Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Erin's Gorge
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Erin's Gorge, Eastern Alpharion Empire.
Monsters living in canyon terrain are often flying types. Giant flying monsters that form nests are very tricky opponents for adventurers.
Especially when climbing a path along the edge of a cliff with a sheer drop on one side.
Keeeeek—!!
High in the sky, a massive beat of wings cut through the air with a shriek. The chillingly sharp eyes of the birds of prey had locked onto their target, scanning the area.
A flock of griffons.
Rulers of the gorge, with the fluffy bodies of lions, the sturdy forelegs of hawks, and the heads of eagles.
Chris, clinging to the edge of the cliff, cried out to me.
"Whoa! ...*Gasp!* It's a sheer drop...! Rain, be careful! Don't worry about me!"
"Don't worry! Just take care of yourself!"
Shwaaak!
Clang!
My sword flew at a griffon that was approaching Chris. The griffon swatted the sword away with its talons and glared at me, screeching.
I was drawing the griffons' attention using 'Flying Sword Arts' to keep their eyes off Chris.
The griffons waited for the perfect moment, like seasoned hunters. If they all came at once, I could cut them all down with 'Starlight Sword Ki', but after two griffons that rashly approached Chris were sliced in half by my sword ki, the rest seemed to be more cautious.
I couldn't just spam Starlight Sword Ki, either. It has a long cooldown, and the number of cooldown resets is limited.
For now, they seemed to have decided to deal with me first, the immediate threat. If Chris managed to pull herself up, they would probably target her first, with her unlimited ranged attacks, but right now, I was the only one who could harm them. Were they smart, or dumb? 'Birdbrain' is usually a term for someone stupid, after all.
Flap, flap, shweeeek! A griffon that had been circling around shrieked and flew at me. Clang! After I blocked its menacing talons, a flash of light glinted from the sword at my hip. Flash!
Kaaaa-at!
"Tch."
It was a little shallow. The griffon sustained a long gash on its torso but didn't fall, rejoining its flock. Then, another griffon flew in to take the place of the one that had retreated.
Clang, clang!
[Level 55 Griffon Captain]
[HP 5,000,000 / 5,000,000 (100%)]
[Level 53 Griffon]
[HP 1,274,007 / 2,500,000 (51%)]
...
The combat area wasn't ideal. Their health pools were on the low side, but their bodies were protected by a green demonic energy, giving them high defense. Even for me, taking one down in a single blow with a normal skill was impossible. In the center was the Griffon Captain. Was this some kind of field boss mob? In any case, the monsters in the new expansion area, Erin's Gorge, were all powerful, influenced by the demonic energy lingering here.
My eyes quickly scanned the griffons.
To deal with these creatures and their tricky aerial attacks, I needed a groundbreaking plan.
What was the flock's spacing? Their formation when they attacked in turns? Falling off the cliff would certainly mean death. However, if I used both cooldown reset abilities from 'Astaroth' and the 'Bracelet of Hammer and Anvil', there was a method worth trying.
Tatata!
With a plan in mind, I started running along the cliff's edge. Seeing my back turned, the griffons began to dive at me one by one.
Shwaaak!
I kept running.
I didn't look back.
Until a griffon was right upon me.
Just before it could sink its talons into my back.
Whip.
Only then did I turn.
And.
Tap.
I leaped lightly, using the back of the griffon in front of me as a foothold to jump.
Keeek—!?
The first griffon that became my stepping stone let out a bewildered shriek.
Tap, tap, tap!
I continued to dash through the air, following the path made of griffons. Flashes of my sword glinted around me. Taking advantage of the moment the wounded griffons were disoriented, I closed in on the Griffon Captain.
Tap!
And with a final leap, my body was finally face to face with the Griffon Captain.
Kaaaaak—!!
Flap.
Fwoooosh!
"Kuh!?"
With a single beat of its wings, the Griffon Captain unleashed a powerful gust of green energy that slammed into me. My feather-light body felt like it would be blown away at any moment. But I narrowed my eyes against the fierce wind and, while still suspended in mid-air, moved my sword to my hip.
Chk.
The distance to the Griffon Captain was twelve meters.
Within range.
I immediately activated Flash.
Flash!
My body, now a streak of light, tore through the base of the Griffon Captain's wing. Blood spurted out, splattering my face. It was red. Though there was a time when it looked like milk to me.
Kaaaaat!
Arriving in the air behind the screeching, heavily wounded Griffon Captain, I turned again. Then, I activated Astaroth's cooldown reset.
Flash!
A second Flash.
Kaaaaaa—at!!
Poor captain. You must be upset, getting ambushed while you were just watching loftily.
