NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76
“Ha, what in the world…”
Fwoosh—
The Nightmare scanned the surroundings, unable to hide its discomfort. A crowd had gathered to see just how much the Nightmare had changed overnight.
Especially, scholars researching monsters had sought my permission to examine the Nightmare closely, but I shook my head and declined.
Even if I allowed it, I wondered if the Nightmare would let anyone inspect its own body. Thus, many adventurers, including the scholars, could only watch the Nightmare from a distance.
“Sigh…”
I sighed deeply as I gazed at the Nightmare. Its transformation was likely due to the Crystal Stone Wyvern’s heart I possessed.
I had stored the heart, containing unique mana, in my bag, and it had been gobbled up just like that.
How on earth did it eat that solid chunk of crystal?
I stroked its head and fiddled with its gleaming mane.
At a glance, the Nightmare’s mane appeared as tough as crystal, but the moment my hand touched it, its hardness softened infinitely, returning to its original state.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Thwip—
In response to my question, it began to move its front and back legs, clicking them together. Out of curiosity, I unwrapped the bandage I had tied around its hind leg and found the wound healed without leaving a single scar.
I replaced the broken leather straps of the bridle and saddle with new ones and strapped them onto the Nightmare’s back. It seemed the crystal that had sprouted during its transformation had broken the leather straps.
“Celyon.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll just take a quick run around here.”
“On that thing?”
“Yeah, I want to check the Nightmare’s condition.”
“Hmm, you’re not going far, right?”
“Right.”
“Go and come back.”
With the team leader’s approval, I jumped up and onto the Nightmare’s back. Its size hadn’t changed, so the gazes directed at us were unchanged as well.
By the way, with those horns, could it be trying to become a unicorn or something?
The Nightmare rolled its front legs on the ground as I grasped the bridle, looking confidently like it could run at any moment.
The second I pulled on the reins, it took off running as if it had been waiting for that cue. The wind whipped against my cheeks, forcing my body to hug the Nightmare as I had no choice but to cling on tightly. The sudden acceleration was so fast that the surrounding scenery stretched, and a massive boom echoed around us.
Each time the Nightmare’s hooves struck the ground, my vision swayed unsteadily. The Nightmare itself was clearly startled by its own acceleration capability.
However, its unstable posture quickly regained balance. The rough wind that had been blowing suddenly calmed down, yet the speed remained unchanged.
Clack—!
Was it because of the sharp crystals growing beneath us? The sound of hooves under the Nightmare sounded different than before.
I ran alongside the Nightmare, trying out various things. It smoothly accepted my requests, including making sharp turns without slowing down and climbing the sharp Crystal Stone mountains.
The jagged crystals rising beneath us didn’t affect the Nightmare at all. Its pure white crystal legs stretched out and crushed all the sharp crystals in its path.
As the Nightmare ascended the steep Crystal Stone hill, it showed no sign of slowing down. I pulled on the reins to the side, but it didn’t divert its course as if it had business at the hilltop.
I thought that if I pulled the reins harder, it might comply with my request, but for now, I simply observed the Nightmare as it continued.
Clack—!
Just as the energetic Nightmare reached the edge of the hill, it leaped into the air without hesitation. Was it unable to contain its excitement?
I braced myself for the impact I expected to come.
But.
Contrary to my expectation of falling downward, the Nightmare’s body did not tumble down.
Clack—! Clack—! Clack—!
The sound of its hooves, now familiar, hit my ears. As I blankly looked down, I discovered a strange sight. As the Nightmare’s legs advanced forward, pure white crystals emerged beneath them.
Clack—!
The moment the Nightmare’s leg locked with the crystals floating in the air, with a sound I had come to know too well, the crystals shattered. The broken crystals transformed into a fine white powder that scattered behind the Nightmare.
The white powder scattered like the lingering footprints of the Nightmare in the sky, leaving a long trail of light behind.
Clack—!
As another platform materialized and shattered, the Nightmare’s body began to sink down.
Five steps.
That was the number of footprints the Nightmare left in the air. It seemed that going beyond that would be too difficult, as it scattered the white crystal powder while descending to the ground.
Yet, the speed didn’t decrease. The Nightmare continued to run around the Base Camp for quite a while longer.
*
“Hey, hey! I have something urgent to say!”
“About that thing’s offspring…!”
When the Nightmare returned to the Base Camp, it should have received an even wilder welcome than before. Since it had followed Celyon’s request to not stray far from the Base Camp, the people here must have witnessed the Nightmare running through the sky.
