Through the night Gil has spotted different types of monsters but chose to leave them, there was one monster he never spotted though, the tree stalker. This was the most dangerous monster of the ones Leon referenced and Gil hoped it wasn't here. The tree stalker was a mutated version of the Ent, having more of a human figure and being smaller. The Ent was a monster that could be confused as a tree, looking the same but the Ent will attack with vines and branches. The tree stalker was a beast with skin of bark, around 2 meters tall. It had the figure of a human and clung high in the trees dropping down to attack. This was why Gil put a roof on the tent, it wouldn't stop the attack but hopefully trick the tree stalker as the where it is.
Gil had forgotten the amount of training he done through the night as he keeps stopping to replenish his stamina, when he was stopped he would focus mana to his meet watch it disappear. Slowly the sun came up allowing Gil to see the rays slowly fly through the trees.
"Morning" Tash was the first to arrive.
"Morning" Gil replied.
As the two started to talk the rest of the group arrived.
"Any monsters" Hope asked.
"Few, only ones that came close to the fire died" Gil said.
"I'm going for a run round the camp" Ruby said and before anyone could say anything the set of.
Will appeared and took out some food for breakfast and started warming it up.
"Can I have the military food" Gil asked will
"Why do you want that"
"At night I got hungry and that would fill me up" Gil used this excuse so he could have the food no one wanted. Will took out a small box and handed it to Gil who put it in his bag. When the food was done Ruby came back holding a map.
"This was hung on the left side of the camp" Ruby said giving it to Jade to read.
Jade read out the information for all to hear.
"Congratulations on making a base for the night, and surviving the night. This wouldn't be a test if that was all you had to do. On the map attached is the location of 5 monsters camps, you have the remaining time to remove 2 of them. The monsters here are in large groups so be careful, there are enough for each group to take out 2 but if all teams take out 5 then some won't have any left.
If you do not find this letter, you fail as you haven't check your surroundings. If you can't remove 2 monster groups you also fail. By removing more you can get a higher mark as well.
Hope you pick wisely.
Leon"
Jade finished reading and looked at the locations on the map. All of them where close to where they were and was shocked they hadn't ran into any.
"What's the plan" Will asked grabbing come porridge.
"I think we should go for all 5" Gil said before anyone could stop him.
"Who can navigate a map, then we can work out how possible it is" Jade asked.
"I can" Hope chimed in
"So we can have two groups" Jade said as no one else expressed they could "Hope and Will work together so there already in one group. How shall we split the remaining"
"How about we look at what they are first" Tash suggested "Send Ruby to check what monsters then decide the best groups to go"
"Agreed" They all seemed to agree to this.
"I was in to much of a rush to gain levels" Gil thought
"Well eat, Si will sleep an then Ruby can scout. Well leave at lunch and destroy all monsters we come across" Tash said
Gil wanted to protest but could tell it wouldnt work, so after eating he went to the tent and slept for a few hours. When Gil woke up he made his way back out not having changed when he slept. Tash saw him coming and moved over on the log they where using as a bench giving him somewhere to sit.
"After looking at the locations on the map we found the following monsters. Goblins that have wild hogs either riding on them or fighting with them, a large group of pixie, goblins by themselves large group of wild animals and what we presume to Ents." Tash said knowing Gil would want to know this straight away.
"What are the groups" He asked
"Me, Hope, Ruby and Tash" Will said "Me and Hope normally fight together, meaning we would normally be on the same team. You and Tash are the attacking members so one is with us the other with Jade" Will said.
"You are stronger then me so would most likely be fine with just the two of you" Tash said
Gil didnt care who he was with just that he could gain exp.
"Were going after the Ents and mutated animals, since your fire will kill then Ents quickly and the versatile attacks will work better with the variety of beasts." Jade said "Where then going to make our way to the Goblins with Boars whilst the other team works on the other 2 and we'll meet there. Who ever is there first can either attack or wait"
Gil was happy after hearing this as it gave him the chance to wipe out a large number of monsters gaining Exp and knowledge for shadow fighting.
"Is there a plan in case we run into a tree stalker" Gil asked
"We where waiting for you before we made one" Tash said knowing Gil know the most about monsters. After a bit of talking they came up with two plans on how to face a tree stalker, hoping not to need it.
"When do we head out" Gil asked
"30 minutes, where having lunch then going" Jade said. After having a light lunch the two packed up the camp for safety and stepped out the stone walls. Gil raised the earth making it complete on all four sides before him and Jade headed out.
"How long until we get to the first one"
"About 10 minutes" Jade said
Along the way they talked about the plane which was Gil only coming back to be healed. When they got there Gil saw tress and nothing else.
[Mana detection activated]
[Battle sense activated]
Gil walked forward whist Jade stepped back. As he made his way into a thicker part of the woods he saw faint traces of mana on some trees.
"Ents" Gil hoped as he wasn't sure about a tree stalker just yet. Raising his hand and opening it Gil made a thin sheet of fire and sent to to the trees near him. When the fire hit the trees the flames licked the bark and slowly travelled up, after a few seconds 4 trees started to move to Gil. Gil closed his hand retracting all the flames back into a ball. Firing the ball at one Ent Gil made 3 magma spears and fired them at the others.
