'Well, nothing I can do about it, I should just be happy to have a rank 3 blood companion. Also, the pressure in my mind seems to work like an inferior version of the Kesier rune.'

The pressure on Noah's sea of consciousness with the addition of the snake's figure had increased greatly.

The snake's image would release a constant weight on his mental sphere steadily enlarging it.

'The effects are not as noticeable as the training in the rune, yet it's still the first increase of mental energy I had since I became a rank 1 mage.'

Since William had yet to give him the second rune, his training had halted in that field.

However, with the new burden in his mind, his sphere was finally enlarging again.

'It's a pity that I can't create another companion. I feel that my mind has reached the limits of what it can withstand.'

He controlled his companion for a bit to get used to the new ability and to familiarize himself with its peculiarities.

The snake shared all its senses with Noah, it was like having a mind inside his mind and that was what caused the constant pressure.

Noah had to get used to looking in two different directions at the same time, deciding twice the actions to make, needless to say that the expenditure of mental energy was high.

Nevertheless, he could sustain it, he was after all a rank 1 mage.

The only problem was, as always, the "Breath" expenditure.

After a whole hour of training, he had to stop to refill the "Breath" in his body which was almost completely consumed.

A bit of irritation struck him as he patted his low waist and looked at it angrily.

'Fucking dantian form already! I'm sick of having this stupid limit.'

He sat on the ground to calm himself and decide on his next move, the companion had retreated in his body in the meantime.

'First, I have to get used to my new combat strength and I can do it by fighting some beasts during my trip to the other side of the valley. Second, I should take things slowly to raise the level of my body as much as possible, I don't know what dangers are lying in wait for me on the road. Lastly, I have to get out of here a go back to the mansion, I bet that Lily and Master are worried about me.'

He set his priorities and rested, in order to escape the valley he had to be at his peak form every time he decided to move.

.

.

.

A week passed, as a young man with his upper body naked walked cautiously in the valley.

Sometimes he would jump in some cave and come out covered in blood, sometimes rank 2 magical beasts would attack him to be devoured by a huge black shadow.

'The density of "Breath" is increasing so much that if I release my companion for only a few attacks I can refill the "Breath" expended immediately. The only problem is that my clothes get torn in the process.'

Since the companion was mostly wandering in his chest area, the upper part of his dark gym suit had been ripped during the recent fights.

'It seems that I have to store clothes in the space-ring from now on.'

He reached the middle part of the valley, in the area where he first had fallen and a familiar scene presented to him.

A large pack of rank 2 Earth snakes was coiled around a rank 3 one.

The rank 3 snake was sleeping and some violet spots were present on his yellow body, the fight with the Horned snake had left some injuries on its body.

'I guess it is time to test my real strength now. I wonder if it will be happy to meet its old friend.'

The blood companion came out from his body and covered him, Noah was inside its gaseous interiors being carried by the snake.

This was one of the applications of the spell that Noah managed to discover, not only the body of the snake would act as a form of protection but it could also hide him pretending that he was some kind of magical beast.

This was also the best option he could think about in the unfortunate event that the King found him.

The companion moved toward the pack alerting its rank 2 members.

The rank 3 also woke up but looked confusedly in its direction, it seemed that it found some similarities with its old enemy but, at the same time, it was different.

It hissed an order to the rank 2 snakes and they moved in the companion's direction.

Before they could encircle it though, the companion raised his huge body in the air and hissed at them.

A rank 3 beast was a leader among rank 2 beasts, and even with its initial stage strength, it was still a threat to their pack.

The group halted their advance for a moment and, in that instant of hesitation, a small figure shot out from the body of the companion immediately severing two reptilian heads.

A small gaseous line connected the small figure to the one of the ethereal snake.

The pack moved their attention to Noah but at that moment the blood companion attacked and bit the head on one of the snakes crushing it in one blow!

In only one move three rank 2 snakes had died.

The rank 3 Earth snake got enraged and shot in their direction but, in the meantime, Noah had already pierced another snake's head and the companion was chewing on another beast.

When the big Earth snake arrived, it directly head-butted toward the blood companion which was forced some meters back from the clash.

A wave of pain hit Noah as more "Breath" was expended to heal the injuries just suffered by his snake but he was prepared for that.

He slashed promptly at the rank 3 beast leaving a deep wound slightly below its head.