KHIIEEEEKKK KRRKK KRRRK THUD
A pained shriek and a bloody battlefield. The sound of bellows and thuds resounded in the air and the forest was filled with the strong stench of bloom, the forest grounds dyed red with the blood of many creatures.
They fell one after another, their lives ending in a flash and their eyes turning white as they were greeted by death, mercilessly taking them away. The winds swept past them and they vanished into thin air, mere fragments of light drifting away.
All that were left were gemstones and weapons, and a couple items that are fairly easy to obtain. It was an utter and complete massacre, done only by a few figures, hovering in the air as they fired their magic.
CLING CLING CLING BOOOOMMMMM
The sound of soft chimes rang out like a sweet symphony in the forest. An explosion of flames soon followed, and the forest was dyed red and orange. Shrieks once again echoed in the verdant paradise, pillars of smoke rising towards the sky.
There weren't just flames, but massive boulders, sharp chunks of ice, and also some lashing, poisonous vines as well. A barrage or death and chaos ensued, monsters eradicated one after another, soft chimes still ringing about.
KHIIIEEEEEKK THUD THUD THUD
The last of the ogres fell, peace and quiet returning to the forest. Their bodies soon shattered into brilliant fragments and the winds carried them away. Only a number of drops remained, a couple craters and broken trees here and there.
"Master... Mistress... Done... Win..." ［Scheat］
"Un! You did a good job, everyone! That was a good show!" ［Yuna］
CLING CLING CLING CLING
It has been a couple of days since Grey and Yuna arrived at Arihal, and ever since then, they have been adapting to life there pretty quickly, exploring and doing quests to spend their days, experiencing something familiar in a foreign place.
Now, they are on a quest to defeat some ogres infesting the nearby forest, but rather than do the quest themselves, they tasked the spirits to do it and hone their abilities and skills while they're at it, training once more.
As for Grey and Yuna, they simply went around picking new herbs and some magic plants as well, harvesting new materials they've never seen before. It was a paradise with new flora and fauna, brimming with goodness and excitement.
"Is there anyone hurt? Just line up so we can heal you." ［Yuna］
"No... Hurt... Mistress... Fine... Perfect..." ［Algenib］
"Same... Me... Good... Well..." ［Alpheratz］
Grey and Yuna also wanted to try some high-ranking quests, but wanting to avoid all sorts of troublesome situations, the two of them could only use their alternate guild cards. They don't want their identities to be exposed, after all.
It was a new continent, and as it seems, their tales have yet to reach the people of Vartes. Other than the guild where they use their alternate identities, Grey and Yuna don't have to call one another by other names, free as can be.
The only one who somewhat knew of their identity was none other than the Tarllagan resting itself by the river. And as it seems, it has yet to tell anybody about who they were, not a single person inviting them for tiring formalities. It was the good days.
They wanted to see the Tarllagan and thank it for the other day, but ever since the day they've arrived, they've never seen it again. According to the locals, it only shows up once a week, so they could only give up on the thought.
"Hmm... There aren't any rare drops... Only horns, huh..." ［Yuna］
"Well, they're the lowest variety of ogres, after all... I doubt there would be anything remotely useful here for alchemy..." ［Grey］
"Uuu... I tried to grind them to powder before, but they were useless. They just form sediments and settle at the bottom. There aren't any reactions at all." ［Yuna］
"Ogre horns are smithing materials, after all." ［Grey］
The young lady was complaining, but there was nothing she could do about it. All the ogres dropped were their horns and their mana crystals, no other drops like weapons and blood which could be used for alchemy.
However, seeing the spirits very delighted from defeating them, she could only give up and heave a sigh of resignation. They may not be very rare drops, but they were something the little spirits worked so hard to obtain.
"Master... Look... Something... Matter...?" ［Alpheratz］
"No, it's nothing.I was just thinking of something." ［Grey］
It was a shame though, the spirits are pretty hard to reward. For the familiars, they could simply cook them up something delicious, but the same treatment couldn't be done for the spirits whose only food is mana and corruption.
They have gained mouths since they've become Middle Spirits, but all they could use them was for talking. Eating and drinking was completely off the table. They don't even have any true internal organs in the first place. It was a shame, indeed.
