SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH

The waves swept across the shores, froth and bubbles forming in a split second and popping away in the blinking of an eye. The reeds danced as the water swept through them, the clear rays of the sun sparkling across the lake.

It was a massive lake of blue and green, the image of the forest reflecting all over the water's surface. The dragonflies hovered atop the waters and the fish swam below, a couple of splashes resounding as they leaped to catch their prey.

SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH

The water quaked and the surface started to dent. With the passage of time, a crack formed in the water's surface, deepening as if a massive rift was forming all across the place. The waters were parted ever so gently.

A single man raised his hands and the waters parted even more, soon revealing the deep beds of the lake. What was left behind was nothing more than a shallow trench of water, not any deeper to the point it can touch one's knees.

There are aquatic plants, shells, fishes, and many rocks and amazing features exposed at the sudden upheaval of the lake. A hidden beauty was unveiled, the sun's rays gracing the lake beds for the first time in several millennia.

"G-Grey! This is cheating! You shouldn't do this!" ［Yuna］

"Eh... But isn't it easier this way?" ［Grey］

"That's not the point! If we do it like this, then the experience would be ruined! Hurry! Put the lake's water back already!" ［Yuna］

"Ehh... That's troublesome... I don't wanna..." ［Grey］

Grey and Yuna are still on their quests, and after annihilating every single monster along the Treant Nest about an hour ago, they are now in a lake just a couple dozen kilometers away for another one of their quests.

This time, it's a herb collection quest where they have to harvest "Laminaris", a kelp-like plant which only grows in the deep beds of freshwater lakes. It is a plant which is the main ingredient for many tonics and medicines.

Of course, it wasn't a quest without any catch. As many animals and beasts rely on Laminaris as a food source, there are also some powerful creatures inhabiting the areas where they grow, ranging from as weak as H-rank all the way to D-rank.

The most notable of these are Bluelight Eels and Giant Hunter Crabs which lurk in the trove of Laminaris to ambush prey. They are both D-rank beasts of Light and Null attributes, respectively. They are quite dangerous.

In order to avoid such hassles, Grey used water magic to displace the waters and move them away for the time being, making sure not to harm the lake and the little creatures living in it. He was careful as can be.

"L-Look! If you just remove the water like that, you won't be able to get the thrill and suspense of having to fend off enemies!" ［Yuna］

"That's exactly why I'm removing the water." ［Grey］

"B-But! Don't you think that's cruel?! Look at all the fishies!" ［Yuna］

"I left enough water in the bottom so they're fine. And, it's not like you to care this much about them. You just want to fight the beasts, don't you?" ［Grey］

"Th-That's not it at all! Un... That isn't it... Not at all..." ［Yuna］

Or so she says but her expressions were betraying her quite openly. Her eyes were now swimming and her hands were fidgety. It was obvious she just wants to let loose and knock out a couple more opponents, the Monster Neat still not enough for her.

Grey really doesn't want to face it, but it seems like Yuna has become more and more of a battle junkie each day. He also enjoys fighting quite well, but not to the point that he's obsessed. He can only hope Yuna doesn't pick up any more weird quirks.

"Then! H-How about this! S-Since w-we're in a lake, I-I'll wear a swimsuit when we collect the materials! Wh-What do yoー" ［Yuna］

THWACK

"Owwie!" ［Yuna］

And speaking of some weird quirks, it seems like Yuna is developing another one as of the moment. Grey quickly struck her with a light chop to the head to stop any weird thoughts from forming in the head of his adorable but troublesome fiancée.

She has been spending too much time with Helen and has read too many books. It would have been good if they were just normal books, but Helen being Helen, some of her recommendations are too much. Yuna is getting influenced by weird ideas.

Though as it may be, even though she gets more and more weird ideas due to Helen, she was still the same old Yuna. She always blushes red as can be, even when she was acting bold, clearly not used to doing such things.

"W-Why?! I thought boys like that kind of thing!" ［Yuna］

"There is a right time and place for everything. Starting now, I'll be confiscating the books you're reading. I don't want you to be corrupted any further." ［Grey］

"Ehh?! That's unfair! Th-they're educational!" ［Yuna］

"Good try, Young Lady. But I won't be sold on that. And don't say those things when you're just gonna be embarrassed by it. Do you know how red you are?" ［Grey］

"Uuu... Am I really that red...?" ［Yuna］

The young lady asked, and there was no need for any affirmation. She was so red, even ripe tomatoes wouldn't hold a candle to her, clearly flustered and embarrassed by her words just now. She was cute.

It was then that Grey swore to himself to have another "heart-to-heart talk" with Helen later on. He already did so a couple days ago, but it seems she still hasn't learnt her lesson. He can't let his fiancée be corrupted any further.

