Quintessence of Arcana

Into The Wilderness (2)

A short moment after Croen left, Erald happened to noticed a passing strand of white light that entered a bushy area nearby. Full of curiosity, he followed it and instead found a snow-white creature that looks like a large rabbit. As if aware of Erald's presence, the creature momentarily stopped and looked at his direction. It seemed to be staring at him.

After a split-second appraisal, Erald looked at one side and found a ten centimeter-long twig. Fearing that the creature would run away, he quickly moved his right foot as he kicked the twig that shot through the creature’s throat like a sharp arrow. It happened so fast that the creature didn't even managed to react. The creature then stumbled while running and it rolled a few circles on the snow before it stopped moving.

Erald pick the creature up and observed it, while he returned to the area where Croen left him. “Indeed, it looks like a rabbit but it's quite different. It seemed to be carnivorous based on it's body structure.”

All of a sudden, Erald raised his head as he heard muffled footsteps across the snow. He looked at the direction of the sound and noticed the excited Croen dragging a strange-shaped wild boar that was even bigger than his body while walking toward him.

As soon as Croen got closer, his eyes fell on the snow-white creature in Erald’s hands and realized it was quite familiar. He gently put the wild boar on the snow and quickly stepped closer to confirm his doubts. “As I thought, It really is a White Sprinter. To think that you can actually catch one of this...”

“Is this White Sprinter very hard to catch?” Erald asked as he passed the creature to Croen.

Croen gently received the creature with two hands and excitedly replied, “White sprinters moves very fast and it looks like a white strand of light while running. Under this condition, it is very hard to catch it. Even I, who is quite experienced in hunting, only caught this creature three times over the past decade. Even though its hard to catch, when it comes to its meat delicacy, nothing can be compared with it. You really have great skills, brother Erald!” Croen grinned while patting Erald's shoulder.

“It was just a coincidence.” Erald shrugged then casually asked, “What level can this creature reach?”

“Considering that it lacks fighting ability, this creature can be graded as an E-rank beast since it's hard to catch..”

He then gave a kick at the big wild boar on the snow. “This one is a D-rank profound beast whose power was equal to a D-rank hunter. It is very unlucky if ordinary people come across it.”

Erald nodded and didn’t ask more.

“By the way brother Erald, do you want to taste the white sprinter's meat?” Croen ask with a wide grin on his face.

Erald came to a depressing realization that since he woke up from his deep slumber, he didn't even took a proper meal. So he replied without hesitation, “Sure! With pleasure...”

Croen quickly turned around at the surrounding area and found a clean branch and use it to struck through the creature's body. In the next moment Croen extended his right index finger, and with a short chant, his fingertip surprisingly burning with red flames. With great control, the flames instantly covered the creature’s whole body, but it only burn the outer fur, leaving the pink meat underneath unburnt. Croen then adjusted the flames and carefully roasted the meat until it became dark red.

Erald, while watching from the side, was quite amazed by Croen's precision and control over the flames. It then came into his mind that being a magic practitioner has it's own advantages.

After a few moments, the creature's meat was fully cooked. Croen took put out the flames and waved his palm in the air. After a short chant, a cool breeze flew from his palm and lowered the temperature of the creature's meat, allowing it's aromatic smell to spread. Erald on the other hand couldn't help but swallowed his saliva.

Croen smiled with satisfaction as he tore down the creature's leg and passed it to Erald. “Brother Erald, have a taste.”

Erald just smiled while happily received it, before taking a bite. He felt quite amazed by the creature's meat’s as though it was the most delicious thing he had eaten. Seeing Erald's reaction, Croen on the side revealed a smile on his face. Without a doubt, a white sprinter's meat is truly one of the delicacies in the entire Yden continent.

After finishing their meal, The two young men continued moving forward. On their way, they encountered some unlucky low-level beasts that were all basically knocked out by Croen with a single s***h of his sword. Compared with those beasts, Croen was more like a 'beast' in Erald's point of view. After an hour, Croen has filled his basket. Dragging a dozen tied big beasts plus the full basket on his back, Croen felt kind of hard moving forward. Erald insisted to help but Croen just shook his head and said that this is also a kind of training, a way of tempering one's body.

After walking half an hour deep into the snow-filled forest, Croen finally sat on the ground and grasping for breath. “How about stopping here? If we continue moving forward, we will enter the area where the Frost Wolves usually hunt. We may get in trouble if we stumbled into them.”

“Frost wolves?” Erald realized that it is the C-rank Profound Beast that Croen mentioned. He looked into the distance and asked. “What lies beyond there?”

Croen sighed and said. “It is the edge of this isolated area. It is where the barrier is located.”

Erald remained silent for a while as if thinking of something before moving forward.

“Hey, it is dangerous there!” Croen instantly ran after him, leaving the basket behind. Just when they entered the area, they heard a movement akin to footsteps approaching to their direction.

