With my plan set in stone, I sprinted toward the Gyarados. I knew my special attacks wouldn't win a battle of attrition, but if I could hit its eyes, I could at least buy myself an opening.
I have four moves at my disposal... can I learn more later? I should be able to, right? I thought. For now, Energy Ball should do the trick.
I focused, and a sphere of swirling green energy materialized in my palm, growing larger every second until it was nearly as big as my head. I took aim and released it. The sphere hissed through the air at an incredible speed and slammed directly into the Gyarados's left eye.
The beast let out a harrowing scream. The eye I hit was completely obliterated, replaced by a mangled mess of scales and flowing blood.
"So that's how it is," I panted, my heart racing. "Even if they're a much higher level, a well-placed hit on a vital point still deals massive damage. Good to know."
The Gyarados was only stunned for a moment before it began its counterattack. It unhinged its jaw even wider than before. This time, the sphere forming in its mouth wasn't just water—it was a swirling vortex of multiple colors, pulsing with a terrifying, raw power. Hyper Beam.
With an ear-splitting roar, the monster released a beam so massive it was wider than the creature itself. The sound was so intense I felt a sharp pain in my head, and warm blood began to trickle from my ears.
Luckily, the beam was tall but narrow. I threw myself to the side, rolling through the dirt as the beam vaporized the forest behind me. When the light faded, the Gyarados looked visibly drained, its massive head drooping. Its HP was steadily ticking down as it bled out from its ruined eye.
"This is my chance!"
I ran faster than I ever had in my old life. The Gyarados could only watch with its remaining eye as I closed the distance. Just as I reached its shadow, I fired another Energy Ball point-blank into its other eye.
Another scream of agony ripped through the air. The monster was now completely blind, thrashing in a brutal, bloody mess. I leapt onto its massive, scaled body and ran up its length. It tried to shake me off, but its movements were sluggish and weak—the exhaustion from the Hyper Beam and the trauma of losing its sight had sapped its strength.
Finally, I stood upon its neck. I summoned Leaf Blade. A shimmering, emerald blade of energy extended from my arm, vibrating with power. With a roar of my own, I brought it down.
"Cut!"
The blade sliced through the Gyarados's neck like a hot knife through butter. It was a clean decapitation. A fountain of blood sprayed into the air, and the massive head slid into the dirt with a heavy thump.
It was over. It was disgusting, and I was covered in the remains of a creature twenty times my size. I was utterly spent. My right wing was a mess of torn membranes, and every muscle in my body felt like it was on fire.
The world began to tilt. The adrenaline that had kept me moving evaporated, leaving only a crushing weight of exhaustion. My vision blurred, and I collapsed onto the forest floor, drifting into unconsciousness before I even hit the ground.