Chapter 5: Hunters

It has been 3 weeks, the mini boar was still not fully analyzed, but that day we each received 30 coins for the quest, but the boar we sold was worth triple that, so now we all had 120 coins, 90 of which came from the corpse. It could have been worse, but the reward for the big one was high. We did more of the quests, albeit infrequently, and we started going on weekly hunts for beasts. Stone even obtained the scout class, which is already at level 3, and he has no trouble finding large beasts that give large sums of money. However, we never engaged in group combat because we all understood that it would be impossible for us to do so, particularly without a healer or equivalent.

In fact, I got some of the books on the restricted area, it is only called that, it is more like a book rental, you have to pay for it, but it lasts for one week, and you cannot take it with you. But I did nonetheless, I needed to know how to use the other energies, the file I had been given didn't say anything about that. It took little time to learn why it was so hard to get mana. You needed a compatible class, and there were two ways to go at it. First, get an apprenticeship under a mage. I discarded that one, I had seen the prices of even the cheaper ones, not viable, the other, I was on my way to do. Classes and Cultivation was the name of the book that mentioned it, it would take a very long time compared to the other one, but it was much more viable, get a class the utilizes aura, and another that uses vitality. Cultivation would allow me to get foundations on both, and as a byproduct would allow me to sense mana, that was the only bottleneck I had, at least for now, the book was the extremely technical kind that explained why something happened and not the why.

That is why I was knocking at the door of Zuckar, I knew he was a beginner but he must have at least somewhere where I can go. Opening the door he seemed like he was about to blow a fuse, but calmed down when he looked at my face. "Hey, sorry about that, almost screamed at you, so... what do you need? I believe it is not the time for our hunt?" I did not know who could make this stoic guy mad, but it looked like he did not want to talk about it, so I decided not to pursue that thread.

"Yeah, I need a favor, in simple terms, how do I start cultivating." That question made him think for a moment, while he did not seem surprised, he seemed to be trying to remember something.

"Yeah I know how, though after a certain point it will be solely up to you, my master did the same to me, I just need for you to tell me if you can already feel aura." I thought such a thing was obvious but I nodded, he looked pleased at the response and ushered me inside, on the room there was a mat on the ground and the shield displayed on the corner, and nothing else, besides what came with the room, though he might have something on the drawers, I had come before, it still was lifeless as ever, though my own was the exact same, most of my possesions were absorbed by the shadow, I did not want to lose then.

Sitting on the ground cross-legged he pointed to the ground, I followed his lead, 'so the mat was for this, I can understand, the ground in this inn is tough, most likely magic.' and he started his lecture. "The way my master taught me was different then normal, at least he said that, he called the methodical cultivation, it is not a cultivation technique on its own, but more of a philosophy, it is very straightforward, but difficult." He got up but did not told me to so I stayed and saw him going to the desk and opening its cabinet, taking out a book, and giving it to me, 'Cultivation 101', Why something would be so explicitly say 101 in this word was weird, I was going to ask him why, he beat me to the punch.

"That is the most easy cultivation manual that exists, why it is called that is unknown, I asked the same question before. We can discuss history later, now, what he told me was simple, build, analyze, deconstruct, analyze, restructure, analyze, then deconstruct and so on and so forth, the method is simple, but I had to learn why something happened, on my own, all he told me was when I was extremely wrong, the rest I had to find on my own, and I used that manual, though I will be more explicit then him, when I say deconstruct I mean in parts, piece by piece and analyze every piece, when restructuring don't redo what was done before, try something different, if you try something that might kill you I will stop it."

That somehow made me reassured, he might have undone all his cultivation and has been rebuilding using another, maybe that is why the feeling of his aura feels different every time, regardless he seemed to go into deep meditation, and I read, all that time in the library gave me a reader class, it feels like if something can be done there is a class for it, and I was there for so long that the class is level 2. Using my faster reading speed i t was easy to read the entirety of the book, that was wrong, this was made to be read in steps, so I did, the first was easy, find the core, so I started meditating alongside Zuckar.

I do not know how much time it took me, but when I got it, night was upon us, and Zuckar continued to meditate, I had asked to keep the book, and he just nodded. So I went back to my own room, I would not try restructuring without him around, I did not want to die... not now. My seed was at my stomach, the reason it took so long is that the thing was tiny, and I had to search all of it, from beginning to end, multiple times, slower each pass. The next step was one that explicitly said to never do exhausted. So sleep for me it was.