A white wolf-like creature around five feet tall then came into their sight. It seemed to be angered when it noticed the two young men. Just as Croen was about to draw his sword, it opened its mouth, and released a stream of cold air targeting them.

“Dodge!”

The cautious Croen took a side jump and managed to dodge it, leaving the ground covered in ice. It seemed that the stream of cold air from the Frost wolf's mouth can make anything turn into ice upon contact. On the other hand, Erald side stepped and instinctively dashed forward to the direction of the Snow wolf.

“Hey! What are you—”

But before Croen could finished his words, he widened his eyes in shock as if he saw the most unexpected thing in the world.

Erald quickly punched the Frost wolf's side making the creature whimper out of pain. It was pushed backwards due to the force of Erald's fist.

“Brother Croen, stabbed it with your sword now!”

Croen didn't have time to recover from his shock when he heard Erald's shout. He reacted quickly and stabbed his iron sword into the Frost Wolf’s throat. The creature due to the pain couldn’t resist it at all, and it's throat was cut through easily. It stopped moving after a fierce struggle.

Croen took out his iron sword from the creature's throat and poked it. But before they could feel at ease, a howl was heard from a distance.

“They are coming here! Brother Erald, Run!”

The two young men immediately leave the area and run through the opposite edge of the wilderness. Although they can still hear the howls of the Frost Wolves, they still continued their pace until they've managed to gain a considerable amount of distance.

Erald suddenly spotted something from nearby and said, “Brother Croen, there is a well-concealed cave in the direction of that cliff. I think that may be a good place to hide from the wolves.”

Croen paused in his tracks and looked at the direction that Erald was pointing. No matter how focus he was, he could not see the concealed cave clearly.

“His eyesight is that good?”

After Erald had regained his consciousness from his deep slumber, he was suddenly endowed with superior sight, hearing and perception. At first he was startled by it but he was slowly adapting to it.

Croen nodded slowly and said, “Okay, let's go in.”

They soon reached the cave. When they entered it, Croen was shocked. It was because the inside of the cave was freezing cold different from the weather outside. He was now bewildered and unsure if they should enter this cave.

Just as he was hesitating, Erald walked into the cave.

Croen called out after him, “Brother Erald, this cave may be dangerous...”

Erald remained silent and just continued. It took some time for Croen to catch up with him. He was astonished at Erald's pace. They were now in a huge ice cavern and there was even a stream in the cave. And in the waters, there were even snow-white fishes.

Erald was startled at the sight of this huge ice cavern.

All of a sudden, a monstrous snow-white fish that was at least a hundred times bigger than the other fishes jumped out of the waters and attacked Erald. Its jaws were so big that it could snap his head.

Even though the large fish was fast, Erald was quicker. He reacted with a supernatural speed and struck the forehead of the fish. It was knocked sideways and crashed onto the floor of the cavern.

Croen was surprised that Erald was able to react so fast. If it was him, the monstrous fish might not be knocked out by his strength alone.

They quickly took a look at the monstrous fish that was still flipping on the ground. It was still alive. But after a short moment, it finally died.

Erald asked, “Brother Croen, have you seen this kind of fish?”

“This one should be the Snow Carp, but this is the first time I've seen one this big!” Croen exclaimed and looked at Erald. “Brother Erald, looks like I've still underestimated you. To be able to punch a fully grown Snow wolf with a single fist and knocked a fish at this size, even I, Croen, with experience cannot do that.”

Erald just smiled and shook his head, “I was just lucky. I also didn't think I can able to exert that much strength. As I said earlier, I acted out of instinct.”

Croen didn't seemed convinced and continued, “By the way brother Erald, what kind of skill have you practiced? I couldn’t feel anything from you, I guess it must be because of the skill you practice. It looks like a Martial skill.”

“What I practice?” Erald was surprised, but he shook his head. “I don’t know either... I guess my body adapted into this kind of 'skill' that you mentioned.”

Croen gazed blankly then laughed. “I almost forgot that you couldn’t remember anything.”

But before Erald could respond, he suddenly felt a bone-chilling breeze brushing his skin. Although Erald didn't feel cold in this ice-filled cave, this is the first time he felt a chill that caused goosebumps into his body which made him wonder. He glanced at the direction where the breeze came from, and noticed that it came from a passageway beside the stream. Erald furrowed his brows, as if he sensed something.

“Brother Erald, what's wrong?” Croen couldn't help but ask after noticing his strange expression.

Erald shook his head. “Nothing, let's just continue.”

Erald absent-mindedly seemed to said this in a plain decisive voice.

Croen responded, “Alright then, but wait first...”

Croen raised his hand and a flame suddenly appeared on it. He grinned and said “It's dark in here, so it's better to light up.”

Erald smiled, “Much better.”