Magivores are mystical beings with special abilities bordering the realm of the supernatural.

Many fear them as devils, while others praise them as gods.

Through the years, humanity has managed to domesticate some, but those don't even account for even one percent of the Magivores that exist in the world. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, exhibiting different attributes that make them incredibly formidable.

Generally, they are classified into two kinds: Plant-type and Beast-type.

They also exist in 9 Cadres—though anything above the fifth is beyond human capability to handle, and mostly exist in myths and fables.

Cadre 1 Magivores are known as Lesser Magivores.

They are largely harmless, even the wild ones, but still possess special properties that humans find useful for Potions, Armaments, Spells, and so on. Many of them have been domesticated, but there exist even more out in the wild.

Cadre 2 are known as Feral Magivores, posing great danger to ordinary people. It usually takes a Mercenary or Low-Rank Knight to defeat them.

Cadre 3 are known as Mystic Magivores, possessing immense danger even to Mercenaries and Knights. At the very least, only the most skilled Mercenary or a Mid-Rank Knight stands a chance.

Then… we have Cadre 4, also known as Arcane Magivores.

At this level, only a High Rank Knight stands a chance, and that's simply the bare minimum. To survive, one has to be a High Rank Knight at the very least, else death is certain.

As for Cadre 5, the Noble Magivores… they require multiple High-Rank Knights and Peak-level humans like Royal Knights to even form a resistance. Even then, survival is the priority, as victory will come at an incredible cost.

A Cadre 5 Noble Magivore threatens the safety of an entire Kingdom, and is the limit of humanity's potential and ability to fight.

Beyond it is the Cadre 6 Sovereign Magivore, the Rank 7 Mythic Magivore… and so on.

Such aren't beings that can be defeated by man.

Some can swallow entire rivers in a single breath, others can freeze entire Kingdoms in the blink of an eye, and there is a legend about a certain Magivore that plunged the entire Eariel Continent into an eternal blizzard during an Era long ago.

This began one of the most tumultuous periods mankind ever faced

—The 10th Era, generally referred to as The Great Cataclysmic Period of Chaos!

Fortunately, humanity survived, and we have thrived until now, the Present Age… the 15th Era of the world, also known as the Current Era.

Needless to say… Magivores are incredibly dangerous.

Now, why am I saying all of this?

Well, it is to establish how powerful these creatures that currently surround me are. Most of them are Cadre 2, but I can spot a few Cadre 3 Magivores among them.

Despite the situation, I find myself absolutely calm.

I actually anticipated this.

Even though this would be an awry sight to someone else, I am not lacking in a means of escape.

In the worst case, I can simply use Tracing to instantly teleport out of the forest.

If I need to fight, using Frontflow should suffice.

But none of those are my intentions.

Instead—

"Silence."

At once, the incessant noise within the Dark Willow Forest comes to a grinding halt, and all the Magivores stop their advance.

"Good…" I slowly rise to my feet, my voice echoing loudly within the dense rainforest.

None of the creatures makes a single move against me.

They simply watch me with a solemn gaze, though I can sense flickers of fear—maybe even reverence—in their gaze.

My smile broadens at the sight, and with one word, I beckon the group closer.

"Come."

They all listen, slowly advancing towards me.

I spot quite a variety of animals present. From the Screech Owlbear to the Blister Lizard, and even a few Spineshell Armadillos. Each of these groups is being led by a Cadre 3 leader, which makes them especially more dangerous.

But I hold no worry.

Once they are one meter away from me, I speak once again.

"Stop."

They immediately cease movement.

"Submit."

They all lower their heads.

Some even kneel.

If anybody saw this, their jaws would fall in absolute shock. Some would point at me and even accuse me of using Druid Arts.

But… I am no Druid.

I am simply a Leviathan whose existence exceeds these Magivores.

I don't know if it is due to instincts or a special resonance between us, but any Magivore whose existence is not as defined as mine immediately shows subservience when I demand it.

They cannot harm me.

This is yet another quality of a Leviathan.

'Now that I think about it, maybe Druids are related to Leviathans. It's almost similar to how my Clairvoyance is comparable to Divination…' I smile, staring calmly at the subservient creatures so close in proximity to me. 'I've only managed to test out this authority on Cadre 1 to Cadre 3 Magivores, so I'm not sure about the others. I suspect I should be able to compel Cadre 4 Magivores with some effort, but as for Cadre 5… that isn't certain.'

But whenever I think about Zarius and his scheme involving the Thorn Overseer Vine, the probability shifts slightly.

Zarius, a Rank 1 Leviathan, set up a trap for me and my team using the Thorn Overseer Vine. In my past life, he used the same Magivore to terrorize the Kingdom, killing millions of people for his grand plan. The Magivore was only stopped after much effort and many sacrifices were made by the Kingdom.

'Thorn Overseer Vine is a Cadre 5 Magivore. I suspect Zarius had a way to control it somehow, so maybe I can also command one if I exert great effort…' My thoughts flow quietly.

It's also possible that I'm not at Zarius's level yet, even though both of us are of the same Rank.

This is likely true.

Zarius was a Leviathan even during Uncle Damon's Academy days, which was decades ago.

Despite his young appearance, that man had to be at least sixty years old.

It's not surprising that he would be far more skilled at using his Conceptions and also possess far greater control over Magivores.

His existence would also be considerably more defined than mine.

'I definitely have a long way to go when it comes to these matters…' I laugh awkwardly, quickly snapping out of my reverie.

Still, even with my limitations, this is a useful power to have.

Being able to effortlessly compel Magivores—this even trumps the power that Druids have displayed in the past, and they were feared for it.

The more time passes, the more I recognize the privilege of power that I possess.

