He kept using ‹Life Sense› in fixed intervals to make sure he didn't step in the range of a strong beast or a beast group.
When he was within a 5 km range of the academy, Kale stopped. On using ‹Life Sense› he saw a big group of students moving towards the forest.
He got curious, so he again activated ‹Camouflage› and stealthily approached them, this time Kale didn't activate ‹Camouflage› at Ethereal level and just let it stay at Grand Master level, for just in case he was discovered. When he was close enough, he was surprised to see that it was his class, the primary class to be precise. He also saw many new faces he hadn't seen before.
Kale had only attended the primary class for once so it was a given that he didn't know many students, Layla and Arlo were also in the group so he was sure that it was his class, moreover, after observing all the students his eves landed on the red-haired instructor in the front of the group, it was Simon.
'Why are they here? Is it a lecture?' Kale looked at them with interest, he then saw Simon saying something to the students, he was far so he couldn't hear what Simon was saying but Kale wasn't discouraged, although he couldn't hear the sound he could still read his lips, he took out a mini binocular from his bag and focused on Simon's lips.
Simon scanned through the students and spoke "I have made it clear, it's an optional test anyone who wants to back off can step back now, although everyone should know it I shall still remind you that whatever happens in the forest is not the academy's responsibility," After saying that much he stopped and but no one backed off so he continued "Your mission is simple, which is the subjugation of a newly discovered Water Foxes' nest near the academy, according to the information although the group is big, the strongest ones are just at Enlightened Mortal stage meaning they are at Level 20 at most.
With your numbers alone you should be able to take care of that group as long as you are careful and cautious enough. The band on your wrist is a tool that will record the contribution you made during the hunt, if you feel that your life is in danger then channel your energy whichever type it is into the band. The band will break and a strong protective shield will cover your body lasting for a total of 10 minutes, it's strong enough to withstand all-out attacks of an early Elemental Mortal so you will be safe but once the band breaks you will be disqualified from this test no matter the contribution you made.
As for the reward, you all know, your contribution will be converted into recognized CP and the top 10 students on the contribution ranking list will be exempt from the second main test of the academy meaning after passing your current main test you can easily spend the rest of the year without any worry of being expelled.
How you complete this optional surprise test is totally up to you, if you want to act in a group, you can. If you want to act alone, you can. There is no limitation to what you can do, as long as you don't affect the flora and fauna around this region," Simon said ending his speech.
After he finished speaking, the group of students nodded and left. They had only walked for a few meters and the big group started to get divided into several small groups. Everyone wanted to make a big contribution, they preferred to form teams with people they knew instead of the ones they didn't. Trusting someone with your life or making another trust you with their life, both of them weren't easy things to do.
Kale quietly remained hidden and saw them leaving.
{What about you? Will you participate or not,} Simon's voice echoed in his head.
Kale turned and saw Simon smiling at him, he wasn't surprised in the least. The difference between Simon's and his level was too much, it wasn't something that can be overcome with experience alone if it can then he wouldn't have to cultivate at all. If he knew that Simon was also in the group then he would have used ‹Camouflage› at Master level instead of Grand Master but earlier he didn't even sense Simon meaning that the instructor had his own ways to escape his ‹Life Sense›.
He jumped down the tree and nodded. Simon couldn't see his face because of the mask but the Mortal-Rank ‹Camouflage› spell he used was more than enough to tell his identity.
Kale just nodded and didn't speak. Simon took out a black wristband and a map then gave them to him.
There was no need for more words, Kale headed in the direction Layla left without much thought.
Simon looked at his disappearing back and smiled 'And that Fina is still saying that no one passed her test,'
Mastering two spells to Master level is harder than mastering one to Grand-Master level, and Simon didn't believe that someone would dare to venture so deep inside the forest without any other means.
Kale dashed through the trees and soon came to the group he was looking for.
It was Layla's group, it consisted of 8 students and few of the faces surprised him.
Layla had her four Foxes beside her but no mounts, the Gale Fox was completely healed it was no doubt that she has used some expensive potions to get this result but it wasn't that much of a surprise as he knew that the top 10 students would be able to avoid the next main test. That's why it was a given that they gave it their all.
Layla, Alice, and Arlo were part of the same group, although Arlo now wore a mask Kale already knew about him. There was one more familiar face, it was Misha. He was somewhat confused as to why they joined Misha but they didn't look forced so Kale removed the idea of interfering from his head. If they looked forced he would definitely take this chance to increase his favorability in front of Layla.
Aside from that, every face was new to him.
