Chapter 73: Operation Iron Guard! No One Enters My Jungle!

The scorched earth of the nest was still smoldering with black smoke.

The air remained thick with the lingering scent of surging magic.

“Next.”

Romu clapped his hands and turned back to look at Keshia and her two companions.

The three of them stared with wide eyes, either completely dazed or intensely wary.

“What are you standing there for?”

“Before the 6:00 PM refresh time, pull the monsters out from these two nests as well.”

Romu pointed to a few spots on the map.

Those two red dots represented the nests of two other Tier 4 magical beasts, located closer to the entrance of this basin.

“You… you want to do it again?”

Keshia’s voice was trembling.

She felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat.

“Please, sixty credits just for running a few steps!”

Romu reminded her.

“If you don’t want to do it, you can leave right now. The contract will reclaim the advance payment, plus triple the penalty for breach of contract.”

“Oh my, it looks like someone might have to drop out of school with negative credits!”

“No… that’s not it…”

Keshia was on the verge of tears.

“Boss, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s just… is this really going to work?”

“Don’t be afraid. Why would I ever trick you?”

Romu smiled, but it made Keshia shudder. “Boss, don’t be like that. You’re making me even more scared.”

“Sigh… there’s no need for that. Aren’t we friends?”

Patting Keshia on the shoulder, Romu’s tone softened slightly.

“Look, didn’t you come out completely unscathed just now?”

“You might not believe me, but you have to believe in your own legs.”

Keshia looked at Romu’s face; there wasn’t a hint of a joke on it.

She knew she had no choice.

“I… I understand.”

“Very good.”

Romu withdrew his hand and didn’t spare them another glance.

“We’re going in.”

He spoke to Karenina and Mio Ibuki.

“We need to be efficient. Clear out all the internal nests.”

“Yes.”

Karenina and Mio Ibuki nodded. There was no longer any doubt in their eyes, only the intent to execute the plan.

The four-person team headed deeper into the basin.

Annie’s figure flickered in the shadows for a moment before she followed.

Only Keshia’s trio remained in place, stunned in the wind.

“She… he’s a devil…” Fanny hugged her arms, her teeth chattering.

“But he really gives so much,” Lyfe whispered.

Keshia took a deep breath and clenched her fists.

“Let’s do it!”

“It’s just running, isn’t it? Anyone can do that!”

***

Inside the basin.

The Top Team displayed a terrifying level of clearing efficiency.

“Front left, Tier 3 Wind Wolf. An Ice Spear and Earth Spike combo will one-shot it. The core is located below the third rib of the abdomen.”

Romu observed the battlefield, “educating” his teammates on the most effective ways to fight these magical beasts.

As soon as he finished speaking.

A card flashed in Karenina’s hand, and a path of frost instantly spread beneath the Wind Wolf’s feet, drastically reducing its speed.

Mio Ibuki’s blade left its sheath, parrying the Wind Wolf’s sharp claws. The massive impact forced her back half a step, but she used that momentum to sidestep.

*Shing!*

A precise counterattack sent her blade slicing through the Wind Wolf’s side, cutting deep into its weakness and unleashing a large spray of blood.

“No wonder you chose these skills. Compared to attacking proactively, this is indeed much more time-efficient.”

Having been accustomed to the way of the warrior, Mio Ibuki felt a flicker of amazement in her eyes as she suddenly experienced this unconventional style of combat.

*Puchi.*

The Wind Wolf’s wail caught in its throat as its massive body crashed to the ground, dissipating into mana particles.

In its place, a small fragment of an object remained.

[Obtained Tier 3 Relic x1]

“Next.”

Stowing the support cards, Romu glanced at the total tier count of the Relics on his terminal.

[Current Total Tiers: 7]

Including the Relics dropped by the two Tier 4 magical beasts they had just killed, the efficiency was staggering.

It looked impressive, but what was it really?

This was just basic fundamental skill from the game.

It wasn’t that Romu was incredibly good at “conquering” this game.

It was just that by looking at the bestiary and clicking on the weak points, one could obtain a tiny bit of premium currency items.

The “mosquito leg” scraps that whales looked down upon were a grand imperial feast in the eyes of a free-to-play player!

Time passed minute by minute.

Dusk arrived.

The nests inside the entire basin had been completely cleared out by the Top Team.

Romu glanced at the time.

The hand was about to point to six o’clock.

He led his team members back to the top of the cliff.

In the distance, Keshia’s figure appeared once again.

Behind her followed two massive Tier 4 magical beasts, letting out earth-shaking roars.

“Roar—!!!”

Keshia scrambled toward the designated location, her speed even faster than it had been at noon.

The will to survive could stimulate all of one’s potential.

*Dong—*

The academy bell rang once more.

The pursuing magical beasts paused, turning into motes of light and disappearing.

At the entrance of the nests where they had originally resided, two identical magical beasts respawned.

“Repeat the operation.”

Romu ordered.

The evening lure was just as smooth as the one at noon.

While Karenina and Mio Ibuki cleared the lower-tier nests, Romu and Annie coordinated to pull the mobs and stack them.

Under the effect of sufficient mana recovery potions and recovery-type alchemy cards, Romu used the “Dragon Flame Spell” card twice.

In a single day, several Tier 3 and Tier 4 Relics had been secured.

[Current Total Tiers: 27]

Looking at this number, Romu was very satisfied.

The goal for the first day was more or less accomplished.

Night fell.

Keshia’s trio was exhausted, looking like three dead dogs slumped on the ground, unable to move.

They had completed the third and final luring mission of the day.

At this moment, at the entrance of the basin.

Two nests and six Tier 4 magical beasts radiating powerful auras were wandering aimlessly.

They had completely blocked the only path into this rich basin.

Anyone wanting to enter would have to face a simultaneous siege from six Tier 4 magical beasts.

“Alright, your mission for today is complete.”

Romu transferred one-third of the promised credits to Keshia.

“We continue tomorrow.”

“Boss… we’re doing this tomorrow too?” Keshia wanted to cry but had no tears left.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

Romu smiled.

“My farm has only just been set up.”

He glanced into the distance at the Mid-tier Monster Zone, which was currently bustling with activity. Romu felt a sense of relief now.

Judging by the commotion, those muscle-brained meatheads should be arriving soon.

But they want to interfere with my farming and point-scoring?

Go talk to my three sets of “Big Wilds” guarding the gate first!

***

Meanwhile.

Below the cliff at the entrance to the basin.

“Hah… hah…”

Lilith held her knees, breathing heavily, sweat soaking through her fiery red hair.

The dense scratches on her armor were proof of a whole day of relentless fighting without rest.

The team members behind her were even more disheveled, having nearly exhausted all their mana.

It had taken them the entire afternoon to get from the entrance to this point.

They had cleared over thirty low-level monster nests.

The price paid was that the entire team’s mana was hitting rock bottom, and their alchemy cards were mostly consumed.

Yet the Relics they had obtained totaled less than twenty tiers.

“How… how many recovery potions do we have left?”

One team member asked weakly.

“Not enough, really not enough. This assessment is three days long; we have to manage the daily rations…”

The alchemist in the team was wheezing like a dying dog.

“Tangling with low-level monsters is just a waste of time!”

Lilith stared fixedly ahead.

Past this final stretch of jungle was the High-tier Monster Zone.

The place where that shocking burst of energy had erupted.

Cavneir… the Top Team…

They had to be there!

“Rest for five minutes, then charge with me!”

Lilith grit her teeth, forcibly squeezing out the last bit of strength in her body.

“As long as we rush through the area between these two groups of nests, we can find a place to camp in the High-tier Monster Zone!”