The world that the [Book of Presence] has sent me is a bit weird. It has been able to send me to any habitat I want to go to as long as I’ve found the page related to it. But not only are the monsters different from the ones I knew from places such as
> [x10 Bluster Feathers]
>
> [A feather plucked from a [Bluster Hawk]. While not the sharpest, it is the sturdiest compared to other feathers.]
>
> [x5 Gale Feathers]
>
> [Feathers plucked from a [Gale Eagle]. It retains strange mana that gives keen accuracy and sharp blades when thrown like a knife.]
I knew it. This is not very easy to farm. If I want to craft a pen that will help me create a special personalized rune that might consume a lot of my [MP], I need the right feather as a base that won't break. But so far, most of the feathers I’ve found are familiar to me but too weak for my pen and others are too useless to make one. What’s worse is that I’ve found some powerful bird monsters, but getting their feathers is a very rare occurrence compared to the previous feathers I got from others. If finding the right feather is a bit difficult, then I'm worried about what Yuri is dealing with right now.
Regardless, I can't lose hope. Since I’ve cleared out most of the monsters in this area, it gives me a chance to take another look at the [Book of Presence] again. As Sentio said, this book gives me information about the monsters living in this habitat. A bit cheat-ish, sure. But they did provide us with this book for a reason. They want us to be creative and creating a pen strong enough to create a [Sign] isn't my only objective. And this time, I have to rely on myself rather than turn to Wind, Yuri, or anyone else for suggestions. I flip through the pages of a chapter related to this jungle habitat until I found a page on a certain monster.
> [Tempest Frigate]
>
> [A frigatebird monster that possesses both [Wind] and [Thunder] mana. Due to its large size, it can create a typhoon that can flood a forest or a village. Subjugating it may sometimes grant them two different kinds of feathers based on its dual mana.]
"Two different kinds of feathers"?! If I can get them at the same time, I might be able to make the greatest pen in my arsenal! Although, the problem lies with the elements this monster possesses. [Wind] and [Thunder] are two of my main offensive [Masteries] and right now, my [Earth Mastery] is currently at Level 8 from all of the farming I did. So far, I only have a few attacking spells in that [Mastery] and while one of them can change its element into a single one, there is a chance the monster might be a boss monster, meaning it might resist it. Still, it might be a good risk to take and while the monster is rare, I do have a few chances to find it.
With a deep breath, I make my decision.
"Alright, I think I can find it at the clearing right nearby. I'll stop by at the altar to restore my [HP] and [MP] and head off to face off that [Tempest Frigate]."
I do all of that afterward and mentally prepare myself for the worst.
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Once I restore my health, I hike through the jungle habitat while following the map from the book where the monster is supposed to be. Since this monster might gain an advantage if I use any [Wind] and [Thunder] spells, I decided to use my [Prototype Crystal Staff] for this incoming battle. While I have few attacking [Earth] spells along with my [Arcana], I might be able to make it up for that with its [Imbued Fire Element] effect just in case the [Tempest Frigate] does anything funny in a not-good kind of way.
I arrive at the open space where I'm supposed to find the monster. Except all I see is a large nest with no eggs or anything to prove that it was here. Well, that's great. These things are rare to find and I doubt I have time to look for one around this jungle.
Or maybe... There is one way to make them come to me.
"I call the thunderous spirit of my aura. Let my small spirit dash through my staff with this power!" I chant as I raise my staff in the air. "[Lightning Bolt]!"
I shoot the said spell into the sky. If it is a monster that can control [Wind] and [Thunder], then there’s a chance that it might attract either of them. But that isn't the only spell I want to cast right now.
“Mana of creation, hear my plea. Amplify my ally’s reserves to prolong their mana! [Mana Enchantment]!”
I let the mana from my staff envelop my body and amplify my powers. With this, I can cast more spells while saving some [Mana Potions] for if I run out of my [MP]. And now the preparations are set. All that's left is to wait.
CRAWWWW!!!
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
And I don't have to wait long.
When I turn around, I gasp to see the monster in person. Just like the painting in the book, it is a large white bird with a large neck that the book called a "throat sac", blue underwings and beak, and violet eyes. And just like its description, as soon as the bird cries again, I hear a loud booming noise in the now-darkened sky. Well, looks like I got its attention. Although, the next part might be very difficult. Because by the looks of it, I have a feeling just me being here is making it angry. Like I even want to run away.
