The north-south avenue was in complete chaos.
Vesemir, Allen, and Mary, riding on horseback, occasionally saw overturned carts in the middle of the road. Goods were scattered everywhere on the ground, along with piles of manure from frightened cattle and horses. There were even legs, or entire bodies, pinned under the carts.
Some of them were already silent, while others were wailing, shouting, and crying for help.
Other travelers and merchants, their faces pale, looked as though they'd been paralyzed by the terror of a giant griffin. They sat on the ground, mumbling incoherently.
If they wanted to catch up with the griffin before it flew off, they couldn't take this main road. So, Vesemir led Allen and Mary off to the right side of the road, urging their horses across the grass as they hurried toward the direction of the beast.
"Whoosh~"
The wind howled past the ears of the three riders.
Noticing that Allen and Mary were showing signs of concern and glancing at the avenue from time to time, Vesemir sighed inwardly, thinking, 'They're still just kids', and offered reassurance: "Mary, Allen..."
"Everyone has their own responsibilities."
"What we need to do right now is kill that griffin to prevent more people from suffering at the hands of that beast."
After a brief pause, he continued: "As for these people, once we kill the beast, we can notify the guards at Vengerberg and come back to help them."
"But if we waste time here, who knows how many more people will die further ahead..."
They passed by a weeping farmwoman holding a child, sitting in front of a basket of broken eggs. Allen glanced at the frowning Mary and replied, "Don't worry, Master Vesemir. We understand the importance of the situation."
With so many people on this road, it was impossible to help them all. The best they could do was finish their task and kill the griffin as quickly as possible, which was the greatest kindness the Witchers could offer. Mary nodded as well.
Having studied at Aretuza for a few years, she also understood when and what should or shouldn't be done.
However...
Hearing the screams echoing in her ears, the human empathy within the three of them unconsciously urged them to quicken their pace.
A massive "cloud" hovered above their heads.
The griffin seemed to have a clear target, flying lower and lower with each glide.
"Screeeech—"
A piercing, bone-chilling shriek, as if it could shatter gold and stone, rang out. The griffin suddenly spread its enormous wings like a bird of prey about to strike, and its two claws, larger than a person, reached down sharply.
In the next moment—
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion reverberated, making the ears of Vesemir, Allen, and Mary ring, even from a hundred meters away.
Dust billowed into the air, obscuring the griffin's body.
For a moment, the only thing breaking through the haze was the gut-wrenching sound of human screams echoing from within the dust cloud. Many of the people, who had been frozen in fear, finally snapped out of it.
Screaming "Monster! Monster!" they scrambled to run away from the griffin.
The horses beneath the three riders were also terrified by the shock and the griffin's aura, refusing to advance.
"We're not far now. Let's go on foot."
Vesemir stepped down from his horse, drew his silver sword, cast another Quen shield on himself, and jogged toward the dust cloud a hundred meters away. Allen and Mary didn't bother with the three frightened horses either, quickly following him.
"The griffin's main attack method is a diving strike."
"Once it picks a target, it uses its powerful muscles and swift speed to dive..."
"It can pretty much kill an armored knight with a single swipe..."
"Even with the Quen shield we have on..."
Vesemir paused.
"The Water Shield of Atheri!" Mary added.
"Right, even with those two magical shields, it's not guaranteed we can withstand a full dive attack from the griffin."
"So remember, the most important thing is to avoid its dive, and try to stop it from flying back up into the air…"
"As for how to stop it from taking off…"
Vesemir paused, looking at Allen.
"The griffin's wings are feathered, but not weak to fire, so Igni won't work."
"But all flying creatures are affected by Aard..."
"So as soon as it shows any signs of flying up, use Aard to knock it down…"
"Also..."
Vesemir turned to Mary.
"Large creatures usually have strong magical resistance, and griffins especially so. Weaker spells won't even knock off a single feather."
"So I need you to stay hidden and cast support spells for us."
Mary, still jogging alongside, nodded seriously.
"Don't worry, Master Vesemir. I didn't learn many offensive spells."
"As soon as I'm in position, I'll cast support magic for you."
Vesemir nodded. They continued jogging while Vesemir shared his experience of fighting griffins in rapid succession. Before long, they were less than fifty meters from the griffin.
