Heiring Loses Confidence in the Battle Against the Chimera
Heiring stood up, brushing off the sand as he took his sword from Piyo. Elana picked up his fallen hat and handed it to him.
“You may be a skilled swordsman, but you don’t only have one weapon.”
“B-but…”
“You don’t want to risk your subordinates and make any more mistakes? You don’t understand? What would make him happiest is to fight by your side.”
That’s right, Heiring was shouldering too much responsibility alone. He should be fighting together with his companions, especially since he had such good ones. Besides, Aerin, just as Elana said, probably wanted to fight together too.
He adjusted his plumed hat, pulling it down deeper. The goat’s head, on the other hand, looked like it had taken considerable damage from Piyo’s explosion. He must have used the impact to push his sword and slice its neck. Amazing, he had utilized the weapon already embedded in it.
Although not completely severed, the wound was gaping open, revealing red flesh.
“Guhhh, caw-hew.”
The goat made struggling sounds, its mouth opening and closing weakly. Its magic chanting was now impossible. The enraged chimera, with its body wounded, was confronted by Philiana.
“How about it? Isn’t that enough? Go back to the mountain.”
However, the young chimera seemed to have flown into a rage and lunged towards her. Philiana retreated a half-step, sweat beading on her forehead.
“Aerin, unleash Ice Magic towards the ground!”
“Huh? Y-yes!”
Heiring gave the instruction. Aerin hastily froze the ground as commanded. The maddened chimera lost its footing on the ice and stumbled. Seizing the opportunity, Heiring too slid on the frozen ground and lunged into the chimera’s reach.
The chimera raised its forelegs towards the prey that had leaped before its eyes. He then contorted his body mid-air, evading the blow. He followed by slashing at its tough hide with his sword.
“Y-you have an amazingly flexible body.”
“That’s right! Heiring is so flexible, just like a dancer!”
Aerin replied excitedly to my muttered comment. She seemed to be quite fond of him.
“Aerin, Mist!”
“Ah, yes!”
Responding to the next instruction, Aerin hurriedly clashed her wings together. Sparks flew, and as she spread her wings, a cloud of fog billowed out. The surroundings were momentarily enveloped in a white haze.
“GRRAAAAHHH!!”
From within the mist came the goat’s pained shriek. It was a ghastly sound that would linger in one’s ears. Taking away its vision and then striking with a sword – an excellent tag-team maneuver.
When the mist cleared and the chimera reappeared, it was covered in blood. The goat’s head was barely attached, hanging limply. Its bloodshot eyes and the long tongue protruding from its mouth… I felt a little nauseous. W-well, after all that, even if it was hot-blooded, it would probably give up.
Gyaroro
The bulging goat’s eye seemed to look at us. A chilling sensation crawled up my spine like a worm.
“Ha! Sever the head!”
At Heiring’s command, Aerin unleashed her magic. The remaining skin snapped cleanly, and the head flew off. What just happened? Was it wind magic? No, it was water, sprayed at high pressure to act like a cutter. Traces of the water were soaked into the ground. Incredible, it could do something like that too.
The goat’s severed head, thudding onto the ground, seemed to glare at us even in death. Yet, despite losing two heads, the chimera didn’t seem to be giving up. It foamed at the mouth in rage, as if to say “How dare you do this to me.”
“You still intend to fight? I suppose there’s no other way.”
Heiring assumed a posture with his sword and advanced towards the chimera. The lion opened its maw wide, and blood splattered from its entire body as it charged to meet him. He ran right up to the chimera’s face, spun his body, and leaped up. However, as if tracking his movement, the opponent also raised its upper body and swung its powerful arm.
Bad, the height isn’t enough. I’ll be knocked down like this. Or so I thought, but he twisted his body in mid-air, slipping through the narrow gap. It was just like a gymnast. A refined, beautiful movement without any wasted motion – a technique that filled me with admiration.
The chimera, which had raised its upper body, staggered backward, bleeding. A large gash appeared on its flank. When did that happen? Did Heiring do it? He looked like he was soaring through the air just now.
Emerging from the shadow of the struggling chimera was Nina. We were so focused on Heiring that we didn’t notice her attacking.
He landed and glanced back towards Nina.
“A brilliant slash. To creep up silently from below.”
“Heh, well, can’t be helped. Moves only I can do, right?”
So, while it was looking up, she had slipped beneath it and slashed. No wonder the chimera didn’t notice. It was indeed a move only a Naga, with its snake tail, could perform, much like an assassin.
“Well, are you still continuing?”
The wounded chimera, its feet planted heavily on the ground, retreated. It probably didn’t want to lose its life after all. Leaving its two heads behind, it disappeared into the depths of the forest.
