Reincarnation of the magicless Pinoy!
From zero to Hero
" No magic?,No Problem!"
Encounter 22: Apex
The masked man's blade darted forward, a silver flash aimed for Pete's exposed side. Pete froze, too slow to react, his mouth opening to shout—
—but the strike halted midair. Steel quivered inches from his ribs, the masked man suddenly jerking back as the ground shook beneath them.
A deafening roar tore through the trees, raw and primal, rattling their bones. Every instinct screamed danger as something massive descended, snapping branches like twigs. The ground cracked under the weight of its landing.
"A… a… a wyvern!" the masked man stammered, his confident tone breaking. His hands trembled, knuckles white around his weapon. "A red wyvern!?"
Even Ren's usual calm cracked, and Tessa's face went pale. Pete stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own staff.
Red wyverns were nightmares even for seasoned hunters. Ordinary wyverns were dangerous enough—predatory, territorial, fast. But a red wyvern? That was something else entirely. They were apex variants, stronger, faster, and far more aggressive. Their blood was said to burn like acid, their scales hard enough to deflect most weapons, and their fire breath could melt through steel. Entire hunting parties had been wiped out by a single one.
And now one stood before them, wings half-spread, its crimson scales glinting like molten armor.
Ren froze, his bowstring half-drawn, as the masked man's voice cracked with raw panic. The ground trembled under the creature's weight, loose stones bouncing like pebbles on a drum. The red-scaled wyvern stood before them, its body coiled and tense, wings folded tight but ready to snap open. Its crimson hide glistened under the moonlight, a living furnace of muscle and scale, and every breath it exhaled sent a ripple of heat through the cold night air.
Tessa's blades shifted slightly in her grip, sweat beading at her temple. "A red wyvern… of all things…" she muttered, keeping her stance low. Even she couldn't hide the unease in her voice.
Pete swallowed hard, his hands trembling around his staff. "W-why is he panicking like that? It's just another wyvern, right?"
Ren didn't answer immediately. His sharp eyes were locked on the creature's slit pupils, which glowed like coals. "No, Pete. Red wyverns aren't common. They're apex variants," he finally said, voice tight. "Their strength's on a different level. They're not just beasts—they're territory rulers. Fire-breathing, armor like steel, and meaner than anything else in the skies. They don't show up unless something's forcing them out… or something's worth killing for."
The masked man had dropped his dagger slightly, taking a step back. "You don't get it," he hissed. "A red wyvern can melt through iron like wax. They don't retreat, they don't warn. If it's here, something's bad enough to wake it—or it's hungry enough to eat everything moving."
The wyvern's head swung toward them, jaws parting just enough to reveal rows of jagged teeth. A low growl rumbled from its throat, like a forge ready to erupt. Ren slowly lowered his bow, his mind racing. "Rolien's going to want to know about this," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "But first… we stay alive."
The red wyvern's wings began to unfurl.
"It's being lured here," Ren said, firing an arrow that barely scraped the wyvern's scaled hide. "The smell of those assassins' bait is drawing it in—same trick they used to lure the drake Rolien's team is fighting. If we don't destroy that lure, more of these things will show up."
"W-what's the plan, Ren?!" Pete stammered, gripping his staff tighter.
"We fight, Pete," Tessa called out from her position, pressed against the trunk of a thick tree. "We'll hold this one off while you find the lure and destroy it—fast!"
"What? Why me?!" Pete blurted out, panic in his voice.
Ren whipped his head toward him, glaring. "Bruh?! Do you want to fight this lizard?!"
"Of course not!" Pete shot back.
"Then go!" Tessa barked. She didn't wait for him to argue again—she sprinted forward, her boots digging into the dirt, before launching herself into a flying kick that smashed into an assassin just as the red wyvern's tail came crashing down, nearly flattening the man.
"Man,I'm always doing shitty things like this" he said while crying.
Pete's boots slapped against the uneven stone, his breath coming out in sharp bursts as he weaved between fallen bodies and shattered weapons. The air stank of blood and smoke, and above it all, the screech of the red wyvern tore through the chaos. Its wings beat like thunder, scattering dirt and debris with every gust.
Ren's arrows whistled past him, a few finding their mark in the beast's scaled hide, but they barely slowed it down. Tessa, blades gleaming, met the creature head-on, cutting down assassins that got in her way, her movements sharp and deliberate. She barked something at Ren, but the roar of the wyvern swallowed her words.
"Come on, come on, where is it?" Pete muttered, half-crawling, half-running as he ducked behind a shattered column. His hands were shaking, not just from fear but from the weight of knowing this was his job. Somewhere among the rubble was the damned lure—the thing pulling this nightmare straight to them.
