Chapter 462: A Sudden Problem (pt. II)

GASHAK GASHAK GASHAK SHAK SHAK

Sharp and deadly icicles rained down upon the sea of green, the cries of various beasts echoing in the air as they were greeted by death. The once verdant forest floor was painted red, blood drawn all over the place.

A young lady brandished her shiny daggers and heads were decapitated time and time again, soon rolling over the ground and lifeless bodies following soon after, subtle thuds echoing in the air as silence loomed over the forest.

Two figures walked firmly, unfazed by the grotesque and pitiful scenery before them, not batting an eye to blood and gore as they continued to tread on the forest. There was only a single thought on their mind, and that was to find the root of the problem.

"First Hunter Wolves... Then Mad Deers and Red Leopards... Now, there are even Red-Eyed Boars... Grey, how many does that make it?" ［Yuna］

"If you're referring to how many beasts we've already hunted, then it's already over half a hundred, maybe over 70?" ［Grey］

"That was quick... Didn't we just start a few minutes ago?" ［Yuna］

"Don't ask me that. I'm just as confused as you are." ［Grey］

Following the sudden and unprecedented rampage of the Hunter Wolves, Grey and Yuna then took it upon themselves to investigate the matter and head to the root of the problem as soon as possible, not wanting any more troubles coming their way.

Of course, they have already secured the safety of the victims and made sure that everyone was feeling fine before departing. They even left Canopus and Kentaurus to watch over them and make sure everything was alright.

The two had already expected it, but the forest really wasn't in a normal state. It was once a beautiful and relatively lively mountainous forest with lots of cliff sides and also a rocky couple of rocky mountains located in the center.

"Mmn... These guys don't look that skinny..." ［Yuna］

"Maybe it's because they're omnivores. So far, every thin and malnourished beasts we've seen are carnivores who are top predators here." ［Grey］

"I guess that's right... With their prey as aggressive as this, it would be much harder to hunt. Especially for the Hunter Wolves and Red Leopards." ［Yuna］

"Well... I think the problem lies elsewhere entirely, My Dear." ［Grey］

In fact, the forest has been so restless, that not even a minute when they arrived, they were already greeted with sharp antlers towards the head as a bunch of Mad Deers suddenly rushed towards them without hesitation.

Normally, they are very tame beasts, but for some reason, they suddenly became aggressive and territorial, charging towards every single intruder which steps foot inside their territory. Not just the deers, but other beasts and animals as well.

It was even much worse for predatory animals like the Hunter Wolves from before. They have been so consumed by hunger, they would attack anything moving they see and crush them with their jaws as they ventured aimlessly in search of food.

Grey and Yuna even warned them with a bit of magic first to not approach them even further, yet they still dared to close the gap and rush towards the two. They have all lost their senses, and would attack regardless of risks and rewards.

No matter which angle one viewed it, there was something fundamentally wrong with the forest itself. It was as if the balance had been tipped heavily and the inhabitants are trying to struggle to survive in any way they can.

"Grey, what do you think caused this?" ［Yuna］

"I'm not sure, but if I have to guess... I think something foreign has suddenly entered the forest. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense." ［Grey］

"Something foreign... Is it a dragon, maybe?" ［Yuna］

"Hey, Yuna, don't just casually say that. You might jinx it." ［Grey］

"It's just a guess～. Just a guess～!" ［Yuna］

It may be a harmless guess, but Grey couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like if the intruder really was a dragon. Grey and Yuna would be able to beat them up even if it would be an Elder Dragon, but the problem is what happens after.

Not only would it have caused a slight momentary chaos, the very moment people realize they defeated them, new nicknames, rumors, and exaggerated stories would pop up again. It was already annoying just thinking about it.

"Haah... And here I wanted a quiet second life... Where did it go wrong..." ［Grey］

"Hm? Is something wrong Grey?" ［Yuna］

"Nothing... Just thinking about life and all... It's pretty interesting, isn't it? You never know whether it'll throw a lemon, a banana, or a coconut at you." ［Grey］

"Mmn... Are you hungry, Grey? I have cookies here? Do you want some?" ［Yuna］

Yep, life really is interesting, alright... Here he is, thinking a little deeper than usual and reflecting on his life, and there's his lovely fiancée, suddenly offering him cookies. Grey could only smile gently, soon accepting the young lady's offer.

A bunch of chocolate chip cookies in Grey's hands and a subtle smile on his face, the two continued to streak throughout the forest and searched every and all nooks and crannies, from small caves to large clearings, and even dense patches of trees,

It also went without saying that they encountered a lot of beasts and monsters along the way, defeating most while sparing those who chose to run away. They're already in a desperate struggle, so no need to make their lives harder.

