I and Zachy sat against a rock with a skewer in both our hands. A fire was set up not too far away as almost twenty more people sat around the fire cooking and singing. Covers of leaves and twigs were set up through the trees to make dozens of makeshift tents. Though there were many tall trees like the coconut ones, we were currently occupying a spot with the shorter ones so that we can avoid rain at any point.

"I still can't feel safe, we're surrounding ourselves with enemies." Zachy stared at the students around the fire as he said. A few more came in from time to time and dropped off a few animals they had hunted from the forests. The Dream Gate certainly had a lot of diversity in its biome. "Why would any of these even stick with us like this?"

I sighed and tapped the coconut next to me with my fingers. "Obviously because this is a powerful fruit. The convincing ability of coconut is off the charts!"

After saving Anna and Reina, we soon ran into a few more people going through the same thing. The coconuts were very high up, some almost going as far as 30 meters while most of them sticking to around 22-25 meters. It was nigh impossible to get them down safely without any flight ability of sorts. Breaking them was an option, but in a rainforest that caused a bunch of other troubles.

We did what anyone would and ended up saving the others too, before long we had a whole group which then split up to follow the good cause, and before I could even notice it, the group had grown into its own militia of sorts. I convinced them all to work together saying it's likely a dungeon clearing situation, some of the stronger ones supported my claims since I had asked them to beforehand.

And now it had evolved into this.

A shuffling sound came from the bushes behind us, I slowly turned around and found Anna coming out from the bushes with a few others following behind her.

"Sup?" I raised my chin and handed her one of the skewers we had taken for ourselves.

Anna politely took the skewer from my hands and answered. "The scout team went to the deepest point we had been to yet in the rainforest. The density of mana in the air increases starkly the further you go. Thanks to the special ability of one of our team members, we were able to isolate a monster that is likely a boss. An enormous Ent."

Zachy rubbed his head with two fingers as he looked away from us. "We have teams now..."

I ignored him and asked Anna, “So, what do you guys think? Can we take it on?“

"We used a skill to gauge its strength... it must be roughly D+ ranked."

So something I can take on alone.

"D+!?" Zachy exclaimed. "There's no way we can fight that."

"Alone is impossible," I said. "But we have a forty people strong group of pretty powerful students. If we plan it well it just might be possible. We also know the strength and location of our enemy, we have a lot to work with."

Zachy sighed and thought for a few seconds, then he nodded in agreement. "Fine, I'll trust it if you say so."

"Yup!" I smiled at him and patted his shoulders. "You should let these people enjoy a bit more and then tell them we will be raiding the boss tomorrow... Leader."

I also gave a nod to Anna and she joined the rest of the group alongside the other scouts.

{Host, I have done what you asked.} Just then, the system's message window popped up in front of me.

Hmm, this should do.

I leaned into Zachy's ears and whispered to him.

***

In the dead of night, three figures whispered to each other under the cover of the trees all over the forest.

"Goddamn, fight the boss?! Are these people idiots?"

"Fuck. They are gonna cry when they realize they are supposed to reduce the numbers! We have a chance, all these people idiotically sleeping here."

"You're right. We should just cut them down here."

The group discreetly exchanged its hateful words. Just then, the sounds of footsteps rang out from the sides.

"W-who's there?" The three of them immediately turned toward the sound.

"He was right... You guys are the scum that needs to be wiped out."

A pair of white wings spread in the dark forest, sending a chill down their spines.

All three of their feet trembled as they pulled out their weapons. They clenched their chattering teeth and looked at the person approaching them.

"Fuck... Zachary Ainsworth..."

"Just because everyone is listening to your orders..."

"Do you think you can lead us all just because you saved us? Bastard!"

"Shut up." Zachary, the one approaching them, pulled out his shortsword. "He said you all will serve as a good example."

-Flap!

Pure white wings fluttered in the air and three short screams rang out in the quiet night of the rainforest.