Chapter XXXV - Tanagar Mountain (part 2)

"Hoaaa!!!"

Barett lets out a war cry as he hits a wyvern's head with his giant shield. Everyone else also seemed to be motivated as well, and the tide of the battle continued to shift in our direction.

Cony and Hod are moving faster than before. Next to me, Valey started shooting at the wyvern on the ground with insane accuracy. Some of them also started flying, so it's her job to pin them down.

She shot some arrows at the wyvern's wings, ripping it off rendering the wyvern unable to fly. It must've hurt a lot.

The two wyverns left in the air started hesitating at approaching me. Now that they are confused, I could try more variant attacks.

I summoned ten smaller fireballs and shot them out. The wyverns were able to dodge the fireballs, but those aren't simple fireballs. With a flick of my hand, the fireballs that were shot passed them stopped mid air, then shot backwards towards the wyverns. 

Unable to see the attack coming, it hit them directly on their back. One wyvern went down to the crater, but another still stands.

"Hmm?"

It looked at me as if challenging me to do worse. In that case, let's try this one then.

I unsheathed my orcish sword and held it with two hands. Then I focused as I poured magic into it. But this time, it wasn't just simple magic. I made the magic turn into a flame element, creating a fiery blade.

Since the orcish sword is capable of holding a high temperature, it's the perfect weapon for things like these.

"Woah..."

Valey was awed from the view of a flaming blade in my hand. I don't know how long the sword can last before melting, so I have to do it quickly.

I put my left leg front and right leg back. As my body leaned to the right, my sword was behind me, ready to launch an attack.

The wyvern seemed ready, and I didn't hesitate.

SHROOOMMM!!

With one large swing, a giant slash of fire made its way towards the wyvern at a high speed. But the wyvern was prepared. It simply moved upwards to dodge the horizontal flame slash. Then as if it were laughing, it let out this weird 'keke' voice.

"Yeah? I still got plenty more."

I straightened my pose, and I slashed again, and again, and again. Before long, my moves are becoming a blur as tens of flame slashes speed through the air.

The wyvern was able to dodge a few, but after getting hit by one of the slashes, its movement turned slower. It took seven hits for the wyvern to call it a day. It fell down after getting hit by the seventh flame slash.

Seeing what happened, Valey let out a whistle.

"How come you are so good at magic, now? Didn't you just start using magic two days ago?"

She asked while firing another shot at the wyvern on the ground, and I just simply shook my head.

"I don't know. All I know is that I just learned magic two days ago, and that's all."

She laughed at that, but then her eyes turned to the killer gaze again. She managed to look cute for those three seconds, and then turned a killer eyes right after.

I looked down at the situation under me, but it seemed it was almost done for them as well.

Cony and Barett are dealing with three more wyverns, while Hod is solo-ing the blue wyvern he saw earlier.

The blue wyvern seemed to be much stronger than the other wyverns. At this point, it's safe to say the danger level is already at Yellow rank.

Hod dodged an attack from the wyvern. He let out an annoyed sound after his attack and was only able to do a simple graze on the wyvern.

That wyvern had a tough skin, as well as a powerful body and speed. It couldn't just be easily frozen, and Hod couldn't do much damage to it using his sharp ice magic. Even Valey's arrows couldn't stick to the skin.

"Should I... Help out?"

"No, let Hod handle this."

Valey started to change her target to the ones attacking Cony and Barett. With one shot to the brain, she took down a single wyvern using the electric arrow she brought with. The electric shock caused the wyvern's brain to malfunction and render the wyvern brain dead. Cony used her sword to stab the head of the wyvern before turning back to fight the other wyverns.

Meanwhile, Hod is still busy using his ice magic, attacking the blue bastard. Even with wordless magic, he was barely able to launch an attack before the wyvern attacked him first.

I took off the waterproof robes and placed them back inside my ring. Then I sat down at the edge of the crater, watching Hod and the others fighting for their lives.

Cony and Barett were able to take down one wyvern, but the last one seemed to be more annoying. Their coordination is pretty good, if I must say. Barett tanked the wyvern's attack, while Cony used that small time gate and attacked the wyvern with her wind magic.

While the wyvern was able to dodge Cony's attack, he couldn't dodge Barett's. Barett jumped five meters in the air and enchanted his shield with lightning magic before bumping it very hard at the wyvern's head.

The wyvern let out a scream before falling down, unconscious. Cony used her sword to stab the heart of the giant lizard, killing it.

And now, only Hod is fighting. 

He dodged a fist from the wyvern, making it hit the ground. Hod wouldn't miss this chance. He froze the fist to the ground, and then jumped away before the wyvern used the other hand to hit him.

While the wyvern was so busy pulling out his hand, Hod already summoned multiple spikes from the ground.

SRINGGG!!!

The ice spikes stabbed the wyvern's body. The wyvern immediately moved its body to break the ice, but Hod was already on his way. With his thin sword, he stabbed the wyvern on the brain.

BAM!!

The wyvern fell to the ground, not moving. Hod took out his sword from the wyvern's head and put it back to the sheath. His head is bleeding a little. He turned to his friends, who had already fought all the other wyverns.

Valey and I who were seated on the crater's edge, clapping at Hod. Cony and Barett followed. Hod just lowered his body with his right hand on the stomach and left hand on his back, like a knight presenting us with a show.

And truly, what a show that was.

...

CRACK!!!!

"Hmm?"

I suddenly heard a cracking sound, and I turned my gaze around to look for the source. However, I could not find anything, and Valey next to me only look confused.

"What is it, Rize?"

