Chapter 93: The Overlord’s Young Fox

The modifications Yuri had made biased him toward agility and explosive power. His altered body could consume certain high-energy substances that were poison to human beings, breaking them down into power for sudden bursts. That was why he always carried hard liquor and fire paste on his person—you read that right, fire paste.

His training was therefore the same as the little wolf girl’s: moving with the company and, now and then, accelerating into a sprint, while making feigned slashing motions in the midst of the dash.

As for Iru, his modifications brought the advantages of his muscular frame to their utmost extreme. Greater strength, especially in the arms, let him bend an iron bar into a knot with nothing but the force of his grip. In addition, after “energy infusion,” his skin could turn as hard as steel, enough to withstand ordinary arrows and sword blows.

His training focused on speed and endurance. Vinigo demanded that he drag his heavy body along on foot and keep pace with the entire caravan. At the same time, while walking, he had to keep punching, swinging his arms, and never once stop moving.

Vinigo was very satisfied with both of them.

He also knew that many in the mercenary band envied the two boys’ fortunes. Some of them were plainly far stronger than the two, yet had never caught Vinigo’s eye. Others had been noticed by him, but were still under observation. For strength could be seen, but the human heart was far harder to grasp...

Even with the Eye of Insight, Vinigo could not fully master the hearts of men.

“This is so boring, Vinigo.” The little wolf girl suddenly darted behind him and wrapped both arms tightly around his waist. Vinigo bared his teeth and let out a yelp, hurriedly twisting free.

“You little brat, your strength really is growing.” Vinigo snorted.

Under the alchemical potion Vinigo had brewed chiefly from dragon blood and thunder lizard horn powder, the bloodline within the little wolf girl had begun to imitate certain traits of a werewolf transformation rite. Vinigo’s aim was to let the dragon blood in her slowly seep outward, blending into her chaotic heritage and bit by bit transforming her body.

This was far superior to the crude brutality of a werewolf rite. Such a shock would indeed grant the little wolf girl incomparable power, but it might also destroy her reason.

What use was it to create a monster that could not be controlled?

“So boring, so boring, so boring...” The little wolf girl had already begun rolling shamelessly all over Vinigo.

“Well... I was going to say to hold on a little longer.” Vinigo pressed a hand to Akana’s head and turned his gaze toward the sky. “But now, it seems we needn’t.”

Several black specks were approaching in the sky.

Griffons?

“As far as I know, creatures like griffons have always been kept firmly under the control of the royal house and the mages of Bracada. Every wild flock seems to have people assigned to watch it.” As he spoke, Vinigo snapped his fingers and summoned his familiar, Ramen.

Ramen’s main job was to bring him the prepared pack whenever needed. Vinigo had no intention of sending it into battle so early. After all, it was still a child.

“Pack number six,” Vinigo said.

Ramen was intelligent enough now to distinguish numbers below ten and understand some commands. Hearing Vinigo’s order, it swished over to him with wagging tail and body, affectionately sticking out its tongue and licking him hard.

Well, at least the child now knew not to head-butt its master.

Vinigo wiped his face with a sigh and reached for the harness as Ramen brought the pack close. He removed it and set it within easy reach, then checked his belt pouch and pockets one last time.

By then, the griffons were already close.

“Sheep Cry Cult.” Vinigo merely glanced up and snorted. He could clearly see features on those griffons unlike those of wild ones—for instance, their dull feathers, and their claws with a distinct sheen like insect carapace...

Genetic modification, most likely another of Nua’s masterpieces.

On the backs of the griffons were several members of the Fire Hell Brotherhood.

“Not many, but flying makes it troublesome.” Vinigo scratched his head.

“Vinigo, there’s more over there,” Sophie reminded him.

Vinigo nodded. He saw them too: in front of and behind the caravan, two more units had appeared, trying to cut off both their route and retreat and form a pincer.

Their ambush was some distance from the main road, so Vinigo’s men had not discovered it. Now it would take time to reach them... and that brief span could be used by the Fire Hell Brotherhood and the bio-engineered griffons to hold Vinigo’s force in place. That was the enemy’s plan, more or less.

“What the enemy wants to do, we smash to pieces,” Vinigo said. “Sophie, take the sword instructor and half the mercenaries and charge ahead. Open a path. Big Cat, protect Hanny. Akana, come with me and knock those bastards who dare look down on us out of the sky.”

The little wolf girl cried out and shot into the air like an arrow.

Vinigo gave a sharp laugh and roared to Jelu, “Big guy, take the rest and crush the insects that dare to chase us.”

Jelu grinned, slapped his chest chainmail with the broad face of his axe, and made a clear clang.

