Chapter 4: The Cockatrice Hunt and an Unexpected Alliance

Naya Trei pressed a finger to her lips, her gaze intently fixed on the notice board.

This board, covered in bounty posters, was prominently displayed right at the entrance of the Adventurers’ Guild. All daily quests were claimed from it.

What kind of quest would be suitable for her and Leon Blade right now? Naya Trei pondered whether starting with the Kobolds in the mines would be a good idea.

Kobolds were rated C-class in challenge level, which was already an over-leveled challenge for a novice team.

“Huh? Why would a rooster be on the bounty board?” Leon Blade blurted out unexpectedly.

‘A rooster—!?’

“How could that be?”

Naya Trei watched as Leon Blade tore down a poster from a spot she couldn’t reach. “Isn’t this a rooster? And its challenge level is actually B-class?”

After Naya Trei saw it, she sighed. It was no wonder Leon Blade had mistaken it; the entire poster was filled with the image of a rooster.

“That’s a Cockatrice,” she explained, pointing to an inconspicuous corner of the poster. “Here, its tail is connected to a snake.”

“How about this one then? It’s offering a bounty of 300 silver coins!”

“No! It’s too difficult for us right now. I… I must be responsible for your safety.”

Indeed, a B-class Cockatrice possessed the strength of a minor boss. Even the Great Goblin they had faced before wasn’t on the same level.

“How about we team up?” A voice suddenly called from behind them. They turned to see a young man, dressed in warrior’s attire, waving in their direction.

Not far behind the young man stood two girls, looking over at them. One, carrying a bow, was a hunter, while the other was likely a rogue.

“I saw you took down the Cockatrice bounty poster. The two of you alone would be too strained, but if we cooperate, our success rate would be much higher.

As everyone knows, a Cockatrice has two heads, requiring two warriors to simultaneously tank its chicken head and snake head. The damage output would then fall to our team’s hunter and rogue.”

The way he spoke, it sounded as if all the credit would go to their side. In such a scenario, even if they secured the bounty, she and Leon Blade would only receive a small portion.

Leon Blade was inexperienced and unfamiliar with these unspoken rules. Naya Trei, however, as a priest who had risen from a one-star team, constantly considered Leon Blade’s interests.

“Actually, you need us more, don’t you? It’s common knowledge that a Cockatrice’s beak and claws are poisonous. You’ll need my healing spells for detoxification.”

“…That’s true, I suppose.” The young man scratched his head. “How about we split the bounty fifty-fifty if we succeed? The priest class is truly rare. You’ve struck gold, buddy.” He said the last part to Leon Blade.

“So, Naya Trei, your profession is really sought after?”

“Leon Blade, could we step aside for a moment?”

Leon Blade followed her to a slightly more secluded spot. Suddenly, Naya Trei turned to face him directly.

“Are you sure you want to team up with them?”

“Yeah, won’t it be great if we get 150 silver coins each after we succeed?”

“Alright. Just remember, no matter what happens during the battle, you must not stray more than twenty paces from me, understood?” Naya Trei cautioned him finally.

“Understood, I promise.” He raised a hand, gesturing towards Naya Trei.

“What are you doing?”

“A high-five! To our first mission’s complete success!”

“…How childish,” she muttered, though she still reached out and touched his hand.

And so, the cooperative hunt for the Cockatrice was cheerfully decided.

***

The Cockatrice had earned its place on the bounty board because it lurked along merchant routes, frequently ambushing passing caravans.

The merchants, having reached their limit, pooled their money and sought out the Adventurers’ Guild.

Using the tracking skills of the hunter girl from the other team, they quickly located the Cockatrice.

Such a massive “rooster” was truly conspicuous, and no one knew where it had come from, though it seemed to have claimed this plain as its territory.

They huddled behind some rocks, discussing their strategy. Meanwhile, the towering, two-meter-tall “rooster” roamed about twenty meters away.

When an ordinary creature was magnified so many times, it became unnaturally eerie and terrifying.

“Just as we planned,” the warrior boy whispered. “I’ll take the snake head, you take the chicken head. When I count down to one, Nia, you fire your arrow! Okay, Priest, cast your shield.”

“Three—”

Naya Trei silently chanted ‘Light Shield’, and a halo of light appeared around Leon Blade.

“Two—”

A halo of light appeared around the warrior boy.

“One! Let’s go!!”

The arrow flew from the string, soaring forward.

The two young men charged after it! The Cockatrice noticed them instantly, flapping its wings as it lunged! In the next second, the arrow struck its neck, embedding itself deep within its feathers—No! It was slightly off target!

Despite being hit by the arrow, the “rooster’s” momentum hadn’t diminished in the slightest! Its intimidating charge would surely make any inexperienced warrior’s legs buckle.

There was no choice; the clash was imminent! They couldn’t rely on the hunter alone! Leon Blade gritted his teeth and bravely met the charge! His Radiant Roar Sword clashed against the creature’s sharp beak, actually sparking!

‘Was this thing’s beak made of steel?’ The warrior boy, sword in hand, brushed past Leon Blade.

Simultaneously, from the hidden tail section of the rooster, a snake as thick as a bowl’s rim lunged forward with its gaping maw!

It was a perfectly executed handover! The warrior boy’s sword met the snake head’s attack, only to be bitten down upon fiercely!

‘What immense strength!’ The warrior boy struggled desperately against the snake head. In the very next moment, the snake’s eyes flashed red, and the warrior, having met its gaze, suddenly froze rigid, unable to move!

