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.

Alex saw the Stag consuming the Ice

should be the Frozen Lake Stag,'

watched the Stag for

of the Frozen Lake Stag gave the surrounding

was almost like this place was a holy

you. I need money,' Alex

inspected the Stag's antlers closer, and a frown spread over

fears have proven

the words the Elder had spoken

would essentially make it a Peak-Grade beast. We haven't seen the Frozen Lake Stag in a while, so we're not sure if it's

aura emanating from the

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

came at just

Elder still want Alex to kill the Frozen Lake Stag

Yes!

Why?

Mana to reach the Second Realm, and

Ice Wood Trees until a big part of this forest was without

Alex checked his equipment.

was

numb due to its low

sword was in his

Everything was ready.

a deep breath to ready himself, and

BANG!

forward with

charging at it. As soon

was pretty fast, but its gigantic antlers made it difficult for the Frozen Lake Stag to navigate. It was powerful enough to ram through thick branches, but every branch destroyed by its antlers would slow it down

Alex was slowly gaining ground, even though his body was weaker than the

Was it fleeing?

No!

It was fighting!

as he felt Ice Mana

SHING!

ice spire shot out of the ground,

Lake Stag fought. It transferred its Ice Mana into the ground

to the shore would suddenly be penetrated by a gigantic ice spire, which would then keep

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

Ice Mana

was fighting the Frozen Lake Stag

as there were Ice Wood Trees, it wouldn't run out of