In the meantime, the two fierce demons were still relentlessly pursuing Andrew, scouring the Ashwood Forest's jungles for any clue that could lead them to him.
They had traced his residual aura to the riverbank and immediately realized that he had plunged into the water. Without wasting a moment, they started flying along the river banks, searching for any scent or trace he might have left behind or any possible hideout he could have fled to.
Despite their tireless hunt, the demons' efforts to find Andrew proved futile, much to their dismay. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, leaving them frustrated and more determined than ever to capture him.
As the days passed and the search progressed into the deeper parts of Ashwood Forest, one of the demons grunted in exasperation, "This mouse is a master of hide-and-seek! He's covered his tracks so well that there's no trace to follow. How are we supposed to locate him?"
"I guess we might have to disappoint the Shadow Queen," said the other demon, his voice tinged with fear. "If we keep searching, the realm eye of the humans might pick up our auras, which could ruin our long-term plans to invade this realm."
"I agree," responded the other. "Our biggest challenge is that we can't conceal our auras from the realm eye of the humans. If we linger around here, our rank-four commander-level auras will be at risk of exposure. Our best option now is to return to the realm portal and delegate the task of continuing the search to our less powerful subordinates."
"Then, what do we say to the Shadow Queen?" inquired the first demon nervously. "If we fail to accomplish the mission, she'll be furious and might even beat us to death upon her arrival."
"Don't worry, old friend," the other demon proudly chuckled. "I've already contacted the other demon monarchs, including the Plague King and Succubus Queen. They understand that our current actions might jeopardize their war plans, so they have pledged to assist us in keeping the Shadow Queen in check."
"I'm glad to hear that," remarked the first demon. "But I still can't forgive that little human. He killed the princess and caused us so many problems. We can't even be sure about our safety anymore."
"I couldn't agree more," chimed in the other demon. "That pesky human has caused us a great deal of distress. We must take all necessary measures to capture him. Let's return to the realm portal and immediately deploy our shadow assassins to track him down. Though they are only rank two spell-casters, they should be able to complete the mission while keeping their auras hidden from the human realm eye's detection."
As the two imposing demons came to a mutual understanding, they wasted no time before leaving the vibrant Ashwood Forest. With their towering forms fading into the shadows, they called upon their extraordinary talents to navigate their way toward the portal that would take them back to their realm.
It was a sight to behold as they moved with an effortless grace, exuding a sense of power and otherworldly magnificence that could leave any human trembling with fear.
-----
Andrew's reading session within the ancient library of Aeon had been nothing short of mesmerizing.
For two weeks straight, he had been lost amid a surreal atmosphere, where the scent of musty antique books filled the air, and countless shelves were lined with tomes full of secrets and ancient magic waiting to be unveiled.
Andrew was undeterred despite the daunting task of deciphering books written in ancient mystical languages, with complicated symbols and diagrams etched into the pages.
Thanks to the wisdom fruit his mother left him, his intelligence had been significantly boosted, allowing him to comprehend the contents of each book in just a few reading sessions.
As he delved deeper into the books, he could feel the magic within them come alive, and he was constantly mesmerized by the mysteries they held.
Andrew's focus still lay on tomes containing knowledge of soul shamanism and beast-summoning schools of sorcery, and he was determined to uncover all the hidden knowledge on the subjects within the ancient texts.
The library remained silent, save for the occasional whisper of pages turning and a quill scribbling on paper. The dim lighting and the antique design of the pagoda library made it feel like a magical sanctum. Andrew was often found sitting cross-legged on the floor, lost in thought, as he scribbled notes and sketches into his journal.
He remained enthusiastic and determined despite the long hours of reading and research. He knew that with each passing day, he was slowly mastering the foundation knowledge of the soul shamanism and beast-summoning schools of sorcery.
Having immersed himself in yet another ancient tome, he finally reached the end. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he gained a deeper understanding of how to become both a soul shaman and a beast summoner. The possibilities seemed endless, and he couldn't wait to put his newfound knowledge to the test.
