So, "snake" refers to assassins from the thieves' guild.
>>902: Is there some trouble?
905: Melody Fan: 12/31/2058, 5:06 PM ID: m6DiTAN6v
What!? Seriously!? "Snake" means assassin!? Am I in trouble...?
906: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058, 5:07 PM ID: Ki10cA10cH
In trouble? Did you do something to get yourself targeted?
907: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058, 5:08 PM ID: s61965whBL
Being targeted by an assassin is a big deal.
908: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058, 5:09 PM ID: HkOj33sSn
Can you explain what happened in detail?
909: Melody Fan: 12/31/2058, 5:11 PM ID: m6DiTAN6v
Well, I'm a fan of the NPC Melody from AIWOn. I keep track of what she buys and notice that she always orders sweet drinks at the tavern. I pride myself on being someone who understands her since I watch her all the time...
910: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:12:39 ID:MdrSoks69
"... Isn't that basically stalking?"
911: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:13:06 ID:HkOj33sSn
">>909 ... Yeah, that's definitely stalking."
912: Melody Fan: 12/31/2058 17:13:20 ID:m6DiTAN6v
"But Melody is happily chatting with this suspicious guy she's never seen before! In their conversation, she said, 'That guy keeps lurking around me and it's really creepy. Can we do something about it?' And he replied, 'Should I use a snake or something?' It turns out, when I listened closely, 'that guy' was talking about me!"
913: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:14:46 ID:s61965whBL
"That's stalker-level stuff."
914: Melody Fan: 12/31/2058 17:15:20 ID:m6DiTAN6v
"What?! There's no anti-stalking law in AIWOn!"
915: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:16:39 ID:MdrSoks69
"Even if there's no law, you really shouldn't do that!! lol"
916: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:16:55 ID:MacJ2016
"No, no! Even without laws, stalking is still a problem! Haha!"
917: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:17:46 ID: s61965whBL
"Of course you might end up with an assassin targeting you!"
918: Melody Fan: 12/31/2058 17:19:20 ID: m6DiTAN6v
"Wait, what?! I've been visiting the Night Butterfly Pavilion multiple times just for Melody!"
919: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:19:49 ID: Ki10cA10cH
*bursts out laughing*
920: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:20:39 ID: MdrSoks69
"What the heck?! What kind of situation is this?!"
921: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:21:46 ID: nzo3IxtI73
"That's just the lowest!"
922: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:22:46 ID: s61965whBL
"This is a death sentence!"
923: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:23:52 ID: A910Res5
"Huh? What? What's going on?"
924: Anonymous Adventurer: 12/31/2058 17:25:06 ID: HkOj33sSn
"The Night Butterfly Pavilion is a famous brothel in the capital, Elemia... it's an adult establishment. I think that Melody girl is likely a 'rabbit'—a courtesan managed by the Thieves Guild."
925: Anonymous Adventurer: 2058/12/31 (Tue) 17:26:39 ID: MdrSoks69
So, in Japan, it's like saying 918 stalked a Yakuza's girlfriend.
926: Anonymous Adventurer: 2058/12/31 (Tue) 17:27:52 ID: A910Res5
Whoa, what? lol
927: Anonymous Adventurer: 2058/12/31 (Tue) 17:28:06 ID: HkOj33sSn
Technically, the thief guild and the Yakuza are different, though.
919: Anonymous Adventurer: 2058/12/31 (Tue) 17:29:49 ID: Ki10cA10cH
And no one has seen what happened to 918 after that... lol
—AL Year 103, March 19—
We entered the Drake Canyon early in the morning, racing through the trails searching for Miba and her group. Thanks to Ava's navigation, we managed to avoid any encounters with Drakes by hiding and taking detours. However, it also meant we still hadn't caught up with Miba and the others.
"Watch out at 9 o'clock! Dodge!"
Ava suddenly shouted just as a massive black shadow swept past us.
It was a Drake.
Ava quickly halted the Runnin' Drake, and Trinity swerved sharply to avoid it.
"It seems like it was hiding and suppressing its presence," Ava observed.
Ah, I guess if you hold your breath and stay hidden, you won't be detected by sense detection.
In this case, it seems that the flying Drake's ability to conceal itself surpassed Ava's detection skills.
"We have no choice. Let's meet it head-on."
Ava and I dismounted from our Drakes and drew our swords. Despite her fear of the flying Drake looming before us, Trinity urged our Drakes to step back. I was scared too; the flying Drake before us was larger than yesterday's Chimera, radiating a menacing aura befitting its kind. Facing it in the flesh seemed like sheer folly.
Yet, retreating now would make finding Yuki impossible. I forced down my fear and focused on the flying Drake with a determined glare. In this AIWOn world, Yuki had said that if you trained hard, your physical abilities would increase— attaining a 100% mastery rate. If that held true, slaying the flying Drake shouldn't be impossible.
"Incoming!"
The flying Drake leaped into the air and swooped down, launching a claw attack with its powerful feet. We dodged to the sides just in time, but the creature quickly ascended, evading our counterattacks.
This isn't good. If it keeps raining down attacks from above, we won't stand a chance. Just as I feared, Ava unleashed a spell that easily disrupted the flying Drake's aerial assault.
"I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry. I need to wrap this up quickly.
—Ava, Frost Lance!"
The ice spear Ava launched struck the base of the flying Drake's wing, slicing it clean off.
With one wing gone, the flying Drake plummeted to the ground.
"Gaaar!"
"Wow, when it comes to Ava, even the flying Drake is no match..."
From behind me, Trinity, who had been cowering just moments ago, murmured with an air of realization.
I could understand her feelings, but we couldn't rely solely on Ava.
We needed to be able to fight on our own, just in case she wasn't around when it mattered.
