Grimoires - Treasures above the Clouds

Spark didn't hesitate. No time for thought. It's time for... pure instinct. 

His powerful legs coiled, then exploded. He launched himself towards the cliff edge. He slammed into the sheer rock face. Digging his claws into the crumbling stone. 

Raw power propelled him upwards. Scrabbling to reach the top. His werelion form was not built for climbing cliff. But, he had no choice. 

Every muscle in his body screamed. But he climbed. A desperate, vertical dash.

The Venomous Tyrannosaur's head appeared over the broken down trees. Charging into the clearing. Its massive jaws opened. A cavern of dripping fangs. 

A stream of viscous venom arced through the air. Aimed directly at him.

Spark roared. A defiant, animalistic sound. He twisted mid-climb. Pushing off the cliff face with his powerful limbs. Launching himself sideways. Just as the venom splattered onto the rock not a even a meter away from his head. 

Stone hissed and began to melt. He hit another patch of rock. Claws tearing. Scrambling. Moving higher. The Tyrannosaur let out a frustrated bellow. Its body was too massive to properly pursue him up the vertical face.

Spark reached the top. His muscles were screaming. His lungs were burning. He scrambled over the edge. Collapsing for a split second. Gasping. Before forcing himself up. 

The landscape was different here. More open. Less dense jungle. More rocky outcrops. Fewer trees. He needed to put distance between the beast and him. Using the terrain to his advantage.

He ran again. The pain was setting in now. His enhanced stamina was top notch. His physical quality was actually comparable to average Tier-5. But his opponent was almost Tier-6 beast. Relentless and fast. 

He could feel the burn in his muscles. The strain on his bones. Some of his scales were scraped. Parts of his fur were singed by splashes of venom.

He heard the Tyrannosaur bellow again. A sound of fury and frustration. It was still coming. He glanced back. 

The monster was likely trying to bypass the cliff. Probably looking for a more gradual slope. He had bought himself time. Precious, agonizing time.

Spark pushed faster. Every stride was a deliberate act of will. He didn't stop until the ground beneath his paws vibrated less. Until the stench of venom faded into the clean jungle air. Until the roars were distant echoes. And then, finally, nothing. 

He ran until he was sure. Then he ran a little further.

Finally, he collapsed in a hidden grotto. Tucked deep within a network of ancient, root-bound caves. His werelion form shimmered. And he slowly, painfully, reverted to his human shape. 

His leather clothes, what was left of them, hung in tatters. His skin was bruised. Scraped raw in places. But no critical wounds. 

The Venomous Tyrannosaur hadn't landed a clean hit. He was alive.

He lay there. Panting. Sweat plastering his black hair to his forehead. His muscles spasmed. His body ached from the impossible exertion. 

It was a victory. In a twisted sense. He had escaped. But it felt like a crushing defeat.

He pulled out the Slave Grimoire. He could feel the women within. Restless but safe. He didn't open it. Not yet. He needed a moment.

This first encounter in the Ancient Island of Glory was a disaster. A complete, unmitigated loss. He had wasted precious energy. Pushed his body to its absolute limits. And gained nothing. 

No loot. No insights. No advantages. Only a profound, painful lesson.

The Labyrinth of Fortune, on Canarine Island, had been different. A dungeon. Confined spaces. Predictable monster spawns. Clear objectives. Defined boss fights. 

It was a game board. Dangerous one, but predictable. One could strategize. Clear sections. Secure loot. Advance. The rewards were tangible. The risks could be calculated.

This island… This was a wild, untamed ecosystem. A primordial hell-scape where gargantuan, hyper-evolved monsters roamed freely. 

They weren't just guarding treasure chests. They were the top of the food chain. That Tyrannosaur likely had a territory. And they had blundered right into it.

The rules here were different. They couldn't afford grand, drawn-out battles. Every encounter needed to be as quick and clean as possible. In and out. Hit fast, hit hard, then disappear. 

Lingering meant inviting every other apex predator in the vicinity. Stronger ones. Smarter ones. Beasts that would undoubtedly come and take their hard-earned spoils. Their very lives.

Spark closed his eyes. The easygoing, amiable mask he presented to the world was gone. His face was bruised and grim. It was etched with ruthless determination. 

Survival. Profit. Those were the twin pillars of his existence. And on this island, survival was paramount. Everything else came second.

They needed a new strategy. Stealth would be their primary weapon. Evasion, their ultimate defense. 

And when they fought, it would be a surgical strike. Not a slugfest. This Ancient Island of Glory wasn't a place for brainless glory. 