"Here, everyone, you can have all you want. Make sure to have your fill," ［Grey］
"Thanks... Master... We... Happy..." ［Markab］
"Don't be too excessive. You were the ones who defeated the ogres, so it's only natural that you receive these." ［Grey］
Thankfully, they could still consume mana from mana crystals, so Grey and Yuna always had them consume the mana crystals of the monsters they defeated. It was much better than letting it gather dust in the inventory.
Eating the mana crystals wasn't just for show either. Though only a little bit, they do get stronger much faster in such a method. It may not be as effective as corruption, but they can still turn a portion of the mana they consume into aether.
It was a shame though. The spirits could only handle mana crystals of the same rank as them, unable to bite through the hardness of mana crystals at higher levels. They would have given them some very high-ranking mana crystals, otherwise.
"Master... Done... Eat..." ［Algenib］
"Already? You only had one, Algenib. Eat some more." ［Grey］
"Me... Full... Can't... More..." ［Algenib］
Surprisingly, the spirits have very little appetite as well. If it weren't for the fact that they get full after eating just a single mana crystal of their rank, they would have been able to get stronger faster and rank-up while they're at it.
They could easily consume corruption, and turn it into aether, but raw mana was a totally different matter. For some reason, it was easier to convert impure mana into pure mana, than turn raw mana into pure mana,
Grey and Yuna don't really know much about the conversion of mana inside the spirits' bodies, and even when they ask the familiars who also eat corruption, they were just as clueless. They know nothing more as they do it simply by instinct.
"Master, Mistress, we have returned." ［Sirius］
"Look at this, Mistress! We caught a lot of things!" ［Yuna］
"Master, Mistress, I think we found something interesting just now." ［Canopus］
Speaking of the familiars, they've also just returned from feeding off the monsters in the forest. They have been going off on their own every time Grey and Yuna do quests, and the forest has been cleaned of all dangerous monsters.
For now, the ones guarding Galderia were Arcturus and Rigel, reporting back to Grey and Yuna if ever something major has happened. But so far, it has been relatively peaceful, not even a single problem arising with them around to help.
"Something interesting?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah! We found a patch of magic plants up ahead! Should weー" ［Canopus］
"Un! Let's go! Let's harvest those magic plants!" ［Yuna］
Canopus couldn't even finish his words, when Yuna quickly cut him off. The moment she heard " magic plants" her pointy elven ears immediately perked up and her blood boiled in excitement, eyes sparkling ever so brightly.
There was no time to waste. With the familiars in the lead, everyone then headed towards the patch Canopus was talking about, and surely enough, there really were quite a handful of magic plants, each of them precious as can be.
They quickly started harvesting the magic plants, and just like that, time passed by in the blink of an eye. The sky has now turned a beautiful amber color and the two of them finally headed back to the city, lining up the lengthy lines as usual.
"Ahh～! That was a lot of fun, wasn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah. It's a shame we'll have to depart so soon, otherwise, I'd love to stay here for a couple more days and enjoy the place." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Their food is delicious, after all! I'll surely miss this place." ［Yuna］
The two of them were talking about their departure, already set to overmorrow. They would like to stay for a couple more days, but they still have a schedule to catch, and a couple more places to visit. They can't just dilly-dally.
"Hey, shouldn't we stop doing quests for the meantime?"
"What?! Are you scared of those rumors? It's just a single beast!"
"That's not it. I'm just being cautious. They say some adventurers were already hurt."
"Hah! It's their fault for being weak and careless!"
And just as they continued to move along the lines, a number of unfamiliar voices rang out in the air, catching the attention of the two with their loud voices. There seems to be a certain rumor abrew, everyone is wary because of it.
They were loud and boisterous, seemingly arguing about what seems to be a lone yet dangerous beast found near the city. Grey and Yuna weren't intending to eavesdrop in their conversation, but it couldn't be helped with how loud they were.
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being careful! I heard even Mister Evans who's a D-ranker was injured! You shouldn't underestimate it!"
"Tsk! Dammit... Why are you bringing up ranks all of a sudden..."
"Now, now, let's cool our heads a little. We shouldn't disturb the others,"
As if they were teasing the two, the boisterous group of adventurers in the front didn't even finish what they were talking about, suddenly stopping when it was finally getting interesting, making Grey and Yuna even more curious,
The line continued to move and before long, Grey and Yuna were finally inside the city. They first headed towards the Adventurers' Guild to hand over and process their quest, heading back to their inn soon after.
Night continued to fall and the color of the sky faded into darkness. The stars popped out one after another, the moon leading them as its Queen. It was a gentle night, the cold breeze sweeping throughout the whole city, peaceful as can be.
