'Harvest.', Eluard ordered after setting fire off the corpses of the demon beasts he recently killed.
Behind him were two groups of elven students alongside their injured instructors. They were near the floating platform and Eluard rushed to them before the demon beasts could run over their location.
After a little persuasion, the group followed him, still wary of his identity and intentions.
He looked at his main tasks' progress through his system panel.
[ 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. ]
[ Progress:
Requirement 1: 1786/2000 common normal-level demon beasts killed
Optional Requirement: 288/300 common elite-level demon beasts killed
Optional Requirement: 355/500 uncommon normal-level demon beasts killed
Optional Requirement: 0/25 uncommon elite-level demon beasts killed
]
[ Additional Note: All of your students have finished their special task. ]
'Uncommon elite demon beasts are sure hard to find.', Eluard thought.
As for his students not contributing to the kill count, he wouldn't blame them for it.
Uncommon elite demon beasts were comparable to a trainee mage in the full ring. Fighting one with their current level was asking for the impossible.
Talking about uncommon elite demon beasts, Eluard felt a trace of danger from the trees in front of him.
"Senior, above you!", shouted one of the elf students.
He immediately controlled the earth below him to move backward. Four sharp claws emerged on the position he was in before.
Eluard quickly looked at their attributes.
[ Name: Dark Luminous Wolf ]
[ Rarity: Uncommon ]
[ Power-level: Elite ]
[ Affinity: Dark, Light ]
'Now, they're here!', Eluard was elated. He didn't feel pressured at all.
"Senior, let me deal with one of them!", a burly elf instructor assisted. His broadsword gleamed in sharpness as his body dashed to the dark luminous wolf on the left.
Eluard then focused on the dark luminous wolf on the right. Its body was large, 4 meters long and at least 2 meters high.
He then understood why they were named dark luminous wolves. The strand ends of the wolf's fur had a slight glint whenever it was exposed to darkness. On the top of its head formed a crescent moon and sun, intertwining each other like the yin-yang symbol.
The wolf opened its big watery mouth and condensed a dark ball. It chomped on it and spew a dark beam towards Eluard.
He quickly moved to the sides and dodged the dark beam, 'They can utilize their mana to cast a spell now huh?!'
Eluard waved his hands and unsuspectingly sprang a large earthen column below the dark wolf's stomach with great force, throwing the beast to the air.
Helpless, the wolf wriggled mid-air.
"Die.", Eluard coldly spoke as he formed an earthen spike, targeting the wolf's wide-open mouth.
Swish!
Blood spewed out. The wolf couldn't defend its insides regardless of how strong and thick its dark furs were. It died in great agony.
Eluard then glanced at the other battlefield and saw that the elven instructor was finished as well. He sliced through the wolf's legs, crippling its movement before he slashed his sword at its head.
The elf instructor sighed, grabbing a large leaf and wiping the blood off his sword. He noticed Eluard looking in his direction.
The two of them nodded at each other.
Eluard then burned the demon beast's corpses, harvesting his kill.
[ Harvest completed. ]
[ Received blue magic crystal x 1, dark luminous wolf's hide x 1 (elite), …, demon beast core x 1 (uncommon, elite) ]
The last reward surprised Eluard.
A demon beast core was different from the magic crystals they created. The latter came from the condensed mana inside their bodies while the beast core was a result of the beasts being demonized.
Back in the Heavenly Magic Academy, Eluard read that all demon beasts were once normal beasts, similar to the wild animals back on Earth. This continued until the demons from the Otherworld interfered and 'evolved' the beasts to a higher form of life.
Some didn't listen and instead, directly consumed the demonic beast cores. Those who did so turned into mindless maniacs, filled with insanity and the will to kill everything in their sight.
"Let's continue.", Eluard led the way.
He guided them back to the cave and met the twins, Rina and Rono.
"Oh, senior, you're back!", Rina greeted him with respect.
"It seems like you two are faring well."
Rina and Rono felt delighted when Eluard patted their heads.
"Hehe, senior. Isn't it time for you to tell us more about our magic root?", Rina nudged Eluard.
"Rina, Rono. The two of you have a complementary magic root. The best thing about it is that the two of you could share your magic affinity.", Eluard gave a brief answer.
Rina and Rono looked at each other, confused about Eluard's explanation, "We… can share our affinities?"
"As for the rest, I will tell you on another time. You should check on your classmates and friends for now."
His eyes caught on the drama of the elves hugging and crying at one another. They didn't expect that they would live to see each other again.
Rina and Rono nodded at Eluard's order. He then went to his students who were standing at the sides.
"Senior, we have finished your task.", Jinmu proactively reported.
All of them had blood on their bodies. Eluard assumed that it was mostly from the demon beasts they have killed.
Emi's temperament has greatly changed. She had the air of naivety before but is replaced by an aura of a warrior. The little girl was more daring than ever.
