Five days had passed since they began Spike-Stepping training. The gap between the two young men now showed as clear as day and night. Liam had reached an astonishing recovery threshold. He moved nimbly through oak branches, wearing spiked shoes yet maintaining balance amazingly.

  G's analysis: he was 20% faster and 15% quieter than before. Liam's unusual physique amazed G—he was progressing too rapidly while Theo still struggled. Nevertheless, Theo persisted. He could move much more easily now, knowing the muscle transformation process in his legs was beginning, and just one more month would complete the transformation in his legs.

  They decided it was time for the greatest challenge.

  This hunting target wasn't just a Magical Beast, but a terrifying legend of the eastern forest: Cyclops.

  This colossal bear stood 4.5 meters tall when upright, a mass of muscle and fearsome rage. It was one-eyed, a white scar branded across its empty socket, evidence of brutal battles it had survived. Cyclops was the monster that had devastated the old hunter's home ten years ago; according to him, it might have Magical Beast bloodline. And now, it became the harsh test for Theo and Liam's new strength.

  It was 50 kilometers east of their base, forcing them to accept a rushed two-day journey.

  Al's support was invaluable. The small bird circled overhead, helping them avoid unnecessary dangers, conserving energy for the upcoming life-or-death confrontation. Liam, with legs now tempered and innate hunter experience, quickly discovered Cyclops's hunting trail. Because of late spring, the bear was actively expanding its hunting range. The two young men followed the tracks cautiously yet urgently.

  Finally, Al sent back a signal: Cyclops.

  The colossal bear, with lush dark brown fur, was bent over beside a quiet stream, drinking water. Occasionally it raised its head to look around with one cunning eye. This was a rare resting moment after a long hunt—and the only opportunity for Theo.

  Theo quickly formed a plan, delegating to G:

  "G, analyze Cyclops's weaknesses."

  And his voice dropped but filled with authority, speaking to Liam:

  "Liam, you'll be the bait and main attack spearhead. We'll do it like this..."

  The plan unfolded in three seamless coordinated phases:

  Lightning and Silence (Theo & Al):

  Al would be the catalyst. The moment Theo signaled, it would use Gust to disturb the stream surface, throwing up a spray of dust and thin water, breaking concentration and obscuring Cyclops's only remaining vision.

  Theo would exploit that brief moment of blindness. He would use the Sylvanius Bow—with absolute sound dampening—to shoot a Paralysis Arrow at a critical location: the remaining eye. The goal was to neutralize vision if lucky, or at minimum cause immediate maximum neural degradation if hitting the nose bridge or near the neck, as these were soft tissue areas. It would drive the arrow deep and carry paralysis essence into Cyclops's bloodstream. This was its only weakness with thick fur and hide and the cunning of an experienced predator.

  Decisive Strike and Speed (Liam):

  When Cyclops roared from the surprise arrow hit, Liam would move at maximum speed. He would attack continuously at Cyclops's tendons and hind legs with his spear. The objective was to sever the bear's ability to stand upright, forcing it to reduce its movement range.

  If Cyclops wasn't hit by the arrow, Liam would hold position; Theo and Al would continue harassment, seeking another opportunity.

  Sustain and Finish (Entire Group):

  Theo would continue long-range support with bleeding arrows (hollow-center arrows optimized for prey blood loss) to degrade its stamina.

  Al would ceaselessly cause interference, using Growl to weaken Cyclops's morale.

  Liam would be the one seeking the final opportunity to end the monster's life.

  "There can't be any mistakes. This is the most dangerous battle we've ever faced. If the plan fails, everyone retreats. Al provides cover with Gust and Growl to distract the opponent." Theo spoke, breathing steadily but eyes blazing.

  The moment had arrived. Theo took a deep breath.

  "Al, Gust!"

  The surprise attack from Al immediately took effect. A small violent whirlwind surged up, pulling stream water and fine dust from the bank, creating an instant fog screen, engulfing the upper half of the giant bear. Cyclops was confused, its massive head jerking sharply, trying to use its remaining eye to pierce through the dust screen.

  Right then, Theo acted. He drew the Sylvanius Bow taut, the Paralysis Arrow aimed precisely at the center of the left eye—an unbelievable target. Thwip! The sound was virtually nonexistent, just an extremely light wind-slicing.

  Stolen story; please report.

  The arrow succeeded resoundingly. Cyclops roared in pain:

  "ROAR!!!"

  The cry tore through the oak forest's quiet space. Its front legs clawed violently at the air, attacking everything around in blind frenzy. The Paralysis Arrow had completed its mission, carrying dark green liquid deep into the central nervous system hub.

  Al seized the opportunity, switching to Growl attack, creating a wave of chaotic sound, further weakening morale and disrupting the bear's localization ability.

  Liam didn't miss the golden opportunity Theo and Al created. He crouched, inhaled deeply and shot forward thanks to thrust from the Remnant Wind technique. His eyes flashed with a veteran hunter's danger, focusing all attention on the target.

  Liam's sharp spear tip launched extremely fast, aimed straight at Cyclops's tendons and hind legs.

  Clannng!

  The collision sound wasn't tearing flesh, but a harsh metallic clang. The spear could only penetrate half an inch and couldn't destroy the wild Magical Beast's rear tendons. Cyclops's hide was too tough; though Liam's spear had torn through the skin layer, it had absorbed most of the impact force, insufficient to penetrate deeper.