DONGGGG DONGGGG DONGGGG
And like everything else which started, also came and ended. The night soon ended and the darkness was chased away by the sun. A new day has arrived, the resonant city bells resounding time and time again, waking up the slumbering folks.
Grey and Yuna were woken up as well, soon enjoying a hearty meal and also a warm bath. They freshened themselves up for a new day, heading out to the forest once more and exploring every nook and cranny like curious kids.
However, unlike today, they are not out on a quest or are they simply gathering some materials they fancied. They are now in a search for a certain creature which was all over the Guild yesterday, everyone talking and whispering about it.
"Looks like it's not here either..." ［Grey］
"Uuu... How long have we been searching for already..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. They did say it was a strange and rare beast, after all." ［Grey］
What they are searching for is none other than the rumored beast the adventurers from yesterday were talking about before. It was unfortunate that they didn't hear much from them, but thankfully, they weren't the only ones talking about it.
As soon as they stepped foot inside the guild yesterday, Grey and Yuna immediately heard many adventurers talking about it, some whispering and speculating about just what kind of creature has been attacking the adventurers as of late.
It seems like there wasn't just one, but several parties that have already fallen prey to it. There were a couple people who died, and also a large number of injured people. It was a dangerous beast which lurks hidden in the forest.
『What about you, everyone? Have you found anything else yet?』 ［Yuna］
『T-There's nothing strange here, Mistress...』 ［Capella］
『It's the same here, Mistress. There are only boars, squirrels, and deers around here, and nothing else.』 ［Rigel］
『I'm afraid I'm also in a similar situation, Mistress.』 ［Sirius］
From what Grey and Yuna gathered, the beast was a large feline-type beast which resembles a black panther of all things, it was agile and powerful, able to break and slice bones like knife cutting through butter.
The only things which didn't stay consistent was that some people said the beats was of ice-attribute, while some say its the fire attribute. They were two opposing things which couldn't be any further and different from one another.
It was because of that confusion that the Guild has yet to announce what really the animal was. There is a quest yet to be posted, the fairly high ranking adventurers waiting for a bit to see whether they should take the quest or not.
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE
The leaves shook and rustled, everyone's eyes soon directed towards the bushes that were moving and readied themselves for what's about to come. Well, all except for Grey as he already knew what's about to come and it was....
SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK
... Nothing but a small little rabbit which seemed to be foraging for food by the bushes. It was tiny and adorable, seeming like an adolescent rabbit rather than a full grown one, sniffing the berries and taking a quick nibble on them.
Though, as soon as the rabbit spotted Grey and Yuna looking towards it with its little eyes, it was quickly alarmed and immediately started running away with panic and turbulence in its eyes. It was a meek and easily scared little guy.
"Ahh... It ran away..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Did you want to pet it, Yuna?" ［Grey］
"Just a little bit. I just thought its fur looked fluffy." ［Yuna］
There was no point thinking too much about it. Grey, Yuna, and everybody else once again started exploring the forest, heading towards all the directions, and sometimes even deliberately luring it with the use of alchemy.
Of course, as they were already in the forest, everyone decided they'll pick all the herbs which seemed pretty useful. Bright smiles bloomed on Yuna's face again and again as she found rare magic plants and many more.
There were also some new and interesting edible fruits hanging by the fruit trees, so the two took the liberty of picking them and testing them out. Some were bland, but some were also some pretty delicious ones. Searching has become foraging.
"Ohh! Try this one out, Grey! It's very sour!" ［Yuna］
"Hmm... How strange... I don't think I've seen this one in the market..." ［Grey］
"Right?! But we can surely use this for cooking! It's a bit like lime and tamarind, so maybe we can use it in certain situations." ［Yuna］
"That sounds great. Maybe we could try it out later." ［Grey］
By luck, they also came across some fruits called "Senozal" which was quite sour and looked like lychee, only that its skin was brown rather than red. It had gelatinous texture as well, so it was something many people would surely enjoy.
The two went around the forest some more and collected a couple more things here and there. There were so many new things to see, and so many new ingredients to play around with later. The two were excited as can be.
'Hm? That is....' ［Grey］
Just when they didn't think too much about it anymore, an elusive figure suddenly appeared on the edge of Grey's eyes, dashing like a darkened blur and hunting down all the prey in front of it, leaving everything else alone once it caught one.