As for Olivia, nothing had changed from her usual aloof behavior.
Solordo was rather annoyed by the fact that their hunting session was about to end. He wanted to go for another round but Jinmu and Lucan berated him not to do so until the academy master permitted them.
Eluard was surprised that Lucan didn't become exhausted. When he looked at Lucan's attributes, he realized that the boy managed to form a passive skill.
[ Passive Skill: Mana Absorption I ]
[ The user will passively absorb mana on his surroundings at a rate of 10x slower than the user's normal speed. ]
'This must be caused by the fact that he is gathering mana during the 5-second interval of consecutively casting a spell.', Eluard reckoned that his body adapted to Lucan's actions and now, he was sowing the efforts of his hard work.
"You must've also encountered some elven students earlier, didn't you?", Eluard asked.
"Yes, we did, senior. We brought them here after sensing a lot of people gathering in the area.", Jinmu explained.
A group of elves with Rina and Rono at the front walked to Eluard and bowed. The blonde elf from before stepped forward and saluted.
"Oh, benevolent senior, the Alderian Terrestrial Sanctuary is forever grateful for your help. Without you here, we might've fallen prey to the demon beasts inside the Leeveria Forest."
"The six of you must be tired from all the battles. We would like to invite you back to our home and spend the rest of the day over there. I promise you that we would treat you with great hospitality and-"
Eluard waved her proposal, "No need. We are here on a different matter and still have other business to do. You can go back on yourselves without us in your entourage."
He still has to finish his main task and probably after that, help his students finish the optional requirements of their special tasks if he could.
The blonde elf hesitated. It was embarrassing on their part that they could not be of any help to these people who offered their assistance without any return.
Eluard's next words surprised her, "Furthermore, one of the instructors named Lierop already made his way back to your home. The Alderian Terrestrial Corps he was talking about should arrive at any moment."
As if waiting for his signal, several eagle screeches resounded in the distance. Above the sky were huge golden eagles four times the size of the wolves Eluard encountered earlier.
Their wingspans were so long and wide that they blocked out the sky. Each flap of their wings generated furious winds.
At the top of each eagle were several knights and mages, staring at the ground below where Eluard and the rest stood.
"It's them! The so-called golden saviors of Alderia, the Alderian Terrestrial Corps!"
The elven students cheered in unison. Their safety was now certainly secured.
The eagles landed a distance away from them.
A familiar figure ran to Eluard. It was Lierop followed by two people behind him.
"Ah great senior, thank you for acknowledging my request.", he then stepped to the sides and introduced the two people.
"This is General Zukov Arviel, the battalion commander of the sixth Alderian Terrestrial Corps battalion."
General Zukov wore a red-golden armor that slightly intimidated Eluard. His full helmet armor covered everything except his dark-green eyes. Eluard wondered how could one breath on such an outfit.
Then, Lierop introduced the beautiful woman elf beside General Zukov.
"This is academy master Sylvia Erezar. She's the academy master of the Alderian Magic Haven."
Academy master Sylvia was wearing a dark-green wizard robe. The collar went as high as her cheeks. A staff with a green crystal on its top was strapped onto her body.
Eluard didn't waste time greeting them and went straight to the point, "I see. It is pleasant to meet you, General Zukov, academy master Sylvia."
"Lierop calls you… senior. I assume you want to stay it that way?", General Zukov inquired.
It was strange for a man like Eluard to not reveal his identity.
Eluard shook his head, "Today is not a good day to know who I am. And if you have questions regarding my appearance here, you should talk with the commander-level demon beasts in Leeveria forest. They have some information worth your time."
Eluard's slithered eyes glowed simultaneously with his advice. It was best for them not to know who he was at the moment.
The demons and the Heavenly Magic Academy were strict rivals of one another. If the Otherworld gets a gist that the academy was recovering to its peak, they might be alerted and choose to invade Aludia earlier than expected.
At that point, Eluard wouldn't be ready, nor would the rest of Aludia be.
"Why not tell them first-hand to us?", Academy master Sylvia insisted.
"As I have told you, now is not a good day. You will understand sooner or later after you interrogate those commander-level demon beasts. I warn you though, to warn the others of what you might get from the demon beasts. This might concern the fate of Aludia in the next few years."
Eluard turned around and channeled a teleportation magic circle below him and his five students.
"If the demon beasts refuse to talk, the name 'Vahalla' might force their mouths to do so. Also, there is a floating platform in the middle of the forest. A remnant of a demon's aura should still be there there."
In the mention of that demonic lord's name, everyone stopped chattering and look in Eluard's direction.
Eluard didn't give them a chance to talk to him as the teleportation magic circle fully lit up and engulfed him and the students.
"May the Morning Star shine a blessing upon you, elves."
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