Chapter 17
Right when my legs were about to give out again, we finally found our target: the Quivixx was sprawled out in the mud, its body rising and falling in a heavy slumber, only its pores and closed eyes visible.
Whitney signaled for us to approach the monster cautiously, urging us to avoid disturbing its slumber. Junichi and Gregg immediately drew their weapons, a sword and an axe respectively, while Jawn prepared his bow next to Whitney, his eyes sharpened with focus.
"Make sure the two of you fall back and be on standby when you ambush it," Whitney instructed. "The pores will immediately throw hundreds of baby toads at us, so Jawn and I will handle that. Wait for my signal before attacking the body. Fighters need to save their mana as much as possible."
I waited for my task but I realized that she wasn't even glancing at my way. My frustration simmered beneath the surface.
Umm, hello?! I can't help but roll my eyes at her. I am a close-range fighter too! So should I join Junichi and Gregg or should I just stand here? Since no one bothered to talk to me I was mentally talking to myself.
I gritted my teeth, suppressing the frustration welling up inside me. I swallowed the urge to express my irritation and instead stood behind them, clenching my hands into fists. Sir Jude might have grouped us, although that didn't mean our performance would only be graded as a whole but also individually.
Since the moment we were grouped, I immediately saw past Whitney's facade. She was deliberately getting me to receive low grade. If they won't let me participate as a group, I might as well act on my own then.
"Ready?" Whitney's voice snapped me back to attention.
Junichi and Gregg exchanged a brief glance, then nodded in unison. They took a deep breath and, with a quick surge of energy, they sprinted side by side toward the slumbering Quivixx, deliberately making noise to rouse it from its sleep.
"HEY, YOU UGLY FROG!" Junichi shouted, his voice echoing through the clearing.
"COME AND CATCH US!" Gregg added, laughter lacing his words, but beneath the mirth lay a thread of intensity.