And Thus, My Legend Was Born

A good while had passed.
Between stomps, Evelyn’s laughter, and the dramatic screams of the scorpions, the field finally went silent.
The bugs had been reduced to crunchy stains on the ground.

I regrouped with Nymeris, wiping my forehead in full “poster protagonist” fashion.
“This was easier than I expected,” I said, half-smiling like I’d just cleared a mission in style.

Evelyn ran up to me, eyes sparkling like she’d just won an Olympic medal.
“Did you see how I stomped them, Ren? Did you see it? Did you? DID YOU?!”
“Yes, Evelyn. You were amazing.”

...
Finally. Evelyn had been useful. Not only had we gotten an easy quest, she’d actually helped.
Maybe… I should get her something when we collect the reward.
Nothing expensive, of course. Just something symbolic. Like… a polishing horn. Do demons like those?

“Uh… M-Mister Ren,” Nymeris suddenly said in a shaky voice.
“Yes?” I replied, stretching my arms with pride.
“There’s still… one left.”

...
I turned to her with a serious look and knelt down like a fantasy knight on an emotional budget.
“Don’t worry, Nymeris.
I’ll protect you.
Even if it costs me my life.”
I said it while gently holding her hand, looking at her as if the world was about to end right there.

And then… I turned around.

...

“Hey, Evelyn,” I said in an unusually serious tone.
“Yes, Ren~?” she answered with an angelic smile as fake as her innocence.
“Did you know about this?”

Evelyn shrugged.
She didn’t say a word.
Didn’t even look at me.
She just turned her head as if she were observing the clouds.

...
She did know.

In front of me… stood THE MONSTER.
A giant scorpion.
Not “big.”
GIANT.

Level: scythe-sized pincers, a stinger as thick as a tree, and a jaw that looked like it had Bluetooth because it wouldn’t stop vibrating.
Its body shimmered with a dark light.
Its red eyes blinked like warning beacons.
And its presence…
…its maternal fury…

“That’s the mother,” Nymeris said, switching to “better start running” mode.
“Don’t tell me…”

...
Yeah. We’d stomped all her babies.
And now mama was here for revenge.

...
“What do we do now…?” I asked nervously, looking for the reassuring gaze of my trusted partner.

But…

...

Evelyn and Nymeris were already running.
Full speed.
Not looking back.
Not even a goodbye.
Not even a “thanks for your sacrifice.”

“YOU TRAITORS!!! GET BACK HERE!!!” I shouted as the mother scorpion activated lethal pursuit mode.

...
And there I was.
Running for my life.
Screaming.
Sweating.
And cursing the day I’d accepted this “easy” mission.

“HEEEEEELP!!!
SOMEBODY HELLLLLLP MEEE!!!”

I ran.
Ran like my life depended on it.
Because it did.

The mother scorpion chased me with her giant stinger, thrusting down like she was trying to play golf—only my body was the ball.
Each impact of the stinger on the ground left a brand-new crater.
Not holes.
Craters.
Level: you could plant an entire family tree in one.

Meanwhile…
A few meters away, under some shade, with all the calm in the world:
“Um, Miss Evelyn… shouldn’t we help Mister Ren?” Nymeris asked, worried, while I screamed like a soul being exorcised.

Evelyn, sitting as if she were watching an improv comedy show, just shrugged.
“He’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

...
I AM NOT FINE, YOU DEMONIC BACKSTABBERS!!!

After several minutes of dodging, screaming, rolling on the ground, and watching my life flash before my eyes in slow motion, I was done.
My end was near.
And worst of all…
I hadn’t even gotten to try that damn energy drink I bought…

...

…THE DRINK!!!

A ray of hope lit up my fried brain.
“EVELYN, THROW ME THE DRIIIIIINK!!!”

Evelyn and Nymeris were sitting like VIP spectators in a Roman coliseum.
Me, at the front, fighting for my life like a dehydrated gladiator with a sugar craving.

Evelyn sighed, rummaged through her stuff, and finally pulled out the sacred can.
Thunder Speed.

