Chapter 8: Strongest in the World
Chapter 8: Strongest in the World
“DODGE right!”
“Jump outta the way!”
Aki set her sights on the demi-dragon in front of her while she heard the voices of fellow raid members rise around the Field.
This monster was stronger than anything she had faced before.
Though they worked together to time their attacks, the high-level Adventurers and guards only did enough damage to scratch its scales. Their attacks only infuriated the dragon and did nothing to lessen its forward assault.
Scorching breath spewed out from its ferocious fang-lined mouth, followed by it flapping its wide wings to cause torrential gales to rip across the plains. Even if they managed to evade those attacks, they usually ended up within range of its long serrated tail.
Can we not defeat it at our level?
Losing sight of any possible victory gradually depleted Aki’s ability to stay positive. She thought working with the other Adventurers would be enough to fend off the demi-dragon without Elias.
Throughout the battle her dress had torn, exposing bleeding and bruised skin caked with mud and dust from the several dozen times she had to roll on the ground to escape sharp claws or teeth. The stinging cuts were a painful reminder of how much battle experience she still lacked.
At the start of their skirmish with the demi-dragon, Priests cast heal every time she and the other Adventurers were injured. But as the battle prolonged, injuries skyrocketed, and the Priests ran out of magic. No one could count on being healed now.
This situation proved just how abnormal Leo and Johann were for being able to cast off powerful spells without breaking a sweat. Their presence allowed the Hero Party to blast away monsters in succession and for everyone to be constantly at full health with an endless supply of wide-area heals.
Leo, Johann…you’re lifesavers on the battlefield.
She wished they could be there to egg her on to victory. It’d be even better if Elias was standing at the forefront of the battle, his white cloak fluttering behind him as he raised the Holy Sword and flashed a smile that said everything would be okay.
“Elias…” she muttered the name of her beloved as she loosed another arrow and rolled away from the demi-dragon’s lashing tail.
Her eardrums shook as the dragon roared in pain.
For a minute, she wished that Elias would gallantly appear on the Field and save her and everyone else from this nightmare. But she bit her lip as she realized her bad habit of relying on him anytime the going got tough was rearing its ugly head again. He was so dependable, she often ran to him rather than handling the problem herself.
I hate just depending on others! She tightened her grip on the bow. I’ll never grow if I seek his help whenever I’m in a pinch!
Aki glared at the demi-dragon as it tilted its neck back and roared. She swiftly nocked another arrow and aimed for the moment when the large dragon inhaled the air around it to release another fire blast.
Fear stiffened her shoulders and caused her legs to knock together.
The demi-dragon’s fire breath was especially lethal as it scorched a wide area in quick succession. Many of her allies in this fight had sustained heavy burns from the ensuing flames.
Her strategy had been to run out of its range whenever she saw it prepping to blow fire again but doing that only caused their raid’s chained attacks to lose momentum.
If I want to win this, I can’t run from it. Our strategy isn’t getting us anywhere. We just need to keep pounding it with chained attacks to disrupt the attack.
Taking careful breaths, Aki bravely held her ground while everyone else scattered around her. Maybe her approach was foolhardy, but attacking and fleeing wasn’t accumulating enough damage. They were only tiring themselves out.
Imagining the single arrow dividing into a rapid-fire attack, Aki targeted the demi-dragon that was close enough to cast a shadow on her.
This will be the blow that takes it down!
“Lady Aki, run away!” one of the Adventurers cried out when they saw Aki squaring off with the demi-dragon.
Maybe it was wiser to retreat with the others. But Aki was sick of running from monsters. Their strategy certainly had flaws, but a piece of her was just fed up with running.
She wanted to put an end to her habit of bolting from her fears and leaving them for someone else to handle.
I don’t care how it looks. I want to face my fears head-on.
Aki bit the inside of her cheek to stop from shaking and held her ground. The fleeing Adventurers started to turn back when they noticed her aiming at the demi-dragon.
“Lady Aki…!”
“Hey! We have to turn back!”
