Philiana pushed to her limit by an overwhelming enemy.
Black flames pursued Philiana.
“Philiana!!”
She surely couldn’t see it. The flames from behind struck her, causing an explosion. Claudio’s darkness swallowed Philiana, along with a faint light.
The sound of heavy boots crunching on rubble-strewn ground. Philiana slumped, dejected amid the smoke and dust. She sat on the ground, showing no sign of moving.
“Hmph, I suppose it’s commendable she wasn’t blown away.”
Claudio laughed under his helmet and lifted her chin with the tip of his sword.
“This time, words won’t stop me.”
With a flick of his lip and a sneer, he grabbed her disheveled hair and pressed the blade against her neck.
“W-wait…”
Just as I took a step forward, Philiana gently grabbed Claudio’s hand. She wore a hazy smile. The dragon’s head twitched, sensing something.
Shadows crept out from under her seated horse-like body and stabbed a dagger into Claudio’s stomach.
“Hah…!!”
That was Karubene. He’d disappeared from my side without me noticing. But the dagger was stopped by the enemy’s hand at the last moment.
“That’s too bad, you were only one step away. Did you really think you could kill me with that?”
Karubene pushed with both hands, but Claudio held him back with one.
“Damn it, you!”
Claudio, as if pitying him, pushed the dagger back with one hand. Just then, Piyo flew in, taking a wide arc through the sky. With fire lit on its wings, it approached Claudio from behind at tremendous speed, like a jet.
“Piyo Kick!!”
Piyo’s feet struck Claudio directly in the waist with a clean hit. Like slow motion, the blade dug into his abdomen. Piyo slid off sideways, tumbling across the ground and kicking up a dust cloud.
Karubene’s dagger was embedded in Claudio’s stomach. But without a sound, he aimed his sword at Philiana’s neck. At the last possible moment, Philiana recoiled, blocking the blade.
Claudio continued to fight Philiana with the sword stuck in his gut. He intended to push the blade in with brute force from above.
“Hoo, hoo.”
His muscular shoulders heaved up and down as he breathed heavily. Philiana below, meanwhile, was in a dangerous situation, pressing both hands against the sword. Claudio’s sword bit into the skin of her neck. Red blood trickled down her neck and onto her chest.
“Die, just disappear! Vvvr…”
“Ughh.”
What should I do? Sneak up from behind and distract him? That was the only way. Where were Sharin and Nina?
Looking around, I saw the two were just watching the scene. As if they already knew the outcome.
Philiana placed one of her folded forelegs on the ground. Using it as a pivot, she placed the other leg on the ground. Claudio’s sword remained at Philiana’s throat. Philiana pushed back with the strength of her lower body.
She finally stood up completely. It could almost be said that the ground itself aided her, as a Centaur.
“Fuh, Gug.”
“Impossible…”
Claudio lit his sword on fire, intending to burn her. But Philiana stepped forward before he could. Claudio, pushed back, lost his balance slightly.
In that opening, she quickly picked up the sword she had dropped.
With a sharp clang, Claudio’s sword was knocked upwards. Philiana quickly reversed her grip on the sword and swung it with all her might.
WHAM!!!
A dull thud echoed as the dragon’s neck bent ninety degrees sideways. She had used the hard sword’s guard like a blunt weapon. Claudio staggered back one, two steps. Blood dripped from a gap in his helmet onto the ground.
“Haa, haa.”
Philiana, perhaps at her limit, let her arms drop limply. Claudio stopped his advance.
“…H, HHAHAHAHA! Not bad.”
The dragon, facing sideways, let out an eerie laugh. He then forced his head straight forward again. The movement was mechanical, as if he felt no pain.
He ripped out the dagger lodged in his stomach.
“But it’s not over yet. I will fight until I die. This battle won’t end unless you kill me.”
What a guy, he’s insane. It was as if pain was the only way he knew he was alive. Philiana stared at the madman with a weary face. The only emotion reflected in her eyes was pity.
“What’s wrong? Entertain me more!!”
As Claudio swung his sword in anger, Philiana sheathed hers. Nina, coming from the side, sliced deeply into his shoulder with a dagger.
“Aaargh!”
Claudio clutched his shoulder and crouched down. Somehow, I felt a pang of pity watching him. He denied Philiana to justify himself. He’s fixated on her, and by treating her as an enemy, he’s avoiding reality.
The flowing blood dripped from between his fingers like tears.
“I am not fighting to entertain you. Please do not waste my time.”
Wasting time, she spat. She was more cruel than anyone else present.