"Water Ball!"
Though it wouldn't do much damage to the flying Drake, I unleashed a spell I had learned from Ava just yesterday and closed the distance.
"Double Shot!"
"Graaah!"
At that moment, Trinity joined in with her throwing skills.
Her throwing knife pierced the eye of the flying Drake, making it easier for me to engage.
"Double Rush!"
With my sword technique, two flashes of blade struck the flying Drake's face.
The Luna Metal steel was of exceptional quality, allowing my attack to easily slice through its scales and inflict damage.
"Finish it! Dark Ball!"
"— Dark Strike!!"
Ava chanted the dark magic spell, enveloping her sword in a faint hue of darkness, and unleashed her sword technique, Slash Strike, against the flying Drake.
"Gaahhh!!"
Her strike easily pierced through the flying Drake's body, delivering a fatal blow that halted its movements.
"Ugh, seriously. How can she use 'Magic Sword' so effortlessly..."
Indeed, as Trinity had said, Ava had defeated the flying Drake using one of the Three Great Secret Arts: the 'Magic Sword.' Such techniques were not typically easy to wield, especially not for beginners.
"Well, it's Ava we're talking about, so just give up on that notion.
I mean, she pretty much took it down by herself."
"Yeah, that's true. Hey, wouldn't it be faster for Ava to just search for her childhood friend alone?"
"…Don't say that."
While we were grumbling, Ava used her Shadow Gauge to store the flying Drake away in the shadows.
"Come on, let's move quickly," she urged, and we resumed our search for Mihi and the others, feeling a mix of emotions.
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
After successfully navigating the area and avoiding the flying Drake, we finally reached the Drake's nest.
The nest resembled a series of gently sloping mountains, creating a rugged mountain range.
The rocky outcrops are exposed in some areas, while others are dominated by dense forests. We're navigating through the wooded parts, trying to avoid the presence of what feels like a dragon, as we search for Miba and the others.
"In the end, it seems we won't catch up to the Drake's nest. I guess S-rank adventurers have S-rank means of transport as well," I remarked.
"Well, you can't become an S-rank just from combat skills. The title is given based on a combination of various abilities," replied my companion.
That makes sense. It's clear that being an adventurer isn't so easy that only reckless fighters can achieve the highest rank. Still, I imagine only a handful of adventurers even consider themselves capable of reaching S-rank, so I doubt many think that far ahead.
"Speaking of which... with this vast expanse of mountains possibly being the Drake's nest, searching for it might be quite the challenge," I said.
Just then, a massive pillar of fire erupted in the distance, far beyond the mountains we occupied.
"What the?!"
"What is that?!"
The flames shot up high, seeming to reach the sky, and the sheer scale was massive enough that we could see it from our vantage point. While Trinity and I gaped at the fiery display, Ava remained composed and analytical.
"Could Miba be over there?" she speculated.
Does that mean they've already encountered the fire Drake?
Ava's ability to sense nearby presences doesn't extend over the mountain, so she can't tell what's happening near the fire column.
"Isn't that the only possibility? That fire column is definitely the work of a fire Drake," I said, realizing how significant the blaze was. It was no ordinary display of power; considering we were near a Drake's nest, it was clear that the fire column could only be caused by a fire Drake.
"Right... Let's hurry to where Miba and the others are," she replied.
"Huh? There's no need to rush. Why would we want to jump right into a fight with a fire Drake?" Trinity shot me a puzzled look as if I had spoken nonsense.
She had a point; it would indeed be a problem if we arrived only to find the fire Drake already gone. While it seemed unlikely that the battle would be resolved any time soon, it was still better to move quickly.
"It would defeat the purpose if we got there only to find no one around. I get that it's scary, but we need to go," I urged.
"Hey! Who's scared? Besides, isn't it you who's trembling after seeing that fire column? You cling to Ava while pretending to give orders," Trinity snapped back.
It was true that clinging to Ava while riding with her and the running Drake looked pitiful, but Trinity seemed annoyed by my suggestion that she was frightened.
"Midnight! Above us!"
Suddenly, Ava's warning sent Trinity and me into a flurry of alertness. Almost simultaneously, something massive began to descend from the sky. Not just descending—it was plummeting.
A colossal creature—over ten meters long, with red scales, reptilian wings, proud horns, and razor-sharp fangs—crashed before us: a fire Drake. It ripped through the surrounding trees as it landed and then rose, scanning its surroundings with an alert posture. When it spotted us, it unleashed a roar filled with murderous intent.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA―――――!!!!"
What the hell is this!? It's terrifying!!! The intensity and presence of this creature dwarf the airborne Drake we defeated earlier. There's no way a human could stand against this beast.
I glanced at Trinity; she was just as scared as I was, her body tense with fear. I couldn't see Ava's face from this angle, but knowing her, she was probably keeping her cool.
The fire Drake had locked onto us as its target and began to crouch down to spring into action. By the time I registered the danger, it was too late—the creature launched itself off the ground, charging toward us, obliterating the trees in its path.
Hyuunnn!
Bonnn!!!
An arrow, flying from nowhere, struck the fire Drake's head. In an instant, something unseen erupted, knocking the fire Drake's head clean off and stopping its charge. At the same time, a figure rushed towards the fire Drake. Clad entirely in white armor, this warrior had no helmet, revealing her bare skin. It was a woman.
With her long golden hair tied back, she charged at the fire Drake, wielding a sword.
"…Hmm, Sakura Blossom Flash!"
The armored woman unleashed what seemed to be a sword technique, slicing through the fire Drake's scales with cherry blossom effects. Upon closer inspection, the fire Drake's body was marked with numerous cuts from her blade. Was that fall it took just now a result of battling this warrior?