Rising Life Volume 1, Chapter 18

Episode 18 Quest: Prince of the Sky III

　The sky is as blue as the ocean.

　There was a huge griffin with dark brown wings, flapping its wings.

　It had the upper body of a hawk and the lower body of a lion.

　Its body is five meters long, and when the wings are spread out, it is a huge magical beast that looks to be at least ten meters across.

　Robert, a large man who looked like a bear with a cart on his back, held up the axe he was carrying on his back.

「Goddamn it! It's a male Franz Queen! It's a fierce individual that's straying from the pack! Be careful!」

「Eeekkkk!」

「S-Siir!」

「Kuhh......! This is bullshit! This isn't Griffin territory! Is there an irregularity!?」

　Funnelwing shouted while drawing his sword.

　His voice was trembling slightly.

「Damn it, we have no choice but to do it. Francisca, use magic!」

「B-But, isn't it kind of dangerous? Isn't it better to run away, Roses-senpai!?」

　Right next to Kian, a pudgy monk and a flamboyant female sorceress each took out their weapons.

　Serena was standing next to Funnelwing with her sword at the ready, her gaze fixed on the sky.

(It is attracted by the smell of blood?)

　Kian looked sideways at the carcass of a wild dog, the worst form of insolence that Funnelwing and the others had taken.

『Are you going to do it?』

(It's dangerous to turn your back on it at this distance. I have no choice.)

　Kian pulled out his club from his waist.

　It was a homemade weapon made of a sturdy oak tree branch with a number of stones and iron strapped to it.

　He was armed with this, a slingshot for throwing stones, and a wooden sword.

　The slingshot and stones are on his right hip.

　The wooden sword and a spare cudgel are tied to his back.

『You should have at least bought a raggedy longsword.」

(I didn't have any money. Steel weapons and armor cost many times more than the cost of food to care for and repair..)

『Can you hit that thing in the head with a club?』

(It's difficult, but if I can hold onto its back, I have a chance.)

　Kian moved his feet sideways away from the cart, keeping his eyes firmly on the Griffin.

　He quickly surveyed his surroundings.

　An unobstructed street.

　A cliff on the far right.

　A green hill on the left, undulating like a wave.

(Good footing)

　He kicks the ground with the toes of his boots.

　It was a clear day, so the soil was dry and easy to run on.

　It was a relatively easy place to fight, but so was for Griffin.

　There were no trees or ivy, which made it easy to swoop in from the sky, the biggest attack of all.

　There were few blind spots, so it was easy to avoid long-range attacks with slingshots, bows, or magic.

「My client, stay back!」

　Kian shouted loudly and stepped forward to protect Robert and the others.

　Robert, however, pushed Kian aside and stepped forward further.

「Ouh, you guys stay back. I'm still a former fourth-class adventurer! That shit-colored bird you threw in the toilet is going to be my soup tonight! Falcon Clan! I'm with you!」

「Thank you for your help! Serena-san, you and me, become vanguard. Roses! Get behind me! Focus on healing!」

「Tsk! I want to fight up front too!」

　Clutching the monk's mace, the delinquent monk gnashed his teeth.

　The handsome, cat-haired swordsman holds his sword in the middle position.

「I'll let you fight in front of me next time, just concentrate on the recovery for now!」

「Damn it!」

「Hey, Farufaru, are you really going to fight that thing? Isn't it dangerous? It looks like it's really angry. ......」

　When Francisca said this, the Griffin let out another menacing roar.

　The air trembled.

　The reverberation of the lion's bark is a hawk.

　It was the voice of a terrifying beast with a somewhat majestic sound.

「Everyone, get ready!」

　Funnelwing shouted loudly.

　The next moment, the Griffin flapped its spiny wings once, then spread them horizontally and glided down from the sky with great force.

　A huge body of several meters in length came flying at them with a strange wind-snapping sound.

「Scatteeeeer!」

　By the time Robert shouted, it was too late.

　The Griffin hit the two employees who were hiding behind the cart, leaping to its paws as if it were tearing the sky with its claws.

　The cart split into halves like a piece of paper or something, sending pieces of wood flying apart.

　The wooden cart, large and strong enough for three adults to lie on, burst into pieces without leaving a trace.

「Uwaaaaaa!」

「Eekkk!」

　The two men seemed to have escaped somehow by rolling over, but Griffin, who had torn the cart apart, kicked the ground in pursuit and leaped at them.

　The yellow beak of the hawk opened its big mouth.

　GAAAAAAAAHYYYYYYYN!

　Destructive loudness.

　The roar of a lion and a hawk.

　Red tongues peeked out, drool flew, and black feathers flew around it like scales.

　The Griffin spread its wings majestically, and its claws danced in the air.

「S-stooooooooppppp」

「Noooooooo!」

「You guys! Uwoooooooohhhhhhhh!」

　The cry of a large man like a bear.

