As Keroko said, the term "
Badass Normal" has a specific meaning, explained by the trope page. It's a very specific definition, that is determined not only by the person, but by the world and events they are surrounded by.
And to respond to an earlier point, who says those advanced animals didn't do math? Animals do a lot of things that surprise us nowadays. Including some like parrots that can count and apply concepts. You could take a tray of various objects, of different shapes, colors, and put it before Alex, a grey parrot. And then ask, "Alex, how many squares?" And it would look at the tray, and respond "4" in English.
Did you know that some species of monkeys develop prostitution whose cost depends on market rate? Say, for instance, there are only a few females. As a male monkey, you'd have to groom her for 10 minutes before she'd consent to sex. If there are many monkeys? It drops down to 3 minutes or less. Monkeys know value, and this number is consistent dependent upon how many females and how many males are present. And they time the grooming fairly close to the second.
I wouldn't put it past those monsters with linker cores to have some minimal form of magic that use for existing, just like any other evolved traits. It's still nowhere on par for humans (the Wolkies got very little from them), but they would be capable of doing simple math for the little amount of magic they may need or use.