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“Now, I know you have been here before, but you will listen to me, the forest is a dangerous place.”

“Understood.”

“Wroo.”

As promised, Anlesa took Ethan and Cobalt,

“Do you remember what today’s request is?”

“Medical root gathering.”

“Do you remember the name of the plant?”

“...” Ethan bit his lip. “No.”

“Bobal roots are a small grass plant nearly indistinguishable from normal forest grass, but their roots are a lot larger, which is why they are called that. The roots are used for a number of medical treatments.”

Ethan just nodded, and Cobalt tilted his head, having no idea what the two humans were doing.

Syrus walked a little further, but they made repeated stops as Eva and Luna explained plant and animal life, respectively, they encountered in the forest.

“This is an itchback leaf, nothing harmful, but if it touches your bare skin, it will sting and itch for at least twenty-four hours, and expect the area to be irritable for around a week.”

“Okay.”

“That is the Carrelbell spider, be careful not to walk into their web, they move quite fast and are known to bite, and yes, they are poisonous. Thankfully, they aren’t on their own life-threatening, however, their strong paralysing venom will knock you out, and being knocked out in a place such as this, you might never wake up again.”

“Okay.” Ethan slowly nodded again and again at their facts. Maybe he was interested in the first couple, but afterwards, his replies didn’t contain any enthusiasm. He was more on alert about creatures like boars, deer, and especially wolves. Especially for wolves, they weren’t something he wanted to hunt when he was allowed to start hunting solo, wolves were just something he placed a careful eye on due to his bad history with them.

Anlesa paused and crouched down next to a tree. Ethan watched her scavenge through the seemingly ordinary grass around the tree.

Syrus asked, “Ethan, any guesses why I have taken you to the Western Forest?”

“Because that is where you needed to go today?” Ethan guessed it was the side they trained at today.

Eva dug out a small bobal root, then proceeded to get out a knife to cut an amber-thorn vine warped around the overground root.

“No. I actually need a lot of ingredients from the eastern forest, and it is a lot safer, so it would’ve been a much better idea for me to take you there for practical training.”

The decision to take Ethan to the western forest was one made purely for his benefit, with Syrus taking advantage of Luna’s and Eva’s existing knowledge of the wildlife. Syrus knew a fair bit by this point, she always made an effort to know about life in the areas she worked in, but it was a simple fact that they knew a lot more and were much more willing to explain that information to the kid.

Syrus followed, “Do you remember your previous experiences in this forest?”

Ethan paused before answering. “It’s… hard not to.”

“Woooo…”

Syrus asked this before, how often had Ethan been in the western forest, and while it had been in the outer edge many times, it had only truly entered it twice. The second time was when he met Anlesa and nearly got mauled by wolves, and the first time didn’t go fantastically either.

Syrus comforted him, “There is nothing wrong with what you are feeling. Though, if you want to learn how to hunt, you need to learn how to gather, and to do that, you need to learn how to pay attention.”

“I’ve pointed out nine plants that can either kill or interrupt an expedition into the forest, and five animals.” They had also pointed out multiple useful flora and fauna, but they were making a point.

Ethan replied, “I understand they are important to know about.”

“And did you notice any of these in your previous visits?”

That comment finally got Ethan to pause and think. “!”

“You walked and ran through here before, and you luckily didn’t get snagged or stuck by anything, but what if before I met you you stepped in a tabber wash brush and broke up skin bumpiness, or tried to hide behind a tree that had a hanging gliffer viper hiding on the lower branches. Encountering those or many other dangers could mean you never made it home.”

“I…” Ethan couldn’t reply, he required time to think.

“Wrooo,” Cobalt whined and brushed up next to Ethan’s leg.

Syrus didn’t immediately continue, and they continued to walk as she picked up more bobal roots.

However, they weren’t alone in the forest. Syrus put her hand out to stop Ethan’s movements and pulled him back behind a tree as four individuals made their way closer.

The clothes they wore were a mix of leather armour with stitches indicating many repairs and animal hide around certain parts of the body as an additional layer of protection.

Ethan held back a yell. “Bandits…” And Syrus put a finger on Cobalt's snoot for it to stay quiet.

By being just out of sight, Anlesa and Ethan hadn’t been noticed.

Syrus continued the talk from earlier. “Fighting skills are important, especially when being jumped by an animal, a mutant, a bandit, or a monster, but it isn’t everything. Though a closely related skill is knowing when to run, you have been born with a good talent in that field.”

“...When do we book it?” Ethan asked, ready, and understanding the danger.

Syrus released a wide grin, “Great question, and if you were here by yourself, I hope my little voice in your head would be screaming the same thing. However, today, you are here with the actual me.” Anlesa placed her bag next to the tree.

[We will capture them alive.] (Syrus)

[Isn’t that too much trouble?] (Luna)

[If they die before a proper escort shows up, well, their empty funeral.] (Syrus)

[Oh, we are leaving them tied here. I am fine with that.] (Luna)

These were the first group of bandits Anlesa had met in Arisea Station borders, whether this was luck or the number of bandits in the area was greatly less than what they figured.

[Eva, don’t do anything; I’ve got this.] (Syrus)

The four bandits were moving through the forest quietly, it was unknown if they were looking for animal or human prey, but that didn’t matter. Syrus had heard plenty of times the danger and issues caused by these trespassers, so it was best to at least remove them.

Energy bellowed in her body as Blood mana ignited in her muscles, granting her strength.

[Ah, this feels good.] Syrus for the first time in a long time, was feeling alive.

Anlesa wasn’t at 100% yet, but Syrus finally felt comfortable at least using her Blood attribute a little bit. She wasn’t strengthening the body by much, but it was far and away enough.

Manoeuvring around the trees stealthy at first, she struck when she was in position.

The first bandit didn’t know what got him as Syrus jumped out and slammed his face into the hard tree trunk.

The loud noise that was slamming a man’s face into a tree was noticed by the other bandits, but with a massive burst of speed, Syrus was already in front of another bandit.

The man had an axe in hand, which he reacted to in time to swing at his aggressor, but Syrus summoned flames that erupted around her.

These flames caused the man to flinch back as he continued straight kicking the man right in the stomach. He crunched over, winded, but he tried to get up, not ready to give up.

Syrus plummeted her fist into the back of his head, punching him to the ground.

The two other bandits gave quick glances at each other and immediately turned around and ran, leaving their comrades behind.

Running away from a single girl who appeared to be somewhere in her teens might've been considered a cowardly act by certain street thugs, but anyone who could take down two people quickly wasn’t worth the risk. Either one of them being killed or knocked out would mean they would lose the one versus two advantage.

With two people on the ground, it would’ve been smart to ensure both were incapacitated first, knowing that the bandits were hoping for their escape.

However, Syrus was a lot faster than they would’ve guessed. With the gear weighing them down a little bit, and Syrus' speed, they weren’t getting away.

Giving one of the bandits a concussion with a running violent love tap to the back of the head, stealing their sword to threaten the last one before knocking them out as well. Syrus had gotten the thrill of a long-missed beatdown of her foes.

Syrus used a metal wire in their bag to tie up the knocked bandits to the trees.

“Okay, let’s go!” Syrus began walking back to the city with the unconscious bandit on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.