"Grey... You're not thinking of anything dangerous, are you?" ［Yuna］

"Nope, nothing at all. I was just thinking of punishing a misbehaving chick." ［Grey］

Said Grey with a bright smile on his face, but it wasn't one which belonged to a sweet angel, but rather, a devious devil. A couple of ideas on how to pay back Helen has already started brewing in his mind, turbulent as can be.

Back in Galderia, in a certain inn, a young lady felt cold shivers run down her spine whilst she washed the plates. A sudden fear pricked her heart as if something quite ominous was heading her way. An omen of terrible luck.

"Hm? Is something wrong, Helen?" ［Selia］

"N... No... I just suddenly felt a chill..." ［Helen］

"Hm? Are you sure you're not sick?" ［Selia］

Helen is still in the dark, but in just a few hours, she will be facing another terror she faced a couple days ago. She will be under the harsh eyes of a certain man, wishing she was doing a mountain of chores instead. But hey, that's a story for another day.

"Well, enough about that... Let's start the quest already. The Laminaris won't harvest themselves, after all." ［Grey］

Without further ado, Grey and Yuna walked away from the lake shore and entered the lake, their boots meeting the waters, and the soft sound of splashes echoing all over the place, the fishes splashing away as they approached.

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Of course, they didn't just head in without any preparations. They already casted a bit of barrier magic to keep themselves from getting wet. They can safely and carefreely harvest the herbs needed and make sure their quest is fulfilled.

One... Two... Three... Four.., Five...

As the minutes passed, Grey and Yuna collected more and more Laminaris and held them in a couple of drying baskets which were to be turned over to the Guild once they finished their quest. Baskets especially made for handling Luminaris.

"Grey, look! I found another one! Aren't I lucky?" ［Yuna］

"Ohh～! That's even redder than the ones from before. I'm sure it will make a nice bead for the Little Princess. She would love it." ［Grey］

"Un! I can't wait to play with her again!" ［Yuna］

Of course, they didn't just collect Laminaris and nothing else, they also got a couple more things like shells, pearls, magic plants, aquatic rocks and gemstones, and many more. There were all sorts of goodies to find.

Some weren't very rare or valuable, but they looked very pretty. If Grey and Yuna were to head to the Royal Castle and hand them over to the Little Princess to play with, she would surely be delighted. It was a leisurely quest.

Or well... It was leisurely for the most part. Just when Grey docked to collect another batch of Laminaris, orbs of blue shone from the walls of water beside them, glowing brighter and brighter as they came closer towards the two.

SPLASH FWOOOSSSHHH GRAAAAAAARRRRR

Those orbs were none other than the eyes of a Bluelight Eel, not a single moment of the opportunity laid out before it. It leaped out of the water and rushed towards Grey, its fangs pointing out and ready to bite down on the young man's neck.

SLAP SPLASH SPLASH Splash splash... splash.......

Unfortunately for it, it picked the wrong prey. Before it could even get near Grey, the latter slapped it without much thought and sending it kissing towards the shallow waters, its skull already broken from the sheer impact of a mere casual slap.

The Bluelight Eel convulsed for a while, splashing water here and there, but after a couple moments of struggling, it finally stopped. There were no more movements from its body and its heart had stopped beating. It died from a mere slap.

"Seriously, how many times does this make..." ［Grey］

"Uuu... It's a shame they're not edible... And here I thought beasts get more and more delicious if they are stronger..." ［Yuna］

"This one's a special case... Its body is just too bony and its meat isn't even worth all the hassle. It's not nutritious or delicious. It's just terrible." ［Grey］

As it seems, it wasn't the first time a Bluelight Eel attacked them. In fact, there have been over a dozen of them that they fought and each one of them died with not even an ounce of effort from Grey and Yuna, either by slapping or bonking.

Sadly, though their bony body parts are very useful in making equipment, they aren't edible by all means. They are trash fish which don't have even a single dish made with them. A truly terrible and unfortunate fish.

"Well, the same couldn't be said for the crabs though." ［Grey］

"Oh?! More of them have gathered again! Let's have a feast later, Grey!" ［Yuna］

"Sure. We have a lot of free time anyway." ［Grey］

Luckily enough, it isn't like their quest is all in "vain". The Giant Hunter Crabs, unlike the Bluelight Eels, are very tasty creatures. Their meat is tender, juicy, savory, and most of all, flavorful. It was perfect for many dishes. A true delicacy to behold.

The Giant Hunter Crabs have yet to approach Yuna, but after seeing the dangerous glint in her eyes, they felt shivers running all over their bodies. It was like they were facing the queen of demons before them, fear cruising through them.

"Ah! They're running away again!" ［Yuna］

They all tried to run away, but unluckily for them, the one hunting them was Yuna. The water may have slowed her down, but she was still several times faster than them, not even giving them a chance to escape their ill fates.

