"Hehehe, fish blasting, Klee is going to blast fish!"
On the path in the middle of the Whispering Woods, a small red figure spread her arms as if embracing the breeze, running rapidly towards the direction of Starfell Lake.
"Wait, little Klee, don't run so fast! Pay attention and watch out for any monsters around!"
Noelle, wearing a maid-style armor, felt a bit helpless at the moment, looking at little Klee with a feeling more tiring than moving things.
No, no, this is the Acting Grand Master's test for me as a trainee knight! As long as I do a good job taking care of little Klee, I'll be one step closer to becoming an official knight!
Noelle's legs, clad in knee-high white armored boots beneath her skirt, moved swiftly as she jogged to keep up with Klee.
Her boots clinked and clanked with each stride, the sounds of metal echoing through the forest.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through, lifting Klee's red hat off her head and sending it spinning onto Noelle's face, covering her eyes..
"Ah!"
Noelle was suddenly blinded, letting out a small cry of surprise. Then she took off the hat, relieved to see Klee hadn't run far.
"Uwu, Klee's hat fell off."
Klee patted her head, spinning around to look in every direction, searching for her lost hat.
"Little Klee, your hat is right here."
Noelle's face lit up with a smile as she placed the red hat back on Klee's head, adjusting it so it fit just right.
"Hooray, my hat isn't lost!" Klee jumped with joy, then turned to the forest ahead, puzzled. "Why was there such a big wind all of a sudden?"
"Yes, and it came from within the forest…" Noelle's gloved hand rested on her pale chin as she pondered.
"Hmph, Klee knows! It must be a big bad guy who blew away my hat. Hehe, Sis Noelle, let's go teach that meanie a lesson!"
Klee, with her brown backpack bouncing, darted off into the woods, excitement radiating from her.
"Hey! Klee, what if we encounter dangerous monsters?"
Noelle sighed and hurried after her.
Klee's energy was boundless, and her curiosity insatiable. She truly took after her mother, the renowned Alice.
...
"Ah!"
Sucrose held onto her hat to prevent it from being blown away, while her cloak, hanging down her back, billowed like a flag in the strong wind.
Although Nolan was nearly blinded by the gusts, saw that the Wind Chime Bird's cyan-colored ball of light had already been shattered. It was the perfect moment for a counterattack.
As he quickly strategized, he sheathed his Dull Blade and drew his Adventurer's Hunting Bow.
Braving the fierce wind, he swiftly nocked a water-element arrow. He chose this type because it required no time to charge with elemental power, allowing him to strike before the bird could recover.
With a swift release, the water-colored arrow streaked through the air, ignoring the short distance, and embedded itself in the bird's head.
The intense water element mixed with blood as it erupted, though the arrow didn't fully pierce through the bird's skull, possibly due to the weapon's limitations.
However, this strike was enough to injure the Wind Chime Bird and stop the gale. The monster bird, now enraged, its eyes filled with blood, turned a deep red.
Its previously innocent expression twisted into a vicious snarl.
"Uh-oh, it looks angry!" Sucrose said, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Nolan reassured her with a nod.
Now that the monster bird was wounded, its anger mattered less. Its threat level had decreased from before.
The monster bird's attacks might be a bit more violent when it was angry, but due to the effects of the injury, its status would slip quickly.
As long as he could hold out, he would be able to slowly take the advantage into his hands!
As the whirlwind subsided, leaves from the surrounding trees continued to fall, and a ray of sunlight perfectly illuminated Nolan's face.
He didn't hesitate. While the monster bird hesitated and gathered its strength, he drew his Dull Blade and infused it with fire elements, standing his ground to activate the extraordinary "Charge" trait of his swordsmanship.
The monster bird was already marked with water elements from his previous arrow.
If he struck now, the combination of his "charged" sword and the "vaporize" reaction would deal a devastating blow, potentially fatal or severely crippling the bird, if not killed!
Sensing the imminent danger, the enraged Wind Chime Bird instinctively realized that the human before it was preparing a powerful attack. Shaking its aching head, it flapped its cyan wings, sending a barrage of wind blades towards him.
Nolan wasn't about to take them head-on. His sword's charge was sufficient.
With a swift move to the left, he effortlessly dodged the wind blades. Then, planting his foot firmly on the ground, he propelled himself forward like an arrow, cutting through the air and rapidly closing the distance to the monster bird.
In the next moment, the blade, infused with fire elements, twisted and slashed towards the monster bird's chest.
The Wind Chime Bird's fierce gaze sharpened. Not known for its defense, it dared not take the blow head-on.
With a swift flap of its wings, it dodged Nolan's horizontal slash and aimed a talon strike at his head.
But Nolan quickly dropped his body, twisting his torso back, and brought the longsword in his right hand downwards in a sweeping arc.
Seeing this situation, the Wind Chime Bird could only withdraw its attack and continued to fly a little higher.
Just now, it was almost overwhelmed by anger, and it suddenly realized that it could fly.
Why engage in a ground fight with a human when it could dominate from the air, securing an unbeatable position?
While the Wind Chime Bird lacked the intelligence of Abyss Mages, it wasn't entirely foolish. It understood how to leverage its advantages in battle.
Thus, the monster bird ascended to the treetops, launching a barrage of wind blades at Nolan, who had no choice but to dodge frantically.
The wind blades carved deep gashes into the ground behind him.
"Damn, what a cunning monster!"
Nolan had no fear facing it head-on, but he hadn't anticipated that the creature would suddenly wise up and exploit its aerial superiority.
The relentless assault left him no chance to stop and counterattack with his bow.
Realizing that merely dodging wasn't a viable strategy, Nolan paused to think.
He was about to tell Sucrose, who was hiding behind a tree, that he would draw the monster bird's attention so she could escape. He would catch up later.
Suddenly, amidst the sound of wind blades slicing through the air, a voice called out, "Kaboom!"
Nolan then saw a black spherical object flying towards the demon bird in the treetops.
The Wind Chime Bird, puzzled by the slow-moving black sphere, instinctively felt wary of the unknown object.
One wing flapped at the black sphere, expecting to knock it away.
"Boom!"
Like the birth of a new sun in the universe, a fiery explosion erupted next to the monster bird.
The flames and shockwave blasted the Wind Chime Bird, sending it hurtling through the air. It crashed to the ground in a long arc, rolling twice before coming to a stop.
(End of Chapter)
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