Rhizopus

"When we step into the grassland, make sure to look out for your team. Its the most dangerous part of the orange zone," the aged man, Master Park pointed.

"This is an orange zone everyone! Focus! Don't panic even if you are facing a higher level monster!" The man with the map, Liam added.

"What monster class are we facing in there?" The girl asked.

"Opal, I guess its just the basic level monsters..." Orin answered.

"People like you die guessing!" Opal snapped and rolled her eyes at him.

"We are not sure of the monster class in the grassland yet as they migrate each season. But we'll be sure to find new advanced level monsters. We only hope not to run into a higher level monster on arrival."

Although they were hoping, Vandel knew there was more to this than what they were saying. He could sense a strange aura coming from the grassland but he wasn't so sure. I mean how could he sense it? He isn't a mage. It may be his mind making up things from the panic of narrowly escaping the three eyed spirit fox or maybe, his instincts were right. Nonetheless, he made up his mind to stay right at the centre of this formation where he'll be safe from incoming attacks.

"We'll need a scout then. An advanced level wind mage should scout the grassland to a few kilometres and give us a signal if the path is safe or if there are monsters within," Liam said.

"Opal is the only advanced level wind mage with us..."

"What? She isn't going to take such a risk," Orin said. Allowing Opal to scout the area with her wind track might expose her to danger unknown and he wasn't ready to bear that. He hasn't made his proposal yet.

"I'll scout the area. You prepare the formation." Opal ignored the protesting Orin. His face paled with fright. He had always envied Opal's guts but this...she was basically courting death. What if she ends up running into an agile magic monster and getting hit before she could activate her wind shield or monster shield. He isn't there to protect her with his fire plague like he'd done in the past.

Opal quickly attuned to her magic universe. 'Wind track'

Almost immediately, a gust of wind appeared under her feet and formed a plain track of wind with tiny particles of dust in it as it rotated rapidly under her steady feet.

'Move'

Almost like she was never there, she vanished into the grassland on her wind track.

Vandel remained motionless that he forgot to close his mouth. He can't remember seeing such wonder where one does not have to run with one's feet but a rapidly rotating wind track propelling one forward like a weightless entity. Surely, he envied this ability and desired to get one at this point.

Opal was not just a nag but also a skilled mage given the way she accurately and effortlessly controlled her wind magic.

"Prepare the formation! We'll move in three's"

In the grassland, Opal floated slowly above the ground. The sudden acceleration with which she ventured into the forest was decreased to avoid abruptly running into a monster or alerting the hibernating ones.

She carefully surveyed the tall grasses, moving to and fro through the blades.

When she had scouted a reasonable area and found no trace of any magic monster, she decided to head back to the group.

Meanwhile, as soon as she turned around and began to head back, the grasses behind her suddenly began to move like it was finally waking up from a long slumber. Tiny thorns began to form at its tips as it began to morph into cylindrical shapes. The edges of this cylinder like shape began to open back and forth making shrill noises that could be barely heard. The other grass blades within this area began to go through the same transformation like they had recieved a distress signal.

Then suddenly, everything quietened.

"The path is clear," Opal said as she withdrew her wind track and stood on both feet. As she approached the group, Vandel rushed up to her. "Woah! How did you do that?"

Opal glared at him and he froze, certain that she was going to yell at him again or maybe ignore him. Instead, she softened and smirked.

"Get your a*s over to the magic academy, then you awaken one and cultivate to your limit, uh-huh?" Opal ridiculed and walked over to Mr Park who directed her to the second line.

Orin grinned at him. 'What a fool! Just you wait and see, I'll level up and get to kick some shit out of your a*s! A*shole!' Vandel thought but didn't dare to say it out.

"Master Park, Vandel should be in the middle. We can't afford him losing his head on this quest," Opal said.

"He should of course.The edges will be taken up by combat mages while the support mages will be in the middle."

The support mages mainly included the healing mages who were not good in combat. They mainly included women.

When Vandel looked behind him, he found out he was the only male in the middle. Ah!

"But am the only male in the middle..." He complained, blurting out his dissatisfaction. Maybe the arrangement was done on purpose, to mock him.

The mages all turned to each other's faces and burst out into loud laughter that made Vandel uncomfortable.

"Those ladies in the middle are worth more than you, you know."

"What do you have to offer other than cowering behind us when a monster appears, hahaha!"

"A coward like you. What do you know about expeditions?" Orin spat.

Yeah, the suddenly vile Lord has spoken. Of course, he has to speak.

"He will just be a burden to us."

Opal bit her lower lip. She was becoming less comfortable with her brother's constant ridicule. 'He brought it upon himself anyways. But he has always being vocal, why is he keeping quiet to the insults? Maybe his stay in the orange zone finally taught him a food lesson,' she thought.

In their formation, they were a total of twenty seven that's including Vandel. Advanced level mages up to their peak cultivation were placed before and behind the line as they stepped into the grassland. Master Park, Liam, Orin and Opal were the only advanced level mages at the peak of their cultivations, others were beginners in the advanced level. It was an orange zone, so no basic level mage was employed for the treasure quest.

They ventured deeper into the heart of the grassland trying their very best not to make a sound that might alert any magic monster nearby. Suddenly, someone screamed from behind. "Han is missing!"

"Where has he gone off to?"

"Oh no! Reho! Reho! He's gone as well." Someone screamed from the third line.

"What's happening?"

Vandel looked around and suddenly spotted a grass silently creeping towards another team member behind him. "Look the plants are moving!"

He jumped and grabbed the team member. However, it was Orin.

They both tumbled on the floor, staining their clothes. Well not for Vandel, who was already stinking with dirt.

"It's the advanced level Rhizopus! Everyone attune!" Master Park shouted as soon as he realized what was happening. The cylinder like grass were moving silently, gripping their prey and sucking them in before they could scream. Almost in a blink of eye.

It was surprising how the previous tiny blades morphed into sturdy cylinder like plants with such agility.

"Do not alter the formation!"

Vandel quickly stood up from Orin who dusted his clothes with a strong look of disgust as if he was avoiding a deadly virus.

He glared at Vandel before returning to his space.

'Well...I guess I did the wrong thing,' Vandel thought.

He stared at the faces of the mages. From their serious expressions as they formed their magic, this Rhizopus must really be tricky to deal with.