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With a loud noise, the earth seemed to shake, and a plume of dust rose skyward, engulfing the surroundings.
Seeing this spectacle, the villagers of Lute Village widened their eyes in disbelief.
"It looked like someone fell from on high right into that pile of zombies, even sprouted wings!"
"If that was a human, hitting the ground from such a height, they'd surely be dead."
"No... that person is not dead!"
As the dust started to settle, the ground revealed a deeply sunken impression, forming an enormous pattern resembling an eagle with its wings spread wide. In the center of this pattern stood a lone figure on top of heaps of white bones, clutching a fiery red shield in his left hand. His black cloak, adorned with the roaring visage of a bear, billowed in the wind, more demonic than heroic.
"He... he's still alive."
"He survived that. Is he a man or a god?"
"Moreover, he wiped out hundreds of zombie soldiers in one move. Such a power exists only in legends."
"Who could he possibly be?"
The villagers were awestruck, their minds swirling with questions as they tried to comprehend the scene before them.
The mystery was soon dispelled when the figure turned slowly, revealing his face.
"It's Lord Shield Hero, it's actually Lord Shield Hero!"
"We are saved!"
Jason had visited this village before, and many villagers recognized him. But this time was different; those who knew him fell to their knees, tears of joy in their eyes. They had believed themselves doomed to the disaster wave, only to find hope rekindled with Jason's arrival.
"Sure enough, it still smarts," Jason muttered, stretching his ankles. The shield he wielded, named [Firehawk Shield], had been liberated by absorbing materials from the Firehawk. Just as he had used similar materials to have customized equipment forged at the weapon shop, he used others to empower his shield.
Its attached skill, [Fire Eagle Swoop Kill], was one of the few long-range attack abilities at Jason's disposal, allowing him to dive like a firehawk to vanquish his target. To activate, he needed to descend from at least 50 meters up, with the altitude exponentially increasing the attack's force.
Despite the devastating power, the skill came with a downside; the impact incurred a backlash on the user. Anyone else dropping from such heights might have been squashed like dough. Only someone like Jason, whose defense approaches absurdity, could unleash its full might.
Finding his legs fully recovered, Jason scanned the area, confirming that not a single zombie soldier had survived his attack. He then approached the village entrance.
"Thank you, Lord Shield Hero, for coming to save us!" The guards at the village entrance knelt in respect and gratitude at his arrival.
"You've all done well. Get up. Is anyone injured?" Jason asked, surveying the scene as he did so—his task wouldn't be completed if more than 10 villagers perished during the attack.
"Thanks to your timely arrival, although a few are injured, there are no fatalities," reported a man who seemed to be coordinating the village's defense efforts, speaking with great reverence.
"Good... make sure the injured receive treatment first. Everyone else, rest assured. As long as I'm here, you are safe," Jason assured them with a slight, confident grin that brought comfort to those around him.
At that moment, the sound of wings fluttering rapidly could be heard from afar.
Jason turned his head and saw a massive swarm of monsters resembling giant wasps approaching, their numbers easily in the thousands, surging towards him like a relentless tide.
"This is really troublesome. Everyone should retreat into the village as much as possible—if possible, shelter inside the houses near the entrance," Jason commanded the villagers, positioning himself between them and the horde.
He then switched his flaming [Firehawk Shield] for a silver-white shield with a formidable spike—so large it covered most of his body—in preparation. This was the [Rhino Horn Shield], made possible by absorbing rhino horn material.
Faced with the approaching swarm of monsters, Jason advanced with the [Rhino Horn Shield] braced against his chest. Rather than retreating, he charged straight at the monsters.
His pace quickened, each step creating deep impressions in the ground, with the wind swirling fiercely around him. It was akin to a rhinoceros weighing several tons charging forward.
Jason plowed into the swarm, the formidable shield tearing through monsters with sheer physical force. Those close enough to avoid immediate dismemberment were swept away by the powerful winds accompanying his charge.
The [Furious Charge] skill came from the [Rhino Horn Shield].
With this skill active, Jason moved unhindered through the enemy ranks. Even attacks from behind proved futile, unable to penetrate his defenses.
In just over ten seconds, he burst through the other side of the monster group, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Perhaps drawn by the hatred or confusion from his path of devastation, the remaining monsters redirected their assault, forsaking Lute Village to swarm towards Jason.
Undeterred, Jason readied himself. He flexed his knees slightly, setting up for another charge. The swarm's buzzing grew louder, a tempest of wings descending upon him, but Jason stood ready to face them head-on.
It wasn't that Jason believed his defense could withstand the monsters indefinitely, but he knew a helper had arrived.
As the hornet monsters closed in on him, an icy gleam appeared around Jason, slicing through the monsters, cutting them cleanly in half.
"Sorry, master Jason, I'm late!" Raphtalia called out, appearing beside him with her long sword poised for battle.
Concerned foremost with the potential danger to the villagers, Jason had arrived first to confront the initial onslaught. Now, with Raphtalia at his side, they were ready to fight as a united front.
"It's not too late. Follow me, let's finish this!" Jason declared, a hint of a fierce smile playing across his lips.
"Yes!" Raphtalia responded with determination.
The two charged back into battle. Over their time fighting together, they had developed a seamless cooperation. Jason would crush the monsters with his sheer strength, while Raphtalia skillfully dispatched any left behind, her long sword flashing.
Diving in and out of the throngs of monsters, neither sustained injury. Together they decimated most of the horde, leaving little remaining opposition.
The remaining few were dispatched as the duo split up to swiftly clean up the rest.
"As expected of Lord Shield Hero! You're incredibly strong!"
"And Miss Raphtalia, you're amazing too!"
"Thank you so much!"
The villagers emerged from their shelters, cheering at their victory, as the last remnants of the monster force fell to Jason and Raphtalia's combined might.
However, an ominous thud disrupted their celebration—a giant had descended upon the center of the village, accompanied by a cohort of hundreds of zombie soldiers.
"Sure enough, it's not that easy to handle," Jason remarked with a soft sigh, watching from the village entrance.
"Master Jason, what should we do?" Raphtalia asked seriously, her tone reflecting the daunting challenge posed by the colossal creature.
"What else can we do? Let's blast it away!" Jason declared, tightening his grip and clenching his fist. The bone claws extended from the back of his hand, enveloping his knuckles with intent to strike.
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