We left the city in the morning and go to the northeast forest. Our mission today is to subjugate at least 20 monsters of any kind. I told the girls about the reason why such request was put up by the guild. It was to reduce the chance of over population of monsters and to make sure the monster will not attack the city once they grow too much in numbers. Some monsters are quick to breed after all.

“I see. So any monsters is fine for the request, right?”

“Yes. And we can collect useful materials from the monsters so we can get more reward. This is the most taken request in Mellian City. We might even met another party who took the same request. So make sure that we won’t meet any of them in case they accused us of taking their prey.”

I answered Angela and told her to get away from other parties. Most hunters are selfish people like that. If they accused us, it might end up in a fight.

The guild doesn’t care if we kill each other as long as it’s not inside the guild. If other party decided to pick a fight with me, I will kill them if possible. But if I do that, even if the guild act like they don’t care, there will still be rumor because we took the same mission. That’s why I told the girls to change spot if we met other party. Even if they didn’t pick the same mission.

On the way to the forest, we saw other parties also getting in the forest. So we go deeper where no one dares to approach. It was also to see if the monster I need to defeat to get a special ability is there.

We haven’t entered the forest deep enough that we still met other party fighting monsters. Each time we met other parties, we would just ignore them and continued walking deeper. Some even tried to stop us to get deeper in the forest but we ignore them. There are still good hunters out here.

Finally we’re in an area where we don’t see any people. I also can’t sense other people than us here. Maybe it’s because the level of monsters here are much higher than other area.

“Let’s start from here. There’s no more people around us so we can fight as much as we like.”

“As much as we like… but the monsters here in the deeper area of the forest are stronger than before. How can we fight as we like?”

“Not all monsters here is too strong for us. For example those wolves that have been following us for a while. You two can take them on. There’s only five of them. Which means we need fifteen more to complete our mission.”

“Wait. I’ll do it alone. I also want to test my own firepower. I know that Angela has much stronger firepower and that makes her the main attacker when it’s just the two of us. But I also want to see my own strength. There’s also something I want to try.”

It was Kayla who said that. She also shows her desire to get stronger. She must be worried if she ended up on her own since she rarely shows her power. Usually she would just use Earth Wall to protect us, Blinding Light to blind the enemies, and healing magic.

Although all of Kayla’s element only have few attacking spell, she wanted to fight the wolves on her own. It’s praiseworthy. Maybe she has some sort of enlightenment in using her elements. Instead of using magic that was taught at school, she may be forming some sort of magic only for her.

“Alright. Do your best!”

“Okay!”

Kayla moved toward where the wolves are alone. I’m curious of her plan.

“You sure she’s okay on her own?”

“Let her do what she wants. Even if there’s a danger, we can help her then. But with her confidence, I don’t think we’re needed.”

Angela seems worried of Kayla. Well, they are best friends after all. I’ve always see them together ever since they met. Never once I have seen them going alone somewhere. I know that they must have separate at some point, but I just never saw them going their own way.

“Hmm? She stopped? Does she want to kill the wolves with trap?”

Kayla stopped even though there are still some distance from the wolves. What will she do?

Kayla put both her hands on the ground. And that’s when the wolves think of her as an easy prey. Two of the wolves charged toward her. But Kayla is one step ahead of them. She made spikes grown from earth and stabbed the two wolves. She makes it seems easy.

Now there’s only three wolves left. They are now wary of her magic. Three on one might be a bit difficult for the current Kayla. But this is still an important experience.

The three wolves are wary of her and watching from a bit distance. The distance where they think it’s safe from Kayla. But they were wrong. Kayla still crouching down with both hands on the ground and used the same magic again. But this time the location of where the spikes appear is not around her. They’re right under the wolves!

Again, two wolves down. Kayla used strategy instead of raw firepower to defeat four wolves. First she made them think that spikes only grow within her vicinity, then when they took a distance, she will raised another spikes from below the wolves.

According to what the school taught, earth magic ‘Ground Spike’ can only protrude within one meter of the caster if they’re still a beginner level. But for Kayla to do what only advanced level mage can do, must take her a great concentration to succeed. And also high quantity of her magic is used. She’s already tired now.

“Kayla!”

“Wait! She’s still not done yet!”

“No! Her magic is depleted with her last attack! We have to help her!”

“If we do that, she might end up hating us forever. Look at her! Is that the look of someone who’s about to give up?”

I pointed at Kayla to make Angela calm down. Kayla still looked as if she still has some trick under her sleeve. She doesn’t have any look of resignation on her face at all. In fact her face is brimming with confidence.

Then the last wolf move forward. This one must be the leader of the pack. And he’s angry of how his kin are killed. But since he can see that Kayla is exhausted, he didn’t step back and escape.

And Kayla stood up. She grabbed one earth spike that’s still protruding in front of her which is from the first magic she used. Then she pluck it off the ground and making a stance as if she’s using a spear.

“Oh! She’s copying me! She’s trying to use a spear! This must be what she wants to try! She must have wanted to be a one on one battle and that’s why she’s killing the first four so she can practice her melee fight with the last one!”

If she can use spear or other melee weapons, she can cover her weakness of lacking offensive magic with her close combat. Although she can’t fight in a long range, it’s still better than nothing.

Both of us were looking at how she fights. Although the wolf scratch her few times, she still fight. She used a tiny bit of her magic left to cast healing magic on herself. That’s how she can fight this long even though she’s just an amateur in melee battle. And more importantly… looks like spear is not a good choice of weapon for her. The length is the same as my spear. That must be the reason. And so I gave her an advice.

“Too long!”

It sounded like I was complaining about how the fight took a long time. But it’s to tell Kayla that the weapon of her choice is not suitable for her because it was too long.

It took her a while to realize my intention and she broke the spear in half. Now the spike in her hand is held only with one hand and her movement is much swifter than before.

“Hmm… Rapier suit her better than a spear. I thought it would be a short spear but rapier is a better choice for her.”

Seeing how she also slashed using the spike and how she’s holding it on one end, not the middle part, she’s better in using a rapier. Maybe a sword will do. But she’s more inclined in thrusting attack. Which makes rapier is better choice.

“Now is the finishing move.”

I commented as I watched her fight.

Kayla pulled the spike back and when the wolf charged toward her, she thrust the spike forward and it pierced the wolf’s neck. Her target must be its head but she missed due to lack of proper training. That can be taken care of later when I train her.

Then Kayla dropped to the ground due to exhaustion and Angela run toward Kayla. I also approach her and I didn’t forget to give her compliment.

“Kayla. You did great. Using weapon to cover for your lack of offensive magic is amazing. And seems like you have affinity with rapier. I’ll teach you later so you can rest for now. Don’t worry about the mission. I can fight while carrying you on my back after all.”

“No. as for the rest fifteen, I’ll try to fight them on my own. Roy will carry Kayla and do not fight with her on your back!”

That’s much better actually. Now I can just watch Angela from the sideline and let her finish the mission without me doing anything but carrying Kayla. Kayla and I will only watch from now.

“But if the monster is too powerful, I’ll join the fight, okay?”

And so, we continued searching for the next monsters.