One Last System

I was running through the forest. Despite extensive exercise, I kept my breath short and silent, worried about alerting the monsters nearby with something as small as the air whizzing.

Just like every single day since Lucius judged me to be capable, we were hunting. We were chasing through the forest and practicing our pathing and movement while trying to hunt as many small monsters as we could find.

We would have to go to the sect lower headquarters in just two days to submit our quota. Yet, even when discounting the favorable quota rate given for the first few cycles to let me get used to the job, we have long gathered enough for the full one.

The only reason why we kept hunting right now was to earn some cultivation resources for ourselves.

From what I understood, there was barely any point in bringing the exceeding amount of spoils to the sect. According to Lucius words, they would be bought off at an unfavorable rate. Yet, this was the only official way for us to sell the stones due to the complete monopoly that the sect had over this trade.

Apparently, one could buy the spirit stones and spiritual stones from nearly every last vendor in the city, but they were all sourced directly from the sect.

"Watch your step!" Lucius jumped to my side, only to whisper in my ear and scoot off.

For a second, I couldn't understand the advice... but I followed it either way.

This was the greatest change that happened to my life as a contractor ever since the first day.

Instead of duping me in or testing me out, Lucius was now actively coaching me on matters related to the job!

With my attention brought to my footing, I managed to avoid a pitfall when a tree branch I had chosen to step on broke under my weight.

If not for Lucius' advice, I would fall down to the forest floor, alerting all the monsters in the vincity about our presence.

A great call... but one that showcased just how vast the difference between our abilities was.

"Just how did you notice it?" I asked once I found myself close to my Overseer enough to communicate with just a whisper.

"Experience," Lucius smiled, allowing the two of us to take a short break at the thick branch of a massive tree. "It's not something that I knew, but something that I had a feeling about," he explained.

Great. The worst possible answer. It's not something you can learn by following a certain regime; it's something you have to grow used to.

Yet, just as I was about to voice my protest, I noticed something in the distance.

Normally, that would be impossible. It was hard to see anything beyond just a few meters away with how thick the forest was. Yet, this time was different.

The main reason why it was hard to spot monsters in this thick forest was simple. Those that we could hunt were hiding from us. It was easy to notice monsters stronger than us... simply because they didn't bother to hide from us!

"Is it a nest?" I asked, pointing my hand slightly to my left.

The only reason why I managed to notice it, despite how far it was, lay in how riddled in movement it was.

"It would allow us to get nearly triple our quota," Lucius muttered before casting a strange look at my face. "Are you up for the task? It won't be easy," he warned.

"We can try it," I replied with dedication.

There was one reason why I was set on providing more spoils than was required of me.

The reason why contractors like me got such a bad price on the spoils they provided was pretty obvious. A huge part of our earnings would go towards our beneficiary, supporting their sponsorship. As such, the more spoils I brought to the sect, the more resources Mia would receive back at her place!

In such a situation, how could I back down?

"Let's check it out from a little closer then," Lucius decided, quickly disappearing into the forest.

Even after a week of training, I was nowhere near capable of moving through the bushes and branches as quickly as he did. I was getting there, but I still had a long way to go.

"It has a lot of small fries," Lucius said the moment I finally managed to catch up to his vantage spot. While I was breathing heavily, he stared down at the nest with a strange glint in his eye. "They are weak... but there is a lot of them," he said, looking at me with curiosity in his eyes.

"I'm still down to do it," I quickly replied, not showing even a hint of satisfaction.

I didn't need to see Mia's face when she would receive the benefits. I didn't even need to know if she was aware of how hard I would have to work to get them to her. As long as she could live an easy life, even without knowing how I would be satisfied.

This was my way of repaying her for how I treated her in the spur of a moment back at the Skyladder sect.

"Our normal methods won't work on it," Lucius said, lowering the center of his weight as he leaned a bit closer to get a better look.

'I oriented myself on precise strikes... But I should still be able to execute the rapid attacks that the pathfinder taught me,' I thought, using the moment of break to regain my breath.

"Okay then, how about you act as a distraction?" Lucius suggested, turning his eyes towards my face.

"What exactly do you mean?" I asked. Back a bit more than a week ago, I would be sure that he was setting me up. But now, I simply wanted to know the details of the plan.

"Pull as many of the monsters away. Attack their nest first and then just run towards a favorable position," Lucius said before turning silent for a moment. "That small clearing we passed a moment ago should suffice," he added.

It was actually a good place to plant an ambush. In an open space, I could make full use of the advantages that spear gave me. What's more, I would get the chance to see Lucius fighting for real for the first time!

For me, this was the perfect plan in all sorts of ways!

"I will finish all the monsters that will be left in the nest and then rush to help you out," Lucius finished his idea. "Any suggestions?" he asked.

That was another thing that changed during our hunting time. Initially, Lucius was the one doing all the planning and decision-making. But since a while ago, he would actively seek out my input.

'I guess it's more to train me than to get a better idea,' I thought before shaking my head.

"You are far more experienced than I am," I said. "This one is going to be pretty dangerous, so I won't put my pride above our safety," I explained my reason for denying his question.

"Let's not waste time, then," Lucius said, stretching his arms to prepare for what was about to come. "I will rush in once you pull the monsters away, " he instructed. "Go!"

There was no need for any further words. With the spear in my hand, I dropped in from our spot. This time, I didn't bother hiding my tracks. Since the aim was to lure the monsters out, there was nothing wrong with alerting them about my presence.

I rushed in towards the nest. Yet, just as I got into its vincity, the first group of monsters rushed to stop me.

Just like with animals or humans themselves, the strong individuals would group up to defend the nest. As such, I wasn't arrogant enough to believe I was a match for those monsters.

For one or two, maybe even three at once, I could still try my best. But against a group of seven that I could notice and several more that surely would slip under my radar?

Challenging them would be suicide.

Still, I threw my spear forward, driving my mana through it. With how weak those rabbit-like monsters were, I managed to score a kill. Yet, before I could even execute my rapid stabs, I already had to turn tail and run.

If I were to be a single second late, those damned monsters would already close their encirclement, foiling our plan right in its bud!

I turned around and turned tail. In an instant, enraged by the loss of one of their own, the monsters rushed after me, set on taking revenge. Or rather, that's how I pictured the situation from my human point of view.

Whatever prompted those monsters to chase after me, I didn't really know.

But I didn't really care either.

'All according to the plan,' I thought, fighting off the desire to snap a random branch and act as if I was lighting up a cigar. Unfortunately, there was no time for such antics in the mad rush of my current escape.