Crazed Crows

The first week of the journey was extremely boring for Alex. The group was traveling through plains and the only animals that lived there were too weak to form cores for him to absorb. The towns people feed him and Winnie and he simply followed them along until they would rest for the night and begin the next day.

After the first week they came across a small river with a bridge leading to another forest. This forest had much smaller trees and they were spaced farther apart so Alex could see through them better then when he was in the Great Forest.

"After we cross this bridge, we are going to be in a much more dangerous area keep your eyes and ears open and protect the cart." Fulthir said to the group but he looked at Alex while he spoke.

"What lives in this forest?" Alex was wondering how this compared to the previous forest.

"Wolves and Crazed Crows mostly, there has been some bear sighting before though." Tyr answered, as the hunter he knew the forest better than most.

"What are Crazed Crows?"

"They are birds that fly in large groups, they stay close to each other and move from area to area so it's hard to avoid them sometimes. The worst part is most of them don't have enough magical energy to even form beast cores so they aren't worth fighting."

"Well, if we face them, we face them there isn't much we can do." Alex said as he started walking while the others spurred on the horses to move the carriage.

The group traveled for the next few days through the forest without any issues.

"This is a peaceful trip maybe we didn't need to bring you along anyways" Hemspear said to Alex while laughing.

The trip had not been that peaceful for Alex, every night he would hunt down any beast near the camp until he was completely exhausted then return. The group had someone on watch during the night so they had noticed he was doing something strange but no one would think he was hunting without bringing anything back or saying anything.

However, saying he came back without anything would be wrong. After figuring out some items stacked inside of his inventory, he had done some rearranging. He could stack 5 wolf hides in each slot so he currently had 10 hides, a club, and two spears (Not Stackable) in his inventory, along with his trusty wood knife, and 2 silver and 2 copper coins in a sack all on his belt.

Health:100%

Mana:100%

Level: 9

Experience: 85%

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Strength:15

Speed:19

Toughness:7

Constitution:6

Intellegence:4

Available state Points:0

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God Eyes (Level 1)

Inventory (Level 1)

Animal Handling (Level 1)

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Spear Handling (Level 1)

While the past few days had been productive for Alex, he still had only found wolves and he was very efficient at fighting them and wasn't injured except the first day of hunting, and even that was a simple scratch.

The team was following their normal routine. They had all woken up early and were untying the horses and preparing to leave after a short breakfast.

"Today may be the start of the hardest part of the journey. We are passing through the center of the forest a few miles to the north there is a lake where some people have seen bronze level monsters so be careful and especially watchful." Fulthir said before everyone rode along the road once again.

Alex however was trying his hardest not to grin after hearing the elder's words.

"Finally, a chance to level up. Lu, how powerful are beasts compared to humans at a similar level of cultivation?"

"Beasts are much more powerful, if a human doesn't have martial skills, they can almost never hope to defeat a Monster on the same level as them. However, you are using the most advanced cultivation technique this world had ever seen, so you shouldn't compare yourself to people on the same level as you.

Speaking of the you will have to be careful when we meet other cultivators, while they won't be able to see your cultivation through my divine energy you will still look like a ground breaking genius to them. If anyone sees how you absorb a crystal you will probably be locked up and experimented on for the rest of your life so avoid that please."

"Alright will do that doesn't sound fun for either of us." Alex replied while trying not to smile and look like a mad man in front of the others.

Alex and the others continued walking for a while until Tyr who was the lookout in the front held up his hand to stop the group.

"There is a single Crazed crow on the tree branch up ahead. Where there is one there are always more so everyone stays ready." Tyr said while raising his bow and letting out an extremely fast arrow at the bird to stop it from calling out.

Alex pulled out his club from his inventory, however he made it look like he was grabbing it from his cloak to avoid attention.

Alex was standing on the left side of the carriage, Tyr was in front, Ingrid, Falmir and Fulthir were riding on the carriage driving the horses, while Hemspear was on the right side. They had been following this formation the whole trip and it was well thought out.

It capitalized on Tyr's hunting instincts and good vison while giving Ingrid the ability to support everyone with the little fire magic she knew.

The group moved slowly while on high alert, until Alex saw something move in the woods to his left, right when he was about to call out, he heard Tyr and Hemspear yell simultaneously.

"" HERE THEY COME!""

As if waiting for the cue and large group of at least 20 birds come out of the forest from Alex's side. A Similar number come from the right and about 50 descended from the sky in front of them.

Health: 100%

Level: 2

Alex focus heightened immensely and the birds seemed to slow down considerably and Alex was able to follow their individual movements.

"They are even weaker than I thought this shouldn't be that hard" Alex thought while he tightened his grip on the club and dashed forward.