Adventurer of Flash - 08

Chapter 08: Hunting the Wyvern Subspecies and “Star Slash”

Since I’ve completed all the necessary studies to enroll in the academy next year, I headed to the adventurers’ guild from the morning as usual. Over the past two years, X had gotten quite accustomed to this city. I had been taking him around Balkut since he was a colt, so even now as an adult, people aren’t scared of him (though newcomers often get startled).

Currently, my equipment is made from the materials of a B-rank earth dragon. X is also outfitted in this horse armor. My main weapon is a longsword. Recently, at an auction held by the commercial guild, I managed to buy a rare ore called “Orichalcum,” which surpasses even Mithril. I purchased it with my own earnings for about two hundred platinum coins for two kilograms.

The currency in this world is as follows: copper coin (10 yen), iron coin (100 yen), silver coin (1,000 yen), gold coin (10,000 yen), red gold coin (100,000 yen), and platinum coin (1,000,000 yen). Thus, Orichalcum is worth about 200 million yen in the previous world.

Orichalcum is harder and lighter than Mithril and has the property of changing to match the wielder’s magic. This sword, forged by a dwarf acquaintance, fits so well in my hand that it feels like an extension of my body.

“Alright, we’re at the guild. Wait for me in the stable.”

“Brrr.”

Thanks to the Familiar Magic, I can understand X’s feelings well, but he still dislikes the stable. He grudgingly uses the marquisate’s stable to sleep, but otherwise, he prefers lounging in the garden.

When I entered the guild, I noticed that Alex, the leader of the rare S-rank party “Lion King’s Claw,” was there.

“Hey, if it isn’t ‘Flash.’ Long time no see.”

“Alex! Long time no see. Huh? Where’s everyone else?”

“They’re off today. I didn’t feel like cooking, so I came to the tavern to eat.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I just glanced at the high-rank quest board. There was an interesting request. You should accept it before someone else does.”

“You should have told me that sooner.”

Actually, Alex was the first friend I made in this world. The other three members of the Lion King’s Claw are also my friends, so I effectively have four friends now. Over the past two years, I have grown a lot.

“By the way, if I don’t start attending tea parties soon, I’ll end up being a loner at the academy.”

For the heirs of noble families, attending tea parties is mandatory. Other noble children also participate in these tea parties and parties. As a result, they usually have ten to twenty acquaintances from nearby territories. However, I have skipped all of them until now.

This year, the consequences of that are catching up with me.

“It’s not that I’m regretful, but maybe I’ll try attending one next time I have some free time.”

Muttering this to myself, I accepted the quest.

“Eliminate the Wyvern subspecies frequently attacking travelers in the Great Canyon…”

“Be careful. The Wyvern subspecies can shoot powerful poison.” 

“Got it.”

Subspecies, unlike mutants, don’t differ much from regular individuals. The main differences are their color and slightly stronger magic. Wyverns use wind magic and poison to fight, but wyvern subspecies have more powerful wind magic and shoot deadly poison.

Wyverns are B-rank monsters, so their subspecies are equivalent to A-rank.

The reason Alex recommended this quest is that wyvern materials are completely usable. Their skin, bones, claws, and fangs can be made into weapons and armor. Their meat is delicious, and their poison sacs are valuable in alchemy. Of course, their magic stones also sell for a high price.

“Alright, X, let’s hunt some wyverns and make new gear. I’ll give you some meat and a magic stone too.”

“Brrr!”

Mentioning equipment and magic stones immediately motivated X. He’s such a simple horse.

We left the city gate and ran for about three hours with breaks. X can’t use wind magic but can use lightning magic. When he runs at full speed with lightning around his legs, he’s as fast as a supercar from my previous world. If he ran at full speed, I’d be blown away by the wind resistance, so he runs at a regular speed, which is still twice as fast as a regular horse.

“We’re almost there.”

Using magic that works like optical lenses, I can see very far away.

Real dragons, which are SS-rank, live near the peaks of the Heavenly Dragon Mountains, so the higher you go, the more dangerous it becomes. Even the Great Canyon at the bottom is dangerous, so you can imagine how it is higher up.

By the way, dragons are long-lived and among the smartest of monsters. Like X, they seem to understand human language.

“We’ve arrived, but I don’t see it anywhere.”

Using light magic, I searched within a two-kilometer radius. Over the past two years, I’ve grown, and my detection range has expanded significantly.

“Found it.”

It seems to have slightly less magic power for a wyvern, so it might be nesting in a cave that gets little light.

