Meanwhile, after Roy left the guild to capture prisoners, Kayla and the others stay behind in the guild master's office and reading the report from yesterday's quest.

Kayla asking the guild master if there are any hunters that wanted to take the request as well, but somehow they are either refused or too late to take the request.

"Well, according to the receptionist who was in charge yesterday, there were no rejected applicants. Only those who were late in taking the request were rejected." The guild master answered Kayla's question.

"I see… so where's the receptionist who's in charge of this request?" Kayla asked the whereabouts of the receptionist.

"Hmm? She asked for a leave yesterday after her shift was over so she's not coming today. She said that she's visiting her hometown." The guild master replied.

"Kayla, don't tell me?"

"It's possible, Shirley. So do you know anyone on the list who came here in the guild today because of the emergency?" Kayla asked the guild master again.

The guild master is thinking while reading the list of names of hunters who were late in taking the request. He remembered everyone who entered the guild today since he's looking at everyone properly. Unlike a certain Aura user who is terrible at remembering people.

"Now that you mentioned it, everyone related in that quest didn't come here today. Even those who are late in taking that request. Don't tell me that they are related to the stampede and that's why they all left the city?"

"You're actually pretty sharp. Yes, all of them are probably related to this stampede. What we're afraid is that if there are someone who is not related to this stampede is taking part in this quest. They might be killed already."

Kayla returned the report to the guild master and finished her investigation.

"This… if the people related to this quest is connected with the stampede, don't tell me that the governor is…"

"You just need to keep it a secret for a while. We will take care of the stampede and the people causing it. You just need to wait until Shirley revealed everything in public. I hope you will cooperate with us from now on." Kayla advised the guild master.

"…I'll cooperate with you. I hope whoever caused this stampede will get what they deserve." The guild master agreed to cooperate.

After that, Kayla left followed by the others.

"You don't need to check on the report anymore?" Kron asked.

"No need. Everyone is either gone or are in hiding. Roy can take care of those who are in hiding. As for the receptionist, the guild master is a sharp man. He can take care of her. Roy just asked me this on a whim because he is very cautious. Now we just need to take care of the monsters."

With Roy leaving to do his own job, Kayla took charge of leading the party. And Kron left on his own to outside the gate to protect the city.

"Alright, the monsters should be here soon. Let's go!" Kayla and the girls left as well to protect the city.

They can just concentrate in defeating monsters since Roy and some agents is taking care of what's happening inside the city.

Soon they reached outside the city as the monsters approaching. The battle has just started.

"Angela and Sophie will be at the front! Shirley will go around the place and see if there's anyone who needs help and support them! I will stay behind and heal the injured!" Kayla gave the order and the girls moved as she ordered.

The first wave is coming. They are considered weak monsters, but Kayla and the girls refuse to let their guards down even knowing they can easily defeat those monsters.

But they didn't do anything yet. Because the guild will reward the hunters according to the numbers of monsters they defeated, most low rank hunters were eager to get some kill. That's why Kayla and the others still reserving their magic for the real battle to come.

It's not just Kayla's party who reserved their strength. Some other experienced hunters also saving their strength and let the low rank hunter gain some achievements.

Kayla just stay there looking at her surrounding if there are any injured person, she checked first if the injury is a big one or a minor ones. If it's a big one, she will cast a healing magic. But if it's a minor ones, she will let it be despite the curses she received from the injured.

Sophie and Angela who stays in the front, only casted basic magic to support the others. While Shirley still didn't do anything and just watching.

While looking at the battlefield, someone is asking for Kayla to heal him.

"Help! I'm injured!"

"You can still walk, you can still talk, and your whole body can still move. That's just a scratch. Endure it." Kayla replied calmly as she looked at the guy's condition.

"You little… I'm injured here! It's your job to heal me!" The guy said angrily.

"No it's not. To heal someone or not is my decision, not my duty. I'll heal you if your injury is worse. But if it's just a scratch, find someone to spit on the wound." Kayla still refused to heal the guy.

And then, a help coming from another healer with a higher rank. A B-rank hunter.

"Just as she said, if you don't have any major injuries, you can find someone to spit on the wound or maybe cry to your mom about it. The stampede is just beginning and only beginner hunters like you trying to get all the glory with these weak monsters. Most experienced hunters are saving their magic and stamina for the real battle. If you can't endure a scratch like that, you should leave the battlefield." The female B-ranked healer said as she supported Kayla's decision.

"Tsk!" The man just clicked his tongue and left. No one knows and no one is interested where he's going.

"You're doing well for someone who has just awakened her magic this year. I'm going to that side. Let's have a talk after the stampede is over." The girl said that and left before Kayla responded.

"Yeah, sure. If we meet again." Although the girl already gone, Kayla still replied.

Kayla doesn't know who she is as the girl who just spoke to her is not a local hunter. But she feel that her healing magic is more powerful than normal when Kayla saw her healing someone and thought she may be able to learn something from her.

And when Kayla is alone again, looking for injured person, someone annoying approaching her again.

"Not healing my friend just because he only received a scratch? Why are you so discriminating to my friend?"

The guy who approached Kayla is also attending the school so Kayla often sees him. And he is a rich man's son as he has reached intermediate level in wind magic as shown before during the test.

"Johnathan. If you're not injured it's better if you fight instead of being here arguing useless things with me. Bye."

"Just walking away like that? I'm still better than your boyfriend who doesn't even participate!" Johnathan provoked Kayla.

They both has history. Or at least it was just Johnathan who think so.

Johnathan confessed to her during the time Roy was away and he was obviously rejected. And since then, Johnathan always hostile toward Roy even though Roy doesn't even know that this guy exist.

So when the stampede happen and he saw Roy taking the guild master to the office like he's a VIP, he was angry. Then when he didn't see Roy protecting the city, he found a chance to talk trash about him to his girlfriend and the one who rejected Johnathan, Kayla.

And Kayla's response is, "You're right."

Even Kayla knows that if Roy's participated in fighting the monsters, it will be easier for everyone. With him attacking the monsters from behind, everyone can have a better chance. But the danger inside the city still exist. And that's why Kayla has no other choice but to let him fight behind the scene.

"Hah! So you agree that your boyfriend is such a loser!"

"No. I said it's better if he's participated, but he's no loser. You're the loser here. Even though you're weak you're pretending to be strong and hadn't done anything at all. Remember that your intermediate wind magic is weaker than my beginner earth magic during the exam."

Hearing that, Johnathan was angry.

"What did you say?! You think I'm useless? I'm just like everyone here who's reserving their strength. Don't you understand?"

"I don't. After all the next wave is coming and the monsters are stronger than the first wave. Orcs, Ogres, Cyclopes, those monsters are not so weak that they can be defeated by your weak magic. You lost your chance in getting any achievements. During the report, your kill count will be zero. No wonder you're teaming up with someone who cries over a scratch."

Kayla said as she pointed at the monsters that getting nearer. Johnathan also looked over to where she pointed and he really feels like running away this time. He's just someone who became intermediate because his father bought him a lot of resources and he almost never go out to fight monsters. The only monsters he ever fought was just goblins and he thought he's already above everyone else of the same age. Of course that thought is gone after seeing Kayla's and Angela's power during the practical exam.

"Since you're saving your strength, I guess it's time for you to shine… well, he's gone." Kayla looked at Johnathan who is running away back to the city and sighed to his cowardliness.

Then Kayla looked at her party members and see that everyone is about to get serious.