A few days had passed since Alfred began contemplating how to help the hunters. But even then, he still failed to think of something.
Frustration rose within his heart as he lay on his bed, using his arms as a pillow.
He had been gathering information about the beasts, and based on what he collected, they were creatures difficult to kill even with an overwhelming number.
His first solution was to make accessories to try his Enhancement Runes, but he couldn't create them with his capabilities. He couldn't engrave Runes on an item without achieving the Spirit Coating. Using clay as a material had crossed his mind, but clay was too fragile for an intense activity such as hunting.
Therefore, he stirred his mind in another direction, a method back in his world, used by primitive people or even in the present—traps.
He had better hope with traps than his Rune in his current predicament, yet he immediately realized that none of the traps he knew would work on a creature of mass destruction. Not a normal trap, at least.
Combining it with his Runes was an idea, but he failed to think of something that would truly work.
'How can I even combine them?'
As he struggled to come up with an idea, Alfred sat up and decided to practice his Rune creation. Perhaps doing it would give him an illumination.
Staring at the two Runes he had created before—An Active Fire Rune and a Passive Water Rune.
'I didn't notice that these Runes are still here.'
Wanting to create a new one, he stretched out his right hand to the Water Rune, needing to erase it for space.
However, when he swiped the symbol from the dirt, he discovered a shocking revelation.
The Water Rune was intact!
"What the hell?"
Alfred moved his hand back, another attempt to destroy the Rune, but to his surprise, the Water Rune was undamaged.
"What is going on? Am I dreaming?"
Wanting to confirm the reality, he pinched his cheek.
"Ouch!"
Alfred narrowed his eyes.
'Is the Rune inerasable?'
To confirm his assumption, he tried repeatedly, until his fifth swipe. The Rune Formation disappeared.
'So it's not inerasable, it just takes much more effort to do so.'
His gaze transferred to the Rune next to it. Without hesitation, he moved his hand, trying to do the same with it. To his bafflement, the Rune got rubbed out on his first try.
'Is it because of their Active and Passive nature? I wonder if it would have the same effect in a newer Rune?'
With his curiosity locked on, Alfred crawled to one side of his tent, grabbed a small clay pot full of monster blood he had reserved for his training, then returned and drew another set of Passive Water Rune and Active Fire Rune Formation.
Currently, he had a few weeks' worth of Spirit Energy evenly distributed in his mind, heart, and lower abdomen. He should have stored more, but his daily practice consumed a lot of his time. Also, he couldn't cultivate in a long session, fearful of losing control of himself once again. He sought to ask Shaman Catori about his strange talent and see if she had any advice for him, but alas, he and the Shaman were too busy doing their own things, delaying the important meeting.
He sighed and absentmindedly tried to erase the new Water Rune. In doing so, he accidentally toppled the pot, spilling the blood next to the Fire Rune, activating its effect.
The heat and the sudden light of the floating fire wake Alfred from his deep thoughts. In a slight panic, he tried to clean the monster blood, forgetting the Rune would have devoured it without his help.
However, while he was in the middle of the act, he noticed another discovery.
The Fire Rune didn't get erased!
"Whoa, what is happening? Is it because of how recent its creation was?"
Then another realization hit him. The resiliency of the Active Fire Rune surpassed the Passive as he had been rubbing it for a few seconds now, but to no avail.
Wanting to test the limits, he hastened his hand and increased the power behind it. Bewilderingly, the Rune remained unchanged by his effort!
"Wow, is it because the Rune is activated? Then, if I consider the force behind its resiliency, there is only one answer—Spirit Energy! I have managed to erase it earlier because it lacks Spirit Energy, and the Passive Rune takes an effort because it absorbs some of my Energy to sustain itself!"
Alfred's body shook. "This is an amazing discovery!"
His back steadily straightened while his eyes widened to their maximum. The chaotic picture before him gave him a solution to his problem.
"I think I know how to help the hunters!"
In a hurry, Alfred grabbed his stick and quickly went out of his tent. He had to inform Elder Ahote of his new idea!
Outside, before he limped straight to Elder Ahote's home, he looked at his guard and informed him. "I will go to Elder Ahote. Can you stay here and wait for Aponi to take the cubs?"
The emotionless guard stared at him blankly for a few seconds, his brown hair dancing in the wind. "…No, my duty is to observe and protect, not to watch some monsters."
"I understand that, but I have important information that may help with the upcoming Beast Hunt. I'm sure you are well informed of how important that was."
The man's brown eyes narrowed, looking at Alfred with suspicion. "…Then, if that is really important, why not take the monsters with you?"
Alfred shook his head. "I can't, Aponi will worry if she arrives and they are not here. Please, give me this favor."
