Above the mage

Chapter 703 Vales Island

The coastline of Valles Island is winding, with dense, ancient evergreen trees spreading along the shore.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept past the treetops and brought the distant roar of waves crashing against the rocks.

The sky was clear and the air was crisp, with not a single cloud in the clear blue sky.

With such beautiful scenery and fine weather, it should be a pleasant place to be.

However, the six people who appeared on the shore had little interest in appreciating the scenery.

All six were very young and had outstanding looks.

It has the conventional sense of good looks, as well as an outstanding feel brought about by the combination of temperament and physique.

These six people seemed to know each other because they traveled together as a group, but they also didn't seem to know each other that well.

They walked slowly along the shore, surrounded by an indescribable sense of alienation.

The journey was so silent that only the sound of footsteps, the sea breeze, and the faint, tentative glances exchanged between them could be heard.

This silence was eventually broken by a clear and gentle voice.

"Everyone, Mage Fritz specifically instructed us that we must complete the beast-slaying mission within seven days and return safely to the Golden Flower Dynasty." It was Arya who spoke.

With a slightly chubby face, her eyebrows curved, and her tone was full of sincerity.

She paused, her brows furrowing slightly, and said seriously, "Mage Fritz didn't allow us to bring a single Golden Flower Coin, and he didn't even allow us to reveal our identities as the Golden Flower Dynasty's mage delegation, let alone complete the beast-slaying mission."

"Under these conditions, simply returning to the dynasty would be no easy task."

"If we continue to fail to communicate and understand each other, it will be difficult to complete the mission, let alone develop a tacit understanding and cope with the subsequent French competition."

Her words actually struck a chord with the six of them.

The first thing a team does when they get together is usually to break the ice and break down the barriers of unfamiliarity and distance between them.

That's how Master Fritz arranged it too.

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In the past, many teams often broke the ice through "experience-building activities".

This involves playing some harmless team games to kill time and forcibly build relationships.

But the goal of the mage team is to win the championship of the Unparalleled Magic Fighting Tournament, a real magic fighting competition, a contest that concerns the honor of the dynasty.

Therefore, their ice-breaking methods will naturally revolve around the "French Bulldog".

However, it wasn't an internal competition.

After all, in the French fighting tournament, they will be teammates fighting side by side, sharing both glory and loss. Teamwork and reasonable division of labor are of utmost importance.

Internal strife is not only pointless, but it also easily breeds conflict and hinders team cohesion, making it a losing proposition.

Therefore, the icebreaking task arranged by Master Fritz was a team mission.

Only real, tangible tasks can force them to break down barriers of unfamiliarity and learn to fight side by side.

The task itself was not actually that complicated or difficult.

At the heart of everything lies the island of Valles, which lies beneath their feet.

This island is not part of the Plantagenet Dynasty's territory; it is an independent island.

The mainstay industry of Valles Island is a rare fish species found only in the nearby waters: the fluorescent blue tetra.

This fish has a faint blue sheen all over its body, and its flesh is delicate. However, its most precious part is its body fluid.

Grind it into a fine juice and apply it gently to the area around the eyes over a long period of time.

It can not only greatly enhance eyesight, but also subtly nourish the eyes.

It gradually gives the user a faint but real secret vision, allowing them to see some magical fluctuations that are imperceptible to ordinary people.

Because of its gentle and universally applicable extraordinary effects, the fluorescent blue tetra has become a highly sought-after magical material on the continent.

Although Valles Island is not wealthy or prosperous, it is enough to live a comfortable life by catching and selling fluorescent blue tetras.

Every year, the island's rulers would select a batch of the finest lanternfish and send them as tribute to the Golden Flower Dynasty in exchange for the dynasty's protection, freeing them from pirate raids and invasions by leyline creatures.

But recently, this peaceful island has suddenly been struck by a devastating disaster.

A flock of eagles of unknown origin descended from the sky and wreaked havoc along the coastline.

Their wingspan can reach three zhang (approximately 10 meters), their feathers are as hard as black iron, their beaks are as sharp as blades, and their claws can tear rocks.

These ferocious birds not only destroyed the island's fishing port, docks, and supply warehouses, but also caused numerous casualties among villagers and guards.

The island's defenses were powerless to resist and could only appeal to the Plantagenet dynasty for help.

The real difficulty of the mission lies not in killing the eagle beasts themselves, but in the unique situation of Vales Island.

It was not a territory directly under the dynasty's control, but rather an independent island that paid tribute regularly and sought protection. It was separated from the Plantagenet dynasty's homeland by thousands of miles of ocean and was beyond its reach.