The wyvern's tail smashed into the ground behind him with a crack that sent dust and stone flying. Pete hit the dirt, covering his head, heart hammering. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" he yelled again, his voice breaking. He rolled to the side just as the spiked tail ripped through where he'd been crouched.
"Mommy!. Man, that was close!" He scrambled to his feet, still muttering to himself like a man running from his own funeral. "I should've listened to big sis, opened a shop, sold herbs or trinkets, anything but this. Why did I join? Why?"
But he kept moving, eyes scanning every inch of ground, mind racing. Somewhere in this chaos, the lure waited, and if he didn't find it soon, none of them were walking out alive.
Pete's eyes darted across the rocky terrain, scanning every shadow and broken piece of rubble for the damned thing that had been throwing them off. His heart was still pounding from the last close call when suddenly—a faint glimmer. A strange, pulsating glow half-hidden under a collapsed tree trunk.
"T-that's…?! That's it!" Pete's voice cracked as his hand shot out, pointing at the lure. "Hey guys! I found it!"
Tessa didn't even look at him, already mid-swing with her twin blades keeping the wyvern's attention. "What are you waiting for?! Destroy it, idiot!" she barked, her tone sharp enough to cut through the chaos.
"Right! Right!" Pete yelped. He fumbled with his staff, nearly dropping it as he skidded into position. Sweat stung his eyes, but he forced a deep breath, steadying his hands. Energy gathered at the tip of his staff, swirling into a small but volatile sphere of orange flame.
"C'mon… just like practice… big target, can't miss…" he muttered, more to himself than anyone. Then he thrust the staff forward.
The fireball shot out with a whoosh, arcing through the air before slamming into the lure. The pulse of light flared once—then burst apart with a dull, satisfying boom, shards of mana scattering like sparks.
Pete's boots kicked up dirt as he sprinted, his cloak flaring like a panicked banner behind him. The fireball he launched had done its job—the lure shattered in a bright flash—but it also painted a massive target on his back.
The red wyvern's head snapped toward him, eyes burning like molten gold, its maw still slick with the blood of the last unfortunate assassin it devoured. With a guttural roar, the beast lowered its stance and charged, each thunderous step shaking the ground.
"Oh shiiiet," Pete muttered, his voice cracking, before yelling, "Gahhhh, Ren! You dumb ass!! Do something! I don't want to be this giant lizard's next meal!"
He zigzagged frantically, barely keeping ahead as the wyvern gained speed. The sound of its claws raking the earth was too close for comfort.
Up on the ridge, Ren cursed, already loosing arrows as fast as his fingers could draw. "You're the one who blasted the lure, you idiot! Keep running!"
"Not helping!" Pete shot back, ducking just as the wyvern's jaw snapped shut where his head had been a heartbeat ago. The heat of its breath washed over him, sulfur and blood stinging his nose.
Rolien, watching from the side, gritted his teeth. "Keep it busy! Brag, Solis, be ready! That thing's blood is running hot—we only get one clean shot!"
The wyvern roared again, sending a gust of wind strong enough to stagger Pete mid-run.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Pete yelped, weaving through scattered boulders as the monster plowed after him, smashing aside anything in its path.
Pete's lungs burned, every breath ragged as he bolted through the uneven terrain. The wyvern was relentless, its massive frame weaving with terrifying agility, claws shredding stone like paper. One misstep and he was done.
"Ren, I swear if I die here I'm haunting you!" Pete yelled, voice cracking as he leapt over a broken tree root.
Ren didn't answer, too focused, his bow singing as arrow after arrow streaked through the air. Each one sparked against the wyvern's crimson scales, drawing its attention just enough to keep it swerving, slowing it a fraction. "Tessa! Left flank!" he barked.
"On it!" she called back. From the treeline, Tessa erupted like a blur of silver and steel, her twin blades flashing as she cut across the wyvern's foreleg. Sparks flew; the beast roared in rage, swinging its massive tail.
"Move!" Ren shouted.
Tessa dove, the tail whipping past and obliterating a cluster of boulders where she'd been standing a second earlier. Shards of rock scattered like shrapnel.
Meanwhile, Pete stumbled into a narrow gulch, the walls rising on either side. "Oh no, no, no—bad idea!" he wheezed, realizing too late that he'd trapped himself. He spun, the wyvern's shadow already blotting out the light behind him.
The beast lunged.
A flash of blue light ripped past Pete's shoulder, slamming into the wyvern's face. The explosion rocked the gulch, forcing the creature's head aside. Solis's voice carried from behind, calm but sharp. "Keep your feet moving, Pete. We can't save you twice."
