Right when the morning came, we continued on our march. Since we covered a lot of distance already, it didn't take us long to finally arrive at the wyvern's nest. After some preparations, we braved ourselves and went to confront it.
The moment it notices us from afar, it came flying towards us. When it landed, it released an ear-shattering roar that intimidated everyone.
As expected, it was extremely big. It was about ten meters tall when it stands on its feet, and the length of its wings was even longer. It looks extremely similar to a dragon. But one detail that differentiate it from dragons was its wings, which were connected to its long arms like a flying squirrel.
"Oi, oi, oi... I didn't expect it to be this big...!" I heard one of the knights murmur.
"Hold your formation! Prepare to shoot your weapons!" Julian shouted to the crowd.
"Yes, sir!"
The knights shouted back while the adventurers and the others simply nodded. I also held the hilt of my sword, ready to pull it out of its sheath when necessary.
Julian was about to order the attack, when the wyvern suddenly shoots a fireball directly towards us. As if it knew where the leader was, it aimed for Julian.
I immediately begin chanting magic to deflect it, but one of the adventurers jump to the front to block it with his shield before it came close. That adventurer was C rank, the tank of the strongest party in the city. But despite being the person that definitely has the strongest defense here, he stumbled limp on the ground the moment he took that hit.
After hitting the ground, his teammates immediately came running towards him to confirm his safety. Thankfully, he was healed by one of the priests, and he was able to recover his strength right away.
"That was dangerous... if anyone other than me gets hit by that, they're not surviving..." he said, the pain eminent from his voice.
"Tsk...! Everyone! Attack!"
Taking the chance, Julian finally signaled the attack.
Julian's strategy was very characteristic of him. Let the adventurers fight in the front lines and have the knights and mages use range attacks from a distance. He didn't really seem to care about the adventurers, so he's sending them to do the most dangerous job.
Granted, the adventurers were fairly higher leveled than the knights. Having the knights in the frontline will not be that much helpful to the fight. Having them shoot arrows from the back row was much more beneficial. I was shocked to find out too that they were carrying cannons in the wagons. So while the arrows only work to disrupt the wyvern's attention, the magic and cannon balls slowly chip away its health.
I always thought that cannon balls were only used for sinking ships, but I guess they can also be used like this.
While the range attacks kept coming, the melee adventurers came rushing forward too. There were less than 10 adventurers who are fighting the wyvern head on. Their job is to slash on it and keep it in place while it keeps being bombarded by magic and the occasional cannon balls.
"Our tactics seem to be working... it doesn't know how to respond to it and it's getting cornered," Julian said as he remained on his horse, only observing the battle and not showing any sign of joining himself.
"I'll join on the front lines too," I said as I pulled my sword and stepped forward to rush to the fight.
"Don't bother yourself, let the peasants fight it themselves," he said so nonchalantly.
"You paid me to do the same thing too! I'll go!"
"Aaaaahh!"
"Heal them right away! Or else!"
Suddenly, a commotion started among the lines of the knights who were shooting arrows and firing cannon balls from the side. It came after a loud crashing sound, followed by the crisp sound of something burning.
Turning my head around, I saw a small circle of burnt land, littered with corpses of knights that were struck by the thing that causes it.
How did I not notice?
"Shit!" I heard Julian cursed.
Looking ahead, half of the adventurer teams were already down. Trying to figure out what have happened, my eyes naturally turned to look at the large cuts on the injured adventurers' armour and shields. From the looks of hit, they were defeated by the wyvern's massive claws.
So it was able to shoot another fireball when it defeated those adventurers keeping it in line?
"I should've have joined them from the beginning."
Because of Julian's instructions, I remained on the back of the line and did not moved on my own. But now that it's like this, I have no more reason to argue with Julian. I have to go out there.
"Wa-wait!" Julian shouted, but I ignored him and kept going.
Just in time, the wyvern was about to hit Gil with its claws. Riget was down and won't be able to shield him anymore, so if it keeps going, he'll be defeated too.
*Klang
It was the sound of metal hitting metal...
When I blocked the wyvern's claws with my sword and remained standing, everyone looked at me dumbfounded. Even the wyvern itself appeared puzzled that it wasn't able to send me flying with its attack. Confused, and then angered, it followed its attack by shooting a fireball at me.
"Wind magic: Barrier!"
With that magic, its fireball clashed together with an invisible barrier, causing it to erupt in the air.
"Get yourself together!" I shouted at Gil, who was stunned.
"O... okay...!" he nodded, and then came to my side, prepared to battle once more.
Then, the wyvern growled. Even though the cannons have been destroyed, the mages were still shooting out magic that hurts it. More pissed off than before, it came slashing at me again. I continue to block its attacks with my sword. With my strength, nothing it will do will pass my defense... or so I thought.
"Guhoo!"
Just when I lowered my guard, thinking I can block all of its attack, my sword broke and I got hit in the abdomen. I was sent flying meters away and I was caught by the solid ground.
"Ma... Magic enchancement!?"
It can't even speak but it can cast that kind of magic!?