'I wonder what Brad would think about this, though…' I smile wryly, looking at the Magivores before me, as well as the Special Resources I'm about to plunder. 'He probably won't like it very much, nor would he approve.'

He would prefer that I leave these Magivores alone and not plunder their territory.

But I can't do that.

'It's selfish, but I need to experiment with as many Special Resources for my survival. However, Special Resources are too expensive, and I need a diverse amount of them. Being able to harvest them on my own is the most efficient route…'

My finances have only started recovering ever since I splurged all my money on tracking down Zarius and even purchasing all kinds of Grade C Armaments for our battle. Paying the registration fees for the Honorary Knight Exams has also made quite a dent in my wallet, so I can't afford to spend any more money.

My salary as a Senior Professor is indeed very attractive, but after calculating the cost of business, the cost of feeding, the cost of my Leviathan research, and so on… it isn't a lot.

Not only do I need an additional source of income, but I have to manage the little money I have.

That means taking detours like this and harvesting Special Resources on my own.

"You guys will help me harvest all the Special Resources around here. You should be able to easily detect them, since this is your habitat. Bring them to this location, and pile them right next to my steed." Even though they probably can't understand my language, I'm certain my intentions are being made clear to them.

How else would they be able to follow all my other commands?

After giving a few more clear instructions, I send them off. Sure enough, after some time, they start bringing the Special Resources in droves, making my job much easier.

'Such useful little helpers. It's a shame I'll also have to harvest their own Special Resources once this is all over…' I sigh to myself, feeling a little guilty. 'But this is necessary for me to achieve optimal efficiency.'

The more Special Resources I have at hand, the more I can experiment.

'If I can solve my nutrition problem with just this batch, that would be excellent… but something tells me it won't be that easy. I should be prepared to do this a few more times. Through trial and error, I'll eventually reach a desired result.'

This is the only way someone like me can make any meaningful progress.

There is a reason I'm being so proactive despite the seeming lack of urgency. You see, I have a theory about my anatomy and the problems associated with my nutrition.

It has to do with my advantage—the high definition of my existence.

If I'm right, then my nutrition problem only exists because my existence is so well defined.

'Magivores also have more well-defined existences, and most of them can't be satisfied with basic nutrition either. With my existence being more defined than theirs, this problem has become even more evident with my anatomy requiring far more sustenance.' My brows furrow as I multitask, thinking deeply about my issue while organizing all the Special Resources being brought by my subjugated Magivores.

The situation is worrisome because I suspect that my problems will only increase the more powerful I become. Since Magivores have their existence become more defined the higher their Rank, the same must also happen to Leviathans.

That means I'll need a lot more nutritional value the more my existence gets defined.

Right now, I can barely manage with even nutrient-dense foods.

What will happen at Rank 2?

I don't think normal food will be sufficient by then.

That means I need to find a solution… and fast.

I thought about Zarius earlier, and how his existence had to be more defined than mine, allowing him to control that Cadre 5 Magivore. But that also means he had a solution to his nutrition problem—allowing him to go an entire day without eating anything.

'Now that I think about it, Zarius must have been consuming Potions to aid in his nutrition. His grand scheme also involved using Bloodvines and other ingredients to brew a Grade 6 Potion…'

Could it be related to this nutrition problem, too?

Sigh…

Back then, I couldn't comprehend why Zarius was so willing to burn down two Kingdoms just to brew a single Potion, but he saw it differently.

He told me I wouldn't understand since I wasn't a Leviathan, and he was right.

Now that I am one, I can see it clearly.

'Normal Potions are not very effective on Leviathans, which means we have to brew more potent Potions. A Potion to help reduce hunger and solve the nutrition problem, as well as other kinds of Potions… they must all exist, along with their recipes.'

Zarius likely had the recipe for one of such Potions, and he was willing to sacrifice the Randalorion and Sarvosia Kingdoms for it.

It's not so different from how I have chosen to ransack this Dark Willow Forest, disregarding the lives of Magivores, just to obtain what I want. My existence is higher than theirs, and I am much stronger, so I can easily take what I want without any detriment to me.

If I show them consideration, it only makes things more difficult and less efficient for my goals.

Using this principle, I can somehow understand Zarius.

After all, even though Leviathans appear human and were once humans…

… We are completely different creatures.

Our existences are more defined, and we possess a special constitution that allows us to use powers that humans can only dream of.

If that is the case, what difference is there between Magivores and Humans if plundering and slaughtering are the best way to obtain results? The ease is comparable, and the power exists to subdue them… so why not?

To a Leviathan, whose existence is far higher than others, there was nothing stopping him.

Nothing is stopping me.

But—

'Why does it still feel wrong? Whether it's humans or Magivores… are their lives no longer meaningful to me because I am not one of them?'

Before, I held humans in high regard… In fact, I still do.

But that was because I was human.

I felt there was something special about humanity. I thought animals and Magivores only existed to serve us, and our well-being was the top priority—the highest when it came to value.

What about now, though?

I am no longer human, and so they don't necessarily have the highest value in my eyes.

What makes humans different from animals?

What makes Magivores different from Special Resources?

In the end… are they not lower existences?

Haha…

These are the kinds of dangerous thoughts I wrestle with as a Leviathan, but I haven't had much of an opportunity to dissect them, given my current circumstances.

Perhaps I am a hypocrite for still valuing human lives over those of Magivores.

After all, it is purely preferential treatment.

An unfair bias.

However, it is what it is.

Even though I am now a Leviathan, I was born a human, and in many ways… I still consider myself human at heart.

Now, back to the matter of Potions.

'I will be gathering quite a bit of Special Resources on this trip, and there exist a few recipes that I can try, but for the most part, I will be in unknown territory…' I laugh lightly, setting aside my troubling thoughts so I can focus on the challenge at hand.

In the end, I can only experiment…

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