.
.
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—------
As the atmosphere eased a bit, Kuddan led them outside as he explained some of the things they had to look out for while outside.
He tried to teach them everything he could in the most concise way possible as there wasn't enough time to go into details, much less into the how and why.
They had to take his word for it, and what other choice did they have?
…
Eventually, they arrived at their destination after crossing many streets and walkways.
/CAWWW!/
/Muuuhgg.../
/Onk onk!/
A place that looked like a massive barn, it was an area filled to the brim with all kinds of exotic creatures and their bizarre noises.
Massive birds, reptiles, wolves, and some creatures Dale couldn't even begin to describe were there…
Some cute, others not as much…
"... This is the Handling District where all creatures classified as 'Large' are kept."
"Most of them are pets and similar creatures, cattle and the like are kept elsewhere…"
"According to the rules, laws might be more proper… When a beast is too large, it is required to be kept within the Handling District for the safety of the citizens and the sanitation of the streets."
"You might've seen some large creatures moving around before, but those were unique cases as they were given permission to move around as long as some conditions were met."
"We still need something to pull the carts around, after all, the Karkavan are strong, but we are no cargo mules."
/Clears throat.../
"Cough... Give me a minute."
With that, Kuddan turned to the side to look at a Karkavan teen that was grooming a large Baboom-like beast.
According to him, teens would often be placed in monster grooming jobs in order to get them used to such beasts, just in the situation they decide to become Warriors.
Even then, given how most jobs of their society intersect with such beasts, becoming used to them will never be a waste.
"^!@%#!*#^!!" Kuddan said as he looked at the boy
"*!@^#??" The teen replied formally as he bent his head a little
"*!^#@%@*!... *@^#&"
/Nods/
…
After exchanging a few more words, the boy turned to the side, running quickly to one of the many barns before he vanished inside its depts, returning not long after by opening one of the massive doors within, pulling along a massive bird as large as the one Dale defeated on his way here.
/CAWWW!/
/Fwoosh…/
[Alpha Sky Opicus
Challenge Level: 105-115
*Elite*
*Elite Boss*
*Special*
Affected by:
#Vitality Outburst
]
From within the barn, a potent male Opicus bird came walking as it shook its wings, looking at Testros and Dale with its sharp eyes, scanning them from head to toe.
From within them, faint bolts of lightning seemed to flare like thunderclouds before a rainstorm.
As it shook its wings, dust rose from the ground, forcing them all to cover their eyes.
It may be the same size as the one Dale defeated before, but it was much stronger than that wild one.
Around its body, protective gear could be seen attached and even its fingers were encased in thin metal, this wasn't just any pet animal, it was almost akin to a War Beast.
"This is our strongest and fastest available Opicus bird, it's actually the one my Direct Kin fetched for Muddan's father when he was but a child." Kuddan replied as he closed his eyes, memories flashing through his mind
"It is now mostly retired, as it is too fearsome and unruly for the youngsters to play with it."
"Its name is Ubuk due to the unique sound it makes…" Kuddan said as he fed the bird a "small" but about the size of Dale's fist
/Clack clack!/
"He now only breeds so we can maintain a strong line of mounts… But even that is getting hard for him, poor friend has already done quite a bit." He said as he patted the bird's beak+
/Kuk-Ukuk…/
It enjoyed it since it recognize who Kuddan was with just a glance, and it made a bunch of strange noises to display its affection.
"Either way, he is your best bet at traversing through the forest in one piece."
"I'll teach you the basics and give you everything you'll need for the journey, but… You'll have to figure out the rest on your way there."
"Any questions?"
They shook their heads, it was better to listen first and ask later.
For the next half hour, they were given the most comprehensive flying lessons they had ever received.
It was their only one also…
…
/Later…/
/FLAP!/
/CAWW!/
High above the skies, Testros and Dale rode Ubuk into the horizon, the sun high on the sky.
/FWOOSH!/
The strong winds blew on the bodies as Ubuk flew as fast as a modern Supercar.
To make things more aerodynamic, the saddle around the bird had many small spoilers, one of which protected their faces, albeit it made looking in front of them hard since it was made of a strange material that was completely opaque.
(I don't know if its called a Spoiler though...)
Dale believed it to be some kind of lightweight resin…
"You okay back there kid?" Testros asked as he held onto the saddle
"I'm pretty fine, I don't even feel hot." Dale replied with an 'okay' sign as he raised his right hand, holding onto the saddle with his left one
'Actually, I feel a bit cold, all of this wind blowing onto my body is making me quite chilly even with this armor...'
Dale was currently wearing his full plate armor since he needed every ounce of his strength if he wished to be prepared for what was to come.
Obviously, such weight wasn't light for the bird, mayhaps even as heavy as its whole body, but it would be able to carry them without much problem as it was used to carrying more, albeit with its claws and not it's back.
As for his weapons, Caldgolg was flying next to him and his spear was strapped to his back since he couldn't store either in his inventory, a curse for the blessing of good items.
As for their supplies, everything was in his inventory space, including all of the food the big bird will need for the next few weeks in case things go awry.
With this, they maximized the efficiency of their weight and space.
"Do you know where we are though? We've been flying for close to half an hour…" Dale pointed out as he looked to the sides, even if it was hard to see due to the bird's massive wings
'He said we may be able to reach within a few hours while on this bird, and I can understand why.'
'Compared to walking through a forest, cutting through vines and avoiding other hazards, going on a straight line on a bird half as fast a plane is certainly much faster.'
"I've been looking around and so far, I think we're about over halfway there." Testros replied as he pulled a small map from beneath the spoiler
"Not long ago, I saw the yellow fields Kuddan talked about, don't you remember?" Testros exclaimed as he raised his head to look at the sky
"I do."
'To help us on our journey were given many, many waypoints in order to try and help us maintain the course.'
'Had I been a Standard problem, this wouldn't have been a problem with the Map feature… But I'm a Hardcore character, we don't have those… Sigh…'
'If Jelly was here, things would've been simpler… Perhaps I should try and fit in as a normal player whenever I go into one of these adventures.'
'It would be the worst to actually get lost, I would have to manage my body's survival until I'm back to safety while also keeping my real-life body in check.'
/Caw!/
Suddenly, Ubuk made a low cawing sound, this was his way of warning his riders of danger.
They followed its gaze and they immediately noticed a beast atop a hill, looking at them from afar.
It looked like a lion with three tails and a strangely ethereal mane.
[Troestra
Challenge Level: 150-160
*Elite*
*Field Boss*
Affected by:
#Vitality Outburst
]
"It doesn't look aggressive." Dale replied as he looked at the beast from afar
"It like is pretty bothered by our presence... But thankfully, it seems to have no interest in us."
"Either way, we don't have time to waste with meaningless fights." Testros replied as he focused on the path ahead
"... Yeah."
'There are all kinds of beasts here, the likes I would only see in the endgame areas of the past game.'
'I wonder, is the Great Devil really the strongest beast in the forest, or are there stronger ones hidden somewhere?'
'That would be interesting to find out.' He thought with a small smile as they vanished on the horizon
…
"..."
The moment Dale and Testros vanished in the skies, a few small cats jumped from the bushes, playing around with each other as they tumbled near the large imposing lion.
/Growl.../
The lion growled, but the little kittens continued to play, making the beast roll its eyes as it turned around to leave...
Albeit, the moment one of the little ones approached the edge of the cliff, the Lion turned around and grabbed it, pulling it back into the bushes, and causing the others to follow.
And so, nature continued on its way...
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Notes
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