After Shion finished her grilled eggs, her earlier irritation seemed to fade along with her hunger. Her eyes brightened a bit. Leon felt more energetic too after resting and eating, even though the taste of grilled rat still lingered on his tongue.
"Alright, ready to keep going?" the middle-aged man said with a wide smile, looking at both of them expectantly.
Leon nodded, while Shion just lifted her chin slightly in acknowledgment.
"Then... let's go!" The uncle grinned before leading them both to his old bicycle trailer.
Leon and Shion climbed onto the back seat, which was pretty cramped for two people but manageable. The uncle straddled the bicycle and pedaled with surprising energy for his age. The wheels started turning, taking them away from the abandoned market toward an unknown destination.
The road was rough and full of potholes, making the cart sway precariously. Leon felt slightly dizzy and had to keep himself from bumping into Shion sitting beside him. But the woman seemed fine, like she was used to traveling this way, or maybe because she was lost in her own thoughts.
"So... why are you two going to Flower?" the uncle shouted from the front, his voice competing with the sound of wheels grinding against the road.
"On a mission! We're not going sightseeing!" Shion shouted back just as loudly, her face getting stern again when asked about personal matters.
"Ha ha ha! I guess that makes sense for special ops!" the uncle laughed cheerfully, not bothered by the young woman's attitude. "Oh! I haven't asked your names yet," he said as if just remembering. "I'm Gray. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Leon," Leon replied politely.
"Mmm... Leon," Gray repeated the name softly.
"And I'm... Shion!" Shion answered curtly, but still agreed to give her name.
"Shion and Leon, huh... nice names that go well together. Sound like a good match," Gray said while laughing good-naturedly.
"Ha! How do they go together!" Shion burst out immediately, her face turning visibly red. She glanced at Leon's face briefly before quickly turning to look away, pretending to be interested in the scenery full of ruins along the road.
Just then! After pedaling for about five minutes, a terrifying roar echoed from the grass beside the road!
"What was that sound! Did everyone hear that!" Leon called out first, his survival instincts kicking in hard.
"Yeah! Heard it loud and clear!" Shion answered tensely, her eyes immediately alert.
"Uncle! Stop!" Leon shouted to Gray.
Gray looked visibly worried. He braked the bicycle suddenly before quickly ducking under the trailer, trembling with fear.
Leon and Shion jumped off the trailer immediately, eyes locked warily on the source of the sound. Then they saw them... large wolves with blood-red eyes, foam dripping from their mouths. Their condition clearly marked them as Vine-born!
"Low-tier," Shion murmured softly, her eyes showing slight disdain before turning to look at Leon with an unreadable smile. "Leon... let me see your skills, how much you've improved." After speaking, she sheathed her massive sword, flipped her hair casually, and walked back to sit cross-legged on the trailer, acting like nothing was happening.
Leon glanced at Shion's relaxed attitude and could only sigh. He felt a bit nervous, but seeing they were just low-tier Vine-born, equivalent to the mutant rats he'd dealt with countless times, his hesitation vanished. Determination took its place.
"Yaaah!" Leon growled in his throat before charging at the wolf pack Vine-born while drawing his katana!
The sound of blade clashing against sharp claws rang out! Leon used the moment when it lost balance to push its body away, then crouched low and quickly slashed at its front legs!
*Howl!* The wolf cried out in pain. It lost balance and fell. Leon didn't let the opportunity slip away. He jumped high, spun mid-air, and struck down precisely at the middle of its back! Then he flipped down to land behind it and thrust his blade through its heart in an instant!
The image of his mistake fighting that mid-tier Vine-born flashed through his head. Leon gritted his teeth. Without delay, after the sword pierced its heart, he dragged the blade up to its shoulder forcefully! *Slash!* One of its arms flew off!
The wolf Vine-born's body convulsed violently before slowly crumbling to black ash. Leon stood breathing slightly, sweat beading on his forehead. He knew this was just a warm-up.
"Mm... not too bad," Shion's voice came from the trailer. Though her words sounded casual, Leon could sense her eyes had changed slightly.
Uncle Gray slowly crawled out from under the trailer, trembling. "Th-thank you, young man... thank you so much." His face was pale, sweat covering his body.
"I... I was scared to death just now," Gray said shakily before taking a deep breath, trying to compose himself and continue the journey.
But then... after pedaling not much farther, Gray suddenly stopped again!
"Why'd you stop again, uncle! What now!" Shion asked irritably, starting to get annoyed with this man's strange behavior.
Gray didn't answer, but laughed softly. That laughter sounded cold and unfriendly, unlike before!
"I delivered you both like I was supposed to!!!" Gray shouted before quickly jumping off the bicycle and running into the bushes!
Suddenly! About ten burly men, muscular bodies holding weapons - swords, axes, and spiked clubs - stepped out from bushes on both sides of the path they'd just passed! Their eyes stared hungrily at Leon and Shion like predators looking at prey!
"Heh... got special ops delivered right to our doorstep like this... fucking brilliant!" one man who seemed to be the group leader said mockingly.
Shion drew her massive sword from its sheath immediately! Her beautiful face was red with rage! A red fiery aura began radiating violently from her body!
"You guys... picked the wrong people to mess with!!!" Her voice was cold as ice, but filled with killing intent ready to explode at any moment!