Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Death Swamp (6)
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The heart of the Death Swamp.
Canary chirps were no longer audible. The birds had died two days ago.
The concentration of poison in the air was truly terrifying.
‘I wonder if even the Purifying Water Ash Trees can protect us here.’
The poison was far denser than at the entrance to the Purifying Water Ash Tree grove. That meant this place was filled with malevolent energy.
In a few hours, they would reach the altar where the cultists' ritual was taking place, but already several mages and mercenaries had collapsed. Those in poor condition were left in the rear, while the rest replenished their antidote potions and pressed forward.
Elle, who had used the Three-Headed Serpent's antidote in advance, would be fine even in the center, but with the unknown dangers ahead, I decided to leave both her and Ayla in the rear. Elle looked displeased but seemed to accept that she couldn't defy my orders.
I advanced while planting Purifying Water Ash Trees more densely than before. From here on, falling into the swamp meant no return, so a tense atmosphere hung in the air.
Beneath that black swamp lurked parasites that could pierce even troll hide.
Fortunately, the parasites avoided areas where Purifying Water Ash Trees grew.
I distributed small masks woven from Void Tillandsia harvested from the Dimensional Garden to the mercenaries and mages. Well, to be precise, I didn't give them away—I sold them for one silver coin each. There's no such thing as a free lunch, and I'm no volunteer.
"Whoa, this is amazing!"
"I can actually breathe properly!"
The mercenaries marveled and rejoiced. Breathing was crucial for those who worked with their bodies.
"They're not permanent, so don't get too complacent. If anything feels off, drink an antidote potion immediately."
After warning them, I pocketed a hefty pile of silver coins.
Thanks to the masks, their pace quickened.
-Krurrruk!!!!
Stronger monsters emerged than before, but not in great numbers. Few beasts could survive such poison in the first place. The Red Bear Mercenaries were performing admirably—no need for me or the mages to step in.
‘If we keep this up, we'll be fine.’
I drank clean spring water from the Dimensional Garden and caught my breath. The dark poison fog obscured visibility, but activating [Owl's Eye] revealed eerie carvings on the dead trees around us.
"We've arrived."
I spoke to Jacob, who wore two masks. He nodded. Using some spell to survey the area, he accurately pointed to the carvings on the trees.
"Rasgal's emblem."
"Rasgal?"
"The Hydra's master."
Hydra.
A monster with nine serpent heads.
If a Hydra was involved, it explained the state of the Death Swamp. I sighed and muttered.
"So they summoned a Hydra."
"Just the sort of thing Rasgal's followers would do."
"......"
It wasn't surprising that Rasgal's cultists had summoned a Hydra.
What puzzled me was where the summoned 'Hydra' was.
They wouldn't have just greeted it and sent it back.
If the Hydra had been properly summoned, the damage wouldn't have been limited to the Death Swamp.
At least one city would have been wiped out.
‘This feels off.’
Regardless of my suspicions, Jacob seemed thrilled at the prospect of recovering the Black Dragon's bones.
"Now we just need to retrieve the Black Dragon's bones."
"I'll plant the remaining Purifying Water Ash Trees..."
"No, that's fine. No need to purify the center. Theodore, please help gather the Black Dragon's bone fragments."
"But..."
"We're not here to purify this place. Don't forget—we came for the Black Dragon's bones."
"No, but..."
Jacob ignored me and vanished into the fog.
After coming this far, why not destroy the ritual altar and plant Water Ash Trees for future purification rituals?
"Mages..."
Selfish bunch. Instead of following Jacob, I planted all the remaining Purifying Water Ash Trees right there.
Recovering the Black Dragon's bones was the mages' job, not mine.
‘Still, just in case, maybe plant some other purifying plants.’
I might return here later for a quest. Who knows what the future holds? Planting a few purifying plants couldn't hurt—might even help.
I scattered wild herb seeds around the Purifying Water Ash Trees and used [Forest Blessing]. Using not just the magic stones supplied by the Magic Tower but also my personal low-grade ones, I grew the plants into a decent space.
Small, but enough to call it a Water Ash Tree 'grove' if I stretched it.
