Under the stormy and rainy weather; Kendra and Faye trudge their legs on the slimy mud, sauntering their way to the east of Greenfield. The soles of their boots stomp on the wet ground, leaving footprints as they march. And on their shoulder; they carried the Goliath Tigerfish monster and the red Bellpepper monster tied with vines and sticks.
After capturing the Goliath Tigerfish; they coincidentally encounter the red Bellpepper in the south. So the two decided to catch it since the Red Bellpepper is also needed for their recipe. Well, they didn't have a hard time capturing the red Bellpepper. After all, the environment is not in any fire type's favour.
The brunette haired girl grins to herself; happily humming to herself like the heavy showering rain doesn't affect her mood at all. On the other hand, Kendra only displayed a soft friendly smile on the surface, but deep inside; Kendra is worried that the cult members watching somewhere from the audience have already discovered her identity as a time traveller.
Kendra doesn't mind confronting them now; the problem is Kendra isn't sure if that is the only thing that the cult members discovered.
[What if they also discovered that I'm weak against fire?] Kendra thought to herself. She is sure that the cult members would use her weakness against her, and that is the only thing she is anxious about.
After walking through the showering rain; Kendra and Faye finally arrived on the east; Kendra used Echolocation to find where Emilia is. If Kendra didn't display her full power a while ago; she wouldn't dare use Echolocation again and again. Because it would only show how capable Kendra is.
However, since Kendra already showed her true capability anyway; Kendra decided not to hide her powers again; she would instead use it to truly win this competition. After risking of showing her true ability, Kendra has to get something in return, no matter how small or minor it is.
Shortly, Kendra senses Emilia's familiar aura to the northeast of Greenfield; it seems that Emilia is inside a cave based on the sound that came back to Kendra's ears.
"I think Emilia is in the northeast," Kendra stated, glancing at Faye.
Faye nodded, smiling excitedly. "Let's go and meet up with Emilia in the northeast then."
With that, Kendra and Faye started walking again.
After a while, they stopped in front of an enclosed cave. They saw Emilia tightly holding a sharpened stick of wood; Emilia positioned herself, sleeping near the front of the entrance of the cave, and a knockout earth monster Pig and a wind type Pineapple monster were next to her.
Fortunately, Emilia didn't start a campfire inside the cave; it would only make Kendra sick again otherwise.
"Emilia really works hard," Faye mumbled to herself, which Kendra heard loud and clear.
"Let's go in as well," Kendra said; she dragged the Goliath Tigerfish and the red Bellpepper monster inside. The brunette haired girl followed after Kendra. After all, Faye is also carrying half the weight of the two monsters on her shoulder.
Water drips to the ground from their soaking uniforms as Kendra and Faye walk inside the cave.
Probably hearing the loud clicking boots on the stone-like ground; Emilia woke up instantly, grabbing the sharp object; she pointed it to the two who invaded her territory.
"Nobody moves!" Emilia yelled threateningly.
Kendra and Faye, who were putting the two captured monsters down, both turned their heads at Emilia.
Faye stared at Emilia amusedly; Kendra only took a quick glance then she went to settle down the Goliath Tigerfish and the red Bellpepper monster on the ground next to the Pineapple monster and Pig monster. Seeing the familiar faces of Kendra and Faye; Emilia instantly lowered the sharpened stick.
"So it was the two of you; I thought someone else sneaked inside to steal my hunt," Emilia muttered to herself, heaving a sigh of relief.
"Who would even steal them? Don't all teams need different ingredients in their recipe?" Faye asked curiously, sitting next to Emilia.
Emilia sighed. "That's what I thought too, but a while ago, before the storm came; I happened to see other participants stealing the hunts of the other teams. And they used those hunts to feed themselves."
Kendra, who heard this, remembered that no one managed to complete this tournament back in her original timeline. Because the participants would steal the collected ingredients and hunts of the other teams and vice versa.
Which is why no one managed to win the team cooking competition in her original timeline. However, this time will be different.
Kendra, Faye, and Emilia didn't join this tournament in Kendra's original timeline. That's the difference between the original timeline and this current time.
Furthermore, Kendra will make sure that her team wins first place in this competition. Otherwise, Kendra would feel like she lost big time, considering that she just displayed her true capabilities. Not only this competition. But all tournaments that would benefit Kendra and her friends; Kendra would win them all.
"Why would they steal the other hunts?" Faye asked, still baffled.
Emilia shrugs, furrowing her brows. "I'm not sure. Maybe they don't want the other teams to complete the task, so it would lessen the participants on the sixth day."
"Then we should hurry and gather the remaining ingredients needed in the recipe, so we could finally complete the task and not get targeted," Faye suggested; her brows were pulled up together, looking worried.
Kendra, who had been listening silently, interjected in the conversion of the two. "Hold on, I have a better proposition to the two of you," Kendra said, sitting opposite Faye and Emilia.
Faye and Emilia both turned their heads at Kendra, waiting for Kendra to continue with an interested expression on their face.
"How about we help our classmates who also join this competition?" Kendra suggested out of the blue.
Emilia wrinkled her brows. "There is no merit in helping them, and they are rivals currently."
Kendra nodded understandably. "I take your point, well, what about you Faye? What's your take?"
"I think…" Faye started with a smile. "I think we should help them," Faye said in agreement.
"Why?" Kendra asked, raising her lips. Because Faye is truly exceptional.