With Grey using his "Heaven's Eye" paired with the running speed of Transcendents, they were able to scout the whole forest in but a quick jiffy. They found all sorts of interesting things, and finally....

"So that's where you were... Looks like you were half-right, Yuna..." ［Grey］

"Hm? I was...?" ［Yuna］

... Grey got ahold of the culprit. They were located at the very center of the forest where a couple rocky mountains lie and where there were a lot of cliffs. It was a rocky environment with small vegetation, the habitat of the Hunter Wolves.

Now, Grey and Yuna finally understood why the Hunter Wolves became the way they were. With their original territory taken away from them, they could only move to a new spot and they would have to compete with other beasts who have their own.

It may have also been that they have fallen prey to the invader that they decided to go as far out to the plains in search of food after fighting for competition in the forest. It was a restless chain of events which would make one go insane.

It didn't take long before Grey and Yuna arrived at the cliff sides of the mountains, and surely enough, there lay a beast which shouldn't have been there. A beast so strong, that unless you're a High-Ranker... It was practically useless to fight...

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[Beast]

[Species]Wyvern

[Status]Healthy, Asleep

[Sex]Male

[Age]59 (Adolescent)

[Mana Capacity]6,179 [Mana Quality]B

[Combat Power]1,908 [Threat Level]B

[Attribute]Null

[Intelligence]96

[Description]

Equipped with large wings, sharp fangs and claws, a whip-like tail which can easily crush boulders in a single lash, and durable and resistant scales covering their entire bodies. It is a dragonoid-type beast which rules as a powerful Sovereign just below that of Divine Beasts, rivaling the likes of Krakens, Griffons, and Hydras.

Wyverns are intelligent, curious, and voracious beasts which rule with raw strength and power. They can usually be found in rocky mountains and often hunt Mid-Rank beasts as food which can be found around their habitat. Wyverns usually live in a flock of about 30 to 50 individuals consisting of the 2 parents and their offspring.

-----------------------------------

It was a Wyvern, also known as the smaller cousins of dragons, and a beast just as fearsome. They may be a lot smaller and a lot weaker, but that doesn't remove the fact that they can still destroy towns and villages on their own.

It is said that a single breath from a Wyvern can annihilate entire districts of a town and destroy everything it came in contact with. To such a beast, even Hunter Wolves are nothing but puppies which can be toyed around with.

"So this is what you mean... Did I really jinx it?" ［Yuna］

"Hahaha. It's still much better than a dragon... Though, it might be a little troublesome to deal with all of them at once." ［Grey］

"Eh...? There's more than one...?" ［Yuna］

"Yeah... There's a lot more than just one..." ［Grey］

Said Grey, as he revealed the problem with his vision. Just like the last statement of the description said, Wyvern lives in a flock of several individuals, and as it seems, the one before them was in the same case.

There was a total of 33 Wyverns, of which, 2 are the parents at the higher ends of A-rank, next were its adolescent 11 offsprings at B-rank, including the one before them, and lastly, 20 juvenile offsprings at the higher ends of C-rank and D-rank.

So many C-rank and D-rank monsters are already a large problem, not to mention a pair of A-rank beasts. If such a flock were to suddenly go on a rampage, Galderia would have been in trouble, with complete destruction not very unlikely.

"Haah... Let's just finish this quickly..." ［Grey］

"Un! At least they're all still sleepingー Eh?" ［Yuna］

It was as if the heavens were playing a prank at them. Before Yuna could even finish her statement, the eyes of the wyvern suddenly opened, a fierce glow burning within as it raised its body and glared at them with sharp daggers.

ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR

What followed after was a loud and thundering roar, echoing all throughout the rocky mountains and throughout the nearby forest. It made all the beasts scurry away in fear and caused great panic within the local ecosystem without a care.

At the same time, it also woke up the other Wyverns, everyone rising up one after another from their short slumber and soon glaring at Grey and Yuna all the same. Now, they've really done it. Trouble was looming upon them.

"Ah, crap..." ［Grey］

Such were the only words Grey could utter as the Wyverns all glared at them. Soon enough, the biggest Wyvern suddenly flapped its wings and let out a good roar. Other roars followed and a pandemonium of thundering noises echoed in the air.

The nearest Wyvern didn't waste any more time. As soon as it finished its roar, it then opened its mouth and gathered mana under its breath. It was as if the Wyverns were watching a public execution, all eyes falling on Grey and Yuna.

WHOOOOOONNNNGGGGGGGG

The sphere of mana burst into a brilliant yet deadly beam, glimmering ever so brightly as it bolted towards Grey and Yuna at breakneck speeds. However, the two youths remained unfazed, not even flinching at the sight before them.

