Seeing as the terrain was gaining altitude and seeing some occasional crags, Xol started navigating the area trying find a path that wouldn´t become too steep or crag filled before advancing.
*grrr
"I completely forgot to eat as I hunted the wolves" Xol said as he takes his right hand over his stomach that was starting to growl.
'Maybe I should look for a crag or cliff with a nice view before eating hehe.' Xol laughed as he scanned the area for a suitable path up the mountain.
Before choosing a path, Xol used Mana Sonar as a caution measure. Seeing as there wasn´t any wolves close by, he started advancing unto the path that seemed as the best option.
Grabbing any sticks or branches that would be suitable for starting a fire, Xol found a cliffside bordering the mountain and the forest. Taking an hour long hike toward the cliff with the occasional climbing using his hands, Xol arrived at the top of the cliffside.
'Nice I can even see the plain area where I started´ Xol smiled as he appreciated the view he stumbled on.
Taking some meat provisions of his travel for the academy from his inventory, Xol started preparing a fire. As he cooked himself a filling meal, he used Mana Sonar to make sure there wasn´t a wolf attracted by his cooking.
'Weird, I can feel a strong signal directly underneath me. Is there a cave around the lower part of the cliff'? Xol wondered as he sensed the mana signals.
Piquing his interest at what could be inside a cave with such a strong mana signal, Xol decided to eat just half the meal he had planned not wanting to upset his stomach as he explored, while storing the other half in his inventory, afterward, he cleaned the area. Having taken care of his campsite, Xol started backtracking until he found a path that allowed a somewhat safe way toward the lower part of the cliff.
As he was traveling downward Xol experienced his right foot sliding off due to some loose gravel, luckily, he grabbed onto a branch preventing him from rolling down his path.
After some time, he managed to arrive to the lower part of the cliff, shaking off some dirt from his butt, Xol scanned the area for indications of the cave. Following the signal, Xol continued his hike until he caught a glimpse of the cave.
The cave was located above a crag in the middle of the cliff, with a natural trail coming off the cave following the cliff. If one wanted to climb toward the cave one had to follow the trail, unless he had the hiking equipment to climb the steep cliff. Following the cliff border in the direction in which the trail was coming down, Xol soon found the area where the trail connected with the forest.
As he was climbing up the trail, Xol heart was pounding from his excitement and anticipation at what could be in the cave with the strong mana signal. Peeking at the cave, he saw 2 mana wolves and a larger wolf sleeping some meters inside the cave, further deep in the cave he could see a blue glow in the walls of the cave.
Seeing their levels Xol had a fright and silently backed off the entrance.
[Mana Wolf LVL 10]
[Mana Wolf LVL 10]
[Condensed Mana Wolf LVL 15]
'Okay, that explains why the signal was so strong even though there are only 3 wolves inside' Xol sighed after calming his nerves.
'Fighting is out of question, just the 2 LVL 10 wolves could kill me. Waiting for them to leave is also out, I only have 33 minutes remaining inside the dungeon. I also feel that trying to slip by would wake them up.' Xol started pondering his options with a frown on his face.
Giving it some though, Xol finally sketched a somewhat plausible plan. Taking out his unfinished meal and all uncooked meat he had in his inventory, he placed them near the border of the crag. Hiding himself on the trail sticking as hard as he could to the cliff, Xol made sure the wolves wouldn´t see him as they came out the cave.
Preparing himself to cast the trial escape skill in case things go south, he shot a Mana Bullet at the cave entrance. Watching closely the cave entrance, Xol soon saw a Mana Wolf and the Condensed Mana Wolf leaving the cave.
'Where the last one' Xol thought with an anxious look.
Seeing no immediate danger, the Condensed Mana Wolf gestured the Mana Wolf to advance toward the meat.
Once the Condensed Mana Wolf checked nothing happened to the Mana Wolf as it bites some meat, it also started advancing, biting some meat and preparing to return toward the cave. Seeing this Xol shot a Mana Bomb right behind them.
*BOOOM
Both wolves where sent down the crag and the cliff due the sudden explosion.
Smiling at his success, Xol waited for the last wolf to come out. Seeing no reaction from the cave Xol picked a stone and throw it at the cave. As the stone landed near the entrance, a mana ball came out the cave.
Grabbing a second stone and taking a spear out of his inventory, he started advancing toward the cave, throwing the stone and retrieving his hand quickly enough, Xol charged at the cave once the mana ball passed out.
[Mana wolf LVL 10 - Enraged]
HP: 3,000/3,000
MP: 3,900/4,000
Shooting 2 Mana Bullets at it as he advanced, Xol managed to take a small chunk of its HP. Seeing the individual that blasted his friend away entering the cave, the Mana wolf quickly pounced at him.
Dodging to his right, Xol tried to pierce his, missing his mark Xol as the wolf was faster than those he got used in fighting. The Mana Wolf quickly turned himself as it landed and shot a Mana ball toward Xol, barely dodging he returned fire with 2 Mana Bullets.