Still, it didn't go down easily. Its defense was truly impressive. One more Flash seemed like it would do the trick. But if I used a third Flash moving away from the cliff, I wouldn't be able to get back.
Flap, kwaaaaa!
Struggling with one tattered wing, it shot a powerful gust of demonic energy-infused wind at me.
I couldn't dodge.
If I couldn't use Flash, then it had to be Starlight Sword Ki.
Still suspended in mid-air, I mercilessly unleashed a barrage of sword ki straight ahead.
Pewpewpew!
Not enough. I used the bracelet's cooldown ability as well. And again.
Spapapat!
Puh-puh-puh-puk!
The wounded Griffon Captain couldn't manage an evasive maneuver in time and was hit by my entire volley of sword ki.
Kaaaa—
"Bye-bye, Mr. Griffon Captain."
I gave a wink to the Griffon Captain as it shrieked and plummeted.
Having lost their leader, the other griffons panicked and began to scatter in all directions.
Without a moment's delay, I used a backward evasion toward the cliff. Phat! I reached out. I couldn't make it. I was just a little short of the path on the cliff's edge.
Falling. Down the cliff.
"Ack."
Ah, is this how I die?
To think the Hero who soloed a raid dungeon would die from a fall while fighting a mere field boss. Still, I can just come back after I revive, right? I wonder which is faster, their respawn or my return?
"Rain...!"
Fwoom!
Just as I thought I had grabbed empty air, my hand closed around a round orb. It was Chris's Yin-Yang Orb.
Tap!
Chris immediately drew near and reached out, grasping my small hands in hers.
Dangle, dangle.
With a face on the verge of tears, Chris looked down at me dangling from her hands and sighed.
"Hah, thank goodness. What kind of reckless thing were you trying to do...! Do you want me to die of a heart attack!?"
"Heh."
I looked up at Chris and smiled brightly.
"Oh."
"Whoa...!"
Having finally reached the top of Erin's Gorge, we gasped at the magnificent view of the massive canyon spread out below our feet.
Looking down, the vast expanse of land stretching out endlessly was truly a spectacle. The shadows cast by the deep, steep canyon could be called the wrinkles of the earth. The rocks, formed from layers of ancient strata, shone in a variety of colors like red and orange, revealing the raw traces of time's passage.
Before such a natural landscape formed over millions of years, the thousand years I was away from this world seemed like a 'mere' blink of an eye.
"I've seen something similar, you know."
"Really?"
I was surprised. Chris had seen terrain like this on Earth?
"Hehe, you know I'm from America, right? There's a place there called the Grand Canyon."
"Ah. I've heard of it."
Come to think of it, I had heard that Earth also had vast canyon regions.
It seems that overwhelming nature, which humbles people, exists equally in this world and on Earth.
"Haaam."
While I was blankly admiring the view of Erin's Gorge, Chris rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned.
Right, it's getting pretty late. She must be tired, playing the game after getting off work again today.
"You should go to sleep first."
"Aren't you going to sleep, Rain?"
"I'll look around a little more before I sleep."
"Mmm...."
Chris lingered.
I giggled. I knew why she was acting that way. It seemed Chris had developed a taste for sleeping with me lately.
I stuck close to Chris's side, stood on my tiptoes, and whispered in her ear.
"I'll come to your room later."
Then I squirmed a little and gave her a slight, smiling glance.
"Let's sleep together again today."
"Keuk!"
Chris clutched her chest.
You could climb up to the gorge from anywhere in the eastern wilderness, but there weren't many places a person could get a foothold. If you were unlucky, you even had to endure attacks from the flocks of griffons nesting all over the cliffs. Perhaps because of that, there seemed to be almost no players who had entered the gorge at this point. The vast majority of players were probably still hunting in the wilderness.
"As I thought, there's no one here."
Stomp, stomp.
Now alone, I walked along the edge of the gorge.
Somewhere in this vast gorge, there must be an elite dungeon. And in the raid dungeon, a Corps Commander will be lying in wait.
Do I have to be the first to discover this elite dungeon and raid dungeon, too?
"Hm?"
As I was scanning the vast gorge, a person suddenly came into view.
So there was another player who reached the top of the gorge.
My social skills have improved a lot. I can even do the amazing feat of approaching someone and starting a conversation.
I approached the player, who was looking down into the gorge.
But.
"Oh."
It's a woman.
And her profile looks somehow familiar.
Straight, light brown hair. A mage's robe fluttering in the wind blowing up from the gorge below. A beauty with sharp, charismatic features.
It's Skada, the leader of 'Skada's Attack Squad'.