Chapter Sixty-Nine: Racing Down the Road

The Gale Hawks, a quasi-bronze tier magical creature known for their remarkable speed, lived in flocks. Each adult Gale Hawk possessed the strength equal to that of a knight. Yet, more notorious than their swiftness was their explosive temper; once provoked, they would relentlessly pursue their quarry until either side perished.

It was said that a bronze-tier wizard once secretly captured a young Gale Hawk, intending to tame it as a messenger. The flock discovered the theft and hunted the wizard across a thousand miles, all the way to his wizard’s tower. There, the Gale Hawks besieged the tower, fighting without regard for the consequences until the last of them fell, refusing to retreat. From then on, the wizard’s tower was haunted by the deathly aura of the Gale Hawks, attacked periodically by other flocks. The wizard, unable to endure this curse, was forced to abandon his tower.

Despite this vengeful nature, the Gale Hawks did not face extinction, for they bred swiftly and their eggs hatched with high success. Over time, they became an untouchable presence in the Milos Mountains.

Andy had just finished listening to Oliver’s introduction about the Gale Hawks when a sharp, piercing cry echoed from the Milos Mountains. The call was quickly answered by others, each shrill sound joining the chorus. In the twilight’s dying light, Andy saw dozens of Gale Hawks, each as large as the giant birds he had slain the previous day, rise from the mountain and, as if sensing something, fly straight toward their campsite.

“We’re doomed… These creatures are exceptionally sensitive to scents. They’ve found us!” Oliver exclaimed in panic, his alarm mirrored by the rest of the delegation. After a brief uproar, the group formed ranks, drew their weapons, and readied themselves, though their glances at Andy were now tinged with dread.

Calmly, Andy finished eating the roasted bird egg in his hand, collected the scattered eggshells into his spatial pouch, and, ignoring Catherine’s reluctant protests, tucked her into his arms. He strode over to Oliver, patting the man’s shoulder.

“Look after the horse I brought. When we reach the capital, I’ll buy you a drink,” Andy said, taking a few gulps from Oliver’s waterskin. Then he continued, “A man must answer for his own actions. Until we meet again.”

With that, Andy charged toward the incoming flock, activating his sword’s momentum: a headlong assault, leaving behind only the conflicted faces of the delegation.

As Andy drew near the Gale Hawks, he unleashed a fireball he’d prepared in advance, striking the lead bird and sending it plummeting with a screech. The rest erupted in furious cries, diving at him in rage.

Finding the situation wanting, Andy retrieved two more untouched hawk eggs from his pouch and, using a throwing technique, hurled them into the flock. Egg whites and yolks splattered across the leading birds.

Now the Gale Hawks were utterly enraged. No longer did any fly toward the delegation; all focused solely on Andy.

He glanced back at the group, then veered toward the Milos Mountains, darting ahead. With multiple acceleration spells bolstering him, Andy’s speed surpassed even the Gale Hawks, leaving them trailing in his wake.

Andy silently congratulated himself for mastering so many speed-enhancing spells; it seemed he’d have little trouble shaking off these creatures this time. Yet, just as the thought crossed his mind, unnatural cries rang out behind him. Suddenly, several Gale Hawks surged forward, their speed doubling as they closed in on Andy.

“Damn it, they even have skills!” Andy cursed, launching into a renewed sprint.

Unfortunately, his burst of speed lasted less than theirs, and soon the Gale Hawks caught up, diving at him. Andy drew his sword and cleaved the foremost hawk in one swift strike. Taking advantage of the others’ reduced speed as they dropped altitude, he launched another sprint, widening the gap.

Andy found this dynamic intriguing. The Gale Hawks could outpace him in the air using acceleration skills, but once they attempted to attack him directly, their speed inevitably dropped, while Andy maintained his rapid movement. In the end, they simply couldn’t catch him.

The remaining Gale Hawks seemed to realize this. Instead of slowing, they crashed down like cannonballs, intent on overwhelming him.

Andy dodged skillfully, causing two hawks to smash into rocky outcrops, bloodied and dazed. Yet the others were undeterred, as if spurred by some stimulus, accelerating and diving at him once more.

He twisted left and right, but eventually a Gale Hawk struck his back, its impact rivaling a knight’s charging steed. Andy’s organs churned from the blow, leaving him lightly wounded.

The hawk, stunned by the collision, was dispatched with a swift slash. More followed, each relentless.

A layer of earthy yellow light enveloped Andy, his form seeming to swell—he had activated his battle body state. Now, even if struck by the Gale Hawks, he would not lose balance or become vulnerable to successive attacks.

Relying on his enhanced resilience, Andy fended off several birds with martial techniques, but another wave soon assailed him.

Seeing the dire situation, Catherine timely cast a mist spell.

Andy deactivated his battle body, activating “Concealment,” hiding within the mist as the cacophony of Gale Hawks thudding against the ground echoed around him. He couldn’t help but mutter, “Mad creatures.”

Carefully navigating through the mist, Andy avoided the hawks and, upon reaching its edge, quickly reapplied acceleration, launching into another sprint. The Gale Hawks, sensing him anew, resumed their pursuit.

Whenever Andy was close to exhaustion, Catherine would deploy the mist spell, allowing him to cast sorcery or sword techniques, felling one or two Gale Hawks each time.

Their wild flight soon carried them out of the Milos Mountains. Andy had hoped the Gale Hawks would abandon the chase once they left the mountains, but they remained relentless.

Moreover, the flock grew clever, learning to flank. When Catherine cast the mist, they circled above; once Andy left its cover, they would dive-bomb him anew.

Fortunately, the prolonged chase had thinned their numbers. Had they known to flank from the start, Andy might have been forced into a desperate last stand.

With experience, Andy learned to use the mist and terrain to shake them off for a while, though their keen senses always brought them back to his trail.

Beyond the mountains, towns appeared. Wary of involving innocents, Andy did not lead the flock toward civilization, preferring secluded paths. Fleeing and fighting all the way, he gradually whittled down their numbers.

At last, when the crisis was over, Andy collapsed onto a clean patch of earth without a second thought.

He calculated the distance: this escape and battle had lasted a day and two nights, spanning over a thousand miles. Even with limitless firepower, Andy was nearly spent.

As he lay resting, a pair of slender legs clad in black trousers appeared before his eyes. Then a childish voice spoke:

“Sir, years ago I led a team to blaze this trail through the forest, planting every tree and blade of grass with my own hands. Thanks to our efforts, travelers today enjoy the shaded path. Those who benefit from my work voluntarily contribute a bit of wealth for the road’s upkeep. I wonder, sir, what your intentions are?”

“Meow?” Catherine, bewildered by the speech, turned to Andy for clarification.

Andy sighed and translated for her.

“The gist is: he cleared the mountain, planted the trees, and if you want to pass, you must pay a toll.”

…