Emperor's Reckoning

His back was straight, but his shoulders were not stiff. His black hair fluttered from the gale of the wind. His breathing was calm, and his mind was sharp. His eyes had no signs of fear despite the flying giant beast hovering right in front of him.

"That's a kunpeng?! The infamous beast?!" exclaimed Porealus.

"Then there is no use of escaping, a kunpeng is one amongst the fastest of beasts," said Carius as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Never thought that I would see one though, the legends surrounding them are indeed true."

"Then what are we supposed to do, grandfather!"

"Wait for it," said Carius as his eyes fell on the back of a young man that had continuously broken all norms."

"Everybody stay calm!" shouted Renduval.

"You know those words never work!" replied Porealus with a glare.

"Tch! At least I tried, I don't want to die here!" said Renduval as he balled his fist. (I still have something to prove!).

"Well same here!" answered Porealus before the mighty beast opened a deafening roar.

The gale it create fluttered all of their hair and made them cover their eyes.

"It seems like you're really hungry," said Lyon before he calmly stood up from his crossed legs.

"W-What are you doing?" asked Renduval. "Don't do anything rash, don't provoke it!"

"Heh, that's kind of too late don't you think?" Kesya shook her head with a sigh as she approached her master.

"Renduval," Lyon called.

"W-What?" Renduval answered nervously.

"Is kunpeng body parts useful for alchemy?"

"What are you talking about? Of course, it is! Its body parts are good for an array of fields. Its thick scale, wings, feathers, teeth, almost all of its body parts can be used for alchemy."

"Hmm..." Lyon smiled as he rubbed his chin. "Do you think a griffin can carry its carcasses?"

"W-What? Why are you asking that question?" Renduval asked before his eyes widened, "Don't tell me you..."

"Hoho~ He is planning to kill the beast," Tael grinned.

"And I'm ready whenever you are, big brother!" Zet nodded.

"Are you guys serious?!" exclaimed Renduval.

"Hah~" Porealus sighed despite his rushing bloodstream. "You better get used to it if you are planning to stick along."

He smiled. "That man is not something you can mess with, even if you are a beast the size of a half small island."

Renduval gulped as he looked at the said young man crossing his arms.

"No need for you to meddle with this," Lyon smirked before he closed his eyes.

He inhaled through his nose audibly before revealing his sharp eyes.

The kunpeng roared before it swung its giant tail against the griffin with massive momentum.

Renduval had his eyes widened before he closed them tight as he braced for the impact that was about to come.

"Do it," a calm sharp tone was heard in a split second before a loud crackling explosion was heard.

*Boom!

A cry of a mighty predator was heard before a huge splash from the sea was made. The splash shot up to the sky and pierced the clouds before falling right at the group.

Assid pushed his glasses with his middle finger before revealing an opened umbrella on the right, covering both him and Lyon.

*Splash!

Renduval and the unfortunate ones immediately drenched. Meanwhile, Kesya was sitting in the middle between Lumina and Cecile with a huge umbrella in hand.

Renduval was trembling both from shock and the sudden drop of temperature. His entire cloak was soaked. His mouth jittered before he nervously see his surroundings. "W-What just happened?"

"Heh," Lyon smirked before he looked up, "Graham are you alright?"

(Huh?!) Renduval looked up to see a tall muscular man with gray hair hovering in the air whilst having his arms crossed.

"This is nothing, y-young master," said Graham as he tried his best to call him the way he wanted it.

"Good!" Lyon's word echoed before his laughter soon followed.

"W-Where is the kunpeng?" asked Renduval as he looked around and saw not a single hint of that beast.

Porealus wiped his face before he replied, "Try to look below."

Renduval squinted his eyes at Porealus before the latter cued him to see down at the sea with a nod of his head.

Renduval gulped as he raised his chin. He nervously put his foot slowly and slowly as he leered down.

"?!"

Something massive was floating on the sea. It was the same giant beast that was about to swat him and the rest away.

Renduval's mouth gaped as he saw the floating carcass.

"I-Impo... I-I-I..." he couldn't finish the word.