It was just the Giant Hunter Crabs. The other tasty beasts and animals as well were far from safe with a new Apex predator in their habitats. They all scurried away, the unlucky ones destined to be served on a warm plate for dinner.

"As long as she's having fun, I guess..." ［Grey］

The quest continued, and after another one-sided massacre, they finally collected all that they should. They also saved some for Yuna's use and got a mountain of tasty ingredients as a bonus. They soon headed to their last and final destination.

It was quite the distance, but rather than flying, they decided to end their journey with a little bit of stretching. They sprinted the whole length, bridging the over a hundred kilometer gap in just about a quarter of an hour.

What greeted them was the vast and green plains, stretching as far as the eye can see, barely any trees standing proud and a few boulders dotted all over the place. It was a place where grass, weeds, and bushes reigned supreme.

There were also patches of flowers growing here and there, a couple of pink here and some white over there. The hares, groundhogs, little birds, and many small critters hiding in the grass, parting it as they moved around.

MOOOO NGUUUU MUUUUU

Amongst the fauna which inhabits the vast plains were massive bovine beasts whose bodies were twice the size of domesticated bulls, muscles clearly bulging, and horns were as sharp as swords, some aggressively butting heads with one another.

They are called "Power Bisons", E-rank beasts of the Null attribute which are known for their raw strength and aggressiveness, traveling in massive herds of over a couple hundred, and even a thousand from time to time. The next targets of subjugation.

"Ohh～! There's a lot more of them than I imagined... Just how many of them are there... 400...? No, is it 500, Grey?" ［Yuna］

"There's 537 of them to be exact, over twice the size of your usual herd." ［Grey］

"That's quite a problem for the residents, isn't it?" ［Yuna］

"Yeah. The Lord of this territory has been having quite a headache because of it. It seems like this has been going on for a few years now." ［Grey］

"Hmm... It's like a whole order of knights, after all..." ［Yuna］

The reason for the subjugation quest was to cull the population of Power Bisons which live in the plains. There have been too many of them, and the occurrences where one of them strays away and attacks people in highways has been increasing,

There has also been a huge imbalance in the ecosystem because of overpopulation, driving the other populations of animals away as they dominate the place, affecting even the flora as they graze without much thought.

But perhaps the biggest reason why Grey and Yuna accepted it was their meat! Not only is it delicious, it is also so soft and tender, it melts in the mouth and goes well with all sorts of spices and seasonings. They're especially good for making broth.

What's more, unlike Bulldeers, it doesn't matter what age the Power Bison is, only the tenderness and texture if the meat will change. The flavor remains the same, giving one a variety of textures to choose from.There was no way they'd pass on it.

"We already have crabs, fish, lobsters, and clams... Soon we'll also have beef... What dishes can we make with that, Grey?" ［Yuna］

"There's too many to count, My Dear. Too many to count." ［Grey］

"Hmm... Should we go get some wild vegetables while we're at it then?" ［Yuna］

"That's not a bad idea. It's good to have a little change in a while." ［Grey］

The two of them just being themselves, they didn't even think about defeating them, and just thought of what dishes they would be cooking. They are simply moving chunks of meat in their eyes, their stomachs growling a little.

Moreover, it seems like it was true that Power Bisons have terrible vision. They were already so close, and they have yet to notice them. Even with all the whispering, they only looked like talking grass to the unsuspecting Power Bisons.

"Aren't they just blind at this point? How do they even survive in the wild?" ［Yuna］

"Don't ask me. I'm not a Power Bison, you know?" ［Grey］

"Fufufu? Then, Grey... Let's see who can hunt more of them!" ［Yuna］

There were no warnings whatsoever. As soon as Yuna gave her piece, she quickly vanished out of thin air and her presence ceased to exist. Only Grey was left behind, still crouching by the tall grass and peeking towards the bisons.

"That girl... This is hardly fair, you know?" ［Grey］

Mumbled Grey, then snapping his fingers and a bow appearing by his hands. He has been practicing his archery for certain situations, and since he's hunting, what better way than to do it with a bow. It was time to hunt!

The Power Bisons were still unaware of what was happening, their bad vision soon focused on a hazy figure as it stood up from the tall grass. They don't know what or who it was, but they were pretty sure it was human.

There was no need to think. As soon as one of the nearby Power Bisons saw Grey's figure, it immediately started stomping its foot and scraping the ground with its hooves, preparing to charge away as it pointed its horns at him.

BOOOOM MOOOOO NGAAAAAA

But before it could even do so, a large explosion rang out in the fields, followed by a cacophony of deep groans and grumbles resounding soon after. Some Power Bisons were flung away, shockwaves riddling the ground.

The figure of a young lady suddenly appeared out of nowhere started grabbing the Power Bisons by the horns and throwing them towards the air. It successfully got the attention of the other Power Bisons, all eyes falling towards her.

