Chapter 18: The Hunt

The arrival of the young physician made the team's atmosphere quite lively, with bursts of hearty laughter now and then. The scouts out front kept running back to report their findings to the captain, so he could make good calls. The two mages also chimed in occasionally, chatting with the physician; it all looked very harmonious and relaxed. Shaoke, as usual, remained silent. He had no interest in engaging in meaningless small talk. However, the soldiers found his behavior quite understandable. After all, Shaoke had never been much of a talker in the group, nor did he interfere with the captain's decisions. He knew his own limitations; even after reading so many theoretical books, he wasn't cut out for that role.

As they traveled, Shaoke continuously observed their surroundings, mentally mapping their route. This was so he could later add to the map any areas not previously recorded. This task was really tedious and dull. Many mages stationed at the border no longer bothered with it, partly because it wasn't strictly necessary, and partly because it was a huge mental drain, leaving the physically weaker mages even more fatigued.

After what felt like over three magic hours of travel, Shaoke heard a soldier report to the captain about discovering beasts ahead. The captain waved for the soldier to continue observing and then shouted loudly, "Soldiers, attention! Beasts have been spotted ahead. It's another group of Mud Boars, but larger than yesterday's herd—about fifty or so. That's almost one per person! Stay sharp, ready your weapons, and be careful not to alert them. This time, we'll get closer before attacking."

With that, the captain signaled to Shaoke and the others to prepare for battle. Following the captain's lead, the soldiers cautiously ceased their chatter and began to sneak forward toward the target.

Shaoke and the other two mages tightened their grips on their staffs and followed the soldiers. Glancing at Mage Kiya's excited face and Mage Yija's slightly anxious one, Shaoke couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. "One is all impulse, the other is too timid. How frustrating. Back when I was new, I got the basics of being a combat mage down after just one real fight. I never caused Mage Feiyi or Mage Loki any trouble. Why did I end up with these two as companions?"

"Mage Kiya, don't be impulsive. Keep your mind calm. Only cast a spell if any prey escapes later, because your mana and mental energy can't sustain too many. I'm talking about the zero-circle spells you've mastered." "Mage Yija, have you forgotten last night's resolution? Gather your courage! Look, Physician Ino isn't even nervous! After the soldiers throw their javelins, you attack as well. With so many beasts, it's easy to hit a target. You don't need to guide it too much with your mind. Don't worry, Mage Kiya and I are right beside you."

After reassuring his two companions, the team had already completed a loose semi-encirclement of the herd. All they needed was the captain's attack command, and a series of strikes would wipe out this group of low-tier beasts.

The Mud Boars failed to notice the ambushers' approach in time. Already surrounded by the enemy, they continued frolicking by tree roots and in clearings, searching for food to fill their bellies.

"Attack!" the captain suddenly roared, hurling his javelin with force at his chosen target. The soldiers followed suit, throwing their javelins and hand axes. Their coordinated assault dealt a heavy blow to the careless boar herd. The surviving boars let out a series of agonized squeals and began gathering together, attempting to concentrate their strength to break out.

At this moment, encouraged by Shaoke and Mage Kiya, Mage Yija nervously began chanting an incantation. His wand, combined with hand gestures, traced out mysterious patterns. "Magic Missile!" Under Physician Ino's admiring gaze, Mage Yija successfully cast this most practiced spell. He mentally locked onto the strongest-looking boar among the panicked, fleeing beasts. From a distance of less than a hundred meters, the silvery-white missile slammed into its target. With a "boom," the boar was blasted into chunks of mangled flesh by the spell's power, becoming the young mage's first offering—though certainly not his last.

The battle ended quickly. Although Shaoke never once intervened, Mage Kiya managed to kill several robust beasts with his spells, providing the soldiers with maximum support. Mage Yija even cast two more frequently practiced spells at the end, seemingly without any issues.

The remaining Mud Boars were picked off one by one by the archers among the soldiers, as if they were target practice. The fortunate surviving piglets kept squealing, nudging their parents' corpses with their snouts, hoping to wake them and lead them away from this dangerous place. The soldiers showed no pity for these piglets. In this frozen, snowy wilderness, piglets that had lost their parents and herd had almost no chance of survival, unless they were lucky enough to encounter a passing herd that decided to take them in.

The soldiers weren't about to pass up this delicacy. They selected the healthiest piglets, killed them, and stored them in their pouches, planning to have them for lunch. After all, no one wanted to eat the coarse dry rations and salted beans. Since this mission would last until evening before returning to camp, and fearing they might encounter more beasts in the afternoon, the soldiers abandoned the less valuable spoils. However, at the physician's strong insistence, none of the pure white tusks were discarded.

