After breaking through to become a Seventh-Level warrior, Matthews prepared to head back. Besides, he still wasn't strong enough to venture deep into the Magic Beast Mountain Range. So he planned to kill a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, obtain its Magic Beast Core, and return the way he had come.
While taking advantage of his breakthrough, Matthews had also tried using the Electromagnetic Cannon again. He found that what limited the technique was no longer his lack of Battle Qi, but the weak magnetic field produced by his lodestone.
Still, the lodestone attached to his legs could meet his current needs for flight. Once he comprehended the Electromagnetic Profundity, he would still be able to use this technique.
"Boss, that flying move of yours is so cool!"
Asolun flapped his wings and circled around Matthews, shouting excitedly. His cheerful voice rang in Matthews's mind.
"Hahaha, it's not bad. At least it's good enough for now!"
After practicing a few long-range attacks, Matthews had thoroughly mastered his strength as a Seventh-Level warrior.
One day, while they were searching for a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, they sensed the aftershocks of a battle from far away. Matthews recognized the roars as those of a Velociraptor, a Seventh-Level Magical Beast, and had planned to take a detour.
But through his electromagnetic sensing, he spotted someone familiar: the beautiful, big-eyed young woman he'd met at the Imperial Capital Magic Academy—the one who had given him twenty gold coins the first time they met. Kelly and her companions seemed to be in trouble.
Matthews thought it over. Kelly had helped him before, so he ought to lend a hand.
"Whoosh—"
Matthews had been hurrying along on foot, but suddenly took off into the air. Asolun asked in confusion, "Boss, didn't you say it was too dangerous to fly around carelessly in the Magic Beast Forest?"
"Someone I know is in danger. I'm going to save her."
Matthews reached the battle site in no time. The only Sixth-Level warrior in Kelly's team had already been killed.
With no time to build up power, Matthews raised his left hand in midair.
He shouted, "Move!"
"Whoosh—"
A bolt of lightning shot toward the Velociraptor's tail as it swung at him. The beast's tail, harder than rock, collided with Matthews's attack, triggering a thunderous explosion.
The Velociraptor's attention was drawn by the blow, and Matthews's second Electromagnetic Cannon attack arrived right after. It forced the beast back five meters, and Kelly's Ice Protection spell no longer held. Once she was safe, she hurriedly retreated to a safer spot.
As Matthews descended, the Cold Light Ghost Shadow flew straight into his hand. He charged at the Velociraptor.
"So cool!"
Now that she was safe, Kelly recognized Matthews, who had come to her rescue. The sight of lightning coiling around him made him look incredibly masculine in her eyes.
Matthews's attack had already reached the threshold of the third realm of swordsmanship. With just one strike, he broke through the Velociraptor's scaled defenses. Lightning flickered along the Cold Light Blade, and the Battle Qi seeped through the beast's flesh into its body. The paralyzing nature of lightning further restricted its movements.
Before long, Matthews killed the increasingly weakened Velociraptor.
Matthews had just put away the Velociraptor's Magic Beast Core when Kelly ran over excitedly, her eyes shining as she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I just made a breakthrough and was planning to challenge a magical beast. I didn't expect to find you in danger here, so I came to help."
"Really? I'm so lucky to have run into you."
Matthews looked around and asked, "You're already in the middle section of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. What are you doing in such a dangerous place?"
"We'd finished training and were getting ready to head back. We didn't expect to run into a Velociraptor."
Kelly then asked, "Big Brother Matthews, are you heading back too? Want to come with us?"
Matthews thought it over. He was planning to return anyway, so he said, "Sure. We can go together."
Kelly naturally walked over and took Matthews by the arm, then led him to her teammates and introduced him.
When one of the male mages in the group saw Kelly holding Matthews's arm, his expression changed at once. The change was gone in a flash, though, and Matthews didn't notice.
"This is Nina, my best friend."
Nina greeted Matthews warmly. "Hello. I've seen you from a distance before."
"Hello, hello."
Matthews replied politely. The male mage hadn't waited for Kelly to introduce him before coming forward to give a proper noble's bow.
"I'm Wood, son of Marquis Boret!"
Matthews had never learned this world's etiquette, so he clasped his hands in response. "You can call me Matthews."
Seeing how crude Matthews's manners were, the mage named Wood looked down on him even more.
That evening, Kelly pulled Matthews aside and asked him about his recent experiences. She also told him about her own recent adventures, while Matthews listened attentively.
After Kelly left, Asolun's voice rang out in Matthews's mind.
"Boss, that mage named Wood was hostile toward you today."
"Hahaha, I noticed. He obviously likes Kelly. Seeing how warmly she treated me naturally made him hostile!"
"Boss, to be honest, I wouldn't mind having Kelly as my sister-in-law!"
"Come on. What would a magical beast like you know about human feelings?"
Asolun said indignantly, "Boss, I may not understand human feelings, but judging by how magical beasts court each other, Kelly has definitely taken a liking to you."
"Enough, enough—"
"How old are you? For a magical beast, you haven't even grown your fur yet. What the heck do you know?"
"Boss, I'm serious!"
"Say another word and I'll punish you!"
"All right, I'll stop!"
Along the way, Kelly was like a curious child, asking one question after another.
"Big Brother Matthews, how did you get so strong? How do you train?"
"Uh, I just absorb the elements."
"Is your powerful Lightning Element magic a family secret technique?"
"Uh, you could say I came up with it myself."
"Wow, you're amazing!"
Wood couldn't take it anymore and cut in. "Tch, if you don't want to say, then don't. There's no way you came up with such high-level magic yourself!"
Kelly rolled her eyes at him, then said irritably, "Just because you can't do it doesn't mean no one else can!"
Then she turned back to Matthews with a smile. "You did come up with it yourself, right, Big Brother Matthews?"
The idea for Matthews's Electromagnetic Cannon had come from a two-dimensional anime, and his knowledge of electromagnetic theory had come from a teacher he'd had in the past. But in this world, he could still be considered its originator, so he said, "Mm, you could say that."
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