'Such an ugly thing.' Tia's inward disdain echoed the revulsion painted vividly across her elegant features. She paced leisurely around the mercenaries, still recovering from the unexpected assault. Each step brought her closer to the fallen monstrosity, a dance of curiosity and disgust intertwining within her.
The creature's contorted form, gray and sinister, with its limbs unnaturally elongated, elicited an involuntary flinch from Tia. Her gaze fixed on the creature's claws—long, bony appendages.
'Hmm, I should probably take them.'
With deftness belying the unfolding tension, Tia unsheathed her sword, its perfectly smooth blade shining under the rays of sunlight leaking through the tree canopies.
She moved her wrist, swinging the sword, its blade severing the creature's gray elongated fingers, and black, oil-like blood sprayed the dried leaves beneath.
'They might be useful for something.' The thought echoed in Tia's mind as the severed appendages disappeared into the safety of her storage ring.
Suddenly, the mercenary leader's voice intruded upon Tia's thoughts. "For Helene's glowing ass, this wasn't a crawler but a scratcher." He was already on his feet, chugging down a vial of healing potion.
'What is with those weird names...'
Tia's response was a nonchalant wave as she resumed her ascent, the path ahead winding upwards between the trees and rocks.
However, a yell stopped her in her tracks. "Madam, we've fulfilled our obligation. The contract was to escort you to the area with monsters of your specification, not to directly participate in the hunt."
Tia's lilac gaze, piercing yet composed, met the leader's, making the burly man flinch back with droplets of sweat forming on his face.
"W-we'll wait here for your return," he added, his voice slightly trembling. "The wyverns—you'll find them further up this trail."
Tia shrugged her shoulders, feeling like it was the best option.
'I will not have to hide anything, and there will be no chance of some idiot carelessly contaminating my material.'
A mix of determination and anticipation sparked within her. In a heartbeat, she harnessed her telekinesis—a current of energy humming through her veins.
'No need to continue this slowly.'
With a burst of speed, she turned into a blur, and the world around her melded into a dance of shadows and light.
The wind rushed past her, its force tousling her chestnut hair and causing her skirt to flutter.
She skillfully darted between the trees. The rustling leaves and howling wind were the only sounds accompanying her rapid ascent through the silent forest.
The density of the forest began to yield as Tia ascended, the intertwining branches and thick foliage giving way to a more rugged landscape. Sharp, jagged boulders and rocks emerged from the ground, a stark contrast to the soft earth and leafy carpet of the forest floor below.
"Graaah!" Suddenly, a deep growl shattered the prevailing silence of the woods, making the trees sway and leaves flutter.
'Could it be?'
Tia, propelled by instinct, halted abruptly. Her lilac eyes, vivid against the contrasting green and gray surroundings, darted meticulously, scanning the woods.
'It came from up. It also sounds like a wyvern.' Recognition flickered in Tia's eyes; the distinctive shriek was unmistakable. Anticipation laced with a touch of exhilaration ignited a smile that danced on her lips.
She sprung up, using her telekinesis to propel herself up. Branches cracked and bent in her wake, yielding a path through which Tia pierced the forest canopy.
An expansive sea of green treetops was stretching endlessly, interrupted only by the tall, gray cliffs to the north. Their towering forms cast imposing shadows, like icebergs in a sea.
'Here you are!' A deeper smile etched itself onto Tia's face as her gaze locked onto a flying reptile elegantly soaring above the forest. Its dark scales shimmered against the sunlight, and its vast wings, powerful and silent, stirred the air.
'Such a beautiful creature.' She still found a second to enjoy the beauty of life—a creature that was a blend of evolution and magic.
With practiced movement, The blue glowing gun appeared in her hand, and she aimed it at the monster. Runes, etched intricately around its muzzle and barrel, ignited in a bright glow as energy coursed through them.