In the middle of forest, when the sun started to descending itself in the west direction.
Thick smells of blood can be smelled from probably miles away.
The source of this smell is because of dozen monster dead body. The monster looking exactly the same, they ware Hyena looking creature that stand with both of its limb, they had humanoid like figure.
Gnoll, is the creature names.
Over dozen of Gnolls carcass scattered everywhere, the smells of the blood makes some creature curious. Especially the Stanios, the Stanios are a bird monster that prey over other creature dead body, they ware scavenger and also being known as 'cleaner'.
Stanios appearance are similar to Vulture or condors, however, they ware more savage and bigger than them.
Over dozen or so Stanios hovering in the skies above and only circling the area, they ware already had their eyes on gnoll carcass at the ground.
However, they didn't take any action and just circling there in the skies.
Beside over dozen of Gnolls carcass, there also dozen of living Gnoll at the ground.
These Gnoll are surrounding the whole area forming a circle formations.
In the centre of formation, a person standing there.
This person body are full of wound, his every clothes are tatted everywhere, his white hair and facial hair turned into red already because of the blood. He wielding a pair of ax on his hand.
The person in question is Stevanius. He was in sorry state right now, there scratch here and there. Well, it somehow understandable, he was, fighting over hundred Gnoll already, there no way for him to leave unscratched. His wound that he got from werewolf also opened up again because the intense situation, this wound not healed up yet after a night rest, it needs at least 3days before the wound completely recovered.
After fighting over hundred of Gnoll for a whole days, Stevanius feel exhausted.
Not physically, but mentally instead. His body still had so much energy left even after fighting the whole day, it is again thanks to the abilities of [Solomon ax], he will receive some recovery after killing an enemies.
However, his mentally seems cannot hold with his body. He was so tired....
After killing over hundred of Gnoll, 139 to be exact.
He once again levelled up on his 126 Gnoll kills. Stevanius just recently realised this, it seems like the amount of experience he get from fighting enemies head on are bigger than using a tools (casting spell with blazing Heart for example).
Because just by killing 126 Gnoll, he already level up to the lvl13.
His attribute become like this.
Before: 3.8 END, 3.9 STR, 4.1 DEX, 2.07 INT (LVL12)
After: 4.1 END, 4.2 STR, 4.4 DEX, 2.1 INT (LVL13)
And with 1% bonus attribute, he received.
0.041, 0.042, 0.044, and 0.021 per one creature.
There over hundred of living Gnoll surrounding the area, by Stevanius rough estimations it is around 130-150 Gnolls.
Adding up the 139 already dead Gnoll, it can be assumed that there at least 269 minimum of creature either dead or alive.
1% of attribute increase multiply by 270(I round it up) Stevanius will receive: 11.07 increase for END (0.041*270), 11.34 STR, 11.88 DEX, 5.67 INT.
That almost triple the Stevanius basic stats!
Says if the abilities are not broken or cheat like?
However, in fact, Stevanius didn't received those + 11 basic attribute increase.
There are still a limitations of how much Attribute increase he can get, the amount will never reach above his own basic attribute stats.
So, in reality, Stevanius only received: +4.1 END, +4.2 STR, 4.4 AGI, +2.1 INT.
That how the system limitations is, Stevanius are actually being limited by his own basic attribute.
The stats he get from ax abilities is never be able to passed through his basic attribute threshold, but even so. Having a free same amount of attribute just like his basic attribute still makes him having a Double attribute in total.
Really, with his current attribute, he can takes tens of Gnolls by himself. And killing them under a minute.
However, even if he can do that easily, his mental strength seems doesn't have much energy left.
The day also getting dark soon.
Even after Stevanius by any means killing the remaining Gnoll that surrounding the area, there are still those things in the skies to worry about.
"sigh, it can't be helped "
Helpless because of mental exhaustion, Stevanius grab His [Blazing Heart] and just end the fight.
Stevanius body began to float in the air, the Gnoll seems surprised with sudden turn of events.
They began to make a noise, seems talking with their own language.
They began to throw their weapon, trying to hit Stevanius. The Ranger also start attacking.
But their efforts are futile, Stevanius easily evade those attack.
He gestured his hand to the Gnolls direction, and the mana quickly being gathered from surrounding area.
Pointing his finger, said Stevanius to the Gnoll direction.
"Meteor Rains"
A ball that made of rock suddenly appear high in the skies, Gnoll doesn't have any ideas of what happened, even, those bird at the skies also doesn't know what happened.
But suddenly, a ball that made of fire descent from high above the sky.
From one becomes two, from two become four, from four becomes dozens...
The Gnoll knowing the situation better because they ware looking directly at the skies, but those Stanios doesn't have any ideas before one of meteor at the size of motorcycle hit them.
It's too late for Stanios when realized the situation, they also being dragged to the ground after a meteor hit them.
The Gnoll at the ground began to fleeing from the area, but who knew that the speed of meteor descending suddenly increased?
With its area coverage, it is already so huge, so the Gnoll had limited time to escape, however there still hope!
But when the speed of meteor descending increase, their hope are instantly shattered.
This is Rank-2 Spell, Meteor Rain. Really a high profile spell to cast near the capital....
That's why, after casting the spell. Stevanius quickly changed his clothes and flew away from the location using full speed of [White Feather].
He even added more acceleration that came from his newly gotten skill on top of white feather own acceleration.
There are even loud sonic boom generated because of that.
Stevanius flying away thousands kilometres away just within half of hours.
Really, that was dumb impulsive action.
Because of mentally exhausted, he forgotten the fact that he's hunting near the capital. But, even if he realised it, he can't stopped the spell that already being cast.
Escape far from the area is the best he can do.
