Chapter 124: The Hunt (1)

An hour had passed after Kyran started studying the array that belonged to the bandits. Finally, he succeeded in breaking down each calculation. Based on the calculations he collected, the array consisted of five formulas.

The formula is a term Array Specialists used to describe a specific effect on an Array Calculation.

The five formulas Kyran found on the array were the following: Array Anti-Detection, Area of Effect, Aura Detection, Cloaking, and Malice Veil.

The Array Anti-Detection's effect made the array undetectable through magic sense, while the Area of Effect was the range of the array's influence. The calculations used on these two were standard. Thus, Kyran recognized it first.

The Aura Detection's effect was to detect a person's aura. Kyran took a while to decipher the calculation because a person's aura could be classified into four; physical, magic, mind, and soul. However, the formula's calculation did not specify any of these four. In the end, Kyran found that it could detect all four at a certain level. This discovery made Kyran wonder how the bandits got hold of such an array. As far as he knew, this formula could be considered advanced. He doubted an Array Specialist among the bandits could create an advanced formula while integrating it into four others. He was not belittling the bandits. He only found their 'intelligence' too... average.

If anyone found what Kyran thought of the bandits, they would definitely argue and tell him his thoughts were a good example of belittling others.

Next, the Cloaking was also an advanced formula, where it could conceal a person's presence.

And last, the Malice Veil, also an advanced formula, could conceal a person's killing intent.

Kyran looked at his notes, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

When he studied arrays under Noir's guidance, he found breaking down a complete array fascinating. Noir even praised his talent in array decipherment and was convinced he would probably be an Array Specialist if he did not have any magic. Because becoming an Array Specialist did not require one to have magic. Some ordinary humans became Array Specialists. However, their specialty was in array decipherment instead of array creation.

'Okay. Now time to create one that best suites my situation,' Kyran thought after a short pause.

He already knew what formulas he needed; Cloaking and Malice Veil. The Area of Effect was a standard formula in every array, so it was naturally included. But he planned to increase its range since the bandit's array was only 10 meters.

While Kyran was deciphering the whole calculations, he also confirmed the materials used on each. Fortunately, he had most of it. He only lacked two materials which were the comodo's blood and salamander's skin.

The comodo's blood was necessary to mix all the materials for the Malice Veil formula, while the salamander's skin was crucial for the Cloaking formula.

Kyran was not worried about these two materials because Noir gave him a universal mixture that could replace any beast's blood when mixing materials. As for the salamander's skin, Kyran planned to replace it with a different skin material he found in one of the storage spaces he looted from the bandits. The skin of a newt.

Since he planned to use the array temporarily, replacing the salamander's skin with low-grade newt's skin was acceptable. Because the only difference between the two was the newt's concealment effect, it affected land creatures only. At the same time, the salamander could affect both land and water creatures.

Kyran's target, the Theihorns, were land creatures, so the newt's skin was enough.

After taking out all the materials he needed and placing them neatly on his right side, Kyran took out a thin semi-transparent material and spread it on the ground. The thin material was made of a Duali tree and was a standard tool Array Specialists used when creating arrays.

'Master Noir said, creating a small array with multiple formulas is a little difficult but not impossible. The key point is to maintain a balance on each stroke when writing the calculation,' he reminded himself and started mixing the materials.

Kyran lit a small golden cauldron he bought from the Conclave. Next, he opened the bottle of the universal mixture and used the measuring tool Sigma gave him to pour 250ml of it in the cauldron. Leaving it to heat, he decided to work on the Malice Veil formula first. He cut small portions off the materials and placed them in a marbled mortar and pestle. Then he patiently ground them until it was fine. Next, he took the grounded material leaving its juice, and transferred it to the already boiling cauldron.

When the materials dropped on the cauldron, there was a slight poof sound, and Kyran saw a small mushroom-shaped smoke rise slowly.

'Good,' Kyran thought with a smile as soon as he got a whiff of a fragrant smell coming from the cauldron.

He waited at least three minutes before he transferred the Malice Veil's mixture to a small flask.

After transferring the mixture, Kyran properly cleaned the cauldron using the solution Noir prepared before working on the Cloaking formula.

Kyran worked on mixtures for another thirty minutes.

When he got all three mixtures for the Area of Effect, Cloaking, and the Malice Veil, it took another fifteen minutes to mix all three.

Finally, when the mixture was ready, he peaked at the cauldron and saw a nice metallic gold fluid inside.

With a slight nod of satisfaction, Kyran took out a special brush, dipped it on the cauldron, and wrote the array calculation on the thin material.

After completing the array, Kyran straightened his back and watched it glow. Soon it rose from the thin material, and Kyran immediately placed his left hand above the now hovering array.

Typically, the completed array must be placed on a magic item that would serve as its vessel. But since this array would only be used temporarily, Kyran did not plan to waste an item and preferred to integrate it on his palm directly. This way, when the array's effect was gone, it could be removed easily, unlike when placed on a magic item where the array would remain and had a chance to be replicated.

The golden array decreased in size and slowly ascended on Kyran's opened palm.

After a few seconds, he felt a slight sting on his palm as the array burned his skin. He ignored the pain and waited for it to set in.

When the golden glow faded, Kyran looked at his palm and looked at the array. He smiled, feeling a little proud for completing the array in one try.

Of course, if Noir and Sigma heard how Kyran did all of these in just a few hours, they would end up depressed.

Not anyone could do what Kyran did, because deciphering a normal array normally took half a day and even years for advanced complex arrays. When mixing, depending on one's familiarity, an Array Specialist would need half a day to make a successful mixture.

Taking a deep breath, Kyran cleaned up and returned all of his items to his pouch before standing up and leaving the cave. He did not activate the array immediately, he first continued on his way and entered the Valley of Morte.

'Still no signs of forest beasts,' Kyran thought depressed.

'Well, time to use the array,' he finally decided, and rouse the array using his magic energy.

The array on his palm glowed faintly as he continued on his way.

After a few minutes...

Hiss!

Kyran's ears picked out a slithering sound on his left side. Shifting the Void Spear on his hand, he was about to check the sound when something big slithered above him.

Kyran's eyes widened as the Basilisk's huge spade-shaped head looked down at him. His heart seemed to have stopped as he saw how gigantic the Basilisk was.

A normal Basilisk's body was around half a meter to a meter wide and 30-40 ft long. However, the Basilisk in front of him was twice as big and probably twice as long. Its normally, dark green scales had gold and red tint, and its eyes were a mixture of gold and red.

This was definitely a mutated Basilisk!

HISS!

As soon as the Basilisk's hissed it pulled back a little and half a second later its head lunged forward at Kyran.

Kyran reacted automatically and he rolled to his right.

The mutated Basilisk's head hit the ground and the trees around destroying it in one go.

As soon as Kyran stopped rolling and he got into a kneeling position, he sprinted ahead.

However, the Basilisk only turned its head and looked at Kyran while it flicked its tail sweeping a good deal of the forest trees and slamming at him.

Focusing the Regis Defensive Technique on his left side, and lifting his left arm to shield his head, Kyran braced himself for the impact.

The Basilisk's tail with pieces of tree trunks slammed at him and he was thrown a good few meters to his right.

'Ergh,' Kyran gritted his teeth as he slammed on a few trees.

Without stopping, the Basilisk moved again and slithered its way toward the direction Kyran was thrown.