Chapter 17 Hunting Monsters
2 months later.
Eluard poured all of his efforts into reading more books and cultivating based on the knowledge he had gathered.
He stood up from his high chair and looked at his attributes.
[ Host Name: Eluard Kai ]
[ Age: 23 Years Old ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Magic Power: Trainee Mage (Full Ring) ]
[ Magic Root: Divine Nebular Magic Root (Divine) ]
[ Magic Aptitude: 10/10 ]
[ Magic Affinity: Universal ]
[ Magic Spells: Fireball, Earthbind, Wind Slash… ]
[ Special Skills: Magical Deterrence, Magical Analysis (Eye of Fidelity) ]
[ Achievements: Recruiter ]
'A trainee mage in the full ring, huh?'
Magic cultivation consisted of seven major realms. They were the apprentice and trainee mages, adept and master wizards, grandmaster magus, and lastly, the archmage and the supreme archmage.
Each major realm was divided into four minor realms. They start from the lower ring, the median ring, the quarter ring, and the full ring.
In order to determine their current cultivation realms, people would usually have themselves appraised, or use magic measuring platforms to determine their current cultivation realms.
Eluard and the members of the Heavenly Magic Academy only have to look at their system panels and check out their magic power. It was fast and efficient.
'I am just simply circulating my mana around. Didn't expect that its effects would be that tremendous to my cultivation.', he shook his head, thinking that something was wrong with his magic root, or to the system.
What he didn't know was that he spent 7 hours per day utilizing his mana to various spells. When drained, his magic root could quickly fill up the void and start over again.
Such speed was unimaginable in the mages and wizards of Aludia.
Eluard also noticed that as his magic cultivation increased, his magic root seems to be spreading and slowly entangling his brain, increasing his processing power when it comes to understanding the more complex knowledge in magic.
As such, reading books and casting spells became easier. His previous estimation to finish manipulating five elements and change their elemental natures was now moved to an earlier date.
He even dared to include every elemental nature known to magic except space and time.
'No wonder those of higher cultivation could instantly cast lower formula spells. Their brains and magic roots have developed to an extent, and were also used to doing the same thing all over again.', he thought.
It could be similarly described as muscle memory. As for Eluard, he related similar knowledge of magic to make sense of the newer information he received.
He was about to continue when the system administered a task.
[ Main Task: Hunting Party ]
[ Your magic cultivation has reached a higher realm, alongside your students. The academy resources are running low and hunting demon beasts is a must. This is to both provide the academy with what it needs while also training you and your students in battle. A mage cannot become the apex figure of magic if they are cowardly in face of danger and death. ]
[ Requirements: Kill 2000 common rarity and normal-level demon beasts ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 300 common elite demon beast ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 500 uncommon normal demon beasts ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 25 uncommon elite demon beasts]
[ Rewards: White Magic Crystals x 5000 ]
[ Additional Rewards (On Completion of Optional Requirements): Blue Magic Crystals x 2500. Random equipment x 1 (Rare rarity) ]
[ Note: This task can be administered to your students. Their kill counts will be counted to yours ]
'System, can I teleport to anywhere in Aludia from here?'
He didn't want to waste time walking to a particular area just to kill demon beasts.
[ You can teleport on these specific places ]
The system showed him the map of Aludia. There were blue dots all around, indicating the available areas he could teleport into. Furthermore, the system included information like their statuses, the demon beasts available in the area, and other interesting stuff as well.
Eluard noticed that a calamity has ensued in the Morning Star Empire and in the entire volcanic grassy plain.
He thought for a moment before administering the task to his students.
[ Special Task: Hunting Party ]
[ Your academy master has tasked you to join him in hunting several demon beasts in Aludia. Display your prowess as a student of the Heavenly Magic Academy. ]
[ Requirements: Kill 200 common normal demon beasts ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 10 common elite demon beasts ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 25 uncommon normal demon beasts ]
[ Optional Requirement: Kill 5 uncommon elite demon beasts]
[ Rewards: White Magic Crystal x 1000. ]
[ Additional Rewards (On Completion of Optional Requirements): Blue Magic Crystals x 500 ]
"Oh, academy master has given us a new task! And it's about hunting demons?!", Solordo was excited.
He had enough of the boring cultivating part here in the academy. He wanted to have some action as well.
Now, that chance has arrived.
"I'm fine killing normal demon beasts but elite, seriously?", Solordo complained.
"They're optional. You don't have to complete them if you don't want to.", Jinmu corrected.
"I know! But it irks me if there's something I can't accomplish!", Solordo retorted.
Jinmu snorted at Solordo's naivety, "Then that's your problem, not us or academy master."
The five of them rushed to the main hallway and greeted Eluard.
"We will be going to the Alderium Continent. When we get there, if people ask who you are, remember to not easily divulge your real identity. Do you have any questions?", Eluard asked.
