14: The hunt begins

Ai Jiang Tu and Tom discussed for a long time, but neither of them was very satisfied with the future plans to complete the task and obtain the plant in one year, this is because it is a task outside the safe zone, which involves unforeseen variables in completing the task despite knowing the approximate number of monsters out there, and the biggest problem is that if the evolving warrior level monster were to reach commander level in a year, it would be impossible for them as mid-level mages to deal with it, so they can only pray that it does not reach commander level.

In the end, Ai Tu Tu who was being excluded from the conversation said irritably, "Stop arguing you two, it's still a year away! I don't want to waste time on such boring things, in a few days you already have to go back to the Military Academy and I have to go back to the family as well."

Tom also felt that time was wasted too much for something they were going to face in a year, so he didn't refute Ai Tu Tu's words, she lived cooped up in the Ai family, and he understands her anxiety to have fun before going back to her boring family.

"It's okay, little bunny Tu Tu is right brother Jiant Tu, we have a year left to figure out how to complete the task and get the plant, it doesn't do us any good to think so much about it, if the monster reaches commander level there is no point even thinking about it, so better to wait until it doesn't evolve in this time and plan accordingly, but now let's relax for a while with our little sister, you could use a break after constantly hunting monsters Jiang Tu," said Tom.

"True, I'm sure we will eventually come up with something to complete the task, so what are your plans for today, maybe I can join for this time" agreed Ai JIang Tu.

Immediately Ai Tu Tu Tu jumped up and down with happiness and excitement as she said: "Yes, yes, we are going to tour the Wall and the Hunter's Union, oh yes and also the central plaza, the imperial palace..."

And so Ai Tu Tu mentioned almost every place there was in the Imperial Capital and more, leaving Tom and Ai JIang Tu crying about how exhausting these days were going to be with an excited Ai Tu Tu.

The three of them toured the Imperial Capital and its surroundings for 5 days a row, Ai Tu Tu did not let them rest at any time, they were always visiting some historical or tourist center and then went shopping for all the locals who were found, the small Ai Tu Tu Tu bought something in every place they passed, on the third day, Tom and Ai JIang Tu sought to avoid the local clothing at all costs because in case his little sister saw them, she would be hours and hours inside taking them from side to side to try on clothes, the energy she had was incredible and that they were medium level magicians, while Ai Tu Tu Tu had not awakened her magic yet, but Tom was sure that it was not a matter of physical fatigue, but mental fatigue.

On the fifth day, Ai Tu Tu was reluctant to say goodbye to Tom and Jiang Tu, but in the end, she had to return to her family despite her pouting and tantrums, while Ai Jiang Tu and Tom returned to the Military Academy, where they spent the rest of the year training their mid-level magic and planning how best to deal with the pending task along with obtaining the plant.

A year later, Tom and Ai Jiang Tu, had finally turned 18, their respective families made a big celebration, on the side of Ai Jiang Tu, he was recognized as a genius magician in the Ai family, awakening as the first element the curse element and in his second awakening he obtained the rare and very powerful space element, being very few in the world who awaken this element, to the point that China gives all the magicians of the space element a preferential treatment over any other magician, and for this Ai JIang Tu was granted a position in the inner circle of the family, although he had no vote in the decisions taken, now he could at least express his opinion and be heard by the rest of the family, which was already great progress from having no voice or vote, to be able to express their ideas. While on Tom's side, his grandfather and head of the Curi family was very pleased with the progress of his grandson, to the point that an agreement was reached with the elders of the Curi family that once he became a high-level magician he would officially be the heir to the head of the family once he dies and furthermore, until he becomes the head of the family he would be considered the second head in power, only below his grandfather and with the same authority as the elders that make up the inner circle of the Curi family, which gave him a lot of power along with more resources for his cultivation, which suited him very well since his fire element demanded more and more.

Currently, Ai JIang Tu and Tom were exploring the meadow where the Elasmotherium and the plant with which Ai JIang Tu planned to obtain the favor of one of the elders of his family to improve his position in the inner circle of the Ai family.

After exploring the entire meadow, the two met at the meeting point they had agreed upon, this was at a considerable distance from the group of Elasmotherium, so as not to attract the attention of the Elasmotherium.

"Apparently the group didn't grow much since the last time we came to observe, just a few more minor warriors, and from what I could observe the only evolving warrior level monster is the one in the cave, so it's almost safe to say that there are no commander level monsters," Tom said after taking care of making a trace with his medium level earth magic that allowed him to sense through the earth waves the number of monsters and their approximate level at a short distance from where he was.

"I really envy your new mid-level earth magic skill a bit, being able to create a pretty accurate map of the surroundings showing monsters or other beings that are within a 1-kilometer radius just using one skill is too much," said Jiang Tu who was still impressed by the magic skill his friend had created.

"Oh come on sir you have the element curse and space, if we talk about pure power you can't compare our elements, now back to the task, is it possible to create a distraction to lure the Elasmotherium and so one of us grabs the plant and then we gradually take care of the monsters, making rest intervals between fight and fight then kill the monster together in evolving warrior level.

