Chapter 70: The Wyvern Appears
According to Shifa, their party possessed enough strength to take down a normal wyvern without much trouble. That was precisely why they’d accepted this commission in the first place.
But if the creature turned out to be a higher variant—an upper species, as adventurers called them—then things would be very different. Even among upper species, there were all sorts of subspecies and variations.
“We won’t know for sure until we actually see the wyvern ourselves,”
“Depending on the situation, we might have to call for reinforcements. Still, unless it’s something extraordinary, we should be fine.”
And so, without delay, the party decided to set out.
“Sena, don’t you dare slow Shifa and the others down, alright?”
“Huh? Wait, Onii-chan, you’re not coming?”
“Eh? Why would I be going?”
“What are you talking about? Of course you’re coming,”
“E-eh? Me too!?”
“Obviously. If something happens, your ridiculous powers will at least help us escape.”
“…Right.”
At Anii’s insistence, I ended up tagging along after all.
But then another thought occurred to me. The wyvern’s supposed to be up in the mountains, right? Can my home-garden contraption even climb a mountain…?
“…It’s climbing.”
My worry turned out to be completely unfounded.
My trusty little household garden glided smoothly up the slope, soil and all, as if it were just another dirt road.
Well, to be fair, it wasn’t that steep of a mountain path—still, it amazed me to see it moving so steadily. I made a mental note: Next time, I should test how steep a slope it can really handle.
Thanks to it, none of us had to tire our legs by walking.
“That doesn’t mean you should be lying down!”
“Ehh, but we might have to fight soon. Gotta save my energy while I can~”
Honestly, she was tempting me to just roll her off the slope.
Still, when the summit began to draw near, Sena finally sat up, seriousness flickering across her face. The party began forming up into their battle formation, each person taking their position with quiet resolve.
I took my place at the very rear, beside Sarassa. Unlike the others, I wasn’t an adventurer—I was just… me. And because of that, my chest was tight with nervous tension.
Even if things went south and we had to flee, I needed to be here—right here—to make sure everyone could escape safely. It wasn’t an option for me to just stay back home and wait this one out.
“Why are you the one looking so tense? You’re not even going to fight.”
“I know, but still…”
“Come on. Compared to Atlas, a wyvern’s nothing special.”
Now that she mentioned it… yeah. She had a point.
It wasn’t that large of a mountain, and after about twenty minutes of climbing, the summit came into view.
“—Incoming!”
Anii’s sharp warning cut through the air.
A heartbeat later, the treetops at the peak erupted as something huge burst out from between them.
“Grrrraaaaahhhh!”
“Th—that’s the wyvern!?”
It was, in short, a gigantic lizard—its forelegs fused into wings that spanned wide and gleamed in the light.
Though its body was lean, its total length had to exceed four meters at least. Rows of dagger-like fangs lined its mouth, and I could tell at a glance that one bite from those jaws would end me instantly.
The monster let out an enraged roar, perhaps furious that its territory had been trespassed upon. Then, spreading its wings, it swooped down toward us with terrifying speed.
Atlas or not, I didn’t care what anyone said—this was terrifying. Both could kill me in an instant, after all.
If I were alone right now, I’d probably have already turned tail and bolted.
“…Looks like a normal-sized one?”
“Seems that way.”
“So we just have to kill it normally, right?”
In stark contrast to my panic, Shifa and the others were perfectly calm—like this was nothing new.
How can they stay so composed!? The wyvern’s practically right in front of us already!
“Lightning!”
A flash so bright it turned the world white.
CRACKKKKKK!
“Gyaaaaaaaaahhh!?”
An instant later, a blinding bolt of lightning struck down with an ear-splitting roar, followed by the wyvern’s agonized scream.
Sarassa had unleashed her lightning spell—and it hit dead-on. The wyvern crashed to the ground just a few meters ahead of us, smoke curling from its scales.
“Gr… rrr…”
The creature twitched feebly, its muscles seizing from the electricity still coursing through its body. It couldn’t even lift itself up.
“Alrighty, here I go!”
“Sena!?”
She was seriously walking up to it like she was out for a stroll!?
I was about to shout again when the scene that followed stole the breath from my lungs.
“Grahh!”
“Heh—gotcha.”
The wyvern lunged with lightning speed, jaws snapping down to crush her. But it bit into nothing—Sena had vanished.
What!?
A blink later, I spotted her above its head—she had jumped clear, impossibly fast, landing on the creature’s skull. My eyes could barely follow her movements.
With the wyvern’s lowered head providing a foothold, she kicked off and climbed up its back in one smooth motion.
“Heave—ho!”
Then, with a cry, she brought her brand-new mithril sword down upon the base of its long neck.
Zshhhhkk!
The blade sliced through the wyvern’s hard scales as though they were nothing.
“AaaaaaAAARRRGHHHHHH!!”
The wyvern screamed in fury and agony, thrashing wildly, wings flailing as dust and dirt flew everywhere.
Sena leapt gracefully away, landing back near us just before the beast could crush her beneath its weight.
“Wow, this thing’s got amazing sharpness!”
“Th—that’s not the point! Are you okay!?”
“Hmm? As you can see, totally fine~”
Her carefree tone was almost infuriating.
The wyvern’s rampage lasted only a few seconds before it went still, its movements slowing to faint tremors. It wasn’t dead yet, though—it twitched now and then, muscles spasming weakly.
“I’ll finish it off.”
Sarassa raised her staff, murmured a brief incantation, and loosed another bolt of lightning. The second strike silenced the wyvern for good.
And just like that, our party had completed the wyvern-slaying request— far more easily than I ever could have imagined.