“Retreat”

The soldiers moved back to a safe position while watching Leyfon fighting the Rock Wolf alone. As soon as the soldiers retreat to the safe spot. Andreas immediately went to help Leyfon. With this, the Rock Wolf can be defeated faster.

Alex observed that battle. Leyfon and Andreas seem used to fight together. Their combination was perfect. The time when they switch their offensive time, or the spot they targeted. All of them were perfect.

After clashing for about thirty minutes, the Rock Wolf’s movement started to be sluggish. Its movement becomes slower and slower. Andreas once again shouted. “Charge”

Now with the soldiers circling around them. It only took ten minutes before the Rock Wolf collapsed to the ground. It died.

Alex relieved after confirming the Rock Wolf died. Then he went toward Alicia, Firia, and Sherry. “Are you guys alright?”

“Of course, we didn’t participate that much except bombarding them with magic” Alicia said.

Firia nodded and sighed “Well, the pills become useless”

“No No, why are you saying that? If I don’t have the pills as my assurance, I can’t rest assured to fight with all my might” Alex comforted her hurriedly.

“Yes yes, what are you saying Firia”

Firia suddenly giggled. Alex and Alicia realized that she teased them.

“Cough. Sherry, how are you?”

“Wuu”

“Well, she didn’t do anything after all” Alicia giggled.

“Wuu Wuu Wuu Wuu” Sherry felt wronged. She seems to justify herself with something like her job or something.

Alex and the rest laughed.

Not long after, Leyfon seems back from the battlefield. He soon visited Alex and the rest.

“Young Alex. Thank you for your hard work in this battle.”

“No, I have said I would help. I’m glad that I helped you enough” Alex smiled.

Leyfon nodded. “Without your help. We didn’t know how many will our casualty be. With you killing most rank 5 and rank 6 monsters. We can reduce our casualty greatly. Thank You Very Much”

“It’s fine Sir Leyfon. Since the battle already finished. I will go back with the rest”

“No, how about following me to my mansion? I wanted to thank you”

Alex shook his head “It’s alright sir Leyfon. I’m not the only one that participated in this battle. So I can’t get that special treatment”

Alex rejected him. The reason was because he didn’t want to get into an awkward situation again with his grandchildren, especially that Franky and Sila. He wanted to stay away from them, he didn’t want any trouble.

Leyfon wasn’t that stupid to not catch Alex’s reason. Seeing he can’t persuade Alex.he sighed “Alright then”

Alex nodded. “Let’s go back”

“Sure”

“Sure”

“Wuu”

They went back to the barrack. There is another reason why he didn’t want to go to the mansion. He can’t shake this feeling. He felt his every movement was observed by someone. He felt something wrong with this feeling, like something bad, would happen.

He shook his head. He got stronger to reassure himself for something like that. At least there are Sherry and Him who currently at rank 6. So even they got into fight with rank 7, he can still fight back while retreating.

After reassuring himself. They have arrived at the barrack. After saying goodbye to Alicia and Firia. Alex also went back to his own barrack. He checked his mission along with his status.

[Mission 1 #repeatable

Objective: Kill 1500 rank 5 monsters (120/1500)

Reward: Premium Ticket x1]

[Mission 2 #repeatable

Objective: Kill 400 rank 6 monsters (9/400)

Reward: Premium Ticket x1]

[Mission 3 #repeatable

Objective: Kill 30 rank 7 monsters (0/30)

Reward: Premium Ticket x2]

[Mission 4 #repeatable

Objective: Kill 1 rank 8 monsters (0/1)

Reward: Premium Ticket x3]

Though there aren’t that much different since the monsters that attacking them weren’t really that many. So he was fine with it since at least there is progress for that. And now his status…

Name: Alexander Sirius (Peak Phase Qi Gathering Stage)

Job: Alchemist (Primary), Adventurer(Secondary), Sword Saint (Secondary), Hunter(Secondary), Flame Ruler (Secondary), Forger (Secondary)

Rank: 6

Level: 601

STR: 652

AGI: 632

VIT: 676

DEX: 627

INT: 635

He finally reached rank 6. After killing many monsters his level increased from 587 to 601 and officially reached rank 6.

The next day, they met up again at the previous place. They went toward the Forest. He looked at the big trees around them. This was a bit unusual, he thought. Even the shortest tree he spotted, was around ten meters long. But there is something special in this forest. He felt some connection in the forest and the connection come from inside. He didn’t know what kind of connection is this so he didn’t really bother with this.

They met their first monster after entering the forest.

Alex eyes widened, He spoke bitterly, “What kind of luck to meet a rank 4 monster as our first monster. Are the academy want to kill us off?”

“This is just a special occasion I think, According to my information. The outer zone of this forest was only filled with rank 3 monsters or lower. Maybe because of yesterday’s occasion. This happened” Alicia explained

“Maybe” Alex nodded. “Alright, how about you two tried to fight the monster. I would help you guys if you two can not handle him”

The monster is a rank 4 monkey. He thought Alicia and Firia were enough for this kind of rank 4. After all, Alicia alone was equal to rank 4 mage and she also polished her melee range combat. Firia was a bit troublesome. If she wanted to use her fire might prove to be difficult. After all, they are in a dense forest. If she randomly throwing her fire, her fire might burn the forest…No, now that he thought about it. This event was held by the academy every year and the participant is always the second-year student. That means the participants were at least rank 3. And there must be many fire mage in those students. The forest never burned, so he thought it would be fine even if Firia threw her fire magic. After all, she was experienced. Like when she hunts in the Night Forest. Alex shook his head and apologized to her in his mind.