"I still think my elements no matter how rare they are don't compare to yours with that weird soul seed they have that can burn what it touches like an added effect, but yeah, now let's better focus on the task, as for your plan, I agree, a distraction to then secure the plant and later slowly take out the monsters, slowly but surely, I like it," said Ai Jiang Tu.

"Pfff hahaha, is that jealousy I sense in your tone of voice brother Jiang Tu?" scoffed Tom.

"You...! shut up, then, you make the distraction, I take the plant and then we slowly lead them to the meeting point were at the narrow bridge where they can only pass one by one the Elasmotherium so we don't have to face them all together and can face them one at a time, saving energy and strength" explained Ai JIang Tu while trying hard not to get angry with the cheeky Tom.

"Alright, alright brother, I will create the distraction while you take the plant, then we will meet at the narrow bridge, be careful of the evolving warrior level monster, it might not move together with its group when you make the distraction" Tom agreed.

"Don't worry, it shouldn't be difficult to take the plant with my space element even if you find the evolving warrior level monster still in the cave" said Ai Jiang Tu confident to take the plant.

"Then get ready to take the plant, I will do the distraction," said Tom and then went to lure the monsters.

"Good luck then Tom, see you later at the bridge, don't die," said Ai JIang Tu as he departed as well.

As Tom headed to the meadow where the elasmotheriums were he saw these monsters resembling a huge rhinoceros, it is said that they have some relation to the origin of the legend of the mythical, as these have a single magical horn two meters long, pointed and exceptionally thick, which is highly sought after in the magical world market as it is the product of the fusion of the two horns common to rhinoceroses, making it a highly sought after item for magical manufacture, it has great durability and penetration along with great magical absorption and resistance. Being believed to have some kinship with the mythological unicorn makes them more valuable in the market, to the point where some believe it is family or crossbreed of the unicorn and call it a giant unicorn, its horn is used for the manufacture of a wide variety of magical tools, be it magical shields or magical attack artifacts with great penetration.

"Change" Tom reached out and the presence of the earth element surrounded his hands, he used the BEGINNER level earth magic, level 1 earth wave, which allowed him to quickly change his position to another predetermined location without using much magic from his earth element system.

Once he used this magic, Tom moved to the center of the meadow where the monsters were, drawing the attention of most of the monsters, who were surprised by the sudden appearance of a human in their territory.

"Infernal jungle domain!!!" once in the center of the monsters' territory, Tom wasted no time and called out his unique earth element and silver domain.

As soon as Tom's voice fell, a dazzling dark brown light mixed with half dark green light became a huge circle with dark brown and dark green colors that emerged from where Tom stood . . . thus forming within a radius of three meters from Tom a small jungle with dark earth and plants with a mixture of green and dark protruding from the earth . . .

The ground around Tom that was originally a vivid brown and green from the vegetation, became a dark brown and was covered with a variety of dark plants that looked very evil, these spread all over the ground surrounding Tom.

This small jungle of dirt and dark plants that surrounded Tom suddenly appeared and looked like hell itself, it was quite scary to look at, as it looked like an evil place and certain death, it was from there that Tom gave his domain the name 'Infernal Jungle'.

In this hellish jungle that surrounds Tom, there are only two tones, the drab color of the earth and the drab color of the plants, intertwined and intertwined with each other with a dark hue that makes it look like a toxic or ghostly jungle.

Once the monsters saw the human and the gloomy jungle it had created in the center of their territory, they rampaged into the attack, to eliminate the intruding human.

On the other hand, in the domain created by his earth and plant elements, Tom saw the monsters coming and twisted his neck and gritted his teeth for what was to come, this was his best way to get the attention of all the monsters in the territory and not die in the process.

Tom exhaled loudly and finally shouted at the exact moment the monsters stepped on his domain, "Hellish muddy earth! Hellish earth spikes! Hellish vines!"

All the jungle earth became like quicksand restricting the movement of the monsters and sucking them in little by little while burning them, for those who managed to escape that fate, happened to encounter large pointed earth spikes that formed in the earth digging into the monsters thus taking off some limbs or killing them directly, and finally to complement all this the jungle plants entangled the monsters' limbs completely restricting them and burning them little by little as well.

It was a one-sided massacre, the jungle was filled with noises of pain from the monsters and the blood of these did not get to impregnate the same with its color because it was immediately burned by the high temperatures of the earth and plants, leaving only the most resistant burned parts of the monsters.

Faced with this strange jungle, the monsters began to be more cautious and go with more caution and strength, sometimes they joined in the attack thus managing to approach the center of the jungle where Tom was, but as soon as they approached him, Tom shouted, "Infernal mountain shield, Infernal prison!"

Thus forming around him a mound of hardened earth that defended him from incoming attacks or trapped the monsters around him along with a giant dome of plants that acted like vines entwining around the monsters and enclosing them inside until they were burned by the temperature inside.

After a few minutes of retaining dominance, Tom's magic consumption began to decrease rapidly in both magic systems, it only remained to wait a few more moments for Ai Jiang Tu to obtain the silver, and then quickly retreat to the bridge where they could rest and face the monsters one by one and not in a group as Tom was doing now, which was extremely exhausting and if it wasn't for his mastery he would probably be dead by now unless he used his fire element, but since it was a secret along with his identity as Amaterasu, he couldn't use it no matter how much he wanted to.