I checked my armor and weapons and my storage in hunter watch during final preparation to make sure everything is fit for the mission.
The missions I took part before are not dangerous as this. I will be able to retreat with little help from Dawn if needed.
But now, in this mission, I will not be retreating unless I am ordered to. If any of us shows fear and tries to retreat during the battle, they will be killed immediately.
That is how the companies work. If we do not follow their orders in the battle, the management members that are present will kill us without any second thoughts or remorse.
Even the government does the same in large battles as this is not a battle for power, but the battle to preserve the way of life. There is no tolerance for weakness or fear in this world.
I am excited to be in this battle as I will not only earn credits, but will also gain experience in fighting with a group of hunters whom I have not met yet.
The 20 volunteers were split into teams of 4 with an hunter from the Hammerand as the leader of each team. Max will the one leading from the front
I looked at my team's leader who has not spoken a word to us while we are going to the Figaro. We were transported by company truck which had very less space after all 30 hunters boarded.
It took us 30 minutes to reach the forest. The truck was in silence the entire time as no one spoke a single word.
I could feel the tension in everyone's face except for the Hammerand company hunters. Knowing I have 2 people whom I can rely on are in this mission, I felt relaxed.
I closed my eyes and used the time to meditate. One cannot go into a battle with emotions piled up which will make us to do mistakes.
A small mistake in a battle can also be the last mistake if the monsters we fight are strong enough or can group up using the mistake we do.
One we reached the border of Figaro forest we moved in the formation we were told to. We already wore the armor and held our weapons firm.
I didn't know we will be going this deep into the forest as it took us another 40 minutes to reach the location were the Steel Teeth Rats nest is.
In the time we moved through the forest, I sensed monsters coming close to us more than once which have been dealt by the Hammerand hunters who are also our back-up if things went bad.
We took defensive formation along with the other teams waiting for the rats to start the attack. After 5 minutes, I see a fire blade hit the entrance of the rat's nest which will clearly anger the occupants.
"SCREECH SCREECH SCREECH"
I could hear many angry SCREECH coming from the nest and gripped the Red Blade firmly ready to fight against any number of rats that come out.
I felt something is not right as the rats have not come out of the nest even after the Fire attack. I focused on the surroundings with my senses to find out why.
"Huh" I couldn't control myself and let out a sound as I could sense the rats are tunneling underground towards us which will make our defensive formation useless.
"I didn't think you will panic when you are about to fight a bunch of rats kid." Max came to me as he was standing close to us. He didn't know I can sense upto 50 meters around me with the help of air element.
"I am not panicking leader. I think we have to change our formation to exterminate the rats and reduce the casualty rate." I said.
"What do you mean?" He asked me to which I replied "The rats are smart. They are tunneling underground right now moving towards us."
"How do you know that?" He asked me again which made me angry. I controlled my anger and said "Because of my element, I can sense to a certain limit what is happening around me."
He looked at Dawn who nodded her head as I have told about this only to my family and her. No one else knows about it till now.
"Aaaahh"
I hear a blood curling scream from one side of the formation. When I look, I see an entire team being pulled into the tunnel made by rats.
Their team leader was able to jump out of the hole with his experience, but it can't be said about others. Only one other hunter managed to crawl out of the hole while the other three hunters were bitten and killed by ferocious rats.
Every volunteer who looked at it had clear fear on their face. They didn't expect these rats to be this crafty to attack us from beneath the ground.
"Everyone. Form up. Defensive formation." Max shouted his orders moving to the front to deal with the Steel Teeth Rats that started coming out of the hole.
Numerous rats poured out of the hole and attacked every hunter they laid their eyes on. It would have been easy if it was a straight battle, but now I will have to fight and keep my senses at top to defend myself if another hole is created.
I swing my sword at the rat that is coming towards with it's mouth open showing two of it's front teeth which is made of steel. Not just their teeth, but their entire skeleton system is made of steel.
CLANG
The sound of the sword hitting the teeth was a proof it can't be broken easily and trying to penetrate it is out of the option unless, I use the Air Strike, which I don't want to use this early in battle.
Seeing it's attack failed, it used it's front paws to swipe at me which has sharp steel 2 inch claws that can shred my body easily if I am not careful.
I can only defend as I am not sure if I can take a hit to give a hit in this kind of battle, even though it is going to be a small one.