The situation suddenly became tense. Cerdic’s words were practically a declaration of war.
Bob and I were ready to summon our weapons at any moment. Linus was already in a stance.
The other group had entered battle mode too, their eyes sharp and focused.
Both sides were bracing to strike, just waiting for a signal.
Cerdic sighed. "Even though I truly mean it, I still have a conscience." He lowered his weapon to his side.
"There would be serious consequences if guild members fought each other outside of the tournament. I won’t allow my name to be stained. Let’s go, everyone." He gave his horse a slight pull, turning it around to leave the area. The others glared at us for a few more moments before following.
But just before his horse fully turned...
Bob leaned forward and said, "I didn’t know the S-rank of Goldfang were cowards." He smirked.
"What are you doing? Why are you antagonizing him?" I whispered harshly to Bob.
I didn’t know why, but I had the distinct feeling that we were becoming the villains in someone else’s story. And usually, those are the ones who end up getting hurt.
Cerdic froze. His horse stopped with him.
"What did you just say?" one of the men growled, then suddenly charged at us, spear in hand.
"Aaron!" Cerdic called out, trying to stop him. But Aaron was already on the move.
He activated a skill that shot him forward with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of us.
Aaron’s eyes widened in surprise as his spear was blocked.
The one who stopped it was none other than Linus, who had stepped forward and met the strike effortlessly using his own skill.
Cerdic’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected Linus to be able to stop Aaron’s attack.
Aaron was no ordinary fighter. He was an A-rank Spearman class. While his class was considered a lower-tier variant among spear users, Aaron made up for that with relentless training and sheer willpower. His rise from the lower ranks to A-rank was proof of that.
And yet, Linus blocked him.
Grunting, Aaron quickly pulled his spear back and followed with another attack.
He swung his spear in a wide horizontal arc, the weapon leaving a trail in the air as it carved forward with force.
"That guy must’ve gotten lucky blocking Aaron’s first move," one of the Goldfang members smirked.
"You’re right. But once he gets serious, there’s no one who can block his attacks," another added confidently.
They all had high hopes for Aaron, he was considered a young prodigy in their guild, expected to reach S-rank within the next 5 to 10 years.
Just before the spear could reach Linus’s head...
Linus shifted into a defensive stance. As the spear neared, he swiftly swung his staff low, aiming at Aaron’s feet in a perfectly timed counter.
Aaron’s eyes widened. His strike was deflected again but he kept his focus, immediately planting his spear straight down to block Linus’s counterattack.
Then Aaron launched another strike, sweeping his spear once more yet Linus met every move, blocking seamlessly.
I watched the battle with a serious face. It felt like watching a martial arts movie, only this time, it was real, and happening right in front of me.
This was also the first time I saw Linus fight someone up close. The only other times I’d seen him fight were back in the Forest near Lily Town, and when he faced that giant mantis monster. Even then, his movements amazed me.
After several intense exchanges, both of them finally jumped back, retreating from the clash.
Aaron was panting, gasping for air, while Linus remained calm as ever, barely even winded.
As Aaron was about to move again...
"Enough, Aaron," Cerdic said firmly.
Aaron looked at him, then looked away, clearly frustrated.
Cerdic stepped forward, flipping his hair dramatically. "It seems you’re really determined to fight us. If that’s the case, let’s settle this... without fighting."
"And how’s that?" Bob asked, crossing his arms.
"I recall you said earlier you were here to hunt animals, right?" Cerdic smirked. "Then how about we settle our ’little ’ dispute with a challenge. Whoever kills the creature first, wins?"
Bob thought about it for a while. I was about to refuse, but Linus was one step ahead.
"I agree," he nodded confidently.
"What?! I don’t even know what a Red Condor looks like. And now you want us to compete to kill one? I thought we were only supposed to collect its eggs." I said, annoyed.
"Did you just say... Red Condor?" Aaron asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"Yes," I replied. "We’re here to collect its eggs and complete a quest."
The moment I said that, their group exchanged glances, faces filled with disbelief and something close to alarm.
What did I say wrong?
"Do you even know what a Red Condor looks like?" Aaron asked seriously.
Me and Bob both shook our heads.
"It’s a—" Aaron began, but suddenly...
A massive shadow swept over us. It passed in a blink, but the sheer pressure and sound it carried was like a low-flying jet.
I immediately looked up, and what I saw made my jaw drop.
A massive bird had just flown past us, and now it hovered high above the field, circling in the air, completely blocking the sun with its wingspan.
I had a really bad feeling about this. It looked like we’d found our target, but I needed confirmation.
"Is that... the Red Condor?" I asked, pointing at the giant bird as it suddenly dove toward the ground. Then, with terrifying precision, snatched an entire cow in its claws and soared back into the sky.
All of Cerdic’s group nodded in silence.
No wonder Linus said we’d recognize it at first sight. That thing was not a bird, it was practically a commercial airplane with feathers.
I immediately turned to Linus, my voice filled with disbelief. "You took a quest that wants us to steal that thing’s eggs? Are you out of your mind?!"
"I don’t think we’ll have much trouble facing that creature," Linus said calmly, stepping up on the rock. "Weren’t you two the ones who defeated hundreds of monsters in Lily Town?"
He tilted his head. "Or... is your strength only there when you’re using that special skill?"
I stiffened. "What are you trying to say?"
"Hero Grace," he said, voice calm but cutting like a blade. "That’s your power, isn’t it?"
Linus took a slow step forward, his gaze narrowing. "Now, I want to see it. Show me. Use it to take down that bird."
Me and Bob exchanged a glance.
This guy... he knew. He knew about Hero Grace.
And now, he wanted us to use it. Right here. Right now.