First Hunt
Bell smiled back and nodded in return.
The three of them began walking away. As they did, Juro and Marc waved back.
Jenna, Grenold, and the kids waved their goodbyes until the figures grew smaller.
And so, the adventure of the three of them began.
-------------------------
Once they were far from the orphanage, Marc rubbed his eyes, still a little swollen from crying.
"So, Juro… what was that thing you had scheduled?" he asked.
Juro smiled.
"Nothing."
Marc's eyes widened.
"Ehhhh? Wait, if you had nothing scheduled, then why did we leave early?"
"Because I felt bad," Juro replied simply. "I didn't want the orphanage lady cooking another feast for us again. She probably used almost all her savings on the meal we ate earlier."
Marc paused before quietly realizing,
"Oh…"
They continued walking along the path.
Along the way, they encountered a slime. Marc was excited to see one in person and moved closer, gently poking it with his finger before walking past it and continuing the journey.
Bell asked Juro if he had any plans on where they were heading.
Juro answered confidently,
"Nope."
Bell looked at Juro like he was dealing with a very irresponsible adult.
Evening came.
6:40 PM.
Juro suggested heading into the forest to hunt for food. They left the path and entered the trees, eventually finding a spot suitable for camping for the night.
Juro then turned to Bell and Marc and asked,
"So, do either of you know how to hunt?"
Bell nodded, while Marc shook his head.
Juro smiled, then gathered a few stones and sticks. He arranged them neatly before using fire magic to light them, forming a small campfire. After that, he motioned for the two to follow him.
They walked slowly behind him.
Suddenly, Juro raised a hand, signaling them to stop.
They froze and looked ahead.
In the distance, they spotted a goatder, a creature with the body of a goat and the frame of a deer.
Marc silently exclaimed in excitement, barely holding his voice back.
"Waaa… I've never seen a goatder in personnn."
Bell chimed in quietly,
"They're nothing special. Goatders are one of the most common animals you can find in the wild."
"Correct," Juro said with a smile. "Although it still has decent taste, so it's better than nothing."
He raised his index finger and pointed it toward the goatder's thighs. Mana began to gather at the tip of his finger, condensing tighter and tighter.
Then he released it.
A sharp gust of wind burst forward as the compressed mana shot out. It pierced straight through one thigh, then the other, without losing its consistency or power.
The goatder let out a panicked cry and tried to run. But with both thighs injured, it couldn't stand, let alone escape. It collapsed to the ground, and Juro immediately took the opportunity to finish it off.
Marc stared in amazement.
"That was awesome…" he whispered before asking, "What did you use to do that?"
Juro replied casually,
"Mana Bullet. It's one of the most common attacks a mage can use."
While Marc and Juro talked, Bell glanced around the area. His eyes caught a tree with a small hole in its trunk. Curious, he moved around it and noticed something odd.
Behind it were nearly ten more trees.
Each of them had a hole in the exact same spot.
"That guy…" Bell muttered under his breath. "His power is definitely no joke."
He turned and walked back toward Juro and Marc.
Juro then asked the kids to help carry the goatder back to camp, since he was the one who had killed it.
After placing the goatder's body near the campfire, they went out once more to hunt.
Soon enough, they spotted another goatder.
This time, Juro turned to them and asked,
"So… either of you wanna try hunting this one?"
Marc volunteered first without hesitation, while Bell simply nodded.
Marc turned to Juro and said,
"Ah, but I don't know any attack magic."
Juro reassured him and gently held Marc's arm, extending it straight forward.
"Point your index finger at the goatder's head."
As Marc did, Juro instructed calmly,
"Channel mana to the very tip of your finger. Instead of letting it flow freely, try trapping it at the fingertip. Condense it. Squeeze it. The more mana you pour in, the more you'll have to compress it."
Marc focused hard. Mana slowly flowed out of his fingertip, forming a visible stream before being forced into a tight cluster. More mana continued pouring in, and Marc struggled to condense it even further.
Juro watched closely, amazed by how much mana Marc was able to channel.
"Release," he said.
Marc unleashed the condensed ball of mana straight at the goatder's head.
A heavy impact echoed through the forest.
The goatder dropped to the ground, dead on the spot.
Marc stared for a moment before a smile spread across his face. He had completed his first hunt.
Juro patted Marc on the head and complimented him.
"That was a strong mana output. Next time, focus on making the bullet denser and more refined."
Marc nodded, clearly taking Juro's words to heart.
As Marc was about to stand up and retrieve the goatder's body, Bell suddenly grabbed him and pulled him back down.
"Wait," Bell said quietly.
Marc looked forward.
