Dragged Into Another World Because of My Otaku Friend-Chapter 105: Mysterious Trio

From the burst of red light, a creature emerged. It first appeared wreathed in flame, blazing like a small sun, before the fire was swept away by a gust of wind, revealing the form beneath.

Standing at just over two meters tall, the creature was covered in crimson feathers, their tips glowing like fading embers. A long, elegant tail trailed behind it, and two powerful taloned feet dug into the ground. As it spread its massive wings, each nearly a meter in length, it gave off a regal presence.

Atop its head sat a comb that flickered like a blazing crown.

But then there were its eyes. Milky white with only a small black dot in the center, giving it a rather...blank, stupid expression.

"...Is that a rooster?" Linus muttered in disbelief.

Even Cerdic and his group were stunned. They had seen the sudden flare of red light from our position, and now stared at the creature in confusion.

"Is that a summoned beast?" Aaron asked, eyes narrowing.

Cerdic glanced sharply at us. If one of them is a summoner, this just got serious.

"No," Dalma replied calmly, pushing her long green hair aside.

"Are you sure?" one of the other men asked, watching the bird suspiciously.

"It’s not giving off the signature mana of a summoned beast," she said, her tone firm. "A summon always carries the same mana color and intensity as its caster. This one... it’s different. It’s completely mana-neutral."

The group quieted. No one dared question her. After all, Dalma wasn’t just any member, she was their "Eyes." Her class was rare and coveted, one that allowed her to see mana in its purest form. Her information had saved the guild more than once.

If she said it wasn’t a summoned creature, then it wasn’t.

But there was something that made Dalma uneasy, perhaps even afraid.

All three of the trio emitted mana signatures unlike anything she had ever seen before.

The one who had clashed with Aaron earlier, Linus, radiated a considerable amount of mana, comparable to that of an A-rank adventurer. But it was strange... his mana felt compressed, as if sealed behind an invisible barrier. Some kind of suppression. Dalma instinctively knew, if that restriction were removed, his power would easily rise to S-rank level.

A bead of sweat rolled down her temple. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Then there was the fat one, Bob.

Dalma had never witnessed anything like it. His mana wasn’t just leaking, it was overflowing out of him, spiraling upward in streams of vibrant color. And not just one color. He was emitting all three primary mana types, red, blue, and green simultaneously.

No one should be capable of that.

This man wasn’t just powerful.

He was a monster.

More sweat followed.

But it was the last one, Alan that unsettled her the most.

He looked the weakest and ordinary. Nothing about his stance or expression gave off danger. Yet... he emitted no mana. None at all. Not a trace.

From her experience, everything in the world contained at least a hint of mana, even pebbles or drops of rain. But this man... it was as if he didn’t belong in this world. The chicken-looking beast must be summoned by him as it also has same characteristic, no mana.

And yet, he was the one who made her feel the most uneasy. Her instincts were screaming danger, louder than ever.

By now, her face was drenched in sweat.

"Are you alright, Dalma? What can you see from those three?" Cerdic asked, noticing the change in her expression.

Dalma blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She quickly composed herself.

"Nothing unusual," she replied, her tone neutral. "They’re just your average adventurers. That one,Bob, is slightly stronger than the rest, but nothing to be concerned about."

She chose to downplay what she saw. Whatever their mana signatures meant, she still believed Cerdic was stronger. Or perhaps she needed to believe it.

Cerdic studied her carefully. Dalma avoided his gaze, pretending to focus on her notebook. His eyes shifted back to the trio, narrowing slightly in suspicion.

On the other side...

"Hahaha!" Bob was on the ground, laughing and holding his stomach. "That chicken looks so stupid! Just like its owner! Hahaha!"

I snapped. A vein twitched on my forehead.

I turned to Linus, who immediately looked away, clearly trying to stay composed, but his shoulders were shaking.

That bastard was laughing too.

I looked over at the chicken I had just summoned. Honestly, its design was impressive, majestic even, almost phoenix-like. Crimson feathers with fiery tips, a blazing comb like a crown, large wings, powerful claws, it had everything.

Everything... if we exclude the eyes.

Its eyes completely ruined it. Big, white, and empty, with just a single black dot in the center. It looked less like a summoned beast and more like a confused barn animal.

It was currently pecking at the ground, eating anything it could find.

"Well... whatever. As long as it’s useful," I muttered.

I slowly approached it. "Hey there, Plump. Let me call you Plump, okay?"

It raised its head and stared at me, its head tilting slightly like it was trying to process the name.

I stepped closer and gently placed a hand on its side, stroking its warm feathers. It froze for a moment, then resumed pecking. It seemed to accept me.

Around its neck, I noticed a harness...something like a rope bridle, similar to those used on horses.

I gave it a few more reassuring pats, then, with a decisive motion, leapt onto its back.

But before I could properly seat myself, Plump suddenly flapped its wings and let out a loud, panicked cluck.

Then it sprinted.

"ALAN!" Linus shouted, chasing after us...but Plump was absurdly fast.

I bounced wildly on its back, gripping its feathers like my life depended on it. My body was nearly thrown off several times, but I managed to fumble for the rope and yank it hard.

Plump jerked its head up, flapped its wings again, then finally slowed to a halt.

I slumped forward, half-sprawled on its back, catching my breath.

"Good Plump. Good boy," I said as I rubbed its neck. I don’t know how to ride a horse, so I don’t know how to turn it to change direction. I pulled the rope to the left side, and it began to change direction toward Bob and Linus.

Now I officially owned a mount.