The chimera pulled out of its dive, having achieved impressive results.
With just a single strike, it had brought down three Eagle Guards, prompting the monsters of Cinder Nest to erupt in fervent cheers. Even the wyverns—creatures usually proud and unruly, yielding to none save the red dragon—raised their heads and screeched in approval.
*Roar—*
Pleased with itself, the three-headed monster let out an exhilarating roar from all three heads at once.
It beat its wings furiously, riding the air currents back upward to set up its next strike.
"Monster, your opponent is me!"
A dark shadow swept past the chimera from behind.
Alger's superb riding skills and the giant eagle's aerial prowess combined to let the bird ride the slipstream of the chimera's flight, placing them squarely in its blind spot.
He leaned forward and slashed out with his sharp greatsword, carving open the chimera's tough hide.
Blood sprayed into the air.
*Awoo!*
Feeling the wound on its back, the chimera let out a furious howl.
Immediately pivoting in midair, it whipped its thick draconic tail around with tremendous force, lashing out at the space right behind it.
"Igor!"
Alger called out to his partner, clamping his legs tight.
Understanding him instantly, the giant eagle rolled and banked in midair, deftly slipping past the blow.
With its tail striking empty air, the chimera flew into a rage. Accelerating forward, it twisted its dragon head around and spewed a blast of searing fiery breath at the guardsman trailing it.
*Boom—*
Flames roared through the air.
Yet the chimera's neck clearly could not turn in all directions.
Steering the giant eagle with one hand, Alger needed only a slight tilt to evade the fiery breath. Capitalizing on their superior maneuverability, they banked upward again, right into the chimera's blind spot directly above.
*Whoever controls the sky controls everything,* the old instructor had often told them.
Seeing this guardsman clinging stubbornly to its tail, the chimera dove once more.
*Whoosh—*
Relying on its familiarity with the terrain, it flared its dragon wings to brake instantly, aiming to send the guardsman crashing headfirst into the cliff face.
Alger refused to take the bait.
He simply followed at an unhurried pace, turning with calm deliberation.
Yet as he turned, his eagle-sharp eyes caught a subtle detail.
The chimera's left wing opened half a beat slower than the right.
It was only a fraction of a second, but Alger caught it.
"Its left wing has an old injury!" Alger said, excited.
He stroked the feathers beneath him, and with a piercing screech, the giant eagle dove.
*Slash—*
This time, the blade cut across the chimera's hind leg.
When dealing with massive beasts, Alger was exceptionally patient.
He never expected a single strike to kill. Instead, he wanted to use his maneuverability to bleed the creature dry, cut by cut.
Against such monsters, a patient hunter often reaped his trophy, whereas a rash hothead would usually lose his life under an incidental trample.
Barbarians, of course, were the exception.
Knowing the chimera had an old wing injury and could not easily change directions, the Eagle Guard captain grew even bolder in his assault.
This time, the giant eagle hovered directly below the monster's belly.
"Action Surge!"
Alger's muscles swelled, and his movements accelerated abruptly.
In the span of mere seconds, he unleashed several consecutive strikes. Every blow sliced through the tough lion hide, digging deep into flesh and bone, even grazing the chimera's vulnerable internal organs.
*Howl—*
The chimera wailed in agonizing pain. Fighting through the hurt, it swiped downward with its claws.
By then, however, the eagle knight had already slipped to its flank, spotting the next opening.
"Cleave!"
Just as one swing finished, Alger flowed directly into a horizontal slash, cleanly carving open the chimera's downward-swiping paw.
The chimera wailed again, all three heads rearing up together.
Eagle feathers fluttered, and blood showered the sky.
Guided by Alger's superb technique, the giant eagle darted around the chimera again and again—across its back, flanks, and belly. His greatsword drew spurts of blood time after time, while the chimera struggled to touch even a single feather.
Such was the difference between a beast and a warrior.
The wyverns beat their wings and tried to move up in support, but they could barely protect themselves.
Before long, each wyvern was encircled and harassed by a small squad of seven or eight Eagle Guards. They could do nothing but thrash in futile rage, hissing and shrieking while stinging wildly with their tails.
"Igor, flank it from the left."
A trace of excitement colored Alger's voice; slaying such massive beasts never failed to make his blood pump.
"I'm going to hack this beast's wings off!"
*Skre—!*
With a piercing screech, Alger and the giant eagle plummeted like a dark streak, hurtling toward the disoriented chimera.
Just as his greatsword was about to sever the dragon wing—
"*Fireball!*"
A blazing sphere of fire shot toward the giant eagle from the ground.
Langpu, the ogre mage, had been observing from below for a long time, waiting for an opening when they let their guard down.
"Igor!" Alger shouted, twisting his torso to shift their heading.
Mid-dive, the giant eagle wrenched itself sideways, barely evading the exploding blast of the fireball.
Only the tips of its right wing feathers were grazed by the flames, leaving behind a scorched black streak.
However, having been forced into an evasive maneuver, its posture in the air became awkward.
Snapping back to its senses, the chimera realized this was a rare opportunity. The accumulating wounds had driven it near madness, leaving it desperate to vent its pent-up rage.
With a thunderous roar, it swung its lion paw violently.
*Smack!*
Feathers scattered, and blood sprayed.
The giant eagle and its rider were knocked back more than a dozen meters.
Yet even after taking such an impact and tumbling through the air, Alger kept his legs locked tight, refusing to fall from his mount.
"Igor, to the right!"
Not only did he stay mounted, but by shifting his center of gravity, he helped the injured eagle regain its balance, spreading its wings to restore basic flight.
Seeing Alger still airborne, the chimera grew even angrier, lunging straight at him once more.
"Eagle Guards, converge!"
"The chimera is on its last legs!"
Alger raised his longsword high.
The Eagle Guards skirmishing with the wyverns immediately broke away. From all directions, they encircled the chimera, preparing to resume their coordinated harassment.
Arrows hailed from every angle, occasionally followed by a lance charge from the rear.
Covered in wounds, the chimera was overwhelmed.
Though not particularly intelligent, it knew the situation was turning dire. It could no longer endure the relentless harassment of these wretched 'flies.'
All three of the chimera's heads let out hoarse roars. It made several feigned lunges, and the moment the Eagle Guards scattered to dodge, it faked another strike and turned to flee.
It wanted to retreat into a cave and hold out from within.
Alger saw through the chimera's intent in an instant.
"It's trying to run!"
"Eagle Guards, prepare for a squadron charge!"
Chapter 31