Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

The Wyrmling roared, shaking the cavern as it lunged toward the two girls. Its claws, sharp and gleaming, tore through the air, sending chunks of stone flying. The force of its movements made the ground tremble beneath their feet.

"Okay, this is officially ridiculous," Liria muttered, gripping her sword tightly. Sweat dripped down her brow, mixing with the dust coating her face.

"Less talking, more fighting!" Enara snapped, summoning a crackling ball of Darkfire in her hands. The flames danced and twisted like living serpents.

The Wyrmling's glowing yellow eyes narrowed as it zeroed in on them. Before Enara could launch her attack, the beast let out a guttural roar and charged, its wings whipping up gusts of wind that nearly knocked them off their feet.

"Move!" Liria shouted, yanking Enara to the side just as the Wyrmling's massive tail slammed into the ground where they had been standing. The impact sent a cascade of dust and debris raining down on them, turning their world into a chaotic storm of rubble.

[Advisory: Wyrmlings are susceptible to fire. Perhaps you should stop playing hero and start using your abilities effectively.]

Liria gritted her teeth, her internal retort aimed squarely at the system. "I am using them!" she hissed under her breath, dodging a swipe of the creature's razor-sharp talons. The air whistled as its claws barely missed her, shredding the hem of her cloak into tatters.

Meanwhile, Enara was darting in and out of the Wyrmling's reach, hurling orbs of Darkfire at its head. The projectiles exploded against its hardened scales in bursts of black flame, but they fizzled out almost instantly. "Why isn't this working?!" she yelled as her attacks left only scorched marks without penetrating the beast's hide.

[Note: The creature's hide has high resistance to weak magic. Try aiming for its underbelly.]

"Of course, the underbelly," Liria muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why is it always the underbelly?" She gripped her sword tighter, flames licking along its edge as she prepared to strike.

With a fierce battle cry, Liria dashed forward. Her sword ignited with blazing fire, and she swung at the Wyrmling's side, sending a ripple of heat cascading over its scales. The beast screeched in pain, momentarily stunned, as the flames licked at its vulnerable underbelly.

Ananara, meanwhile, was lying in the dirt nearby, flailing its stubby arms and legs. "Yes, yes, anger it more! Brilliant strategy!"

"Do you ever shut up?" Liria growled, slashing at the Wyrmling again, her sword dancing in a fiery arc. Each strike sent a spray of sparks flying, but the creature's scales were like tempered steel.

"Of course not! My wisdom is a gift to the world!" Ananara proclaimed, its tiny pineapple eyes glittering with mischief.

Enara glanced over her shoulder, her brows furrowing. "Are you seriously talking to that pineapple?! Now?!"

"It's an emergency coping mechanism!" Liria shouted, narrowly dodging another swipe of the Wyrmling's talons. She spun on her heel, narrowly avoiding a tail swipe that could have sent her flying. "Less questioning, more killing!"

The creature's relentless movements forced the girls into a frantic dance of dodging and counterattacking. Enara activated Shadow Step, disappearing in a wisp of black mist and reappearing just behind the Wyrmling's hind leg. With a swift, precise slash, she targeted the creature's joint, causing it to falter.

"Take that, overgrown lizard!" Enara shouted triumphantly, a wild grin spreading across her face.

The Wyrmling turned its head with alarming speed, its massive jaws snapping shut mere inches from Enara's arm. The sickening crunch of its teeth echoed in the cavern as it narrowly missed turning her into a snack.

Liria's heart leapt into her throat. "Enara, MOVE!"

The demon princess barely managed to teleport again, landing awkwardly on her knees a few feet away. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" she called, though her voice was shaky. She wiped blood from a shallow gash on her cheek.

[Protagonist's companion shows resilience but lacks situational awareness. Consider offering tactical guidance.]

"Oh, she's doing fine," Liria muttered under her breath, sarcasm dripping from her words. But as she spoke, the Wyrmling's focus shifted back to her. It opened its maw wide, a searing ball of energy beginning to form within its throat.

Liria's eyes widened. "Oh, hell no."

She gathered her strength, the flames along her sword flaring brighter, and charged. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest as she launched herself into the air, her blade trailing fire like a comet. "Hellstorm!" she shouted, bringing her sword down in a devastating slash.

The fiery arc cut through the air, slamming into the Wyrmling's underbelly. A torrent of flames erupted from her blade, engulfing the Wyrmling's torso. The beast shrieked in agony, its screech so loud that the cavern walls seemed to vibrate with the sound.

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about!" Enara cheered, throwing another Darkfire orb for good measure. This time, the flames found their mark, burning through the already weakened scales.

[Critical damage dealt. Weakness exploited. Wyrmling's health at 18%. Suggest finishing blow.]

"Noted," Liria said, her focus razor-sharp. She didn't need the system to tell her what to do next.

The Wyrmling staggered, its movements sluggish now, but its eyes still burned with fury. Desperation fueled its final act; its chest heaved as it gathered energy for a last, catastrophic attack. Flames flickered between its teeth, the heat so intense that even from a distance, Liria could feel it searing her skin.

"Oh no, you don't!" With a burst of speed, Liria sprinted forward, her body a blur of motion. She leapt, her sword blazing as she drove it deep into the creature's throat. Flames erupted along the blade's edge, spreading through the Wyrmling's body in a fiery explosion.

The Wyrmling let out one last, guttural roar before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. The force of its fall sent a shockwave through the cavern, nearly knocking the girls off their feet.

[Victory achieved: Wyrmling defeated. Level up! Liria is now Level 13.]

Liria lowered her sword, panting heavily as the adrenaline began to fade. "Finally," she muttered, brushing soot and sweat from her brow. Her arms felt like lead, but the satisfaction of victory was sweet.

Enara grinned, wiping ash from her face. "We're amazing!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she pumped a fist into the air.

Liria's gaze shifted to the pineapple still lying in the dirt. Ananara had somehow managed to wedge itself upright, its tiny arms waving in triumphant celebration.

"I suppose you're going to take credit for this too?" she asked dryly.

"Of course! My presence inspired you!" Ananara declared with a proud wiggle.

[New companion added: Ananara, Sovereign of the Sweet Sands. Congratulations, you now have a sentient fruit. It may or may not be useful.]

Liria groaned, covering her face with one hand. "I can't believe this is my life now."

"Are you seriously keeping that thing?" Enara asked, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "It's a talking pineapple!"

"It's complicated," Liria replied, picking up the absurd pineapple and tucking it under her arm. "Besides, maybe it'll come in handy… somehow."

As the two girls exited the dungeon, Ananara perched triumphantly in Liria's arms, shouting, "Onward, peasants! To glory and sweet, sweet victory!"

"Liria," Enara said, casting a sideways glance at her friend, "I'm starting to think you attract trouble."

"You're just now realizing that?" Liria deadpanned, rolling her eyes as they disappeared into the dense forest. The echoes of their laughter and Ananara's absurd proclamations faded into the distance.Nôv(el)B\\jnn