After the rough landing, the weak cries of the griffin could be heard carried through the tall grasses where it was struggling to stand with wet, gurgling sounds between its ragged breaths. The griffin never expected that its usual routine hunt would turn out this badly all of a sudden.
Fortunately, or maybe not so fortunately, the wounds around the griffin's body weren't yet fatal, but they also weren't light either, as the monster was barely able to move without whimpering. Its eagle-like eyes rolled wildly, zooming and tracking the fast-approaching Zar-Bros in the distance as they fanned out with their bows and arrows, ready to finish the job.
Seeing the threats closing in fast, the griffin screeched with a desperate sound as it flapped its injured wing, trying to fly as it kicked up dust and grass in the surroundings but ultimately failing to lift off to the sky with a painful cry, as one of its wings had become crippled.
While the griffin was struggling to escape, the Zar-Bros were already here as the griffin turned to screech at them with its lion-like hind legs tensed, ready to pounce at the nearest Zar-Bro that might get close, but the commander unit that accompanied the group of Zar-Bros signaled for the Zar-Bros to halt at a safe distance from the reach of the griffin's talons.
From the current situation, the griffin's fate is already sealed as the Zar-Bros gradually encircled it, cutting off its escape route, their bows drawn with the arrows glowing faintly with magic energy, causing the griffin's golden eyes to flicker between them with wariness as its once-beautiful feathers are now dirty with blood and dirt.
The griffin's chest heaved with labored breaths, with each inhale growing weaker from damage caused by the many arrows embedded in its flesh as it was still crouching low with a defensive demeanor. The monster's instincts screamed danger and to run away, but its body was too broken to flee now.
And then with a last burst of defiance, since it knew that it was going to die anyway, the griffin just lunged at the nearest Zar-Bro with its beak gaping wide and its talons reaching for the enemy—only for a bunch of arrows to punch through its skull, neck, and body simultaneously in a spray of blood and feathers as its body collapsed mid-leap before hitting the ground with a heavy thud as its wings splayed out while its legs were twitching pathetically.
The Zar-Bros stood still as they waited for any signs of movement from the griffin's corpse, while Zarba watched them through the eyes of the assigned commander unit with a satisfied nod from the camp as he still embraced Nadia in his arms, his fingers tracing lightly on her strong back muscles.
He's now confirmed that the commander unit was very helpful and competent enough to lead the others, just like the system said they would.
On the other hand, the muscular woman's breathing was uneven, half from arousal, half from bloodlust, as she watched the griffin twitching one last time before it went still, finally dead. She huffed before turning her face towards Zarba, whose face is very close to hers, and felt shy once again.
÷×÷×÷
[ System Alert! ]
—Congratulations!
—You have cleared a quest!
—Quest: The Lone Griffin!
—Objective: Completed!
—Reward: [War Elephant Template] received!
—6 summon unit templates available!
[ Unit Template ]
—ID: War Elephant
—Type: Mount
—Class: African War Elephant
—STR: S+
—VIT: S+
—DEX: D+
—AGI: D+
—INT: D+
—Evaluation: Rare-tier
÷×÷×÷
'It's pretty good, a rare-tier mount template.' Zarba saw the notification pop up as he read the new war elephant template the system gave him with a pleased expression. 'I wonder what equipment this war elephant has...'
"The bath is ready~!" Then Xin's soft, melodic voice drew Zarba out from his thoughts as he and Nadia turned to see the half-elf who was beckoning them toward the newly created smooth white bathtub that looked like it was made with marble stone, where steam already curled above the water's surface that was filled inside.
The two of them could see that the half-elf had already discarded her dress with the help of the Pro-Maid, revealing her pale, smooth skin glistening with the water as she sank her naked body into the tub with a relaxing sigh after washing her body first.
"Shall we?" Zarba murmured against Nadia's ear, his hand rubbing her hips before he took her hand and led her to the bathtub. The muscular woman looked down with a blush as she allowed herself to be steered toward the bath, her heart rate spiking when her purple gaze accidentally met Xin's amber eyes, which gleamed with amusement from the tub's edge. The steam clung to the half-elf's skin while she perched on the stone tub, her fingers drumming on her arm as she waited for them to join her.