The guard tightened his grip around his spear and lingered for a while. "…Fine, but this is only one time; do not expect this to repeat."
Alfred smiled ear to ear. "Thank you!" Without wasting more time, he continued his original goal.
On his way, his sight met Gunnar's eyes. He flinched, thinking of another annoying encounter. However, surprisingly, the silver man ignored him, as if he did not exist.
'That's new.'
Soon, he realized why. Gunnar laughed happily as he conversed with someone… he was very familiar with.
'I didn't know Aponi and Gunnar were close. Should I say hi?' He immediately threw the thought out of his mind. It was a rare chance that Gunnar left him alone, and he didn't want to tempt his chances.
With that, he sauntered forward, leaving the area without announcing himself.
The moment he arrived at Elder Ahote's abode, he wasted no time and burst inside. "Elder! Elder!"
"What?" The familiar rough voice welcomed him. "Why are you screaming so suddenly?"
Alfred followed the voice and saw the old man working.
With excitement and a splitting smile, Alfred walked closer and sat in front of the bald old man.
"I think I know how to help the hunters!" He said as a spark of pride played in his eyes.
For the first time, the Elder halted his hand and stared at Alfred with all his attention. "Oh, I am intrigued. Elaborate."
With uncontrollable excitement, Alfred explained his plan with precise details so the old man would understand better. His idea had a mix of his previous and this world solution, after all.
…
…
"What an interesting concept." The Elder nodded with appreciation while he contemplated Alfred's words. "I will do my best to help you with this plan of yours, but I think it is better if you report this to Vir, as he has much more knowledge in hunting than I."
Alfred froze upon hearing the name. "Do I need to talk to him directly? Can you just do it for me?"
Elder Ahote frowned. "How can I explain it better than you? Do not worry, based on what I heard, though your plan is a bit unique, it has credibility."
"O-okay, I will try." He said while lowering his head.
The Elder went back to his work and ignored his existence.
However, Alfred did not leave—he stood and lingered before the old man. "…Oh, I have discovered something cool about the Rune, do you want to hear it?"
Without glancing at him, Elder Ahote answered. "Do not try to stall, go on and talk to Vir."
Alfred's shoulders drooped. "Fine." He said while dragging his feet to the exit.
A few minutes later, Alfred stared at the largest tent in the tribe, hesitating to call out.
Before he could make up his mind, a hand grabbed him by his shoulder. "What are you doing here, young Alfred? Do you need something?"
Alfred joltingly turned around and was surprised to see Chief Viren. "Good to see you, Chieftain. Uhm… you see…" He played with his feet, kicking the dirt, not knowing what to say.
"Go on, there is no need to hesitate." The Chieftain encouraged.
"I-I am here, hoping to talk with Vir. It's related to the Beast Hunt."
Chief Viren smiled while nodding. "I see, it is good that you are actively participating, but you will not meet Vir here. His tent is in the back of my tent. You should go there."
Alfred blinked for a few seconds. "Wait, Vir doesn't live with you?"
The scarred Chieftain chuckled. "Of course not, he is old enough to have his own family. Why would he live with an old man like me?"
"I see…"
'I didn't know they had such a tradition.'
"Go on then, if this is about the Beast Hunt, I am sure it is important." Chief Viren uttered while walking towards his home.
Alfred watched the old man go inside, staring for a few seconds, and then sighed.
Soon, he limped to the tent behind Chief Viren's.
Like any other tent, Vir's house was normal and didn't appear to belong to someone important.
'I guess, people in this world don't have the luxury to have good things.'
After taking a deep breath, Alfred shouted. "Head Hunter Vir, are you in there?!"
"Who is it?" a husky voice replied, seeming annoyed by the interruption.
"I-it's Alfred, I'm here because I have something about the Beast Hunt!" He stutteringly announced himself.
It stayed silent for a while, making Alfred a bit anxious.
'D-did I say something wrong?'
But the towering muscle didn't let him wait for long. "Come in."
Alfred took another mouthful of air and released it slowly before he took his first step.
His eyes widened upon seeing another person inside, someone he had met several times before.
Sitting across Vir was the green-haired man, smiling as usual and staring at him with his hidden eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a visitor. Maybe I should come back later." Alfred awkwardly laughed while slightly bowing.
"No need, come and sit with us. Tell us what you need to tell us." Vir said, his red eyes calm yet burning with emotion as if what they were discussing angered him to the point that even Alfred could detect it.
Not wanting to fuel the flame, Alfred followed the instruction without a complaint, joining the two at an important meeting.
Vir and Armani stayed still, staring at Alfred without uttering another word.
'Are they waiting for me to begin?'
He waited for a few more seconds, confirming his assumption. "…I-I am here because I think I have a plan that can help the hunt for the Beast."