Chapter 39
Screech!
The silver falcon screeched in anger as it dodges the arrows being fired at it. Having to face four opponents at the same time, the silver falcon has to tread carefully. Especially since its opponents seemed to be specialists.
Although it has the advantage of flight, the silver falcon had difficulty even getting near them. And whenever it tries to do so, it’ll be peppered with arrows. Regular arrows do not work on the silver falcon as its steel-like feathers could easily deflect them. But the arrows being used on it seemed to have been made especially to wound it.
As proof, the silver falcon’s pristine feather was now drenched with blood after an arrow grazed it earlier. With that alone, the silver falcon knew that it could not allow itself to be hit.
The only thing it could do now was fire its wind blades at the humans and wait till they run out of arrows. Unfortunately, the silver falcon cannot fire its wind blades infinitely as it cost mana to use it every time. Even though it was a powerful ability, it does have its weaknesses.
“Tsk! Annoying! It seemed to have grown smarter. After realizing that our enchanted arrows could harm it, it grew more cautious and is now focusing on defense rather than offense.” The poacher with the bandana complained. “Boss, we need to do something!”
“Agree. If this keeps up, our arrows would be all used up before we could bring it down.” The rude poachers chimed in.
“Don’t worry; we still have an ace up our sleeves.” The leader of the four replied.
“You mean… we’re going to use that?” The last poacher asked.
The leader of the group of poachers nodded his head. Although the monster king is cautious and intelligent, it still won’t escape its fate.
“Prepare the net… we’re going to use that.” He ordered.
The three poachers looked at each other before nodding. One of them took out the net, while the other two draw out two strange looking arrows and nocked their bows. They then aimed at the silver falcon but did not fire their bows.
Although it didn’t know what the poachers are trying to do, the silver falcon instinctively felt danger and observed the four men cautiously. It’s already aware of those strange arrows and would not allow itself to be hit by them.
While the silver falcon was cautiously observing them; the leader of the poachers are also doing the same. The man was carefully observing the monster king’s movement, trying to find the best time to unleash those arrows.
The leader of the poachers didn’t have to wait long as the opportunity finally arrived. Maybe, it’s the loss of blood from the wound it suffered earlier but the silver falcon slowed down a little. The silver falcon only slowed down a little bit but it was enough for the poachers who had been patiently waiting.
“Now!” The leader bellowed.
Twang! Twang!
Hearing their leaders shout, the other two poachers released their arrows almost at the same time. The arrows whistled towards the silver falcon who suffered momentarily from vertigo due to its injury. However, despite being slightly out of it, the silver falcon was still able to maneuver in the air which allows it to dodge the arrows. Or so it thought…
Bang! Bang!
Exploding arrows! The arrows exploded in the air the moment it passed the silver falcon causing shockwaves that knocked out the air from the monster king’s lungs – stunning and sending it careening towards the deck!
“We did it!”
One of the poachers quickly throws the net to entangle the silver falcon. Unable to move, the silver falcon could only helplessly watch as the net was about to cover it. But before the net could entangle the monster king, a shadow swooped in and cut the new into pieces!
The poachers and even the defenders watched in shock as a familiar figure grabbed the stunned silver falcon by the neck!
Everyone, humans and monsters alike, stopped fighting and stared at the “newcomer” in disbelief. How could they not? The person who suddenly swooped in was none other than the person who was knocked off the sky deck earlier – Rennel!
****
“You’re alive!”
The leader of the defenders was very happy to see the girl alive and well. When Rennel was thrown overboard earlier; he could only watch helplessly due suddenness of the situation and his injuries. Although he didn’t know how the girl survived the fall, he was just glad to see her safe.
Rennel looked at the leader of the defenders and nodded her head as a form acknowledgement. She then looks at the poachers who look like they had seen a ghost. One of the men was able to recover quickly and shouted:
“That monster is our prey, give it back!”
Hearing their companion’s shout, the other three snapped out of their reverie and stared menacingly at the girl.
“Miss, I’m happy to see you alive but you shouldn’t take what’s not yours,” The leader of the poachers said in a cold voice.
Rennel raised an eyebrow and looked mockingly at the leader, “You mean this thing?”
The girl raises the monster king that was much bigger than her with her left arm, “Since when did this thing belong to you guys? If I remembered correctly, the silver falcon didn’t belong to anyone.”
Everyone could hear the sarcasm on the girl’s voice. It’s obvious for all to see that she’s not very fond of these poachers. Moreover, what she’d said did make sense: The silver falcon didn’t belong to anyone.
“We defeated it so it should be ours!” The rude poachers screamed with reddened face.
Hmph!
Rennel scoffed at the poachers, “You think you can claim ownership of the monster just because you replaced me after I was “accidentally” knocked overboard earlier? That’s not how it works. Besides… you guys are poachers. So what makes you think that you could make any demands?”
The girl’s arrogant and condescending words annoyed the poachers so much that one could almost see the steam rising from their heads.
“Don’t force us!” One of the poachers could no longer endure the humiliation and pointed his spear at the girl.
“…And?”
Rennel didn’t show any fear despite facing armed men that was much bigger than her. Instead, she mocks the man who was pointing the spear at her. If any of the girl’s friends saw how the girl was acting, they would surely be shock. Her arrogant demeanor and condescending words were so out of character that they might think that she’s an impostor!
