CHAPTER 193: FIRST TASK

Adam and his four companions stood at the edge of the great forest. They stood just outside the massive south gate that separated the manicured grounds of the Academy from the untamed wilderness beyond.

They all looked towards the dark woods that lay before them. The air here was different. It was cooler filled with the smell of damp earth and ancient trees.

Then Kado spoke. He broke the silence. "This is our first mission together," he said. "Have you made any strategy beforehand?" Kado said this looking directly at Adam. He was the leader after all.

Hearing Kado’s practical question Adam said in his mind All these things the bet the team selection happened so quickly that I didn’t have any time to make any detailed strategy. But I have full faith in my own power. That is all the strategy I need.

Then Adam moved forward without saying anything more. And while moving forward towards the entrance of the forest he said "We will make a new strategy as soon as the danger comes in front of us. We will adapt." Saying this as soon as he stepped through the gate and into the forest seeing this Void Kado Ryan and Robin also looked at each other.

They nodded their heads and moved forward. Then they also entered the forest following close behind Adam.

Adam looked around. He saw that this forest was very dense. The trees grew very close together their branches creating a thick canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight. And there was no clear place to walk here. The initial path into the forest was made by the Academy. It was a well-worn dirt trail.

But after going a little further into the woods the path leading deeper into the forest was completely closed off. It was overgrown with thick bushes and fallen trees. Seeing this Adam understood that now they would have to go ahead on their own. They would have to make their own path.

Then Adam reached into his pocket. He took out the initial batch of mission slips that he had taken from the green board. And after taking out these slips he looked at the details that were written on them. It described the missions they had to complete. At this time there were five F-rank mission slips in Adam’s hand.

And these five slips of paper all pointed to a specific type of mission. It was a gathering quest to find a special plant. Each of the five slips had a picture of a different type of plant on it. Adam looked at the detailed drawings of the five plants on the slips. And the details of the plants their habitats their uses were also written there.

As soon as Adam saw the five plants and also checked their price range the points they were worth he understood that these five plants were used as some kind of alchemical ingredient.

The market value of all these plants is quite high because they are found in this forest only and only a few magical scholars can work on them, that is why their demand is not as high in the academy as it is outside.

And Adam already knew this when he was present in his kingdom that such plants are not found there and very few magical scholars are present in Adam’s kingdom.

But Adam was not bothered by this. Usually this type of mission did not take much time to complete. Although Adam already had less time.

Because he had been in Eric’s body for a long time. And he could not always keep Eric’s body under his control. He could only occupy Eric’s body for a little while longer before he had to return to his own internal domain.

Then Adam turned back. He handed those five F-rank mission slips to each of his team members. Void Kado Ryan and Robin each took one slip. Void took two slips without a word.

Then Adam looking at those four members said "I will instruct you beforehand. You have to complete all of these missions. You have one hour to complete all of these missions. I will go and complete the rest of the missions myself." Adam then took out the remaining mission slips he had taken from the board.

Those slips were also of F rank. The team had their first task.

Saying this, Adam turned and started to leave. He was ready to begin his own part of the mission. But then Robin suddenly shouted, "Wait!" Hearing his urgent cry, Adam turned around. All the other members of the team—Void, Kado, and Ryan—also looked at Robin in surprise.

Then Robin raised his hand, his finger pointing back the way they had just come. "There is something wrong here," he said, his voice filled with a new and sudden anxiety. "Look."

Hearing Robin’s words, Adam and everyone else present there looked in the direction of Robin’s pointing finger. They all saw that the path Adam’s group had just come from, the narrow trail they had followed into this part of the forest, had completely disappeared. Where there had been a clear path a moment ago, there was now just a dense wall of trees and thick undergrowth.

Seeing this, Adam was genuinely surprised. He moved a little forward. He reached out and touched the rough bark of the trees with his hand. He thought to himself, I am absolutely sure these trees were not here before. I remember this spot clearly. Then how did these trees suddenly appear here?

Then Void also came up behind Adam. He stretched out his hand towards one of the other trees and touched it. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the magical energy that was present in the wood. Then, without looking at Adam, he said, "Every tree present here, every plant, is changing with time. This forest is alive."

Adam was not looking at Void. But he understood Void’s words perfectly. Because he was also feeling it now that he was paying attention. As soon as Adam focused his senses a little, he saw that slowly, almost imperceptibly, every branch, every other tree around them was changing its position. The forest was a living, breathing labyrinth. And it was trying to trap them.

It was as if this entire forest was alive. The very ground seemed to shift beneath their feet. Then Kado stepped forward. He looked at Adam and Void. His earlier bravado was gone replaced by a grim seriousness.

Adam will have to find some solution to the problem that he is facing today, otherwise his mission will not be accomplished and along with that, the plan he has set will also be lost.

"What should we do now?" he asked. "Because I have a bad feeling about this. If we separate at this time and try to complete our individual missions we might never be able to get out of this forest. We could get lost forever."

Adam understood Kado’s words. He knew that if this forest was static if it had remained in one place the missions would not have been so difficult for Adam and his team. Adam had been sure that he and his team could easily complete these 28 missions. At least that was what he had thought back in the mission building.

But now seeing the condition of this living moving forest Adam understood that it was not going to be so easy for them to complete all these missions. It was going to be a real challenge.

Adam was thinking about what to do next. He was trying to form a new strategy. Then suddenly a terrified scream came from behind them. After hearing it Adam Void and Kado immediately turned back. And they found Ryan. Ryan who did not have much magical ability was screaming. He was being pulled back completely into the dense undergrowth.

Then Adam saw that Ryan’s body was completely surrounded by thick green-colored branches. And a very large flower a monstrous carnivorous plant was fully open. And in the middle of that flower there was a mouth a gaping maw filled with sharp teeth. It was wrapping Ryan with the help of the branches. And it was about to swallow him whole.

The danger was real and immediate. The forest was not just a living labyrinth. It was a predator. And Ryan was its first victim. The test of their teamwork had just begun in the most brutal way imaginable.

And they had to act fast if they wanted to save their friend and teammate. Their first mission had just become a desperate rescue operation. They had to save Ryan from the hungry flower. And they had to do it now.

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