A Wonderful Aspect of Autumn: Action (15)

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Krrrul."

After parting ways with Amaha, I headed to the dragon stable to see my partner, the Sprint Drake. She had apparently noticed me approaching and immediately rose to wait by the fence. She looked eager to run right away.

I gave my partner, who was even more eager than I was, a wry smile as I raised the fence and let her out. Her dignified bearing was as beautiful as ever. Even though I had ridden on her back countless times, I still found her breathtaking.

We headed straight for the entrance to the course. Around twenty players were waiting at the starting line. They were probably participants in the main event. The rest had not arrived yet. Perhaps they intended to enter at the last possible moment.

From atop my Sprint Drake's saddle, I observed the surroundings by moving only my eyes. Wearing a mask was extremely convenient at times like this, since it hid the way my gaze kept darting around.

Most of the participating players appeared to be front-line classes. So far, only three players, including me, were wearing robes or carrying staffs. There probably would not be many players relying mainly on magic to interfere with others.

Similarly, only one person was equipped with a bow and arrows. That one person was none other than Amaha. I had to admit, I never expected her to use a mounted-archer style.

Most players were equipped with orthodox melee weapons such as swords and spears. If they intended to interfere with others, they would probably either attack directly or use ranged attacks like flying slashes. Would I be able to defend myself properly while mounted? I would have to maneuver carefully.

The Sprint Drakes ridden by the participants differed greatly in appearance from one another. However, they could generally be divided into two types: slender ones like my partner and Amaha's partner, and sturdier, more muscular ones...