Seeing the sword pointed at it, the lich cast several fireballs towards Akira. Using his incredible speed and random zigzag maneuvers, Akira dodged them effortlessly. He closed the distance between them, but the lich quickly raised earthen walls to block his path. In response, Akira conjured an enormous ice boulder above the lich. The lich noticed the incoming boulder and commanded its wyvern to move out of the way, causing it to lose altitude.
Seizing the opportunity, Akira rushed forward with his sword in one hand and his revolver in the other. He gathered all his strength and leaped as high as he could. In mid-air, he aimed his revolver at the lich and fired. The lich, sensing danger, jumped off the wyvern. The bullet hit the wyvern instead, and the explosive force obliterated the creature, sending its carcass plummeting to the ground.
As the lich fell, it cast a large fireball at Akira. The last remaining wyvern caught the lich with its talons, preventing it from crashing to the ground. Akira, still in mid-air, saw the fireball coming towards him. He knew that if it hit, he would surely die. He thought about how to get out of this situation and roamed his eyes here and there. Then time seemed to slow down as Alfred's voice echoed in his mind, advising him to use air magic to condense the air beneath his feet as a temporary platform to change his trajectory.
Akira quickly focused, condensing the air molecules beneath his feet to create a platform of air. His first attempt was unstable, but he tried again, and just as he felt the heat of the approaching fireball, he succeeded. He jumped to the side, changing his direction but suffering burns on his sword arm and shoulder. He lost his sword but managed to land on his feet, glaring at the lich now riding the last remaining wyvern.
The lich, seeing Akira's determination, cast earth bullets at him. Akira quickly raised a rock wall using earth magic. The bullets hit the wall but didn't completely destroy it. The lich mocked Akira, commending his resilience but declaring that it would ultimately be futile. The scene shifts to a flashback of the lich's past, revealing how it had always relied on its intelligence rather than sheer power to survive. This lich had chosen to raid the town because it was neither too big nor too small, a perfect target for its plans to evolve. If only there were a few more humans for it to absorb their life force then it would have evolved long ago and this battle would have been an easy victory for it.
The lich then unleashed a barrage of fireballs at Akira. Knowing the wall wouldn't hold, Akira braced himself. Just as the fireballs were about to hit, several ice blocks intercepted them. The adventurer mages had cast these ice blocks to help Akira. Frustrated, the lich turned its attention to the mages, casting earth bullets to kill them. The mages quickly raised earthen walls, and the other adventurers used their shields or whatever they could find, including monster carcasses, to protect themselves.
This gave Akira enough time to heal himself and rush towards the lich, picking up his sword along the way. The lich, wary of Akira's revolver, closely focused on his hand holding the revolver but Akira threw his sword,surprising the lich and causing the wyvern to dodge rapidly. The sudden movement made the lich lose control, and it fell from the wyvern.
In mid-air, the lich used air magic to slow its fall, but it was vulnerable. Akira, seeing his chance, rushed towards the falling lich. The lich fell to the ground causing it damage then it ordered the wyvern to stop Akira, but he pointed his revolver at the wyvern and fired. The last wyvern died, leaving the lich defenseless.
Desperate, the lich created a wall around itself, but Akira kicked it down. He pointed his revolver at the lich and fired. With a loud bang, the bullet struck the lich's skull, causing an explosion that obliterated it. The lich was dead.
With the lich gone, the dark clouds and oppressive aura over the battlefield dissipated. The remaining monsters fell into disarray, and the soldiers and adventurers quickly dispatched them. The battle, though hard-fought, ended in their favor. As the sun broke through the clouds, the adventurers and soldiers celebrated their victory, though it was bittersweet with the many lives lost.
Everyone congratulated Akira, known to them as Fate, for his incredible performance. They acknowledged that they only won the battle because of him. Alfred also congratulated Akira on the victory, but Akira humbly declined the praise. He admitted that without Alfred's micro guidance and adjustments, he wouldn't have been able to make such accurate shots or survive the fireball. He expressed his gratitude, recognizing that their victory was a team effort.
The battle was over, the air thick with the scent of blood and ash. As the surviving adventurers and soldiers began the grim task of tending to the wounded and gathering the bodies of the fallen, two lords approached the battlefield. They walked carefully, ensuring that neither their pristine footwear nor their elegant clothes touched the filth of battle.
Lord Leonard, his face a mask of haughty disdain, strode up to Akira, known to them as Fate. "Impressive display of combat skills, adventurer," Leonard remarked, his voice dripping with condescension. "I thought you were a summoner. I did not expect such feats of physical prowess from one of your kind."
Akira, aware of Leonard's selfish and foolish nature, merely nodded. He knew that if the lord hadn't prematurely sent his cavalry knights into the fray, there would have been far fewer casualties. Ignoring Leonard's words, he continued his search for his sword amidst the debris.
Leonard's eyes then fell on the revolver. His curiosity piqued, he asked, "What sort of artifact is this? Are you willing to sell it? I'll give you any price you name."
Akira calmly cleaned the revolver before placing it back into his spatial bag. "It's not for sale," he replied curtly.
Leonard's eyes narrowed. "Let me see it. Just for a moment."
"No," Akira said in a calm manner.
At that moment, an adventurer called out to him. "Fate! I've found your sword!"
Using this distraction, Akira swiftly moved towards the adventurer. Lord Henry, who had been standing silently beside Leonard, chose this moment to speak. "My lord, forget about that adventurer's insolence. These filthy adventurers know nothing of respect and formalities."
Leonard turned to Henry, his face flushed with anger. "Shut up," his glare seemed to say, silencing Henry immediately.
Meanwhile, the battlefield was a scene of grim efficiency. Soldiers and adventurers worked together to treat the wounded and collect the bodies of those who had perished. They gathered the corpses of the monsters into piles, stripping them of any useful loot. The bodies of their fallen comrades were respectfully laid out and prepared for burning, a somber tribute to the lives lost in the battle.
Akira retrieved his sword and took a moment to appreciate its familiar weight and balance. The blade, though stained with the blood of enemies, remained sharp and dependable. He sheathed it, feeling a sense of completeness as he did so.
The adventurers and soldiers continued their tasks, each absorbed in their own thoughts. The air was filled with murmurs of conversation, the groans of the injured, and the crackling of pyres as the bodies were set alight. The flames danced in the evening light, casting a warm glow over the battlefield.