The unannounced couple goes out of the room as the other members of Valkyries and Mamerita are waiting for them. They are quiet and all, but they all hear the conversation that transpire at that room.
"You should ask your mother to have a more thicker walls next time." Mayuri whispers to Veronica as she shrugs off and Rinko is blushing as she knows the relationship status of the two.
"Are you sure you all gonna be fine? This curse affecting my legs aren't much reason for you to possibly waste your life over." Mamerita states as Gina puts her hand on her right shoulder. "Don't worry, We've face so many dangers before that this will be a blip to us Valkyries. We don't leave our comrades behind, that is our belief." Gina answers the village elder.
The Valkyries and the Exorcist embark on a journey while Duna is waiting for them outside. As the group approaches the village gate, he waves and rush to them. "Yo!"
"And what are you doing here?" Veronica ask as Duna scratch his head and grins. "Hehe, I will be your guide to the flower garden! Though I'll not fight the dragon there though." Duna says as Gran notice something.
"Oh yeah, why the heck does that dragon likes to lay on that flower bed then? Doesn't it flatten it by now?" The Exorcist ask that shock the rest of them as the legend of the Eternal Crescent Flower is pretty much known everywhere. "You are really clueless don't you? Where you come from?" Gina ask as the rest just looks at them as they are expecting a lovers quarrel this early.
"Don't want to admit it but no? Also I don't know if you know anybody wearing the kind of running shoes I have in this place." Gran answers as it also fills the girls with questions about him as well. "Well there is no use delaying this boss raid. You said your name is Duna right kid? Lead the way then." Gran shuts down his own statement earlier as he doesn't want to pose more questions for the Valkyries.
The locals wave goodbye at them while Veronica see her mother while they are mounting Faffy. Gran sits at the very back of the dragon as he use his Dimensional Flow to balance himself in the back of the dragon. It roars and whimpers, and this makes the Exorcist ask again.
"Why the heck our dragon act more like a dog now?" He thinks on himself as Duna is sitting at the front while Gina, Veronica, Rinko and Mayuri are sitting in that order. Gran watches as the soar through the sky and in a matter of seconds Faffy have them brush the skies.
"Okay this is too high, can you see stuff downward Duna?" Gina ask as she gestures to Veronica to ask Faffy to fly low. Veronica does the Leader's request as Faffy sadly flies down. Gran sit like in a fetal position, while the others are holding in a part of Faffy's scale. "I am really thankful for you Veronica. I never dream to ride in the back of such a dragon." Rinko remarks as Mayuri just silently looks at the ground.
"Well, it is a mystery as well how in the world that this dragon come to us." Gran thinks again as they continues to fly and seek the elusive flower.
Meanwhile...
Due to his boredom and him seeking the kid who interest him, Soli approach the Mayor's Mansion and he doesn't fill the place with blood, but he fills it with horror as he distort the faces or the bodies of the Mayor's personal guards as the monster walks through the decadent halls and mana lit rooms. Every step th monster takes terrify the Mayor to the core, as he slowly approaching the end of the hall, where his office is.
"I trust you guys. You are the best of the court magicians the kingdom can spare." The Mayor ask of his five personal guards, one mage, one cleric, one shielder and two swordsman as they salute in response. The beads of sweat are falling through the shape of their faces as they grip their weapons while they are slowly hearing the approaching monster at their doorstep.
*thud... thud... thud
As soon as they hear the nearest step, the mage unleashes her powerful spell, a mixture of fire and lightning bolt. It destroys the door itself as the whole room is almost get devastated by the blast as well. Debris flies off as the smoke and dust fill the room.
The result of the spell subsides, but the shock on everyone's face is truly apparent. The door is still standing as they hear its knob turns. The monster then opens it and let himself in.
"Good day to you Mayor. I am Soli and I have a request of you." The priestly looking man greets as he bows. The swordsman doesn't waste this time as they charge to him, but they will regret their action in a flash. The monster raise his hand to stop the sword attack as he grab that swordsman and he violently grab him to make his body block the charging second swordsman. Soli doesn't waste anytime as he step on the ground and an earth spire pin them both up.
