Varian hid in a large bush away near the mountain. It was a lush mountain with golden soil.
The grunting and hooting of apes reverberated across the mountain.
Varian took the opportunity to observe the situation.
"Hoo"
"Hoo"
A bunch of apes returned. Their golden fur stood out in the greenery as they carried a large tiger corpse. It was charred and spasmed even after death.
'So they are not Body Path practitioners, but actually Thunder path?' Varian guessed.
The hunter apes climbed the mountain and soon, sounds of celebration reached his ears.
"Hoo"
"Hoo"
Then, one by one, many hunting groups climbed the mountain and Varian's back was drenched in sweat.
There were at least a few hundred apes. Only kids were in Level 1, the young ones were in level 2 and the old ones were in level 3.
The level 2s were about the same size as humans, but the older golden apes were as tall 8 feet and looked like a mini-giant.
Varian found at least a dozen auras not weaker than the mother rat.
'I cannot fight and win.' Varian perceived their levels and sighed.
The most direct way of storming into the mountain and searching for the aura crystals was dropped.
'Patience is key for any mission.'
Varian made no movements and continued to observe his targets.
"Hoo"
"Hoo"
"Hoo"
Soon, lightnings spread out from the mountain and shot into the distance.
These lightnings came in the shapes of clubs, sword and maces.
Boom!
Boom!
Some of them fell onto trees and reduced them to ashes.
The others fell into the river and Varian saw dozens of fish falling out and twitching as they died.
Varian rushed into another bush as a lightning bolt burnt down the one he was hiding in.
Boom!
The five meters radius surrounding the bush was charred and Varian held his breath in tension.
'Not fighting. Not fighting.'
Even though these attacks weren't fatal to him, the point was that they were so powerful despite projected from far away.
"Hoo"
"Hoo"
The commotion continued, and Varian shifted to a safer place. He took his time to figure out their routine and soon; he was clear.
Every day, a few hunter groups, mainly consisting of younger apes, would head towards different sections of the forest and hunt their prey.
The Level 3 golden apes mostly stayed on the mountain. More importantly, four golden apes were always guarding the entrance to a cave at the foot of the mountain.
Every once in a while, a hunter group would bring in a severely injured ape and it would be sent through that guarded entrance.
'The cave must be having aura crystals.' Varian clicked his tongue.
With level 3s protecting it, the difficulty of mission just increased to hell mode.
These golden apes were fully aware that they were sitting on a treasure and guarded it with all their strength. Varian even suspected there were more Level 3 Apes inside. They would be a fool to not practice in a cave full of aura crystals.
An aura crystal mine to boot.
Aura crystals were formed naturally. The denser the aura, the more the probability of aura crystal formation. When a threshold was reached, the aura crystals would be called an aura crystal mine.
Varian had never seen one. Even their locations were secretive.
In Human Federation, all aura crystal mines were state-owned. While the Abyssals had aura mines as well.
'I still wonder why the Abyss Lord's castle had so many aura crystals…' Varian shook his head.
If he barged into the cave, the chance of him successfully stealing aura crystals was 10%. But the chance of surviving that… 1%.
'There must be another way.' Varian soon found something fishy.
Every few hours, there would be two Level 3 golden apes pointing their fingers at the river.
Large beams of lightning would shoot into the lake and most, if not all creatures in the lake fall out of the lake, spasm and die.
It didn't seem peculiar taking into account that they'd shoot lightning everywhere once the 'hunt' is brought up the mountain.
However, considering the possibility that aura crystals were likely at the bottom of the mountain, Varian realized something.
He silently slipped out and distanced himself from the golden mountain.
The level 3s once again attacked the river. Varian waited for a while and dived in.
Using his Level 3 greater human physique, it was easy to stay underwater for a long time.
As he expected, there was almost no vegetation underwater. The lightning must've killed everything.
Reaching the mountain, he found a large tunnel. He swam through it and approached its end.
'Yes! Aura crystals!' He saw them.
In a large cave, aura crystals were stuck on the walls.
Varian's excitement died down the moment he spotted the Humongous apes meditating in the cave.
There was also a small medical garden of sorts, and the injured apes recuperated with the herbs.
'These apes are clever, unlike that rat. If I enter, I'm dead.' He swam against the current and got out of the river.
Varian found a new way to enter with a success rate of 100%, but the survival chances were 0.1%.
'Nope. There must be a better way.' He didn't give up and tried to think of a strategy.
"Hoo!"
"Hoo!"
"Hoo!"
The anxious gibbers of the golden apes irked him as he glanced at a group of five carrying their injured comrade to the mountain's cave.
These apes were Level 2 and thus about the same size as him. Their walking posture resembled that of a human than a typical ape.
If he just observed their shadows and ignored their strange noises and golden fur, Varian would've thought a few humans were carrying their injured fellow.
'If I can be mistaken, then…' Varian's eyes flashed and his lips curled.
He observed the hunter groups leaving the mountain and stalked a small group of 3 golden apes.
Soon, they reached a significant distance from the golden mountain.
'Time to split up guys.'
Varian picked a few stones and hurled them around the apes.
Boom!
Boom!
Varian's level 3 strength was beyond what these apes could face.
As the stones crashed into the ground and dust rose into air, the apes panicked.
They instinctively grouped closer and used their lightning powers to shield them. Right then—
"Shuaa"
A stone passed through the lightning barrier and crashed in front of them.
Boom!
It was like a small explosion, and the apes were scared.
They scattered while guarding themselves with a lightning armor formed by their mana.
Varian observed them and picked the one whose dimensions matched him the most.
"You!"
Varian appeared behind the ape and swung his sword. It cut through the lightning barrier and severed its head.
Varian's hand was numb from the lightning, but he was not injured.
Thankfully, he solidified the space around his arm at the final moment.
Thud.
The corpse collapsed.
Varian smiled down at it. "You'll be my ticket to aura crystals. Thank you."
Soon, the two apes returned to find their comrade ape severely injured on the ground.