WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH
Icicles of blue and white rained down from above, a torrent of frost pouring down the city. The massive Wyvern screeched and more icicles formed in the air, bolting down the ground at breakneck speeds along with it.
It wasn't just icicles either. Soon enough, when the other Wyverns were in range, they also started firing their own shots, condensed spheres of mana turning into bolts of destruction as they zoomed at supersonic speeds.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
Yet despite all that, not a single bit of the city was destroyed. A thin yet impenetrable barrier was erected just above the city walls, catching all the bolts and icicles which cascaded from the sky and swallowing them whole until there was nothing left.
The Wyverns also dove and struck the barrier themselves, but it was useless, not even a single crack forming. And the moment they were stunned by the impact, a volley of spells would come their way. They once again soared up high.
It was a firework show of ruin and destruction, two figures standing quietly in the middle of it all, their eyes peering through the clouds and observing the Wyverns closely. They moved not a single inch, expressions unwavering like a mountain.
"These bastards... I thought they were smart, but they're more stubborn and prideful than I thought." ［Grey］
"But that makes it easier for us, doesn't it?" ［Yuna］
"I guess you're right..." ［Grey］
Grey and Yuna had been scrutinizing the Wyverns for a while, trying to see if there was anything they should take note of, but other than one of the True Wyverns being adept at ice magic, everything seems normal like they should be.
There weren't any mutants or any other reinforcement coming from the forest either, otherwise, the True Wyverns would have called for them. If anything, it seems that the Wyverns have gotten more stupid, their judgement clouded by rage.
Well, such a thing only makes it easier for Grey and Yuna. They were planning to end things quickly anyway, and though seeing the Wyverns try so hard makes them feel a little bad, they have no thoughts of sparing such vile and feisty beasts.
"Yuna, I'll take two of the older wyverns, you take the other couple." ［Grey］
"Eh?! Why are you taking the stronger ones for yourself? That's unfair! I wanna fight those Wyverns too." ［Yuna］
"You took out most of the Wyverns earlier, remember? Let me have some fun as well, and... Well, there's something I want to test out." ［Grey］
"Uuu... So petty..." ［Yuna］
Or so she says, but Yuna wasn't much of a stubborn girl in such a situation. She quickly accepted Grey's terms and felt a little happy afterwards. After all, the ice Wyvern was actually from the younger pair.
As for the spirits, they will be taking on the remaining Lesser Wyverns. There was double the number of the enemies, but with them standing at a higher rank and more adept in working together, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.
"Then, I'll leave everything to you." ［Grey］
"Un! Just leave it to me!" ［Yuna］
A smile on his beloved's face, Grey then took his leave and disappeared from the young lady's sight in a flash. He didn't teleport or anything of the sort. Rather, he was so fast, it seemed like he just vanished into nowhere, riding along the rapid winds.
Grey's disappearance was quickly noticed by the True Wyverns, alarming them ever so greatly as their sense of caution spiked to the highest degree. They looked for him left and right, trying to search for their most brutal enemy.
Unfortunately for the Wyverns, no matter how hard they looked, it was futile. It may not be as good as Yuna's "Nihility", but Grey can also veil himself with the use of illusion magic. He was in front of the Wyverns before they knew it.
"Are you looking for me, you lizard bastard?" ［Grey］
He appeared out of nowhere, surprising the Wyvern very much, but even more than the surprise it felt, the shock of Grey's punch was even greater, sending one of the True Wyverns flying back towards the forest where they came from.
"Oops. Did I use too much power?" ［Grey］
Whispered the young man as he watched the Wyvern crash through a handful of trees and make quite the noticeable scar in the forest. It was in that short window of surprise that the Wyvern's pair grabbed the opportunity and struck him.
The Wyvern lashed its massive tail, packing enough force to bend and destroy even the toughest of metals. But rather than flinging Grey hundreds of meters away, it felt a great resistance which soon turned into pain.
KHIIIEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK
"Seriously... You should really learn to quiet down a little..." ［Grey］
Grey grabbed the Wyvern by the tail and squeezed his hands tight, shattering the Wyvern's scales and breaking its bones soon after. He then raised his hands and flung it towards the forest, letting it reunite with its partner in the worst way possible.
Of course, the young man didn't just stop there either. He chased after the Wyverns and soon landed in the forest. With no one around to distract him, he could finally go all out and do the lithe test he's been meaning to do for a while.
With a snap of his fingers, Grey took out a familiar sword from his Inventory and brandished it around for a little while. It was the Legendary-Grade sword he just forged the other day, still looking beautiful as ever.