Shouting a complaint in my head, I stood up and recovered myself. I used healing magic to fix any damage he dealt on me. A part of my clothes have been torn off by the blow I received. Thankfully, the blow was clean, and it only managed to expose my stomach.
I only have armour on my arms and legs. They were there because I sometimes use them to block attacks from the enemies. I didn't put armour to cover up my torso, since I rely on my speed when fighting in melee combat, the extra weight and the way it hinders my movement was undesirable. But now, that hit made me seem like I was an idiot for not putting the least effort to try and find another way to best cover myself up.
"What...!?"
To my surprise, the wyvern glided towards me to follow up his attacks. He ignored everyone else an unleashed another powerful hit on me.
"Barrier!"
I put up a barrier again to deflect his claws, but like glass, my barrier shattered to his power and I was hit to the side this time.
"Guboo...!"
I was thrown once more. I casted heal on myself again and tried to stand up, but even before I could do that, a huge amount of visible sharp winds came shooting at me from the wyvern's direction.
"Earth magic: Earth Wall!"
All I can do was put up another shield. Fortunately, his wind attacks were weaker than his magically empowered claws, they were not able to penetrate the stone walls I created.
"Fire magic: Fire Javelins!"
I casted one of my strongest magic. It landed directly and it appear to significantly damage the berserking monster. It was an effective attack, but I need a few seconds to fire the same spell again.
"Earth magic: Boulder Smash!"
A massive boulder was formed from the ground around me and it came flying towards the wyvern. Unlike the former spell, it was easily able to avoid getting hit by it by simply shooting his fireball. The two attacks simply collapsed on each other.
"Fine! Water magic: Ice Spikes!"
Massive amounts of tall spikes protrude from the ground. It was able to damage the enemy, but it came flying in a single moment and went for me again.
"Guh! I didn't expect it to be this strong!"
With its claws glowing purple, it prepares to attack me once more.
"Tsk! Barrier!"
Knowing he'll pass through it anyway, I nevertheless casted another barrier. I prepared for another attack to land on me, and...
"Gaaah!!!"
That was the strongest blow so far...
"A-argh... Heal!"
It hurts so much... the only time I got hit like this was when I trained with swords for the first time. I remember the guards not holding back at me even though I was a kid still. But... I have strengthen my defenses so much after that, so I shouldn't have taken damage like this anymore... or so I optimistically think.
"Kuh..."
With a turn of my head, I saw the wyvern's claws swinging directly to my face... It's claws were big, so it managed to completely cover up my vision.
I couldn't put up another barrier since I just casted one.
I'm sure I will survive that attack, but the damage it will cost will be severe. I can get knockout unconscious too by being hit on the head... if that happens, I won't be able to defend myself anymore.
If that happens...
There's no doubt it will kill me...
*Klang!
"What are you blanking out about!"
Suddenly, the sound of metal hitting metal reverberated to my ears again, snapping me out of my thoughts. However, I was only able to realize what had happened a moment later...
It seems Julian have deflected the wyvern's claws with his sword. Since his sword has a higher quality than mine, it didn't break from the impact. Saving me that close from getting hit, he was as fast as when we first met.
With a rush, he carried me like a baggage on his shoulder and leaped away far from the wyvern. When we're in safe distance, he carefully put me on the ground.
"Didn't I told you to wait, you fucking idiot!?"
It was rare for Julian to curse directly at me like that, so I was taken aback a little. He shouted with so much animosity too, like I just killed one of his family members or something.
"Tsk..." I clicked my tongue as I regained my composure.
"Are you okay!?" he asked.
"What took you so long!? I was getting beat up out there!" I complained, stunning Julian.
"I just saved you and you give me that attitude! You bitch! I was so worried about you!"
"If you were so worried, then you should've come faster! I was at my wit's end!"
"Grr! Enough! Take your time to recover!" he growled, but then he turned serious and said, "I miscalculated the situation... that's an adult wyvern that can use magic enchancements... it's rare, but it's possible."
"What a mess..."
Surely, if it cannot use magic, it would've been beaten already. Even if I don't take action, Julian's unit and the adventurers could have dealt with it by themselves. But as it can use magic on itself, it can totally wipe us out if we're not careful. Julian and I can run away and survive it, but I'm not sure about the others.
"I can't beat it on my own, so when you're recovered, we'll work together to take it down."
Understanding his words, I nodded and stand up.
"I understand... then, let's go."
"Huh? Don't you need a little more time to recover?"
"I'm okay now. I have a large mana and stamina pool."
Although I'm not that impressed by the gods by turning me into a woman, I nonetheless give them my thanks for giving me a sturdy body.
"It seems so..." Julian nodded as he stared blankly at me.
I thought he was simply impressed, but then I realized where exactly his eyes were fixed on. I can only turn red in his stare.
It seems that my clothes have been shredded by being ragdolled by the opponent so much, that my boobs popped out from whatever's left of my clothing. Since I don't have anything at the moment to cover it up, I compromised with my arms to hide from Julian's eyes.
"As expected, your bountiful breast is a beauty, and those nipples of yours are a treasure. Your abs is quite exquisite too. It's sexy."
"Shu-shut up! Let's just go and beat that monster already!"