"Working on it!" Pete cried, bolting toward the opposite side, his boots scraping for purchase.
Brag was there, shield planted, muscles straining as he intercepted the creature's next swipe. The impact thundered through the ground, but Brag held, grunting through clenched teeth. "Rowan! Now would be a damn good time!"
Rolien—Rowan to the Hawks—was already moving, jaw tight, his mechanical arm glowing faintly. "I see it," he muttered. "Ren, keep its head busy. Tessa, stay low. Solis, pin its legs."
The wyvern sensed the shift in their movements, lifting its head to roar again.
"Pete!" Tessa's voice cut through the chaos. "Get clear!"
Pete didn't hesitate this time. He dove behind a ridge, heart hammering, as the Hawks shifted from pure survival to coordinated assault.
Rowan's arm whirred, the gauntlet unfolding like a predator baring fangs. "Let's clip your wings," he growled, before launching himself forward, every step cracking the earth.
"Thank God you guys are here! I'm save! You done with the massive lizard?" Pete asked
" Yeah, among other things. Yeah.but I can see you guys has a slight hiccups here" brag replied with a smile.
few minutes earlier – Rolien's POV
The ground trembled under the weight of the raging earth drake. Its scales were torn and bleeding, its movements wild and desperate—a cornered beast on its last legs. But even weakened, every swing of its jagged tail sent shockwaves across the battlefield.
Brag stood at the front like a wall of iron, his massive shield braced against the beast's charge. The impact rang like thunder, the shield digging furrows into the earth as Brag's boots skidded back. "Hold the line!" he roared, veins bulging in his neck as he absorbed the force.
With a grunt, he shoved back, slamming the edge of his great sword into the ground to steady himself before swinging it upward in a brutal arc. The blade carved across the drake's flank, sending a spray of molten blood sizzling onto the rocks.
"Nice hit!" Rolien called, his jawbreaker arm snapping forward like a coiled serpent. The reinforced fist slammed into the drake's shoulder with a crunch, forcing the beast to stagger. Its claws lashed back, but Solis intercepted with a sharp burst of arcane energy, the spell crackling like a whip across its snout.
"We're close! Don't let up!" Solis shouted, already preparing another spell.
The drake roared, shaking the air, chunks of earth rising and floating from the sheer pressure of its rage. Brag lifted his shield again, teeth gritted, while Rolien rolled his shoulders, jawbreaker arm whirring, ready to end it.
Brag slammed his massive shield into the ground with a thundering crash, the steel edge carving a trench as the drake's talons struck. Sparks flew as its claws scraped the shield, but Brag held firm, teeth gritted, muscles bulging as he braced against the impact. His great sword hung ready in his other hand, a brutal slab of sharpened steel, but for now, he was the immovable wall keeping the beast's fury at bay.
"Move it! I can't hold this thing forever!" Brag bellowed, the weight of the drake rattling his bones.
Rolien didn't answer. He was already moving. His eyes narrowed, the world slowing around him as he gripped the hilt of the slender, curved blade gifted by the Emperor himself—a weapon that whispered of blood and honor. The drake reared back to swipe again, but Rolien sprinted straight toward it, boots pounding on broken stone.
The system chimed in his mind, a sharp tone like the striking of steel.
> [Skill Fusion detected: Quick Slash + Charge Break]
New skill created: Equinox Apex Slash – Lv.1
A grin touched Rolien's lips. "Perfect timing."
He ducked low, letting the drake's tail sweep over him, then dropped into a controlled slide. Both knees folded sharply, the motion smooth and deliberate, like a rock star sliding across a stage. Dust exploded around him as he shot under the drake's belly, its scales just above his head. His blade glowed—a sharp arc of silver and black, the weight of a charge condensed into the razor precision of a slash.
"Equinox… Apex Slash!"
The katana tore upward in a savage diagonal cut. The sound was like splitting stone. The slash carried the momentum of his charge and the explosive force of his jawbreaker strike in one flawless motion. The drake never even screamed—its body just convulsed, a dark line flashing across its underside. Then, a heartbeat later, blood erupted in a crimson wave.
The beast collapsed mid-motion, crashing to the ground in a shower of dirt and shattered stone, its lifeless head lolling to the side. Rolien came out of the slide in a kneel, katana resting at his hip, the faint hum of the skill fading.
He exhaled slowly, calm settling over him even as the system chimed again.
> [Target eliminated. Skill proficiency increased.]