When it was in the air, the three hadn't felt much. But now, being so close on the ground...
The overwhelming pressure made the very air feel like it had turned into a thick gel, making it hard to breathe. Under the enormous shadow looming in the dust, the three of them seemed as insignificant as ants.
"It's got to be at least ten meters tall!" Mary gasped, her mouth agape in shock.
It was her first time seeing such a massive creature. Both in terms of size and the magical aura it exuded...
Compared to this griffin, the two Drowner Kings at Kaer Morhen seemed like mere children.
When they were within twenty meters of the griffin, the trio stopped in unison.
"No, it's more than that—probably thirteen meters tall. And its wingspan must be at least forty meters…"
"This is a full-grown griffin, likely about thirty years old. It's at the peak of its strength, the most dangerous age..."
"We need to be careful!" Vesemir replied grimly.
From the faintly trembling shadow in the dust cloud, it looked like the griffin was feasting on something.
"You should hide nearby and cast your spells," Vesemir said, glancing at Mary.
Mary nodded, looked at Allen, then hid in the grass by the roadside. With that, Vesemir gripped his sword, took a deep breath, and patted Allen on the shoulder.
"Let's go, Allen. Remember, its weak point is..."
Mid-sentence, Vesemir suddenly recalled that Allen never really cared about a monster's weak points, no matter what they were hunting. It was the same with drowners and wraiths, and even the Ice King with its magical shields had fallen to Allen's blade. So he paused, stopped, and asked, "Does your Witcher's eye help with creatures like this?"
Allen was stunned for a second, realizing that Vesemir was referring to his [Monster Hunt], and replied: "I've never tried it on a griffin before, but it should work!"
Even if it didn't work, it wasn't a big deal.
The only question was whether his [Monster Hunt] could last long enough.
He now had two special skill points, plenty of stamina, but not enough time. He decided to level up directly.
"Alright then!" Vesemir quietly sighed in relief upon hearing this. He had only ever killed griffins, never a Royal Griffin. It was important to know that large magical beasts, just by their size, could show a significant power difference.
An adult Royal Griffin was not only twice as tall and had double the wingspan of a regular adult griffin, but its fur was also much tougher, making it harder to penetrate. The Royal Griffin's aggression was also much higher than that of a normal griffin.
While a regular griffin would attack once, a Royal Griffin could attack three or four times in a row. So, deep down, Vesemir was feeling a bit unsure.
But now.
Since Allen's Witcher's Eye could be used, Vesemir felt more at ease!
Thinking of the fact that the Witcher's Eye required charging, Vesemir gave Allen a serious look and said: "Don't rush into attacking. Watch my movements and carefully observe the Royal Griffin's attack patterns before you strike!"
"I'll fake an attack, and when the time is right, you use your Witcher's Eye to take down this beast!"
Allen was momentarily stunned by his words, then nodded.
The Witcher's Eye...
That was truly an old term.
At that moment.
The dust raised by the Royal Griffin finally settled. The first thing that came into view was an overturned carriage in the middle of the road. Two reins were still connected to the Royal Griffin, which was hungrily devouring a horse's neck.
There were many people lying around the carriage, but none of them were seriously injured. They had only been knocked unconscious by the Royal Griffin's magical aura.
Among the two horses pulling the carriage, one had already been eaten down to its stomach and hindquarters. The other horse's haunches had also been mostly eaten.
Once that horse's flesh was completely gone, it would undoubtedly be the turn of the humans lying on the ground.
"I'm going in!" Vesemir didn't hesitate any longer. After taking a deep breath, he rushed toward the feasting Royal Griffin with his sword, not waiting for Allen's reply.
Splat!
Sensing someone approaching, the Royal Griffin jerked its blood-soaked beak up and glared at the oncoming human. The black stallion's remains immediately fell to the ground.
In the next moment.
Seeing the glint of that cold, sharp sword, it seemed to remember something unpleasant. The Royal Griffin, enraged at being interrupted during its meal, let out a long, furious screech at Vesemir.
Buzz!
The violent elemental disturbance caused the wolf-head medallions on both witchers' chests to vibrate intensely. Vesemir's face instantly changed, and he hurriedly rolled to the left, diving onto the grassy area beside the road.
The next second.
Whoosh!
