Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Frontier Zone (5)
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Wyverns weren't prized solely for their ability to fly.
If that were the only issue, you could just shoot them down with bows or crossbows—or even if you lacked ranged weapons, wait for them to dive to the ground and stab them then.
No, it was their ample size that could comfortably carry a rider, their matching brute strength, their razor-sharp teeth and claws that rendered armor useless, and above all, their scales so tough that ordinary attacks couldn't even scratch them.
Even grounded, a wyvern was a formidable fiend.
Of course, the primary reason wyverns were deemed so troublesome was that such powerful beasts could fly freely at will. Without their wings, they were definitely easier to handle now.
Moreover, the first two had torn wings mid-flight, crashing to the earth without slowing down much.
Thanks to their sturdy scales and the fiends' signature tenacity, they'd barely avoided death by impact—but what awaited the wyverns was drowning.
"Keurk, keurk?!"
"Keruk?!"
The wyverns, still dazed from the crash and unable to shake off the shock, were startled by water flooding their noses and mouths instead of air. They coughed reflexively, but only more water rushed in to fill the voids left by expelled air.
Before they knew it, their heads were trapped in prisons of water. Screams or roars—whatever they were—were muffled by the liquid and barely transmitted outward.
They thrashed their long necks wildly, but the water clung tenaciously. In panic, the wyverns instinctively slammed their heads into the ground.
Splash! Splash!
It seemed effective at first glance. Each violent smash shattered the water on impact, scattering it everywhere.
But even if the outer layer of the water prison broke, their nostrils and mouths remained blocked—breathing was impossible all the same.
Through eyes bulging in agony, the wyverns finally spotted the group of humans. Their beastly survival instincts had sharpened their senses.
The wings torn off earlier? Water. This too? Water. The human who attacked them before. The most dangerous human.
Rearing up on hind legs, the wyverns charged toward Galen.
"Oh, they're coming!"
"It's fine."
A tense priest cried out. Galen calmly reassured the group.
They hadn't fully recovered from the fall and couldn't even breathe properly—there was no way they could charge effectively. Recalling their earlier aerial dives, he knew they had plenty of time.
Water spears began forming one by one beside Galen again. On closer inspection, they were all identical, like perfect copies.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The water spears multiplied by the handful in mere moments and launched just as swiftly. The wyverns, charging blindly, had no choice but to take the hits head-on.
They hadn't pierced the scales before, nor did they now—but that didn't mean there was no impact. The relentless barrage of spears slowed their advance to a halt.
That was enough.
The wyverns, forcing their way near the group, finally collapsed, unable to endure.
"Keep watch just in case."
"Yes!"
Galen turned his head, still maintaining the water prisons.
A short distance away, Lilia was handling her foe just fine on her own.
"Hya! Hya!"
Having used her sword only to shred wings and sheathed it, she was now hammering the wyvern with her mace.
Crack! Crack!
Her battle cries were cute, but the impacts were brutal. Ordinary attacks couldn't pierce the scales, but Lilia's strength, bolstered by the Miracle of Fortification, was anything but ordinary. Each strike crushed the scales where her mace landed.
"Kieeeek!"
The real-time blows hurt far more than the earlier crash. The writhing wyvern desperately swung its tail.
Whoosh!
Lilia hopped over the incoming tail like it was a jump rope, then charged back in for a mighty mace swing.
Bam!
The wyvern gagged as its chest took the hit. The blow was heavy—it staggered, but somehow stayed upright.
"Need help?"
Galen called out. Lilia glanced his way, spotted the two fallen wyverns, and replied immediately.
"Yes!"
Petty rivalry meant nothing to her. What mattered was reducing the fiend count—who did it was irrelevant.
Her pragmatic nature was refreshing. Galen chuckled softly and flicked his arm. Puddles on the ground gathered into a small wave and surged forward.
Splash!
The wave, threatening to engulf wyvern and Lilia alike, converged to a single point instead of crashing down—aimed straight at the wyvern's head.
"Glugluglug!"
The suffocating wyvern foolishly expelled a mass of air bubbles.
