AK - The Alchemy Kingdom Chapter 117: Advanced Hunting I

Year 3, Sumr, Second Month, First Week.

The scalding sun burned Johanns face, making him miss the protection of the wind domains suppression of other elents. He reassessed the color of the ex-villagers walking around him and bitterly had to admit their skin tone and marks were a result of exposure and not heritage as the nobles defended. Each day he felt more similarities between him and the so-proclaid AK citizens, making his mind relive mories of his family.

When he beca part of the proud cast of disciples of the great Wind Lord, it wasnt difficult for him to embrace the arrogant deanor of the young Lords, which reinforced his delusional theory that he was actually a bastard of a powerful wind Mage and thus not completely common-born. But now, he couldnt entertain such ideas as his closeness to the group that he until recently despised beco evident. Surprisingly, the idea no longer disgusted him, maybe because he was finally accepting his origins, or maybe because these commoners are strong enough to fight against the Kingdom.

Johann stared at the bracelet restraining his powers, he was now confident enough to break it in a single powerful attack, the consequences would, of course, be painful, but he could bear it. However, the growing sense of belonging prevented him from doing so, he wanted to stay a little longer and see how far these people could go. Also, if Karl was to be trusted, in a few months he would be finally free to test the extent of his new powers.

The restriction wasnt all bad, this ti was essential to help him get used to his new crystal body. Johann loved being a scion of the wind, but getting controlled by the elents influence wasnt a good feeling. Fortunately, the few months of casting abstention helped his will solidify and grow stronger again, finally getting on pair with the capricious and bipolar wind intent.

In fact, succumbing to the elental influence was the greatest danger of using and developing the elental powers, which was said to co from the mythological Elentals. The story says that Elental Mages are descendants of the original Elental Lords, who was supposedly another race ford solely by elental intent, True or myth, the fact remains that every elental Mage struggled to resist the influence.

Unfortunately, for those who cant, only death at the hands of their peers waited. The fear that those who succumbed might beco an elental demon, often described as a mindless elental being, would drive anyone to kill. Initially, Johann was afraid of his enormous surge of power because the winds influence has grown to match it. However, now, his will has also grown enough to suppress it. Maybe abstinence was the path to strengthen his will, or would it also be a result of his recent self-acceptance?

Anyway, now was ti to enjoy a sumptuous wind feast. Unfortunately, the delicious als were becoming poorer by the day, apparently, their food resources were being stretched thin, which is completely understandable, who can find enough food to feed two thousand daily?

However, the situation wasnt so simple as the wind Mage thought. The Council had planned and prepared enough food for the rest of the year, but they didnt count on the previously starving people growing stronger and needing more nutrition. Apparently, their bodies worked from a supply perspective, save in the direr tis and spend when theres abundance.

Fortunately, they could still afford a at feast every ti they were attacked by a large group of beasts, which was happening regularly. Johann wanted to help the last two tis they faced a difficult situation. The first ti a simultaneous attack from different beasts groups happened, chaos almost broke loose amongst the pilgrimage group, luckily, the Councilors present quickly cald them down while the hunting teams reorganized themselves to deal with the situation. As they said, from now on, it would get worse before it gets better.

***

Sania held her spear tightly as she moved through the sparse trees. A few ters back, she had given up on trying to get cover from the trees as they barely covered anything. Encountering a tree-less area in the middle of a forest was highly unusual, but when the scouts reported it, Karl beca visibly excited. In his words, the situation was a big indicator of an elental environnt, probably one that was opposed to the growth of trees.

Being careful was a must, but missing a big opportunity, which happened to fall on their laps, was just outrageously stupid. The first step was gathering more information about this potential environnt. With the magic locators help, they confird a very small energy vein closed to that location, which corroborated for it being an elental environnt. Unfortunately, they also identified an MT beast close to it.

Before they gave up on the opportunity, the Council sent the shadow unit to identify the MT beast. Not a day after, Samia, now popularly called the shadow by the hunters, ca back with a report. Surprisingly, they found a lightning environnt, very similar to the one temporarily ford near their outpost.

Karl explained that, although the hybrid environnts were rarer than common elental ones, wood and lighting werent that uncommon. The last could be easily ford when lightning struck near an elentless energy vein, which wouldnt happen every year but surely could occur in thousands of years.

The temptation of trying to raid the environnt was evident, from the hybrid elents, except bubble, lightning was the most useful for them. The lightning crystals had beco the pillar of their long-distance communication, which was one of their strongest aces. Soon, a plan to explore the environntal region was devised and a temporary camp was built.

Fortunately, the MT beast identified by the main shadow unit wasnt a lightning bird. Lew told them, this type of beast would be terrifying due to its attacks range and precision. What Samia reported was a dium-sized feline with long legs and a small head, which Marlen identified as a lynx, the owner of a pelt sold as a luxurious product. Between the ex-Democry agent and the ex-Captain they only knew a few rumored traits of the beast, which matched its elent, fast and extrely fierce.

On the bright side, the beast was supposedly rank one, so they wouldnt need to account for long-ranged lightning attacks. Though Samia survived the experience of escaping the monkeys wood spike attacks, the lightning speed was on another level. In the end, they decided to try to bait the beast out of its territory while another team raided the place.

Sanias team was chosen for the raiding task, they already beca famous for fast and ssy missions. Although only Samia had a formally separated unit, all of the original veterans had beco known and specialized in different tasks. Tonis team was experienced in general defense and securing new territory. Diana was the best choice for large-scale battles or complex long missions. Taels team was great in broad recognition and scouting large areas. The shadow units were clearly specialized in stealth and spying. Finally, Sanias team was known for its ability to deal with unexpected and urgent situations.