Further North into the Ediab forest, we were closing in on the border of the Schwarz Kingdom and the fiefdom of the Margrave, but the forest showed no signs of thinning out nor of ending. The deeper one went the more difficult the monsters became, the Ediab forest that spanned through the length of three kingdoms was just that mighty.
We had reached a small stream and decided to take a break. The water we had brought was enough to get us by, but we drank from the stream to save it anyway.
"Think we'll get fish in here?" Keith asked.
"Fish monsters will be good, no?"
"Those exist in the lakes and oceans! The stream is too small for a monster."
"Like a mantis shrimp?"
"I heard there's one that shoots bubbles like bombs."
Insane.
"It's even human-sized, young master. And that's when it's not using magic."
"Well, nothing to worry about. I'll grow stronger than that in no time."
Keith grinned at my words, seemingly amused by my confidence. Suddenly, the sound of his grinning was replaced by a palpitable tension that one could cut with a knife as he immediately shut his mouth and lowered his stance.
"Something's coming."
I was surprised, but wasted no time in showing it. If he said so, that must be the case. I took a stance and pulled out my sword, at the same time, I began the chant for the [Honeycomb Defense]
Then, it entered my sight. A shining yellow beak that looked as luxurious as it seemed macabre. Black feathers that spread through the skies like the coming of the night. The terrifying head of an eagle, and the muscular body of a lion.
"Griffon..." I said.
"C-Ranked Stone!" Keith corrected me.
The Griffon charged right at us. It's claws gleamed a sharp shade full of killing intent as it screeched out loud. Keith and I immediately jumped into formation.
The Griffon swung its claw, and Keith engaged it with his sword. Putting in just enough force to counter it, Keith trapped the monster in a deadlock while I swerved under its body and slashed at its chest.
A sharp and deep wound embedded itself into the monster's body as it screeched again and increased its altitude. The wings flapped and the monster's heavy body soared above the stream and the trees. We weren't ones to give it any chance, though.
Keith jumped off the ground and up in the air. He twisted his body and swung the heavy sword at the monster again. This time, it's claws were coated with a fierce gale of wind magic as it crashed against Keith's sword. Not prepared, Keith was slightly pushed back by the attack and was sent rolling over to the ground.
"Keith!"
"I am fine! You catch that thing—"
"KIEEEEK!" The griffon screamed again. A red magic circle formed in front of its beak and mana started coursing through the sigils being formed on the ethereal circle.
Within moments, the monster sent a beam of crimson flames hurtling toward Keith.
"[Honeycomb Defense]!"
The seven hexagonal shield appeared on a command and dashed toward Keith. Before the flames could impact him, they came together and formed a larger shield to block the flames. The flames were deflected by the shield and formed a dome around him. While still surrounded by the cover of fire, Keith suddenly spoke up.
"Heck, young master! Isn't this like, a really cool moving armor?!"
I was focused on supplying the shields with my mana to keep them materialized, and Keith's words annoyed me to no end.
"Do you even know how much focus you need to be able to keep thew shields moving? There's no way to use it in battle."
"Play support then, won't you?"
The flames dissipated, and Keith rushed out of the formation. He dashed through the ground and approached the flying Griffon above the stream.
I clicked my tongue and snapped my fingers. At once, all seven shields danced through the air and surrounded Keith, his shoulders, torso, forearms, and legs, the seven shields divvyed up perfectly and formed a make-shift armor for Keith.
Sensing the danger, the Griffon flapped its wings harder than even before. A gale spread out from its wings, followed by the onslaught of dozens of black feathers cutting through the air.
Keith didn't even bother dodging or blocking as he continued running toward the stream. The shields swerved all around his body and blocked every feather that approached him.
I didn't know if it was his consideration or something he did naturally, but Keith kept running to places with fewer of the feathers. Either way, it greatly pissed me off.
"Young master, feet!"
Keith didn't wait for an answer, he leaped up and went straight above the water. My brows furrowed as I increased the output of mana going into the shields and sent the ones guarding his legs further below. Using the shields as a foothold, Keith soared through the storm of feathers and closed in on the griffon.
The two of them were mere inches away.
Keith pulled back his sword.
As a last ditch effort, the griffon slyly coated both its front claws with wind magic and swung them again, its speed much faster than the could catch.
"Like I'd let you!" I screamed and pushed in my mana into two more shields that were already placed at its front claws. Like an impregnable fortress, the two shields were rooted firmly mid-air and stopped the claws in place.
"KIEK!"
The griffon screamed again, and realization dawned on me. The claw attack was a feint, it was loading up another fireball already. I could have dodged it with my high mana perceptibility, but Keith—
"TOO!" Keith screamed. He twisted his feet on the shield.
His torso swung along his sword.
Like a waterfall gushing down from the greatest peak, the sword in his hand burst forth through the air.
The griffon's flames formed—
"SLOW!"
—And were sliced right through.
The blade passed through the flames, the magic circle, and then the beak and the head of the monster.
In a single swing, Keith's sword passed through the upper body of the monster and sliced it in two.
Once the griffon was down, I sweeped away the shields holding Keith up to the Griffon's corspe instead.
A plop sounded out loud as Keith fell into the water, but at least my dear magic stone was safe. I pulled the shield toward me and placed the body of the monster down. The clean cut that passed through its head was quite crazy to see up close.
"Bastard killed a C-Rank monster without even using a charged sword."
There was truly no denying it, Keith was a genius.
The sound of water dripping down entered my ears as Keith swam to the edge of the stream and tried to climb up.
"Couldn't have done it without you," he said, hearing my remark.
"That shield of yours is pretty amazing, huh? You can probably add in a few more and make something crazy strong. Practice will make it possible to use in battle too."
"Try to preach after you're out of the water, clown."
He wasn't wrong, though. Back as Yujin, who was close to reaching the realm of Arcana beyond Aether and Mana, being able to use 360 shields to make the ultimate spell Aegis was something more than possible. Compared to then, saying my magic lacked was not even funny as a joke, it was incomparable.
Not my strength, though. With Ki in the mix, I would be able to catch up to Yujin soon.
At that time, a thought entered my mind.
"Hey, Keith. What grade are dragons?"
"Hm? Dragons are SS, there's a lot more terrifying stuff."
I wonder what world the dragon that killed me came from...
"Anyway, young master, there should be more where this guy came from, right? Think you can handle thirty of them?"
I didn't. It was likely going to be difficult to take on 30 of them without getting any minor injuries...
"I can do it while half-asleep," I said. "Let's go."