MTLNOVEL Chapter 65: Chapter 62
With a well-prepared map in hand and precise marks indicating beast locations, Yuna and the combat team had a much easier time compared to other students who blindly wandered into the academy's vast forest, hoping to stumble upon prey.
Yuna often called her classmates weak chickens, but she was well aware that the label was mostly her own personal grumbling. Objectively speaking, these students had passed the academy's rigorous admission trials. They weren't incompetent—they just lacked proper equipment, training, and structure. And, well… Yuna had taken it upon herself to fix that, whether she liked it or not.
She won't need to personally manage competent people! You know!
Following the mapped-out route, the team advanced through the dense forest. The tall trees filtered the light into dappled shadows, the scent of damp earth and wild greenery filling the air. Along the way, Yuna, who had picked up decent knowledge of herbs and spices from the apothecary students as well her own personal knowledge after coming to this world, pointed out various plants.
"Pick that one—no, not that—that. The one with serrated leaves. It's a good anti-inflammatory."
"Wait, this one?" One of the students squinted at the plant. "How do you even know that?"
"Because unlike you, I actually listen when people talk," Yuna deadpanned.
"Rude."
Nevertheless, they followed her instructions. Some students plucked herbs for medicinal use, while others collected edible wild greens. Though their main objective was hunting, it was a waste to leave valuable materials behind.
Yuna, however, let out a quiet sigh. Even now, she couldn't stop thinking about system improvement. The combat group shouldn't be out here alone—next time, an apothecary student should come along to properly identify materials, and an intelligence group member should help analyze new beast behaviors. If she could set up a workflow where everyone worked together efficiently, she wouldn't have to babysit them forever.
One step at a time, Yuna told herself.
The first stop was a hunting ground where the intelligence group had deduced a high likelihood of boar-like beasts gathering. Sure enough, within minutes of searching, they found a herd.
Unlike their usual chaotic and disorganized approach, the students moved with surprising coordination.
"Alright, just like we discussed," One of the boys murmured, gripping his crude spear. "We lure a few away, then corner them."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Another student whispered, rolling his eyes. "You're not the only one who was paying attention."
The plan was simple: one student would serve as bait, provoking the beasts, while the rest of the team waited in ambush. As soon as the first boar charged, the designated bait—who looked far too excited about this role—turned on his heel and sprinted toward the ambush point.
Three more boars followed.
"Alright, get ready!"
The team was mostly prepared. Their weapons, however, were another matter entirely.
Most students wielded whatever they could scavenge—crude wooden spears, rusted daggers, and even a few sticks that had been sharpened to a point. The lack of proper weapons made every encounter more dangerous than it needed to be. If not for their teamwork and preparation, they wouldn't stand a chance.
But the plan worked.
As the lured boars thundered toward them, the team struck from the sides, cutting off their escape. A mix of crude weapons and elemental attacks took them down. The moment the last boar collapsed, panting and stunned, Yuna wordlessly tossed a storage bag at one of the students.
"Put them inside and let's move."
The students exchanged glances before breaking into triumphant grins.
"Hell yeah! First hunt, success!"
"Damn, we're actually not bad."
"Class leader. Are you impressed?"
In a school where not even the shadow of a teacher could be seen outside of class time, Yuna's mature demeanor and composed presence unconsciously made her classmates seek her praise and recognition—just as children instinctively look to parents or teachers for approval when they achieve something.
"Hmm…" Yuna replied flatly, though she was mildly surprised. Maybe they weren't such weak chickens after all.
The students smiled widely at her short response.
With the boars secured, they moved toward their next target—a much tougher opponent.
Unlike the boars, this beast was solitary, which immediately made Yuna feel conflicted.
Hunting herd-based creatures like boars? No problem. They multiplied too fast anyway. But solitary beasts were different. Killing them recklessly could lead to population decline, and eventually, extinction.
And Yuna, self-righteous hypocrite that she was, hated the idea of contributing to that.
She knew how she sounded.
She knew she was probably being ridiculous, considering she had no problem letting the combat group kill boars just an hour ago. But she didn't care.
She'd seen what happened when people mindlessly hunted animals to extinction in her previous life. It disgusted her then, and it disgusted her now.
So she made a decision.
Instead of killing the beast, they would sedate it and only take what could be naturally replenished—its regrowable tail, some of its venom, and a few scales. Its bones and hide were incredibly valuable, but stripping those meant killing it, which Yuna refused to allow.
Of course, the students hesitated at first.
"Are we really just gonna let it go?" One boy asked. "Wouldn't it be better to take it down completely?"
"I could let you do that," Yuna mused, arms crossed. "But let's think long term. What happens if we wipe out these creatures?"
"…We'd have fewer materials?"
"And then?"
"…They go extinct?"
"Exactly." Yuna gestured dramatically. "And then what? You think magical beasts just respawn like game monsters? No. You kill too many, and poof—gone forever. Then we'll have to find something else to replace them, which will be way harder and way more expensive."
