Into the Wyvern's Lair
‘Wow!’ This was my first time seeing a wyvern up close. And that net gun's performance was beyond anything I'd imagined. The net unfurled massively, tangling completely around one of the enormous wyvern's wings. That alone wouldn't be much, but I could clearly see it with my own eyes. Embedded in the center of the net gun was something like a magic stone. And on that stone were intricate runes etched in a complex pattern.
—Manus Impulse, that's how you read it. That was an application of the engraving magic I'd taught them. I knew it!
Blue sparks erupted from the net wrapped around the wyvern's wing. It had to be a lightning spell designed to electrocute the target. Of course, it was nothing compared to Thunder Command, but it was efficient enough.
“GRRAAAAAHHH!”
The wyvern let out a deafening screech as it plummeted. Thanks to the blue sparks, the humans could see it clearly too. It was a spine-chilling sight. That was the one from earlier, quietly clinging to this stone pillar, waiting for humans to show up.
“An ambush... it was lying in wait...!”
This proved the wyvern's intelligence wasn't low at all. It had figured out this was a spot where humans might rest and hidden in advance. The adventurers' faces went pale. But one net gun shot wouldn't be enough to take down something that huge. I scribbled on the paper and shoved it right under Jericho's nose.
‘Ignore me and keep firing the net guns.’
Jericho nodded, even in his panicked state. Alright, then it was my turn.
“Grooo... grrrk!” The electrocuted wyvern hauled itself up. The net looked sturdy, but forcing its wings open snapped it with a crack. It spun around, clearly trying to take off.
That thing's huge and it can still fly?
Its body began to lift slowly. I couldn't let it get airborne. I wouldn't.
Predator Leap lv3
I leaped toward its exposed chest, aiming to rip out its heart. But wyverns weren't easy prey. Its long snout whipped around. I barely dodged getting bitten. Instead of the heart, I clamped onto the area near its shoulder blade.
Crunch! No smooth penetration this time—just barely sinking my fangs in. Even injecting venom was a struggle. That hide and muscle were insanely tough.
Up close, I could tell for sure. I'd thought wyverns resembled dragons, but not that head. The overall silhouette matched my imaginings of a dragon, but from the neck up, it was pure snake. Like a freakish snake relative with wings and legs sprouting from it.
“Gwaaaak!”
Snakes are supposed to hiss sssss! What was with the "gwak"? Total snake fail.
Snakes have incredibly flexible muscles, and this wyvern was no different. It twisted its neck in a full circle to bite me off its own shoulder.
Clang! Its teeth smashed where I'd been, thunderous. I dodged just in time, scrambling over its shoulder to cling to its back. Spikes protruded sharply along its spine. Then it arched backward like some limbo dancer, swinging its head. I wasn't bitten, but the impact flung me off. I rolled across the ground and landed.
Shake shake.
‘Isil, you okay?!’
Isil was still stuck tight to my body. Luckily, the roll hadn't crushed any leaves or vines. Isil was tougher than it looked.
The adventurers did their part too.
“Fire!”
They raised their net guns and unleashed a volley at the wyvern. Thump thump thump! Three nets ensnared it at once. Sparks flew, and it thrashed in agony. It clearly lacked lightning resistance, but it wasn't dropping dead.
This was why monsters were dangerous.
“Grrraaaah!”
But I still had plenty of moves left.
Transparent Hand v13
A longsword sliced through the darkness, flying straight at its neck. Shunk! Considering how sharp the sunset made everything, it was shocking that only a third of the blade sank in. Tough bastard. Twisting it to decapitate would be even harder. But this would do for now. I charged straight at it. It slammed its head down to crush me.
Acceleration lv7
Dodged! Boom! Its tough skull cratered the ground, sending dirt exploding behind. In that moment, I slipped under its legs. If a net gun's shock wasn't enough...
Thunder Command lv2
...then summon a stronger bolt. Thunder Command's nasty drawback was that it struck me too. After Isil started riding along, I'd pondered a fix. Lightning falls from above—so get under the enemy and stick a lightning rod on top. This science experiment was a resounding success.
Kraaaack! Not some puny zap, but a thunderous roar. The adventurers screamed and clutched their eyes shut. The bolt hit the longsword lodged in the wyvern's neck instead of me, paralyzing its body with brutal current. Blood trickled down. When I emerged, it stood rigid on two legs, steam or smoke rising from it.
All the adventurers except Panman and Jericho were still covering their eyes. Pathetic! Anyway, I'd taken down the wyvern beautifully. But... why wasn't the demonic essence absorbing?
Twitch. It started moving. Still alive. It tried fleeing, using its wings like legs. Faster than expected. No way I'd let it escape—I leaped with a whistle, clamping onto the sword hilt still in its neck...
Sizzle! Ow! My mouth burned hot. The lightning had superheated the blade. I dropped it involuntarily and started falling. That's when Isil stepped up.
Whirr! Vines shot from Isil on my body, wrapping the hilt tight. Flame immunity meant this heat was no issue.
‘Good job!’
I landed and braced, but damn, the size difference was too much. I gripped the sword, but got dragged along. Giantification? Maybe...
“Uwaaaah!”
“Hurry, help! Grab it!”
The adventurers rushed over, seizing my body with both hands and pulling. Like a tug-of-war. Ow! But it worked wonders. With the sword jammed in its neck and everyone yanking...