A girl wearing a red mage robe and had a mask covering her face. Her azure eyes had a blazing light within them. She held a one-meter long wooden stick in her hand, the upper part of the stick was thin while the bottom got thicker and had a red magic crystal attached to it.
Next to her was a blonde girl, her body frame was short, she had pale blue eyes, she had an alluring figure with an ample chest that suited her body frame perfectly, she was wearing a long white robe that covered her body only showing her neckline and her slightly chubby face. Her eyes had a genuine innocent look in them, she held a one and half a meter long wooden staff in her hand.
Kale only looked at her for a few moments before turning around, his favorability of this girl slightly dropped. It wasn't that he didn't like her innocent look or her appearance but he could tell that she is a green flower grown in a garden, not suited to walk on the path of the practitioner.
The red-robed girl looked much better compared to her in the field of practitioners just because of her temperament.
Except for the two of them, there were two other boys.
One of them was a masked boy with a similar body built to Arlo, he was wearing light leather armor and a purple mask covering his face, he had two machetes hanging behind his waist. His eyes carried a hidden coldness within them, even while walking he kept quite some distance from the people around him.
'An assassin type? Hmm... Duel machetes wielder and a mask, is he the Night Hunter Layla mistook me for?' Kale thought.
The last one was a robust bulky boy, his hair was cut short and his body built clearly focused on strength and toughness. He was carrying a big shield in his right hand and an ax hanging on his back, he was walking in the front. From his attire, he seemed like a Tanker-Type, and from his disposition, he was the leader of the team.
They were a group of eight students, with five girls and three boys, which is of course not counting the battle beasts.
The group was moving in a formation, where Layla, Misha, Alice, and that blonde girl were inside and the rest were all covering them from the sides.
After walking for a few minutes, they set a temporary camp in an open area.
The test was optional but a surprise type, they were informed about it at the start of the class so they weren't fully prepared much less having time to discuss and form a plan to destroy the hideout.
Kale hid on top of a faraway tree and observed them from his binocular, after reading their lips for a while he finally got the names of everyone in the group.
The masked boy was indeed Night Hunter, the red-robed girl was Amber, these two were, of course, just the nicknames they had set up, their real names were unknown.
As for that blonde, she was Kanna and the tanker boy was Mike.
Five girls... Layla, Alice, Misha, Kanna, and Amber.
Three boys... Arlo as Razor, Night Hunter, and Mike.
He also got their strategy, Mike told them that it was better to observe for now and let others move to weaken the fox group, then they can deal with the stronger foxes. This way, they can not only analyze the strength of the foxes but can also avoid weak foxes and hunt stronger ones without wasting energy, which will provide them more contribution points.
'They call it a strategy? It's just 'strike when the enemy is weak' tactic when Demonic Practitioners use it, it's taken as a sinful despicable move and when Righteous Practitioner use it, it becomes a wise strategy,' Kale sneered inwardly, he thought 'In my previous life, after experiencing a lot of things I realized that there was only one main difference between a Righteous Practitioners and a Demonic Practitioners. The Demonic Practitioners do things openly to achieve their goal while the Righteous Practitioner do it under the table.
In my last life, I didn't get counted in both of them but this time I will go with the Righteous route, it has more benefits, all I have to do is cover my tracks on the way,'
After they discussed their strategy, they made some space for Kanna in the center, Kale was curious as to what they were doing but in the next second his eyes widened.
Kanna lifted her staff in the air and started reciting some words, he didn't read her lips as his attention was on the big magic circle that has appeared on the ground out of nowhere.
'Don't tell me she is a summoner?' Kale was inwardly excited, it was his first time seeing a summoning in motion, he saw the shadow of the creature flying out the shining magic circle, he was very excited to see what powerful beast would step out but in the next second, he realized that it was just a small round fluffy bird and his face turned dark 'The summoner's talent... Got wasted, just like that?'
For some reason when he looked at the girl again, he felt extreme regret.
'If I was a summoner, no matter how weak I am, I would still aim for a beast that could be of some use to me but this... Seriously?' Kale thought, he just shook his head and sighed.
Now he knew why she was in the center like Layla, a summoner needs to be protected just like a Beast Tamer or a Healer.
The bird flapped her wings and landed on Kanna's shoulder, she gently rubbed its head and told it to go and scout the location for her.
Surprisingly, the bird nodded like she understood and flew in the air. Kale wasn't surprised that it had some intelligence, the summoned beast was different and unique in its own way and it didn't change the fact that it had no battle power.
If Layla got a chance she could also tame a bird and use ‹Vision Share› to scout the location, it was way better and practical compared to her method. Her move looked nothing special as a summoner in his eyes.