The students blinked.
Then, slowly, their expressions shifted from doubt to realization.
"…Wait, that actually makes sense."
"Yeah. No beast means no materials. That would be annoying."
"Fine, fine. You win, Yuna."
Brainwashing successful. Youngster are always so easy to deceived.
With the team now convinced, they prepared the sedative.
The paralysis potion had been created using the fluid of a sentient plant from the academy garden—one that could immobilize prey with its secretion. Extracting it had been an ordeal, as the plants actively resisted being harvested, but the alchemist students had managed to outsmart them.
Now, that hard-earned sedative would be put to use.
As the beast came into view—a sleek, reptilian creature with shimmering silver scales—the students readied themselves. The plan was simple:
One student would fire a ranged attack to provoke it. The moment it lunged, another student would coat a weapon with the paralysis fluid and strike a non-lethal blow. Once the sedative took effect, they would harvest what they needed and leave.
It was a risk.
But compared to the other groups, who had to blindly stumble into fights with no strategy, Yuna's team had an advantage.
They had preparation.
The team crouched low behind the dense underbrush, eyes locked on the solitary beast resting beneath the shade of an ancient, moss-covered tree. The creature was sleek and powerful, its dark scales glistening faintly in the dappled sunlight. Its long, muscular tail curled around its body, the faint rise and fall of its chest indicating its steady breathing.
It was a rare beast, the kind that didn't move in herds or flocks but instead roamed alone. Yuna didn't particularly like the idea of hunting a solitary creature for its body materials, but the reality was that some of its parts were incredibly useful. Unlike the boar-like beasts that multiplied rapidly and were often overhunted, this one required a more delicate approach. They wouldn't kill it—just take what they needed and leave it alive.
Of course, getting close to it without getting mauled was another issue altogether.
Yuna exhaled and glanced at the sedative potion in her hands. The apothecary and alchemists had prepared it beforehand using a paralyzing extract from one of the sentient plants growing wildly in the academy garden. While those plants were usually an annoyance—grabbing at people's clothes or occasionally slapping unsuspecting students—they had their uses. The fluid secreted from their vines could cause temporary paralysis in most creatures.
She handed the vial to one of the combat students skilled in wind magic. "Spread it toward the beast."
The student hesitated for a moment before nodding. He uncorked the vial and carefully guided a controlled breeze, carrying the misty vapor toward the unsuspecting creature.
Seconds passed.
The beast stirred slightly, its nostrils flaring as it inhaled the scent. It blinked sluggishly, head tilting as though trying to shake off an invisible weight. Then, its limbs trembled, and its body slumped against the tree. Though its breathing remained steady, its movements slowed to a near standstill.
The initial plan changed, this method is safer. It is the hunter strength to bend and stretch their hunting plan when and where necessary.
"It worked?" one of the students whispered.
"Of course, it worked. Now hurry up before it wears off."
With cautious but swift movements, the team approached. A student with a small knife carefully pried off a few of the beast's shimmering scales, ensuring not to wound it too much. Another used a small vial to extract venom from its fangs, moving quickly to avoid any residual reflexes. Yuna herself monitored the process, her arms crossed as she watched with her usual detached gaze.
There are ready made labor around her, she will not dirty her hands on this 'trivial' things. Hmm….
"Leave its bones and skin," She reminded them. "We're taking only what it can regenerate."
With Yuna subtle guidance and overseeing the hunting plan, each students did their own work, none working too hard or slack off, a proper division of labor. No one should be above or below others when it comes to work lest there will be seed of discontent.
By the time they were done, the beast was still unconscious, but its breathing remained stable. One of the students hesitated before pulling out a bottle of healing potion they had brought along. Without a word, they poured a bit over the creature's wounds, watching as a faint glow signaled the beginning of recovery.
"…We should go before it wakes up," Someone muttered.
Yuna hummed in agreement. With that, the team quickly backed away, leaving the beast to rest as they made their way back toward the academy.
As soon as they were a safe distance away, the students let out relieved sighs before their excitement began bubbling over.
"We actually did it!"
"Of course, we did. What did you think was gonna happen? That we'd all die?"
"Shut up. You were shaking the whole time."
"No, I wasn't! That was just—just adrenaline."
The group's chatter grew livelier as they walked, their exhaustion overshadowed by their sense of accomplishment. They had successfully hunted—not just any beast, but a rare solitary one—and they were bringing back food and useful materials.
"I bet they'll be in awe when we get back."
"They'll be begging to hear the details."
"Imagine the look on their faces when we pull out the beast materials. We'll be legends."
"More like their saviors. They've been eating that awful bread for weeks."
Yuna, who had been listening in silence, snorted softly. These kids were ridiculous. Their classmates weren't going to worship them—they were just desperate for decent food and supplies. But, well… she supposed there was no harm in letting them dream.
As the academy came into view, the students picked up their pace, eager to bask in their so-called victory. Whether or not their classmates actually praised them, one thing was certain: they were going to boast about this hunt for days.