Fritz's requirements for them were therefore exceptionally demanding:

Within seven days, completely eliminate the eagles and beasts from the island;

Throughout the entire process, one must not reveal one's identity and must not utilize any external support from the dynasty;

They must not carry any money or valuables, and all expenses for food, lodging, and even the supplies and routes needed to return to the dynasty must be resolved by themselves in a legitimate manner.

This is no longer just a beast-hunting mission, but a test that is becoming increasingly challenging.

It tests their fighting ability, adaptability, and overall qualities.

It will further test their ability to quickly integrate and form a true team.

"Arya is right."

Our primary task now is to deal with the eagle pack. Only after completely eliminating them can we consider how to return to the dynasty.

"The key to the beast extermination mission is to find the habitat of the eagle beasts or find a way to lure them out of their hiding places. We must understand their activity patterns in order to make accurate deployments."

The first person to speak was surprisingly Feng Lin.

Seeing her ethereal appearance, she skillfully picked up where Arya left off, preventing the atmosphere from becoming awkward.

"We can head to the nearby villages first," a cool, deep voice rang out at the opportune moment. It was Evan who spoke.

"Asking local residents for detailed information is much more efficient than trying to figure it out on our own."

"Evan is right," Gareth, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up.

Perhaps it was Gareth's strength and composure that were convincing, or perhaps it was because more than half of the people already agreed with him.

The atmosphere, which had been somewhat tentative, instantly calmed down, and the next course of action was decided without any further disputes.

The next instant, Evan's body rippled with magic, and he lightly rose into the air, hovering in mid-air.

He moved with the speed of a hawk, swiftly sweeping across the island's undulating terrain and coastline.

However, Evan quickly identified his target: "There's a village over there, with smoke still rising from the chimneys. It must be a fishing village on the island. Let's go over and scout it out."

Before he finished speaking, Evan's figure had already shot off like an arrow in the direction he pointed, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing this, the other five also used their flying skills to follow.

In this situation, the difference in mage levels becomes clearly apparent.

While all four use flight magic, Gareth, Feng Lin, Evan, and Cedric, as fourth-ring mages, naturally have a much faster speed than God and Arya, who are third-ring mages.

If Gaode wanted to, with the help of Boeing, its speed could catch up with theirs.

But this is not an emergency, so there is no need for this.

So he maintained a normal flight pace and landed at the back of the group alongside Arya.

Faced with this speed difference, the four fourth-ring mages made two completely different choices.

Cedric remained silent throughout, his face still expressionless, his flight speed undiminished, even surpassing Evan who had set off earlier, taking the lead.

There was absolutely no intention of waiting for Gaode and Ailiya.

Evan remained unmoved, focusing solely on flying forward as if the events behind him were none of his concern.

On the contrary, Gareth, who seemed taciturn and difficult to get along with, didn't say a word, but silently restrained some of his magic power, slowed down his flight speed, and landed in the middle of the group.

He would glance back every now and then, subtly keeping an eye on Gao De and Aria's figures.

What surprised Gaode the most was Feng Lin.

She noticed almost immediately that the two had fallen behind. Without hesitation, she slowed down her flight speed by most and landed right next to them, walking alongside them.

His posture was natural, without any deliberate effort or disdain.

The group of six naturally split into two groups: Evan and Cedric were in front, moving very fast; the other four were behind.

Fortunately, the fishing village wasn't far away, so even with the difference in speed, the two groups landed at roughly the same time.

When Gao De landed at the entrance to the fishing village, Cedric was already standing there with several people dressed in coarse linen clothes.

The old fishermen, their faces haggard and sorrowful, began to talk.

The houses in the village were low and simple. Behind the windows of a few houses at the back, two or three children were hiding, peeking out timidly with curiosity in their eyes, but not daring to get close.

The six descended from the sky, their magical aura clearly discernible, making their identities as mages obvious, and they made no attempt to conceal it.

Therefore, the villagers instinctively held them in awe.

When Cedric calmly explained that they had come to wipe out the eagle pack that was ravaging the island, the villagers' eyes lit up instantly, and their awe was replaced by ecstasy and gratitude.

Having suffered greatly at the hands of the eagle beast, they grasped at this lifeline and answered every question.

His words were full of urgency, as if he wanted to tell everything he knew.

"Master, you've finally arrived!"

An elderly fisherman with gray hair and a wrinkled face spoke first, his voice trembling with excitement: "Those monsters are terrifying. The island's guards call them Iron Feather Eagle Beasts. I don't know where they came from."

"We fishermen on Valles Island for generations, and we've never seen such a ferocious creature in the past few hundred years."