A fierce, invisible wind erupted from the Royal Griffin's mouth, tearing through the spot where Vesemir had just been. It scraped off a thick layer of the ground in an instant.
Fortunately, the unconscious people were lying near the carriage, and since the others were a little farther away, they only felt minor tremors and pressure. They all scattered and ran, with no one getting hurt.
After dodging the attack, Vesemir didn't retreat. Instead, he pressed forward, taking advantage of the fact that the Royal Griffin, a flying beast, was less agile on the ground. He circled around the creature, continually harassing it, gradually leading it away from the crowded road and onto the grassy field.
"This Royal Griffin is really something!" Allen whispered to himself as he cautiously followed the griffin, feeling a bit anxious as he stepped into a pit left by the fierce wind that had blown away half a meter of earth.
If Vesemir hadn't rolled in time earlier...
Even though the Quen and Aard Water Shield spells had protected him from harm, the wind alone would have sent Vesemir flying into the air due to his weight.
If that had happened, even if the shield hadn't broken, his attack rhythm would have been disrupted...
At that point...
There's no telling what the Royal Griffin would have done to a mid-air Vesemir.
So...
"There's no time to wait for the Royal Griffin's attack pattern before striking!"
"With such intense dodging, Vesemir won't be able to hold out for long…"
Allen made up his mind.
Monster Hunt!
Once the skill activated, the young witcher's previously excited mind immediately became calm and still.
At that moment.
He could clearly see how much time was left for all the buffs Mary had cast on him. Taking two quick steps, Allen mentally probed the magical aura surrounding the Royal Griffin. The unique feeling from when he and Vesemir had killed the Drowner King in the cave came flooding back.
No.
Perhaps, due to his increased stats and his greater familiarity with Vesemir, this feeling was even stronger and more intuitive.
It was as if...
The sword he was holding wasn't Elsa, but a legendary blade named Vesemir. The enraged Royal Griffin brought its nearly meter-long claws crashing down on Vesemir in rapid succession.
Sidestep, roll, lunge, twist, swing...
Allen thought to himself.
At the same time, Vesemir was sidestepping, rolling, lunging, twisting, and swinging his sword...
A flash of silver.
The finely crafted silver sword that Vesemir had borrowed from Hogg before leaving Kaer Morhen slashed at the Royal Griffin's black claw. It was like hitting solid steel, sparks flying from the impact.
No penetration!
[Monster Hunt Progress: 2%]
Too little!
The coldly calculating Allen, under the influence of the Monster Hunt, immediately worked out that at this rate of attack. The 150 seconds of his Level 3 Monster Hunt were definitely not enough.
Even.
Even if leveling up only added 50 seconds per level, even using his two remaining special skill points on his blink ability wouldn't be enough.
So.
This time, unlike when they killed the Drowner King, he couldn't let Vesemir build up all the Monster Hunt progress.
He had to step in!
In his Monster Hunt state.
Allen focused on helping Vesemir dodge the Royal Griffin's attacks while carefully memorizing the creature's movements and attack rhythm, strategizing on how to deal with it.
"Allen, Vesemir looks like he's in danger. Shouldn't we… retreat?"
"I have an item that can hold off the Royal Griffin for a while…"
Mary had quietly followed behind.
After casting all her buffs, she didn't know what else to do.
The excitement of encountering a creature she had only ever read about in books, and the thrill of adventure, had completely disappeared as she watched Vesemir dodge frantically. All that was left was her concern for Vesemir, and for Allen, who seemed eager to join the fight.
But.
As Mary's voice, carrying a faint scent of oranges, drifted over to him. Allen's mental probing, which had been focused on the Royal Griffin's magical aura, instinctively wavered and extended toward Mary.
In that moment.
Following some strange bodily instinct, Allen appraised Mary.
The next moment.
Even in his Monster Hunt state, with his emotions almost completely subdued, Allen couldn't help but pause for a few seconds.
He realized...
That in addition to holding a legendary sword named Vesemir. It seemed he had also gained a rare, top-tier magic wand.
A staff named Margarita Laux Antille!
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
225. Want to Enter Stage Two? Have You Asked Me First?
226. Vesemir Doesn't Understand, but He's Greatly Shocked.
227. What is a Killer Whale?
228. The Scent of Conspiracy and Love.
229. Big Explosion and the Law of Surprise.