After gathering the spoils, the captain, following the predetermined route, charted a long arc back toward the camp's direction. He forcefully ordered the soldiers to abandon some of the heavier, less portable loot, as they weren't heading back to camp yet. Even if the soldiers grumbled, the order was carried out diligently.

The two mages, having just finished spellcasting, took advantage of the others gathering spoils to hurriedly recover their depleted mental energy and mana. As mentioned before, mages need to ensure they always have sufficient mental energy and mana for casting spells, lest they find themselves helpless at a critical moment.

The two mages recovered relatively quickly, though the soldiers still had to wait a short while. Shaoke then led them to apologize to the captain. However, the captain also thanked them, acknowledging that without the mages' powerful attacks, those few strong boars might have injured some careless soldiers.

Physician Ino also came forward to offer congratulations. He said to Mage Yija, "Respected Mage Yija, your spell's power is immense! Such a large beast, you blasted it into nothing in an instant. Even those pure white tusks couldn't be found. At least Mage Kiya left behind a skeleton!" But the overly excited Mage Yija didn't take this to heart, muttering to himself things like 'I succeeded, I succeeded.'

Amid Physician Ino's unspoken, veiled complaints, the soldiers, their morale high, began the next leg of their journey. Mage Kiya signaled for the young physician to step away for a moment, as they had something to discuss.

Once Physician Ino had moved away, Mage Yija's suppressed excitement burst forth. "I succeeded! I really succeeded, Mage Xueye! This time I cast three spells, and each one succeeded, and they hit their targets! It's all thanks to your help. If it weren't for your earlier encouragement, I probably still wouldn't have been able to cast spells successfully. Kiya, I can also cast accurate spells in combat now!" After receiving acknowledgment from the other two mages, Mage Yija appeared even more thrilled.

"Yes, Mage Yija, you succeeded. And you too, Mage Kiya. I believe you have now successfully transitioned into battle mages. Although it's just the beginning, I am still happy for you," Shaoke said to the two mages, adding another layer of good news.

"Battle mages?" Mage Kiya asked with a puzzled look. "This is the first I've heard of it. Battle mages? How did Mage Yija and I become battle mages? We didn't undergo any transition ceremony!"

"'Battle mage' is a term mages who engage in prolonged combat with various enemies use to refer to themselves. It has been around for a long time, its exact origins lost to history. They are different from mages who spend most of their time in laboratories or magic towers conducting research. The latter are relatively referred to as 'scholar mages.' Furthermore, 'battle mages' don't require a transition ceremony like some specialized mages do. As long as one has experienced prolonged combat and gained various types of combat experience, they are considered to have officially become a 'battle mage.' Right now, all of us, including myself, are merely mages who have just successfully transitioned. Becoming a true 'battle mage' requires a great deal of combat."

This time, Shaoke set aside his usual worries and answered Mage Kiya's question with ease, trying to explain in as much detail as possible. "Generally speaking, if a 'battle mage' and a 'scholar mage' come into conflict and it leads to a fight, the former often emerges victorious, unless the latter is a full tier higher in rank or possesses some special spells."

"Mage Xueye is right. I've also heard of this special title, 'battle mage.' I've heard some battle mages can even challenge opponents above their level! They are said to emit a chilling aura. Elders say that comes from killing many people. Goodness! Imagine how many they must have killed! Even killing that many magical beasts would require a lot," Mage Yija said with an understanding expression. "But I don't sense that chilling feeling from Mage Xueye."

"Hmm, yes, Mage Kiya. Actually, all this information is already recorded in books. If you're interested, you can read about it when you have time. I have that book in my cabin. I'll lend it to you when we get back," Shaoke generously offered to help the still somewhat confused Mage Kiya.

Mage Kiya happily thanked Shaoke, promising he would definitely borrow it to read.

Mage Yija suddenly exclaimed, "I remember now! I once read a detailed account in a book about the continent's chronicles from roughly a million years ago. It was much more detailed than the usual records."

"Mage Yija, you actually enjoy reading those dry 'Continental Chronicles'? I'm impressed. I only flip through them when looking up information," Shaoke said, looking at the other mage with genuine surprise. He truly hadn't expected any mage nowadays to specifically study history from hundreds of thousands, even millions of years ago.

"Yes, Mage Xueye. Relatively speaking, I do. Apart from enjoying reading ancient history, I'm not particularly proficient in other areas," Mage Yija replied shyly, lowering his head. After a moment, he looked up again, though his gaze avoided Shaoke's direction, instead fixing firmly on the backs of the soldiers marching ahead.