“Damn it!” The rogue girl rushed forward and embraced him, using all her strength to toss the statue-like warrior to Naya Trei. “He’s been petrified! Quickly! Lift the curse!”

‘The Cockatrice’s hidden ability was petrification?!’ Thankfully, the rogue girl reacted swiftly!

In the next second, she snatched the sword still caught in the snake’s mouth. At this moment, she was the only one who could take his place. ‘Don’t look into its eyes, absolutely don’t look into its eyes!’ she chanted mentally.

Naya Trei took hold of the petrified warrior, about to use a healing spell to lift the curse.

Yet, as she began chanting, she felt something was wrong! She immediately interrupted the healing spell and instead cast ‘Light Shield’ on the rogue girl.

The Cockatrice thrashed its snake head, but the rogue girl held onto the sword with grim determination, spinning in place as it tried to dislodge her. She and Leon Blade, one in front and one behind, each held off a head.

But—the Cockatrice’s weapons weren’t limited to its heads! Its chicken claw suddenly scraped backward, launching a deadly strike at the rogue girl, sharp talons carrying shattered stones!

In that moment, the rogue girl thought she was dead. She released her grip on the sword, trying to dodge, but there was no escaping! Fortunately, the ‘Light Shield’ blocked the claw, shattering into fragments and vanishing instantly.

Still shaken, her hand remained in a defensive posture—a scratch appeared on her arm, and the rogue girl stumbled back a few steps to Naya Trei’s side, even spitting out a mouthful of blood!

‘Poisoned—!’ They had known the Cockatrice’s claws and beak were venomous, and even a slight scratch would lead to infection!

“Don’t speak, don’t move!” Naya Trei rushed to the rogue girl’s side and helped her sit down.

Her first instinct was to silently chant a healing spell for detoxification—poisoning was far more dangerous than petrification, but now! Only Leon Blade was left to single-handedly face the Cockatrice!

“Leon Blade—! Retreat!” Even Naya Trei panicked. This time, they had truly miscalculated; this “rooster” was simply too powerful.

Leon Blade blocked another fierce peck from the Cockatrice!

The snake head on its tail spat out the sword from its mouth, then redirected its assault, lunging at Leon Blade—the Radiant Roar Sword sparked as it parried the beak, then grazed past the snake head’s venomous fangs in an instant!

He? He had just fended off the Cockatrice’s pincer attack?!

The Cockatrice flapped its wings, leaping up, its two hook-like chicken claws kicking at Leon Blade one after the other. He swung his sword fiercely, parrying the first claw before bouncing back!

In that instant, Nia’s arrow struck the Cockatrice’s other leg—the force of that claw diminished! It scraped against Leon Blade’s ‘Light Shield’ but failed to tear through it!

Leon Blade seized the opportunity to leap back to Naya Trei’s side. “Give me another weapon! Quickly!”

Without a second thought, Naya Trei tossed her staff to him. Leon Blade gripped it, using it awkwardly as a makeshift hammer!

After landing, the Cockatrice steadied itself due to the arrow in its leg. With bulging chicken eyes, it then lunged wildly towards Leon Blade.

He met its charge, dual-wielding both weapons! The extending snake head was smashed shut by a blow from the staff.

In the next second, Leon Blade crossed his staff and Radiant Roar Sword, expertly parrying the chicken’s peck that descended onto his head! All of this unfolded in an instant, leaving the rogue girl utterly dumbfounded.

Naya Trei raised her hand, silently chanting something towards Leon Blade. Immediately after—”By the name of Aio! Blade of Light!”—the staff in Leon Blade’s hand began to glow.

In the next second, it was entirely enveloped in dazzling light, condensing into the shape of a sword!

For Leon Blade, this was an incredibly fitting weapon! Dual-wielding the Light Sword and his Radiant Roar Sword, he parried and deflected the chicken’s head.

Seizing the Cockatrice’s brief moment of stiffness, he spun almost a full circle in place, swinging both swords to brutally hack at the Cockatrice’s neck!

It wasn’t over yet…! He spun around, dual-wielding his swords, and delivered two more blows! In that mere instant of an opening, he had managed to land four strikes?!

The chicken portion of its head had already lost its fighting capability.

‘Don’t give it a chance! Don’t give it an opportunity to retaliate!’ Leon Blade thought, determined to defeat it in one go.

The snake head lunged at him with its gaping maw! He plunged the Light Sword deep into its throat!

Simultaneously, the Cockatrice raised its uninjured chicken claw and kicked towards Leon Blade—he parried with all his might using his Radiant Roar Sword!

The monster’s brute force was too much for him to handle with a single sword. Leon Blade abandoned his Radiant Roar Sword, sidestepping to avoid the claw.

He then swiftly pulled the Light Sword from the snake’s mouth and, turning, delivered another decisive strike to the Cockatrice’s tail—

The Cockatrice convulsed, then collapsed, blood pooling on the ground.

Everyone present stared at Leon Blade, dumbfounded. Naya Trei let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Leon Blade… he was truly powerful.

“You, you, you—you solo-killed the Cockatrice???” the rogue girl stammered in disbelief.

Leon Blade picked up his Radiant Roar Sword, slinging it over his shoulder with a confident flourish. “Didn’t Naya Trei and Nia help out?”

“I barely did anything. With you two in close combat, I was afraid my arrows would accidentally hit our own people.”

“You—you weren’t playing the pig to eat the tiger, were you?!”

“What are you talking about? I was fighting for my life too. It’s just good that everyone is safe.”

Meanwhile, in the distance, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.