Forest Canyon Aerial Battle

I had no idea what the "Fairy" race was. All I could guess was that it was something like a fairy. Sure, it had the advantage of being able to use skills, but the drawbacks were way too stacked against it. An 80% stat reduction? Just how strong are fairies supposed to be? If they were weaker than humans, I might not even be able to lift ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a finger.

If I could use Fireball, I might've chosen the transformation right away. But in this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠situation, gambling like that was too risky. I glared back at the griffon eyeing me and hauled myself to my feet. Steadying my breathing, I backed away while pulling out a potion and chugging it down.

The griffon watched my every move with obvious amusement, slowly rising and pacing around me. Was this how a cat toyed with a mouse? It licked its beak, still smeared with the brains of its own kin, its bloodthirsty gaze fixed on me. It was definitely smirking.

At this point, what skill should I use, and how? I stood off against the griffon in the middle of a dim cave lit by shafts of light pouring in...

The patter of pouring rain was disorienting my ears. Where the hell was the light coming from...? Looking closer, I spotted lanterns mounted on the cavern walls. Makes sense—they must've put those up when they came down to investigate. So if I bolted that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way, there might be stairs leading up.

I still had one trump card left. The problem was the risk of losing an eye... And it was suspicious that no disaster had struck yet. Was "injury" the trigger? Since my body looked intact on the surface, maybe it was holding off? That meant I still had a shot.

Fire Dice's Eye → No injury → All good. That'd be the ideal flow, but I couldn't trust the Dice constellation. I had to assume I'd get hurt no matter what.

Worst case, I might have to try something like Enhancement on myself. What kind of disaster would blinding myself trigger...? The cave collapsing? Or this downpour causing a river to overflow and flood the cavern? Either way, I was dead meat in my current state—barely able to stand, let alone run. My limbs were shaking, and the ringing in my ears wouldn't quit.

In a crisis like this, some kind of awakening would be nice... but I hadn't earned it with my half-assed efforts. It'd be a luxury. The holy sword was lodged in the cliff, so if triggering a disaster, maybe the cliff crumbling from the griffon's impact would be best. But considering the scale of these disasters, both could happen at once.

I've gotta think carefully.

Worst-case scenario: assume I die once and plan from there. No adventurers in this cave—no one came running at the thunderous crash of the griffon's fall. Po'runga and the party might be searching for me right now, so collapsing the cliff could sweep them up too.

Thinking only of the worst isn't a good habit, but I couldn't come up with any bright ideas to seize control with what I had. No weapons around? As that thought crossed my mind, the griffon charged.

At the same instant, the world tree guardian burst from my chest. I gripped the crimson bamboo spear and blocked its forepaw. But despite bracing myself, I floated weightlessly, crashed back down, and got pinned under its claw. The bamboo spear pressed into my chest with agonizing force; I barely wheezed out a breath.

Does it need to stab to extend roots? I'd only used it once, so all I knew was that it was tough. This was supposed to be a simple errand, but everywhere I went, shit hit the fan. At this rate, I'd really die.

I couldn't even use Friend☆ship. My mind spun endlessly for a solution when the griffon grabbed me and hurled me deeper into the cave. The sensation of flight hit, followed by a clammy chill on the back of my head. Groundwater seeped into my clothes; I flailed instinctively.

Splash—

"Glub glub?!" Water flooded every orifice on my face. Caught off guard, I couldn't hold my breath as my head plunged under. Dread filled my mind. This bastard—since its attacks weren't working on my tough body, it was trying to drown me?

Could an A-rank monster be this intelligent? I had to escape. How long could I hold my breath? Any other options? I swung my arm wide, slamming the floor.

The griffon was sandwiched between the glowing dinosaur and the ceiling. But it soon shattered the beast with raw power, thrashing wildly to squeeze through the narrow gap and take to the air again.

The deep gouge in the cliff from the griffon's earlier crash. At this rate, it might collapse, so I hesitated to make a move. If I could just shove ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it into the forest somehow, I might have a chance.

It soared over the cave entrance; the canyon was now a roaring waterfall. It passed the holy sword embedded in the wall, climbing higher and higher. In this endless ascent, the griffon suddenly flung me away.

Floated weightlessly; I tried to use Invisible Touch when mana swirled around its core.

"SKREEEEEE!!!"

Its piercing screech echoed deafeningly. The forest trembled, the waterfall reversed, raindrops exploded—the downpour halted around the griffon for a moment. I took the full brunt head-on; my brain flipped, I vomited, and plummeted.

Blood poured from my nose and ears. Eyes open, mind racing, but my body felt trapped in a stifling prison as it fell. And chillingly, it yanked the holy sword free with its beak, aiming the blade at me as it dove.

Move...!

Couldn't use Metal Skin or Recycle. At this rate, it'd skewer my torso clean through. Thanks to Clear Mind, I wouldn't pass out—was that a blessing or a curse?

Any way to snap out of it? My body wouldn't unclench. Clutching the death spear, mid-fall—roots shot from the cliff walls, wrapping around me in response to my peril.

But the griffon sliced them with wind blades from its wingbeats. No stopping; seconds from impact, I sucked in a huge breath. The severed roots still writhed alive, squeezing the last potion into my mouth to restore stamina.

"Dice's Eye!"

A burning heat scorched my eyeball; the heat ray sliced off the griffon's wing. Should've used both eyes if I knew it'd work, I regretted inwardly, flipping to brace for landing.

Metal Mimic Shell was long depleted. I raised my hand, summoning the largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, as a glowing dinosaur to grab my legs and slow the fall. Its massive wings caught the cliff's updrafts, braking; wingtips snagged the narrow cave, halting me.

I released my legs and held my breath. One shot.

Looking at it, I thought: I always make them like figurines or toys... but balloons are rubber too. Does it summon them filled?

The ceiling dinosaur burst; the griffon plummeted right above me. Massive glowing dinosaur balloons erupted from my palms. Filled with hydrogen or helium, they floated lightly when I pushed.

Squeezing every last ounce of strength, I cast Recycle and Metal Skin, forgoing attack for defense against the impact. As expected, no room for tricks.

Cast Fireball inside the dinosaur. The holy sword the griffon held punctured the balloon... Through clenched eyelids' darkness, a brilliant flash and piercing ring assaulted my ears.

Cold water slapped me; my body tumbled across hard ground. Ignoring the throbbing pain, I cracked open one eye. The griffon—lightly singed, one wing severed—glared down.

I reclaimed the fallen holy sword. Sliding, I summoned an aquatic glowing dinosaur tube, riding it straight at the griffon.

It smirked at my drenched charge, inhaling deeply. My final trump card—white sparks danced from its mouth. Eyes blazing, electricity crackled over its body; its chest swelled.

Thunder filled the cave. Rumble—BOOM!! Its Lightning Breath engulfed me head-on. Light swallowed me whole, shadow vanishing; it cackled triumphantly—but—

"Rubber laughs at lightning!"

Slicing through the bolt, I bounced off the glowing dinosaur's elasticity, swinging the sword gripped in both hands. The griffon—wing gone but limbs intact—leaped aside mockingly.

The heat ray from my eye pierced its forehead. Aiming for the airborne moment, the surprise strike punched a fist-sized hole through its skull—faster than it could react, like with the wing.

It staggered, then crashed with a heavy thud. I landed atop its plush corpse, exhaling raggedly.

"...Hahhh..."

Exhausted... for real. I needed countermeasures. Desperately. Not some vague death spear, but a powerful finisher to cover my weak base power.