"Is it dead?" asked Lyon.

"Yes, young master," Assid nodded. "A kunpeng wouldn't be idling on the surface of the sea if they were grievously wound."

"Adrenaline, huh," Lyon nodded.

"Yes, young master, that is correct," Assid nodded. "Besides, this kunpeng has not yet fully matured."

"Huh?! What did you say?!" asked Renduval as he looked at Assid.

"You've heard me," said Assid in a flat tone. "This is just a fledgling, can't even glide, swim, or fly as fast as the mature ones."

"What..." Renduval couldn't believe his ears.

"Oh, they are that fast, huh?" Lyon asked. "Can they swim in the spatial storm as well?"

"The capable ones, yes," Kesya nodded.

"Hmm," Lyon looked down and looked at the dead kunpeng floating on the sea, "You know, maybe, it's too late to say this, but can you ride a kunpeng?"

The question stunned the group as Renduval smiled with twitching lips. He looked at the young man and said inwardly (This guy is mad, they are really mad, I've never seen someone kill a kunpeng in a single strike before, effortlessly too! Yet he now wants to ride one?!).

"They are hard to tame, but if it were young master, I don't have a single doubt," nodded Assid as he put his umbrella away.

Cecile chuckled as Kesya gave the umbrella back to Assid.

Graham hovered down before standing right behind Lyon. "Young master, what should we do now."

"Hmm? We take the whole carcass of course!" said Lyon as he nodded.

"Are you serious?! She won't be able to pull it!" complained Renduval.

"Sure she can, isn't that right?" said Lyon as he rubbed the beast they were riding.

*Gulped!

The beast wouldn't dare to file a single complaint.

"Understood," Graham nodded before he leaped down under everyone's gaze. He hovered right above the massive tail of the kunpeng before grabbing it with one hand. He effortlessly hovered up before swinging the carcass up and putting his shoulders to work. He flew up above the incomparably small griffin and caught everyone's awe.

"Hmm," Lyon furrowed his brows as he rubbed his chin, "Lower down slowly."

Graham did as he told and slowly landed on the back of the griffin.

"Woah!!"

Screams soon followed as the griffin couldn't help but tilted her body in response to the massive weight. Her wings were furiously flapping as the eagle head screeched.

"Don't give up! Don't you dare fucking give up on me!" shouted Lyon as put his palm on top of the griffin's head.

*Screech!

"Wh-What the hell is he doing?!" shouted Porealus he was clinging on the back of the griffin like everyone else.

"Think about your mother, your father! They didn't raise a quitter did they!!" shouted Lyon. "Your mother didn't give birth-"

"Eggs," muttered Assid.

"Laid eggs! For you to just quit! Flap away Griffi!"

*Screech!

(By the gods, why is he motivating this poor griffin?!) thought Renduval as his brows twitched.

"There is nothing for you at home! Go for it! Remember how your other siblings looked down on you!" said Lyon as his voice turned hoarse.

*Screech!

The griffin flapped its wings furiously.

Lumina could be seen pinching her glabella as she shook her head whilst Cecile was chuckling. Meanwhile, Kesya didn't even hold back her laughter as she rolled left and right.

"Go go Griffie!" said Kesya as she raised her arm, and her face had already turned a red hue before she continued to chuckle.

"Haha! maybe the best way to face this is to enjoy it!" said Tael who was flooring with Carius. "Isn't that right, my old friend hohoho!"

"Hmm!" Carius looked away (Bunch of madmen!).

"Onward! To Alchemy Union!" roared Lyon as he pointed forward with a confident smile and a hint of crocodile tears.

"It's a bit to the west!" shouted Renduval.

"What?"

"West! Point a little to the west!"

"Oh!" Lyon faced a little bit to the west before pointing forward, "Here?"

"Yes!"

"Alright! Let's go, Griffie! To Alchemy Union!"

Thus the group embarked to the place where alchemists gathered and sought both skills and knowledge about alchemy. However, with Lyon standing at the front most of a tiring griffin, they already knew things won't go smoothly, in fact, they were all only hoping for him not to start a huge problem in that place.