"Yuna... That girl... Just what is she doing..." ［Grey］

There wasn't just one or two of them, but a whole 7 Power Bisons flung to the air, and launched several hundred meters into the air. Before they would land in the ground, she then whipped out her dagger and cut their lives short, blood spilling in the plains.

Yuna's reason for doing so was to attract the attention of the Power Bisons no matter how far they were, and draw their aggression towards her. However, rather than rush towards her, they suddenly started running away.

"Eh?! Why are you running away?! I thought they were aggressive?!" ［Yuna］

They are, but just because they are aggressive, it doesn't mean they were stupid. No one wants to be flung so high like a stupid juggling pin in a circus only to be finished off with a dagger. There was fear in their eyes.

"Seriously... What is she doing..." ［Grey］

The Power Bisons scurried away towards different directions, and trampled over everything they came across. It was a stampede, clouds of dust brewing in the air. The hunt was no more difficult, but all the more exciting.

With such a commotion in front of him, and even a couple Power Bisons charging his way, Grey then pointed the bow upwards and filled it with mana, a bright arrow soon taking shape. A loud boom echoed as he released his pull.

《Feathered Tempest》 ［Grey］

The arrow shot out at lightning speed and pierced the clouds in less than a second. A loud explosion thundered over the plains as the arrows exploded in a bright boom, creating a vortex of mana and several thousand arrows.

It was a deadly storm, a downpour of deadly arrows coming from above. Some rained straight down, whilst some spiraled away, covering a large area and raining death to those who were unlucky enough to be subjected to it.

Grey already limited the area so that only a few of them will die, and by a few, he meant several dozen of them. The arrows pierced their bodies like narrow spears, hunting them down in rapid succession, thuds echoing all over the place.

As soon as everything was over, all the Power Bisons near Grey had already fallen down, not a single one of them remaining standing. Over 80 of the Power Bisons were hunted down in a single move.

"Grey! That's cheating! Why are you using a bow right now?!" ［Yuna］

"All's fair in love and war, Milady. You just need to step up your game." ［Grey］

"Uuu...! You bully! Just you wait!" ［Yuna］

Yuna didn't just remain standing either. She quickly stomped her foot towards the ground, frost and ice spreading out at breakneck speeds. It seemed like a web of blue and white rapidly devouring the plains without any warning.

RUMMMBLLLEEEE BOOM BOOM BOOM

The frozen webs spread further than the Power Bisons and massive glaciers formed at the very ends of it. It created a massive wall before the Power Bisons, preventing them from escaping and trapping them inside her domain.

《Vanishing Flash!》 ［Yuna］

Her cold voice rang out in the air, and she disappeared without a trace. Only a silver blur cruised through the once verdant plains and it was soon dyed red with blood. The Power Bisons fell one after another, a single strike cutting them down.

All Yuna had to do was slice the largest veins in their necks and they immediately came crumbling down. She did so at breakneck speeds, cutting down a couple of them with every second that passed.

"Hahaha. Who's cheating now, I wonder." ［Grey］

It wasn't long before Grey joined the fray once more and shot out yet another rain of arrows. He was just as vicious as Yuna, hunting down several dozen of them in just a matter of seconds, the pain and fear of the Power Bisons brewing in the air.

The hunt was soon over in a less than a couple minutes, and in that short amount of time, they hunted over 300 Power Bisons, letting go of the remaining pitiful 200. They completed the quest with flying colors, and as for the bet...

"Uuu... Using a bow is cheating... That's too much, Grey..." ［Yuna］

"Whine all you want. It won't change anything, you know?" ［Grey］

"Uuu... You meanie..." ［Yuna］

It was Grey's victory yet again. It wasn't even close, an over 100 gap between the two of them. Bows are simply much more efficient to use than daggers in such a situation. Yuna had already lost the moment Grey used it.

"Then, for the reward... Since we didn't exactly agree on anything... How about we do it like this?" ［Grey］

Well, it's not like Grey is mean enough to just keep on bullying his adorable fiancée. Since it was just already early in the afternoon and they have yet to have lunch, a wonderful idea came to mind. A smile soon bloomed on his face.

"Let's have a picnic lunch after we clean up the whole mess, and you'll have to finish everything I cook for you. That much should be fair, no?" ［Grey］

He was planning on cooking some of the Power Bisons they just caught and making a handful of delicious dishes with them. There were also the crabs and seafood they just got from the past quests, so he was planning on using them as well.

"Grey.... You're the best! I love you～!" ［Yuna］

And just like that, her heart was won over once more. Such a simple lady she was, hugging her beloved fiancé even though they were still covered in blood. It was quite an obscene scene to behold.

"Haah... What am I gonna do about you..." ［Grey］

CHAPTER 400 END