"The connection between soul shamans and beast summoners is fascinating," Andrew muttered. "To become a beast summoner, one must possess a strong soul, and the only way to achieve that is by mastering the techniques of a soul shaman."
With a gleam in his eye, Andrew could already envision his path toward the sorcery schools of soul shamanism and beast summoning.
His first obstacle was to create an ancient rune seed in his soul space that would eventually develop into his second totem. This totem would be distinct from his innate book totem and would grant him the ability to either cast potent spiritual spells or summon spiritual entities and beasts, all while strengthening his soul.
Andrew had recently read a book named "Soul Shamanism and Beast-Summoning 101: A Beginner's Handbook", which provided a comprehensive guide on the soul shaman rune seeds. It explained the procedure for creating these seeds, how to sow them in one's conscious sea, and how to utilize them when they matured into secondary totems.
Andrew remained seated on the marble floor, drumming his fingers while he reviewed the contents of that specific book.
"The rune seed is typically a highly condensed evolving magical circle that can rival Aeon's Blessing of Death," he mused. "If I wanted to become a soul shaman specializing in spiritual attacks, I would have had to construct and master an offensive soul rune seed. But that's not my goal. I want to become a beast summoner, so I must construct and implant a beast-summoning rune seed in my sea of consciousness."
Andrew's eyes were filled with a fierce determination that seemed to ignite a spark within him. He had spent the last two weeks buried in books and research, poring over every detail to master the intricate art of summoning beasts.
At last, he felt ready to embark on his journey and become a true-blue beast summoner. With his mind ablaze with knowledge and his heart full of excitement, he felt confident and ready to take on the challenge and see where this path would lead him.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his attention. As he sank deeper into his meditation, his spiritual form emerged in his soul space.
Driven by his unwavering intention, he plunged into the task at hand - constructing the base magical circle that would serve as the foundation for his ultimate beast summoning rune seed.
The task was daunting, but Andrew was determined. His hands moved with lightning speed, weaving together a web of intricate runes that glowed with otherworldly power in his soul space.
As he worked, a three-dimensional model emerged from the ether, pulsating with primordial energy that spoke of ancient wisdom and arcane secrets. With a final flourish, he completed the complicated circle, his heart pounding with excitement and anticipation.
"Condense!" he commanded with all his might and focused his energy on compressing the base magic circle. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, channeling every ounce of his mental strength to transform the beast-summoning magical circle into a tiny rune seed.
The complicated occult circle containing hundreds of individual runes shrank before his eyes, becoming smaller and smaller until it was a tiny, glittering ball hovering beside his book totem. Andrew was exhilarated by the sight of it.
With another deep breath, he pushed the condensed beast-summoning soul seed downward. It plunged into his conscious sea, and he felt a rush of energy surge through him, signaling that he was ready for the next step.
"HONG!"
A sudden shockwave seemed to ripple through Andrew's mind, and the mysterious rune seed began to drain his mana and mental strength at an alarming rate. It was like a ravenous beast had been unleashed inside his soul space, devouring everything in its path and leaving him depleted and disoriented.
Luckily, Andrew acted quickly and accessed his storage ring. He summoned some fruits he had collected from the botanical garden on the third floor of the pagoda.
These were no ordinary fruits, as they had likely been prepared by Aeon, the ancient sorcerer, to nourish the spiritual body. And as it turned out, they were the most effective tonics to help Andrew out of his predicament.
With each succulent fruit he swallowed, a wave of energy coursed through Andrew's body, revitalizing and restoring his mana and mental strength.
He breathed a sigh of relief, confident that the beast-summoning rune seed had been successfully implanted in his conscious sea, marking a pivotal moment in his journey to become stronger.
Rapidly, he meditated, focusing on sensing the rune seed that had settled in his conscious sea. Though it still consumed energy, it had slowed down to a manageable pace and was now encased in a shimmering silver cocoon.
"This is indeed the beast summoning rune seed," muttered Andrew, his spirits flying high.
He knew he only had to wait a few days for the seed to sprout and grow into his second totem. And the best part - the totem would be separate from his innate book totem and capable of summoning beast entities from other dimensions.
He couldn't wait to witness his new totem in action.