***

It was next day, and I could not find my seed again, it had moved, that was rare. I did not expect to have to deal with that, I was going to find it again, but I needed to anchor it, that was harder then said, but today was hunt day. Knock, knock, Stone was already up, I do not know how he does it. I just put my clothes, and summoned the sword and scabbard at my waist, and my leather vest, I almost got pierced to many time, so reluctantly I bought it. The door opened outwards, so I had to be slow, as good as Stone was at scouting, he could be a birdbrain when not in direct danger. "Hello, I need breakfast." I said with finality, the short man had dragged me before, I do not know how, he had almost no muscles, possibly unconscious use of aura.

"Ahh. Okay." A thousand watt smile on his face, halflings are weirdly cute, we knocked on Zuckar's room, but did not linger, he probably knew it was us. So, breakfast, it was much better then from the second inn I was, we could and did splurge on accommodations, we all did not like the beds at the precious place, the food was amazing at the new place, apparently it was owned by the same person as the higher end ones, made to be cost effective as possible and desirable, I can only say that I approve of his decision.

It wasn't long before Zuckar was down with us eating, it didn't took to much time before we went to the guild. there was much more quests for hunting down some beasts, today we would attempt to hunt down a six legged earth tiger, really, I don't know how evolution made these things, some are weirdly recognizable other completely alien. regardless, this one is territorial and only meet if it is for procreation, so we believe that it will be easier to track down a single one.

***

It has been a few hours, these tigers are incredibly hard to find, since their 'territory is big', making so that there is only one in kilometers of area, but Stone found the one that got a bit to close to the city. It was huge, take a tiger, scale it up to be 8 feet tall on its four legs, add a pair more, and make it brown with some vegetation growing on its back, disregarding the fact that it used aura and ether to control earth in a instinctual manner, we would have to be quick, Zuckar shield would at most be able to take two hits, not counting the person behind, so only a single one, Stone was already very far way, he did not have the ability to fight, not that I faulted him, he was in this only because he did not have money.

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A brandished my daggers, I would not get close to that thing, Zuckar was prepared to taunt it, awaiting for my signal, I once again looked over my six daggers, expensive shit, but worth it for me. A nod that most would have missed was given, Zuckar however did not miss it, and screamed, not just with his lungs, Zuckar had already attained the ability to somewhat mold ether, so using his aura he expended his lung capacity and increased his range, imbuing his scream with the meaning of cuss words, directed at the tiger. It would not understand it, but feel that is was being disrespected. Zuckar however only grinned, this was something that did not always goes right, he was indeed still training, and using what was considered true magic was still difficult for him, his taunt scream being one of the only few that he was capable of performing.

The tiger felt fury, directing at the disrespecting ant that had done it, but it felt its grin directed at it, and furious more it became, Zuckar was not prepared for the barrage that came, thousands of little rocks had come raining from the front, the shield unharmed, but the wielder had some embedded it their skin, blood trickles all around their body, the and had not fell, it was an affront, it should have scarpered for its life, apparently it would have to break its toy so that it would understand the difference between them. So it charged, the distance grew smaller as the heretic was not moving back as if it had not fear, 'disrespectful ant!!' Its thoughts would translate as, as their front right paw went up to break its toy as it had done before.

Thunk... it had not broken, but just one more. it raised its left paw, but it was not to be, something had injured it before it could do so, a manner of small drakness had penetrated its left shoulder, moving had become painful, the ant had friends, but it could not smell them, then... it lost its left eye, another physical darkness had gone to it, it was distracted, if it had just payed attention... the darkness dissapeared, just to come again, over and over, countless times, all on course to its head, it had tried to break it, or kill the previous ant, but that one had retreated, the darkness started to come from to many diractions, and when it defended its head they targeted other place, how could they have something that hurt it, it was the thoroughest one around, earth being its friend, the invincible ground, it had abandoned it, that was the only answer it had, all ligaments had been severed, it could not move, it had tried to command the earth, but it had been interrupted, it was at the reapers blade, no way to escape, its magic was failing, it had stopped believing in earth, so earth has abandoned it, it could not see anymore, nor could it move. it stayed put, it knew the end would come, magic was not its friend anymore, its body failing to do anything, but breathe, and then... it was beheaded, thoughts being no more.