"Incinerate! Inferno Scorch!" The mage this time cast a more advance fire spell as it drops a flame that melts the marble, yet Soli isn't phase at all as he raise his hand and he snuff out the flames by removing the oxygen in the air. This surprise everyone in the room as Soli charges into her but he left a blur as he touch her chin.
"You are pretty, I'd like to see your beauty in eternity." He then hardens every atom in her body like a marble and this makes her scream in terror. The cleric also screams as she slumps and the defender tries to save her still as he charge to the monster and tackles him out. Soli do manage to weave out of this situation as he tap his right shoulder to make his flesh be pierce by several harden flesh the monster reconstruct to pierce out of his body.
"Let me tell you something Mayor, they aren't dead. I can bring them all back to normal state, but I have a proposal for you." Soli states as the Mayor can't speak as his jaws lock in terror. "U... Uh... What?" The Mayor manage to utter these words as he see the aura from the monster and he can't feel his legs and his whole being as of this moment.
"Looks like you need to properly speak up Mr. Mayor. I have a kid that I want to found. He is the only one who knows my taste in the work of beauty." As soon as Soli says that the shielder throws his shield to the monster and Soli's hand tries to stop it, only to be cut off like a buzzsaw as the shielder puts some mana on the edge of the shield.
"Oh my, I didn't expect that." Soli remarks as he parry out the shield and his right arm is split in the middle. The shielder smiles as he is heavily panting while the lady cleric runs out as she witness this. "Oh well..." Soli says that as he quickly use the Dimension Flow to heal his arm. In an instant his flesh knits itself and the smile of the shielder vanish like a smoke.
"You see, you are bothering this kid several days ago, and I just asking if you can give me a favor about looking for this kid. Is that okay with you? His name is Louis. I'd like to meet him again." That is Soli's proposal to the Mayor as he nods as quick as he can as he ask him to just let them go.
"Is this a deal then Mr. Mayor? If you happen to find him, please inform me so I will personally meet him." Soli proposes as the Mayor just agrees to what he is saying. Soli smiles as he extend his hand for a handshake. The Mayor extend his hand and they seal the deal with that handshake. "U-uh... I know i have no rights but will you please let them go?" The Mayor bravely ask as Soli honors his words.
Soli approach the two swordsman as he restore them in a touch. He also reconstruct the lady mage and he walks to the yard to restore personal guards he reconfigured. The monster then returns in front of the Mayor as he left some words.
"Break this promise and you will know what you'll get."
As Soli warns the Mayor, he agrees with a nod and the monster left them for good. The Mayor is still trembling as he looks as his hands while the lady mage slumps as her trembling body wouldn't stop. The shielder and the swordsman are trying to calm her down, until one of the swordsman are asking something. "Where is our cleric? Where is she?"
The cleric is running through the streets shouting that she needs to go to the Adventurer's Guild of Aluteria. Her vision is hazy as her fatigue and her terror doesn't stop producing trembles. As soon as she reach the doorknob of the Guild HQ, she feels a cold hand reach on her left shoulder. As she trembles and turns around, the smiling but scary aura if the monster is standing beside her.
"I finally found you my lady. I finally see something from you... I do like the beauty and symmetry of your face." Soli remarks as she don't stop trembling, and now she is also panting heavily as well. The monster then hold her hands as he raise them with no resistance as he pulls her through and he hears a violin playing near them. "Oh perfect, want to have a dance with me my fair lady?"
The monster unhands her a bit as he bows and he gets her hand again. She can't speak as she just let things to happen as he now dance and follows the rhythm of the violin. She is just stepping as she follows through his steps.
"You didn't look like it but you are a brilliant dancer my fair lady. I'll see you again." Soli bid adieu as the violin strumming ends as he guide her to a nearby bench and let her sit. She slumps and looks down, she looks like she lost all of her life as the people around approach her to check her.
"That's better..." Soli utters to himself as he leaves.
Meanwhile...
