The other students quickly saw the tactic that Karl and the mage had come up with and began forming groups. From what Karl could tell, almost all of the newly empowered students were some sort of magical warrior class, and carrying various melee weapons.
Not many of them had chosen shields, but those who did have shields took the lead in a group to push forward, while the ones with ranged skills fell in behind, encircling the mages and others who got no physical attribute enhancement.
Two more classmates fell in behind the mage, following the example of hiding their faces, though they didn’t know why they were doing it.
The sight frightened the weak-minded Earth Mice. One scary guy with claws leading three headless humanoid monsters was terrifying to the small creatures, and they began to flee instead of attacking Karl on his way forward.
That let him set a brisk pace through the field, and put the field full of mice behind him right until they made it to the first hedgerow, where they took a short breather for everyone to recover some stamina.
“Magic uses far too much energy. How long does it take you guys to recover after using your skills?” One of the boys in the back row, a warrior class with a large axe, asked.
“I can use mine three or four times, as long as I don’t go all out. But then I’m tired, and I need to eat or rest. I haven’t tried to time it yet.” Karl replied.
The mage nodded her head. “I’m the same. Two spells, and I’m at my limit and I need a breather. But if I sit down for fifteen minutes or so, I can cast another. I saved my magic this time, so I can at least use one and keep going, or I can cast both in an emergency, but then I’ll slow the team down.”
The boy with an axe frowned. “I can only use mine once, and then I’m done. But I’m a woodcutter’s son, and I can swing the axe for hours if I don’t use the skill.”
“That’s good enough. So far, it’s just been Earth Mice, and only an idiot would chase them with an axe. But if there is something bigger and slower up ahead, you can go ahead and fight it without using that skill. Did the injection make you stronger? It was one of the questions on the homework, so it must be a thing.” Karl suggested.
“Yeah, a lot stronger.” He agreed.
The other warrior smiled. “I’m not so strong, but I was alright to start with. Unfortunately, my first skill is defensive, see the shield in my marking? The silly thing is, I have no aptitude with a shield. I tried everything with the one in the storage box, but nothing worked. However, if I use a two-handed sword, I can activate the skill no problem, and keep it active all the time.
The only problem is that I can’t swing the sword fast enough to block those rocks the way that you do with your gloves.”
Karl nodded. “So, we’ve got a super strength axe man, a durable swordsman, a mage and me with my claws. That’s not bad, and it looks like the teachers wanted us to group up to fight our way through to the gates.
Not that it’s been a tough fight so far, more of a practical joke by the seniors, but be prepared for something like Water Moles or Quill Beasts in the next field.”
After a short breather, they moved forward in the same formation, but without the coats pulled up over their heads. If there was something more dangerous than Earth Mice in this field, they wanted to see it coming, and not find out when it reached them.
Karl’s [Super Vision] scanned the field, but currently it appeared to be empty and easy to pass. Likely, whatever lived here was just sleeping or going about its daily business, unaware that something was about to invade its home turf.
“Do you think that we should move through the trees? That would bring us to the academy without crossing the field, we just need to go to the side a little.” The mage suggested.
Karl scanned the treeline and shook his head.
“There are at least two iron tusk boars in those trees. I can see the torn tree bark at different heights. It might be a different species, but those marks are pretty distinctive.” He quietly informed the others.
They were a long way from home, so it might be an entirely different species of boar, but if the tusk markings were similar on the trees to the ones he knew from home, then the animal likely was as well.
“Then onward, valiant scapegoats of the freshman class. Let’s amuse our seniors and get ourselves inside that gate before it gets dark.” The woodcutter’s son laughed.
They moved forward at a fast walk, not wanting to make too much noise or vibration underground that might disturb the beasts living there, but not wanting to waste time and let the others behind them catch up either.
None of the other groups had entered this field yet. Most were resting, some were still struggling with either a lack of courage or the mice, and some had decided to go the long way around, under the assumption that the direct route was a trap.
That group probably wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t mean that the other routes were any better.
They were halfway across the field when the next group moved forward, jogging to catch up to the leaders, and the field erupted with activity.
Vines sprung up out of the ground around the feet of the new group, trapping their ankles and pulling them down onto the soft dirt, while loose vines whipped at their faces.
It was some sort of plant monster, what sort, Karl had no idea, but the loud footsteps had awoken it.
“Keep moving gently, it hasn’t attacked us yet, it’s just active in our area. Keep moving and we will get out without much trouble. Don’t attack unless you’re actually trapped, and don’t step on the vines.” Karl instructed.
“You’re the boss. But if we end up stuck in the middle of the field, I’m totally blaming you.” The Mage whispered with a rueful smirk on her face, fully expecting the worst.