As the Zarba and Nadia moved near the bathtub, the Pro-Maids that were on standby immediately set up curtains around the bathing area, blocking all view with the white clothes that were thick enough to preserve modesty and hide whatever is about to happen inside from prying eyes that might appear.
The griffin's corpse lay forgotten from the trio's concern as the Commander Unit directed the other Zar-Bros to dismantle it for some parts that might be useful, such as the talons, feathers, and some organs, while Mormon, sitting on the blanket near the bonfire with one of the Pro-Maids, ignored the debauchery in the bathing area, muttering under her breath about horny degenerates as she stirred her bubbling concoction.
She is currently trying to brew an acid from some random items she has on hand to make something that she can use to defend herself in an emergency. She can't just depend on the others all the time, after all.
"Ahh, how nostalgic. I remember making this when I was trying to kill the noisy birds outside my window..." Mormon muttered as she recalled the annoying birds that keep banging on her bedroom window in the mornings. "Too bad they were actually clever enough to realize I was trying to kill them and never come back..."
Then the goblin girl starts to do what the boomers like to do in their free time and just keeps grumbling about random things from her past while making the acid to brutalize her future victim as the Pro-Maid just listened silently beside her.
Maybe the lack of self-awareness is actually a blessing after all...
÷×÷×÷
In the lively bar somewhere in the town of Sheeran on the west side of the Paramatta bridge, a large muscular man with a bald head and a black eye patch on his scarred left eye was sitting on the bar stool while he was drinking his liquor with a bored expression.
The man is dressed in a red tunic with golden embroidery, clearly marking him as someone of high status—or someone who had some money to purchase such attire to flaunt his wealth. His thick fingers grab the glass with the amber liquid swirling inside as he listens to the whispers of the mercenaries around him. The bar reeks of sweat and spilled drinks, but he doesn't even notice them, as he is already used to such things.
His single good eye scans the crowd lazily until a group of town guards walks into the bar, their cheap-looking armor clanking with every step, drawing all the attention of the people in the bar to them.
The bald man doesn't immediately turn his head to them like the rest, as he is trying to act cool for some reason, while one of the guards, a wiry man with a crooked nose and mustache, slams the butt of his spear on the floorboard to make the drunken mercenaries pay attention to him.
"Listen up, you lot! Count Valtor is offering a job to all the mercenaries and bounty hunters who are interested in making money, with potential double pay or even triple pay for anyone willing to take up his contract. No requirements, no limit number—just go sign your name at the barrack and show up to fight when the time comes." A murmur ripples through the bar immediately after the guard finished speaking.
Double pay usually means double the complication, and from what they hear, the mortality rate will probably be goddamn high in this goddamn job the Count Valtor is offering them.
"Like hell I'm doing it..." Most of the mercenaries quickly lost interest, as they are not that desperate or stupid to eagerly throw their lives away.
The bald man who finally turned his head to see the guard speaks, asking about what is most important to him with his voice low but clear. "What's the pay the Count is offering?"
The guard's eyes flicker toward him, recognition dawning and wariness follows. The bald man is pretty infamous for shady acts but also somewhat competent when he doesn't try to be scummy.
"Ah. Larjen..." The guard said the name like a bug in his mouth but he still answer. "A single gold coin upfront. Another ninety-nine upon completion."
The bar's murmur ceased—one hundred gold coins was a lot, enough to tempt them to throwing their lives away, almost. They looking at each other and begin to talking about it.
"Hundred gold coins..." Larjen said before he drank all the liquid in his glass as he also temp by the payment.
"Completion of what?" He asked, his right eye narrowed while glaring intently at the guard who shifted slightly with his armor creaking.
"Elimination or capture contract. The target is traveling from the east and will eventually cross the bridge—a man traveling with a female half-elf magician, a female warrior, and a battalion of knights." The guard explained the Count's contract and who the targets are.
"Is that the fucking prince's bounty?" Larjen snorted into his drink as the people in the bar became quiet; they had heard about the bounty of Zarba, but not many are stupid enough to pick a fight with royalty, but now with the nobles actually involved as well...
They are now honestly tempted to join since, with nobles as backing, they might just get away with it.
"Well, I hope my crew's still alive around here..." Larjen rolled his shoulders; he might have to talk with them to see how willing they are to throw their lives away for him...