Chapter 47

Ch 47 — Fer vs . Gryphon

"We'll soon be entering Gryphon territory . " Fer's words gave me a shock .

We're finally at the Gryphon territory . I don't want to enter it .

"Keep the Barrier up solidly . " I beg Fer .

"Yes I know . Don't worry . "

I'm going to worry anyway . They're Gryphons after all .

* * * * *

We're well into Gryphon territory now . We haven't 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 can't talk . But this Gryphon can talk . . .

"Gryphons can't normally use human languages but this one is special and of high intelligence . "

"Oh, that's 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"

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 Gryphon's got some guts, hey?

"Very well, I'll be your opponent, but I won't go easy on you . " Fer said .

"Understood"

Sui and I got off Fer's back and moved clear . As I got off I whispered "Don't kill him, hey?" in Fer's ear but the only response was a shrug . I can't help but wonder if that Gryphon was going to be OK? If it comes to it we can use some of Sui's Deluxe High-Grade Potion but we've only got one PET bottle's 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 Sui's Deluxe High-Grade Potion, just to be safe as Fer and the Gryphon faced off against each other .

"Right, let's go . " said Fer .

At Fer's 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, that's amazing . . . *

It was Fer's 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 Gryphon's blood . The Gryphon's really in a bad way .

"H- hey Fer, that's too much-"

"Hmmmph-"

The tornado collapsed and the Gryphon crashed to the ground . I immediately went to the Gryphon's side and sprinkled it with Sui's Deluxe High-Grade Potion .

"I told you to take it easy on him, didn't I?" I said to Fer . There are limits, you know . That kind of tornado, don't 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"

"Don't worry about that . Is everything else OK with you?" The Gryphon's body was covered with blood, even its pure-white wings .

"I'm fine, sorry . "

Huu-, it turned out good . It looks like Sui's 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 didn't expect to match up to Fer but he didn't think he would lose so easily . The Gryphon is a boss-level character, one of this world's greatest Demonic Beasts after all and Fer beat it by magic while it was flying around . . . Fer's really something special, isn't 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 Fer's foreleg . Fer's white fur had a slight tinge of blood .

"It's a wound from the Gryphon's first attack . It's not much to inflict on a legendary Demon Beast like a Fenrir but it's a solid hit, isn't it?"

"Nununu, it's annoying even if I say so myself . "

The Gryphon raised its head after hearing Fer's 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 couldn't look .

"I, the leader, am recognised"

Is that so? That's 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 Sui's potion . Gryphon feathers are valuable, it seemed .

"So, human, you can, pass here, be eaten not"

I'm happy and terrified at the same time . Gryphons eat people but they're not going to eat me .

Hearing that I'm never going to come this way again!

"Can we go now, Fer?"

"Yah, let's 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 .