NOVPUB"The cuts in the ground are larger than what should be normal. I would assume from the prints it is a monster four or five times your size in dragon form. It also has larger claws or talons. It might even have spikes, or the ability to make larger earth spikes." Gil was working with all his tracking knowledge.
Everything that he saw said larger monster. He could tell that it had a decent weight to it since it had caused the larger breaking and pressing on the earth around even though it was already fairly dense.
Looking deeper, he was able to spot places that didn't match the same claw marking he could easily find where the footprints were. They appeared to be dragging pointed marks meaning that while whatever fought here spikes, horns, or needles of some sort were scraping the ground.
While some monsters might have these as part of their bodies, the reason he thought they might be made of earth was that there were small piles of earth which could be the skill after it was released from the monster's control. The earth spikes that Walker had made sometimes faded in to piles of dirt unless they were condensed enough or given extra earth mana to maintain their forms.
The earth walls that mages made were radically different since they were often made to last for a certain time or even made to become permanent. Something like this was temporary and for battle. Most likely an instinctive skill and not even a focused controlled skill overall.
"There were other monsters here too. Smaller tracks, almost like birds. Might be the ones Walker mentioned would be annoying to fight due to their toughness and resistance. We also have smaller insect like leg prints. Could be anything so that's not useful."
With the knowledge Gil had, he couldn't identify the different forms an insect monster might take. They were very specific and not many people could decipher their species from just a single set of tracks.
"These earth vein flowers are all petals. They ate bleeding out mana." He mentioned this as Midnight had eaten a few. They both knew the petals were not that important but she clearly thought they tasted a little good.
It was the buds left in the stem though. They were the valuable part. But many lacked mana at all. "The monsters have eaten this area clean almost." A single bud that he found was intact. He cut it from the stem and placed the small bud in a vial.
Walker had taken a decent amount of specimens for research, so it wasn't that big of a deal that Gil wasn't gathering many. He was scouting though so he would do what he could. The few buds he grabbed could be examined for how quick mana left these unique flowers and how long they might need to bloom again if given a perfect environment.
It was only natural that they would end up being grown within Genesis. The alchemy guild would push to have them in the herbalist's gardens sooner than later. Single affinity herbs were becoming more focused in the greenhouses.
After taking a little time to measure and record the footprints that they had found, Gil spotted Midnight hiding ahead.
While she was barely making herself noticeable, she was still using her shadow wrapping skill to hide. The field of earth here wasn't perfectly flat. It moved in hills and with the blooming or bloomed earth vein flowers there were naturally places to hide.
The fact that the monsters here wouldn't necessarily have any dark affinity meant that the added dark mana from Midnight in her shadow wrapping skill would just keep them less noticed. The monsters would not be able to feel the way that the dark mana blocked out some earth mana as well. Between this and them using gathered wind mana, the pair was much harder to spot.
Midnight had snuck ahead and was watching what Gil pegged as the insect monsters.
Tiny little six legged spider creatures were balancing on two legs weaving the earth vein flower petals in to balls. Making themselves protective shells.
While very small, the appraisal that Gil used gave him some basic information that he found surprising.
'Hive spider
This hive spider is a small six legged creature known for living on very large earth monsters. Hives of thousands can live on the scales or even within their bodies.
They use earth mana to weave together naturally formed earth pieces. Petals, scales, and even random ores can be made to hold together allowing for their defenses and eggs to be hidden in.
Once hatching they will attach to larger and larger monsters while hiding and only leave them when they need to lay more eggs.
Most larger monsters would find them a good ally since they create more defense for them. But when they become older and heavier, these small monsters are a plague that will dig holes in to their bodies and use them as nests. This is why they will often allow other monsters to roam their bodies and consume the hive spider.
The hive spider bodies can be used for very fine needles since their legs are hollow to allow for earth mana to flow and be manipulated better…'
Was this a monster that they would be afraid of themselves? No not at all. However, for the dragons, it would be a very annoying parasite. Specially for Terron who would be the largest dragon and the most susceptible to a parasite like this.
Gil and Midnight easily captures a few with a claw and dagger to save their bodies. They were so tiny that they could easily keep them in another vial. Of course they had the potential to grow larger but nowhere near the size of Gil.
As the two decided to venture further out, Gil made a closer note to where the bridge back to the world was. That was their escape of anything happened since most monsters would not wish to venture anywhere near them or the roof right away.
A few more unique tracks were measured and copied on to a journal but Gil was somewhat surprised. He thought more plants or earth affinity herbs would be here. Yet, even Midnight was not sniffing out any left behind by whatever monsters had been here.
She did sniff what should be that larger monster's trial though.
When she did, Gil followed the perceived path as they began following and made Midnight stop. "That hill ahead is shaped too differently. That should be our monster." He used another appraisal scroll and found his sharp eyes were right again.
'Giant quill beast
This is a powerful monsters known for the larger earth quills that form in its body. While it's called a giant that is because of the quills on its body made of earth. It's actual body is smaller but it's able to form larger quills, longer claws, and tough defenses with its very high earth affinity.
They are known to eat both high earth affinity monsters and also large fields of earth affinity plants. Because of this, it is known as a devoured to some of the earth affinity races.
It has extremely valuable blood which carries immense earth mana in higher purity. Its body is less valuable due to the fact that many parts of its body are soft under the dense earth it uses to defend itself.
Only the strongest quills survive after it perishes. These can be used to…'
"We are not hunting that." Gil made it clear he did not plan on fighting the monster they found even if it was weaker under all the earth mana armor.
A small buff told Gil that Midnight was considering ignoring him flat out. "If you try anything I will make sure that the next time we have fresh drizzle tarts that you do not have a single bite." His eyes narrowed as Gil made sure his threat was clear.
They were Midnight's latest favorite sweet snack. And if he stopped her from having them she would be crushed.
The slight growl that Midnight responded with told Gil that his point had been made. "If we kill that monster we can't bring it all back. Neither of us have developed enough space skills to do anything like that. Walker said our exposure should make a real spatial storage or space skill sometime in our lives but not yet."
This was a good point but Midnight thought a little and made a good point too. "It will attract more enemies. Big prey." She wanted to fight but she knew that she would come face to face with something way too dangerous for the pair to face alone. Anything that could eat that monster would be massive.
"Then we scout a little more and head back." They two nodded to Ken another before sneaking away.
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