“Miss… one shouldn’t burn the bridge after crossing it. It’s always better to have more friends rather than enemies.” The leader of the poacher said with a gloomy expression. It was a threat.
“So what if I burn the bridge after crossing it? What are you going to do about it?” Rennel asked unperturbed.
“Then… you’ll die!”
The man who pointed the spear earlier at Rennel could no longer take being humiliated and throw his spear at the girl without warning!
“You finally revealed your true color!” Rennel smirked at the incoming spear, and didn’t show sign of dodging.
Clank!
Before the spear could hit the girl, a green light flashes and collided with the incoming spear. But it didn’t end there. The spear ricocheted and returned the man who threw spear—hitting him on his right shoulder and nailing him to the wall, near the entrance!
Guhaah!!!
The man who threw the spear let out a loud groan of pain after being nailed to the wall by his own spear. Rennel’s counterattack was so fast that none of the people on the sky deck could react to it.
Rennel ignored the man who was impaled by his own spear, and look coldly at the remaining three men. The three men on the other hand have a very solemn expression. Only now do they realize how powerful the mysterious girl was. Although she was supposed to be a magician, her skill with the spear was beyond measure.
“So… what are you all going to do now? Attacking an official magician of “The Tower”… I don’t need to tell you of the consequence, right?”
The leader of the poachers clenched his fist and spoke, “You forced us to do it.” He argued.
“Forced? Is that you’re excuse? We’re just having some verbal spat about the ownership of the monster king when one of your men tried to kill me. If my skill was lacking, I'll be dead and we won’t be having this conversation now.”
The leader of the poachers could only shut his mouth tight. Although the girl spoke arrogantly earlier, she didn’t try to hurt any of the men and was simply verbally arguing with them. So when one of them attacked her with the intent to kill, any possibility of resolving the situation peacefully cease to exist.
Anyone with eyes could tell which side was at fault…
“Boss… it’s impossible to negotiate now. We could only use that method.” The man with the bandana whispered.
“I know…”
****
“Do you really not plan on giving us the silver falcon?” The leader of the poachers asked coldly.
Rennel gave the leader of the poachers an exasperated look. Despite being in the wrong, the man still have the gall to speak to her like he was still in control.
“How thick-skinned can one get? Even Nuathl city's walls are no match for you in that regard…” Rennel replied sarcastically.
The leader of the poachers didn’t lose his composure at the girl for calling indirectly calling him shameless. For him, what’s important was to complete their goal.
Pride? He’ll feed it to the dogs if necessary…
“Since things had come to this, I could only be more shameless. Give us the silver falcon, and no one would be hurt.”
Hearing the man’s ultimatum, the defenders could only stare at the leader of the poachers in disbelief. For the defenders, these men are finished the moment one of them attacked an official magician from Nuathl city. But instead of surrendering, their leader actually dared to threaten the female magician!
“…And what if I refused?” Rennel asked with an inscrutable expression.
“Then we will have to ask our accomplices to take the passengers hostage,” The man admitted.
What?!
The defenders were in shock. The leader of the poachers finally admitted that they had accomplices aboard the airship capable of taking the passengers hostage!
“Who the hell are you? Do you know what you’re saying? If dare to make good of that threat, the magicians of Nuathl city would hunt all of you till the ends of the earth!” The leader of the defenders warned in a stern voice.
“That doesn’t matter… Once we get what we want; all of the magicians in the world are free to come after us.”
‘You’re insane!”
The leader of the poachers ignored the leader of defenders, and stared at the girl who was just standing there without saying anything. Because of the hood over the girl’s head, the poachers could not see the girl’s real appearance or the expression she was making.
Is she making an annoyed on expression under that hood? Or is she thinking how to resolve the current situation?
After for what seem like an eternity, the girl finally raises her head, and look at the poachers one by one. She then opened her mouth and spoke:
“I refuse.” Rennel said with conviction.
“Good. If you care for the safety of the passengers then… Wait. What did you just say?!”
The leader of the poachers was so sure that Rennel would agree to his demand that he was caught completely off guard when the girl refuses to cooperate. Even the defenders and the other poachers were taken aback by the girl’s response.
“You… how could you refuse? Do you not care what will happen to the other passengers? “The man asked, agitated.
“That’s a silly question, of course I care.” The girl answered.
“Then why did you refuse?”
Rennel’s response was becoming more confusing the more she speaks. She said that she cared for the safety of the passengers and yet she refuses to give in to the poachers’ demands.
Sigh.
“Why do I have to give in to your demand when the all of the passengers are safe? If you have a hostage with you I might have cooperated but since there’s none… You have no ground to make any demand.” The girl explained with a cold smile.
“That’s nonsense! Didn’t you hear what I’ve said earlier? I have accomplices aboard the airship and they’ll take the passengers hostage if I ordered them to do so!” The leader of the poachers rages.
Rennel gave the leader of the poachers a mocking look, “No, I heard you the first time. It’s exactly because I understood that I don’t plan to given in to your demands.” She said.
‘What, what are you talking about?”
The leader of the poachers suddenly felt a bad premonition. He got this uncomfortable feeling that the situation was no longer under his control.
“Instead of asking me… why don’t you ask that person instead?” The girl turned her gaze towards the entrance to the airship, and spoke: “You can show yourself now.”
The moment Rennel saying those words, a person calmly walked out of the iron door. It was…
****
To be continued
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