The students were intrigued as to why they were going to the land of the elves instead of the Morning Star Empire or volcanic grassy plain.
"Things have been rough in the Morning Star Empire and the volcanic grassy plain lately. Going there now with your current power would be suicide.", Eluard answered the questions in their minds.
Seeing that they didn't have any more questions, Eluard teleported everyone to the Alderium Continent.
…
In a forest somewhere in the Alderium continent.
A group of elves dressed in mage robes ran in a panic. Some of them were covered in blood.
"They didn't say that some elite monsters lurked around here! Run!", said a student leading the group.
These people were here to hunt some demon beasts. There were other student groups too but they didn't know where the rest went.
They didn't expect powerful demon beasts to attack them out of nowhere.
Of the 30 people sent, only 15 remained alive. Although their instructor tried to protect them, there were too many demon beasts. He ended up as food instead.
Because of this, the students lost hope and made their drastic escape. The leader tried to send a signal but the thick foliage prevented them from doing so.
"Oh no, look! A clawed monkey!", shouted one of the students.
Atop a tree was a small monkey. His hands had razor-sharp claws like that of an eagle. It menacingly stared at the group of students below.
"Keke!", cackling as he pounced on of them.
"Earthen Bullet!", a loud shout resounded nearby.
The clawed monkey was hit on the face and fell to the ground, dead.
Emi arrived on the scene, carefully taking her steps as she made her way forward.
"Are you guys okay?", she asked.
Many of them gulped as they saw Emi walking out. The robe she was wearing accentuated her youthful beauty.
The leader approached her and bowed, "Thank you. May I know how to address you?"
He was respectful of his savior, regardless of who they were.
"I'm Emi! Just a wandering mage."
Her words shocked them. She, a wandering mage, was daring to go inside the Leeveria forest alone.
"Hey, Emi! No time for dilly-dallying! Time is of the essence! There are a lot of demon beasts here.", a cold womanly voice called Emi out.
"Okay, coming sister Olivia! Bye now, till we meet again!", Emi waved her hands before departing in a hurry.
Once she was gone, the students heaved a sigh of relief. The leader urged everyone to follow him and get out of this place. It was more important to have their lives secured than to know those mysterious wandering mages lurking in the area.
Regardless, those people weren't here to cause trouble to them.
…
"Emi, where did you go?", Olivia glared at Emi.
Emi sheepishly scratched her cheeks and smiled at Olivia, "Sister, aren't we supposed to hunt demon beasts? Where are they? Let's go now!"
Olivia shook her head and lead the search.
A few moments later, they spotted several clawed monkeys feasting over a dead elven body. Olivia gritted her teeth in disgust while Emi cowered on the sides at the sight of it.
[ Name: Clawed Monkey
Power Level: Normal-level demon beast
Rarity: Common
Magic Affinity: Earth ]
'A common demon beast?', Olivia didn't hesitate to strike them.
"Lightning Current!"
The clawed monkeys were electrified to death.
Olivia approached the scene and carefully looked at the elven corpse. She was terrified and felt nauseatic just by looking at it.
'If I don't have the power to defend myself, will I become one of them too?', the thought dreaded her.
"Sister Olivia, is that person... dead?", Emi pointed at the corpse with shaking hands.
"Yes, unfortunately, we were unable to save him on time.", Olivia sighed in regret.
A system prompt distracted her fear.
[ Nearby demon beast corpses detected. Harvest them? ]
Olivia clicked the "Yes" button and saw the dead clawed monkeys emitting a glow before vanishing into nothingness.
[ Harvest successful ]
[ Received white magic crystal x5, iron claws (clawed monkey) x5, clawed monkey hide x5 ]
These items were added to her inventory. Olivia smiled and gestured Emi to follow her.
"Emi, stick close to me. As long as we're careful, we shouldn't end up dying. We'll get back to that elven corpse later. It looks like there are people nearby.", she explained the situation.
Emi simply followed her senior sister's advice.
A while later, corpses of clawed monkeys and other demon beasts littered the area. The two girls had their fun and harvested in delight, removing the previous gloomy atmosphere of the elven corpse.
Meanwhile, on the deeper parts of the Leeveria Forest.
Inside a deep cave.
"Fuck! We're trapped. It's a dead-end over there! And the dark luminous wolves and clawed monkeys are almost upon us!", a middle-aged man huffed.
He was leading another group of elven students to hunt here. Although he was an adept mage, his prowess was more on healing and supporting people, not directly fighting demon beasts.
'Academy Master Sylvia said that this place is clear! Just what sort of clearness is this?', he cursed in frustration.
A student called out to him, pointing in a direction behind them.
"Sir Lierop! Look, there's a figure in the distance! They're robed and seemed to be floating in the air!"
The Lierop turned around with a weird look on his face, "What did you say?"
The student continued, not minding Lierop's question.
"And I no longer hear any sound from the dark luminous wolves or clawed monkeys from before! That person must've done something!"