Haruto slowly stood up; his gaze fixed on the griffin. The beast seemed more annoyed than outright hostile. *'I can't believe it's a damn Griffin!'* he thought, quickly trying to assess the creature as it scrutinized him in return. *'Why isn't it attacking?'* Haruto debated whether he should engage. Sparks danced from his fingers as small flame orbs formed in his hands.
The griffin snorted dismissively at the sight, as if mocking Haruto's feeble attempt. *'Is this thing laughing at me?'* Haruto thought, frustration boiling over. "Oh the hell with this!" He charged forward, hurling the fire orbs like baseballs. The orbs flew at incredible speeds, momentarily surprising the griffin. It didn't flinch, though. Instead, its wings turned a shimmering silver, and with a single swipe, it smacked both fireballs back at Haruto while simultaneously launching two silver, dagger-like feathers from beneath its wings at even greater velocity.
Haruto reacted instinctively, summoning as much wind as he could to divert the projectiles. He barely managed to change their trajectory. Glancing back, he was horrified to see the tree he had previously dented now cleanly sliced through. "AGHHH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??!!" It dawned on him that he was outmatched. He didn't know the ranking of this beast, but it was clearly beyond his current level.
The griffin, poised for another attack, seemed to challenge him as four more daggered feathers appeared, ready to launch. Haruto noticed a strange mark or brand on the griffin just as the daggers flew through the air.
"The hell with this!" Haruto bolted to the side in a zigzag pattern. He snapped his fingers again, throwing two fireballs into the ground to create a cloud of dust. Using the cover, he sprinted towards the city.
*'Seriously, what the fuck!'* Haruto thought as he dashed, using the wind to boost his speed. *'Are all the beasts here this strong?'* He tried to clear his mind as he ran.
After about ten minutes of relentless running, Haruto emerged into an open area near the Kingdom's walls, finally breathing a sigh of relief. He had made it. The massive walls, designed to keep out creatures like the griffin, loomed before him. Up close, the walls seemed to be covered in scales. *'What kind of beast has to be killed to make this?'* he wondered with a shiver.
As Haruto approached the main gate, he noticed the long line of carriages, merchants, and excited people all presumably here for the initiation. When it was finally his turn, Haruto was abruptly knocked down by a group of medium-built teenagers who seemed to be in a hurry. The apparent leader reached out a hand to help him up, only to shove him back down mockingly. "Fucking loser, don't you know to get out of a Noble's way?"
Haruto stared up at the four guys in disbelief. *'Were they blind? They clearly bumped into me.'*
"I've been in line. What gives you the right to just barge in and think you can skip everyone here?" Haruto noticed that everyone else was deliberately avoiding his gaze, trying to stay out of the conflict.
A merchant behind Haruto stepped back. "Sir, please do not cause problems for us."
As Haruto stared blankly at the man, he turned his attention back to the sneering youths. One thing he detested was bullies, and he wasn't about to let this slide. Determination set in his eyes, he slowly stood up, his newfound powers simmering beneath the surface.
As he was about to act, a girl's voice could be heard yelling at people. As he turned, all he could see was a short, petite girl with a high pointed hat and black dress moving through the crowd.
"I should've known if someone was causing problems it was you four idiots."