"There are at least forty or fifty of them, and their feathers are as hard as iron; ordinary arrows simply can't penetrate them!"

"Has your village been attacked by them?" Evan pressed.

The old fisherman hurriedly shook his head, but his fear only intensified: "Not yet—they are currently mainly entrenched on the western side of the coastline, but their range of activity is growing day by day, and they are gradually encroaching on our side."

"Several fishing villages nearby have already been wiped out by them, and our area will inevitably be affected sooner or later."

"I've seen them flying by in groups in several surrounding villages."

Another woman's voice tightened, "The villagers are in a state of panic right now. The more timid ones have already packed their belongings and fled deeper into the island—"

"Do you know their pattern of appearance?" Cedric asked calmly, his voice devoid of any extra emotion.

A dark-skinned, slightly younger fisherman nearby immediately responded, his voice trembling with lingering fear: "Master, I know!"

"I have a distant relative who works in logistics for the guard team. He heard from the patrol team that these Ironfeathered Eagle Beasts usually only come out in groups at dawn and dusk, a dark mass that raids along the coastline, grabbing people and destroying houses in sight."

"They are much more behaving during the day and at night, usually only one or two of them come out to forage, and they do not pose a great threat."

After carefully listening to the villagers' various accounts and sorting through all the information in his mind, Cedric slowly turned around and glanced at the other five people.

"Let's go check out the villages on the west side that were attacked by eagles; we should be able to find more clues there."

He spoke as if he were seeking everyone's opinion, but the certainty and unquestionable tone in his voice already indicated that he had made up his mind.

This step was the most reasonable procedure for the reconnaissance mission, with clear logic and sound steps. The other five people had no objections and nodded in agreement.

Before leaving, Feng Lin suddenly stepped forward and gently reassured the anxious villagers, "You don't need to worry too much. Now that we're here, we will definitely drive these eagles away completely and will never let them harm your village again."

Her tone was gentle, yet exceptionally firm, instantly calming many of the terrified villagers down a bit.

This scene caught Gao De's eye, causing him to glance at her slightly and gain a new understanding of Feng Lin.

This person is beautiful and has a noble air about her; one can tell at a glance that she comes from an extraordinary background.

Surprisingly, he is kind and considerate in his dealings with people, and has empathy. Even when facing these ordinary fishermen, he shows no arrogance or aloofness.

You really can't judge a book by its cover.

The six set off again.

This time, the journey to the west coast was much longer than before, making the difference in flight speed particularly noticeable.

The overall structure remains unchanged.

Evan and Cedric took the lead, urging their magic to move forward at full speed, never looking back once, as if the speed of the two third-ring mages behind them had nothing to do with them.

Feng Lin, on the other hand, continued to slow down naturally, walking alongside Gao De and Ailiya.

Gareth paused slightly this time, his gaze wavering between the two figures heading into the distance ahead and the three behind him. In the end, he chose to follow Feng Lin and the others.

Traveling westward along the winding, broken coastline for about twenty or thirty miles, a shockingly devastated outline suddenly came into view on the horizon ahead.

That was their destination: a fishing village that had been slaughtered by the Ironfeathered Eagle Beasts.

This place can no longer be called a village; it is now just a desolate and chaotic ruin.

The stone pier on the shore, used to moor fishing boats, was smashed to pieces by a tremendous force, and the broken stone pillars leaned and stuck into the shallows.

Large swathes of wooden houses were smashed to pieces, beams and pillars broke, and many walls were torn open with huge gaps.

On the remaining broken walls, besides the deeply embedded claw marks, there were also several blurry bloody handprints with twisted knuckles.

It looks like the marks left by someone desperately scratching the wall while being dragged.

Deep within the ruins, beneath a collapsed house, half of a mangled body was exposed, not yet properly recovered...

Cedric and Evan, who had gone ahead, had already thoroughly explored the ruins and were now standing quietly beside a relatively intact stone house wreckage, waiting.

Upon seeing the four arrive, Evan raised his hand, beckoning them to look over: "Look."

He was holding a huge feather in his hand, with a thick and hard base, a dark black color, and dense, chainmail-like feathers.

"This is..." Feng Lin squinted her eyes.

"Yes, it's the feather of the Ironfeathered Eagle Beast. Look here." He turned the feather over, revealing a faint gray-green moss fragment on one side of the shaft, and then pointed to a series of clear, huge claw marks on the ground.

The claw marks were several times larger than those of ordinary beasts, with clearly forked toes, and stretched out towards the coast.

There were also some pieces of clothing scattered along the way.

The marks were clearly left by a hawk-like creature dragging the fishermen.

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