Good Deed

It was the same routine as last time. All the students gathered at the city gate, where they were split into three separate groups, each assigned to a different hunting area. Every group would hunt in the same region for a month before rotating, and Ray's group was once again heading to the forest.

When they all met up, Ray noticed that everyone's equipment had improved. Gary, Monk, Kyle, and Ian had upgraded to basic-tier beast equipment, leaving behind their standard gear. Slyvia, on the other hand, had opted to use her own intermediate shield instead of the Voli bear crystal that Ray had given her.

He didn't mind. He had given it to her as a thank-you for helping him, and she was free to do as she pleased with it.

As they walked toward the forest, Ray's roommates kept approaching him with gratitude.

"Ray, I can't believe what you did. Thank you," Monk said sincerely.

"You're the best!" Kyle added enthusiastically.

Gary smirked, slapping Ray on the back. "I knew you had a caring side."

"When I can, I'll pay you back," Big Ian promised.

Ray was completely baffled by their reactions. Looking over, he noticed Martha and Slyvia giggling. He approached them, suspecting they knew what was going on.

"Look at the big softie coming over," Martha teased before walking ahead, leaving Ray alone with Slyvia.

"So, I'm guessing this has something to do with you?" Ray asked.

Slyvia smiled. "Remember that Voli crystal you gave me? I decided to sell it. I already had a good shield, so I didn't need another one. I used the money to help out the whole group."

"Okay, but why are they thanking me?"

"Because it was your crystal, duh. It was Martha's idea to tell them it was a gift from you and that you were too shy to say anything."

Ray fell silent, processing the situation. He wasn't annoyed—Slyvia was free to do whatever she wanted with the crystal—but the awkwardness of receiving gratitude for a deed he hadn't actually intended was unexpected. However, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps he could use this favor to his advantage in the future.

Slyvia mistook his silence for anger. "You're not mad, are you?"

Ray shook his head. "No, you're the leader, and you're looking out for your group. It was the right decision to make you the leader. I would have never thought to do something like that."

Slyvia's face turned red as she quickly hurried ahead of the group.

Just then, Gary bumped into Ray with a knowing smirk. "Hey, tell me… there isn't something going on between you and Slyvia, is there?"

"What do you mean by going on?" Ray asked, confused.

Gary sighed. "Forget it, man. You're denser than a plank of wood. Just don't forget about my sister, okay?"

Gary's sister, Amy, had been the first person who hadn't treated Ray like a monster. She was currently studying at Roland Academy. Thinking about it now, Ray realized that Slyvia reminded him a lot of Amy. He wondered how she was doing.

After an hour of walking, they finally reached the entrance of the forest. Ray wished he could use Noir to scout ahead, but that wasn't an option in this scenario.

The process was much smoother this time. Everyone already knew their groups, and there was no need for a long speech. Lancy simply announced the time they were expected to return, and they set off.

However, just like last time, Lancy gave Ray a sinister stare as he passed by.

The group entered the forest and immediately set to work, cutting down the bugs that attacked them. This time, it was much easier, and Gary was in peak condition. After collecting around ten basic crystals each, the group was starting to get bored.

"This is too easy, man!" Gary shouted, effortlessly slashing a dragonfly out of the air.

"Well, what do you guys want to do?" Slyvia asked.

Ray had activated his Dragon Eyes when they entered the forest, scouting out the area. He had spotted several locations where groups of intermediate-tier beasts were gathered. Initially, he had hesitated to engage them, unsure if they were strong enough. But after fighting the Voli bear, he felt confident that they could handle it, especially as a team.

He stepped forward. "If I can make a suggestion—last time, I spotted a group of intermediate-tier beasts while scouting. I didn't say anything then because I wasn't sure if we were strong enough, but I can lead the way if you want."

"Hmm, it might be risky," Slyvia considered.

"Oh, come on, Slyvia. If there's any trouble, we can just run back. Plus, you have the whistle, remember?" Gary pointed out.

"Okay, let's take a vote. All those in favor, raise your hand."

Every hand in the group went up.

"Well, I guess that's a yes, then."

With Ray assuming the role of leader and Martha covering the rear, they navigated through the dense forest, moving toward the red auras he had detected earlier. After about fifteen minutes, they neared their destination. Ray raised his fist, signaling everyone to stop. Crouching behind thick foliage, they listened carefully to an ominous hum—large wings beating through the air.

Peering through the undergrowth, they spotted a swarm of ten giant Hercules beetles. Unlike the massive ladybugs they had encountered before, these beetles boasted two powerful pincers protruding from their mouths. Despite their enormous size, they maneuvered through the air with remarkable agility and speed.

Dan hesitated. "Are you sure these are only intermediate-tier?"

Their auras confirmed it, though Ray understood why Dan was uncertain. The beetles certainly looked more formidable than what they had faced before.

Slyvia noticed Ray's lack of concern and quickly chided him. "Don't underestimate your enemy, especially bugs. They might be smaller than other creatures, but they make up for it in strength, speed, or even poison."

For safety, they decided to split into pairs, with each pair taking on two beetles. Ray and Gary, trusting their combined strength, volunteered to fight four instead.

The pairs were assigned: Dan and Slyvia, Martha and Monk, Ian and Kyle, with Ray and Gary tackling the biggest challenge.

Still crouched, Slyvia studied the beetles' movement patterns. She waited for an opening, watching the swarm shift. When she saw a gap in their formation, she shouted:

"Now!"