Someone started calling out to the others and word passed around the Field until everyone stopped.
The Adventurers returned to surround the demi-dragon with their respective weapons drawn.
“Why?” she asked, her voice cracking.
The banged-up Adventurers flashed reassuring smiles and pounded their fists against their chests.
“If you’re gonna fight, we’ve got your back, Lady Aki!”
“Yeah!” someone else said, not wanting to be outshone. “Running hasn’t won us the battle yet!”
“Besides, the Hero might have our heads if we leave his Right-hand to fight alone!” someone else joked.
“That’s a given!” a Mage shouted from behind a Warrior.
Laughter erupted throughout the plains.
Aki swept her gaze over the Adventurers who remained as if she were witnessing an unbelievable miracle. Joyful tears stung her eyes, blurring their fearless smiles.
“Thank you, everyone…!” she said in an emotional, trembling voice. The others nodded and responded in kind.
I can do this. I’m not alone. Just thinking that way empowered her. I hope I can make Elias think the same someday. He needs to realize that it’s not just the man or woman chosen as Hero who has to fight for this world, but that everyone must become their own kind of hero to protect it together.
The demi-dragon finished sucking in air for its fire breath and was bringing its neck down to unleash it. Aki signaled the raid party and they sprang into action as one. They all kicked their battle wary bodies into felling the boss.
Aki watched their brave backs racing forward as she aimed for the demi-dragon’s eye and drew back on the arrow. The air exploded around her as the arrow flew in a burst of light toward the dragon’s head. Blinking away the light from her eyes, she heard the beast shriek. Half the creature’s face was carved away, its right eye now gone. Blood fell from its marred face. Emboldened by her success, the adventures cheered in support. Just as she was about to let another arrow fly to finish the beast off—
“…Aki!”
A crystal clear voice broke through the din of battle. Her shoulders trembled at the sound of her name.
Knowing exactly who that voice belonged to, Aki slowly glanced over her shoulder as if time had stopped around her. Anticipation sent her heart racing for a different reason from the danger.
Her hopes were met with the sight of dazzling golden hair and clear green eyes running toward her without a sound.
Elias! Elias! Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over. She had been so convinced he had left the city, seeing him felt like a dream. You came!
“Elias…!” she cried out in what sounded more like a scream.
Relief softened his hardened features. He didn’t slow down as he called out to the guard keeping an eye on the demi-dragon from the front of the city gate. “Sorry, lend me your sword!”
“Huh? Uhh…?”
Not waiting for the guard to comprehend his request, Elias drew the spare sword hanging from his waist as he passed by. He swung the sword once to get a feel for it and lunged forward.
Distracted by its injury, the demi-dragon seemed to panic as it spread its wings, trying to draw everyone’s attention away from the Hero who had appeared and disappeared like a gust of wind. Just flapping its wings created gales that struck Aki and the others, nearly sweeping them off their feet.
Utterly distracted by Elias’s arrival, Aki quickly dodged a powerful gust of wind and returned her attention to their enemy.
The demi-dragon’s enraged eye locked on her as its cheeks puffed up with the fire breath it was about to unleash.
Shoot!
Aki snapped to it and drew back her bow as the Mages prepared to activate their spells and the Priests cast barriers to protect everyone from the flames. Before they could act, a flash of light came down on the demi-dragon’s head like a comet.
By the time Aki realized the comet was actually Elias’s sword reflecting the thin ray of sunlight shining in behind the towering dragon, his blade had connected with its wing and an earsplitting shriek shook the air.
Before the shriek stopped, the severed wing hit the ground, shaking the area like an earthquake as clouds of dust shot up. That was the moment everyone trembled in awe of the Hero’s overwhelming power.
“One hit…” one of the nearby Warriors muttered in shock.
His shock was warranted—in one fell sweep, Elias had lopped off the dragon’s wing.
No wonder he’s the strongest person in the world!
Witnessing the ruthless strength and brilliance of the Hero left everyone speechless.