"Oh God, this is something else. Thanks, uh... Faffy." Gran states as he hesitates to say the dragon companion's name. He doesn't want to argue the naming, but he clearly isn't enthralled about his name. Veronica then caress Faffy's nose as she tells the dragon that he needs to stay there as Duna and Gina are calling them since they are near where the Eternal Crescent Flower grows.
"Hey hey hurry! It looks like our lucky day as the dragon isn't home!" Duna calls out as he spot that the garden is empty but with flowers. There are many gorgeous flowers lying around, but when Gran sees the rare flower of the skies, he get why it is called one of the hardest flower to pick or get. "So you mean this color have red, yellow, blue and green as its petal color? Nice." Gran reacts as he jumps in along with the Valkyries.
The flower bed are located in a lower level as it is almost burrowed thanks to the dragon that sleeps and lives beside it. As Gran is asking how the flowers wasn't get destroyed when the dragon tries to sleep with it, Gina answer him.
"It is because of its mana suppression. Its mana suppression acts like a wall, a barrier against any magical beast that tries to trample it. It is also the reason why it is very effective in removing the curse from Veronica's Mother's legs and knees." Gina explain as she is picking the flower while Mayuri and Rinko are also picking flowers. Veronica and Duna are storing the flowers, while Gran is just leaning at the side watching them.
"Hurry up! Do we have enough to fill Village Elder's legs?" Duna ask as Veronica shows the ample flowers they've collected. Duna wants to hightail out of there, but Gran and the Valkyries are hearing the returning monster, a black scaled dragon with a lustrious scales and horns. "Speak of the devil..." Gran mutters as he looks up.
The dragon roars as Faffy also see this and it roar back. The black dragon turns to Faffy and the red scaled dragon spread its wings to fly and confront the dragon. Gran then notice something at the forehead of the black dragon, and it makes him giddy in excitement as he feels it resonating with him. "Is that a gem? That is a gem right? Oh man!! I feel Flow in it!!"
The Valkyries looks at Gran as it is behaving too different from the usual laidback man they know. He jumps out and he leaps through the air as he's the one who plans to engage the black dragon in a fight.
"Stillness of the World!"
Gran declares the anti entropy skill as it expands to include everything above, below, towards and at the back of the Exorcist. His right fist is chambering in his waist as he cover it with his Barrier and he raise it and unleashes it in a flash. It hit the dragon's back as the Exorcist follows it up with an Axe Kick.
"And the Stillness goes away."
As he say that the dragon comes crashing down, creating a destructive crater on the ground as it almost blast the Valkyries away while Gina release her spear and command her comrades to get behind Rinko's large circular shield. Gran slowly and majestically lands on the high ground while looking down on the ebony opponent.
"It looks like I'm on the money. The Flow resonates and I want to get that power within that forehead of yours. Wouldn't you mind girls if I slaughter this one out?" Gran ask as Gina and the others just shakes up the debris near them as the previous attack of the Exorcist clears a significant portion of the surrounding.
"Don't be absurd you! We'll fight that thing together!" Gina answers as she leaps out and goes to engage the dragon for a fight. The others goes as well and the black dragon opens its mouth. A purple energy forms inside of it and it aims at Gran. Gran takes a stance as he grins with great anticipation.
"Come on you overgrown lizard!" Gran mocks the monster. It releases the purple blast as Gran jumps out to evade it. He witness as it almost demolish that part of the high ground. He throws his dagger to hit it near the dragon's hide again. "Repel Blast."
As the Repel Blast hits the black dragon it shows how devastating Gran can be. The Valkyries are witnessing how Gran operates when he is free from any restrictions and, overall, getting unhinge. As the Repel Blast make the dragon fling a little bit, Gran then feels something holding back his whole body, he then leaps back with the Valkyries as he notice how in just few actions he almost change the whole landscape.
"Hey girls sorry for that. I just return to my senses." Gran states as he see that the dragon is preparing to fire again the purple energy it is preparing to fire since then. "I lost my cool a bit there. Gina, your call." Gran adds as this curveball he put his teammates made Mayuri angry. "We really need to evaluate if we need this man further in our journeys Leader!"
