Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Death's Swamp (7)
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[The Water Ash Tree fairy warns of approaching danger.]
Almost simultaneously with the fairy's warning, an enormous roar echoed through the air.
-Splash!!!
The black mud of the swamp surged up like a massive tsunami.
"Everyone, dodge! It's a hydra!"
Bursting through the swamp, crimson-black scales gleamed even in the shadows, flaunting their majesty. A faint poisonous aura emanated from the underside of each scale clinging to its body.
The true master of Death's Swamp had revealed itself.
-Shaaa!!!
I didn't do something stupid like look up.
A "poison rain" would soon pour down.
I quickly pulled my cloak over my head and cast [Forest Protection] toward Elle and the mercenary boy right behind me.
-Crack, creak.
-Crunched!
With astonishing speed, grass and trees grew in a circle about two meters in radius, forming a hemispherical barrier.
"Master!"
Elle, finally grasping the situation, shouted through the tree trunks and vines, but I didn't release the skill.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Stay put. It's not your time to step in yet."
It was obvious that Elle would become the [Silver Lion Reinhardt], but right now, she was just a kid.
Against a hydra-class monster, she'd only get in the way.
From inside the completed shelter, I could hear Elle shouting something, but the branches and vines blocked it, making it impossible to understand clearly.
-Squeeee!
-Pop!
-Pop!
-Pop!
I fired arrows from a safe distance. Moonflowers began sprouting from the arrows embedded in the ground, and as they fully bloomed, each one emitted moonlight. Moonlight pillars rose around like a barrier, starting to burn away the impure entities.
-Siiiizzz!!!!
Even as its scales sizzled every time its body brushed against the moonlight pillars, the hydra didn't retreat—it thrashed wildly.
[Moon Light], borrowing the power of Goddess Nemea, was a powerful skill, but since I was merely "borrowing" the goddess's power, it wasn't enough to take on a hydra.
This was just a temporary stalling tactic.
Catching a glimpse of the hydra between the moonlight pillars, I swallowed hard.
'It only has one head...'
A hydra normally has nine heads.
All nine heads spewed deadly poison, making it nearly impossible to defeat one.
Even one head was catastrophic, let alone nine.
Yet the hydra before me had only one.
Its body was covered in wounds that must have been gruesomely torn apart.
-Grrr, grrr...
This explained why the hydra hadn't razed an entire country but stayed confined to the swamp.
'What the hell happened?'
Rasgal's followers wouldn't have summoned just one head of the hydra.
They'd used dragon bones as sacrifice, so the summoning must have been successful...
Had someone driven off the fully summoned hydra?
Leaving only one head behind?
Before I could think further, the hydra slammed its massive tail down hard. Another tsunami-like wave from the swamp surged, engulfing the surroundings. Screams erupted here and there.
-Shaaa!!!
Death's Swamp's central area had only parasites and monsters. Normal creatures died before reaching the center.
That meant the hydra had been starving for a long time.
'Then it should be in hibernation...'
Before I could speculate more, the hydra's enormous, razor-sharp tail whipped through the air above my head like a gale.
"Huh..."
Thanks to [Leaf Step] being active, I barely dodged the hydra's tail.
-Grrrrrr...
From the hydra's sole remaining head came a phlegmy, guttural growl laced with eerie poison. That poison was undoubtedly what had turned this lake into Death's Swamp.
"Damn it..."
We knew there were monsters, but no one said it was a hydra.
'Of course, if we'd known, we wouldn't have set foot here.'
I gripped my bow tightly again and glanced back. There was Jamil, looking relaxed even with the hydra in front of him.
"What do we do, Theo?"
"What do you mean, what do we do?!"
"You always know the answer."
Correction: he wasn't relaxed—he just had no thoughts.
I suppressed my boiling anger and drew an arrow. This one, made from especially thick silverwood branches and densely carved with shamanic runes, was already overflowing with purifying power.
"Can't cut its neck."
At my words, Jamil let his arm, which had been gripping his axe tightly, drop limply.
"Obviously. It's a hydra."
It was an upper-class monster with scales nearly as thick as a dragon's and a sturdy body that was no slouch either.
Unless it was Arturo, the Mercenary King who'd make a name for himself later, the current Jamil couldn't take on a hydra alone.
"The scales."
"The scales?"
"Tear them off. Even one is enough."
"And then?"