"Did you hear that cracking sound?"

"N-No...? I would hear it since I do have good hearing. You sure it wasn't just you?"

Valey is telling the truth. Her ability as an archer is top class, and her detection ability follows it since an archer must always be aware of their surroundings.

So, what was that... cracking sound?

.

.

.

After all the wyverns were dead, we took a quick short rest. We looted the wyverns, then we took the path back to where the carriage guy was waiting. It would seem that he was scared to death that we might not make it. But when he saw we came back unscathed (I healed Hod's wound), he simply let out a laugh.

"I thought you guys were a goner! When I saw that huge fire attack, I thought we were mistaken that it's actually a dragon!"

I looked at Hod, who was tired and filthy to his feet. He just let out a grin and answered the driver.

"It wasn't much of a problem. No dragons, though!"

We took the ride back to the city, where we will be taking the usual carriage to go back to Mazino.

Ten minutes later, we can see the city's gate. Though what surprises us, is that there are tons of knights waiting outside.

"Is... everything okay?"

Hod asked the driver. 

"It's probably just some misunderstanding. They probably thought you guys failed. Not to worry!"

Hod had no choice but to accept what the driver had said. And it was right, the knights thought we failed to kill the wyverns, so they called in some forces to defend from the remaining wyverns.

When Hod explained to the head captain about the details, the captain let out a sigh.

"When I heard about how good you high ranked adventurers are, I was a little sceptical. But now, I don't doubt you anymore."

"That's what high ranking adventurers are for, but thank you."

Hod and the chief shook hands and went separate ways. Then we took the carriage back to Mazino. And just like that, we stopped a disaster from happening. Is this what all high ranked missions are like?

"Next time, let's do Yellow ranked missions instead!"

Cony said with a high voice within the carriage. We are the only ones on the carriage that's going to Mazino, so it's fine for her to speak so loudly.

"Emm, why is that?"

Valey asked from her seat, next to Hod. Who as usual sat on the door so that he could look back at the road. Barett sat next to Valey, while I sat with Cony with me being next to the door, across Hod.

Cony put her left hand on my neck.

"Because now we have her!"

Valey and Hod chuckled while Barett just nodded. I guess that means I'm officially a part of the team?

"And Hod's magic got stronger too! What is up with that?"

"E-Eh?"

Cony quickly turned to Hod, and everyone on the team also realized that it was true. I can't really tell because Hod's magic has always been the same. But to them, it seems a bit different.

The trip back took just as long as the trip then. When we arrived, we were very hungry, so we went to the Office to collect the rewards and went to Hod's diner.

Keila was pretty surprised to see how our team managed to kill twenty one wyverns in a span of a few hours. But then she saw me standing with them, she simply nodded after realizing. Keila whispered something to Hod's ears, and Hod replied with a thumbs up.

Hmm... Suspicious.

After receiving a payment, we went straight to Hod's diner. I ordered a different menu from before, while everyone else seemed to be ordering the same thing. Then we went to our table, and the first thing Cony said was:

"How were you able to do so many forms of magic like that?"

She was talking to me, and she sure is confused. Then again, looking at everyone else, they also seemed interested. 

The fire magic I displayed today was more or less quite creative. I can't really tell how good it was, but seeing the surprised faces from them when I casted it, I guess it must've been really that great.

I guess... there's no reason to hide it anymore.

"It's quite simple. I read."

After saying that, I took out my book of fire magic, and I slammed it to the table.

"You... Read?"

"You will be surprised with what knowledge can do to this world."

Barett said before he picked up the book and started reading. While he was reading that, I took out the other books that I borrowed from the library to show my friends.

The book of sword arts, magic in general, ice magic, and a book about skeletons. I passed the book about ice magic to Hod and lent the others the rest of the books, and everyone was a little too confused about everything.

"So you... simply read about fire magic, and you were able to do those things?"

Valey was confused as she opened the book about general magic knowledge, and I nodded at her. 

"By reading the books, I was able to know that those forms of fire magic do exist. It's all just left to me, whether or not I will be able to perform it or not."

I turned my gaze to the rest, and Hod chuckled as he placed the ice magic book down.

"Is the book not to your liking?"

"No, I already read this countless times."

Hod replied with that surprising answer, and everyone turned their surprised faces to him. Valey, especially, looked the most surprised.

"S-Since when do you read?"

"You think I'm a hooligan?? I learned my ice magic by myself too, you know?"

Hod defended himself, and Valey looked like shhe finally understood.

"Ah... you really are a nerd."

"... Excuse me--"

"I thought because you beat monsters up, you might be a stupid muscle guy like Barett. Apparently not..."

Hod looked quite annoyed by Valey's words. Both Cony and I only watched silently as they quarrel, while Barett is wondering why he is getting attacked randomly.

"You guys can borrow this book if you want, but you have to return them and not damage them."

"Maybe we can find... better books for us to read."

Barett returned the book of fire magic back to me, while Valey returned the general magic knowledge book. No one touched the book about skeletons and undead, and I guess we haven't really gone there.

"Is it okay if I visit the library with you later?"

"Me too."

"Me three!"

Good. They are all hungry for knowledge. Good... Goood...

I can feel myself becoming an evil megamind. Then again, it's actually possible here. Becoming a nerd is so powerful.

We agreed to visit the library later at night after we all had to go back to our homes to clean up. The meal came after I put away the books. As usual, the smell of the food kills me. My mind just blanked in front of my plate and my hand moved on their own to cut the steak. 

Nothing beats a hungry adventurer.

CRACKK!!!!!

CRACKK!!!!

KREKK....