"Hey, you big ugly bird! Do you want to flood me so bad?" I call out as I raise my staff. "Then I dare you!"
There is no way I will lose this chance. While the feathers are still up in the air, the only way I might get them is by fighting the bird monster.
“Spirits that dwell the earth, heed my call! Lend me your power to manipulate the stones around me!” I chant as stones covered in flames suddenly materialize around me. "[Stone Barrage]!"
I let the stones fly and pelt themselves at the [Tempest Frigate]. Well, it deals some damage to it thanks to the [Imbued Fire Element]. Though, it has the unfortunate side effect of making it angrier. But there was nothing to do about it now. That was a declaration of war and I'm not leaving until I get what I want. I quickly run away as the monster starts to unleash several bolts of lightning toward me. I'm not much of a flipping guy like my brother, but I manage to run very fast enough to dodge most of them until my general casting cooldown is over.
“Spirits of Earth, I call your strength! Help me summon the earth to overcome my enemies! [Rock Slide]!”
I swing my staff like a bat and many boulders covered in flames suddenly appear to rain down onto the monster's head. A lot of damage has been dealt to the frigatebird, but I do need to wait 5 seconds again to cast spells and 30 seconds to cast [Rock Slide] again. It’s a bit of a pain, but the devs really don't like me to keep repeating them to my advantage. I dodge several bolts again before casting [Stone Barrage] one more time. Again, I don't have a lot of [Earth] spells, but it's enough to damage it.
> [Tempest Frigate]
>
> [HP: 401/550]
Honestly, not enough, but I'm just getting started. Although, the monster has other ideas as I can feel a strong breeze coming from it. By the looks of it, I might not be able to dodge it. So I have an alternative.
“Aura of arcana, hear my call. Aid me to create a barrier to protect my allies from harm!” I chant before I swing my staff in front of me. "[Mana Shield]!"
I shot a mana ball from my staff that expands into a barrier dome before the monster releases its attack, which is several blades made of wind that remind me of a [Wind Sickle] spell. While it manages to block most of the blades, some of them manage to graze through my arms and face. Of course, it does damage me and decrease some of my [HP], but since I can't dodge it that fast compared to those bolts, I have no choice but to take some of the damage. Regardless, it's starting to fly close to me and I need to maintain my distance. I have low [DEF] compared to Wind's or Arthur's, so I have to push it away as best as I can. Although again, using [Wind] spells is out of the question, so...
“Energy that creates our world, push away my enemies away from us! [Mana Force]!”
I release a telekinetic force from my staff at the monster about to peck me to death. Unfortunately, what I don't realize is that because the [Tempest Frigate] is big, it seems to be too heavy for my spell to push it away from me completely. So instead, I cast another [Rock Slide] afterward and quickly run as far away as I can, but not too far so that I can still see it. After that, it's another barrage of [Stone Barrage] and [Mana Blasts] to it until it only has half of its [HP].
> [Tempest Frigate]
>
> [HP: 268/550]
The good news, it should be enough to weaken it. Bad news, it's getting angrier than before. I can hear the thunder above me and I have a feeling that not even my [Mana Shield] can block its next attack. At this point, I made a risky move.
“I call the thunderous spirit to reflect their strength and your power against my foes! [Electric Reflection]!”
Once I chant the incantation, I let the electrical mana envelop my body and as predicted, I see a large bolt of electricity coming right toward me. Thankfully, my spell manages to reflect the attack back at the monster. However, my fears come true because as soon as it is hit, I watch the [Tempest Frigate's] [HP] change, which is not good for me.
> [Tempest Frigate]
>
> [HP: 489/550]
As predicted, that crazy monster absorbs the electricity and uses it to restore some of its [HP], which almost brings me back to the starting point. Yeah, this feather hunt has turned into a fight against a titan bird and I am not planning to flee until I get those feathers!
Because this is my fight and my fight alone! Yuri, Wind, I promise I will succeed in this fight and [Hidden Quest] if it's the last thing I do!
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> Current Quest: Sign Creation Ceremony ***
>
> Type: [Hidden]
>
> Status: In Progress
>
> Party Members:
>
> [Kazu]
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Kazu's Masteries
[Arcana] Level 21
[Thunder] Level 19
[Wind] Level 15
[Alchemy] Level 18
[Magecrafting] Level 15
[Magical Affinity] Level 19
[Scribe] Level 18
[Earth] Level 8