**Hey guys, just a quick update—my contract application wasn't approved this time. It's a bit of a bummer, but I'm not giving up! Your support is what keeps me going. If you're enjoying the story, please help me out by dropping some Power Stones. Your votes really mean the world to me. Thanks for being part of this journey!
The Storm Griffin flight headed east, their massive wings cutting through the sky, leaving fourteen distinct vapor trails in their wake. After over an hour, the air began to thicken with a humid, slightly cloying scent.
In the distance, the sky appeared draped in a thin, grayish-green veil—the signature miasma of the Emerald Swamp. The fourteen griffins dived like unsheathed blades into the murky haze. The deeper they went, the denser the miasma became, and visibility plummeted. Sunlight struggled to pierce the fog, casting distorted shadows across the marsh surface, lending an eerie vibe to this already mysterious land.
The intelligence only stated that the Dragon Temple ruins were located in the southwest of the swamp, without providing specific coordinates. Leylo rubbed the head of the "Great Lord Moonlight" in his arms, hoping for a hint, but the cat remained fast asleep, apparently sensing nothing of interest.
Left with no choice, Leylo relied on a primitive "carpet search" method. The griffins fanned out, maintaining a distance where they could support one another, circling low at an altitude of several dozen meters. They scrutinized every body of water and every thicket below.
The swamp was home to many flying monsters: rot-vultures circling in stinking packs and swarms of brilliantly colored but venomous mosquitoes. However, under the overwhelming pressure radiated by the Tier 4 Storm Griffin King, these Tier 1 and Tier 2 creatures scattered in panic the moment they caught a whiff of the predators' scent.
Leylo scanned the marsh, looking for any clue. Suddenly—
"HISSS!"
A sharp, ear-piercing hiss shattered the silence from the front left. Leylo's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the source. Seven or eight dark-green shadows shot out from a dense mangrove forest like bolts of lightning, lunging toward a griffin on the left flank.
"Venomous Feathered Serpents! Tier 3 monsters!" Ed cried out. He had encountered these troublesome creatures on the swamp defense line before. He remembered how a single serpent, utilizing its aerial advantage, had sprayed venom that killed several knights instantly. "Watch out for their venom! It's lethal!"
The serpents were nearly four meters long and as thick as buckets, covered in fine, dark-green scales that shimmered with an ominous luster in the dim light. They had several pairs of short, powerful fleshy fins beneath their wings, allowing them to glide and maneuver through the air with surprising speed. Most terrifying were their triangular heads and the flicking, forked scarlet tongues that seemed to be brewing a deadly cocktail.
"Maintain formation! Prepare for battle!" Leylo commanded. Despite wandering into their territory, the combat power of the griffin flight was more than enough to handle the situation.
Tempest let out an angry screech and charged first. The other griffins adjusted their stances, following their king into the fray. Within moments, another three or four serpents lunged from the thickets, bringing the total to eleven. As the local apex predators, they clearly viewed this airspace as their forbidden domain.
The battle erupted instantly. The griffins utilized their height advantage, diving and circling with sharp claws tearing through the air. The serpents were exceptionally agile, twisting their long bodies to evade strikes while retaliating with bolts of dark-green venom.
"Ed, protect yourself!" Leylo shouted as he directed Tempest into a barrel roll, dodging a stream of poison that sizzled as it hit the water below, releasing a toxic yellow gas.
As a Tier 4 King, Tempest's power far exceeded his kin. He blurred, reappearing at the flank of a serpent. His massive iron talons struck with the force to tear world asunder!
SPURT!
The serpent couldn't dodge in time. Its tough scales were torn like paper; large chunks of flesh were ripped away as dark-green blood sprayed. The serpent shrieked and plummeted into the mire.
Tempest didn't stop. He flapped his wings, conjuring a localized gale to disorient his foes, then lunged at another serpent. This time, his steel-like beak snapped shut precisely on the creature's "seven-inch" vital spot.
CRACK!
The sickening sound of bone shattering echoed as the serpent's neck was crushed into a bloody hole.
Tempest's ferocity bolstered the flight's morale. They used their superior speed and strength to engage the serpents in a life-and-death struggle. Feathers and scales flew through the air amidst a rain of venom and blood.
Ed, riding his griffin, was intercepted by two serpents. Though he couldn't engage in high-speed dogfighting, his spear was no decoration. Waiting for a gap, he activated the "Grasp of the Giant" through his combat qi. He thrust his spear with a literal ton of force, skewering a serpent through the base of its fin.
The battle lasted about fifteen minutes. After Tempest slaughtered two and the other griffins wounded or killed their targets, the remaining serpents finally felt fear. They turned tail and vanished into the dense swamp forest.
The victory wasn't without cost. Three or four griffins had wing injuries from venom—not fatal, but affecting their flight—and two others had minor wounds from tail-whips.
Leylo surveyed the area. He spotted a solitary hill rising out of the green muck like a giant mound. Its top was relatively flat—a good spot for a temporary rest. "Tempest, lead them to that hill to rest and tend to the wounds."
The hill was about a hundred meters high. The summit featured a swampy pool surrounded by thick shrubs and jagged rocks. Because of the elevation, the miasma was thinner here.
As the griffins descended, one griffin with a heavy wing injury was eager to land. It adjusted its posture, aiming for a seemingly solid, dry, brown "earth-stone" near the edge of the mud pool.
Just as its talons were about to touch the "stone"...
A sudden, violent change occurred!