Haru decided the journey was a good way to practice as he had no idea what the Capitol was going to be like nor the Warlord Initiation. "If I can train my elements for utility use as well, it'll help me become a lot more versatile. I can't get caught off guard like I did with those bandits." Haru's pride was slightly wounded from that encounter. Luckily, he was able to awaken the stone, otherwise things might've gotten ugly.
He started off by using the wind to hasten his pace. "I wonder if I become proficient enough, if I'll be able to fly. If I remember, in most of the anime I've seen, flying and wind magic usually differed in vast ways. I'll have to table that for now."
He wanted to move a bit quickly. His mother had mentioned their proximity to the Capitol was because of the dangerous creatures that lurked deeper in the wilderness. He had no lay of the land so he didn't want to encounter an extreme beast. He was also unaware by how beasts were ranked here.
The deeper he ventured into the forest, the larger the trees grew, making him wonder if the vegetation absorbed the essence of mana from its surroundings. And if that was the case, did the same happen to beast as well? Could they grow or evolve? He shelved the thought as he reached a hilltop clearing that offered his first glimpse of the Capitol of Mordell.
It looked like something out of a medieval fantasy, with massive stone walls and imposing towers. "If it's this huge from far away, the Capitol much be massive. It reminds me a lot of the Kingdom Reign game." Descending the hill, he re-entered the woods, but the atmosphere shifted and the wind grew erratic. Suddenly, a massive figure loomed up ahead, rising out of the vegetation. Before he could slow down, Haru collided with it. Shaking off the daze, he touched what felt like fur and froze as the creature, a bizarre combination of an eagle and lion with massive wings. Sharp claws and it turned its head towards him.
RaRrrrrrrrrr!!!
The beast screeched, and before Haru could react, it kicked him, sending him flying into a massive tree.
"What the fuck! Oh damn that hurt."
Haru slowly stood up gasping for air. The impact likely would have killed an ordinary person, but thanks to Dimitri's enhancements, he suffered only the wind being knocked out of him. As he staggered to his feet, he stared in disbelief at the mythical creature before him. "A fucking Griffin?!" he gasped, the new reality hitting him like a freight train.
Haru slowly stood up; his gaze fixed on the griffin. The beast seemed more annoyed than outright hostile. Almost prideful that such a lowly being touched him. His mind raced trying to assess the creature as it scrutinized him in return. 'Why isn't it attacking?'
Haru debated whether he should engage or not. He wasnt in a good position and that thing sent him flying with a simple kick. He struck his fingers as sparks danced from his fingers, small flame orbs forming in his hands.
The griffin snorted dismissively at the sight, as if mocking Haru's feeble attempt. 'Is this thing laughing at me?' Haru thought, his pride boiling over. "Oh the hell with this!"
He charged forward, hurling the fire orbs like baseballs. The orbs flew at incredible speeds, momentarily surprising the griffin. It didn't attempt to dodge or flee. Instead, its wings turned a shimmering silver, and with a single swipe, it smacked both fireballs back at Haru while simultaneously launching two silver, dagger-like feathers from beneath its wings at even greater velocity.
Haru reacted instinctively, summoning as much wind as he could to divert the projectiles. He barely managed to change their trajectory. Glancing back, he was horrified to see the tree he had previously dented now cleanly sliced through.
"AGHHH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??!!"
He was right. He initially thought of fighting but decided to see how he measured up by throwing out a test attack and he was glad caution won over. This thing would be considered a potential A or S class beast, if he went off his normal game ranks. He was clearly outmatched and it was beyond his current level.
The griffin, poised for another attack, seemed to challenge him as four more daggered feathers appeared, ready to launch. Haru noticed a strange mark or brand on the griffin just as the daggers flew through the air.
"The hell with this!" Haru bolted to the side in a zigzag pattern. He snapped his fingers again, throwing two fireballs into the ground to create a cloud of dust. Using the cover, he sprinted towards the city.
'Seriously, what the fuck!'
Haru thought as he dashed, using the wind to boost his speed. 'Are all the beasts here this strong?' He tried to clear his mind as he ran.
After about twenty minutes of relentless running, Haru emerged into an open area near the Kingdom's walls, finally breathing a sigh of relief. He had made it. The massive walls, designed to keep out creatures like the griffin, loomed before him. Up close, the walls seemed to be covered in scales. 'What kind of beast has to be killed to make this?' he wondered with a shiver.
As Haru approached the main gate, he noticed the long line of carriages, merchants, and excited people all presumably here for the initiation. When it was finally his turn, Haru was abruptly bumped into by a group of medium-built teenagers, all similar looking in age who seemed to be in a hurry. The apparent leader reached out a hand to apologize, and when Haru went to shake his hand the, boy attempted to shove him down but was surprised when Haru barely budged. I rotated at the fact he couldn't bully him, he stopped for a moment to look him up and down. "Fucking loser, don't you know to get out of a Noble's way?"
Haru stared at the four guys in disbelief. 'Were they blind? They clearly bumped into me.'
"I've been in line. What gives you the right to just barge in and think you can skip everyone here?" Haru noticed that everyone else was deliberately avoiding his gaze, trying to stay out of the conflict.
'Oh I see, these are the typical noble hotshots. They use their name to get away with whatever, unfortunately for them, I'm not from here.'
A merchant behind Haru stepped back. "Sir, please do not cause problems for us."
As Haru stared blankly at the man, he turned his attention back to the sneering youths. Determination set in his eyes, he slowly stood up, his newfound powers simmering beneath the surface.
As he was about to act, a girl's voice could be heard yelling at people. As he turned, all he could see was a short, petite girl with a high pointed hat and black dress moving through the crowd.
"I should've known if someone was causing problems it was you four idiots."