Ch 47 -- Fer vs. Gryphon
"Weâll soon be entering Gryphon territory." Ferâs words gave me a shock.
Weâre finally at the Gryphon territory. I donât want to enter it.
"Keep the Barrier up solidly." I beg Fer.
"Yes I know. Donât worry."
Iâm going to worry anyway. Theyâre Gryphons after all.
* * * * *
Weâre well into Gryphon territory now. We havenât seen any trace of Gryphons yet. I wish we could go all the way through the Gryphon territory without seeing them at all.
On the third day a Gryphon appeared at last. A single Gryphon landed in front of us with a great beating of its wings. I was struck speechless. Honestly the sight of it nearly made me wet myself.
Anyway the Gryphon looked like a really big deal. It had the head of an eagle and the body of a lion and it was even bigger than Fer.
Suddenly this giant Gryphon kneeled down and bowed its head.
"Fenrir-sama, please, do this"
"Wh- what, it can talk?" I was surprised because I thought the only monster that could speak human language was Fer. Sui can use Telepathy like Fer because of her Contract with me but she canât talk. But this Gryphon can talk...
"Gryphons canât normally use human languages but this one is special and of high intelligence."
"Oh, thatâs why."
"This Gryphon and me and the Ancient Dragon can speak human language fluently." Fer explained.
I see.
"As he said, human words, only I" So this Gryphon is the only one that can speak human language.
"Flock leader, to become, trial, I must, fight me, please"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Huh? The Gryphon wants to fight Fer to become the leader of the Gryphons?
"Mighty, Fenrir-sama, fight, everyone, me, accept." So everyone in the flock will accept him as their leader if he fights a Fenrir. The Gryphonâs got some guts, hey?
"Very well, Iâll be your opponent, but I wonât go easy on you." Fer said.
"Understood"
Sui and I got off Ferâs back and moved clear. As I got off I whispered "Donât kill him, hey?" in Ferâs ear but the only response was a shrug. I canât help but wonder if that Gryphon was going to be OK? If it comes to it we can use some of Suiâs Deluxe High-Grade Potion but weâve only got one PET bottleâs worth. That might not be enough for such a large Gryphon.
"Sui, can you make more High-Grade Potion?"
"Nnnn, easy-"
I got another PET bottle out to make more of Suiâs Deluxe High-Grade Potion, just to be safe as Fer and the Gryphon faced off against each other.
"Right, letâs go." said Fer.
At Ferâs words the Gryphon spread its giant wings and flew up into the sky. From its wings high above countless black things like arrows descended. Fer dodged them like he was dancing. When I looked I saw the "arrows" fired by the Gryphon were feathers. A large volley-ball-sized stone struck by a feather was shattered into tiny pieces.
*Wow, thatâs amazing...*
It was Ferâs turn to fire magic at the Gryphon high above. A small tornado formed around the Gryphon, spinning it around and around in the wind. The tornado seemed to have a cutting edge -- I think that magic is the most powerful version of Wind Cutter -- and the tornado was coloured red with the Gryphonâs blood. The Gryphonâs really in a bad way.
"H- hey Fer, thatâs too much-"
"Hmmmph-"
The tornado collapsed and the Gryphon crashed to the ground. I immediately went to the Gryphonâs side and sprinkled it with Suiâs Deluxe High-Grade Potion.
"I told you to take it easy on him, didnât I?" I said to Fer. There are limits, you know. That kind of tornado, donât use it just because you want to show off.
"Nnnn..." The Gryphon opened its eyes.
"Hey, are you OK?"
"Aaah..., wounds..."
"I think the cuts are healed up where I sprinkled this potion but does it hurt anywhere?"
"Human, medicine... expensive"
"Donât worry about that. Is everything else OK with you?" The Gryphonâs body was covered with blood, even its pure-white wings.
"Iâm fine, sorry."
Huu-, it turned out good. It looks like Suiâs Deluxe High-Grade Potion worked perfectly. It did take two PET bottles worth to do the trick though.
"Nothing, so easy, to lose, ..." The Gryphon hung its head dejectedly. It seemed the Gryphon didnât expect to match up to Fer but he didnât think he would lose so easily. The Gryphon is a boss-level character, one of this worldâs greatest Demonic Beasts after all and Fer beat it by magic while it was flying around... Ferâs really something special, isnât he?
Oh, hello? I noticed something when I looked at Fer.
"Hey, you did manage something. Look at that." I pointed at the shoulder of Ferâs foreleg. Ferâs white fur had a slight tinge of blood.
"Itâs a wound from the Gryphonâs first attack. Itâs not much to inflict on a legendary Demon Beast like a Fenrir but itâs a solid hit, isnât it?"
"Nununu, itâs annoying even if I say so myself."
The Gryphon raised its head after hearing Ferâs words.
"I, I, Fenrir-sama..." The Gryphon made a loud cry and looked up into the sky. Scores of Gryphons were flying towards us.
"Uh, waah...!"
One Gryphon was intimidating enough, scores of them were another matter entirely. Or should I say, totally terrifying.
The Gryphons landed behind the one that Fer had fought with. I couldnât look.
"I, the leader, am recognised"
Is that so? Thatâs good I think.
"Fer-sama, thank you, very much"
Yeah yeah, keep going.
"Human, here, take"
The Gryphon plucked some feathers from its wing and passed them to me. Apparently they were payment for treating his wounds with Suiâs potion. Gryphon feathers are valuable, it seemed.
"So, human, you can, pass here, be eaten not"
Iâm happy and terrified at the same time. Gryphons eat people but theyâre not going to eat me.
Hearing that Iâm never going to come this way again!
"Can we go now, Fer?"
"Yah, letâs go." I put Sui back in my bag and climbed aboard Fer to away from this place quickly. The annoying Gryphon sent a loud cry after us.