Chapter 329 - Setting Up Hunting Area

"So, how big is the area we need to clear?" asked Fosa.

Then, Angus and Fosa begin to discuss more about their plan. After many considerations, They decided to clear three areas far from each other. Each of these areas spans around a few kilometres in diameter. 

These three areas will be kept monitored by the scout team. Each time a lot of monsters stay on it, they will start the extermination. Moreover, to attract more monsters, Angus created and applied a special gathering miasma and mana rune on these areas.

These special runes will increase the density of mana and miasma in its surroundings. The increase will not be significant, but it is still beneficial for low-grade monsters. For these low-grade monsters that rely more on instinct, they will get easily attracted to this rune.

Angus and Fosa also thought that if this plan worked, they could regulate and control the monster population more easily than before. They could also make something akin to a hunting spot for the adventurer. This will undoubtedly be one of the attractions for the adventurer.

The next day, Angus and the others enter the Dark Forest and return to their previous hunting area. Like Angus's thought, there are already some monsters that occupy the area. Angus leaves the monster hunting to Jayna and Anna.

With their combined power, it will need at least a strong fourth-grade monster to defeat them. However, fourth-grade monsters usually live deeper inside the forest and rarely come to this side. 

While Jayna and Anna hunt the nearby monster, Angus sets up the mana and miasma gathering runes. The rune itself is not complicated as he has already created and used it before. However, he also needs to make it self sustain and hidden from the monster.

'Writing the rune on the ground could easily get destroyed by the monster or the ground movement. The best way is really to create a catalyst for the rune and bury it deep on the ground.' thought Angus after looking at the surroundings.

Then, Angus takes out a few crystals from his space storage. The crystal is called Maroon Crystal. It is one of the most common materials used as the base for runes. Angus had already engraved and prepared the rune on it before.

After creating a deep hole with a basic earth spell, Angus begins to bury a few Maroon Crystal on it before closing the hole. Since the area is quite large, Angus needs to plant the Maroon Crystal in a few spots.

He also takes note of each crystal position. Since Maroon crystal is only a common material, it may degrade over time. They may need to take it or replace it with another stronger rune material in the future. Therefore, it is essential to take note of each of these Maroon Crystals' places.

After burying the crystal, Angus checks the mana and miasma density in the air using special tools. After waiting for a few hours, he started to find some increase in both of them.

"Alright, it seems the rune works properly." said Angus as he stored the special measurement tools.

"Is it done?" asked Jayna while practising her sword on the side.

"Yup, let's go towards another area." said Angus.

"Sure, Anna, wake up. We need to hunt monsters in the other areas."  said Jayna trying to wake up the sleeping Anna.

Hearing Jayna's call, Anna immediately wakes up excitedly.

"Ehh.. Another bursting bubble?!! Yay.. Let's go." said Anna while urging everyone to hurry.

After travelling the forest for a while, Angus and the others finally reach the next area. Unlike the previous area, Angus could find a few other teams and adventurers hunting the monster nearby.

"Alright, you two could go and help the other clear this area. I will set up the rune in this area." said Angus.

Before Angus finishes his sentence, Anna already charges towards the nearest hiding monster and fights it. 

Seeing the reckless Anna, "Sure, I will keep looking at Anna. But, don't take too much time." said Jayna while following Anna.

Two of their bodyguards decide to follow Jayna and Anna, while one of them stays behind with Angus. Ignoring the bodyguard, Angus searches for a suitable place to bury the Maroon Crystal deep underground. 

While searching for a suitable place, Angus feels something is approaching him at a fast speed.

'This is Barculos. It seems it was provoked or run from something.' thought Angus while waiting for the Barculos to approach him.

Barculos is a monster that is similar to a rhino. They are famous for becoming an unstoppable force after running. At this moment, the bodyguard also notices the incoming Barculos.

"A running Barculos!! Young Master Angus, hurry, step aside." called the bodyguard.

