There are multiple uses for a monster core but the most common one is using them on enchantments, which can either be boosted through a monster core or be given some kind of beneficial effect.

  Making enchanted items using a core also makes them better, but that's a given. The enchanter can even choose whether or not the core acts as a battery or a power boost for spells.

  Enchanted items can be categorized in two categories: physical and magical. Both types utilize magic so their differences lay in how they help the wielder.

  For physical enchanted items– commonly referred to as enhancers. – they give the user a buff when wielded or worn, meanwhile magical enchanted items– or boosters. – strengthens the spell cast by someone or just has some kind of effect on spells in general.

  Swords, armor, and shields often rely on the former while things like my wand are made with the latter. With that being said, a monster core is needed for an enhancer to be functional because its runes wouldn't be able to work otherwise. This makes enhancers incredibly expensive.

  Most swordsmen don't have magic so they fall short when using enchanted items but since enhancers are simply too beneficial not to use they purchase them anyway.

  There is no price for your life, so they say.

  Which begs the question, how much money can I earn if I make enchanted items? I have a good source of monster cores in the form of the local dungeon so all I need to buy will be the swords and daggers I will be enchanting.

  I know I planned to do it but after making my wand, I realized just how tedious making enchanted items actually is so I'm feeling torn if I want to actually do it or not.

  Whether or not I'll consider buying iron daggers in bulk as a good investment can wait, I still need to kill more monsters. Getting used to murdering creatures is also something I need to keep doing. I think I'm making good progress on that front, right?

  "Right." There's no monster to hear me talk this time around so I said that. Even if it's just one word, it made me feel better than before.

  "Goodbye." Dead things don't reply, I knew this yet I waved to the corpse anyway. "Thanks for the monster core."

  Walking away felt harder than I expected. Every time I felt tempted to look back I resisted, what's the point of doing that? I keep telling myself. Maybe it was guilt, or something else but my mind wandered back to the wolf.

  But like most things, I eventually forgot about it and the encounter is soon sitting in the back of my mind.

  Plants, shrubbery, vines that hung too low, and bushes. There's nothing in this place but these things, you'd think that since this is an unexplored forest that there will be monsters all over the place but they're shockingly scarce.

  Did I luck out when I spotted that wolf? Seriously? What are the chances of me finding a monster two times in a row anyway? Low? Impossible? The odds are so confusing and I don't like that I'm feeling uncertain.

  Man if only I knew how to track monster foot prints, or maybe how to scan the environment and figure out if a creature passed by here or something. How do hunters even do that? If I get a class like that will I be able to track things?

  Most likely. But by this point animal tracking is a requirement for me to get a hunting related class so obtaining it is pointless anyway.

  When I first decided to go out hunting, I expected that it would be hard and exhausting, that I'd come back to Flotol looking like a wet dish rag. Not once did I think that I'd spend several minutes just walking around hoping to find a monster to hunt.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Ughhhh... Why am I even here?"

  Fate must have felt bad for me because I soon found myself staring at a gigantic bird. It looked like an osprey, or maybe a common dove?.. No, the monster's neck is too short, chicken wouldn't work either, kiwi?

  Yeah, kiwi. The bird had the neck of a kiwi, the body of a chicken, and the claws of an eagle. All these features combined to form this fat, neckless bird that didn't look like it can easily tear a child apart with its legs.

  It perched itself on top of a branch, its moss colored plumage perfectly blending itself with the rest of the tree bark. A beak that's more blunt than sharp kept itself closed while its eyes scanned the area, looking for something. Food. Like myself.

  Crawling around under the shrubbery allowed me to avoid its line of sight so I'm safe for now. Bending even lower, I hugged the ground and stood still. How do I beat this thing? Prevent it from flying? I guess? That can work.

  Like last time, immobilizing the enemy is the best option for me so I pointed my wand at the bird and cast [Freeze].

  No matter how many times I see it, I'll always be amazed at the fact that I can create ice from nothing. A thick layer of it formed over the avian, coating it in frost and locking it in place.

  The bird lost its balance and suddenly fell, but I knew this would happen and had been preparing for it and so when it landed on the ground and the ice broke, I cast [Freeze] for the second time.

  My dagger came out and I moved towards the fallen monster, this time I didn't hesitate and just straight up stabbed it in the eye. Then I did it again. And again. When I'm about to stop I force myself to keep stabbing, there's no way I'm gonna hesitate now.

  Thankfully this is my second kill so I didn't get mentally disturbed like last time.

  But when I stood up, I could only stare at the mess of flesh and blood. My frozen state continued until the adrenaline in my system got flushed out and I was able to think again, and with my head feeling clear I just felt numb.

  There's nothing much to the kill anymore, just a strange acknowledgement that I did this. I'm the one who killed the bird, and so what? I'll continue doing it in the future so this is just one of many.

  Shuddering at those thoughts, my mind forced itself to reboot and I went into "working mode" and proceeded to harvest the bird. I broke the ice and opened up its chest, this time I'm more precise since I now have a rough estimate of where the core is.

  Carefully, I sliced through muscles and fat, cutting through flesh until I reached the depths of the bird's puffed out chest. Right below its immobile heart sits a glowing blue orb, I plucked it out of its body and then stood up.

  Two monster cores. I can sell these and make a lot of money, especially now that the Day of Piling is coming near. There's a demand for monster cores because adventurers are going to buy enchanted items.

  Unfortunately for the smiths and enchanters of Ghorise, I'm not interested in selling my cores because I'm also going to insert myself in that market. Is it competitive? Yeah so what? I don't care if there are a thousand other people selling the same stuff as me, I'll make a profit regardless because I have tricks up my sleeve.

  And by trick I mean that I'll make daggers specifically enchanted to be able to cut through flesh and stuff.

  How many people know about cells anyway? None? Oh okay.

  I chuckled as I tossed the core in the air and caught it in the same breath, "I am going to make so much money from this."

  Sadly, my feeling of victory is short lived because I noticed that three monsters have started stalking me. They're up there in the trees, jumping from branch to branch thinking that I can't see them but with how quiet the forest is? Yeah, that task is impossible.

  Since they still think they have the element of surprise, I decided to set up an ambush. I moved around the place, searching for areas that something as mobile as these things would have a hard time navigating.

  That came in the form of a densely packed group of trees. I don't know how they grew together but their roots are twisting into each other, becoming this bizarre display that only nature can make.

  For some reason the three monsters– giant monkeys. I see them now. – stopped coming closer, why? Did they lose sight of me?

  Grinning, I bent down and pointed my wand at one of them and cast [Freeze].

  With one simian now immobile, I turned my attention to the other two. I waved my wand and cast [Icicle Spear], shooting out six frozen projectiles heading straight for the monkeys. Each one had two spears coming for them.

  Two dodged, the frozen monkey wasn't as fortunate as them and he got struck head first.

  Blood dripped down to the forest floor, the scent of iron got carried by the wind and I blinked. Wait, did the monkeys find me through scent? I am covered in blood...

  But if they knew that I'm here then why did they suddenly stop? Before I could continue thinking, screams echoed out followed by the sound of thumping, I looked at the monkeys and they were banging their chest, eyes red.

  A yell erupted from the depths of their throat and then they rushed to where I was.