“Firia, you first”

Firia nodded. “Fire Spear”

Four spears made from fire appeared beside her. The spears immediately flew toward the monkey. The monkey was startled but that’s all. The monkey dodged Firia’s fire spear effortlessly. As expected of rank 4 monsters.

“Frozen World. Ice Prison”

“Kikii” The monkey felt danger when Alicia used her ‘Frozen World’. It immediately jumped to the side. Sure, soon enough. A cage made from ice appeared. If the monkey didn’t immediately go to the side, surely it will be trapped in the ice cage.

“Kikii” The monkey was enraged. He felt he was toyed by these two girls. It charged toward Alicia.

Alicia already prepared herself. She clashed with the monkey, this is also why she polished her melee combat skill. If a mage was engaged like this. He/she won’t hold for long. Well, they were fine if there are some warrior in their rank but that can’t happen every time.

“Fire blaze”

Two fire pillar rose beside Firia. They moved like a snake and went toward the monkey. The monkey who was busy enough fighting Alicia can’t dodge this magic.

“Boom”

Not letting this chance go, Alicia immediately followed up with her magic.

“Frozen World. Frozen”

Like its name, it froze anything around her. Even the smoke from Firia’s fire magic was frozen and turned to ice particles. But…

“Won’t it be bad if you hit someone with that?” Alex asked.

“Actually, I can freeze anything with this magic. But I don’t have enough control to choose which one I will freeze”

“…Well, you can be better with enough training”

He looked at the frozen monkey. He felt pity for this monkey. Not only he got burned, he also got frozen. It really hurt when you suddenly got hotter when you are freezing.

After killing this monster, they continued their journey. Along the way, they didn’t meet with rank 4 monster again. So Alex concluded that the meeting with the monkey was special. Alicia and Firia killed all those monsters easily.

“Alex, can we go to the inner zone?” Alicia asked

Alex frowned, he looked at Firia who seems also wanted to go to the inner zone. He felt insecure to let them go to the inner zone. After all, many intermediate rank monsters filled that zone. But he also can’t shake the feeling of the connection he felt inside this forest. Especially when this feeling got stronger and stronger when he got closer and closer. He pondered for a moment.

“Alright. But if there is something we can’t handle. We will immediately leave the area”

Alicia and Firia nodded happily. They finally entered the inner zone. The atmosphere didn’t change very much. But the monster itself changed greatly. For example…

“As expected from the inner zone. We got a rank 5 monster as our first monster” Firia was astonished.

“Sherry will be the vanguard. Alicia and Firia will support her with magic”

Alex decided for Sherry to enter the battle. They might be fine for rank 4 monster, but for a rank 5 monster… He can’t be assured. With Sherry as their vanguard, the fight would be easier. Even Alicia and Firia can’t complain about it.

“Wuu”

Sherry immediately went in front of Alicia and Firia. Their opponent was a rank 5 ogre. As usual, Alicia and Firia used their magic first.

“Fire blaze”

Firia used her fire blaze to guide him somewhere. But the ogre took Firia’s fire magic lightly. It brushed off her magic like nothing.

“Frozen World. Ice Prison”

Alicia followed up after seeing Firia’s failure. Originally, they wanted to move the ogre to a spot and sealed him off with her ‘Ice Prison’ but after her magic failed. Their plan crumbled.

The ogre completely dodged Alicia Ice Prison. After that, it charged toward them. Sherry immediately moved to intercept him.

“Wuu”

Sherry released her flame. The flame that rose from her body become four concentrated fireball and immediately flew toward the ogre. The ogre can’t dodge them all. Two fireballs hit the ogre body. “Wuu”

Alicia understood what happened. She nodded “Frozen World. Ice Prison”

A cage made of ice appeared and locked the ogre inside. Because of Sherry’s fire, the ogre can’t dodge this technique and trapped in those eyes. It tried to destroy the ice cage but sadly he can’t.

“Firia. Hit him off”

Firia nodded. The frustration pent up on her when the ogre didn’t even take her seriously. She released it at this moment. “Fire Spear”

“Fire Blaze”

“Fire Arrow”

“Fire Bolt”

She released her magic consecutively. Alex and the rest could see the frustration inside them. Alex shook his head.

The ogre was scorched to death by Firia’s magic. But for some reason, he felt nothing for this ogre. Maybe because of Firia?

Whatever…after killing the ogre, they continued their journey a bit more. They met a few rank 5 monsters but haven’t found any rank 6 monsters. But that was good since it was easier and safer that way.

The sun was about set anyway and it is the best time to go back. He already confirmed there is some kind of connection in that forest anyway. He can visit it again later. Alone, of course. He can’t bring Alicia and Firia in this dangerous forest.

“Let’s go back”

Alicia and Firia nodded. “Sure”

They started going back to the fortress. But on the way, four people standing in front of them. They can’t see who are they since they used hood to mask themselves.

Alex frowned.