[Ent Killed]
[+ 23% Knowledge]
[Ent Killed]
[+ 23% Knowledge]
[Ent Killed]
[+ 23% Knowledge]
The 3 magma blasts killed the Ents instantly, there powers where more along the lines of powerful surprise attacks and had little defence. Walking up to the last Ent, Gil drew his blade and put a lot of strength into the swing cutting halfway through the tree.
[Ent Killed]
[+ 23% Knowledge]
[Ent knowledge 100% added to shadow fight list]
Jade stared as not even 30 seconds had passed before 4 Ents where brought down and killed, she know they where weak and attacked whilst hidden but was still shocked.
"Do you think there will be any more Ari" Gil called walking back.
"Um im not sure, how would we check" She replied
"Spread more fire, I just dont want to burn down the forest" Gil said
Pondering what to do Gil came up with a wild idea. Stepping into the largest opening Gil raised both his hands making a large ball of fire, this looked impressive but was very weak as Gil didnt want to waste mana.
"Leon, if you are listening im going to fire this into the forest to check if there are anymore Ent. If there arent please say so I dont burn it down for no reason, you have 20 seconds" Gil called loudly.
Inside his void world Leon was looking at all the students and heard what Gil said and panicked. He wasnt worried about stopping it just the hassle it would cause in case he did burn everything.
"Ava, someones threatening to burn the forest to check for more Ent, what shall we do" He called out to a rift he made next to Ava.
"Does he have the power to do so?" She asked not looking up from the book she was reading
"Yeah"
"Who is it"
"Gil, 10 seconds before he fires"
"Has he killed the Ents near him"
"Yeah"
"Then see if he actual does, if he starts to then stop him and if he doesnt then leave it and well deal with it after" She said putting the book down.
"He fired a ball of fire into a large set of trees and walked away to a safe distance, i sent the attack to the lake" Leon let her know
"Smart boy" ava said making a note of Gils name.
"Seems like there are no more Ents" Gil called to Jade.
"What happened" Jade asked
"Leon probably didnt want to deal with a forest fire so stopped the attack, this way if there are more Ents here we can claim he intervened and stopped us" Gil said
Jade and Gil made there way to the mutated beasts and continued to talk about random things.
"How about we both attack, if anything gets dangers run to me and ill make a wall behind you" Gil proposed seeing Jade was board.
"Yeah!" Jade said a bit to loud causing a stray mutant rabbit to approach.
As they approached the area the beast where Gil drew his sword allowing Jade to go first making sure she was always in his line of sight.
"Just focus on the one in front of you, ill handle any other that comes" Gil whispered as they approached. AS the two walked to the group of beasts Gil listed of what there was:
2 Hedgehogs
1 Squirrel
1 Wild boar
He made sure to keep that number to make sure none snuck away. Jade made her way to the beast Squirrel as it was the weakest from the rest. AS they charged the Hedgehogs fired there spikes at them.
"Dont stop" Gil called blocking the spikes with a thin earth shield. Jade jumped up dodging the Boar living it to Gil, she wasnt weak but just a healer. Gil wrong his sword with the same strength as he did against the Ent cutting deep into the boar but not killing it. Walking round to keep Jade in his vision and take the focus of the Hedgehogs Gil started slashing the Boar.
Jade was thankful that Gil was letting her fight and making sure she was protected, using her hunting dagger she approached the Squirrel waiting for it to attack. Jades style of fighting was attacking whilst defending. As the Squirrel jumped at her she batted it away aiming at the left leg, she sliced it and watched it struggle to stand. When it was standing it again charged and jumped at her, she repeated the same action but aimed at the right eg getting the same result. This time the beast couldnt stand and Jade walked up killing it.
[Mutated Wild boar killed]
Gil watched the way Jade thought and was ready to raise a wall when ever, watching her kill it he focused a bit more on the boar ending it with an upwards slash. Jade made a loop round to Gil trying to avoid the range of the Hedgehogs.
Just when Jade was about 5 meters from Gil the Hedgehogs fired there spikes that had grown back at both of them.
"Jade Duck" Gil called forgetting the nickname and defending himself, he raised an earth wall as fast as he could and hoped the systems defence would save him.
[-20 HP]
[-20 HP]
[-20 HP]
He felt 3 spikes sink into his side but thankfully Jade seemed fine, raising his empty hand GIl fired 2 magma spears at them not caring about the over kill.
[Mutated Hedgehog killed]
[Mutated Hedgehog killed]
Gil had found out how to turn of the knowledge announcement whilst walking with Jade.
"Gil are you alright" Jade called running over not checking if the Hedgehog where dead. As soon as she arrived she started to heal him looking at the wall raised. Where she was there where 7 spikes planed into the wall.
"He protected me instead of himself" She though staring at the blood running down him
"It looks worse then it is" Gil said with a smile
"Thank you" Jade said
"I did promise" Gil chuckled
"Saturday ill treat you to a day out in Serv" Jade said
"No, i was the one that suggested it" Gil said
"No this is my treat and i wont talk to you again if you refuse" Jade said putting an end to the argument. Waiting for Gil to heal they headed to the last point to meet the other group. When they got there they thought they where late as they saw a few dead goblins. As they got closer Jade felt something push her in to a tree and cover her mouth, opening her eyes she saw Gil.
"Shhhhh, tree stalker" Gil said with a sense of urgency in his voice.