Setting out from here, a half-hour's walk will bring us to a decent resting spot. The Flame Scorpions and Crimson Snow Bats are active during the early morning, so we must make do here for the night," Rand informed the group.

"No problem," Ral was the first to respond.

The others nodded in agreement, while Asheburn and Lena whispered to each other at the back, punctuated by Lena's occasional giggles.

"Although this area is still under Elgreen's jurisdiction, the native creatures of Geocore Lake are not limited to these two types of enchanted beings. Some low-intelligence creatures might also cause trouble, so..." Rand's gaze shifted to Freya, the implication clear.

"Understood," Freya nodded slightly, meeting Rand's eyes.

As the designated scout, tasks of reconnaissance and vigilance naturally fell to her.

"Alright then, let's set off," Rand smiled.

At his words, Freya immediately moved towards the forest path, disappearing from sight within moments.

Watching her vanish, Ral approached Rand with a peculiar grin, "Are you interested in this second-tier apprentice with no background? Though she's taciturn, she's quite attractive. You've got a keen eye."

"What? Rand, do you have a girlfriend?" Nick's interest was piqued by Ral's comment.

Rolling his eyes at his two mischievous friends, Rand retorted, "What are you talking about? Freya isn't my type. I invited her because of her potential, hoping to recruit her into the family. Stop making baseless guesses."

"She's still just a second-tier. Oh, right, I remember you mentioning your type before..." Ral glanced subtly at Lena, who was not far behind, a faint smile on his lips.

Ral's expression left Rand speechless.

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Laney, who had been silent, looked into the distance and said softly, "Freya may not be a simple second-tier apprentice..."

The abrupt comment left the three boys momentarily puzzled, unsure of Laney's meaning.

"What... do you mean?" Ral frowned slightly, looking at Laney with a perplexed expression.

But Laney lowered his head again without further explanation, leaving the three boys to continue their journey in silence.

In the dense forest, Freya moved swiftly along the path's edge, her cross-sword already drawn and stained with fresh red marks, indicating a recent encounter.

She had no qualms about the task Rand assigned her. Meditation could enhance physical attributes to an extent, but it primarily focused on the brain. Thus, most wizards, despite having decent physiques, still specialized in long-range spellcasting.

Freya was a rare exception, possessing both a knight's formidable physical strength and a wizard's potential. Most believed one had to specialize to achieve greatness, yet Freya combined both, advancing steadily, an uncommon feat.

Rand valued this unique aspect, seeking to recruit her for the family. Unbeknownst to him, Freya's dual capability stemmed from her highly developed brain. Without such a gift, balancing both paths would be impossible.

As she moved, ever vigilant, she understood that scouting involved not only reconnaissance but also eliminating manageable threats. The area near Geocore Lake harbored few enchanted creatures, but they were not absent.

With her imminent breakthrough to Grand Knight and her spellcasting ability, low-tier enchanted creatures stood no chance against her.

Encircled by a blue aura, her speed reached astonishing levels. She believed even a third-tier apprentice would struggle against her.

Soon, a large bear with crimson fur appeared in her sight, feasting on a hunter's corpse, his neck grotesquely twisted and torn.

"A Berserk Mountain Bear?" Freya narrowed her eyes, recognizing the beast. Normally, these bears had black fur and were merely strong animals, but this one bore traces of fire element energy.

"Perhaps it mutated due to energy pollution," she mused.

In areas with high wizard presence, ambient energy particles were more active, often causing mutations in certain creatures. Ordinary people, however, suffered adverse effects, similar to Freya's past use of enchanted items, leading to illness and death without a wizard's intervention.

Seeing the mutated bear, Freya deduced it was indeed a result of such mutation.

The corpse was fresh, and the bear, still feeding, showed no intent to leave. Freya, initially planning a direct attack, hesitated. She had outpaced her group by seven to eight minutes.

Deciding to test a new spell, she sheathed her sword and drew a dagger strapped to her leg, its blade turning red-hot with a touch of her finger.

"Perfect, a chance to test my new spell," she murmured.

The bear, alerted by the sound, stood on its hind legs and roared in her direction.