The beast had been killed, I had to summon the daggers multiple times, the thing had overrun many trees, this had become a clearing in a single battle, but for now... I was at Zuckar's side, he had dislocated his shoulder, so I had to help him set it back. "I believe that was lucky, you had the time to get away at time." Knowing his own condition he had fled as soon as he could, the tiger could have killed him easily when his shield broke. "wait a bit, I need to take out some of the pebbles that are in you, then I will pour the potion." many of the pebbles had only bruised him, but some had gone deep enough to draw blood, not a lot, but I had to take them out, end when I say take them out I mean my shadow was going to consume them, as it had many times before.

"Okay, you are all good now, can you go and locate Stone, and tell him we are done?" Zuckar nodded, and went to the city's direction, and I went to the Tiger, it was going to be arduous, the beast was huge, but Hauler was an amazing class, maybe it would max out this time. and my experiment would end. Zuckar came as I was debating how to carry the thing. "Hey... that is going to be difficult huh."Stone said. They did not offer help, but only because I had asked them not to. I was going to max this class, no matter what. "We will go in front, just to warn the guards." And there they go. I decide that the front it was, both front paws at my shoulders, I started walking, and since I had nothing else to do I started to look for my seed, my body on autopilot, a perk of Hauler level 6, always being able to go to where the package should be delivered.

I had found it easily this time, I was lucky, I was going to bet that I would not have. Regardless, I started to move it, I wanted it to be bellow my heart, unlike common belief the heart was in the middle of the chest, at least here, all races had their heart in the middle of their torso, And anchoring it was, it would not be moved again for the rest of my life here, so it needed to be in a good location. Anchoring was 'easy' it just took time, a few strand of aura had to be extracted but not fully, and fixed in place, hundreds of strands were moved and sewed into place in different regions of my chest, the core not fixed into place yet, as all those strands would disappear when it was done, and it would not move again. It was only when I could see the gates that the final strand was fixed in place, all of my body emitted a yellow glow, my aura color, it did not meant anything as people were concerned, but it was somewhat different for each people. But all strands have disappeared, my core fixed in place.

I could see my party  talking to the guards, who had brandished their weapons already, and I could see Zuckar signaling me to drop it, So I did so, and just for measure I climbed it and started to wave my arms above my head, that, made the guards drop their weapons, so I went back to moving the beast.

***

"Yes. Finally" I was extatic at my discovery, I had lost the Hauler class. but I was interrupted at my celebrations. By no one other then Zuckar.

"Hey we are required at the guild." Finality in his words. So I followed him, Stone apparently already there, since I do not believe they would call just part of a party.

And I was right, at the room we were directed to Stone was there, drinking some kind of tea, with some biscuits. "So... do you know why?" I received a shake of the head, as he mouth was full. We awaited for minutes before the receptionist we usually went to opened the door.

"I apologize for the delay, the one that called you here was very busy." The androgynous receptionist said to us. I never found out their gender, so I didn't thought much about it. "They will be up shortly, as their guards are a bit... weird." And they left, and they were right, it was a few seconds before the door was opened.

"Hello, I'm sorry for the delay, some asshole thought they could use my hotel as a drug operation." A slander man, said as he entered, it took me some time to realize, this man owned the Rose Diamond, the inn we stayed at. I believe that I blanked for a second as that fact came to me. He was in noble clothes but not garish, he also was very young, I imagined that he would have grey hairs, the only reason I knew he owned the inn, was because of his guards, eccentric, anyone that talked about them used that word, and yes, elves, full bloodied elves, wearing knight clothes, one with a blue motif and diamond shaped embroidery, on their left shoulder, same for the other one, but red and on the right, and very garish at it. It was hard to describe, but it felt like there were roses behind them at all times.

Jim Crystal Handers, the owner sat at the opposite couch, and had a sip of tea. "I believe that at least one of you knows me, so I will be direct, I want to make a proposition." He put down the cup, as if that made his relaxed nature drain away, and looked at us for a second, and continued. "Would you want to hunt down something for me."

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