-Peep!
Pipi fluttered from my bosom to a Purifying Water Ash Tree branch. It never ceased to amaze me. How could those tiny wings on that chubby body carry it that far...?
"Huh?"
At that moment, a familiar vibration came from my chest. I hurriedly pulled out the old book and opened it.
[Achievement Unlocked: Master of the Water Ash Tree Grove]
[Additional Effect: Water Ash Tree Fairies will always help you.]
An achievement!
‘Meeting a fairy already...! And in a place like this!’
Fairies were mystical beings born from concentrated life essence.
They could emerge from Water Ash Trees, red hackberries, blue willows, or even nameless grasses, but encountering one was exceedingly rare.
Even then, ordinary humans had no chance—only plant-attuned Druids, and even fewer, could meet them.
‘Granny knew tons of them.’
The first time I saw her talking to invisible sparkles, I thought she'd lost her mind.
When I asked how she communed with fairies, she never taught me.
Some teacher she was.
In hindsight, it wasn't the kind of thing you could teach.
Conditions for meeting fairies were never easy.
From what I'd learned:
First, know the subject intimately.
Second, cherish it deeply.
Third—and most important:
The fairy must want to reveal itself.
Even fulfilling the first two, if the fairy didn't wish it, you'd never meet.
‘I definitely met the first two conditions.’
I'd planted so many Water Ash Trees entering the Death Swamp that I knew them inside out.
Plus, thanks to them, I could walk purified land here, so I truly cherished them.
Even so, fairies rarely appeared.
Their whimsy made this a stroke of luck.
"......Please take care of me?"
I muttered, gazing at the twinkling light around the Water Ash Trees.
"Hey, Theo!"
Not far off, Jamil called me.
While the mages hunted dragon bones, Jamil and the mercenaries dealt with minor monsters bubbling up from the swamp. Something had happened.
"You know a lot about poison, right?"
"Well..."
"Look at this."
Jamil thrust forward a young mercenary's arm, blackened and blistering grotesquely.
"Uwaaaagh!!!!"
Even dousing it with antidote potions, the arm kept melting. Despite the pervasive poison, the stench of rotting flesh was acrid.
"It started with his fingers."
But contrary to Jamil's words, no fingers remained.
They'd already dissolved.
‘That means...!’
I sprinkled the Three-Headed Serpent's antidote I'd kept handy on the boy's arm. But the flesh kept rotting. It had no effect.
Only one answer.
A poison surpassing the Three-Headed Serpent's.
‘Only one creature has that.’
With realization, I tore the boy's clothes and tightly bound above his elbow. Then to Jamil:
"Get the axe."
Sensing my intent, Jamil swiftly drew his handaxe from his belt. I pinned the boy immobile.
"If we don't cut now, it'll rot until nothing's left of you."
"No! Don't!!!"
"If you want to live, endure."
I fed him a bit of chewed Purifying Water Ash Tree bark. A small amount would numb his body, dulling the pain.
"Here goes."
I nodded to Jamil.
-Splat!!!!
A gruesome sound.
But necessary for survival.
Losing an arm beat losing your life.
The boy foamed and passed out. I cast two recovery skills on him and poured in my homemade potion.
He'd live.
Still.
"......"
I'd heard legends of a poison that rotted limbs until death.
Hydra venom.
The greatest, most feared of all poisons.
The cultists' Hydra summoning had succeeded.
But if successful, the Hydra wouldn't have stopped at wrecking just the swamp.
"Where's the thing that did this to his arm?"
"Probably under the swamp. We fished this idiot out after he fell in, and it was like that. Said something brushed him. Thought it was swamp parasites at first..."
Maybe the Hydra was already dead, and the boy got poisoned by its remnants.
‘If so, we're damn lucky.’
I stood.
"We should tell the mages."
"Yeah."
As I moved, a small light flickered before me.
Looking closely, it wasn't just light—it was letters.
Thanks to the [Interpreter] trait, I could read them.
Warning.
Danger approaches you.
"......!"
[The Water Ash Tree Fairy warns of approaching danger.]
I jolted back.
-Kuooooohhhhh...!!!