"Get in position! We will be dealing with a monstrous energy!" Gina commands as she prepares her spear as she charge to meet this enormous energy with her Finishing Move. Rinko position herself to block the magical attack, and Gran gets behind her and he place his hands on her shoulder, adding his Barrier technique to anticipate the attack as well.
"Ready!" Gina shouts as the dragon unleash it's Hollow Bomb. "Finishing MOVE!" Gina throws her mana filled spear and the attacks hit each other. A violent surge of energy just flies from every direction. The trees flatten out, the debris flies like a tornado hitting the place as the light from such attack are blinding everyone except the Exorcist.
"Oh no, Gina's spear is..." Gran notices as he maintains his Barrier Technique while he is supporting Rinko to not slump down due to this wicked energy clash. The others are holding for their dear life as well, but Gina extend her right hand to send more mana to the struggling mid air spear.
"I am Gina! I am Valkyrie! You shall NOT WIN!!!"
The energy dissipates as the force finally breakthrough and the black dragon's nose get hit by the piercing spear. It groan in pain as Faffy opens its mouth as it flies and bite the black dragon's throat. It waggles and shakes to get him off, and Veronica raise her staff and Mayuri rush to the dragon to assist.
"I'll never let you do it!" Mayuri utters aa she see that the dragon is preparing to launch another Hollow Bomb. She kick Gina's spear further to make it imbed the spear further and she ends her distraction tactic with her slicing the eyes of the dragon. Veronica prepares a powerful fire spell, a spell imaging Faffy on her mind, and the spell takes the shape of her pet dragon.
"Hey! That's an advance spell! Please let it end the dragon out!" Rinko prays as Veronica lowers her staff and Gran ask the shielder Valkyrie to step aside. "Fireworks incoming." Gran says as he regroup with Gina. Mayuri see the glow of Veronica's spell as she quickly jumps out of the way and she points the staff to the black dragon.
"This is an Advance Magic! I will call this my Finishing Move!" The pink haired mage declares as the flaming dragon roars and in a moment, it feels that the time freeze.
"Shoot!"
The Finishing Move flies with great speed and it raze everything it pass through with melting heat. The dragon tries to use its wings to get out of the way, only for it to realize that it's too damaged to use its wings. It just stare into the fiery abyss as it get hit.
*GWAAAARR!!!
The roar of the black dragon rings out as it lays lifeless on the ground. Gran jumps in to wave his hand and extinguish the flame. He then get his hand on the notable stone on the forehead of the dragon as he eagerly pluck it out and he attune his mind and Flow to it. He feels his brain gets lighter as he is filling with uncontrollable happiness and laughter.
"Kehehehe... Hahahahahahaha!!!"
Gran laughs maniacally as he feels too light and he estimates that it lighten his brain load and processing to a half. With the dagger, these items lighten 70% to 80% of his processing power to use his power. He feels the euphoria, and witnessing this makes the girls and Duna ask themselves if he is just okay or if he is losing his marbles.
"This is ridiculous! This so fine! SO FINE!! Nothing in this world compare to this!!" Gran shouts as he later floats. He notice his powers grow but he then controls himself when he glimpse Gina's worrying face.
He then goes down and he approach the Valkyries. He goes to bow to them and explains his case.
"I'm sorry deeply. I didn't mean for you all to see that. You see, my mind consume most of what you are seeing as my abilities. I train myself to use this power call Astral Utilization, which you can learn when you're already well verse in doing Astral Projection and Astral Manipulation. Unless my mind is grounded in reality I couldn't properly use my abilities."
As Gran is explaining, none of them are disturbing this as they are intent to know how he is actually doing it.
"I can see the Dimensional Flow, the thread or fabric of reality maintaining existence through my sight and my mind. When I use my abilities, it is actually burning through here." Gran points into his brain. "That's why every now and then I need to fire it up with sugar or to search for an item such as this." Gran shows the ruby stone, which is somehow brimming with something that they can't explain.
"And due to that, my brain is actually being burdened with basic thinking, motor and physical movements, and the Astral Utilization. With this... My load and burden to process my abilities lighten. They are processing the complexity as I will just start the process. With this, if that monster shows up..." Gran then pauses as he remembers something.
"That monster..."