"Listen Kiel, you have to leave for the provincial capital most probably in the next week. The annual First Mana Ceremony will begin the following month. Since the primary mana education will be provided before the main ceremony, it is better to leave early. Although I taught you both about the sword and herbs, I cannot do the same about mana. Having too much knowledge of things will only bring unnecessary burdens on you. So the best thing for you is to learn it at the time of your test. The mana education will be held for mostly a week where they will let you know everything basic about mana and levels. After that the tests will begin, followed by the five year tenure for practice, before you will be officially allowed to join any academy. So prepare yourself for it."
"I understand." Kiel replied emotionlessly.
Although, he had heard it a few times already, he didn't argue or interrupt his master. Kiel knew she could be scary at times, so he let her do as she wished.
"If you understand, better go home and rest for a few days. Don't overexert yourself. Be on your best condition for your tests. Remember you are the only one who can help yourself. Your family and especially your father are all depending on you. So don't be so down all the time. Cheer up. It will help to concentrate better."
Perceiving that she concluded her lecture, Kiel just stood up, bowed slightly towards her before leaving to get his stuff from a corner rack. Alt this while, he didn't speak up more than necessary.
As he was leaving, Kiel found his master's worry filled voice reach him from behind.
"Be careful on your way, and maybe try to make some friends out there."
Kiel halted in his tracks for a second before continuing on his way, waving his hands at her.
'Sigh! This child, what am I gonna do with him.'
As Kiel came out, his vision was filled with the deep blue colour of the morning sky. The weather was as soothing and refreshing as always, but to him it was as monotonous as ever.
Kiel knew about all that his master had done for him. He also knew that behind that cold face, was a warm heart. So, he always listened patiently to his master, but that didn't mean he would have to follow them. He had a lot on his shoulders now. His mother, sisters and even his father. Remembering what his father may have been going through now, Kiel only felt a deep urgency to become stronger. 'If only I could grow up faster'
As Kiel was wondering about his various worries, he made his way towards the forest. He would be going to the province this week. So he had to make some preparations for his mother and sisters to live properly within this week. So instead of going home to rest, Kiel felt that hunting and earning something was a better idea.
As he reached the outskirts of the mountain ranges, some familiar faces could be seen waving at him in the distance.
"Hey Kiel! Why the long face?"
"Oh! Mr. Bahua ! Nice to meet you. How are you?"
"Good boy. Anyway back to business, the price of meat is the same as always. Keep up your work little one. Oh and stay careful, the green eyed snakes have been seen frequently in the forests recently."
Kiel greeted the elderly fellow and went on his way to the forests.'Old man, you don't know how much I'm looking for the snake you have been talking about hehe…'
Entering the forests, while grinning like an idiot, he took out a small black bow from his backpack. It was the handiwork of his father.
Made from flexible mulberry wood and imbued with level 1 internal stability runes. It helped him to grip the bow better and pull it out silently and accurately.
Also Kiel no longer used those common wooden arrows anymore, that he used previously. He now had a full set of arrows forged from mulberry with steel tips. It added both penetration and flexibility to the arrows.
The bow and arrow came in pairs. Kiel was grateful to his father for giving them to him, so that he could better take care of him in the forest, after his accident in the woods. Although Derek was angry at him at that time, he could still feel his concerns for him.
Remembering the past, Kiel let out a deep sigh before letting them pass to the back of his mind. He had a goal to achieve now. To free his father and make his family together again.
Using his new equipment, Kiel set out deep inside the woods. Now his footsteps were a lot lighter than before. Sometimes running and sometimes jumping through the trees, Kiel searched for any trails he could find of any wild animals.
The situations had forced Kiel to make a livelihood of the same woods, that once filled him with trauma.
'I guess this is life'
While making his way through the woods, Kiel didn't forget to set up some minor traps. Although he couldn't set up big ones. Setting up minor ones were no problem for him.
As it was still early morning, the trees still cast long shadows towards the west, giving him the best opportunity to blend in.
As he moved on, he met some ordinary rabbits and small animals on his way. Kiel nocked up an arrow on his bow and let it loose in a fluid manner. The arrow as if knowing it's destination pierced through the air and struck the rabbit's head, drilling it into a nearby tree. In these two years Kiel's bow skills had reached a high level. He could now aim accurately and kill small animals and even some boars from a distance. This showed just how much the little kid trained himself in these two years.
Removing the rabbit's fur, Kiel washed it properly to remove its scent and stored it separately in his bag, and started his tailing again.
As Kiel was searching for something better to sell, to get a good price, he was sighted upon a light trail of plants freshly crushed.
Kiel came beside it in hopes that he may have chanced upon some big animal trail.
He sniffed the leaves. But they had a weird odour in them. So he placed it on his hands and grinded it to perceive it better. After a moment the skin on his hand turned a bit blue. It had a strong stinging pain in the spot of his hand.
