Slowly standing. Tasha looked into the distance. There was wet coughing, showing that the shadow she saw flung into the distance was alive. For at least the time being.

By the time, she gathered enough energy to get out from under the minotaur. Jessica had also sat up.

She could only see out of one eye. Having taken one hit, she didn’t struggle much getting up. Not because she wasn’t hurt, she was being ignored. Without having to do anything excessive, she noticed the minotaur was getting tired.

This allowed her to think, for that period of time. Other person was fine, they were able to deal with the minotaur. Allowing her to do a sneak attack.

Seeing the minotaur collapse, she took a step to the side. Confirming her shield was in between them. Pulling out an executioner blade. A large two-handed sword she had brought. Design of which was simple, but very sharp. Forward heavy blade that allowed the blade to do most of the work.

Unsure if it would be useful, she bought it on the off chance. Having good reason to believe, her daggers might not be able to deal a quick and efficient killing blow. Now with that woman having taken its completely attention, a time had finally come to deal one heavy sneak attack, a final blow. Aiming for the neck, knowing the shield between them would stop her from harming the other.

Over estimating her strength, she fell over and landed on the back of the minotaur. It was fine, she had already confirmed the blade met resistance, even though she believed it was the spine. The anatomy shouldn’t be too far off. Even if the brain stem wasn’t hit, the creature was already on deaths' door, or at least that tired.

One massively empty-headed mistake. Something by all rights could end with the end of her life. Underestimating her enemy, it was the number one rule she followed. Well, it was the number one rule the old man drilled into her. Something she generally didn’t fail to uphold. Last of its strength, she was thrown.

With a few featured ribs before. She now had at least four broken ribs, unknown number of fractures. Having hit a rock or something, blood was running down the side of her face, blinding one eye. Bringing up an arm to wipe her eye, she very quickly realized her wrist was broken.

Before she could do a full inventory check of all the shit that went wrong to a single mistake, she looked up with a bit of unease. A woman with the sun to her back was standing in front of her. Seeing her tense appearance, she stopped five feet away.

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“Tasha.”

Blanking out for a moment, “Jessica.”

“Jessica, never do that again. I don’t want to die.”

With unhappy face, “You were dead either way. Unless you were willing to use me as an escape goat, it was the only way you would have had a chance to survive otherwise. Why did you do it?”

Tasha didn’t immediately answer. Having been part of a decent team. She was used to helping others, so if she saw someone make a mistake or do something stupid. Tasha had a tendency to right their wrongs so that it didn’t get them killed. Jessica was right, she really had no reason to speak.

Flopping down on the ground, “I broke up with my boyfriend.”

A confused look appeared on Jessica’s face, “You avoided me because you broke up with your boyfriend?”

A self-deprecating smile appeared on her face, “Pretty much. I am a support. While I am a very good support. On my own, I am pretty weak. I came out here to either prove myself or die. When I realized I didn’t want to die, I ran into you. A lone Grade E, while I have heard of lone subjugation takers, actually seeing it is something else.”

“You are also on your own.” Seemingly upset by the subject matter that seemed a bit judgy.

“I am a Grade D on a request that was sent to Grade F and Grade E. Though, I will admit your moves are sharp. Actually felt a chill from your ambush…” Hesitating slightly, “If I had tried to use you as bait to get away, the one you would have ambushed would have been me, wouldn’t it?”

Jessica didn’t answer. She had already started to treat her injuries. It was pretty obvious, so there was no point in answering. Far more productive to deal with the things that needed to be dealt with now.

Without waiting for an answer, Tasha stood up and moved a bit away. Pulling her shield out, she didn’t put it away. She only put some distance between the two before she sat down cross-legged to meditate. In terms of injuries, she was more tired than anything. Right now she needed rest, unfortunately, this wasn’t a place she could sleep. Meditation would have to do.

Neither of the two, trusted each other. Even if the two of them had just gone through life and death together. Jessica’s actions were an extension of Tasha’s, and vice versa. Once the two were able to recover some mana, they didn’t separate. Taking the horns, one for each, the two set off.

Not separating, they traveled within the same area. Jessica, not knowing the fastest way out, ended up following Tasha. From the Savanna they moved to the edges, they didn’t enter the jungle, instead moving around until they reached a rain forest that happened to be nearby.

As they moved, they traveled with a gap of ten feet between each other. While they rested, there was no discussion. As if by instinct, one would be up while the other slept. As if feeling the others gaze when they were about to sleep. They traded off. Neither of the two completely trusted the other. Therefore, they didn’t get a good night's sleep.

Their travels were thankfully uneventful. Once they reached the area outside the forbidden zone. The two separated. Tasha didn’t head straight back, she moved south. Because of this Jessica was able to get a bit of good nights sleep.

Both good and bad, unable to enter deep sleep. She didn’t have that wary feeling of someone being right next to her. A long time later, she finally saw Mercury City once again in the distance.