Our first destination in Wyndham, was the Wyndham public guild hall.
As we approached the billboard, where a variety of quests were pinned. Some had several names under them, others had a few, but one quest stood out due to the lack of names beneath it. It was tucked away in a corner, as if hoping to escape the notice of potential challengers.
Picking it up, I read the quest out loud for the girls to hear. "Open quest: Urgent! Slay the Azure Dragon. An S-tier Azure Dragon has been causing havoc in the nearby farmlands, eating sheep and causing widespread panic. The beast has a distinct azure hue, hence the name. The city council has put out a reward of 1 million gold to anyone who can slay the dragon and bring back proof."
As I finished reading, I looked at the girls, only to find Kuroko staring at me in disbelief. Sera, although trying to maintain her composed demeanor, looked visibly taken aback, while Lila's usual smile was replaced with a worried frown.
"S-S tier...?" Kuroko stammered, her feline eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"1 million gold..." Lila muttered, looking deep in thought.
Sera, recovering from her initial shock, crossed her arms and looked at me. "A dragon... Really? And not just any dragon, an S-tier dragon? This isn't your usual everyday beast. You've noticed no one's approached this quest, right?"
I nodded, turning to face the quest sheet again, my eyes scanning the details. An S-tier dragon was certainly not something you could ignore, but neither was a reward of 1 million gold. The prospect was risky, but the reward was tempting.
"Well," I said, pinning the quest back onto the board, "looks like we have our next adventure."
***
Walking along the border of the farmland, we were immediately met with signs of the Azure Dragon's destructive presence. The land was scorched, the trees were ripped out of their roots, and the once vibrant green meadows were now trampled flat.
"Whoa... It's been a while since I saw this level of destruction..." Kuroko said, looking around with wide eyes. Her tail twitched nervously behind her.
Lila, taking in the scene, frowned gently, her gaze filled with sympathy. "This must be so hard for the farmers. They rely on their livestock to survive... Losing them like this... it's devastating."
Sera crossed her arms and surveyed the landscape. "I still think this is a reckless idea," she said, a hint of worry slipping through her tsundere façade. "Charging in headfirst... it's like you want to get us all killed."
Looking over my shoulder, I offered her a reassuring smile. "If it was too easy, it wouldn't be an adventure, would it? Besides, we're not going to charge in recklessly. We'll scout first, then plan. You should know me better than that, Sera."
Sera huffed, turning her face away, but didn't say anything more.
As we ventured deeper into the farmland, the destruction became more intense, and it wasn't long before we reached the center - the dragon's main hunting ground. We kept our weapons at the ready, watching for any sign of the azure beast. We were stepping into the territory of an S-tier dragon. The real challenge was just beginning.
Q: Do you know any tsundere IRL?