"Then... Let's do a little item testing, shall we?" ［Grey］
A sinister smile on his face and expressions of horror painted on the Wyverns' faces, Grey soon conducted his little experiment and used the Wyverns as a test subject. A series of shrieks and cries soon echoed from the dense and lush forest.
Meanwhile, on the side of the city, Yuna and the spirits continued to battle against the remaining Wyverns. With Grey now gone, Yuna took it upon herself to create another barrier, just as unbreakable and immovable as the other one.
The Wyverns tried and tried again, trying all sorts of attacks, but they have yet to make even the tiniest of scratches. Some also tried attacking from different angles and flying to the other districts of the city, but it was futile,
The very same moment one tries to separate from the flock and sneak in from other directions, it gets singled out and a torrent of deadly spells soon rushing towards it. The True Wyverns are fine, but it was the death penalty to the lesser ones.
"Why don't you try this one for size?!" ［Scheat］
"Foul beast! You shall not pass!" ［Markab］
"Hmm... I wonder what I could do with Wyvern leather..." ［Alpheratz］
A stream of fireballs and lightning bolts came from Scheat, a volley of heavy boulders were catapulted by Markab, a blizzard of deadly frost danced in Algenib's command, and Alpheratz continued to bind them with vines, drowning them in water soon after.
Time passed by slowly, and with every passing minute, a couple of Lesser Wyverns are taken out. They all dropped like flies until only the True Wyverns remained. A pair of Wyverns who are about to be wiped out by a single young lady.
"Is that really all you got?" ［Yuna］
Bolts of explosive mana, a rain of icicles, brute strength, close-contact beams, and many more. The Wyverns have tried all the tactics they could, but they have yet to make the young lady move, her barrier not budging a single inch.
With every shot they took, they only grew exhausted and broken. Before them was a being they had no hopes of defeating in the first place, and though they knew that, the prideful Wyverns still refused to accept it.
"I guess it's my turn thenー Hm?" ［Yuna］
Yuna was about to brandish her daggers, when out of nowhere, the Wyverns started to pull more and more mana in the air. It was a tempest of turbulence with the two Wyverns in the middle, the winds howling as they danced.
One of the Wyverns offered up its remaining mana to its partner and the latter used it to manifest the strongest magic it could. The air shivered at its presence and the clouds were chased away, a glacial blue glint shimmering in the sky.
The Wyvern gathered more and more mana, and the sphere before its mouth only grew brighter and brighter with time. It was imbued with ice attribute, and packed force more than any Wyvern could handle. It was its last resort.
WHOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG
A shimmer of blue flashed and a beam of frost darted down the sky. It was like a bolt of lightning from a thunderstorm, only more beautiful and more deadly. It painted all in its path with blue, turning the moisture in the air into gentle snowflakes.
BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK
The beam headed straight towards Yuna, crashing down on the young lady's barrier and pouring force more powerful than all the previous attacks combined. It started to cover the barrier with frost, icicles growing out like flowers blooming during spring.
Well, at least, that's how it looked like... However, rather than making cracks and dents on the barrier, the beam only covered the barrier with a thin layer of ice and nothing more. It neither pierced nor moved it, unwavering as ever.
Before long, the attack was over and the icy mist it formed was dispersed, unveiling a still perfect barrier with not a single crack in sight. With a flick of the Yuna's finger, all the ice broke into tiny pieces, scattering like snow soon after.
"That's what you call ice magic...?" ［Yuna］
Now, it was the young lady's turn. With a tinge of disappointment in her voice, she gathered copious amounts of mana in her palms and sigils formed soon after. If the Wyverns made the air shiver, now, even the ground was trembling.
"This... This is what you call ice magic...!" ［Yuna］
A small sphere of blue and white appeared before the young lady. It started off dim, but soon grew more radiant, more beautiful, and more mystical, swirling faster and faster with the beat of Yuna's heart, turning everything into nothing but ice.
⟨⟨Ballad of the Winter Night!⟩⟩ ［Yuna］
Yuna's cold voice echoed in the air and the sphere of blue shattered like fragile glass. It soon turned into a beam, flashing towards the enemies and swallowing everything in front of the young lady without sparing a single thing.
The Wyverns tried to dodge it, but it was futile. The spell caught them without wasting a single moment and devoured them like a ferocious beast, turning them into frozen popsicles, both inside and outside, ice crystals even tougher than diamonds.
It wasn't just the Wyverns either. Be it the clouds, the passing birds, the moisture in the air, and even the tiny particles of dust. All were frozen without a hitch, dyeing the whole scenery blue and white. It was Yuna's overwhelming victory.
"Ah...! I... I didn't go overboard, right...?" ［Yuna］
However, the young lady in question was rather worried about a completely different matter. She looked around to see if there were other things which got frozen, but since it was directed towards the sky, other places remained untouched. Of course...