Five forest wolves had emerged, surrounding the goatder's corpse.
Bell calmly stood up.
"Then it's my turn to hunt," he said with a faint smile as he stepped forward.
Marc tried to stop him.
"Wait… be—"
Juro placed a hand on Marc's shoulder.
"Watch."
Marc could only stare anxiously as Bell walked ahead.
The forest wolves noticed Bell and began to growl, hostility clear as they prepared to lunge.
Bell smirked and raised his hand toward them. Mana began to glow at the tips of his fingers.
The instant the wolves leaped forward, five tightly condensed mana bullets burst forth at the same time.
Each one pierced straight through a wolf's head.
The forest wolves dropped lifelessly to the ground almost instantly.
"Wooooooooaahhhh, Bell! That was sooo cool!" Marc shouted, jumping up and rushing toward him.
Juro remained where he was, watching with a smile filled with interest.
"Five instant mana bullets, one from each finger…" he muttered. "These kids are insanely talented."
Juro decided they would only carry one goatder and one forest wolf, since they didn't have any bags to carry everything.
When they returned to camp, Juro instructed Marc on how to properly process and cut both goatder and forest wolf meat. He reached into the pouch on his belt, pulled out two steel blade, and handed one to Marc.
Juro was about to hand the other blade to Bell when Bell spoke up.
"I have my own."
Marc and Juro both paused.
"How did he even get that…" they thought at the same time.
..
..
Bell worked on cutting the second goatder, while Marc and Juro handled the other goatder and the forest wolf, with Juro guiding Marc along the way.
Marc turned out to be a fast learner. He quickly understood where to cut through bone, meat, and fat with precision.
By the time they finished, Bell had already prepared several sticks and skewered the meat, placing them over the fire to cook.
Juro reached into his belt pouch again and pulled out a small pouch of salt, sprinkling it evenly over the meat.
Marc and Bell moved the bones and fur aside.
Once the meat finished cooking, the three of them sat around the campfire and ate.
Marc ate happily, especially enjoying the meat he had hunted himself, though he ended up choking a little. Juro laughed and handed him a steel flask.
"Drink," he said.
After Marc finished, he suddenly realized something and apologized.
"Ah! Sorry, Juro… I drank all the water."
Juro waved it off.
"Meh, don't worry about it. Channel some mana into the palm holding the flask."
Marc tilted his head in confusion but did as he was told.
The moment mana flowed into his palm, the flask absorbed it. Water suddenly began rising inside, stopping precisely at the brim.
Marc's eyes widened in pure amazement.
"Wooooaahhh! How did it do that?!"
"It's a magic item, isn't it?" Bell said calmly.
"Correct," Juro replied. "It was made by the Dwelden Dwarves. It was actually gifted to me."
Bell thought quietly to himself, "Dwelden Dwarves? He's familiar with them… and even has one as a friend? This guy really isn't an ordinary stranger."
"Ooooo! I've read about them in books!" Marc exclaimed.
Juro nodded.
"That flask will refill itself with purified water as long as it absorbs mana. It always stops at the top, no matter how much mana you pour in. It also requires a fairly hefty amount of mana to activate… which," he added with a laugh, "I guess isn't a problem for you."
While they were eating, Marc suddenly asked,
"Do I really have that much mana?"
Juro and Bell looked at each other, then nodded.
"For a kid your age," Bell said calmly, "you already have the mana capacity of a fully graduated mage."
Juro added,
"It's also rare for someone's mana capacity to keep growing like yours. You're a special kid."
Marc smiled and chuckled, feeling a little flattered and proud of himself.
Juro's gaze then shifted toward Bell.
"So is this kid right here," he thought. "It's almost like he has years of experience."
Once their stomachs were full, they began preparing to sleep. Juro gathered large leaves, stacking and rolling them together to make simple pillows.
With their makeshift pillows ready, the three of them lay down on the ground and gazed up at the night sky, where the stars and three moons shone brightly above.
Marc looked up with a wide smile.
"I can't believe it… I'm finally going on an adventure to become a mage."
Bell stared at the stars and asked quietly,
"Are you nervous?"
Marc shook his head.
"It's the opposite. I'm excited! I'm going to become a mage with you and teacher Juro teaching us."
After a brief pause, Marc continued,
"What do you think the chances are that we'll be recognized by the Greatest Mage?"
Bell smiled faintly and closed his eyes.
"There's an infinite chance he'll recognize you, as long as you keep growing."
Marc frowned slightly.
"Ehhhh? Isn't that a bit exaggerated? And what do you mean, me? What about you?"
Bell replied calmly,
"Just close your eyes and sleep."
"Ehhhh…" Marc muttered.