"Because we should always help out a classmate in need, right?" Faye answered, grinning to herself.
It's not what Kendra is hoping to hear, but it's the most acceptable answer, so Kendra nodded at this.
On the other hand, Emilia deeply creased her brows. "But that would only place a burden on our shoulder; it's more logical to just complete the task as soon as possible."
"Emilia, if Kendra and I were not on the same team as you, and we needed help, would you answer the same as you did just now?" Faye asked, glancing at Emilia.
"Of course, but the two of you are my friends, so it's a different matter," Emilia argued back calmly.
Faye pouted, not liking Emilia's answer. "It's not a different matter. If you think about it; if we're not really on the same team, then that would also make us both rivals, right? Does that mean you won't help us out?"
Emilia sighed as she further explained, "It's still different, because I would always help out a friend in need, and those classmates that have participated in this competition are not my…"
"Hold your breaths for the important things, we shouldn't argue against each other during this crucial time," Kendra interrupted, just before Emilia uttered anything else. "Remember that we're still being watched by the upperclassmen students. Additionally, there are still other greenhorn students in the Grand Stadium. We shouldn't say such hasty things that we might regret later on."
Emilia and Faye both became silent after hearing what Kendra said.
"And about what the two of you are arguing about…I'll explain the reason why I want to do this after the competition ends, but right now, what we need to do is to help our classmates complete their own task," Kendra stated. "You have to trust me on this."
Emilia felt even more confused. "But why? We don't really need to do that…"
Faye knitted her brows, looking at Emilia annoyed. "Emilia, are you not listening at all? Kendra said that she would explain everything once the competition ends, which means that no matter how much you ask her now, Kendra will not explain it."
"But how am I supposed to understand then?" Emilia asked back, annoyed with Faye.
Kendra sighed. "The two of you need to cease with the invisible fights. We need to be united, that's the main reason, and for further details; I can only ask the two of you to wait until this tournament ends."
Faye nodded vigorously in agreement. "I agree with whatever this is, so don't worry, I'll help out," Faye said.
Kendra smiled at Faye. "I knew I could always rely on you Faye. Your help is very much appreciated," Kendra said.
Emilia sighed in resignation hearing this. "Alright, I'll help out as well…"
"That's good, well then, we need to plan things first," Kendra replied.
"That's true, since our hunt and ingredients might end up being stolen as well if we don't think this through," Faye commented.
Kendra curved her lips at this. "Indeed, which is why one or two people always need to be left in the hideout to protect our stuff, while the others would go and help our other classmates, what do you think?" Kendra replied.
Faye nodded. "I think it's a good plan, but who would be left alone then?" Faye asked.
"About that, I prefer to guard the ingredients alone during the day and help out at night, which is why the two of you will need to work together from now on during the day and night," Kendra stated.
Emilia shook her head. "No, I think I should be the one working alone, Kendra."
Kendra squinted her eyes, smiling courtly to Emilia. "And why is that?"
Emilia gulped, feeling a sudden strong pressure coming from Kendra; she didn't know that Kendra is even much stronger than her. "Nothing, I said I agree with your plan," Emilia said hurriedly, sweating from the pressure.
Kendra nodded, retracting back her aura. "Good, then how about you Faye?" Kendra asked, glancing at the brunette haired girl.
Faye and Emilia glanced at each other; they both averted their gazes, but Faye nodded her head in agreement in silence.
"Since both of you agree, then I'll go out now to track the whereabouts of the other participants. I'll be back soon, and for the time being, let's make this cave our hideout. Does anyone have any questions?"
Emilia shook her head instantly, afraid that Kendra would once again put pressure on her.
"Just be careful, Kendra," Faye said in a warm smile.
Kendra smiled back, then she left.
Kendra spread her aura of awareness, running from the east to north, north to west, and west to south; Kendra used the skill Echolocation to track each corner of the whole wilderness of Greenfield.
When Kendra came back to northeast Greenfield; the dark clouds had already disappeared to cause a storm somewhere else.
"I'm back," Kendra said.
Emilia and Faye, who seem to be staring intensely at each other's eyes, both turn to look in surprise at Kendra's sudden arrival.
"Am I disturbing something?" Kendra asked playfully.
Faye shook her head hurriedly. "No, you're just in time, so how was your search?"
Kendra nodded, sitting in front of the two. "A total of six teams from our class joined this class, including our team. Right now, there is one located on the north, one on the east, two on the south, and one on the west. And our team is located between north and east, that makes it a total of six," Kendra explained, using Emilia's stick to draw a map on the ground.
Faye nodded, listening attentively. Emilia also listened, but she looked worried.
"I'll handle the ones on the south and west; the two of you will be the one in-charge on the teams located on the north and east," Kendra added, pointing the stick on the ground, where she drew a map.
"South already has two teams and you also want to manage the one on the west. Are you sure about managing three teams by yourself, Kendra? You can share the burdens to us, you know?" Faye asked, worried.
Kendra nodded confidently. "Yes, don't worry about me. I already have a plan in mind," Kendra said.
Faye sighed as she nodded understandably. "Well, alright…"
Emilia, on the other hand, is no longer worried about Kendra. Since Emilia discovered that Kendra is much stronger than her; Emilia trusts that Kendra can manage well by herself.
Seeing that no one is no longer asking questions; Kendra stood up. "Well then, I'll be going to the west part of the Greendfield first. I'll make sure I return before the first light of dawn," Kendra said as she bid the two farewell.