"Haah... That girl... She went overboard again..." ［Grey］
... Grey could see her display from a long distance away. He was still wielding the mithril sword he just forged, the blade now covered in a little bit of blood. It wasn't Grey's, of course, but the Wyverns' who are now down for the count.
Grey tested out the sword's base durability, sharpness, resistance to magic, mana conductivity, convenience, and also its abilities. He first used it without injecting mana, and used some later on, the Wyverns' as his lab rats.
And as expected of a Legendary-Grade sword, it did not disappoint at all. It was more than enough to be called a National Treasure and could fetch a price of at least 40 million kiels if auctioned properly. It was his pride.
GUUU... GUAAARRRKKK... KKRRRRR....
"Haah... How pitiful..." ［Grey］
The Wyverns groaned and croaked, trying to get up once again and fight against the young man before it. It may be a ferocious beast, but its iron will was admirable. Grey didn't let it suffer any longer and ended its life in a single strike of his sword.
"Hmm... I should get going too..." ［Grey］
With that, the quest has finally been completed and the city has been saved. Grey soon stored all the fallen Wyverns inside his Inventory and also patched up the forest while he was at it, returning to the city soon after.
There was no damage done to the city and the Wyverns have all been exterminated. There was no need for panic, and so, the Countess called off the evacuation. She soon announced their victory and booming cheers thundered all over the city.
Just like that, time passed by in the blink of an eye and night soon came. In order to celebrate Grey and Yuna's victory and also to forget all the grievances during the past few days, the Countess decided to hold a little celebration.
They lost some wonderful and precious people, but rather than sending them off with dark and gloomy expressions, they decided to send them off with bright smiles on their faces. It was a celebration held to honor them.
"Pass me the spices! Ah! Give me the salt too!" ［Yuna］
"Here you go, Your Highness. Is there anything more you need?"
"Y-Your Highness, is this enough?"
"... Yeah. Just turn down the heat and let it simmer for a while." ［Grey］
"Ah, Your Highness, how about..."
Of course, what kind of celebration would it be without some good food?
Along with the famous chefs and cooks of Ortega, Grey and Yuna also cooked some magnificent dishes to celebrate the occasion. No one really asked them, they just volunteered. After all, they have no impeding quests and are quite free.
Of course, the two of them couldn't feed the whole city alone with just the two of them. They taught the other cooks and chefs some simple but delicious recipes, all of them in awe of Grey and Yuna's skills in cooking.
One of the dishes Grey and Yuna made was some beef garlic pepper steak. It was easy to make and would only need some beef, garlic, butter, oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, salt, and other spices and seasonings.
Grey first mixed the beef with the spices and seasoning and let it rest for about 10 minutes, and while it did so, he heated up the frying pan, added some oil and started toasting some minced garlic until they were golden brown, then setting it aside.
"Mince the garlic... Toast until golden brown... Use a strainer toー"
"Ah, right. Remember to let the beef rest for about 10 minutes, alright? I'm going to use magic to speed things up since we don't have much time." ［Grey］
"Ohh.., so you can use magic like that as well!"
"As expected of Their Highnesses! We should learn more from them!"
Whilst Grey was cooking, the cooks and chefs took down notes of his steps and also listened to his words carefully. They were also enthusiastic about how Grey also uses magic in cooking, enlightened by his revolutionary way of cooking.
He soon put the garlic oil aside, then fried the beef on it until they turned a similar golden brown color and set them aside as well. He then added some soft butter, spices, seasonings, and cornstarch, mixing until a smooth consistency was reached.
Finally, he added back the beef and poured some water into it, stirring and stirring some more until he reached a thick and creamy consistency. He turned off the heat, and sprinkled some garlic and pepper on top. The dish was ready to serve!
"The final product should look like this." ［Grey］
"Ohh～! It looks really appetizing... The aroma too..."
"Hahaha! I can't wait to cook something like this!"
"Move along everyone, we don't have any time to waste. I'm going to teach you the next recipe, so make sure to pay close attention." ［Grey］
"Yes!" "Understood, Your Highness!" "Ohhh!!"
Everyone was enthusiastic and full of energy, following Grey like an idol and looking at him with sparkly eyes. Some started to cook the recipe they just learned, sharing the recipe with those who couldn't see Grey from afar.
Of course, it wasn't just Grey who was cooking and teaching. Yuna was also in the same boat, now making some chicken and corn soup which only requires ground chicken, corn, soy sauce, cornstarch, eggs, oil, and a handful of herbs and spices.