Grey didn't even erect a barrier and simply reached out his hands. There was only confidence in his eyes, his feet firmly planted on the ground as he received the beam head on, clashing with his palm, shockwaves echoing in the air.

It was futile, for the Wyvern, that is. The moment its beam struck Grey, it was simply dispersed by his hand and fragments of light burst forth as it shattered. There wasn't even a single scratch, only the adjacent rocks and boulders crushed, but not himself.

It was an unbelievable sight for the Wyverns, each one of them in shock that Grey managed to nullify such an attack. The attacker was especially bewildered. Its eyes now shifty as it tried to assess what just happened.

"Then, it's my turn, right?" ［Grey］

Said the young man, his eyes glimmering a sharp and deadly gleam whilst an insane and unbearable amount of pressure bore down on the Wyverns. He soon clenched his fist and with a single strike, he blew everything awayー or so, it should have been.

『Master, Mistress, can you leave this fight for us?』 ［Alpheratz］

But just when Grey was about to draw back his arm, a soft and sweet voice suddenly echoed in their ears. It was Alpheratz, and behind her were the other spirits. It seems like they wanted to fight for Grey and Yuna's sake.

Grey and Yuna don't really know the reason why, but it seems like the spirits are more eager than usual. It may be because they haven't fought properly for quite some time, but they could feel their hands were itching for some action.

Coincidentally, the adult Wyverns were on about the same level as the spirits, and with the offsprings in mind, it would make the perfect match-up. Grey and Yuna were a little hesitant, but it didn't take long before they came to a decision.

『Haah... Sure. Just make sure to not destroy the mountains, alright?』 ［Grey］

『Please leave it to us, Master.』 ［Algenib］

『Yeah! It's finally time to fight again!』 ［Scheat］

Grey announced their decision, and the spirits squealed in joy. At the same time, one of the Wyverns rushed towards Grey and Yuna, thinking that they had let their guard down and taking the opportunity to land an attack.

Unfortunately for it, Grey and Yuna were never careless in battle. The Wyvern had swung its tail, hoping to crush the two, but Grey easily and skillfully caught it with just one of his hands, gripping it tightly and preventing the Wyvern from escaping.

"Hey, don't you know it's rude to attack without warning?" ［Grey］

Another nonsensical statement came from Grey, and he then gripped the Wyvern's tail even tighter. He gripped with as much force as he could, then spinning the poor Wyvern around before throwing it towards the cliffside.

As if it was the signal, the spirits then appeared one after another and started their all-out assault against the Wyvern. Grey and Yuna also made a barrier at the same time, making sure to protect the forest and prevent any Wyvern from escaping.

ROOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR

The Wyverns didn't just sit still either. With a powerful roar from the parents, each and every single Wyvern then took to the air and started rushing towards the spirits. They braced their wings and tails, lashing around ever so wildly.

At the same time, many of the larger ones opened their mouths and started gathering mana inside their mouths, spheres shining ever so brightly and soon rushing towards the spirit at high speeds, creating a web of light and destruction.

RUMBLLLEEEEE BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

The beams rushed forth towards the spirits, but with just a single wave of Markab's hands, a gargantuan wall of Earth appeared, creating a tough barrier which took on all of the attacks and made them completely pointless.

The moment the barrage of beams followed, Markab then commanded the ground once more, several dozen earthen spikes suddenly emerging from the ground at high speeds and piercing through everything that it caught.

KHIIIEEEEEKKKKK SHRIEEEKKKKKK KRRIIIEEEEKKKKKKK

Those who flew in low altitudes were all skewered by the earthen spikes. Some had their wings punctured with holes, some had their limbs injured, and some straight up dying as their hearts and chests were pierced mercilessly.

Some tried to escape, but it was futile. Alpheratz' vines suddenly came out of the blue and held an insanely tight grip on their necks, legs, and failed. Not only were they very poisonous, they also pulled the Wyverns to Markab's spike trap of death.

The Wyverns fell like flies and were all killed one by one. Those who tried to escape only aggravated their wounds, making it easier for the poison to slip in and turning their bodies weak until they no longer had the strength to struggle.

In just a few moments, most of the younger Wyverns at C-rank and D-rank have been completely annihilated by Markab and Alpheratz. This enraged the parents and made them both rush in, ready to kill the two. However...

CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE BOOM BOOM

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH SHAK SHAK SHAK

... It was their biggest mistake. The very moment they were blinded by rage and hatred and only focused on Markab and Alpheratz, Scheat and Algenib then took the opportunity to attack and struck them with their heaviest hits.

Spears of lightning and flames rushed forth like a deadly storm and devoured all that was in sight. Along with it were devastating gales carrying the chilling frost of winter and javelins of ice dancing along the mischievous winds.