With lungs filling with water instead of air, its movements grew sluggish. And with Lilia pounding away, its reactions slowed noticeably.
Thud!
The third wyvern, already tenderized by Lilia, didn't last long before collapsing.
Galen asked the priests.
"Any movement?"
"None at all!"
No way a fiend was playing dead this long. Close enough. Galen dismissed the water prisons.
"I'll check just to be sure!"
Lilia bounded over energetically and mercilessly bashed the limp wyvern's head with her mace.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
No matter how tough the wyvern, it couldn't withstand Lilia's full-force strikes from a stationary position. The crushed skull finally shattered with a crack.
"Shall I check the other two?"
"Please do."
Watching Lilia bounce away, Galen let out a long breath.
It had been ages since he'd poured so much into his magic. Probably since leaving Nijerte. He'd never needed to go all-out against mere bandits or fanghogs.
Tiring, yes—but compared to scraping by on mana to barely fell a troll, it was heartening progress. Water Flow Manipulation's level was only a bit higher, but with Spirit Creation...
Recycling scant creek water back then versus endlessly supplied spirit water now? The firepower and efficiency were worlds apart.
'Even just spamming spears might've taken them down before mana ran dry. Two, at least.'
Not that he was some brute shunning finesse. Winning efficiently was the smart play.
"You did splendidly."
Galen snapped out of his daze at Jenny's voice.
"May I?"
"Ah, sure."
Jenny gently took his barely extended hand and murmured a prayer. Holy light accompanied the Miracle of Vitality, invigorating him.
Truth be told, mages who taxed their minds more than their bodies didn't get as much from the miracle as warriors did. At best, it soothed the exhaustion from extreme focus.
But after what he'd done? Skimping on holy power over efficiency would've felt ungrateful. Luckily, Jenny knew her duty.
"Feels better. Thank you."
"I wish I could cast something greater, but my power falls short."
Jenny spoke sincerely.
"Brother Galen, I don't know whether to rejoice or lament your prowess."
"Why lament?"
"Sister Lilia's case for targeting stronger fiends gains weight now. Who could've imagined handling three wyverns without a scratch?"
Her prior politeness had a stiff edge; now she seemed softer. Confirming Galen's strength eased her mind.
The priests, once too awed to speak, now gazed at him with reverence. Regardless of overall skill, his performance outshone Lilia's just now.
"Well... it just happened that way. Everyone, rest up."
Galen smiled awkwardly and moved. Their meal spot wasn't far.
The soggy ground was cleared with Water Flow Manipulation, drying quickly. He sat.
The spirit detached slyly from his wrist and rolled to the creek, dunking itself.
Galen swept all battlefield water toward the creek. He'd ordered the spirit to refill itself—it would.
"Great work, Brother Galen!"
Lilia returned, having smashed the last wyvern pots. She looked pristine, belying her recent battle.
She sat naturally beside him and sighed deeply—out of character. Galen eyed her curiously; Lilia mumbled glumly.
"First time fighting fiends this strong, and I'm full of regrets."
"You fought well. You even clipped the wing I missed."
"You set the stage for that. How could I catch a flying wyvern alone? And I only cut the wing—couldn't finish it myself."
"With more time, you would've."
"But it wasn't one-on-one. Assumptions like that don't mean much, do they? Sorry if I burdened you too much."
"No, I think you did great. Really."
Galen scratched his head.
An all-purpose cleric matching a warrior or mage's output would've left him feeling inadequate.
"I take the weakened wingless ones, you handle the intact one. No injuries, successful hunt. Perfect."
"I... suppose?"
"Your frontline role covers my weakness. And that intel you shared helped a ton."
"Intel?"
"Family mages shout their spell names."
"That... helped? You cast silently today too."
"Not that I shouted back—but it gave me a hunch about their training. Maybe just my imagination."
Galen grinned at her tilted head.
"Anyway, you're a huge help all around. Chin up."
"If you say so..."
Lilia's glumness vanished, her bright smile returning.
"Just keep performing like today?"
"Of course. I'd welcome it."
Absolutely.
Galen's smile deepened as he peeked at his status window.
Two months passed like that.
Leveling up was proceeding smoothly.