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While holding the monster and locking it into place, Leo remembered how he managed to defeat the Dragon Lord using only his wooden sword. He asked Ai about it, and she explained that it was due to the effect of the curse. Tasks that used to be as easy as breathing for him would now be significantly more difficult.

She added that his intelligence, a crucial stat for manipulating mana and comprehending complex actions, should still be exponentially higher than his level, so he should be able to do what he had done during his fight with the Dragon Lord.

He agreed and told her he wanted to try it again. Coiling his arms, he pushed the monster away with tremendous force. The ground beneath him cracked and shattered from the impact, sending shockwaves through the forest. Trees swayed and leaves rustled as the sheer power of the push reverberated through the air.

"Purchase me another weapon," Leo commanded Ai. Roxanne, still sitting on the ground, was stunned as she watched him handle the monster with such skill and confidence.

The monster, a colossal beast with scales that shimmered darkly in the dim light, began to rise. Its body is huge, with multiple tails coiled around its form like a menacing wreath. The creature's many eyes glowed with malevolent intelligence, and its claws were long and razor-sharp.

As it stood, the word "Enraged" appeared beneath its name, glowing a furious red. A dark crimson aura began to emanate from the creature, swirling around it like a living flame. The air grew thick and cold, and Roxanne could feel the intense killing intent radiating from the monster. She shivered, her breath visible in the suddenly frigid air.

As the word glowed beneath its name, the monster's body seemed to grow larger, its muscles rippling with newfound strength. Its many eyes, once cold and calculating, now burned with a feral intensity. The crimson aura that enveloped it pulsed violently, like a beating heart, and its claws elongated, gleaming like polished obsidian.

Leo, however, remained focused. He pulled out his newly acquired wooden sword, his grip tightening as he concentrated on his mana. The monster roared, the sound echoing through the forest and causing birds to take flight in panic. It rushed forward, its movements now even more aggressive and feral.

Roxanne felt her heart race, the sheer terror of the moment nearly paralyzing her. She turned to Leo and saw the wooden sword in his hand begin to glow, wrapped in the ethereal light of his mana. She recognized the technique immediately, knowing its devastating end result.

With a cry of fury, the monster lunged at Leo, its claws slashing through the air. Leo met its attack head-on, the wooden sword shimmering with concentrated power. The sword, unable to withstand the immense pressure, shattered into splinters before even colliding with the monster's attack.

Not all weapons can endure mana. Even those that are crafted to withstand mana usually have a limit to how much they can tolerate, forcing adventurers to carefully manage their mana output. Arcanites, however, grow alongside their partner adventurers and can withstand virtually any amount of mana transferred to them.

In return, they grant their partners access to their unique Arcanite powers in the form of a weapon. Arcanites can transform into any weapon their partner wishes, but this transformation consumes a significant amount of mana from the adventurer. This is why adventurers typically use only one weapon form at a time.

Adventurers also tend to have a main weapon that aligns with their primary job, which is why, even if the adventurer an Arcanite has a pact with is a system user, they usually choose to maintain one weapon form. The required mana to change from one form to another often does not outweigh the benefits.

Leo, now weaponless, was forced to catch the monster's claws with his bare hands. The ground around them cracked and split, chunks of earth and stone flying into the air. Despite the overwhelming pressure, Leo's resolve didn't falter. His hands, gripped the monster's claws, preventing it from advancing any further.

There was something about Leo that made Roxanne's inner Arcanite urge her to try making a pact with him, despite her countless failures. The scene before her—a forest filled with the debris of battle, Leo standing tall and defiant against the monstrous beast—was enough to stir a deep sense of hope within her. She remembered the past, the countless attempts to form a pact with other adventurers, each failure a painful reminder of her unique struggle.

The process of making a pact was straightforward yet profound. First, the Arcanite and the adventurer needed to stand near each other, close enough to feel each other's presence. The adventurer would then show their intention to form a pact, usually with a determined expression or a few solemn words. If the Arcanite accepted, a magic circle would form beneath them, glowing with ethereal light.

Roxanne recalled the ritual: as the circle appeared, the Arcanite would raise their hand, and the adventurer would kneel, taking the Arcanite's hand and kissing it to start the mana transfer. As the adventurer channel their mana into the Arcanite's core, a vital process starts bonding their energies.

Every Arcanite had a core that could be filled by this pact process, and the pact was complete once the core was full.

In Roxanne's case, the process always broke before completion. Adventurers, despite their strength and determination, found their mana drained rapidly, leaving them weak and sometimes unconscious. She had seen many collapses, their faces pale and their bodies trembling from the major loss of mana. It wasn't long before word spread, and no one dared to try forming a pact with her again.

But now, as she watched Leo grapple with the monster, something inside her insisted that he was different. She began to stand, her eyes fixed on him, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation. The air around them was electric, the atmosphere thick with the remnants of the monster's killing intent and the palpable tension of the ongoing battle.

But what if I fail again? The thought clung to Roxanne like a dark shadow. She had seen it so many times before—the pale faces, the lifeless bodies of those who had tried and failed to form a pact with her. What made Leo different? Why did she believe, even for a moment, that this time would be any different? But as she watched him, standing unyielding against the monster, something stirred inside her—an undeniable pull. She couldn’t ignore it, no matter how many times her heart told her to stop.

Leo, with his back to her, was unaware of her inner turmoil. His focus was on the monster, his body a picture of unyielding strength.

Roxanne took a deep breath, feeling the cool forest air fill her lungs. She stepped forward, her movements slow and deliberate. Each step brought her closer to Leo, the magic within her stirring in response to his presence. She knew the risks, and the likelihood of another failure, but she couldn't ignore the compulsion driving her forward.

The monster roared again, its red aura flaring with renewed intensity. Leo's grip tightened, his muscles straining as he fought to keep the beast contained. Roxanne moved until she was close enough to feel the heat of the battle, her eyes never leaving Leo's form.