Chapter 11: Second Hunt Begins

Today at breakfast there are two dozen adventurers in the guest foyer, they are the prospects for Aura's bodyguard detail, they are all high rank adventurers, by the look of the gear they are wearing, so I just collect my food and take it to the locker room, then I eat while getting dressed for my second hunt, this time I'm going by myself. Farina appears "Where do you think you are going, Hunter?"

"I'm getting ready for my trip to the wilderness, you have the guard detail for Aura, and I'm seen as an unstable dantian devourer, so I'm going out on my own for a few days so I can get some combat experience, and pocket change."

"So, you'll leave Aura in the care of people you don't know, and she doesn't trust, just to go and evolve your partner. I thought you were different, but you really are a coward in the end running away when the going gets tough." she says shaking her head an obvious attempt to bait me

"Yes, I am going off on my own she's a princess in this region, and you will be there with at least one other family guard, of sufficient level to kill everyone in that room by yourself, also Aura and I were going to meet in the afternoon of the third, sixth and ninth day before we return. I have to train in my beast form as well, and I'd rather others don't see it." I reply as I continue walking and then head out.

I leave the city on foot and choose the zone adjacent to where Aura is going to be, I walk around quietly letting my footfalls make no sound. Half the day passes before I spot hide or hair of a beast, I take a closer look, the track and trail appear to be left by a herd of swift cyan deer. I let Rex take a measure of control to enhance my senses, and we spend another hour tracking the herd. there are twelve of the beasts, they stand at a little more than one and a half times taller than the standard white-tailed deer that are seen in a non-mana zone. I take my bow from its sheath and nock an arrow, these beasts are known for their hides, horns, speed, and the fact that they always produce a mana crystal, which is like a monster seed, but not crystallized they use it to draw the mana for the speed boots they can have their parts turned into. I hide to observe them, while I choose the one, I would like to harvest, as these beasts, have a limit imposed upon their harvest, this current season is one buck and two does. I notice that the largest buck's antlers appear to have a faint energy flowing from them, and now I that I take a closer look I can see the energy is lightning, and now I'm fascinated by it. As I watch the lightning, I begin to understand how it flows and moves also how I can use it in my own techniques. Then I decide to slowly draw back the bow and in one fluid motion aim and release the arrow, it flies straight and true striking the buck firmly in the chest, piercing both its heart and lungs, I drop from my concealed spot and lunge forward, but the deer have all bolted off, well not the buck, he has an arrow in his chest, and is bleeding out, I wait for it to finish dying then I step up to field dress the animal removing the entrails, and then breaking the lower parts of its legs, I wrap its hide more firmly around it and store it in my backpack. I head back to my spot of concealment, hoping that the gut pile will help to attract a predator, so I can help Rex by giving him a more powerful opponent to face, I don't see one until dark, so I make a small, concealed camp. Prepared to wait out the next day I reorganize the meat hide and horns in my pack, then take out a small piece of the deer and eat it, roasting it with my flames first. I hear some incoming noises near dawn, at first, I just see a midnight panther, but it is being followed by three very loud adventurers, as it stops to eat the bait, I have laid out for it They come into the clearing, and I recognize them they are the Trientino brothers, a trio of bandits who have an active bounty on their heads, for the theft and murder of a couple as well as the rape of their daughter, I silently nock an arrow, draw the bow back and release into the furthest brother, as he falls I reach for a second arrow and try to repeat the shot, but the brothers duck for cover and I decide to aim at the panther instead. My arrow flies true and kills the panther, I loosen the grandmaster's katana in its sheath, then draw my zenbon in my second hand watching and waiting for one of the brothers to break cover, one does and my flying nails impale him in the chest but not kill him, then the third tries to stab me in the back as I go to check on his companion, I turn and raise the blade just in time, but then he lashes out with a second blade, and it nicks my shoulder. I jump back to give some space, but he closes, wearing those same speed boots I wanted to make, so I extend my claws on my left hand and aim a slash at his neck, while he is in the air and can't turn well, my claws hit home, and I bury my blade in his chest. I turn to the second guy and just lunge tearing out his dantian, I eat it and feel my body getting stronger. As I calm down from the fight I realize the state of the area and do what I can to clean it up, also I put the brothers bodies into a cryo capsule to preserve them until I can bring them to the bounty office, I then continue my hunt, but as luck would have it no beasts are in the area, at dusk I eat the dantian of the first bandit I killed. With the dawn I make my way towards the meetup spot, and along with my breakfast of cold water, and swift deer venison I eat the third dantian, feeling my power increase, it feels like I could make the minor breakthrough. As I crest the ridge, I see Aura's camp, and almost turn back around. Farina spots me though so I have to keep walking, the rest of the group will return for lunch with Aura. so I can just wait.