Crack—snap! The sharp steel finally severed hide and vertebrae.
Gush! Blood sprayed as the massive body tilted. Dirt exploded in the shockwave. Finally.
‘Gray Mane Wyvern lv97’ defeated.
Demonic essence absorbed.
Maybe because Isil was so close? I could clearly feel the essence from the hunt sharing with Isil too. Not with the adventurers, though.
Level increased.
Level increased.
Even splitting with Isil, the amount was huge. Two levels in a flash. Way better than smashing endless white ants. One big wyvern beat a hundred small fries.
Still, not easy.
—Wyverns are no pushovers. Especially in packs—they're deadly. Pellelian said so.
True. If I'd been alone or one more wyvern showed, it'd have been dicey.
‘Why'd you build a dungeon in a place like this, old man?’
Pellelian's dungeon lay beyond the bladed stone pillars.
—To make entry a bitch, so randos can't waltz in.
‘Fair... but how'd you get in?’
Delphram's dungeon needed no intruder worries. Wyverns owned the air, ants the ground. So how'd Pellelian reach it?
—Invisibility and flight magic. Easy.
Advanced spells I hadn't mastered yet. Magic swordsman path felt right. Gotta study magic harder. Pellelian would've loved hearing that. No chance to tell him, though.
“GRRAAAAHHH—”
“KRRRAAAK!”
Roars echoed from the darkening night sky.
“More... there are more!”
The adventurers gasped. We'd taken one Gray Mane Wyvern, but it wasn't alone.
Figured at least one more. That's why I hadn't ambushed earlier. Its trait said "mates." So maybe a partner nearby. Wrong.
“Grooo!”
—That's the wife, probably. Same size as the one we killed.
“Krrreeee.”
“Krrrkekekek!”
And three smaller but still menacing ones. Not mates—a family. Four more wyverns joined. Giantification wouldn't cut it now. One choice.
Domeincha—!
“Run for it!”
Dead sprint or die. I hopped on the fleetest-looking adventurer. Panman's shoulder.
“Emperor preserve us—!”
Panman with his imperial flair. No more trademark nonchalance.
“Net guns!”
Jericho yelled, and they frantically reloaded. Four net guns, all fired once already. Primitive front-loaders, not modern. No gunpowder, but still—they hustled to shove rounds in while running. Jericho reloaded first.
Boom! Hit a hatchling. It crashed, but not dead.
Thud—boom! The other two fired. Misses. Wyverns dodged with evasive maneuvers.
The dead wyvern's mate dove viciously. The last adventurer reloading panicked.
“Ahh!”
Dropped the round like an idiot. The wyvern struck.
Splat! It plunged and rose. One adventurer gone.
“Uwaaaak!”
Scream faded into the distance. High in the sky, it dropped the adventurer. Long fall. Scream cut off.
Ignoring the meat chunks, it dove back at us. I tried a Ray just in case. No effect.
Ray's useless too.
Duh—blade barely pierced that hide. Not Destruction Beam, just plain Ray. Minimal damage. Fine for me, but adventurers were terrified.
“Fuck, fuck!”
Even Jericho cursed. Then—a streak of hope lit the night sky. Hope was red, apparently. A flare from that direction. No clue who, but safer than wyverns.
“That way! Run!”
They bolted madly. Wyverns snagged a straggler. Hatchlings tore into the poor guy midair, ripping organs that spilled blood and guts.
“This way, here!”
A hooded figure waited where the flare launched. Jericho and Panman's faces lit up. Fellow adventurers—the ones they'd sought for backup, now saving them. He gestured at a gaping hole in the ground. Come in.
White ant burrow? Barely human-sized. No time to hesitate. They dove in order: the hooded guy, Jericho, then me and Panman.
“Kweh!”
The late wyvern jammed its head in furiously.
Ray lv3
No fatal wound, but it'd sting like hell. Frustrated at missing us, the wyvern roared.
“Kweeeeeek!”
The tunnel reverberated.
“Huff... huff...”
Jericho and Panman panted raggedly. Most comrades dead in seconds, just two left.
“Jericho!”
The guide yanked off his hood.
“...Jacob!”
Jericho recognized him too.
“You're the backup?!”
But Jacob looked far from pleased.
“Don't tell me it's just you two.”
“Nah, the rest are dead.”
“All dead? Where's the mage—the invisibility mage we requested!”
Apparently. But no mages in the group, far as I knew.
“No mage to begin with.”
“Bullshit!”
Jacob snarled. He wasn't normal either—sweat-soaked, bloodshot eyes, trembling hands.
“Why just you guys?!”
“High mage resources are limited, you know.”
“Fuck, we're screwed!”
Jacob broke down crying. Mood sank. Panman broke the silence.
“...Where are we?”
Perfect—my question too. White ant burrow? No. Stone floor, long dark passage ahead.
“...Underground ruins we found. Hid from wyverns here.”
“A place like this... Why are wyverns going berserk?”
“Halfway succeeded the mission...”
What?
“Lucky we found it to hide, but no clue what this ruin is.”
“Safe from wyverns at least.”
“Yeah, follow me. Group's deeper in.”
But their bad luck wasn't over. I asked Pellelian to check.
‘What's this place?’
—First time for me too. But roughly...
Wyvern's Altar
That was the name of the ruins where the adventurers hid from wyverns.