“Yuri, Iru, take the others and go with Jelu. Let me see how much you’ve improved!” Vinigo lifted the Poissonous Blow and shook it fiercely. “Everyone, there is no foe before us!”

When will you ever curb that damnable sense of style...

Vinigo laughed under his breath. Jets burst from beneath his feet, and he shot into the air. In flight, he twisted his waist and flicked the Japanese blade upward in a flash, sending a whirlwind toward the lead griffon.

“Come down for me!” Vinigo roared with laughter. As the opponent dodged the whirlwind, he curled his body like a shot and smashed straight at the griffon, striking as he went.

Severe Thunder Split!

The Japanese blade fell. The opponent had no room left to evade, and the Fire Hell Brotherhood swordsman immediately roared and raised his greatsword to meet Vinigo’s Poissonous Blow with an attack of his own.

Clang!

When the Severe Thunder Split struck the ground, it seemed as though it could shake the earth. This killing stroke relied not only on arm strength, but on the force of the whole body, together with the momentum of the fall. Though the other man was by no means weak, the griffon beneath him clearly could not withstand that tremendous power.

It let out a mournful cry, beating its wings as it fell toward the ground.

Vinigo laughed heartily, suddenly blasting two streams of air from beneath his feet. In a taunting flourish, they swept past the swordsman’s face as he flew toward another griffon.

Flying Whirlwind Severing Strike!

Another whirlwind of blade qi roared forth. This time, the opponent seemed to have learned from his companion’s mistake; instead of dodging, he urged the griffon forward in a forceful charge. But they had apparently underestimated the power of the Flying Whirlwind Severing Strike.

If it was called a severing strike, how could it be merely ordinary wind?

The gale was like a blade. In the blink of an eye, feathers flew everywhere from the griffon, blood sprayed, and dozens of fine wounds appeared across its body. The griffon thrashed furiously, nearly tumbling from the sky.

At that very moment, the little wolf girl pounced onto the griffon.

She could not fly. After a burst of speed, if she could not find a foothold, then after at most three sudden changes of direction she would fall. But the little wolf girl had superb reflexes, and she quickly found the best stepping stone.

It was the greatsword warrior on that griffon.

The little wolf girl planted one foot on the warrior’s helmet and stabbed rapidly with both claws, punching a row of bloody holes through his shoulder armor. Though the cuts were not deep, she still leaped away with satisfaction and sprinted toward a new target.

As for the griffon itself, after being struck first by the Flying Whirlwind Severing Strike and then kicked by the little wolf girl to borrow momentum, it staggered and plunged toward the ground.

Vinigo laughed again, swung the Japanese blade, and rode the air currents of the sky toward another griffon.

His goal was simple: cooperate with the little wolf girl and drag these griffons down into ground combat.

High above, the little wolf girl bounced from griffon to griffon like a bullet, at times finding an opening to slash a wound with her wolf spider claws or to stab out several rows of blood holes. Her laughter rang through the sky.

Amid the chaos she created, Vinigo lightly set foot on the back of a griffon. The fierce intent he had been accumulating for so long poured out in a mighty sweep of the Poissonous Blow.

The Overlord’s Heavy Slash was broad in stance, enormous in force, and terrifyingly fierce. Even though being on a griffon’s back prevented him from bringing his full strength to bear, it still possessed the power of a charging tiger.

One strike, unstoppable.

The greatsword warrior raised his sword to block, only to feel a surge of immense force through both hands. The greatsword in his grip was pressed down by the comparatively slender Poissonous Blow, as though a mountain were bearing down. His feet lost purchase, the stirrups snapped, and he could no longer keep his balance. He toppled away.

That fall carried him crashing to the ground, where he landed mangled and bloodied.

Vinigo stood on the back of the bio-engineered griffon and looked up at two griffon riders plunging down from above. He gave a cold laugh.

Wind-Cutting Crescent Moon Slash!

Vinigo shot straight up through the air like a rocket, while the Japanese blade in his hand deftly traced arc after arc, whistling as it circled upward. The blade light, like a crescent moon, spun through the air and carved two deep gashes into the bellies of the griffons.

In midair, Vinigo blasted air from both feet, stepping on the currents to draw an S-shaped curve behind the two griffons, where he severed the head of one greatsword warrior and smashed bodily into another, knocking him clean off the griffon.

At this point, the greatsword warriors on the griffons could also see their disadvantage. Griffons were indeed powerful mounts, possessing formidable carrying capacity and claws and beaks capable of ripping a bison apart. Against ordinary enemies, they would naturally hold the upper hand. Unfortunately, their clumsy flight was their greatest weakness before the swift and ghostlike sky.

And Vinigo was the sort of man who excelled at finding weakness.

“Descend!” the Fire Hell Brotherhood’s leader shouted.