"So, how do we defeat it?" Said Cid. I replied very calmly. "We have to pierce its eyes, or one of them, use our combined magical attributes, and thus, fry its brain."
It's a good plan, a perfect and foolproof one.
"That's really stupid!"
Or so it was until Cid discouraged me.
"How do you think we can hurt that monster? Haven't you seen it?! It destroyed several ships and defeated both sword saints without any problem!"
"... Well, what do you suggest then?"
"Nothing, I was just saying it was stupid, not that it was a bad plan..."
(It seems even he doesn't know what to say and supports me to avoid further embarrassment.)
(Don't worry Cid, it's normal to think my ideas won't work. Even my beloved Amy looked at me strangely, but then she stopped.)
(Its shell and skin are very hard, it's true. In the game, you had to attack it precisely in the eyes to defeat it.)
(The problem was that you used paid equipment that had more damage than normal equipment.)
(Now there's another problem; it walks almost like a turtle, but due to its large size, it's very easy for it to take big steps, thus reducing the distance.)
(Maybe... in about 41 or 44 minutes... No! Right now it's 39 minutes until it would reach the capital.)
(I can already see it, but it's very far away.)
(I hate this world for a reason.)
(If it were an ultra-easy game world, I'd be getting rich without doing anything.)
"Razel, but aren't its eyes too small to do that?"
"They certainly are, that's why we need to make a very strong and fast combined attack."
"Let's go!"
I got on Cid's Pegasus, well, it's actually Bellange's. Mine, for some reason, is fighting some feathered wyverns.
(How is it moving on its own?)
(There are more mysteries I don't want to know.)
"I'll stay in a nearby place and throw a spear from a branch. You just attack it with a water-cutting spell, got it?!"
"Sure!"
"Good."
Cid left me in a place where I could easily see when that bastard Xerxes approaches.
He flew from very high up.
◇◇◇
Cid reached as high as he could. On his hips, he had a sword he had taken for the duel with Lambert.
He planned to fight, but his brain made him understand that he could never beat him.
That's why he chose another means to win against him.
He breathed in and out repeatedly.
The strong, cold wind touched his cheeks.
His blue hair swayed as if it were a flower in a field.
Upon drawing the sword, he recited a spell.
"Water creation magic..."
Cid's magical attribute was water, but not a normal one. Rather, a special one that allowed him to perform miracles with it.
In other words, water transmutation.
The sword pointed downwards; a blue magic circle manifested in the air.
With all his strength, he shouted.
"Roar of the Sea Dragon King!"
The tip of the sword was covered by a large amount of water.
Magical power in the form of water covered the entire sword until it reached the hilt and remained in the air.
It formed a spiral whirlpool.
It gradually took on the appearance of a Chinese dragon.
The head was in Cid's hands; a mouth opened so the sword could cut its target.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"
Shouted Cid as he descended at full speed.
◇
I watched Cid, who was falling like a meteor.
It was my turn.
I had my spear ready from a dry tree.
Perfect for imbuing electricity into it.
Good.
"Lightning magic: Zeus's harpoon!"
The branch I had in my hands shone intensely until it became a true lightning bolt.
Once it was ready, with all my strength I threw it after a few spins to gain more speed.
It approached its left eye.
Now everything...
Wait...
Hey...
Cid, why are you falling on the right side?
"Aaaaahhh!"
"Idiot, the other side!"
I just remembered, I never told him which eye to attack.
(Stupid, stupid, me.)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Cid noticed the spear too late to change.
If they don't enter together, the damage will be there, but it won't be much use separately.
Just as you can't make fire without oxygen, you can't electrocute someone without an electric current.
My spear lodged in its left eye.
While Cid's sword lodged in its right eye.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The monster screamed due to the damage to its eyes.
The spear was in its eye; it was closed, while Cid's... I couldn't see from my position.
◇◇◇
Cid buried his sword in Xerxes's eye.
But because they both failed to synchronize their attacks, it only made it angry.
The water entered through its eye, so Xerxes closed it.
The water continued to accumulate there, flowing down inside to reach its brain.
Xerxes shook itself because the amount of water that entered was the size of an Olympic swimming pool.
While in its other eye, it closed it due to pain.
Now it was more annoyed than before.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
It advanced quickly due to its large size.
Now, in just a few minutes, it would reach the capital.
Cid approached Razel and shook him from side to side.
"You stupid idiot, you should have told me that beforehand!"
"Now it's faster and will go destroy the capital!"
"Sorry!"
Razel cried because his perfect plan was sabotaged by himself.
Xerxes advanced with great strides.
Until someone stood in front of it.
"I'm sorry for getting ahead, instructor."
An injured man was several meters ahead.
It was Goredolph.
"You still haven't woken up, so I'll have to take the fun for myself."
He stretched his hand towards the sky.
A huge circle manifested.
It was almost 40 meters in diameter.
"She asked me not to use it, but it's a very problematic situation."
His hand bled from the tips of his fingers.
It seemed to be burning.
"But... there's no other choice."