"Everyone, please watch carefully. This is the easiest recipe for today, but it's still better to pay close attention rather than miss something." ［Yuna］
"Your Highness, can we use other meat and vegetables as well?"
"Un. You can use different meat stock and modify it all you want. You can add peas, beans, cheese, potatoes, carrots, and all sorts of other things." ［Yuna］
"Potatoes... Isn't that poisonous...?"
"Ah, right... You guys don't know yet... I'll teach you how to handle them safely later so just watch and listen for now." ［Yuna］
First came a pot, and then the flames were set ablE. Yuna then put some oil inside the pot and let it heat up. Soon enough, she put some minced ginger inside, stirring and cooking them for about a minute before adding the chicken stock.
Stir and let it boil, then adding the ground chicken, a hint of soy sauce and sesame oil, and then some salt and pepper to flavor. Yuna let it sit once again for several minutes before adding some cornstarch to thicken the soup.
Finally, she beat some eggs and added them to the mix, stirring constantly to prevent them from forming. To add some variety, she also added some mushroom, spring onions, and some minced carrots, and potatoes, making it look even more appetizing.
"Huh...? Ehh... Is that all, Your Highness?"
"I did tell you it was easy, didn't I? The only thing that takes a long time here is preparing the meat stock. Everything else is pretty easy." ［Yuna］
"I see... That seems simple enough."
"Well, there's no time to waste. I'll now tell you how to properly handle potatoes! Listen closely because this is something I'm passionate about!" ［Yuna］
Time and time again, Grey and Yuna taught more recipes to the chefs and cooks, ranging from meat dishes like mushroom gravy steaks and ginger pork, to seafood dishes like lobster risotto and clam miso soup, and even some salads.
In exchange, Grey and Yuna also received some recipes from some well-known chefs, learning quite a handful of new things and meeting some new ingredients along the way. It was a productive time for everybody.
Before long, darkness had fully encroached on the night sky and it was time for everyone to eat. Most of the citizens were therianthropes and had been smelling the appetizing aromas ever since. They were all excited to try and taste.
"This is...! This is a gift from the heavens! It's so delicious!"
"Goodness! It just rolls and melts on my tongue! This is fantastic!"
"Wh-What the hell is this?! It's so juicy and flavorful! I can't get enough of it!"
"Waah～! What warm and delicious soup... This is heaven..."
It was excitement which did not disappoint. The moment everyone had a taste of the dishes Grey, Yuna, and everyone else prepared, wonderful bursts of flavors popped in their mouths and everyone was filled with warmth and joy.
It has only been two days since the Wyverns started attacking, and though they were still far from a food shortage, they were so worried about their lives, they couldn't even get a proper meal even if they wanted to, everything feeling tasteless.
It was the first proper meal they had in a while, their hearts flooded with happiness and reassurance that they get to see the sun rise another time. Some were so relieved, they started crying, shedding tears of joy and relief.
"Can I sit here, Your Highness?" ［Tifania］
"Oh, Countess... Yes, please go ahead..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Then I shall indulge in your kindness." ［Tifania］
But perhaps the most relieved of them all was none other than the Countess. She has been spending restless nights trying to find solutions to their problems and was on the verge of collapsing herself from working too much.
She wasn't really worried for herself, but for her people, especially for her children and grandchildren who are living with her. She couldn't even begin to think what would happen had things went south... Thankfully, all the nightmares are now over.
"Your Highnesses... I know I already said this many times and you may be tired of it already, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you... Not just as a Lord, but also as a mother. I can't thank you enough, and I will be forever grateful." ［Tifania］
"Hahaha. There's no need, Countess. We were just doing our jobs." ［Grey］
"Un! We're adventurers, after all! Right～?" ［Yuna］
"... Fufufu! So it seems... Adventurers, huh... Fufufu!" ［Tifania］
Though... It seems like her saviors themselves don't think much of their heroic accomplishment. It was not their grace, but their responsibility. They just ought to fulfill what they should, and do what they can.
When you look at them sitting so peacefully under the night sky, they would look like any other youth. They dress, eat, and talk like any other. It was hard to imagine they were the great Heroes of Oiros... Such great people out of graspー
"Ah! This is great! Grey, have a taste of this one, it's super good!" ［Yuna］
"Hm? Which one?" ［Grey］
"This! Ah, no, forget it! Say ahh～!" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, that's a little... We're outside, you know?" ［Grey］
"Geez! Just open your mouth already! I'm your fiancée! It's okay!" ［Yuna］
... No, on second thought, they are normal like any other. They enjoy food like any other... Love like any other... Gets embarrassed like any other... Bicker like any other... And laugh like any other... A normal idiotic couple... Truly, normal...
Wyvern Quest: Complete!
CHAPTER 478 END