"Corvus, keep the young miss safe!"
Ti shouted over her shoulder as she, Cri, and Cal rushed to meet the approaching monster head-on.
Their bodies lit with active skills making them shine like beacons in the foggy sky...
Yet still, they were looking terribly feeble in front of the moss-green dragon the size of a large house, charging madly, not even looking at the three approaching people and only having its eyes on the ashen-haired girl frozen in place from fear behind them.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! GET OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE!"
A furious voice roared before the three brave bodyguards could meet halfway with the monster.
"...!"
Cri, Ti, and Cal, flinched and hurriedly jumped away.
"It's just a lizard! Remember to keep your output on the lowest level! FIRE!"
Within the next second, tens of manna-powered assault rifles thundered and countless bullets rained on the dragon's hide.
"KUOOOGH!"
The beast slowed down and roared.
It didn't seem like the bullets were doing any serious damage, barely penetrated the monster's scales, but apparently, they've caused enough pain for the dragon to reevaluate its choices.
"Now our chance to finish it!"
Seeing the hesitation in the monster's movement, the scary-faced Cal called out at the other two.
"Stay back!"
*shove*
"...?!"
But just as he did that, one of the Sloth soldiers in full armor completed with a helmet that covered their face, appeared in front of him out of nowhere, and pushed him back without using any skills.
...which resulted in Cal tumbling back like a ragdoll, unable to resist the strength.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Ti stepped up to the soldier and shouted in their face as Cri hurried over to check up on Cal.
"That's what I should be asking?! What do you mean to finish it?! You want to kill a monster so close to our supply route so that the carcass would lure more monsters and made it even harder to travel?!"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})The soldier shouted back, making Ti flinch and step back.
"Maybe you don't care about the long-term consequences because you'll be gone as soon as your quest ends, but we are stuck here forever! We don't need some weak southerners messing everything up, so just stay back and don't get in our way!"
The soldier added angrily and scoffed at the copper-eyed woman.
"KUOOGH!"
The dragon roared one last time before it turned back and ran away with its tail between its legs.
"Enemy repelled, road secured. Continue marching!"
The command was given and the gunners stepped back into the lines.
"Recruit 91-F, return to your squad!"
"Sir! Yes, sir!"
One of the squad leaders called out and the masked soldier straightened their back, saluted, and hurriedly ran back.
The army started marching in the thinning fog again.
Even though the visibility was getting better and better they all stuck to the marked path without fail.
The Wraths' group had no time to mop around and also started moving, although the mood was down in the gutter.
"...tsk... if they'll be that cautious with the titan-class monsters too, how will I complete Arion's route's quest later on...?"
...and no one paid any real attention to Mary, biting her fingernail while staring after the running dragon...
"...that was a recruit...?"
Ghastly pale Cal muttered, massaging his chest while Cri was using a healing skill on him.
"I don't understand this special quest at all! How are we supposed to stop something that they can't?! That was a system-damned dragon just now! Dragon! And they made it ran away as if it was a scared frenzy rabbit! It's ridiculous! We might as well ignore the whole special quest and ask to be sent back!"
Corvus shook his head and complained.
".,..but... the message said that if we fail, titan-class monsters will start appearing in the other territories... that would be a disaster..."
Mika, who never stopped sticking to Corvus's side, said in a trembling voice.
"Will they, though?"
Corvus asked in annoyance.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"The monsters don't appear out of thin air! They are born and have to mature as every other living being! And all titan-class come from far north!"
The white-haired man waved his hand decisively.
"The Sloth family had held their ground for hundreds of years... they had to fight countless titan-class, it is rather difficult to believe that they will fail all of a sudden..."
Ti nodded, agreeing with Corvus.
"Skwee!"
"?!"
All of a sudden the emperor griffin spread her wings and screeched at the two as if scolding them.
"Wh-what is it about...?!"
Corvus stiffened and put some distance between himself and the blue monster.
"Sorry, Blueberry here just... well..."
Mary leaned to the side and peeked from behind the griffin's neck.
"She's saying that you worry too much. You should just use the system and its quests to get stronger."
She furrowed her brows and explained.
"..."
The Wraths' looked at each other in silence.
"Huh... Maybe we are looking at our situation from the wrong angle..."
Cri, who just finished healing Cal, stroke his chin and pondered.
The others looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean? We got a dangerous quest that we can't ignore in a place where basically everything can kill us in a single hit. What angle do you want us to look at it from?"
The copper-eyed woman furrowed her brows and scoffed.
"Well, yeah, but..."
Cri nodded but then tilted his head and started rubbing his hands together.
"Maybe it is a pointless quest, and the Sloth soldiers are enough to deal with any danger that comes their way...?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Yeah, that's why it's pointless for us to be here!"
As he continued, he got interrupted by angry Corvus.
"Wait, wait, wait! That's the thing! If they can do everything themselves, then why shouldn't we just catch a ride on their success?"
"...!"
Cri explained and everyone flinched as they understood what he was implying.
That special quest had eleven stages, and completing each one would get them a reward.
It was like completing eleven quests.
And the first reward was already good, which meant that the next rewards would only get better and better.
"Haha! They don't say that the emperor griffins are one of the most intelligent monsters for nothing! Thank you, Blueberry!"
Cal clapped his hands and bowed to the blue monster.
"Skwee!"
Griffin proudly raised her head and screeched.
"..."
Mary turned away with a sour face.
"Skwee!"
The griffin screeched angrily and turned her head to glare at her master.
"...!"
Mary flinched and bit her lip.
"Blueberry said that it was her mother who has said that."
The brown-haired girl said, and each word sounded as if she really didn't want to say it.
"I see! Your mother is so wise! Amazing!"
"Yes, exactly!"
"Skwee!"
Cri instantly spoke the words of praise and others joined in, making the griffin screeched happily like a little chick.