　Right in front of Kian, who was protecting his face from the wood chips and dust, Robert raised his axe and slashed at the giant beast's back.

　Rather than a slashing sound, it was a striking sound.

　With a dull thud, Robert's axe plunged deep into Griffin's side.

「GYAYYYYYN!!」

　Blood flies.

　Robert's mouth raises in a grin as his axe digs into its side.

　But it didn't seem to be a fatal wound, and Griffin, who twisted its body, swung its blade-like wings and flipped the big man away.

「Guoghh!」

「Francisca, please start chanting something!」

「Eh, o-okay! Something happens! Spirit, please!」

「I'll go next.」

　Serena said shortly and slashed at the bloodshot-eyed griffin head-on.

　She swung her black claws at the Griffin, but the Griffin ducked through them and landed a blow.

　The silver wolf girl tore her chest open and rolled backward as she slipped away.

　She stood up and swung her sword with a quick, bloody swing and thrust the tip of her sword at it.

「Come here! Your opponent is me!」

(The best solution is to cover her. Of course, I'll take the last hit.)

　Kian throws a stone with his slingshot, distracting the Griffin as he moves in a circular motion.

　The strong tail flies at him, but he ducks and dodges, and picks up the stone that is the bullet from the slingshot at the same time as taking a pass.

　Griffin looked sideways at Kian, annoyed.

　He's not going to let it attack.

　He is constantly changing his position to keep the claws from pointing at him as he harasses it from a distance.

　Griffin barked impatiently at Kian, who was moving around rapidly to distract the giant beast.

　Its attention was now fully on Kian.

　Its back flank is empty.

　The "Falcon Clan" will not miss the large gap exposed by the monster.

　The heavily equipped Funnelwing kicked the ground hard and slashed at it from behind with a big uppercut.

「I've got it! Ohhhhh!」

　He shouted bravely, but thanks to his voice, Griffin seemed to be able to quickly notice the surprise attack from outside its consciousness.

　It kicked its hind legs up wide and kicked him in the stomach with its sharp claws.

「Gugyaaaaaaa!?」

「Kughh!?」

　The blood splattered on her face, and Serena's movements came to a halt.

　The handsome, cat-eyed swordsman rolled over, bleeding from his belly as if his sturdy chainmail was powerless in the face of the beast's physical strength.

　The party was made up of fourth-class adventurers of the appropriate rank for defeating the beast.

　Probably the strongest enemy that Funnelwing and the others had yet to fight.

　The Griffin was different from the small fry they had been facing.

　They had been fighting with their own strength and magic power, but this demonic beast had muscles and speed that could not be fooled by that.

「Funnelwing! Damn it!」

　Roses-Pitt began to pray.

　But Griffin had flipped Serena off, who had stopped moving and was attacking Funnelwing, who had fallen on his butt.

　The handsome, cat-haired swordsman's face lit up with fear.

「Th-this me! Noo! Somebody help me!」

「Spirit, please!」

　At Francisca's call, the earth rose up and several large earthen spears extended towards Griffin.

　Griffin stumbled as it took one of them to the side where it had just been cut.

　Robert tackled it from the shoulder.

　It was a big man's body blow aimed at the feather-thin neck.

　For the first time, the monster let out a scream that sounded like a scream and staggered.

「Kuhhh......」

　Funnelwing rolled over and down.

　Griffin stepped back and raised its claws at him - at Robert, who had hit Griffin.

「Nuoh!?」

　He laid down his axe to catch its claws.

　But Griffin's attack was apparently strong and heavy, even for a man as big as a bear.

　The axe was flung from his hand and rolled back to the ground with a clang.

「Goddamn you!」

　Robert, who had lost his balance and landed on his buttocks, reached for the axe as if to cling to it.

　But before he could, Griffin threw back its upper body, howled at the heavens, and drove its claws into Robert's back.

「Guagghhhhh!?」

「......, ......!」

　The first to react was Kian, who quickly composed his mind and positioned his club at the lower level.

(One of the basic techniques, "Shoot," which sends magic power flying and gives an impact. ......!)

　But before he could swing the club, Griffin grabbed the big man in its arms, kicked the ground with its back foot, and jumped up into the air at once.

　A beat later, Serena's sword struck out.

「Uwahh, uwaaahhhh, let go of me! You son of a bitch!」

「Bear's old man! I have to do something, with magic, Spirit!」

　Francisca creates another earthen spear, but it can't reach the griffin, which has jumped over ten meters high, and it loses momentum midway and disintegrates into dust.

「Aahhh, no waayy~」

　Francisca raised her voice in despair.

　This is the weak point of this party.

　There are no professionals who can properly attack from a distance.

　There are no regular magicians or archers.

　While Kian and the others looked up in dismay, the Griffin took hold of the most delicious-looking prey and circled leisurely in the sky.

　As it was, the monster flew away over the cliff to the right.

　It left behind the sound of Robert swearing frantically .......

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