NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 269: Wanna Fly As Well?
"AH! Skadi!!" Aisha who had finally snapped out of her daze at seeing her friend fly yelled, her face contorting with shock and panic as her wide eyes tracked the rapidly vanishing dot that was the puppy-like girl spiraling upwards.
Spinning around like a tornado, she landed squarely on Cassius with a glare that could melt steel.
"Cassius, what the actual hell was that?!" She shrieked, her arms flailing wildly like she was swatting invisible flies. "Okay, yeah, I get it—Skadi's annoying. Like, really annoying. Like-a-mosquito-trapped-in-your-ear annoying!"
"...But you can't just launch her into the freaking stratosphere! That's not how we deal with pests!"
Her voice cracked under the sheer incredulity, her hands now clutching her head as she spun back toward the sky.
"What if she splats on a tree? Or crashes face-first into a boulder?! Do you even realize how fast she's going right now?!"
Julie also stumbled forward, her hands gripping her sword hilt like it was the only thing keeping her from collapsing in horror.
"Yes, Cassius, what were you thinking?!" She shouted, her tone high-pitched with raw panic. "You flung her like a catapult rock! That's my baby sister up there!" Julie's hands shot up toward the heavens in helpless frustration. "What if she lands wrong and twists her neck? Or-Or gets her head stuck in a tree like one of those stupid birds?!"
Cassius didn't flinch. Looking in the direction he sent Skadi flying, arms crossed and looking completely unbothered, he let out a slow, amused chuckle.
"Relax, ladies." He drawled, his voice smooth and annoyingly calm. "It's all under control." He tipped his head back slightly, eyes tracking Skadi's shrinking figure like he was admiring a shooting star. "My plan's flawless. Walking on the ground? Zero chance we'd catch that hog—those ears are like little satellite dishes."
"...But sending Skadi flying like that? With that trajectory, she's gonna land square on the hog's back before it even twitches a whisker."
He smirked, giving a cocky shrug. "One swipe of those claws, and bam—hog down. She'll be skipping back here with it slung over her shoulder in no time."
"NO BIG DEAL?!" Aisha's jaw practically unhinged. She stomped her foot, her face turning red with outrage. "Cassius, you yeeted her like she was a sack of dirty laundry! A damn javelin!"
She barked, flailing her arms in emphasis.
"You're seriously trying to convince me you calculated her trajectory? What are you now—a human catapult with a doctorate in physics?!"
"You're telling me she's gonna land perfectly on a hog and not, oh I dunno, splatter like a pancake on a rock?!"
Julie nodded furiously, tears pricking at the corners of her wide eyes as she jabbed a trembling finger at him.
"She's right! That was insane! Skadi's tough, but she's not a meteorite, Cassius!" She cried, her voice cracking. "You're betting her entire body on a wild guess! What if she misses the hog? Or worse, what if she breaks every bone in her body on impact? You can't just toss people into orbit and call it a plan!"
Cassius let out a hearty laugh, his voice warm and deep as he waved off their worries like gnats buzzing around his ears.
"You two really underestimate Skadi." He said, the corners of his mouth tugging upward in an irritatingly smug grin. "She's not some delicate flower—she's a force of nature. Trust me, she's gonna nail this." He gestured grandly toward the horizon. "In five minutes, she'll come trotting back, tail wagging, hog in tow, and you two will be groveling at my feet begging for forgiveness for doubting me."
Julie's lips wobbled, her hands tightening around her sword as she shuffled closer. "You're sure she's gonna be okay?" She asked, her voice small and almost pleading. "Like, really, really sure? Because if she even sprains a paw, I swear—"
Cassius turned his gaze on her, his eyes glinting with devilish mischief as his grin widened.
"Oh, Julie, if you're so worried, why don't I send you after her?" He teased, his voice dropping to a playful purr. He held out his hands in invitation, mimicking the spin and toss with exaggerated flourish. "Come on—I'll even give you the same VIP flight experience Skadi got. Straight to the hog. Front row seat to the action."
"...Who knows? You might enjoy soaring through the clouds like a majestic little eagle."
Hearing that he wanted to send her flying as well, Julie recoiled so fast it was like she'd been slapped.
"N-No thanks!" She sputtered, her face blazing as she threw up both hands in panicked defense. "I'm perfectly fine right here on the ground, thank you very much! You're insane if you think I'd let you turn me into a human frisbee."
"...I'll...I'll just trust you. Against my better judgment."
Cassius chuckled, his voice like warm honey as he swiveled toward Aisha with a raised eyebrow.
"What about you, Aisha? You were all protective a second ago, acting like Skadi's big sister. Want me to send you up there for a little quality time?...Bet you'd look real cute soaring across the sky, arms flapping like a chicken."
Aisha's entire face ignited in red as she stumbled backward, clutching her skirt as if it would keep her anchored.
"N-No way, Cassius!" She yelped, her voice shooting up several octaves. "There's absolutely no need! Skadi's fine! She's got this, I-I'm sure!" Her voice cracked as she waved her hands wildly. "You're insane if you think I'd survive a throw like that! My bones aren't reinforced like hers—I'd be paste before I even saw the hog!"
Cassius threw his head back and laughed, the sound deep and rich, filling the clearing like rolling thunder.
"Alright, alright. Fine. I'll let you both off the hook." He said, his tone dripping with amusement as he sauntered back toward the campfire. "You two can stay here and spectate while Skadi does all the heavy lifting. Just try not to faint when you see how smoothly my plan works."
Just then, his smirk returned, his voice triumphant as he pointed into the distance, his heart pulsing with excitement.
"See? Mission complete! Skadi's done it!" He announced, his eyes glinting as he stared at the horizon. "She's taken down that hog, and she's hauling it back right now. Told you it'd work."
Aisha and Julie let out simultaneous sighs of relief, their hearts easing as they followed his gaze, though they couldn't see anything yet.
"Okay, fine, that's...pretty clever." Aisha's voice softened, her tone grudgingly impressed as she crossed her arms, her heart warming with admiration. "Spinning her like that and launching her? I didn't think you had it in you to come up with something that wild."
Julie nodded, her voice tinged with awe as she stepped closer, her heart settling with relief.
"Yeah, I gotta hand it to you, Cassius." She said, her tone lighter as she glanced at him. "That was the most ridiculous plan I've ever seen, but if it worked...well, you're something else."
"...Throwing Skadi like a shot put? Who even thinks of that?" Her lips twitched into a smile, her heart amused by the absurdity of it all.
Cassius grinned, his voice dripping with modesty as he shrugged, his heart swelling with pride.
"What can I say? I'm a problem-solver." He said, his tone playful as he poked at the fire. "Now, get that sludge off the fire. We're cooking juicy pork tonight, and I'm gonna make you all laugh when you see Skadi come prancing back with that thing."
"...Bet she's got the biggest grin on her face right now." His eyes sparkled, his heart buzzing with anticipation as he imagined Skadi's heroic return, the campsite soon to be filled with the scent of roasted meat and the sound of laughter.