There was no need for debate. With its slender and agile body, fur as black yet shiny as obsidian, eyes like that of a hungry predator, and claws which can easily tear through large logs as if it were just tearing paper... It was the rumored beast.
If there was anything to distinguish it from a normal black panther, it was that rather than just one, it had two heads, making it even more intimidating. It was also pretty agile for its size, able to hop along the branches with ease.
"Yuna, I found it." ［Grey］
Said Grey and the young lady nodded in response. They didn't waste a single minute and quickly dashed towards the direction of the beast as if there was no tomorrow, kicking up clouds of dust and leaves in their wake.
They soon arrived at the location, greeted by an unexpected scene. It seems like Grey wasn't the only ones who found it, but their contracted spirits as well, now engaging in a fight with the said beast, betting their lives on the line.
CLING CLING CLING
Scheat threw scorching fireballs, Aloheratz lashed away with its vines and needles, Algenib launched a torrent of icicle lances, and Markab hurled heavy bullets of rocks at insane speeds. The four worked together, not leaving any gaps,
In response the beast tried to pounce on them and slash away with its claws, leaving only blurs behind with how fast it was. Unfortunately for it, it wasn't just offense which the spirits were good at, helping one another when it attacked.
There was Algenib's frozen wall and Markab's rocky wall. Though they were easily destroyed by the beast's attack, it provided them enough time to hurry and escape, then continuing the barrage from where they left off.
"Looks like we're not needed here anymore..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! They sure have grown a lot, haven't they?" ［Yuna］
There were four bodies, but like Yuna said, all the familiars moved as if they were one. The coordination of attacks, and the way they draw aggression and defend is something even veteran adventurer parties struggle with.
The spirits didn't exactly do much damage towards the beast, but they were stacking damage slowly but surely. Wounds appeared on the beast time and time again, its head slowly losing its cool from rage and irritation the spirits are bringing it.
CLING CLING CLING CLING
And while they were fighting with the beast, Grey used his eyes to appraise the beast, his eyes widening in shock when he finally understood what was going on. There was a wry smile on his face and a tinge of excitement beating in his heart.
"I see... So that's how it is, huh..." ［Grey］
"Hm? Is something the matter, Grey?" ［Yuna］
"Nothing... It seems like we just found ourselves an interesting specimen." ［Grey］
Grey already knew the beast was not normal when he saw its two heads, but never did he think it was something so rare, it was his first time seeing it in nature despite having been living in Merusia for over 4 years already.
What was before it was an E-rank beast called "Ragonea", a large feline-type beast which is of the fire attribute. It is known for its agility and ability to easily track prey by scent. It is a great hunter and also an aggressive beast.
CLING CLING CLING CLING
The battle continued and the spirits continued hurling spells at the Ragonea time and time again, sometimes missing and sometimes hitting. They left the beast with little to no time to think, hitting it with an attack as soon as it hesitated.
Seeing that its attacks were of no use to the quickly-fleeing spirits, the Ragonea then quickly changed its attack patterns and finally stopped running. The spirits quickly took the change and took charge, quickly firing their shotsー
"No! Stop! Trap!" ［Markab］
... Or at least, they were going to. But before they even completed the spells, one of them quickly noticed something was off. There were sizzling flames running rampant inside one of the Ragonea's mouth, ready to be fired at any moment.
Markab didn't waste any time and quickly halted its spell. It then used earth magic to lift the ground below it, creating a wall of dirt and stone to protect themselves from the incoming flames. A pillar of flames was released soon after.
FWOOOOSSSSHHHHHHH
The flames crashed towards the earthen wall, but thanks to Markab continuously pouring mana into it, it managed to protect them from being turned into charcoal. They quickly used the chance to flee.
And it was fortunate that they did, because out of nowhere, a chunk of ice suddenly pierced the earthen wall and broke it, letting the flames run rampant after it. If they were just a second too late, they would have been in danger.
"G... Grey... That is..." ［Yuna］
It was not because the wall was broken, not because of its ingenuity. But the very fact that the Ragonea was able to use two different attributes simultaneously was a feat no normal beast could ever accomplish.
Grey had already seen it in its status screen, but seeing it first hand was something else. Not to mention that those two attributes aren't just different, but opposing. It really was something very interesting and exciting.
"That's right... It's dual-attribute... A mutant!" ［Grey］
CHAPTER 408 END