The Fateful Throw and the Power of Roots

Time seemed to slow down. Yanaki watched the Vulture Leader dive at a terrifying speed. Wisp was too far away; Grumbles couldn't turn his gun in time. She had no ranged weapon powerful enough to take it down instantly.

But she had Sylva.

"Sylva! [Root Prison]!" Yanaki yelled in her mind, pouring all her will and mana into the command.

The Guardian Treant let out a low growl. From its wooden body, not one or two, but dozens of thick, steel-hard tree roots shot out with incredible speed. They didn't aim for the vulture, but instead reached out, anchoring themselves to the metal bridge itself, forming a dense network directly in the iron bird's flight path.

The Vulture Leader never expected the sudden appearance of this obstacle. Its steel talons hit the tree roots. At first, it thought it would tear through them easily. But the roots didn't budge. They were anchored firmly to the bridge, forming a solid net.

CRASH!

The vulture collided hard with the network of roots. The immense force of the impact brought it to a sudden halt, its iron wings flapping wildly to regain balance. It didn't fall into the abyss, but its diving speed had been drastically reduced.

This was the opportunity Yanaki needed.

She quickly drew her dagger. She didn't throw it at the vulture. Instead, with incredible precision, she threw it at a weak point that Elara had just identified: the joint connecting the iron bird's neck and body.

Thwack!

The dagger, though not powerful, found its way into the small gap in the joint. Immediately, Yanaki channeled a small amount of electrical mana into the dagger through her covenant with Volt. A small spark, but enough to cause a short circuit.

The Vulture Leader let out a piercing shriek. Its flight control system was affected. It lost control, veered off course, and slammed into the side of the bridge with a horrifying noise.

CRUNCH!

A few metal parts flew off, and the iron bird went still.

The critical situation had been resolved in an instant thanks to Yanaki's quick thinking and the excellent coordination of her entire party.

Grumbles and Wisp stopped firing, staring in amazement at what had just happened.

"Wh-what just happened?" Grumbles stammered, lowering his minigun.

Wisp flew back, landing near Yanaki. She looked at the young summoner with a new expression of surprise and admiration. "Not bad, 'pet-keeper' kid. You just saved that boiler."

Yanaki let out a sigh of relief. "Sylva did a great job. And a bit of luck."

But the battle wasn't over. The flock of iron vultures was still there. Though they had lost their leader, they continued to attack.

"Don't let your guard down!" Yanaki warned. "There are still a lot of them. Volt, Sylva, continue to defend. Elara, watch for the next ones!"

The fierce battle continued. Grumbles and his minigun created a hail of lead, taking down one vulture after another. Wisp, with her agility and jetpack, constantly moved and sniped at those in dangerous positions. Sylva and Volt remained a steadfast shield, protecting Yanaki and the convoy.

Under Yanaki's calm and effective command, and with the party's seamless coordination, the flock of iron vultures was finally defeated. The remaining ones, realizing their heavy losses, began to retreat, disappearing into the steam clouds.

The convoy resumed its journey, this time with a clear sense of respect for the young summoner and her team. When they arrived at Steam Pumping Station #13, the engineers quickly got to work on the repairs, strictly protected by Grumbles, Wisp, and Yanaki's party.

While the engineers were working, Yanaki quietly observed the station's complex equipment. The giant steam pipes, the pressure regulation valves, the constantly turning gears. She used her [Appraisal] skill, trying to understand their operating principles. New knowledge gradually formed in her mind.

When the engineers completed their repairs, steam began to hiss steadily from the pumping station, signaling the mission's success.

"Kid," Grumbles said, patting Yanaki on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "You're not just good at keeping pets. You've got a cool head, too. Next time there's a mission like this, I'll request your team to come along."

Wisp also nodded in agreement. "You coordinate well."

[Guild Quest "Escort a Convoy and Repair Steam Pumping Station 13" has been COMPLETED!]

You have received: 1500 Copper Cogs, 200 Guild Contribution Points.

Your contribution points in the Steam Guild have increased.

On the way back to the Great Workshop, Yanaki felt a new sense of confidence. She had proven her worth not only to Valerius, but also to other members of the Guild. The path to advancing further in this organization, to gain access to the secrets and resources she needed, was gradually opening up.

And in her mind, the idea of crafting a ranged weapon for herself, based on the Cryo-Cannon schematic she had recently obtained, began to take shape.