Chapter 34: New Weapon

Chapter 34: New WeaponThe road back to Windspire Cliffs felt different the second time. Searᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They rode in silence atop two rented steeds, the clop of hooves muffled by the packed dirt and the occasional breeze that swept through the tall grass. Elandra shrank behind them, swallowed by rolling hills and distant treelines. Ahead, the familiar sharp silhouettes of Windspire jutted into the sky like broken fingers. The air grew colder with each hour. Lyra rode a pace ahead, her silver hair tied back this time, swaying slightly with the rhythm of the horse beneath her. She didn’t speak much—not since they accepted the subjugation quest. Her focus was sharper now. Intent. Inigo, meanwhile, adjusted his coat and checked his system notifications silently. [Quest Accepted: Wyvern Subjugation – Confirmed Nest] [Objective: Eliminate threat. Bonus for complete nest clearance.] [Advance Payment: 2 Gold Coins – Received] [Inventory Access – Available] [Token Balance: 3205] He glanced up at Lyra’s back and smiled faintly to himself. "A partner and a sniper... that’s what I need." He glanced up at Lyra’s back and smiled faintly to himself. "A partner and a sniper... that’s what I need." By dusk, they reached the outskirts of the cliffs. The wind had picked up, sharper now, and the shadows stretched long across the rocks. With the sun dipping low, they decided not to press toward the nest immediately. "We’ll rest here for the night," Inigo said. "Too risky to move under moonlight with aerial threats." Lyra nodded in agreement. "I’ll set up a perimeter alarm. Basic mana thread, woven between stakes. If anything crosses, it’ll snap and flare. We’ll know." They worked in tandem—Inigo clearing a small area between the boulders, stacking rocks for a windbreak while Lyra pulled out a compact bedroll and light tarp. A small fire crackled between them shortly after, casting warm light over the narrow camp. As the stars began to glitter above, they shared a simple meal: dried meat, flatbread, and water poured from metal flasks. The silence wasn’t awkward—just... calm. Familiar. "I’ll take first watch," Inigo said, brushing crumbs off his lap. Lyra raised a brow. "Confident I won’t stab you in your sleep?" He smirked. "I’m hoping you’d at least let me wake up before you do it." She chuckled lightly, and that sound—so rare—caught him off guard. "You know," she said, settling into her bedroll with her back to the wind, "I’ve traveled with a few teams before. Temporary groups. Mercenary contracts. None of them ever made me laugh." "Maybe they weren’t funny." "No. Maybe I didn’t let them." The fire crackled between them. She rolled to her side, facing the flames, the corner of her blanket pulled just under her nose. Her eyes half-lidded. "Inigo..." "Yeah?" "Don’t die tomorrow." The words were soft. Almost lost in the wind. He looked at her through the firelight and gave a small nod. "I wasn’t planning on it." An hour passed. The cliffs beyond were quiet, only the wind and the occasional cry of nocturnal birds breaking the silence. Lyra slept soundly, face softened by the glow of the fire. Inigo sat on a stone nearby, rifle across his lap. But his mind was elsewhere—deep within his system. [Weapon Shop – Open] [Sort by: Long-Range / Cost Under 3000 Tokens] He scrolled through digital listings of firearms, many of which had once only existed in his world. Bolt-actions, semi-autos, anti-material rifles... until one caught his eye. [M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System] Effective Range: 800m Ammo: 7.62mm NATO Scope: Night vision + thermal overlay Silencer: Optional attachment Cost: 2850 Tokens "Perfect." [Purchase confirmed.] [M110 SASS added to inventory.] A shimmer of light briefly illuminated his lap, and the matte black sniper materialized—sleek, deadly, balanced. He held it reverently, checking the scope, the grip, the mag. This was the tool he needed to deal with airborne threats like wyverns. Silently, he loaded a magazine, checked the action, then stored it back into his system. Lyra shifted in her sleep, muttering something unintelligible. Inigo turned, suddenly aware of how quiet the world had become. Her silver hair spilled across the bedroll, her face calm, lips parted slightly with sleep. The fire’s light danced across her cheek. He stared too long. "I know you’re watching," Lyra mumbled sleepily, eyes still closed. Inigo blinked. "I... wasn’t." She cracked one eye open. "You’re a terrible liar." "Habit," he replied, clearing his throat. A beat. "Was I snoring?" she asked, her voice still slurred with drowsiness. "No. Just talking in your sleep." "What did I say?" "...You called me a ’muscle-headed cloak thief.’" Her eyes flew open as her brow furrowed. "I did not." He grinned. "No, you didn’t. But it’s funny watching you believe it." Lyra sighed, rolling to face away from him. "I’m going back to sleep. If you fall asleep on your watch, I will turn your coat into a tent." "Noted," he said, laughing under his breath. As the wind continued to whistle through the cliffs, Inigo adjusted his seat, rifle leaning against the stone nearby, and gazed out into the darkness. Tomorrow would be a hunt. But tonight? Tonight was peaceful. And he would protect it. The fire had begun to burn low, its embers pulsing softly like the heartbeat of the camp. Inigo added another stick to keep it alive, the crackle breaking the rhythm of the wind for just a moment. The chill deepened, curling around his boots and creeping into the folds of his coat. He didn’t mind it. His eyes scanned the cliffs beyond—nothing stirred. But his mind was still processing the earlier encounter, the screaming rider, the flash of talons. If they were lucky, tomorrow would only bring one more confrontation. If not... He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a cloth, quietly polishing the barrel of his sidearm. "Don’t die tomorrow," Lyra had said. He glanced toward her again. She was asleep, really asleep this time. No playful quips, no half-lidded teases. Just quiet breathing and the peaceful stillness of someone who trusted him to stand watch. A strange warmth settled in his chest. "Yeah," he whispered. "You don’t have to worry." With his weapons prepped and his resolve firm, Inigo settled in for the long night.