  Cyclops, though paralyzed and having lost vision, still regained the terrifying composure of a dangerous predator. It began sniffing and focusing on listening for Liam's footsteps. Its massive front legs attacked repeatedly toward where Liam stood.

  The situation became extremely dangerous. Liam's adrenaline spiked; all mental energy, leg strength and hunter instinct warned him of the threat. Liam used newly learned movement techniques, dodging Cyclops's attacks, vanishing from the deadly swipe's range.

  Theo, seeing Liam's excellent evasion ability, instead of calling retreat, made a split-second decision:

  "Al, Gust!"

  Small cyclones pulled from Al's wings, attacking Cyclops repeatedly. This wasn't to cause damage, but to disperse Liam's scent and muffle his footstep sounds. Though this made Liam's movement slightly harder, it further confused Cyclops, unable to lock onto its target.

  Theo recaptured the rhythm. A series of bleeding arrows were shot at steady intervals into Cyclops's flank, combined with attacks from multiple directions by Liam. The entire group was pulling the Magical Beast into a frenzied and exhausted state.

  Theo called Liam to pull back while maintaining his archery rhythm, but no longer relentlessly. Theo continuously ordered Al to alternate using Growl and Gust to dominate the enemy, not giving Cyclops a single moment to regain balance, making it unable to distinguish direction or scent.

  Like this, the battle dragged on for an hour.

  Exhaustion, blood loss from bleeding arrows and Paralysis Essence effects gradually accumulated. Finally, the colossal beast roared weakly, its massive body surrendered to gravity and collapsed, creating a tremor that shook the entire forest.

  Cyclops was dead. They had won.

  "Congratulations, Host has received +50 ACP." G's mischievous voice mixed with chime-like tones rang out while Theo's hand still trembled slightly. Just moments ago when Liam was attacked, he'd nearly been replaced by panic. They were indeed too reckless—before nature's surprises no plan was perfect; all errors would be death charms for subsequent shallow actions. This would be a lesson for the first important battle of his life.

  The stream bank had now settled, only crackling campfire and gentle water flow providing backdrop as night descended. Three warriors, though exhausted, coordinated with the cold professionalism of those in the life-and-death trade.

  Liam undertook the most laborious work: skinning Cyclops. The thick hide, hard as iron armor, challenged every knife stroke. Sweat soaked through layers of dirt, but his hands remained steady, separating the enormous hide from the massive muscle mass.

  Theo, by firelight, carefully cut meat, sorting valuable parts. He worked in silence, only the sound of blade scraping against bone. Each strip of bear meat was saturated with danger and victory.

  Meanwhile, Al became an invisible sentinel, circling in darkness. Sharp owl eyes swept through the forest, ensuring no predator dared approach this blood feast.

  Nutrition was immediately prioritized. Theo quickly cooked a pot of thick, hot bear meat soup from field ingredients. The aroma of meat and herbs spread, dispelling the blood's fishy smell and battle tension.

  A large portion of roasted meat was set aside for Al—this gift was to reward the small bird because during this time he'd realized Al wasn't picky but really loved meat, so it was both necessary to promote another growth spurt and support increasing happiness for the little one, an essential thing Theo wouldn't want to skip. Theo placed the roasted meat in a bowl and patted Al's head, praising it for doing very well today. The little one chirped twice delightedly then buried its head in the food.

  Most of the spoils had been arranged. The remainder, they knew, would soon become a feast for other forest residents. Here, nothing was wasted.

  After the meal, when the soup's warmth had dispelled cold and fatigue, Theo began an important assessment. He smoothed Al's feathers and looked into the fire, as if seeing Cyclops's colossal shadow in the flames:

  "We won, but nearly paid dearly," Theo said gravely.

  "The Paralysis Arrow worked, but Cyclops's defense exposed a fatal weakness in our tactics."

  He looked at Liam:

  "Your spear didn't have enough penetrating force. That hide was too tough. Though you hit the target perfectly, you couldn't destroy its tendons and bones. Against future Sub-Magical Beasts, you need a weapon that's not just sharp but has weight and durability far exceeding your current spear."

  Theo continued, fingers stroking an empty vial:

  "And Paralysis Essence has limits too. It slowed Cyclops and blinded it, but couldn't fully neutralize. If it had been a faster or smarter Magical Beast, we wouldn't have had a full hour to manage. I need to research a higher-grade Paralysis formula, or find ingredients that can match their endurance."

  Theo sighed, lightly touching the Spike-Stepping shoes beneath his feet:

  "And finally, me. My speed is too slow. If Al hadn't continuously thrown Gust to obscure vision and muffle sound, Cyclops would have found my position instantly. I can't keep being a speed burden for you. I must train Spike-Stepping with higher intensity, so my movement speed can at least keep up with your retreat speed."

  Liam listened silently, then placed his hand on the massive bear hide. A smile appeared on his tired face, full of pride:

  "I know we need upgrades," Liam said, eyes brightening. "And we have enough materials to do that. This hide is too thick and durable. I'll have a craftsman make two new leather armor sets from it—it'll be the best protection we have. You'll need it."

  "And two travel backpacks too," he added. "Current backpacks aren't enough capacity for hunts like this. With remaining hide, we can make shoes for the upcoming trip or sell it. It'll have enormous value, enough to buy anything we need."

  Theo nodded. This was their biggest step forward. They were ready to move to the next phase of the plan.

  The next morning, Theo and Liam didn't linger long. Cyclops's spoils were assets needing immediate processing. Hide, tendons and rare internal organs were carefully packed.