The hero plummeted towards the ground.
With lightning speed approaching the earth, the hero adjusted his stance and drove his greatsword into the ground to dissipate the shock, then glared up at the wyvern floating in the sky.
Though airborne and glaring down at the hero, the wyvern had an advantage the hero couldn’t match—true flight. This wouldn’t be an easy fight.
Sure, the hero could launch a piercing strike, but there were issues: its power diminished over distance, and it was too linear, easily dodged.
Had it been any other beast instead of a wyvern… this might’ve ended quicker. Hmm… what’s the hero planning?
Recalling how the wyvern writhed in agony when a sword struck its tail, it’s clear the dark piece within it is real.
While keeping the wyvern in sight, the hero swung his greatsword a few times, cutting down several trees.
Then, lifting one of the felled trees, he hurled it—not at the wyvern, but seemingly for show.
Thanks to divine physical enhancement, the tree soared straight toward the wyvern.
Of course, such a wooden attack stood no chance against a wyvern fortified by the dark shard.
With a flick of its tail, the wyvern batted the tree aside, reducing the thick trunk to splinters in an instant.
But perhaps the impact irritated its tail wound, as the wyvern let out a shriek of pain.
“KIEEEEEEEK!!!”
What’s he doing? That foolish lizard.
Nevertheless, the hero didn’t stop. He continuously hurled more trees.
Some missed wildly; others hit the wyvern but caused no significant damage.
Realizing the logs posed no threat, the wyvern began ignoring them.
“Huuuuh!”
It was only later that the wyvern noticed the last log carried the hero himself!
Apparently, the hero leapt onto the flying wood immediately after throwing it—a trick reminiscent of some villain from an old comic.
“Grrrrrrr!!”
Upon realizing the hero was hurtling toward him, the wyvern frantically spewed fire.
“HAAAT!”
On the flying log, the hero swung his greatsword, slicing the fireball in two. Using the resulting explosion as propulsion, he surged forward even faster.
His target? The wyvern’s head.
“KYAAAHHH!”
The wyvern hastily retreated to evade the blade. But the hero anticipated this, spinning mid-air to unleash a piercing strike.
Success! The attack tore through the wyvern’s wing membrane.
“Yes! Fall already!!”
“KIEEEEEEEEEK!!!”
With its wing slashed open, the wyvern could no longer fly. Reduced to a two-legged reptile, its fate was sealed.
Its inevitable conclusion? A crash landing.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Afterward, the battle between the wyvern and the hero devastated the surroundings.
“KYAAAAAHHHH!!”
Now fully aware the hero’s blade cuts through its scales effortlessly, the wyvern focused on spewing flames while keeping the sword in sight.
“HAAAT!”
Unfazed, the hero cleaved through the flames and charged without hesitation. The scattered fireballs ignited nearby trees, spreading like wildfire—but the hero pressed on.
Reaching beneath the wyvern’s jaw, the hero swung his blade. Thanks to the wyvern jerking its head back, the blow merely grazed it.
However, this grazing strike seemed to hit something critical, as the wyvern let out a terrifying scream.
“KIAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”
“Shut UP!!!”
Seizing the opportunity, the hero attacked again, swinging his blade across the wyvern’s body.
A bloody battle ensued—slicing scales, severing tails, breaking horns.
The wyvern retaliated with claws, its half-severed tail, and attempted bites, but the hero remained dominant.
Once it lost the advantage of the skies, the wyvern’s chances evaporated.
And then…
SCHLORRK!
Its neck severed, the battle concluded predictably.
Well, predictable if you think about it.
Unlike larger dragons, wyverns trade durability for flight—streamlined bodies, lighter bones, etc. Sacrificing strength for air superiority left them weaker overall.
Even their fiery breath, though threatening, was manageable for the hero who’d deflected my own fireballs.
“Phew…”
The hero gazed at the wyvern’s decapitated corpse, took a deep breath, and collapsed onto the dirt.
Though victory was assured once the wings were cut, the fight wasn’t easy.
Amidst charred trees, scattered soil, and drenched in wyvern blood, the hero rested briefly, staring at the fallen beast.
What’s going through his mind right now? I’m curious enough to ask—if he weren’t still M.I.A.
After resting for a bit, the hero slowly rose, brushed off the dirt and ash, sheathed his greatsword, and decided to return to the village.
Hmm… when will he end this runaway streak? If he can defeat a darkened wyvern so decisively, few monsters stand a chance against him.
I hope he wraps up this runaway act soon and begins his true adventures.
Thus, the hero returned to the village.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
What greeted the hero’s eyes was the sight of a colossal snake ravaging the small village.
“What…?”
Oh no. That snake… it’s alive?
I thought it was dead after taking a fireball from the wyvern?
“Tch!”
The hero sprinted forward. Leaving this snake unchecked would lead to disaster.
From afar, the snake appeared to be chasing something—a vague figure of a small person.
Naturally, it was a girl.
In tattered clothes, her shoulder pierced by some unknown force, her right arm dangling uselessly, the girl fled from the snake.
But her escape didn’t last long.
“Aaah!”
Tripping over what looked like a rock, the girl tumbled to the ground.
“I, I have to run…”
Still, the girl refused to give up. Using her remaining good arm, she struggled to rise despite her twisted ankle.
Her vitality was fading.
“Ghh, ghhhhhh….”
Biting her lip to stifle tears, the girl knew if she didn’t escape now, the snake would devour her.
Aware she couldn’t flee further, the snake approached leisurely.
But the girl’s strength was ebbing away.
So was her life.
As the massive snake opened its jaws to swallow her whole…
“HAAAT!”
A greatsword descended from the heavens, piercing the snake’s head.
CRUNCH!
Piercing through tough scales and skull, emerging from the roof of its mouth, the greatsword dealt a fatal blow.
Naturally, the snake perished instantly.
“Ugh!”
The hero quickly withdrew his blade, leaped off the falling snake, and rushed to the girl.
Covered in wounds, barely breathing, the girl lay dying.
Without hesitation, the hero activated his magical power, channeling his vitality into her. Following the teachings of the Goddess of Life, using one’s own vitality to heal another.
Despite pouring healing energy into her, the girl’s breathing continued to weaken.
All her injuries healed except one—the shoulder wound, which turned pitch black.
Poison.
The snake’s venomous fangs had pierced her shoulder.
“Ugh… damn it…”
“It’s… cold…”
The girl whispered faintly, unlike her usual torrent of words, her voice like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings.
A dying whisper.
“Damn it! Don’t die! Stay with me!!”
“Aha… sleepy… zzz…”
“You can’t sleep! Sleeping means death! Stay awake!”
“The legendary… hero… you… wow… I’m impressed…”
“Yes! I’m the hero! So don’t die!!”
Despite the hero’s desperate healing efforts, he couldn’t prevent the girl’s life from slipping away.
The hero screamed in anguish.
“Sorry… sorry…”
And thus, another life faded into darkness.