"Hmm… it seems a snake had its meal here. And this venom stains… it seems a green eyed snake!!"
Picking up suck a trail Kiel's mind ran furiously. He knew he had finally picked up what he was looking for such a long time.
'Although it is a level 1 creature, if I catch it, I can sell its hide, bones and glabella for a hefty price. And the meat could be smoked and kept at home for a long time.
Well it may not have gotten too far away. If I hurry I can catch it. It would give me two months worth of rations. It has been a long time, since Mom or anyone had any meat. And I would be going to the provincial capital city this week. So if I catch it, I can go to the capital without any worry.'
Kiel now new about the levels of creatures from Anabelle. Although she never wanted to tell him, Kiel was adamant in going into the woods for extra income to sustain his family. So she had to tell him about the different levels of animals to not endanger him in the woods. After all he had already faced a similar attack due to his negligence. She was happy to see that the incident didn't leave behind any sequela in the little boy, so she taught him, somewhat reluctantly.
What he learned was that like humans, beasts had their classification too. Starting from level 0 to level 9.
Level 0 were considered normal wild beasts. They were at the lowest of the food chain.
Then came the level 1 beasts. They could sense the mana around them and use it to temper their bodies making them more resilient and better hunters.
After level 1, came the level 2 creatures. These creatures could form a core in their bodies giving them the ability to store mana in their bodies. They could even use their respective elements to attack when required.
After that there were the level 3 beasts, who could even cast magic spells.
There were level 4 and above beasts too which existed, but not much was known about them, according to Anabelle.
The Virakali mountain ranges had some of these level 3 beasts in its inner regions. While most level 2 beasts stayed in the middle regions.
Picking up the trail, Kiel followed behind it. He even had his Stinger which saved his life previously. But he still knew the dread of a level 1 creature. The plant that caught him off guard was a level 1 creature too. Death dahlia, a variant of the Dahlia flowers which could induce its pollens to make its target feel pleasant to draw it towards itself. Its meal were only level 0 creature. No creature or human who could sense mana would fall for it.
Only after such an experience did Kiel know why he was forbidden to enter the woods before coming into contact with mana. But now he had no choice.
(A/N: for those who forgot about Stinger, it is the black dagger that Derek got as a reward in helping a stranger. Later Kiel saw it in the smithy and took it with him.)
Kiel thought about various things as he followed the trail. But still he kept his focus on the trail.
Following a thin slithering trial between the green plants carefully for about an hour or two, Kiel heard a hiss sound followed by some rattling.
Kiel straightened up. He knew if he was a little careless here, he could lose his life. But he didn't want to back away now. Kiel didn't go directly up to the source of the sound. He climbed a nearby tree to get a better view of what's coming.
Climbing the tree was rather easy with his root chakra balancing him. Kiel was now close to opening his second floweret of his Root Chakra. So his sense of balance had increased tremendously.
Getting a spot on one of the branches, Kiel looked where he found the sound. It was all green around. Within the greenery, laid down a snake with a tousled hood constricted around its head. The snake was around 2.5m in length, had floating brown circular stripes all over its brown body, with a rattle at the back of its tail.
The snake was sleeping peacefully, bathing in the gentle sunlight, seemingly digest its meal. Although the snake looked peaceful, Kiel could feel a menacing danger behind its peace.
Kiel didn't want to dive down recklessly at something like that, and later rely on his non existent luck like those protagonists to overcome his defeat. So he began to plan his attack. He knew he couldn't run away or hide from it. And he had been making preparations to catch it too.
Kiel set up a tiny trap around the trees with his arrows. He had already studied a lot about the snake and hence knew how it would react. Kiel then took out a small mirror from his bag and a small bottle containing some black liquid.
"I wish this poison really does its work"
Smearing the black liquid on his arrows, Kiel separated the poisoned ones from the normal. Then he took out his bag and hid it separately behind another branch, so that it would not hinder him while escaping, if needed.
After completing all his preparations, Kiel nocked an arrow on his black bow, pulled it to the maximum, and used his Tranquil force to increase his concentration to the max, so that he could avoid even a tiny error.
As he breathed very slowly, he slowly felt like forgetting everything around him. Only two things seemed to exist in the whole world for him now, the snake and he himself. All intents, all emotions, all feelings, and the world itself vanished from his view for a moment. Kiel didn't know he was experiencing such a strange state. In this state, he felt aiming was a lot easier. As he let go of the arrow, it smoothly pierced the air onwards to the sleeping snake.
But just as it was about to reach the snake, the snake sensed something and suddenly woke up. Sensing a danger at it's vitals it shifted it's narrow neck to the side. The arrow glazed passed its eyes. But although it avoided it's eyes, it was too late to dodge the entire arrow, as it pierced its neck at the right and got stuck there.
"HISSS"