We were soon nearing the forest where the quest was located. Apparently, there were several monster groups causing trouble for the nearby villages. The forest wasn't very large, but initial scans indicated that it harbored some powerful creatures—at least powerful enough to be a serious problem for the villages here.
"Hey, look at that," I casually pointed out towards a small group of Silver Bears. Thanks to my Omni Vision and Omni Sense, sweeping through the area was easy. It was a breeze to pick out targets with my enhanced senses.
However, Ashlyn and the others weren't so lucky. To them, the bears would have blended into the environment, their natural silver fur acting as camouflage against the foliage.
"Damn, those look like giant silver bears," Leon muttered, squinting at the creatures. "I heard those are Mid Rank 1 at best, with maybe one or two at Peak Rank 1."
"Hahah, well, what are we waiting for? Let's smash them to bits!" Greg grinned, clearly eager for some action.
"For once, I agree with you, Greg," Ashlyn said, her tone sharp. "Silver Bears are dangerous, but they don't need much planning. We can handle this."
As Ashlyn and the others readied themselves for battle, she turned to look at me. I met her gaze, and she understood my intentions immediately.
These bears were weak—at least for me. But for Ashlyn and her team, they were a decent challenge. I saw it as a good opportunity for them to practice their skills and gain some valuable combat experience. After all, the world was a dangerous place, and the only thing that truly mattered was strength. Without it, everything else was useless.
If anything went wrong, I could step in easily, but I wanted to let them figure this out on their own. This was the best kind of training for them, and besides, it would earn them some solid rewards.
It seemed the others understood my decision as well. There was no resistance—if they had minded, I'd have to reassess them, but I was glad that they saw the value in this challenge.
"Leon, buff me! Greg, watch my back!" Ashlyn commanded, her voice clear and decisive. "Let's beat these oversized money bags!"
Her team immediately snapped into action. Leon raised his staff and began casting a spell, and I could see a quick aura of energy enveloping Ashlyn and Greg. The spells were basic—boosting their speed and strength—but that was to be expected at their current rank.
"Poison Arrow!" Leon called out, his voice firm as he cast an offensive spell.
I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't realized Leon was into poison arts. The arrow shimmered a deadly green, and with pinpoint accuracy, it struck the chest of one of the Silver Bears. The effect was almost immediate. The bear's flesh began to melt, and its silver fur took on a toxic green hue. The beast faltered, clearly struggling under the poison's effects.
It would likely die within a minute or two, but that was enough time for the others to deal with the remaining bears.
Greg was already on the move.
"Fire Fury!" Greg shouted, swinging his sword in a broad arc. A beam of fire mana shot forward, scorching the legs of one of the bears and severing them. The wound was immediately cauterized, leaving the bear to struggle in agony.
"Take this!" Greg yelled, a battle cry accompanying his attack as he pushed his sword deep into the chest of the bear. The beast let out a final roar before collapsing.
That was… clean.
I didn't think Greg had it in him. I had expected him to be more of a brute-force type, but his movements were surprisingly precise.
Ashlyn wasn't far behind.
"Mana Fist!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the noise of the battle.
She was fighting close-quarters with two of the bears, one of which was already near death from Leon's poison. The bear had lost both its legs and one of its eyes, leaving it barely able to move. Ashlyn's fist, coated in mana and enhanced by Leon's buff, connected with the chest of the second bear.
The bear went flying, its body crashing against a nearby tree with a sickening thud. Ashlyn's punch had ruptured its internal organs, and the beast soon succumbed to blood loss and organ failure.
In the span of just a few minutes, the bears were falling one by one. Greg was still fighting with the last one, but the outcome was already clear. The bear was injured severely and had little chance of winning.
The battle lasted a little over ten minutes, and while they were clearly skilled, it wasn't without its costs. Greg had taken a scratch across his hand when he got a little too close to the bear's claws while hacking at its body. Ashlyn wasn't unscathed either. A well-placed swipe from one of the bears had left a nasty gash on her side.
"Not bad," I thought, quietly impressed. "Not as good as me, but they're getting there."
Ashlyn, Greg, and Leon regrouped after the battle. Leon was busy preparing a healing spell, while Ashlyn and Greg took a moment to catch their breath.
"That wasn't too bad," Greg said, wiping sweat from his brow. "I mean, I got a little roughed up, but nothing I can't handle."
Ashlyn nodded, inspecting the gash on her side. "Yeah, they're tough, but we handled them well. We need to keep our guard up, though. We're in the forest now, and things could get worse."
I stepped forward, assessing the situation. "You did well. Better than I expected, to be honest. But don't get too comfortable. There are more dangerous things lurking in this forest. Silver Bears aren't the worst thing out here."
"Tell me about it," Greg said, flexing his hand as Leon finished healing it. "Those things were tough, but I'm ready for whatever's next."
"Glad to hear it," I said, turning my gaze back to the forest. "But remember, we're just getting started. Stay sharp."
We all stood there for a moment, the tension from the battle still hanging in the air. As the last of the bears' bodies began to fade into the forest's shadows, I couldn't help but think about what lay ahead.
Monsters in the forest were one thing, but the true challenge would come when we had to face creatures stronger than Silver Bears.
"Alright," Ashlyn said, breaking the silence. "Let's move out. We've got a job to do, and I'm not about to let these bears be the end of it."
I nodded. "Lead the way."
With that, the group set off deeper into the forest. The quest was far from over, and the real danger was still ahead. But if they kept improving like this, maybe they'd be ready for whatever came next.
To be continued...