At that moment, the Nightmare approached those getting closer, thrusting its horns out and crashing to the ground! Mana swirled around its feet, and pure white crystals sprouted.
Screech—
Although not large, the crystals had very sharp points. It was the Nightmare’s warning that it would attack if anyone got any closer.
“Ha…”
Only then did the adventurers and scholars, somewhat calming down, back away. I awkwardly smiled as I stroked the Nightmare’s mane.
“A flying horse, huh…”
“When we return to the Empire, it’ll cause quite a commotion…”
“Celyon, was it? I have a well-bred horse in my hometown. That horse…”
Adventurers and scholars frequently visited the Nightmare and me. Among them were those waiting for me to fall asleep, hoping to breed their horses with the Nightmare. Naturally, that plan didn’t come to fruition.
An adventurer who brought a stallion encountered Nightmare’s wrath and ended up with a huge hole in his belly, while another adventurer’s stallion had its head smashed in by a kick from the Nightmare.
Only after such casualties did the adventurers and scholars quiet down.
*
A week passed since then. People grew accustomed to the Nightmare’s uniqueness, which signified that peace had finally arrived for the Nightmare.
The Nightmare lay on its belly, munching on the nearby Crystal Stones. Since its change, it seemed to regard even the crystals as food, just like the monsters here.
Among the guests that visited me, only Celyon didn’t ask about the Nightmare’s bloodline. She visited me every night to inquire about mana manipulation.
Yet, I only had one answer I could give.
Just move instinctively. Celyon listened to my vague replies for an entire week while continuing her training to manipulate mana.
If you asked if she achieved anything special, I could only tilt my head. Celyon still couldn’t draw her mana out of her body.
“Seris.”
Today, Celyon visited again. However, it seemed she had a different purpose this time. I glanced at the dozing Nightmare and replied.
“What’s up?”
“I’m thinking of sending an exploration team beyond this Crystal Stone Land. You’re going too, right?”
“Already planning to explore beyond this?”
“The scholars are in a hurry. They want to gather as much data as possible before heading back.”
“Hmm, you’re going too, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright, I’ll go too.”
*
The exploration team selected included me, Celyon, and twenty others. It was a bit surprising, but Noel was among them as well.
Thus, the chosen exploration team departed from the Base Camp equipped with plenty of food and water.
The desolate land had no reliable source of food unless one stumbled upon monsters, and the same went for drinking water. The exploration team naturally had to conserve their supplies.
Celyon was appointed as the temporary team leader. She sprinkled red dye on the ground to leave marks the whole way.
As we walked, the barren land and beautiful Crystal Stones stretched endlessly. After walking for a week, the surrounding environment began to change gradually.
New things emerged on the once barren land, and occasionally, we’d encounter monsters without any crystals in their bodies.
“This place…”
“Winter…?”
Celyon, who had been leading the way, muttered as she touched the white snow piled on the ground. Just as she said, this area was a pure white winter region.
Indeed, it was a strange land. The snowy area and the non-snowy area were so closely adjacent that it was merely a matter of a few steps.
The Nightmare, seeing the white snow, climbed onto it and began frolicking. Each time its sturdy legs tapped the ground, the earth dimpled, mixing dirt with snow and sending it flying.
At that moment, white snow began to fall from the sky. Celyon, looking up at the sky, pressed down her long hood and opened her mouth.
“Before the snow becomes heavier, we should move. If you find a cave suitable for setting up the Base Camp, report it immediately.”
Just as we were about to move together, the moment the sound of crunching snow echoed beneath our feet, the Nightmare and I both looked up at the sky almost simultaneously.
What appeared silently amidst the clouds was a giant eye, seemingly gazing down at the land. The immense body behind it looked like a mountain drifting in the sky.
[■!]
A strange cry emanating, shaking the area. The gigantic fins that followed revealed themselves, bringing blinding snow with the harsh winds.
Whaaaaa—
Everyone froze at the appearance of a monster outside their realm of understanding.
So it was that the massive whale, showcasing its presence, brought snow and wind with it before disappearing beyond the clouds again.
Thud—
Some adventurers’ legs seemed to give out as they sat down on the ground. Yet, no one laughed at their reaction.
“… It would be best to move now.”
The long silence finally broke. The exploration team, having dazedly stared up at the sky, finally managed to step into the blinding snowstorm.
[■!]
The roar of the giant whale rapidly faded away.