"Fire Cannon!"
"Hah! Take that!"
Monsters pounced the moment the group stepped foot onto the mountain. Rest blasted a winged serpent out of the sky with a spell, and the second it hit the ground, Yuri crushed its head with a well-aimed kick.
The Southern Mountain Range was a marbled landscape of peaks where exposed rock, thick forests, and snow-dusted heights blended together. Since each environment hosted its own ecosystem, they found themselves fending off a diverse array of creatures.
"This is actually a great learning experience," Rest remarked. "It definitely keeps things from getting boring."
An average mage would have struggled here, but for Rest, it was easy. His infinite mana pool allowed him to fire off spells without restraint, and his copy ability gave him a solution for every problem. No matter what creature crossed their path, he had the perfect counter ready.
As for Yuri... she relied on raw physical prowess and pure instinct. Whether it was a yeti-like ape, a massive bird of prey, or a giant mole bursting from the earth, she dispatched them all with effortless ease.
"Reminds me of the training the Marchioness put me through back in the day," Rest said with a wry smile, thinking back to the grueling, impossible tasks he’d faced before entering the Academy. "Though, to be fair, this is a lot more manageable than that."
Meanwhile, Yuri hoisted the dead winged serpent, a cheerful grin on her face. "Rest, this one looks edible! Let's take a break!"
She was as obsessed with bizarre delicacies as ever. Without waiting for a response, she drew her knife and set to work. She butchered the creature with practiced skill, peeling the skin and removing the organs. Even as blood splattered across her face, she didn't hesitate, carving the meat into perfect portions.
They had already finished the whole roasted rock lizard they’d brought for lunch. Rest had only managed a couple of bites before Yuri devoured the rest.
"Your cooking skills have really improved," he noted.
"Can you tell? Primula and the chefs back at the Rosemary estate taught me a lot. Now, for this snake... what do you think? Should we try it as sashimi?"
"Please, anything but raw," Rest pleaded. "At least cook it."
"Fine, fine. Skewers it is, then. Can you get a fire going?"
"You got it."
Rest gathered some fallen branches and ignited them with a small flame. Soon, Yuri had the serpent meat skewered and sizzling over the campfire.
Libery, their mountain guide, watched the scene in stunned silence. To Rest and Yuri, this was just another day, but to her, it was utterly surreal.
"Is something the matter?" Rest asked.
"No... I mean, you said you were going to hunt a Wyvern, but you were actually serious, weren't you?"
"Did you think we were joking?"
"Well, no... but..." Libery trailed off, clearly overwhelmed.
She was reconsidering everything now that she had seen their strength firsthand. At first, she had assumed they were just overconfident kids on a suicide mission. But after watching them effortlessly tear through high-level mountain monsters, she realized that a Wyvern hunt might not be such a pipe dream after all.
"Do you want some, Guide? It’s grilled to perfection!" Yuri held out a freshly cooked skewer.
Unfortunately for Rest's peace of mind, it actually looked delicious. The meat was marbled with fat, and the aroma was incredibly mouthwatering.
"Here, Rest. Eat up!" Yuri practically shoved the skewer into his hand.
Rest took it, his expression a mix of hesitation and surrender. Yuri watched him intently, her eyes shining with expectation. He finally took a bite, and a rich, savory flavor immediately washed over his tongue.
"...It’s actually good."
Despite only being seasoned with a bit of salt, it was remarkably tasty. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought he was eating high-end yakitori.
"Right? Here, you take one too!"
Yuri handed a skewer to Libery, then began happily stuffing her own face. She might have a strange palate, but her instincts for flavor were never wrong.
The three of them enjoyed their meal of monster meat, savoring a brief moment of peace before continuing their climb.