After flying for an hour, the relic exhaust the energy already. Stevanius switched to the [Ilaoi], making a wing that made from telekinetic thread.
He flies for another hour before he stopped.
Stevanius quickly fount the place to hide after strolling around.
He didn't forgot to not use any sort of magic power of mana the moment he landed to the ground, he changed his clothes, equipment, disguise and so on.
He knew, by just looking using [Ghost Spectacle] he left a trail when he was flying just now. And if Stevanius can easily spot that, the other will also can.
He lower the mana reaction as much as he can, he also make the use of deception skills to fool the one who might cashed him into believing that Stevanius dive into the lakes.
That not a fake scenario though, Stevanius really did dive to the lakes to change his 'skins'.
It is probably look like Stevanius overreacting things, to the thing that might not even happen.
However, there is still chance that someone will check about what happened. The incidents is near the capital afterall.
And even if the chance are low and the incidents not near the big cities of capital, but somehow still near human settlement. Stevanius will do the same things.
Because there still chance of the thing to happen!
Stevanius believe this 'chance' even if it so small.
He is just a coward person, he doesn't want to put his life on the lines.
After walking for an hour, he found himself in front of the apple tree. There was a small stream nearby where one can catch fish. Now tired and exhausted, he sat below the tree with his back to the tree and fell asleep under the night sky and the moon hiding in the clouds.
***
Tearing up the space in front of him with a bronze looking sword, Lyloth stepping up to the spital tear.
On the other side, in the bustling cities, a ordinary looking dark alley. A space tear suddenly opened, at first, the size is just at the size of pencil, but it is quickly become bigger and bigger until it stop at two metres high.
A person walked out from the spital tear, and at the same time, the space tear closed itself after the person walked out. This person is Lyloth.
"The cities of this 'small' kingdom sure are lively "
Lyloth instantly can feel the amount of life force this city had, there a million of people lived inside, there also the fact that the place is capital. Thus, it's also bound to have few stronger life force than others.
Lyloth can feel this strong life force, they didn't intended to hide it whatsoever. The amount is dozen, however Lyloth knew that the exact number probably above hundred.
Without wasting anymore time, he erased his trail when opening the spital tear just now.
A day has passed, Lyloth are arriving at the Calpheon on 20 September, and today is 21st September already.
He finished his own stuff way sooner that he expected to be, so he can come to the Calpheon sooner too.
In fact, Lyloth still wanted to go doing some ruins exploration. However, he didn't, he knew that single exploration will takes about a week to 10days for the shortest times.
There no way Lyloth willing to take a risk by doing another exploration, he might ended up skipping the auction.
He participating in the auction for a good reason afterall, there an item that he needs.
He received information of 'that' item are appear on the Heidel Ball. 'that' items really important to him, it is had different of use.
But, Lyloth will used 'that' item to awaken his sword.
Lyloth didn't do much in this two days, he just enjoying his life on the capital. He decided to rest from training stuff, this is his rest day.
In the afternoon of 21 September, Lyloth sitting in the balcony of a cafe, enjoying the afternoon drinking a coffee and reading a 'book'.
When he suddenly felt Mana disturbances.
He instinctively move his head to where source at.
"by the intensity, it should be some Rank-2 spell "
"How brave, casting a rank-2 spell beside the capital of an kingdom"
Lyloth shook his head, reacting to what the other party doing.
He little bit curious about what happened, he wanted to know who are 'brave' enough to cast rank-2 spell. It is terrorists attack? But there no record of terrorists attack when he research about Calpheon.
There are lots of hidden 'monster' in this place, even Lyloth need to be careful, the fact that someone dare to release such 'high profile' thing. They ware really brave, or confident with their abilities, or just dumb.
Or even, they're doesn't know about the existence of the hidden 'monster'. Lyloth has the suspect for this,
"I just hope that they're not a traveller...sigh.."
Lyloth hesitate for a moment, he wanted to know who causing the commotion. However, he didn't dare to takes any action because of those 'monster'.
Lyloth suddenly had the idea!
He threw the book that he hold into the skies, the book are flying. But, after a moment, the book didn't show any sign of descending. The book quickly turned into a bird instead!
White pigeon suddenly appear in the sky but no one seems noticed it. The pigeon glanced at the Lyloth, after seemingly received the order, the pigeon fly away.
****
An old man and a girl are strolling in the busy street, the girl seems busying himself by looking at some shop sign, the girl must be looking for certain shop.
Suddenly, the old man halted it's steps. And turned his head to the certain direction.
'rank-2 spells' mumbled the old man.
Just as he thinking about what happened, a voice snapped his out.
"teacher, I found the shop!" say the girl from distance.
***
Mei traveled around the world in the past few weeks, she decided to have a break from her duties as a 'agent'.
She never takes any day off, not even once in the past two years.
She knew that her jobs are 'easy' and most of times, she really had a lot of free times. however, that doesn't mean she's out from her duties. She must still on 'standby' for most of time and cannot leave the area under her jurisdiction.
but now, she's decided to have a break from her work.
she's just roaming here and there, and now, she on her way to the Calpheon. She hear there will be a auction soon, she never went to the auction house so she curious about it.
and probably she can find some toys.
.
.
without realising
Heidel Ball this time will surely became lively.
.
.
.
Author Notes, I think I will doing some time skip again.
Honestly, I planned to have the chapter about auction at chapter 25. However, thing didn't go as I planned to be.
I ended up keep to drag the chapter more and more, there needs sort of development. There really not major development at all so far. And the auction chapter is where I had the thing in mind.
So it is probably 2 more chapter and then auction chapter, or 1 more chapter and then auction chapter.
I knew I'm bad with words, my brain seems doesn't work properly again.