However, Angus only looked at the incoming Barculos lazily before stretching one of his hands. Suddenly, the Barculos accelerate and arrive in front of Angus as if provoked by Angus' presence. 

Before its sharp horn managed to pierce Angus's body, Angus completely stopped its charges using one hand.

"Hmm.. it seems I still could not completely stop its charge using only my physical strength." said Angus as he noticed he got pushed back a few centimetres from his spot.

At first, Angus decides only to use his physical strength to stop the Barculos's charge. But, as he grabs the horn, he feels its enormous force and immediately strengthens his body with mana to hold the Barculos completely.

Seeing the person in front of him manage to grab its horn and stop its advancement, the Barculos begin to struggle wildly to shake off the man from keeping holding its horn. On the contrary to its expectation, Angus didn't budge at all.

He even strengthened his grip and made a crack on the Barculos's sturdy horn. Then, Angus lifted the entire Barculos with only one arm while grabbing the horn.

"Tch.. Weaklings." commented Angus before throwing the Barculos in a random direction.

After that, Angus continued searching for the right spot to bury the Maroon Crystal like nothing was happening. However, the bodyguard on the side couldn't help but stuck in his place with an open mouth.

'H-How?? Stopping a running grade two Barculos with one hand and easily lifting it before throwing it like some pebbles. Is he still human?' thought the bodyguard.

Ignoring the surprised bodyguard, Angus keeps walking and scanning the nearby area. Soon, he managed to bury enough Maroon crystal runes underground. Then, Angus begins to help Jayna and Anna, killing the nearby monster.

Because of his ridiculous mana regeneration, Angus wasn't afraid of spending mana and using high circle spells to kill the monster. 

Because of Angus's similar fire-based spell, some of the nearby team thought Duke Jacob himself came to help them clear the nearby monster. However, later they find that it is actually Angus's deed.

Angus's fire mastery and explosion skill make his fire spell more deadly than before. If a small firebolt could cause a small explosion, a highly concentrated fire-based spell could cause an enormous explosion.

Currently, Angus is standing high on the tall tree. On his hand, there is a burning spear made entirely of fire. After finding his target, Angus throws the spear using all his might [2nd Circle - Flame Spear]. *Whoosh* *BOOMM* 

A moment later, the spear hit a monster and created a massive explosion towards the surrounding area. Despite only a second circle spell, its destructiveness was enhanced many times after being combined with Angus's explosion skill.

Angus finds that Flame Spear spells complement with explosion skill. Explosion skills will become more destructive the more it has fire mana. At the same time, a caster could imbue Flame Spear with fire mana as much as possible.

At first, Flame Spear is quite a useless spell since its destructiveness is similar to the fire arrow of the first circle. Moreover, the overcharged Flame Spear only makes it denser and hotter. 

However, if it is combined with an explosion skill that requires a lot of fire mana to detonate, it will become a devastating attack comparable with fourth or more circle spells.

Angus's purpose in coming to the Dark Forest is not only to complete his graduation test but also to test some of the fire-based spells and skills. He finds some useless fire-based spells like Flame Spear will become more devastating after being combined with explosion skill.

After experimenting with some fire-based spells and skills for a while, Angus and the others decide to return to the Fortress to end this day. By the time Angus arrives at the Black Fortress inner base, he finds Fosa and Borkins in the middle of a serious discussion in the meeting hall.

Noticing Angus's arrival, "Oh… Angus, you are back. How is it?" asked Fosa.

"Everything is working as planned. Is there something wrong?" asked Angus.

"Yes, we just received a report from the scout that a monster wave is coming." said Borkins.

"A monster wave?!!" said Angus.

"Yeah, it seems we are too late. The Ogre's is more aggressive than we initially thought. They start to drive the surrounding monsters into this direction." said Fosa.

"How big is it?" asked Angus solemnly.

"According to our scout, there are around five to six thousand monsters of various kinds." said Borkins.

"Five to six thousand monsters?!!"