The moment I laid eyes on the dragonian, I knew—defeating him was impossible. The gap in power was simply too vast. And with Dragon’s Roar, the dragonian race’s near-invincible secret weapon, there was no hope of victory.

  But I wasn’t here to win. I had only one goal in mind: to buy enough time until reinforcements arrived.

  After assessing the situation, I found three reasons that gave me the courage to stand before this formidable opponent.

  First, I sensed no hostility from him. He didn’t seem eager to fight—if anything, he looked like he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. There was no malice in his eyes.

  Second, he wasn’t in perfect condition. The cursed mark etched onto his right arm was undoubtedly taking a heavy toll on his body, draining his strength remarkably.

  And lastly—the most important reason of all—I knew exactly what he was after.

  I needed to quickly make my move.

  The first step was to call for reinforcements. That was why I deliberately launched a barrage of attacks in his direction. I knew none of my strikes would land—not against a Dragonian Warrior. But my true target wasn’t him. It was the Sacred Bell atop Aeloria’s Keep.

  That bell was an emergency signal for the druids. If I could make it ring, the elder druids would come rushing here without a doubt.

  The next step was, of course, to stall for time. Thanks to my extensive knowledge of the game, I knew exactly why this dragonian was here. He had stolen druid artifacts—materials needed to cure the Dragon’s Curse afflicting his right arm. And I also recognized the pattern of that curse. It belonged to Jahad, one of the most infamous noble families among the dragonians.

  But then, something unexpected happened. Somehow, I was able to withstand the suffocating pressure of his Dragon’s Fear aura. It was still crushingly intense, but I forced myself to appear unaffected and took a step forward.

  This was my chance. I wasn’t about to waste it.

  I surged forward, using Windstride to close the distance in an instant. At the same time, I activated Tempest Shield.

  It was a gamble. Aside from Dragon’s Roar, a Dragonian Warrior wielding a spear should rely primarily on physical attacks. And Tempest Shield—my newly acquired spell—could deflect all physical damage for a short period. There were a few exceptions, of course, but I had no choice but to assume the best.

  Then, at the perfect moment, I activated another new spell—Inner Beast.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Its effect was simple but overwhelming: it tripled my strength for a single strike.

  Without hesitation, I aimed straight for his weakened right side. This was it—the moment I had been waiting for.

  Slowly, I opened my trembling hand, revealing the Verdant Heart I had taken from the dragonian’s belt.

  I was lucky—just as I secured it, reinforcements arrived, drawing his attention away.

  “Leafshade! Are you alright?” The Elder Druids rushed toward me, their voices filled with worry.

  They must have panicked at the sight of my condition. I was barely holding myself up, my hands and knees pressed against the ground. My entire body trembled uncontrollably, my head hung low, and my breath came in ragged gasps. The impact from Dragon’s Roar had sent me flying several meters, leaving me utterly drained. That was the sheer power of a dragonian’s might—enough to render me completely helpless.

  With great effort, I slowly lifted my head, my voice heavy with regret. Extending my hand, I showed them the Verdant Heart resting in my palm.

  “…I-I’m sorry. I couldn’t retrieve the Moonlit Branch back.”

  My words came out in a whisper, thick with guilt.

  ***

  When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a bed. The first thing I noticed was the faint tremble in my hands—a lingering effect of Dragon's Roar. "What a cheat character," I muttered under my breath.

  “Heeey! He’s awake!” A familiar voice rang out, followed by an excited squeal. Sable was practically bouncing with joy, her energy radiating around the room. As I scanned the space, I saw several Druids gathered around me—Elowen, Kaelen, and a few others I couldn't quite place at the moment.

  Sable and Orin stood together, their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Their eyes were red, puffy, with tear stains still visible on their cheeks. They had clearly been crying. In one corner of the room, Instructor Vallen stood with her usual stiff posture, her face tense and unreadable.

  Then, the Archdruid stepped forward, his expression calm and warm, a gentle smile gracing his features. "I’m relieved to see you’re alright. The trembling should subside in a few hours." He paused before adding, "What you've done is truly remarkable, Leafshade. Thanks to you, we've reclaimed the Verdant Heart."

  His words brought back flashes of my final moments before losing consciousness—the battle, the crushing presence of dragonian, the overwhelming surge of energy…

  "But what about the Moonlit Branch?" I asked, my voice betraying my concern.

  The Archdruid nodded, his tone reassuring. "Don’t worry. We’ll recreate it in the next sacred ritual."

  I knew full well the sacrifice that would require. But I stayed silent.

  He placed a hand gently on my shoulder before standing taller. "For now, you should rest. Tomorrow, we’ll prepare something special for you." With that, he turned and walked slowly out of the healing chamber.

  I stayed motionless, unsure how to react. Something special? For me? I managed a weak nod before lying back down.

  Once the Archdruid had left, the young druids erupted into eager conversation.

  "Did you really defeat a dragonian?" "How did you even manage to reclaim the artifact?" "Someone said you withstood the full force of a Dragon’s Fear. How is that even possible?"

  “Alright, that’s enough. Don’t overwhelm him,” Instructor Vallen’s firm voice cut through the chatter. "Let him rest."

  At her command, the group slowly filtered out of the room, one by one.

  Just as she was about to leave, I called out to her. "Instructor... What will the Archdruid prepare for me?"

  She turned with a mysterious smile. "You’ll find out soon enough. But I’ll tell you this—you’ll be receiving a great reward." She winked before slipping out of the room.

  as long as it’s not a photo of an elder druid in a bikini, we’re good.

  real treasure? Your support.