"Ifrit's Pillar..."
With his words, the skies lit up with an intense orange color.
"Cruel..."
The orange color changed to red.
"Sun..."
And various amounts of fireballs fell from the sky like meteors.
The size was round enough to resemble a small planet.
The fireballs approached Xerxes, and in less than a blink, they touched its back, tail, and head.
A great explosion took over the area, filling it with flames.
The surrounding ships were hit by the heatwave even after moving away.
Cid and Razel escaped on the Pegasus so that heatwave wouldn't catch them.
Goredolph was in the center where those flames would devour him alive.
But... it didn't happen.
As if he had a protective shield, the flames surrounded him, and instead, a cool breeze hit him.
His eyes closed after the explosion concluded.
Immediately, he fainted.
His wounds from earlier strikes didn't close. Contrary to the wound made by his magic, it healed on its own as if it had never happened.
Razel, Cid, and the others watched to see if it was all over.
Shouts of joy were heard that everything had ended.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Xerxes screamed, looking like a burnt marshmallow once the smoke cloud cleared.
It was more annoyed than before.
Its white color was now black.
Its left eye was open because the flames had burned the spear.
While the right eye was dry and couldn't open it.
It screamed with such fury that it didn't stop.
The hope of defeating it was now diminishing, and the capital's end was closer.
That was, until a small boat approached once again towards the front.
In it were the girls.
◇◇◇
"What can we do?" Said Lily, who was covered in blood.
It wasn't hers, but from the dead wyverns.
"Couldn't even they or a sword saint do anything?"
The girls saw Razel, who was alive; they were so happy that they energetically pressed their bodies together.
Their large breasts pressed firmly against each other.
They watched him make a combined attack with Cid, but it failed.
Then, they watched Goredolph fight, but he also failed.
They didn't know what to do; if no one could defeat that monster, the capital would be lost.
"... Huh?"
Suddenly Lily turned her head.
She seemed confused.
"... Yes?"
"Lily-chan?"
Eli watched her friend, who was turning around looking for someone.
She walked as if someone had called her.
"Is something wrong?"
"A voice. Didn't you just hear a voice just now?"
"No. No one is calling us."
"I... heard a voice. That voice called my name."
"There it is again!"
Once more, Lily turned around and went to look for where the "voice" was coming from.
Eli went after her since she entered the inside of the ship.
Running behind her friend, she shouted.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"The voice! There's a voice calling me!"
"Over here. It says to come."
The two ran until they reached the lower part of the ship.
The place was almost destroyed, but among all the debris, the sunlight illuminated only one part.
It was a motorboat.
Lily approached to take Eli's hand.
"The voice says that only we can save them!"
"Huh?"
Eli didn't understand what her friend was talking about, but she didn't hesitate.
"I-I don't understand anything you're saying, but I trust my friend."
"Thank you."
They hugged each other in a tender way.
This time, their breasts only touched in the center part.
Once they got on, they headed straight, face to face with Xerxes.
Eli knew a little about boats, but she wasn't an expert at handling them.
Several times they wobbled, and they got scared.
That's how they ended up in that place.
"Now what do we do? It's coming straight for us."
They could see Xerxes angrily heading straight to strike them.
The capital was just a few meters away.
Xerxes's figure must have already been visible to them.
Lily stretched her hands forward.
One of them touched Eli's hand.
"Eli-chan, lend me your power."
"My power?"
"That's right. The voice says that only we can make it retreat."
"How?"
Lily began to glow slightly.
"The power of our love... it says. Or friendship or something like that. It speaks strange things and only said that, and I didn't hear it again."
"... Really?"
Eli didn't understand what her friend was talking about, but she trusted her, so she decided to use a more powerful spell.
Her free hand was forward. Lily's glow covered Eli in the same white blanket.
When Xerxes was a meter away from striking them.
Something that only happened in the game occurred.
"Light magic: Wall of Avalon!"
"Fire magic: Apollo's Fireball!"
A wall of transparent light grew from the ground.
When Xerxes approached, it was hit by that invisible wall.
Its head was almost fracturing.
Green blood gushed out in spurts.
Xerxes's entire body was also hit.
Then a large fireball grew from where Eli was standing.
She was still holding it, making it grow.
It was noticeable that she was suffering.
But she, with all her strength, made the fireball grow to its maximum allowed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh!"
Eli screamed, and the fireball shot out at great speed.
It impacted against the wall of light and, like a fishing net, pushed it backward.
Xerxes, with all its strength, tried to destroy the invisible wall.
But it only hurt itself.
The wall, pushed by the fireballs, made it retreat so much that it traveled several meters in a matter of seconds.
That was a defensive attack that Lily activated when she was declared a saint.
But for some reason, she was using it.
(How did she know about that ability she would obtain in the future?)
When it seemed the girls were going to defeat it, the wall of light and the fireball disappeared.
That was because both of their magical power was exhausted.
Fatigue was marked on their faces.
They looked like they had run a triathlon.
Their cheeks, red from the strain on their hearts, made them look almost like tomatoes.
