Chapter 71 The Mammoth Hunt P1

'So that was the reason I paused taking any missions, Eren.'

Reece said and took a long breath before saying. Her eyes were looking at Mia.

'I know it's ridiculous to be stuck on a path that wasn't in my control. Trust me, I know that. And I don't want to let my emotions cloud my path as a ranker. However, some moments in one's life just shake one up to the core. This is the one for me.

I just need some time to get back on my track.'

Reece finished what she had to say to Eren on the voice channel while they were following Mia's lead. He had been listening to her quietly without any interruptions.

Reece's voice sounded serene and calm in Eren's head. However, it was laced with sadness and disappointment. He could guess that she was disappointed in herself the most.

Eren took his time to reply.

'Reece, I know what you mean when you say some moments just get stuck in your head and affect you badly. Trust me, I do. More than you can ever imagine.

But your approach to dealing with these things is wrong. You don't wait for these moments to be forgotten or wait for yourself to get over them. You start doing something and eventually, it replaces the unpleasant memories you have.'

Eren felt a subtle mana signature in the surroundings after he finished what he had to say. He looked at Mia and found out that she had changed her direction and started moving at 3 o'clock instead of moving ahead.

Their target was near. Eren narrowed his eyes and followed Mia while discussing the matter with Reece.

'There's an old saying, Reece.

If you want to learn how to swim, just jump into the water. No frame of mind is going to help you on dry land.

Don't wait for things to get better.

Now run!'

Eren's response soothed her mind. Or to put it another way, it soothed his mind because the words came from him. Otherwise, she had been told the same thing in different ways by many rankers already.

However, his last words confused Reece who was looking at his back following him. In the next moment, she saw him executing his movement spell before seemingly disappearing from his spot.

She had lost track of where he was or what Mia was doing. Still, she subconsciously realized why Eren must have used his spell and followed his steps immediately afterward.

Roar.

Kreee!

Two distinct beastly cries sounded in the surroundings as a beast was seen running away from another beast in the Steelfield prairie. While the bear roared to show his aggression, the elephant-like giant mana beasts made a trumpet sound to convey the wrath they felt.

Eren, Mia, and Reece had become witnesses to a chase in their search for some tusks.

A Rank 1 Ironskin Bear was being chased by three Iron Trunk Honey Mammoths. His hands were covered in a thick, honey-like substance that shined with golden brilliance.

The honey the bear's hands were drenched in was special for the mammoths. It was rich in the earth element mana, making it an ideal diet choice for mammoths.

The bear had somehow managed to get his hands on the honey metaphorically and literally. From the looks of it, he wasn't ashamed of what was happening to him even after being stuck by the bees and chased by the three mammoths.

The bear was a crafty beast. It had sensed that there were other intruders in the mammoths' territory. Thus, it ran in their direction, to make them part of the conflict and lessen the burden on him.

The bear's strategy worked. Even when Eren and the rest managed to get away from the incoming bear's path, they had been forced to execute their spells. Their mana signatures were then made apparent, allowing the mammoths to detect them.

Kreee!

Two of the mammoths ran towards the trio while the remaining one pursued the bear. The bear and the mammoths in question were earth-element beasts that had their own inherent spells. They used these spells to the extent of their abilities to tackle the situation they were in.

"This fokin Ironskin bear is always up to no good. The damn beast isn't afraid to cause a ruckus, no matter where he goes.

His name should be changed to Thick Skinned Bear."

Mia complained aloud as she cast her wind-element movement spell. The element of wind was an ideal element for the movement-type spells. As such, she was a lot faster than the two. Yet, she had moderated her speed so that the duo didn't get left behind.

Two mammoths were chasing them. The prairie stretched for miles in all directions. There was no place to hide. All they could do was come up with a different plan while they were running before executing it swiftly.

Despite their large size, these mana beasts were very nimble on their feet. As the earth-element beasts, they could cast gravity-reducing spells on their bodies. As such, both the bear and the mammoth could run as fast as rankers using their movement spells.

Mia's initial plan was to find a lone mammoth and isolate it using the isolation array scroll. That way, Eren and Reece would get some real-life experience while being assured of their safety. She would only step in when things become difficult for the two.

Life happens when you are busy making plans.

Mia's plans ended up down the drain when the trio was forced to come out in the open. The isolation array scroll needed preparation. Something they couldn't do at this point.

"Eren, Reece, we need to split up. I'll head out at 10 o'clock from here while you guys go ahead. I'll handle one of the beasts chasing us while you'd have to deal with the other.

Understood? Go!"

Mia said and retrieved her Rank 1 bow artifact from her storage. She then separated from the duo and executed her movement spell to its fullest ability.

Kreee! Kreee!

Behind Eren and Reece, who looked tense, ran a series of trumpet sounds. Just as Mia had predicted, the mammoths decided to split as well.

"You talked about learning to swim by jumping right into the water. Looks like we both have to do just that."

Reece said to Eren and chuckled nervously. The latter also smiled mirthlessly before drawing his Tachi from his storage.

'How difficult can a mammoth hunt be anyway?'

Eren said to himself and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and narrowed his eyes on the beast who had also decided that the place was going to be their battleground.

Lightning. Swoosh. Connect.