Chapter 109 - Horde of monsters (3)

After witnessing so many deaths before my eyes, I began to understand the truth in Eldric's words. It was evident that the present adventurers, although possessing some strength, wouldn't be able to defeat the Wyvern on their own. With this realization in mind, I took a deep breath and spoke directly to Eldric.

"Alright, you can leave the Wyvern to me" 

I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the Wyvern. At the same time, I felt Eldric's reassuring presence by my side. Though I couldn't see his face, I sensed the confidence and smile in his voice upon hearing my response.

"Alright, I appreciate that" 

Eldric replied gratefully. Without wasting any time, I advanced toward the Wyvern, striking down the monsters that appeared in my path. Each blow was swift and precise, cutting them in half with ease. As I made progress, I left a trail of blood behind, but my focus was on the Wyvern rapidly approaching the city. It seemed to completely ignore us, but I was determined to make it notice my presence from now on.

Placing one of my hands on the ground, I activated my elemental manipulation ability, and claws made of earth emerged, ready to attack the Wyvern. My intention was to damage its wings, forcing it to lower its flight altitude. However, I was taken by surprise when the Wyvern turned its gaze toward me, followed swiftly by the earth claws flying in its direction.

After the visual confrontation, the Wyvern halted its advance and redirected its attention to the approaching claws. A sinister glow ignited in its stomach, rising towards its throat. Within seconds, I could see flames forming inside the Wyvern's mouth as it struggled to keep it shut. However, the resistance didn't last long. When its mouth opened, fire erupted towards my claws, consuming them completely. Unfortunately, I would be the next target.

Without hesitation, the Wyvern quickly turned towards me, preparing to launch its attack. Although I could easily evade this attack, it would put the lives of many people around me at risk. My fight against the Wyvern was precisely to avoid this tragedy, so running away wasn't an option. 

Using my Swift Step ability, I vanished instantly and reappeared a few meters below the Wyvern. With elemental manipulation, I created two small fireballs beneath my feet. As the fireballs exploded, I was propelled onto the Wyvern, catching it by surprise and momentarily interrupting its attack.

Without hesitation, I firmly gripped the handle of my sword and, once again utilizing elemental manipulation, enveloped it in a black aura that extended into the heavens. With a powerful stroke, I dealt a precise cut to one of the Wyvern's wings, causing it to begin plummeting. 

Seizing the moment, I propelled myself again, descending directly onto the creature's head. The Wyvern's body was gigantic, and in comparison, I looked like an ant, but that would be temporary.

Using my mimicry ability, my body was engulfed in a black mist, expanding until it reached the size of the Wyvern, if not even larger. Seven heads emerged, giving me a strange sensation of having more limbs than I could control. 

I transformed into a Hydra, and using all my heads, I bit every part of the Wyvern's body, simultaneously releasing the elements of my elemental manipulation. The sky filled with a spectacle of colors as a colossal explosion occurred, the Wyvern and I plummeting in free fall. Now, my body returned to my shadowy form, my true form.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself met with some familiar gazes. Placing my hand on my head, I turned to the girls and asked the question.

"What happened?"

I approached Saemi, Ana, Fujiwara, and Aoi-sensei, all of them watching me with worried expressions on their faces, except for Fujiwara, who displayed a sweet smile on her lips.

"See? I told you he wouldn't die so easily" 

Fujiwara said with conviction in her voice. I was surprised by the confidence she showed in her words. It was evident that she strongly believed in my ability to overcome challenges. However, even with her confident words, everyone else seemed to ignore her and started telling me what had happened. The first one to speak was Aoi-sensei.

"When you defeated the Wyvern, you fell along with it and fainted for a few seconds" 

Aoi-sensei explained.

"However... you returned to your other form" 

Aoi-sensei said, pointing at me with a strange expression on her face. Upon hearing her words, I felt a wave of panic wash over me. Had the others also witnessed my true form? The mere idea that someone could discover my secret was terrifying, and I couldn't even imagine the repercussions of it.

"Did anyone besides you see my true form?" 

I anxiously awaited a response, realizing that the girls still kept their gazes fixed on me, without saying a word. However, my question was promptly answered when a familiar voice echoed behind me.

"Well, boy, it seems like you really aren't what you appear to be" 

I turned to the voice and saw Eldric and his wife looking at me with serious expressions on their faces. In that moment, only one thought crossed my mind.

(I'm screwed) 

As that thought took hold of me, a sigh escaped Eldric's lips, capturing my full attention. He lightly ruffled his hair as if contemplating a solution, and then his eyes locked onto me.

"You don't need to worry... we'll keep your secret. After all, you saved our town" 

Eldric said, walking towards me. As he approached, he extended his hand for me to hold. With a sigh of relief, I returned to my human form and took his outstretched hand, standing up.

"Well, thank you for that... I guess" 

After composing myself, I thanked Eldric and his wife for their support. I quickly glanced around, and luckily, there was no one else besides them present. I silently thanked my luck for that, but before explaining anything, I knew there was something I needed to do. I fixed my gaze on the Wyvern I had defeated.