They both collapsed in that boat.
◇◇◇
Xerxes was angry.
It was injured, and blood was coming from its body.
The culprits of this damage were obvious.
A couple of girls in a boat.
It was very angry.
It opened its mouth; it was bleeding. Several teeth were broken and had fallen out.
But it didn't care.
It wanted revenge.
The magic circle manifested to finish them.
Razel and Cid were still recovering; they couldn't get close or do anything.
This attack was larger than the previous one, judging by the size of the magic circle.
No one could save the girls... or so anyone would think.
Once again, from the distance, at full speed, its steed flew.
Schwarz.
It was busy fighting the remaining wyverns, but they were killed by Goredolph's attack.
It was watching everything, deciding who to assist.
In the end, the answer was obvious.
With all its power, Schwarz flew straight towards Xerxes.
It knew, better than anyone, that it was absurd.
But...
Its heart didn't hesitate.
Even... if defeat is clearer than water. I will not give up. I swore that until the end, I would fly and make my master win.
Also, I will protect his women.
Because I... am the fastest Pegasus in the world!
Its body shone.
That was because the magic stone inside it was overflowing beyond the permitted limit.
Schwarz was planning to die.
It was the only possibility.
Upon seeing the girls go out into danger, risking their lives despite not being combatants, it thought...
(I know there's no other option... but still, there is no one faster than me.)
(That's why, I ask you to live your lives without regretting what you do. I did; I lamented being useless, but now. I understand that all of that had a reason.)
(And it was this.)
(All this time I was in that place. So that the master would find me. And thus, have my moment of glory.)
(How many Pegasus have done or would do what I did? Obviously none. For that reason, the lightning will give its final flight.)
(I'll crush that damn wretch with all my might!)
Schwarz flew at such great speed that its body was disintegrating.
Xerxes was ready. Its attack was fired.
(Come! I'll show you what the absolute champion is capable of!)
(Uwoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!)
A shockwave hit Schwarz.
Its body was generating a great shield of magical power through the magic stone.
With that shield, it could protect the girls while also gaining speed.
The shield became a true Pegasus with Schwarz in the center.
It galloped in the most beautiful and gallant way while its body broke apart piece by piece.
As if it were being slightly disintegrated.
Schwarz was a shadow of its former self.
Its body now showed its mechanical parts.
It was meters away from Xerxes.
When it got close enough, it saw Razel and Cid.
Razel's eyes and Schwarz's metallic eyes synchronized for a moment.
At that moment, it seemed like Razel saw a smile.
Accompanied by a voice he shouldn't hear.
(Goodbye forever, master. Live happily, and remember that I was always your first Pegasus.)
"Huh?" Said Razel, mysteriously letting out a tear.
When it was now face to face with Xerxes.
The blue hoof was raised along with a heroic cry.
(Eat this! My ultimate attack! Wrath of Chiron!)
The moment they touched, a pillar of light was sent up to the sky.
While the light illuminated that place.
In its center, two events could be observed.
One was Xerxes being torn apart; its skull was opening.
Its brain was visible to all.
While at a smaller point, there was what was once a black steed.
It disintegrated little by little until its core, which was visible, broke.
Schwarz's "life" ended like that of a champion.
Once the light disappeared.
Xerxes screamed in pain.
"ROOAAHH!"
"ROOAAHH!"
"ROOAAHH!"
Its pain was very evident.
It tried to escape now that it had suffered a very damaging attack.
But...
"We won't let you!"
Two voices from the distance approached at great speed.
Being close to its brain, the two people who were riding a Pegasus made a great leap.
The steed crashed into the trees while those two figures drew swords.
One of them imbued it with water, and the other materialized an astral sword.
It was covering it with a very powerful lightning bolt.
The strange thing was that those people had tears in their eyes.
"I don't know why I'm crying, but I won't let you escape!"
"How dare you destroy my partner, you fucking son of a bitch!"
In a combined attack, they both shouted.
"Fury of the Elemental Titans!"
"ROOAAHH!"
Once the swords embedded in Xerxes's brain, water and electricity coursed through it.
Its brain was pink, but as seconds passed, it turned black.
After almost two minutes.
The brain was completely charred and fell to the ground.
A great tremor occurred.
And so, that's how the combined work of different people served to defeat a terrifying creature.
While they were both sitting on the fried brain of Xerxes, Cid said.
"Razel, don't relax."
"...?"
"We managed to finish off this monster. But remember that the main event today was the duel."
"And?"
"You committed an insult against the imperial family. Me too; we both challenged the prince who is in the line of succession to the throne."
"..."
"... Still don't understand? Fine."
Cid took a deep breath before collapsing to rest.
In the distance, ships from the capital could be seen approaching.
"We'll have to meet the scariest person in the world. None other than the emperor himself. My father."
"... Huh?"
"Undoubtedly, explaining the reason for a duel will be the most annoying part. If he gets bored or finds it offensive, we'll both die instantly."
"Eeh?!"
That day ended, leaving great news throughout the empire.