"I understand. I will report this faithfully to the Academy."
After a brief surge of internal fury, Igor simply... accepted reality. To put it bluntly, after surveying the situation, he realized that the damned Cuckoo Knight clearly had no intention of going toe-to-toe with this mysterious powerhouse for his sake.
So, he chose to follow his instincts for self-preservation. He was a student of the Academy with a bright future; there was no need to gamble his precious life for a few mere tax coins. He was a man destined to become a Professor and establish a new Conspectus! How could he pay such a heavy price for a pittance of immediate profit? He convinced himself that he was making this decision solely to preserve his "invaluable talent" for the Academy, and definitely not because he was terrified.
"Heh. In that case, please, both of you—be on your way. We won't keep you any longer."
Moon extended a hand in a polite "after you" gesture.
Igor spun around instantly. Ignoring the Cuckoo Knight behind him, he scrambled onto his horse, desperate to leave this place of humiliation as quickly as possible. The Cuckoo Knight gave Moon a quick salute before hurrying after the sorcerer, his own survival instinct on full display.
Once the sorcerer and the knight were far enough away, Moon slowly shifted his gaze toward a large tree not far from the town square.
"What is it, Captain?" one of the Carian soldiers asked, noticing Moon's sudden fixation on the tree.
"Sir... are you planning to come out, or shall we come to you?" Moon called out.
Silence hung over the area for a long moment. However, the Carian soldiers behind Moon didn't hesitate; they immediately drew their weapons—war picks, straight swords, and spears—and fell into a tight tactical formation facing the tree. Even the Cuckoo soldiers, though confused, moved into position; having been drilled by Moon recently, they finally looked like a proper military unit.
Hidden among the thick branches, Yao let out a sigh of resignation. He had hoped it was just a fluke, but it was clear he had been well and truly spotted.
Just my luck, he thought. If it weren't for a character like Moon, I could have hidden here all day. But of course, a guy like him shows up. What can I say?
Yao gripped a sturdy branch and slowly dropped down. As his silhouette hit the ground, the soldiers—save for Moon—flinched in surprise. Even Moon's eyes widened slightly; he'd sensed a presence, but he hadn't expected someone so... massive.
"Unknown Carian warrior, I mean no harm," Yao said, his voice raspy and carrying a hint of dark charm. "I have only just arrived in Liurnia and was merely hoping to gather some information about the current state of affairs."
Moon raised an eyebrow. While he hated to admit he judged books by their covers, the stranger's voice sounded exactly like someone who was up to no good.
"That is but your side of the story. If you were truly a traveler just looking for news, there would be no need for such secrecy. I suspect you are a spy sent by a rival faction."
As he spoke, Moon drew the longsword from his hip.
Yao felt a headache coming on. He had zero desire to fight these guys, especially since the leader looked like a tough nut to crack.
"I hide because my appearance is... unsuitable for polite conversation. If I simply walked up to people to chat, I imagine I wouldn't learn much of anything besides how fast they can scream."
"Words are cheap. Unless you remove that hood and show me your face, I have no reason to believe you."
Moon didn't buy it. He stepped forward, maintaining a high state of alert. He knew that someone with a frame like Yao's wouldn't just be strong—given how he'd hidden in the tree, the stranger likely possessed a dangerous level of agility as well.
"That is a troubling request. My apologies, but I cannot expose my face so easily."
Yao sighed softly. Suddenly, a thunderous crack echoed through the air.
Great black wings snapped open behind Yao, kicking up a violent gust of wind. At the same instant the sound rang out, Moon blurred, closing the ten-meter gap between them in a heartbeat. His right hand swung his longsword, which had been infused with a dense aura of magic without Yao even noticing.
Fast!
Yao's eyes locked onto Moon's position. He let out a mental whistle of admiration before swinging his own heavy arm in a wide arc.
Clang!
Hard!
As Moon's blade struck the golden horn protruding from Yao's right arm, the sensation of the impact made Moon's head snap up in surprise. In the next second, Moon pressed forward, his left hand thrusting his staff toward Yao's face as blue energy condensed at the tip.
Carian Piercer!
The azure blade of light tore through the air, grazing Yao's cheek and leaving a thin line of blood.
Whoosh—!
The sound of a massive object displacing the air followed immediately. A gargantuan tail swept through the space Moon had occupied just a second ago.
Aspects of the Crucible: Tail!
Moon's eyes widened, but his reflexes were top-tier. He crossed his sword and staff in a desperate parry.
Boom!
The impact of the tail against Moon's guard sent a shockwave through the air. Moon was sent skidding backward across the ground at a terrifying speed. Seeing his opening, Yao flapped his wings, and a golden light ignited across the feathers.
Aspects of the Crucible: Feathers!
Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!
Countless golden feathers streaked through the air like daggers, whistling toward Moon. Only then did the Carian and Cuckoo soldiers finally snap out of their daze—the exchange had been so fast it had barely left them time to process the violence. They scrambled forward, raising their shields to form a wall and intercept the barrage of feathers for their captain.
Seeing the soldiers pinned down and busy, Yao beat his wings once more. He launched into the air, kicking up a massive spray of water from the damp earth, and soared toward the horizon.
"Captain! Are you alright?!" the Carian soldiers shouted, rushing to Moon's side.
Moon shook his head, looking up at the sky with a face full of uncertainty. The massive, bird-like silhouette was already a distant speck. He had never encountered an enemy like that before. The stranger's combat style was bizarre—nothing like he had ever seen or heard of in the Lands Between.
"Go. Send a signal," Moon ordered. "Contact the Royal Family. I need to report this immediately... and find out what in the world that guy's fighting style was."
"Yes, sir!"
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (260 Chapters – Ongoing)
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