The adult Wyverns soon noticed Algenib and Scheat's attack, however, it was already far too late. The devilishly hot flames had devoured them and soon came after were the fury of gales and frost, subjecting the Wyverns to both intense heat and cold.

BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

The very moment those two polar elements meet, the ice was then superheated in a very small window of time. A steam explosion ruptured the air and caused a massive shockwave to thunder all over the place, causing massive injuries to the Wyverns.

"Hahahaha! How do you like our gifts?!" ［Scheat］

Scheat and Algenib didn't just stop there. As soon as the Wyverns were stunned, they prepared for yet another serving of their attacks and fired them soon after, causing even more injuries and shedding even more blood.

The young Wyverns tried to rescue their parents, but it was useless. They couldn't even get close, massive boulders suddenly coming from below and preventing them from flying even further, else they would fall down the trap of death.

"What smart things... They know danger when they see one..." ［Markab］

"Fufufu! But still not smart enough." ［Alpheratz］

However, it wasn't just below which they should be careful of. Just when all of them were occupied by the overwhelming number of scenes occurring simultaneously, yet another thing to worry about appeared without any warning.

It was all too sudden, a blade of water suddenly flashing from above and cutting down one of the Wyverns' wings. It too lost its ability to fly, then spiraling down to its death, Markab and Alpheratz' trap waiting for them from below.

It was already too late when they noticed dozens, if not hundreds, of blades of water situated over their heads. They tried to run away, but the moment Alpheratz gave her command, the blades fell down one after another like a deadly downpour.

Wounds appeared on their bodies one after another, and before long, they all started falling like flies as they lost their ability to fly. They all fell to the spike trap, barely able to move a muscle with their bodies riddled with wounds and tied with vines.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMMBBBLLLLLEEEEEEEE

The ground shook and a massive mass of earth and rocks gathered into a massive boulder. It appeared atop the spike traps and slowly grew bigger, its shadow slowly encroaching on the Wyverns subjugated below it.

Before long, the boulder finally stopped growing, and as soon as it did, Markab let go of it, letting it fall towards the pitiful Wyverns and crushing everything underneath it. There was no resistance, everyone equally embraced by the hands of death.

With that, only the parent Wyverns remained... Or at least, for now. With Scheat and Algenib launching relentless attacks one after another, it would only be a matter of time before the Wyverns are all subjugated.

"Hahaha! Is that all you got?! Fight! Let's fight some more!" ［Scheat］

"Scheat, you're too excited." ［Algenib］

"Hahaha! It's been quite some time, after all!" ［Scheat］

A deadly storm of flames and lightning, a devastating hurricane of frost and gales, followed by powerful steam explosions soon after. Scheat and Algenib repeated such a pattern again and again, wounding the enemies slowly but surely,

Of course, the enemies also resisted, firing beams one after another and also rushing towards them with their claws and tails lashing out. However, against the spirits like the two, such tactics were far from being effective.

The two could simply dodge the beams, and when it came to physical attacks, they could simply turn back to their spiritual state to negate all damage. It was a flawless strategy, the two yet to receive any damage from their enemies.

BOOM BOOM BOOM ROOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRR

The Wyverns finally ran out of patience, and didn't bother about the steam explosions anymore. They simply intoned all of the pain and started rushing towards the spirits... Once again forgetting that there weren't just two of them... but four...

There was no warning whatsoever. A massive boulder tied by beautiful green vines suddenly appeared out of nowhere and struck one of the Wyverns like a heavy and massive hammer. It broke a couple bones and flung it towards the ground.

The other Wyvern was able to dodge the strike, but unfortunately for it, it wasn't able to dodge the heavy downpour of blades coming from above. They peppered the poor Wyvern without rest, wounding its wings and making it fall towards the ground.

The game is now over. The very moment they touched the ground, their fates were already decided. Alpheratz' vines already had a tight grip on them, and even Markab had commanded the earth to chain them down, readying them for the final act.

"Then! Farewell, our dear enemies!" ［Scheat］

A spear of intense flames, even hotter than the surface of the sun, and the coldest shards of frost nearing absolute zero. Two contradicting forces were launched towards the Wyverns, sparkling prettily as they streaked across the place.

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM

The very moment the two touched, a powerful reaction took place. An explosion louder than any before it thundered across the mountain and sent great tremors towards the ground, shockwaves dancing in the air.

Clouds of dust and pillars of smoke filled the whole place, massive cracks spreading throughout the ground as the winds lashed violently. Not even trees and boulders were safe, all annihilated without any discrimination.

Everything was soon over. Only silence remained.

CHAPTER 462 END