Elias nimbly landed in front of the flailing, enraged demi-dragon. Its front claw swept down, he jumped on it and into the air over its head. Sword raised, he brought it down on the demi-dragon’s scaly back, cutting it from top to bottom.
The glittering blade looked like a ray of light slicing through the monster in a straight line. The demi-dragon let out a death roar as black blood sprayed from its halved body.
The Priests’ barrier prevented the Adventurers from being soaked in the bloody downpour.
Elias turned his back on the raid boss without even checking if it was dead as everyone stared at him in mute amazement. He bowed to their ranks.
“I apologize for my late arrival!”
Cheers erupted a moment later.
“It’s the Hero!”
“Lord Hero has come for us!”
“We’re saved!”
Moved to tears, Aki looked at Elias, a piece of her still unsure he was really there.
His gaze darted away when their eyes met and he shook his head as if to free himself of bad thoughts. He dropped the blood-soaked sword on the ground and held open his arms, a mix of emotion on his face.
“Sorry I’m late, Aki,” Elias whispered with a meek smile.
Thrilled he smiled for her and wanting to tell him to never leave her again, she ran to him without caring about how many people were watching. Her feet kicked off the ground at such speed she dove into his arms.
He firmly caught her and wrapped her in his warmth.
Aki buried her face in his chest and pounded her fists against him.
“You’re late…! Do you know how worried I was about you?!” she rattled off faster than her tongue could keep up. Elias chuckled.
“I’m sorry, Aki. It must have been scary fighting alone.”
“Oh, please! I said I was worried about you, not myself! Sure, the demi-dragon scared me, but I was more concerned you had skipped town without me! Don’t think I will let you off easy for—”
Elias lifted her chin and stole her lips before she could finish.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. He’s kissing me in front of all these people?
“E-Elias! L-Let—” Let go, she tried to say and push him away in the brief moment their lips parted to breathe, but her strength was nothing before the strongest man in the world.
It didn’t seem smart to reveal the Hero and his Right-hand were romantically involved to a whole crowd of people, but the grinning Hero didn’t seem to mind one bit.
Moreover, they only defeated the demi-dragon—monsters still swarmed the skies and Field—it wasn’t time to be making out in public.
“Do your job as Hero,” Aki nagged, smacking Elias on the butt.
“Get a room, you two!” an exasperated voice berated them. “Monsters are still havin’ a party around ya! Don’t tell me you’re one of those obnoxious couples who only have eyes for each other?”
Aki and Elias looked toward the sharp scolding and found Leo staring at them with his arms folded just outside the gate.
As he lodged his complaints against them, he finished four magic circles in the air. Aki had only ever seen him use both hands to draw and cast two consecutive magic circles. Not only did he have four up this time, but his fingers were swiftly weaving a fifth.
“Looks like I get to see Leo pentacast for the first time in forever,” Elias muttered to no one in particular. His delighted tone drew Aki’s eyes to his face.
“What’s pentacasting?” she asked.
“It’s when a Mage uses five different elemental spells at once to wipe out an entire Field. You don’t see it used much since it drains the user more than any other casting type. We might get caught up in the blast with the monsters, so we better pull back into the city,” Elias explained to Aki, then shouted to the raid members, “Everyone, follow me!”
Ordered by the Hero, every guard and Adventurer still on the Field ran in a beeline for the gate. Elias spoke with such authority no one stopped to question him.
The Hero is meant to lead this world in battle. Maybe that’s why he has the qualities that make others want to follow him. Even if he doesn’t realize it himself.
“Aki, hold on to me.” Elias put his arm under Aki’s legs and swept her off her feet.
Their eyes met with her clasped to his chest, and a gentle smile softened his features. Just seeing his smile made her happy enough she could cry. Aki twined her arms around his neck.
With her firmly secured in his arms, Elias powerfully stepped forward and bounded into the air.
Alighting back inside the city walls, they waited beside Leo as a torrent of light began to gather at his feet in sync with his lyrical incantation.
Aki had the best seat to watch as he unleashed the most beautiful magic unlike anything else in the world.