"Baruk is a magical lizard, and 'Asha' is a dialect in some regions, meaning 'hybrid dragon' or 'dragon breed.' Oh my, we are going to face a dragon-breed magical lizard! An adult dragon-breed magical lizard is at least a level five magical beast!" Hila's knowledgeable response caused everyone to break out in a cold sweat. The Demon Dean's plan to eat the meat of an Ashabaruk meant they were fortunate if the creature didn't eat them first.
"Not level five, but level six," Elizabeth exclaimed after reading the paper. "The strongest beast on Soulbreak Slope, a level six Petrifying Magical Lizard, twenty-five meters long, immune to fire and poison, naturally capable of 'Petrification' and 'Earth Split' magic. It’s a Class A bounty in the Mercenary Guild, with a reward of 1,500 gold coins. But no mercenary group has been able to complete this task in the past five years, with at least three hundred mercenaries buried on Soulbreak Slope…"
"I want to drop out!" Tommy, the chubby boy, almost cried out.
"Good, this magical beast is my prey now!" Silver-haired Aaron snorted proudly, though his face paled slightly as he left the classroom.
Rody couldn't estimate the power of a level six magical beast, but he knew a level seven Black Dragon noble, Alfred, could almost flatten an entire valley in a fight with a nine-headed monster lord. A human Sword Emperor of level eight was beaten to the brink of death by it. Currently, the dark gold severed hand and foot from that fight were still in Rody's storage space.
Leo was agitated, unable to sit still, while even the usually stoic Benson paced around, showing his inner turmoil.
"Rody," Jill looked up at him but didn't continue. Rody understood what the shy girl wanted to say and nodded, speaking softly, "There will be a way."
"According to the information, the magical beast is exceptionally strong, and Soulbreak Slope is extremely dangerous. We need to prepare weapons, armor, and magic potions as soon as possible. Also, everyone should state their strengths and capabilities. We need to combine our talents and power to devise a winning strategy," Elizabeth encouraged. "Alone, we can't defeat a powerful level six magical beast, but together, we can defeat a formidable enemy!"
"You're right, we must work together," Ollie slammed the table and said loudly, "I'll start. I'm Ollie, skilled in heavy swordsmanship and Flame Split battle aura, a level five endurance-type great swordsman."
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"Benson, a level five defense-type great swordsman, skilled in defense, with level three 'Iron Wall' battle aura," Benson announced.
"I'm Leonard, a level four strength-type swordsman, good at assaults and heavy slashing, trained in basic 'Stone Chop' battle aura," Leo said, a bit embarrassed. "My battle aura use isn’t very skilled; I might only be able to help a little."
"My turn." Tommy stood up proudly, saying, "I, brave Thomas, am a two-star magic apprentice…"
"Get lost! A two-star magic apprentice who can't even cast a fireball, and you dare show off here?" Thief Terry kicked Tommy, laughing mockishly. "Even I, a four-star rogue and three-star junior mage, don’t dare speak up. What right do you have? Ah, help, this fatso is biting me!"
Tommy was no match for anyone else but was Terry's natural nemesis.
Rody wanted to speak, but Ollie glared at him fiercely, probably not wanting to hear him admit he was a one-star magic apprentice, as it would be demoralizing.
"I am a five-star wind mage, with minor training in water magic," Elizabeth introduced herself.
"Water mage, five stars, specializing in exorcism and poison. If anyone needs magic staff recharging, I can help," Hila smiled.
"Six-pointed star, soul mage, Remote Viewing, Petrification, Intimidation, Clamping, Mind Whip, Soul Fear..." Sonya listed a series of unfamiliar magic terms. She seemed unaware of her uniqueness, adding, "The downside is that casting each spell requires great mental power, needing several days to recover."
"I’m similar to Sonya, slow magic recovery," Jill said softly, though everyone knew she was an advanced five-star ice and fire mage.
Elizabeth listed everyone's abilities, discussed combat cooperation, and led a discussion on the best battle strategies. With agile thieves, well-balanced great swordsmen, and powerful long-range mages, they stood a chance against formidable foes. Especially Sonya—if she could unleash her full potential, the battle's outcome might exceed expectations.
Regrettably, Tommy, a two-star magic apprentice, and Rody, a one-star novice mage, couldn’t offer much help. They couldn't use battle aura or cast magic.
"You, donate a hundred gold coins for everyone's equipment!" Ollie pointed at Rody. "We all need money now… Speak up!"
"Okay." Rody, the group's little rich boy, agreed, to everyone’s joy. With a hundred gold coins for equipment, they could purchase much better gear than with their meager savings. Especially Leo, Terry, and Ollie, who were penniless and poorly equipped, with Leo lacking even armor.
"I'll also donate ten gold coins," Tommy said, reluctantly.
"Use your ten gold coins to buy some armor for yourself. We don’t expect you to fight monsters, just stay alive!" Ollie snorted. "Don't worry, it's only a temporary support. Once we kill Ashabaruk, we'll repay you!"
"Thank you so much!" Tommy rejoiced. "Those ten gold coins are my life savings. It's touching to have them compensated!"
"You'll probably never find a partner…" Terry's comment was cut short as Tommy furiously pounced on him, shouting, "What did you say? Marrying a beauty is my life's goal! How dare you shatter my dreams? I'll kill you!"
A breeze blew by, revealing that everyone else had already left Tommy and Terry alone.
The two stared at each other, speechless.
"Rody," Jill caught up, whispering, "Ollie just wanted you to contribute too. She didn't mean any harm."
"It's okay." Rody smiled softly. "She's right. As a member of the class, I should contribute."
"Brother, where's my windmill?" A cute child ran up, extending her hands and cheerfully asking, "Is my windmill ready? Let me see, show me!"
"Ah..." Rody realized he had forgotten about it.