Akiko and her companions had barely settled into the village, hoping for a moment of respite, when a sudden tremor shook the ground beneath their feet. Villagers darted out of their homes, fear evident in their eyes as they pointed toward the mountains. Rising over the treeline was a vast, dark figure with wings that spanned the sky—a dragon, its scales gleaming with an almost metallic sheen, each one sharper than a blade.
"It's here…" Riku whispered, eyes wide with both awe and terror.
Akiko felt her pulse quicken. The dragon descended, casting a dark shadow over the village, its fiery breath leaving trails of smoke that curled into the morning air. The creature's fierce red eyes locked onto the team, as if recognizing a challenge.
The villagers screamed, running in every direction, their homes no match for the beast's destructive power. Akiko knew they couldn't just stand by.
"Stay focused!" she shouted, rallying the team as the dragon's claws scraped the ground, digging deep furrows into the earth. The beast's roar shook the air, sending waves of fear through everyone who heard it. "We can't let it destroy everything!"
Takeshi, brandishing his sword, positioned himself near Akiko. "How do we even get close to that thing?"
Shingen studied the dragon, observing its movements closely. "Its weak point could be near the wings where the scales are thinner. But we have to time it carefully."
With a nod, Akiko signaled the team. Riku and another teammate quickly set up distractions, aiming arrows at the dragon to divert its attention. Arrows struck its armored scales and shattered harmlessly, but the slight distraction gave Akiko and Takeshi the opening they needed.
Akiko lunged forward, using her agility to dodge the dragon's tail as it swung, carving a deep gouge into the ground. She managed to leap up, clinging to the dragon's scaled side as it roared and tried to shake her off.
"Hold on!" Takeshi yelled, sprinting to her side. He leapt and drove his blade into the softer scales near the dragon's shoulder. The beast let out a piercing scream, thrashing wildly. Takeshi held on with all his strength, teeth gritted as he drove his sword deeper.
The dragon twisted, knocking Takeshi off, but Akiko kept her hold, using her small dagger to climb higher. She was finally able to reach its wing joint. Gathering her courage, she aimed her blade and struck, piercing through the scales. The dragon wailed in pain, one of its wings faltering.
Seeing their chance, Shingen threw a smoke bomb, creating a cloud to mask their movements. Riku rushed forward to help Takeshi up, while Akiko jumped down, landing safely on her feet just as the dragon let out a defeated bellow.
The dragon reeled, struggling to take flight with one wing injured, and soon retreated, its massive form disappearing into the mountains.
Breathless but victorious, Akiko and the team watched it go. The village was safe for now, but she knew they hadn't seen the last of the beast. The dragon's presence marked something much darker—an omen of the trials yet to come.