She threw it hard.
The can flew.
Traced a perfect arc, like a highlight play in an American football game.
My salvation.
My miracle.

...
And then—

BONK!

It hit me right on the forehead.
Dead center.
Between the eyebrows.

I collapsed to the ground with a bump the size of my disappointment.
But still…
I caught it.

My fingers wrapped around the cold metal.
My soul burned.
This was the moment.

I cracked the can open.
FSHHHHT!
I chugged it in one go.
All of it.
To the last drop.

...
And then… it happened.

My hair stood on end like I’d just stuck my fingers in a magical socket.
A shiver ran down my spine.
My eyes glowed. Literally.
And my legs…
My legs activated.
On their own.

They moved like they had a will of their own.
Like they’d signed a contract with lightning itself.
They ran, spun, dodged.

I didn’t know if I was escaping or breakdancing on turbo mode.

“W-what’s happening to me?!
THIS FEELS AMAZING!!!”

The scorpion stopped.
I stopped too.
We stared at each other.
Face to face.
Warrior versus beast.
Thinking entity versus chitin-coated maternal rage.

Its pincers opened and closed slowly.
Clack… clack… clack…
As if keeping time with fate.

I took deep breaths.
The wind blew.
My body was tense, but something deep inside me… knew I could win.

This was my moment.

The scorpion lunged at me.
I… charged at it too.
Maximum speed.
Adrenaline at 500%.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

I screamed with all my soul.
With all the style of an anime protagonist right before unleashing his final attack.

Evelyn and Nymeris watched from afar.
Eyes shining.
As if they were witnessing a season finale battle between two legendary titans.

This was it.
My legend would begin with this strike.

And then—

CRUNCH!

One of those damn craters the scorpion had left during the chase.
My foot went straight in.
My balance said, “I’m out.”
My speed said, “I’m not.”
And my dignity… evaporated.

I tripped.
At ridiculously supernatural speed.
And flew forward—

WHAM!

Right into the scorpion’s head.
An unexpected headbutt.
I stunned it.
The beast trembled, completely dazed.

...
But me…

...

I was gone.

I landed on its back like a legendary sack of potatoes.
My eyes rolled.
My mouth hung open.
My soul had packed its bags.

D… did I lose?

After a while, I opened my eyes.
Light blinded me for a moment.
My head… throbbed like I’d spent the whole night at a magical festival downing hangover potions +10.

Everything was spinning.
My tongue felt dry.
My body ached.

And yet…
I was alive.

...

Above me, Nymeris was healing me with her support magic.
Her hands glowed softly.
Her face…
Serene, sweet… full of relief.

Beside her, Evelyn looked at me like she was waiting for me to say something stupid.

“W-what… happened…?” I asked in the most dragged-out voice I’ve ever had.

“You did it!” Nymeris said, smiling brighter than her healing spell.

...
Seriously…?
Did I really defeat that scorpion on my own…?

...

Evelyn crossed her arms.
Sighed.
And spoke in that tone she uses right before destroying my ego:
“When you crashed… you passed out on the scorpion’s back.”

...
“It tried to finish you off with its stinger… but since your body was limp, you slid off to the side and it stabbed itself instead.”

...
Silence.

...
I blinked.
Several times.

...
“Did that… really happen?”

Evelyn shrugged.
“Literally. Looked like a scene written by bored gods for a comedy sketch.”

Nymeris, on the other hand, looked at me like she’d just witnessed the embodiment of a living legend.
“You were amazing, Mister Ren,” she said, eyes sparkling with pure admiration.

As if I’d beaten the scorpion with some ancient forbidden technique.

...
Well…
I guess if nobody saw what really happened, I could tell the story my way…

...
...

Nope.

I turned my head with some effort.
Looked toward the edge of the field…

And there they were.
ALL OF THEM.

The whole village.
Kids, adults, elders…
Leaning on the wooden fences.
Watching.
From the start.
Without missing a second.

...
One of them held up a sign:
“REN MVP!”

…
…Great.