“It’s over there, X. Let’s take it down before it flies out of the cave.”

“Brrr!!!”

X’s mind was already full of thoughts about magic stones and meat. Such a straightforward guy.

The cave soon came into view, and the area around it was littered with the remains of carriages. If the wyvern had been hoarding treasure, the ownership would transfer to the one who defeated it, meaning it would be mine. Realizing this, I became more motivated than ever. Indeed, masters and their familiars are alike.

As I dismounted and approached the cave entrance, the wyvern subspecies noticed and began to emerge from within.

“Maybe I’ll fight with just body enhancement this time.”

Usually, I would activate my light-speed thinking and blind the enemy with light. Then, using the body enhancement I learned from fighting the vampire bear two years ago, I would swiftly approach and decapitate it. But today, I decided to add some challenge.

Of course, by using body enhancement, I’m already employing light magic.

First, the wyvern spewed its deadly poison, which it propelled with wind magic.

“GAARRRR!!!!”

I wasn’t using my light-speed thinking, so the world wasn’t in slow motion, but my dynamic vision was exceptional enough to handle this.

I weaved through the gaps in the deadly poison filling the air, not slowing down as I charged at the wyvern. The wyvern, surprised that I managed to dodge, panicked and swung its right arm, trying to slash me with its sharp claws.

A high-pitched sound echoed through the cave as I parried with my Orichalcum sword, infused with light magic. The wyvern repeated the same attack from the sides several times, and I calmly deflected each strike.

As the wyvern grew more frantic, it generated several wind spears and launched them at me.

I dodged two of the four, deflected another with my Orichalcum sword, and intended to destroy the last one by punching it with my right hand, which was covered in extra magic.

However, at that moment, I felt something strange with my sword.

It felt as if the sword was telling me, “Infuse it with all your light magic.”

So, I poured all the vast magic I had stored into the sword. 

If I failed, I might run out of magic and face defeat, but I decided to trust it.

In response to my resolve, the sword transformed, extending a strange, shining line down its middle, changing into the shape of a katana from my previous life. This was the shape I had been seeking. When I asked the dwarf about katanas, he said he didn’t know of or believe in such a thing, so I had given up on it.

However, this sword took the perfect shape just for me.

Adrenaline surged through me, and even without activating light-speed thinking, the world seemed to be mine.

First, I sliced through the wind spear with my sword.

Next, I moved at the speed of light into the wyvern’s range.

In an instant, I delivered a beautifully sharp slash so precise it felt like I had cut through the very fabric of this space, no, this star, and beheaded the wyvern.

During this battle, I gained a new partner. Its name is…

[Star Slash]

After defeating the wyvern subspecies, I quickly packed its body and the accumulated treasure into a bag-shaped item box and exited the cave.

“X, we have a new companion.”

I said, showing Star Slash, which no longer fit into its sheath.

Star Slash had a simple and beautiful design, with a mysterious glowing line running down the middle. 

I wondered if it had transformed because I was an Awakened, because I had almost limitless magic power, or because Star Slash itself was a special Orichalcum sword.

“Alright, the quest is complete. Let’s head back and ask the dwarf guy to make new equipment and a sheath for Star Slash.”

“Brrr…”

“We’ll have the head chef cook the meat right away so we can feast.”

“!!!”

Afterward, my gluttonous horse ran at an incredible speed, and we passed through the huge gates of Balkut before evening.

This event promoted me to S-rank, making me the fastest Awakened to achieve S-rank in history, and my name became known not just in the Kanan Empire but across the entire continent.

That adventurer is called “Flash,” riding a black horse cloaked in lightning. His magic destroys everything, and his sword cuts stars.

The adventurer guild is independent of any nation and has three main headquarters and many branches across the continent. So, the news of me becoming the fastest S-rank in history spread across the continent in no time. 

Before I knew it, I became a hot topic everywhere.

“As expected of Al! But it’s sad you’ll be heading to the capital soon to enroll in the academy.”

“Yes, once Al leaves, our usually noisy home will become so quiet.” 

“I’ll go with you!”

“You can’t do that.” 

“By the way, Al, putting that aside, what about the tea parties?” 

“Yes, this foolish husband has been bragging about you to other nobles. So, it wouldn’t look good if the person he’s boasting about doesn’t attend any tea parties or host any gatherings.”

“Brother, will you be a loner?”

“Ugh.”

Even my sister gave me a pitying look, causing me significant mental damage.