Half an hour ago. Inside the dense forest is filled with thick trees that almost block the sun's rays because of their leaves. Also, the tense and gloomy atmosphere filled the air. One silhouette is hiding behind the shrub while aiming its bow towards one creature.

What appears in front of the silhouette is a big monster that has the appearance of a chicken. However, its body is enormously big, unlike any normal chicken. It has a strong beak that can destroy a boulder, sharp talons that can rip steel easily, and thick fur that can shield its skin from any harm. Enjoying it's nap time. The name of the monster is Cockatrice.

It was an A-rank monster that inhabited the southeast part of the forest of monsters. Now the monster is resting, closing its eyes and lying in front of its nest. The nest was created from an elevated ground that had a dug hole in it. The monster rests its body inside while its head still protrudes outside like an ostrich. 

The silhouette who keeps aiming its bow toward the monster is a woman in the middle of thirty wearing green clothes for adventuring, her dark green wavy hair tied in the back, and her sharp eyes never to miss its target. 

“Spirit, help me kill that monster”.

[Spirit magic activated] 

[Summoning a spirit]

[Wind spirit answered the summon and is willing to assist you]

The calm and gloomy atmosphere soon turns into a chaotic one. With dead leaves on the ground now lifted, swimming in the air. The still tree began to dance and the other followed by clapping their leaves at each other made the silent atmosphere disappear from the place, replaced by the merry sound of the rustling leaves. It was all because of the appearance of the supernatural creature called spirit. 

Spirit is normally newer and wants to show their existence toward any mortal unless the spirit is already contracted or the spirit assumes that the person is likable by them. They are shy creatures. 

Well, there is an exception. Like a certain race that can communicate and be loved unconditionally. They are Elves. Because of their almost similar characteristics, like a love they have toward nature, that draws the spirit's affection, but again it also depends on the personality of the person.

Spirits are categorized as nature itself. They are born from the ancient Goddess Gaia as her last resort before she disappears, and let the spirit govern the planet in her stead. The spirit is divided into six elements that mortals know. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light and lastly Dark.

A petite girl glowing in green color floated in the air and approached Iris. It was 15 cm tall. It has four small wings on its back. Wearing clothes made from leaves that covered her important parts. 

The spirit smiled and it made contact with Iris. As if reading her mind the wind spirit nodded her head. Fly, approaching the arrow and touching it. Then the arrow glowed into a green color filled with raw mana from nature. Its surroundings were covered by a wind forming a spiral that protected the arrow inside.

With this much commotion, the cockatrice felt something unusual. Opened its eyes and realized there was a strange thing occurring near its nest. It looked at the surroundings and spotted a fissure of a lone woman who was ready with its bow. The monster is alerted, standing up from the nest and preparing to open its mouth to shout to paralyze its enemy, but it's too late.

“Arrow of Destruction”.

[Spirit magic is used]

[Nature Mana used]

Iris releases the holding of the arrow. it travels in a straight line with a match speed, before it makes an impact with the cockatrice head and blows it into smithereens. The arrow itself broke into tiny pieces after it finished its job. She opened her eyes wide seeing the spectacle before her.

[You gained 1000 Exp]

[Exp: 7550/10000]

“As I thought, it's strong. I need to train this technique more.”.

Looking at the destruction that was made and the cost she received. It was worth calling it her strongest ability with free charge. The magic earlier didn’t use any mana inside her body. It only draws raw mana from the atmosphere. 

Iris cast her gaze toward the spirit and saw it smiling before it turned transparent and vanished into thin air.

“Thank you wind spirit”. 

"Next time, I will use this power to kill that guy". Iris knitted her brows remembering a certain guy who tried to kill her back then. It doesn't mean she couldn't use this type of magic back then. In the end, because of her cautious state, and her unwillingness to show her true strength back then. Made her vulnerable and got poisoned.

A cool wind blew it caressed Iris's cheek cooling her anger and making her ponytail swayed a bit. It seems the wind spirit is also aware of Iris Heart. She smiled, pleased with what the spirit did to her. Before focusing on the task before her.

Iris approaches that cockatrice corpse and stores it inside her pouch, and her quest for the day is finished.

“Finally I finished my quest. ..it’s already noon”.

The sun already stood above her but luckily the dense forest blocked the light and her skin was safe from the heat. Iris tries to find someplace to eat her lunch but this place is out of options. So she decided she would go to a safer place where she could enjoy her lunch.

“Let's go to the east forest. I also have some business there. ..That is to hunt my dinner”.

[Physical enhancement level 5 activated]

[Mana consumed -50 per second]

[Remaining time 100 seconds]

Iris starts to run. With her enhanced foot and agile movement. She easily avoids every obstacle in her way. Iris has been used to the forest environment since she was still a Kid. It was like a playground to her. It didn’t take long before she arrived at the destination she tried to visit. 

When she arrives at the open space try to catch her breath for a moment. Suddenly she noticed someone's presence approaching her way from the side. She stopped her run and looked toward the side and the person appeared. It was a familiar person she met yesterday.

“Young master, why are you rushing like that?”.

The person was a handsome teen wearing black clothes holding a Katana on his left waist, Gasping for breath. It seems he is on the run.

“Miss Iris, why are you here?”.

Iris notices Jin's unusual state. She saw his body drenched with sweat and his face was pale, panicked written all over his face. Jin keeps looking at his back while still gasping for breath.

“What happened, young master?”.

“..Ah? No, nothing. It’s just some foolish decision I made”.