"I'll hit it for sure."
One arrow overflowing with purifying power would deal significant damage, even to a hydra.
Then we'd all swarm and carve it up.
'If I get the Water Ash Tree fairy's blessing too, it's possible.'
That small light circling me constantly—presumed to be the Water Ash Tree fairy—radiated considerable purifying power.
So, this was our only option.
"I can rip off a few scales, no problem!"
"One is lucky enough, so cut the bravado."
-Kieee!!!!
The hydra's howl shattered one moonlight pillar and rang out high.
Drooling black saliva, it eyed the humans behind the moonlight pillars with greed.
"......"
Overwhelming terror.
Without the [Archenemy of Evil] title, I might have already pissed myself.
In fact, some mercenaries and mages were frozen in shock, unable to move.
"On three, we charge."
"Got it."
"One, two..."
"Three!"
As Jamil leaped high, I mounted Aila and bolted toward the mages.
Dodging the exploding spells left and right was grueling. But Aila charged without a moment's hesitation.
If not for her, I'd be dead already.
"Theodore!"
Jacob spotted me and shouted loudly.
"Ignore me and keep blasting!!"
I yelled back, then used [Song of the Forest] to grow weeds on the ground untouched by poison. Aila understood and ghosted over only those spots. Thanks to the superior combo of [Song of the Forest] and the shadow wolf, she knew exactly where to step, and we safely reached the Water Ash Tree.
"......!"
The moment I grabbed a branch, I felt the Water Ash Tree's vitality and purifying power sweep through my body.
"Thanks."
With a brief thanks, I started climbing the Water Ash Tree. From the highest branch, the chaotic scene of Death's Swamp unfolded at a glance.
To shoot better, you need distance.
-Whiiistle!
I blew a long whistle. Jamil got the signal and leaped out from between the moonlight pillars, bounding up the hydra's body. With attacks raining down, the hydra didn't notice him.
"Huu..."
As I nocked the arrow, the Water Ash Tree fairy circled it, sprinkling tiny light particles. The runes on the silverwood arrow glowed faintly, overflowing with purifying power.
"Uwaaaaaah!!!!!!"
Even from this distance, Jamil's booming roar came through clearly. I exhaled slowly, aimed the arrowhead at the distant target.
"......"
Caution and patience.
These were strengths I'd had even before becoming Theodore—back when I lived as Kang Tae-oh.
Sure, I'd been called stubborn plenty of times, but no regrets.
I'm benefiting from them now.
-Kieee!!!
Jamil's axe blade dug between the hydra's scales, and with another mighty roar, crunch! A dwarf-sized scale ripped clean off.
"Theo!!!!!!!!"
...I see it already.
I loosed the arrow at the writhing hydra.
-Squeeee!
It streaked toward the hydra, trailing blinding light at terrifying speed.
-Pfook!
A direct hit.
* * *
-Pfook!
It wasn't just the sound of the arrow striking the hydra's body.
"Cough..."
Theodore shuddered at the sharp, cold metal embedded in his side. The well-honed dagger didn't come out cleanly—instead, it twisted halfway, widening the wound.
Hot blood gushed from his side. Theodore quickly used [Nature's Healing] and [Wound Healing]. But the wound healed slower than usual.
Something had been done to the dagger.
A normal wound wouldn't heal this slowly. The bleeding should have stopped immediately, but blood kept pouring from the unclosing gash.
"Ha, haha... We did it, we did it!"
"Urk..."
"So easy! So easy!"
Theodore turned to his stabber. The figure was so inhuman it was hard to tell if it was human or monster, yet somehow familiar. Like someone he'd seen once before...
'No way...'
Despite losing a lot of blood, Theodore's mind raced.
'This bastard's the one who's been ambushing us...'
From under the Water Ash Tree, Aila growled and barked, but the assailant ignored it.
"Good, he's not dead, so we can take him to Him as is."
The assailant—no, Pavel—pulled out tough vines he'd prepared and began binding Theodore. While the mages and mercenaries were focused on slaying the hydra, they'd slip out of the swamp, and everyone would assume the druid died to the monsters.
"Hurry, hurry..."
His blackened hands frantically wrapped the vines. Offering this druid to Him would get Pavel his old position back—that hope spurred him on impatiently.
-Fweee...
That was when it happened.
A faint flute sound rang out from Theodore's bosom.