Pouncing again toward Xol, the Mana Wolf´s claws began glowing and slashed in the air getting a clean hit upon his left shoulder.
[Bleeding status acquired]
Seeing the system notification and feeling the pain, Xol retreated some steps as he guarded against the wolf.
Seeing this the wolf quickly followed up with a Mana Ball, Xol dodged to the side but the growing pain he was feeling in his shoulder affected his dodging and got grazed by the incoming shot.
Recovering his center of gravity, Xol shot another Mana Bullet and began advancing toward the wolf, taking the opportunity the wolf made as it dodged, Xol pierced it side as he tightened his jaw.
Seeing that the wolf was still moving, Xol shot 2 Mana Bullets at it. Seeing as it stopped moving, Xol sighed in relief.
Taking some breath in Xol sat down and started looking for anything in his inventory that could help stop the bleeding.
*RIIIPPP
Xol ripped a sleeve of his shirt and tried bandaging himself as best he could. Once he verified the bleeding had stopped and the bleeding status disappearing from his status, he proceeded to changing to a clean shirt he had in his inventory.
[Xol LVL 10 Apprentice
HP: 493/1000
MP: 1290/1500]
´That was close´ Xol thought as he closed his eyes and exhaled a breath air.
Standing up after he recovered from the fight, he proceeded to retrieve his wearpon.
´Weird, why did this wolf didn´t disappear after I kill him like the others?' Xol asked with a frown seeing the corpse of the wolf. 'Were they being absorbed by the Jade Token?'
"Collect" Xol said as he placed a hand over the corpse.
[Acquired the following items:
Mana Wolf Pelt X1
Wolf Claws X4
Mana Wolf Fangs X2
Mana Wolf Meat X3
Mana Crystal X2]
'I guess they were ´really being absorbed by the token.' Xol thought raising an eyebrow when he saw the loot notification.
´Now the important part what is causing the blue glow in the back of the cave.' Xol thought glancing at the back of the cave.
Advancing through the cave, Xol started walking faster and faster. Feeling pumped he couldn´t control himself any longer and he started to run, with a huge anticipation in his heart.
"WOOOW" Xol exclaimed as he entered a room filled with crystals.
Most of the crystals were bigger than the obelisk he used to enter the dungeon, some of those where embedded on the walls of the cave while others rised from the floor near the walls. On the center of the room there was a crystal bigger than all the others, connecting the floor and the roof as if it was a column supporting the whole room.
Xol opened his mouth in a wide smile while spinning and examining the whole room, feeling more alive than he had ever felt. He finally felt like those adventurers from the dungeons stories he loved hearing.
Strolling toward the center crystal, he couldn´t stop himself from stroking the crystal surface after examining it.
[Highly Concentrated Pure Mana Crystal discovered.
User will receive a reward based on his personal evaluation.
Evaluating User…]
As Xol was being evaluated by the system, in the outside world, inside a teacher office a young man with long black hair up to his shoulders, stopped his pen while writing his today discoveries.
´Interesting´ thought the young man as he returned to his writing.
Finishing writing his discoveries, he stood up from his desk and walked toward the window in his office, he glanced toward the area where entrance dungeon was located.
Arriving next to the window, one could see he had straight nose, his eyebrows weren´t too thick nor too slim, with blue eyes and a diamond shape face, some could argue that he was extremely handsome.
'That makes 13 individuals that reached the Pure Mana Hall in this year generation, being the fourth one in the last 15 minutes. Seems like it should be worthwhile to see the current batch´ the young man mused as he stretched.
Raising his left hand, he opened a portal and stepped through it.
"Ohh, its weird for the acclaimed teacher Izuriel to join us" a male teacher mocked as he saw a portal appearing in the hall as the black-haired young man stepped forward.
The hall was vast and had a circular shape, in the center of the room there a half circle table with huge crystal ball in the center, in the circular part of the table they were 10 seats for the teachers of the academy and in the opposite side there was single seat for the current principal. In the wall behind every seat there was painting depicting the elements the teacher where in charge of teaching.
"Come on teacher Aidan with the great 'quantity´ of students teacher Izuriel has, it's understandable that he wouldn´t had the time to watch every batch of aspirants for the academy." Another male teacher joined in the mocking.
"You both are jealous that my public lectures have more students assisting than both your teaching groups combined" Izuriel replied nonchalantly as he walked to the side of the principal.
"Teacher Izuriel pays respects to the principal" said Izuriel bowing his head and clasping his hand toward the woman seating in the principal seat.
The woman had long silky dark blue hair that descended toward her waist, with a scarlert hairpin above her right ear. She had an oval face, hazel eyes with green flecks over a turned-up nose, and cherry red lips. Adding her elegant aura one could see the principal was beauty in her own right.
"Big brother we aren´t in the cultivation world, you don´t need those formalities in here" the principal smiled at his brother antics.