it!' Alex thought as he narrowed his eyes.

the distance, Alex saw the Stag consuming the Ice Mana

the Frozen Lake Stag,' Alex

watched the Stag

Stag gave the

was almost like this place

for you. I

and a frown spread over Alex's

fears have proven

the Elder had spoken

beast of the Second Realm. This would essentially make it a Peak-Grade beast. We haven't

white aura emanating from the Frozen Lake

a Peak-Grade beast before,' Alex thought. 'However, I'm actually glad that it became stronger. The God said that I should push myself, and I'm certain that the God knows more about becoming

Stag came

Frozen Lake Stag if he knew that it was

Yes!

Why?

of Ice Mana to reach the Second Realm, and it was gathering this Ice

Trees until a big part of this forest was

Alex checked his equipment.

was

numb due to its low

was in

Everything was ready.

a deep breath to ready himself,

BANG!

forward with his

it.

to navigate. It was powerful enough

of that, Alex was slowly gaining ground, even though his body

Was it fleeing?

No!

It was fighting!

as he felt

SHING!

spire shot out of the ground, and

was how the Frozen Lake Stag fought. It transferred its Ice

also how it would kill water beasts in the future. A water beast that came close to the

but he had expected it. After all, the Elder wouldn't send Alex

Stag galloped through the forest, the Ice Mana of the surrounding trees entered its

fighting the Frozen Lake Stag in its most

Ice Wood Trees, it wouldn't run