Time resumed its flow, and Daniel felt the golden warmth of Lysandra's blessing pulsing through his veins. His body felt as light as air, as if every fiber of his being could leap above the stars.
But the roar of the giant serpent quickly made him forget any sense of lightness. The creature, tens of meters long, undulated with terrifying power. Its scales shimmered under the sunlight, its vertebrae clashing and rippling with every movement, and its jaws seemed capable of crushing an entire tree in a single snap.
Daniel took a deep breath and, as if speaking directly to the readers, declared:
—"Alright… Daniel, show them you're the main hero. And you, dear reader, hold on tight: this is going to get rough."
He leapt. His newfound powers erupted in waves of light around him. Every punch and kick sent shockwaves through the air, and even the ground beneath the serpent trembled from his impacts. Daniel's jumps were perfectly timed with the serpent's undulations, allowing him to dodge its jaws and strike at vulnerable points along its spine.
The serpent charged, flowing like a river of muscle and vertebrae, its massive tail sweeping the battlefield in a destructive whirlwind. Daniel twisted in midair to strike a vulnerable spot behind the beast's neck. The impact cracked a vertebra with a sharp snap, and the serpent let out a roar that shook Daniel's ears.
—"Okay, okay, I admit… that hurts, but it looks serious!" he shouted, dodging another tail strike that smashed an ancient tree.
Lysandra's golden flames danced around him, amplifying his attacks. Each impact left behind sparks of pure light, illuminating the battlefield and highlighting the fluidity and power of his movements.
Daniel realized he could use his powers to manipulate light to target sensitive areas: the neck joint, the ribs, even the base of the tail, where the massive muscles were more exposed. Each strike combined raw strength with divine precision—a ballet of controlled chaos.
—"Seriously… I probably look ridiculous… but who cares, right?" he muttered, landing awkwardly on a rock after a backflip.
The serpent roared again, contracting its muscles for another charge. Daniel, giving a wink to the reader, prepared to leap even higher, ready to face the second phase of the battle with the energy of divine blessing and the sharp awareness of being the protagonist of this story.
Daniel felt Lysandra's blessing pulsing through his veins, radiating his body with golden light. Every fiber of his being seemed ready to leap, to surpass all limits.
The giant serpent advanced, undulating with terrifying power. Its vertebrae twisted with each movement, its jaws threatened to crush everything in their path, and its scales gleamed with a menacing intensity.
Daniel took a deep breath, a smirk forming on his face.
—"Alright… let's see if your muscles are as tough as your ego, serpentine!" he shouted, his tone mixing audacity and amusement.
He leapt, his legs propelled by Lysandra's blessing. His jumps were lightning-fast, his aerial spins perfectly timed with the serpent's undulations. Every strike landed on its joints, flanks, and massive tail, producing the crunch of vertebrae and agonized roars.
The serpent lashed the ground with its massive tail, and Daniel, with prodigious agility, landed on a rock, slid across the terrain, and struck at the beast's neck. The impact staggered the serpent, sending a roar that reverberated through the battlefield.
—"Well… that's what I call teamwork with gravity!" he joked, springing up just in time to dodge a tail swing that could have crushed anything in its path.
Then his gaze fell on Elise, dangerously close to the serpent. The fear in her eyes made Daniel's heart race.
—"Elise! Hang on… I'm not letting you become its lunch!" he shouted, concentrating all the golden light around him.
With an explosion of energy, Daniel launched a devastating frontal attack. His fists and feet struck in a combination of superhuman speed and power, illuminated by Lysandra's blessing. The serpent roared as it was hurled backward by the force of the impact.
Daniel landed right next to Elise, scooping her into his arms before the creature could reach her. A wave of golden light spread around them, resonating across the battlefield.
The serpent, severely wounded, tried to rise, but its broken vertebrae and uncoordinated movements betrayed its imminent defeat. Daniel, panting but victorious, stood tall, Lysandra's light still shimmering around him.
—"And there we have it… mission accomplished. I think it's safe to say I'm the hero of this chapter!" he said, winking at Elise and letting out a relieved breath.
The serpent, after one final roar, collapsed completely. The battlefield was littered with light, dust, and debris, but most importantly, Elise was safe—and Daniel had proven once and for all that he was the true master of this story.
---
The serpent now lay on the ground, motionless, as if the entire world were holding its breath. Daniel stood proudly, panting but triumphant, while Elise watched him, arms crossed, a half-amused, half-exasperated smile on her face.
—"You defeated… a Category B monster, Type A…" she began, her tone both serious and slightly irritated. "Well… officially, it had been reclassified as an S-rank monster. Yes, S. Because it had killed and wreaked havoc on several Rank A adventures multiple times, even while on defense."
Daniel, thoughtful, tapped his chin and responded with a mischievous smile:
—"Well… that's all true, but…" He made a small theatrical gesture, as if to downplay his feats. "You should never judge by appearances! Rankings are just paper. Me? I preferred… uh… hiding my true strength. Yes, that's it—hiding my true strength!"
Elise raised an eyebrow, her exasperation mixed with disbelief.
—"Hiding your strength? Really, Daniel? After facing an S-rank monster, you allow yourself this kind of…" She shook her head, unable to suppress a small laugh. "…ridiculous arrogance."
Unfazed, Daniel gave a small wink and a slight bow, like an actor savoring his own performance.
—"Thank you, thank you… Grand Zoltan never fears being… a little dramatic."
Elise let out a sigh, though a smile began to appear on her face.
—"You are truly insufferable…" she murmured, while Daniel stood tall, golden light still radiating around him, fully aware that he was the main hero of the story.
The serpent's massive body still lay sprawled across the ground, imposing even in death. Elise crossed her arms, studied it for a moment, then sighed.
—"We can't just leave like this. To validate the quest, we need proof… and its eyes will do just fine."
She immediately leaned forward, pulling a slender dagger from her bag, ready to carve out the beast's eyes. But Daniel darted forward and placed a hand on her arm.
—"No, no, no. Let me handle this."
Before she could protest, Daniel knelt down and pressed both hands to the ground. Strange golden symbols began to shimmer, spreading in concentric circles as though the earth itself was being inscribed with some ancient script. A surge of energy swept across the battlefield, and in an instant, the serpent's corpse was swallowed by the blazing circle, vanishing completely into another dimension.
Silence followed. Elise's eyes widened, filled with shock and suspicion.
—"What… what was that?!" she exclaimed.
Daniel, wearing a smug little grin, simply shrugged.
—"Secret."
—"Secret?!" Elise snapped, her irritation sharp. "Don't think you're getting away with that! You will explain this to me, one way or another!"
But Daniel turned away, practically whistling, as if her voice were nothing but background noise. Elise frowned, sheathed her dagger, and pulled out her pouch of medicinal herbs, tending to her minor scratches all while throwing him piercing, accusatory glances.
Inside, Daniel was laughing. Lysandra's power, now embedded within him, still pulsed through his veins. He felt unstoppable, ready to crush any challenge that dared to rise against him. And though Elise's questions pressed like daggers, he had no intention of laying his cards on the table just yet.
So the two of them resumed their march together—Elise shooting suspicious glares every few steps, Daniel savoring in silence the intoxicating certainty of his newfound strength… and above all, the knowledge that he had just crossed a decisive threshold in his story as a hero.