It was a place for cunning. For ruthlessness. And for knowing when to run. 

He had run today. And he would run again, if he had to. As long as he and his women remained in one piece. That was all that mattered.

...

Twenty-three days. That was how long it had been. Since Spark had frantically escaped from the Venomous Tyrannosaur's chase. 

In that time, Spark and his women hadn't just survived on the Ancient Island of Glory. They had thrived.

This island wasn't littered with typical treasure chests. Or glittering gemstones. Its true wealth lay in its ecology. 

The beasts they hunted. The fruits they gathered... These weren't just sustenance. They were potent elixir ingredients in their rawest form. Consuming them directly, or processing them, rapidly improved the quality of their physique, soul, and mind.

For Spark, the effects were noticeable, but not too drastic. He was technically still a Tier-3 Jackmaster. Yet his intrinsic qualities... the raw potential of his body, mind, and soul... were already functioning at a Tier-5 level. 

The island's resources pushed him further. But the gains were incremental compared to the baseline he'd already established. He was a colossal engine, and these resources were high-octane fuel. But the engine was already roaring near its peak.

His women, however, were different. Their growth was explosive. The sheer quantity and quality of the esoteric energy within the island's flora and fauna accelerated their development of the three attributes. At an unprecedented pace.

Beyond the directly consumable 'treasures', the island was also a treasure trove of rare materials. 

Herbs with unheard of properties. Minerals glowing with latent magic. Insects unlike any documented species. And the potent body parts of monstrous beasts... It was a crafter's dream. A resource paradise.

Ivy, the chief-researcher and alchemist of the team, saw her talents skyrocket. From the spoils of the Avianest Royal Palace Treasury, he had given her the [Sealed Alchemy Flame] and the [Sacred Orb of Purification]. 

The Alchemy Flame was a perpetually burning source of alchemical power. It allowed her to perform intricate transmutations with greater efficiency and purity. 

The Orb of Purification, meanwhile, could be used to create sacred water. A necessary items for creating higher level potions. Enabling Ivy to refine ingredients and products further. Removing impurities and amplifying potency. 

Combined with the island's abundance of unique flora and monster parts... Her skills in both alchemy and poison-potion mastery had advanced several tiers.

Scarlett, Spark's security specialist, had also undergone a radical transformation. He had given her the [Mystic Gu Crafting Jar] from the same royal treasury. 

This artifact was a mystical container. Allowing her to cultivate and evolve gu-insects at an accelerated rate. And imbuing them with complex properties as well. 

With the overwhelming variety and sheer number of insects on the island, Scarlett's swarm had diversified beyond recognition. Her individual gu-insects were stronger, faster, and possessed more terrifying, niche abilities. 

Melody and her mother, Serenade, also saw significant advancements in their wishart. Their unique magical songcraft. While not as drastic as Ivy's or Scarlett's changes, they also developed well. 

The island's ambient magic and potent resources inspired them to deepen their connection to their magical lutes. They composed several new songs. Each with unique, complex effects. 

Despite their rapid growth, the four women spent most of their time in a relatively safe, hidden base. One that Spark had meticulously set up. 

Their primary skill sets (extensive alchemy and potion study, elaborate gucraft, or supportive musical magic) – didn't mesh well with Spark's refined island conquest strategy. 

Their methods were too involved. Too loud. Too static. Especially for quick constant engagements in this land of giants.

Spark's strategy, meanwhile... relied on rapid, surgical strikes. Deep stealth. And instantaneous evasion.

That left Spark and Lilith. 

Lilith used her [Spatial Blink] and [Lightning Speed] crestmagic spells. Coupled with her arcane handgun and cursed dagger, she was the perfect complement to Spark's brute force and tactical mind. 

Her assassination skills could adapt well to rapid engagements. It made her an ideal partner for the tactics. They were the primary hunters. The scouts. 

The ones who navigated the treacherous, overgrown terrain. Bringing back the exotic materials and potent beast meat. Ones that fueled their camp's growth. 

Spark and Lilith could move like ghosts when necessary. They could strike like lightning. And vanish before the stronger monstrous inhabitants could gather to the fighting site.

Spark and Lilith usually moved together.

But, today was different. Their daily routine of stealth and rapid strikes was about to be abandoned. For a single, focused objective. 

Today would be the day. After weeks of careful observation, meticulous planning, and extensive preparation... Crafting specialized poisons and antidotes. Enhancing their gear. Mapping escape routes. And studying the beast's habits. 

Today, they would finally hunt the Venomous Tyrannosaur. The one that had forced Spark to flee. And swallow his pride.