"Captain Gauss, do you really not need our help?"
"It’s just a wandering Vine Monster, no need for such a big fuss. Your team should focus on your own task."
Faced with Toga’s inquiry, Gauss just waved it off casually.
According to the mission intelligence, the Vine Monster should have a Challenge Level of 6-7. He specifically chose this monster, which had not been slain before, as the target for their quest.
Vine Monsters are commonly active in wetlands and rainforests, looking like a large mass of animated plants.
Although they are plants, their diet encompasses all organic matter.
They tirelessly consume plants and animals encountered along the way. However, due to their slower movement speed compared to other Demons, they aren’t considered highly threatening to humans.
They often reside in the wilderness and do not deliberately attack human villages.
Moreover, despite their slow movement, their plant-like form allows them to hide well within forests or swamps, so they thrive even within human territories.
This time, the monster was exposed because it wandered near a village and was spotted by a sharp-eyed Hunter passing by.
Given the uncertainty of whether it would move toward the village, the village reported the presence of this Vine Monster.
"Is that so..."
The female Dwarf Toga couldn’t help but wipe non-existent sweat from her forehead.
The monster Gauss spoke of so lightly was a formidable enemy that even their Dwarf team might not defeat despite their best efforts.
For the captain, slaying it was as routine as taking a stroll and deciding to try a new tavern for lunch.
If she hadn’t gotten to know Gauss’s personality well over these days, she would’ve suspected he was silently showing off his strength.
"Let’s go."
Gauss waved his hand, and Aaliyah and several other team members jumped onto the dragon’s back.
With the Red Dragon flapping its wings, they quickly vanished from the ground.
"Has Hephaestus grown a bit?"
Aaliyah looked down at the Red Dragon Beast beneath her and murmured.
"Is it just your illusion, Aaliyah?" Serdur responded.
"Giants like dragons, apart from a rapid growth phase after hatching, show changes over years or even decades."
He implied that though Hephaestus joined the team less than a year ago, for creatures with long lifespans, this time span is negligible.
"Is that so..."
Aaliyah shook her head.
She wasn’t quite sure either, as she saw Hephaestus almost every day, making any changes hard to notice.
Listening to their conversation, Gauss also took a moment to observe.
Through careful examination, he, too, felt that Hephaestus had grown significantly.
The trunk area compared to when they first met had expanded noticeably.
Its load-bearing capability had greatly enhanced, making it more adept at carrying people now.
The wingspan seemed to have grown from 17 meters to over 18 meters.
If he hadn’t misjudged, this growth rate is quite astounding for a Red Dragon Beast.
On its large head, a pair of round little horns started to sprout from a small bump.
The color of its scales seemed less vibrant than before, tending towards a deeper red-brown shade.
No wonder its appetite had increased considerably lately.
Gauss hadn’t noticed before, but now upon observing, he was amazed at the drastic changes in their dragon kid.
Around him, not only were the teammates and adventure group growing rapidly, but even the mounts’ growth was not falling behind.
...
The Rider talent greatly enhanced Hephaestus’s flight endurance.
That afternoon, Gauss arrived near the indicated mission location.
He glanced at the village not far below.
The village was surrounded by forests and deserts on all sides.
Unfortunately, he had never encountered a Vine Monster before this.
Thus, using the Biological Positioning Skill to lock onto the target naturally failed.
However, when he switched the spell target to goblins and Slimes, he quickly located some targets.
Of course, he wasn’t there for the goblins, so he didn’t pay any heed to those scattered dots for now.
He was there for points.
"Let’s land first."
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Hephaestus, sensing his intent, gently landed on an open space.
Soon after, Gauss’s team dispersed their reconnaissance methods.
Raven Aik’s crow minions flew in all directions, Ying’s two shadow clones quietly merged into the ground, and Gauss’s released Clay Spiders spread out.
It was currently spring, with life blooming everywhere.
The area had experienced continuous heavy rain recently, washing away any possible traces on the ground.
While waiting for results, Gauss’s team camped and took a break.
"Captain, how’s the taste?"
Serdur looked at Gauss and asked.
In Gauss’s hand was a seemingly ordinary bowl of oatmeal porridge.
But it wasn’t cooked on the spot, rather, it was produced using the newly acquired Grain Creation Skill.
Grain Creation Skill consumes Magic Power to create clean food and water.
"Not bad, not much taste, but quite filling."
Gauss placed the bowl down and gave his assessment.
Compared to ordinary oatmeal porridge, what was produced by Grain Creation Skill was bland, but it was more nutritious.