Tracking down a mysterious scent(2)

In the cold, dark night, a shadowy figure moved silently from tree to tree, swift and fluid. Each hop left faint afterimages that blurred into the darkness, seamlessly blending with the surrounding night, as if the figure was one with the shadows themselves.

"Urghh, I miss the Dyson Sphere, and I can't even make a substitute since the normal sand lacks its properties," Aetheris grunted, his voice barely a whisper as he leaped from tree to tree. His feet barely touched the branches, leaving only the faintest traces of contact before he vanished into the night again, each movement a blend of speed and precision.

*SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF*

"Even though I am in my suppressed state... my senses are still amplified," Aetheris muttered as he neared an odd-looking tree. Like the others surrounding it, the tree was large, but something about it stood out. Its bark bore strange scratches as if clawed by a creature, and tufts of white fur clung to the grooves. Aetheris narrowed his eyes, instincts sharpening as he studied the unsettling scene.

Aetheris slowly approached the tree and picked up a single strand of hair; he began to sniff it and used Remiel to analyze it.

<<Notice: upon accessing the records this strand belongs to a Cragguard Ape...< em>

Name: Cragguard Ape

Type: Magical Beast (initial 9th Order)

Environment of preference: Mountainous regions, especially around caves and treasure hoards

Temperament: Territorial and aggressive towards intruders

Appearance: A large, hulking ape with fur that blends into rocky surroundings. Its eyes gleam like gems, and its arms are thick with muscle. Its body is lined with jagged stone-like protrusions, making it look like part of the mountain itself.

But the fur contains traces of unstable lava-oriented Mana meaning it didn't evolve into a mystical beast but it might've mutated into something else>>

"I see... [Flame Wisp]," Aetheris murmured as faint particles of light gathered within his closed palms, enveloping the strand of hair. Moments later, it transformed into a glowing, floating wisp, flickering briefly before drifting northward.

It was a simple tracking spell, designed to activate when the target was in close proximity. The further the target, the more mana it consumed.

....

"Interesting... that explains why I couldn't find the spring. It's heavily secured and hidden," Aetheris sighed as he rested on a cliff. Squinting, he focused his gaze, zooming in several kilometers until he spotted a concealed cave.

The energy emitted by the cave was almost nonexistent. The deeper one ventured into the Barren Lands, there more the surrounding energy diminished.

However, what caught his attention were the magical beasts lingering around the cave. One of them stood out—the energy it emitted was off the charts.

'Vincent takes priority. The sun will rise soon, and I don't have time to waste... [Multiple Casting: Multiple Javelin],' Aetheris thought, his gaze sharpening with deadly focus. In an instant, nine magic circles materialized above him, crackling with elemental fury. Javelins of flame, wind, and light surged from the circles, cutting through the air like divine spears of judgment.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

The earth trembled beneath the impact, a shockwave tearing through the landscape as the explosion echoed like thunder, shaking the very skies.

"ROOOOAAAAREEEE!!!!!"

The magic beasts saw lights falling from the sky as they tried to run. Aetheris' Mana reserves are massive, and he used all his Mana to do [Multiple casting], which increased the Attack potency.

The javelins struck with a force that obliterated everything in their path, sparing nothing. The magical beasts, once basking in the serenity of the night, met an unjust end. Yet, in the law of survival, mercy is rarely afforded to the weak.

"now it's time to check out the cave," muttered Aetheris as he clenched his calves and propelled himself forward; he descended from the Cliff with the grace of a predator.

*SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF SNIFF*

"They were at least mid 10th-order magical beasts; not even a single one of them is whole or alive... what a waste," sighed Aetheris as he looked at the hundreds of bodies near the cave; the amount of money he lost made his heartache as he approached the entrance of the cave.

'What is this odd... feeling? I've never felt like this before... my instincts are warning me but wh—' Aetheris's thoughts were abruptly cut off as he glanced to the side, only to see a giant fist hurtling toward his face. He reacted instantly, his mind racing to formulate a counter, but it was too late.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

The moment the fist landed on his body, Aetheris was sent flying mercilessly as his body collided With trees before he slammed into a rock wall near the cliff

"Urgghhh, what was that...you gotta be kidding me," muttered Aetheris as he looked up, eyes widening in disbelief.

A massive boulder, 50 meters thick, was hurtling down from the sky, casting an ominous shadow over him. The sheer size of it blocked out the moon as if the heavens themselves had decided to crush him under its weight.

Without a second thought, Aetheris bent his knees and leaped upward with explosive force, the ground cracking beneath him. His speed left an afterimage on the spot he had just vacated. In the blink of an eye, he met the falling boulder in mid-air.

With a single, powerful punch, his fist collided with the boulder's surface, sending cracks spiraling through the massive rock. It shattered into countless fragments, disintegrating into dust before it could ever touch the ground. Aetheris landed gracefully, the afterimage of his leap still dissipating behind him.

"ROOOOAAAAREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" Cried a shadowy figure as it slowly approached him; the figure revealed itself to stunning Aetheris.

Aetheris saw a massive, muscular ape with glowing cracks across its blackened skin as if molten lava flowed beneath its surface. Its eyes burn with an orange-red glow, and its fur smolders with heat. Its fists and feet are often encased in molten rock.

"You... smell familiar, you're the one who I have been tracking down...are you crying" questioned Aetheris as he saw lava tears streaming down its face

"ROOOOAAAAREEEEEEE!!!"Cried the ape as it lunged forward aiming for Aetheris and gave him a light slap.

....

Thank you for reading 🙏 😊