Hearing Jin's remarks, Iris's brows knitted. She sensed a multiple presence behind Jin, and it was not in the category of safe. “..There are at least fifty of them”. Iris cast her gaze toward Jin who still didn't realize what was happening. She approached Jin and demanded that he explain what was happening. 

“Young master, What did you do?”.

“..Ah, it's nothing..”.

Seeing a sharp gaze directed at him. Made Jin's entire body weak and his legs almost gave up. He sensed the same danger as he experienced inside the cave, but now it is kind of a different danger.

Jin sighs, gives up resistance and starts to tell his story. It makes Iris's brows and face turn into a raging demon. Jin’s body trembles seeing the rage on Iris's face. Iris who witnessed Jin's condition soon regained her composure, and facepalmed taking a deep breath to calm her rage.

“What have you done? Young master, Jin”.

“No, it was for my personal reason”.

“And that personal reason is?”.

“...”.

Iris, watching Jin close his mouth, didn't want to talk any longer. “Gezz, the First time I thought, he was a calm and collected boy that could judge the situation wisely, but ..he is still a kid at heart”.

Jin also began to realize what was happening behind him. sharpened his eyes and mind. Iris opened her eyes wide seeing the boy before him change his nature that fast. He is preparing to draw his blade at any moment. It seems like he was running earlier not to escape the pursuit, but to change the way he faced his problems.

It was a good decision considering he fought inside enclosed space facing that much enemy. He will just get crushed. Facing an enemy in the outside field is also a problem. Because it requires his stamina to hold on until the battle is over.

“..I can do this”.

Hearing those words that escaped Jin's mouth made Iris unconsciously extend her right hand and grab the boy's right hand. She shook her head sideways, sighing. Then started to drag Jin away from the place.

With her raw strength, she pulls Jin closer, grabs his waist, and jumps on top of the tall tree in the surrounding area. They landed on the thick branch and settled down. 

“Whoa!, what are you doing?”.

“Shh!”.

Using her left hand, she covered Jin’s mouth. to stop him from making a noise. Then a horde of goblins appeared from the shrub behind Jin earlier.

“Gyaa”.

The place soon turned into a sea of monsters. Even Iris' body is tense witnessing the phenomenon that is happening before her eyes. She turned her head, looked at Jin and witnessed the raging fire in his eyes that burned more strongly. It was different from his usual calm gaze. Now it is filled with a strong determination to kill those goblins. “Why did he have that spirit? normally facing this horde would feel the need to regroup with the other adventure. Or report it to the guild to ask for backup. Why did he try to challenge the horde alone? Is this Boy's head okay? ". Jin tried to escape his restraint but Iris put more strength in her grip, and it made their body closer than before.

“Don’t move”.

Iris whispered those words beside Jin's ear. It made his body shiver hearing her melodious voice. Jin feeling the warm and sweet scent that came from a woman drafting toward his nose made his brain paralyzed. His face is hot and a certain part of his body is standing up, but luckily it is being held down by the fabric he wears. 

Jin drowned in this situation he got in. “Her body is so soft and her scent is melting my reason away”. His body unconsciously leaned toward Iris and he felt like in heaven. His reason could be snapped anytime. Because of that, he didn’t notice that strange things also happened on Iris's side.

Iris' body stiffened feeling the warmth from the young boy who was full of vigor leaning on her. The scent of the sweat and his hard body made her face start to boil and she kept darting her eyes looking at Jin, and toward the goblin below them. 

Unfortunately for them. The goblin didn’t realize that the sweet situation happened above them. They shouted toward each other and began to scatter. 

Iris noticed that the goblin began its move. Scattering all over the place releases her hands on Jin's body and asks the boy beside him.

“..Young master? Are you alright?”.

“..Ah, so,, sorry. Yeah, I am alright. I am sorry about this”.

Jin regained his reason back. Separated himself from Iris and apologized. Cast his gaze downward, didn’t dare to look at Iris's face.  

“No, it’s okay. There is no other way if we were in that state”.

Iris also shook her hands sideways swiftly and cast her gaze down.

The awkward atmosphere filled the tree branch. The two kept casting their gaze downward. After a while, Jin also noticed that the goblins were already scattered throughout the place. and maybe this was his chance. He switched his mind fast and soon spoke. 

“ ..It seems they are scattered”.

“..Yeah, young master, is right”.

Despite Iris’s hands already leaving his body. The lingering sweet scent from it still left. it entered his nose and numbed his mind with pleasure.

“Jin! What is wrong?”.

Jin's body stiffened. He shook his head to regain his clear mind. He turned his gaze to Iris before opening his mouth.

“No, nothing. ..I think it's time to hunt them all”.

Seeing Jin who is ready to enter the battlefield. Iris spoke her mind.

“We should report this to the guild first, and ask for their cooperation regarding this situation”.

It was a natural outcome. When some adventurers encountered this level of danger. Much less a newbie who just registered as an adventurer not too long ago, But Jin had different things inside his head that pushed him to do this reckless thing.

“No, I will handle it myself. Their formation is scattered all over the place and it's easier for me that way. So..”.

“Jin!”.

Jin's body jolted hearing a calm voice beside him and he turned to look there and saw a smiling demoness.

“You know that was dangerous right? So why did you go to such a length?”. 

“..I want to become strong”.

Despite his trembling body, Jin answered Iris' question.

“..Strong. Hear me Jin becoming strong doesn’t come in this reckless way. It was..”.

“I know that I couldn’t defeat all of them alone". 

Noticing that something appeared before his eyes. Jin cuts Iris's words and decides to ask her for help to clear this situation.

"So that is why I need your help. Help me defeat all of them!”.

“...What?”.