Chapter 85: Abandoned

"Mia." A tall young man carrying a two handed heavy sword stopped. "We’re changing the route."

The temporary six person team had already been in the ecological zone for more than twenty minutes.

They had originally agreed to take the outer perimeter, first accumulating screening points by hunting low level magical beasts, then deciding based on circumstances whether to approach the mana core badge area.

But less than ten minutes after the screening began, one of the members heard a piece of news from other students: someone might have already discovered the mana fluctuation left by a mana core badge in the central area.

No one knew whether it was true or false, but this news alone was enough to change several people’s minds.

"We’re preparing to go to the central rock valley," the captain continued. "If the news is true, the later we go, the less chance we have."

Mia looked at the map. "There are at least level fifteen magical beasts active there."

"That’s why the six of us are going together."

"I’m only level eight."

"..."

The others suddenly fell silent for a moment, because that was exactly the problem.

Before entering the outer area, being level eight actually did not matter. With six people dealing with magical beasts around level ten, having one more support was better than having one less.

But once they went to fight for a mana core badge, it was completely different.

A short haired girl in the team finally spoke. "Mia, how about you keep taking the original outer route?"

Her words were still relatively tactful, and Mia understood as well. She was not asking Mia to help scout. They simply were not planning to take her along.

The captain clearly looked a little awkward. "It’s not that we think you’re useless. It’s just that the central area is more dangerous. If we really run into another team fighting over the badge, we might not be able to look after you."

Mia looked down at the map. She was not angry, nor did she say anything like, "I won’t drag you down."

She only asked, "The two horned rabbits we killed together earlier, how are the points split?"

The captain was stunned for a moment. "Split evenly, as previously agreed."

"And the materials?"

"Your share goes to you."

"Okay."

Just like that?

The others clearly had not expected her to accept so readily. Mia took her portion from the team’s public material bag, then put the map away again.

"Then I’ll take the outer route."

The short haired girl seemed a little embarrassed. "Are you okay alone?"

"My level was low to begin with." Mia fastened her short staff again. "It’s safer to go where there are fewer people."

After saying that, she really turned and left.

In the monitoring area, Victor watched this scene. "Her personality is not bad either."

Cecilia had already, at some point, diverted part of her attention from Leah’s side. "Being driven out by the team is not bad?"

"At least she knows her own strength," Victor said. "If a level eight insists on following a group of level teens into the central area to fight for a badge, that would be stupid."

So called courage and seeking death were two different things.

What truly made Victor pay attention was that Mia had shown no obvious emotional fluctuation from beginning to end when her teammates changed the plan.

She seemed long accustomed to being the weakest one in the team.

For a seventeen year old student, this was not necessarily a good thing, but at least it had taught her caution.

The six person team became five and accelerated toward the central rock valley, while Mia did exactly what she had just said and turned toward the outer perimeter of the ecological zone.

She even deliberately avoided several high value resource points marked on the map, because those places were the easiest places to encounter other students.

Fifteen minutes later, there was no longer anyone else in sight. Only forest, moist soil, and the occasional sound of magical beasts in the distance.

Mia visibly let out a breath of relief. However even before she could take another step she encountered the first magical beast she truly had to face alone today.

Behind the bushes, a wild boar covered in dark brown bristles slowly walked out, with two tusks curving outward and its front hooves constantly pawing at the ground.

[Iron Toothed Wild Boar]

From its size, it was at least fully grown.

The young girl gripped her short staff tightly and held her ground, because the distance was too close, and turning now would only expose her back.

The Iron Toothed Wild Boar lowered its head.

Charge!

Boom!

Mud exploded as it suddenly dashed forward!

Mia quickly moved to the left. She was not a speed type profession, so her dodge was not graceful, and she even visibly stumbled because her combat boots stepped into wet mud.

But she had moved ahead of time, and the boar’s tusks brushed past the corner of her clothes.

"Mana Bullet!"

Three of the most basic blue mana bullets shot out in succession.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

All three hit its back, but the Iron Toothed Wild Boar’s bristles were only blasted apart in a small patch, and the damage was very low.

The girl’s expression did not change. She turned and continued to widen the distance.

The Iron Toothed Wild Boar charged again, still to the left, and Mia avoided it ahead of time again.

The boar seemed to think she had only gotten lucky and charged again, its jaws wide open as it tried to clamp down on her, but the girl dodged yet again!

Growl!

It was now agitated!

In front of the monitoring image, Victor’s gaze gradually changed.

"What is she doing?"

Cecilia noticed it too, because the first time could be called luck, the second time could be called experience, but three times in a row...

A level eight freshman, clearly lacking true combat ability, was somehow able to choose the correct direction ahead of time every time before the Iron Toothed Wild Boar completed its charge.

It was not a fast reaction, since her agility was clearly not that exaggerated.

It was that before the magical beast acted, she already knew where the attack would come from.