Peter hadn't detected anything with Mana Sense.
"About 320 meters northeast, a group of eight," James replied, sounding both smug and excited.
Peter understood James' excitement — they tasted wonderful and were always in demand. Joseph often brought one home for the family to cook and eat whenever he encountered them during routine patrols.
"I say, let me handle them. They won't even sense my presence until I'm among them, and my spear is making quick work of them," Sasha proposed impatiently, her fingers caressing her weapon like a lover.
"And let you take all the experience when you won't even gain much from such small game?" Paul scoffed, narrowing his eyes at her in a glare.
"Think you can hit a target from this distance?" James challenged him.
"Without skill assistance, my ideal range is 50 to 60 meters—but with my skill, I won't miss," Paul replied confidently.
"Good, then. Let me check the surroundings to make sure there won't be any unnecessary interference from a third party before we make our move," James said.
Everyone nodded. He moved behind a tree trunk to stay out of the birds' line of sight—though the chances of them noticing the group from this distance were slim—before scanning each direction with his skill to ensure no other creatures were present besides them and the pheasants.
He returned soon after.
"The coast is clear. Paul and I will target the birds from here, likely hunting one each. The rest will scatter. I know, Sasha—let me finish," he grumbled, cutting her off before she could interject.
"You can go first and hide nearby to take advantage of the confusion to kill as many as you can. Try not to make a mess—we want clean kills."
At that, Sasha gave a predatory smile before nodding at each of them. With practiced ease, she activated her Phantom Stride, moving without disturbance or noise as she made her way toward their target.
Once she was gone, James finally spared Peter a glance.
"Sorry, but you don't have any means to join in without alerting them. Don't worry, though—rabbits multiply fast. We're sure to find some for you to kill," he reassured him.
"I understand. You don't have to worry about it. We all have our roles," Peter replied calmly.
They waited for Sasha to reach her hiding spot while James helped Paul line up his shot on the soon-to-be-dead birds. Peter adjusted Mana Sense, narrowing its focus to his line of sight for better tracking.
This limited Peter's mana vision to what he could see directly, but in exchange, it extended his range significantly. Through it, he spotted a human-shaped figure cloaked in what could only be darkness-element mana, crouching near the unsuspecting targets.
"She's ready," he informed them.
At first, Peter received confused looks, but a glance at his glowing eyes made them nod in understanding.
"Here goes nothing," James muttered, exchanging a glance with his partner before they both released their arrows.
They watched as the arrows flew toward different targets—one using his vision skill for a precise shot that struck a bird in the eye, while the other relied solely on his talent and higher-leveled skill to land a hit on the belly.
Then came the shrieks—panicked birds flapping wildly, trying to escape.
A blur sprang from a nearby bush—Sasha. Her Naginata sliced through the necks of two birds in a single, fluid motion. Even before their heads hit the ground, her legs carried her forward. Three quick thrusts later, the remaining birds lay lifeless around her.
The group had already started running as soon as the arrows struck, so it didn't take them long to reach her.
Paul went ahead and examined the wounds. "Thankfully, not much damage." He swiftly ended the struggling creatures' misery.
"Let's bleed them out before carrying them," James added, nodding at Paul.
On the side, Sasha cleaned her weapon while both hunters started draining the birds. Once done, they handed them to David, who plucked their feathers with practiced ease.
"It's going to take some time. Let's clean up the herbs while they work," Noelle suggested to Peter.
Sasha kept watch while everyone else worked for the next fifteen minutes.
"This was quite easy."
Noelle must have heard Peter's muttering because she giggled.
"What did you expect to happen? Besides David and you, everyone else will be an adult in a few years. They've already started their apprenticeships."
"Apprenticeships?" Peter hadn't been aware of the others' plans, though he knew Noelle had been training under the village alchemist for a year.
She answered his curiosity soon enough. "Yes, Sasha and James are working for the guards now. They're often sent as part of teams on routine clean-ups to handle awakened beasts that stray too far from the forest depths."
"Meanwhile, Paul often goes with his father to hunt bigger targets like deer and boars. He's the only son, like Peter, so he'll likely inherit his father's trade," Noelle explained.
"What are you all planning to do once you become adults?" David's question pulled everyone into the conversation.
"That's a good question. Have you decided what you want to do, Noelle?" Sasha asked, locking eyes with her.
"It's not an easy decision, Sasha," Noelle replied with a sigh.
"I just don't get it. Your master can't help you much with advancing your class—not with the village's limited resources and the low demand for your profession." Sasha frowned, shaking her head.
"Sooner or later, you'll have to leave if you don't want to stagnate at the same level for decades. Paul has responsibilities as his family's only son, so it makes sense why he can't come with us. But what's stopping you?"
Before the conversation could continue, James clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back to the present.
"We're done with the birds. Let's stay focused on why we're here."
Both girls nodded, though their expressions were different—Noelle thoughtful, Sasha still frowning. Paul, on the other hand, looked relieved that they hadn't started an argument.
Whatever tension had lingered in the air quickly dissipated as everyone got back into position, and the group resumed their pace through the forest.
By the end of the day, they managed to kill five rabbits. However, they decided to bring only two back to the village—the others were too damaged. Peter still wasn't able to kill them quickly or cleanly enough.
At the very least, they collected their horns and mana stones.