Brag's jaw nearly dropped as the drake's corpse hit the ground with a thunderous crash, its severed head rolling a few feet before stopping. "What the hell was that?!" he blurted, eyes wide. The big man's greatshield was still raised, but his grip loosened as if he'd forgotten he was in a fight.
Solis, usually calm and calculating, was speechless for a second. His staff lowered slightly, his face caught between disbelief and a grin. "Sliding on your knees while slicing a drake clean in half… I almost feel sorry for the thing." He gave a short, incredulous laugh, shaking his head.
Rolien didn't speak. He pressed the flat of his blade against his forearm, the cold steel catching the dappled light of the forest. With a swift, fluid motion, he dragged the edge across his forearm cloth, wiping the blood neatly along the fabric. Without missing a beat, he slid the sword from its scabbard in one smooth, controlled motion, the blade gleaming sharply as if hungry for the next fight. His expression sharpened, focus returning instantly.
Before he could speak, a piercing, guttural roar echoed through the forest, shaking branches and scattering birds into the sky. It was higher-pitched than the drake's—it wasn't another drake.
Solis's smile vanished. "Wyvern," he said sharply, his tone shifting to cold focus.
Brag was already turning toward the sound, his shield locking back into position with a heavy clank. "Then we don't have time to celebrate. Move!"
The three exchanged quick, wordless glances—there was no hesitation. Rolien tightened his grip on the hilt, his boots hammering against the dirt as they bolted toward the source of the roar.
…against the jagged stones beneath him. He rocketed through the air, Jawbreaker Punchline primed like a coiled spring. His target: the wyvern's massive wings, muscles bulging as they stretched skyward.
With a sharp click, the gauntlet extended, and Rowan's fist shot forward in a blur of motion, slamming into the wyvern's left wing. Sparks erupted where the metal met scale, and a shriek of pain echoed from the beast as it staggered, one wing folding awkwardly. He swung his legs around, twisting in midair, and his punch hooked around the wingtip, tearing at sinew with brutal precision.
Brag didn't wait. He charged under the wyvern's belly, shield raised high. The first swipe of the creature's tail slammed into the shield with a ground-shaking crack, but Brag's stance held firm. He pivoted, slicing upward with his greatsword in a clean, sweeping arc, aiming at the wyvern's exposed underbelly as it shifted to strike Rowan.
Solis floated a few feet off the ground, staff glowing with arcs of ice and lightning. He muttered quietly, and the runes along the shaft erupted, sending a chain of freezing sparks along the wyvern's legs. Its movement slowed, claws dragging through dirt as icy sparks popped off scales. "Pin it!" Solis instructed, voice cool but commanding.
Tessa, agile as a striking serpent, ducked under a claw, her blades flashing in tandem. She slashed at the wyvern's forelegs, sparks flying where steel met hardened crimson scales. "Ren, keep hitting its head! Make it regret chasing the brat!"
Ren didn't hesitate. Arrow after arrow streaked through the air, each finding gaps in the wyvern's armor. One slammed into its eye socket, forcing a massive roar that shook the forest. The creature twisted violently, wings flaring, but Rowan was already sliding under its belly, knees bent like a rockstar in mid-slide, sword drawn in a downward arc. He pressed the flat of the katana against his forearm, wiping the gore in a smooth motion, and then unsheathed it cleanly.
With a guttural shout, Rowan combined his momentum with a powerful forward lunge. The katana cut like lightning, a perfect, fluid strike aimed along the creature's midsection, while his mechanical arm rocket-punched into the wyvern's chest. The explosion of force cracked ribs and scales alike, sending the beast crashing into a cliffside.
The red wyvern screeched, thrashing violently, but the Hawks weren't done. Brag's shield absorbed a tail swipe, and he swung upward, catching the beast under its chin with brutal force. Solis unleashed a torrent of frost, locking its legs in place as shards of ice raked across the body. Tessa landed on its shoulder, twin blades stabbing downward, while Ren loosed one last volley into the wyvern's eye.
The forest echoed with the final, pained roar of the red wyvern as it collapsed, wings folding awkwardly against the dirt. Silence followed, punctuated only by the ragged breaths of the Asher Hawks.
Rowan stood atop a rock, katana and mechanical arm gleaming, surveying the battlefield. "That… should hold it," he muttered, voice low, still ready for whatever came next.
Brag leaned on his greatsword, shield at the ready. "Kid… you really are breaking the limits. That was insane."
Solis, calm as ever but with a trace of awe, nodded once. "I didn't think it possible to bring one down like that. Not even close to normal."
The trio exchanged quick glances, then the distant sound of pounding wings reminded them—they weren't out of danger yet.
To be continued...