Chapter 372 - Chapter 12: Hydra
Fighting is fine, but it's about how to fight.
Hydras can't fly. Since they always live in marshes, their weaknesses are fire and dryness, but since it's water and fire, they have a bad compatibility. If their water power? exceeds our firepower, we might not be able to inflict a single wound. The Fire Dragon insisted on attacking from the sky. It said we should use Megiddo Fire or the powerful flame from the dragon-human collaboration to turn the poisonous marsh into a sea of fire and burn them to death.
"No. If the Hydra turns into charcoal, we won't make a profit. We have to defeat it while inflicting as little damage as possible."
It was Beatrix. It was natural in a way, but it wasn't a simple opponent that could be defeated while holding back.
It probably didn't think the difficulty would skyrocket for the sake of our profit. I don't know who taught it, but despite being a dragon, it spread its arms and shrugged its shoulders.
A heated debate broke out between the Fire Dragon, who wanted to challenge it honorably from the front, and Eleanor-sama, who wanted to finish it off with a strategy since there were two of them, and the planning of the operation ran into difficulties. After being interrupted several times, finally, it was decided to have only Eleanor-sama, the Fire Dragon, and Salamander the translator talk, and we decided to wait at a distance. As a result, it seems a plan that both sides could somehow agree on was completed.
"Translating this kind of thing is not something one should do. When they were complaining about the other's argument, both of them were saying it while looking at my face. It felt like I was the one being complained to."
Salamander, who had been acting as the translator between one person and one dragon, was feeling down. When I looked at the Fire Dragon and Eleanor-sama, they were both looking away. They might be of the same kind.
While I was offering wine, saying "there, there," Mel, who had been flying around everywhere like a spectator, returned.
"Is the strategy meeting over?"
When I handed her honey water, she took a breath and drank it.
"This one, for her part, ran away midway."
"Of course. I can't keep up with that. The one who runs away first wins."
"Well, that's true. I'll remember that well."
I saw off Salamander, who said "Good work" and returned to boil the hot springs.
That night, there was a banquet at Gwyn-sama's expense. The Fire Dragon ate the monsters that had been frozen with Cocytus and thawed, and the humans ate a hot pot.
Thinking it might be the case, I asked about the Priestess, but unfortunately, the Fire Dragon didn't know. Apparently, even if humans reached the vicinity of the crater, it didn't pay them any mind. No matter how you think about it, the Fire Dragon is stronger if they fight. It seems it felt there was no need to get involved with those who wouldn't even be opponents in a fight. Somehow, it resembles Matilda. If I introduce them next time, they might hit it off.
Now, on the third day, it was finally time for the Hydra subjugation.
Following the Fire Dragon's guidance, we followed behind in a medium-sized bowl.
There are several gaps in the outer crater, and rivers flow through those gaps. We flew along the river flowing north to the outside of the outer crater, and further through a canyon between mountain lands, and came out into a basin where the altitude had gradually dropped.
"What? This place... it's amazing..."
Beatrix's eyes widened.
It could be called a superb view.
It was a vast wetland, surrounded by mountains with grayish rock cliffs visible between the green of the grass in places. Trees grew from the mountainsides, and forests spread out, surrounding the flat parts that were wetlands. A landscape where there was ground in patches and water had accumulated in between spread out. There were large ponds in places. It wouldn't just be the river water flowing from the direction of the outer crater. Surely, the meltwater from the mountain lands surrounding the basin must be flowing in.
Large white birds were flying about, and near the edge of the wetland, I could see deer putting their mouths to the water's edge.
It was a place that could be called a paradise for beautiful animals, and it didn't seem like a place where there would be a poisonous marsh inhabited by a ferocious Hydra.
When I scooped up the water, it was somewhat brownish. I stopped myself from drinking it and, just in case, washed my hands with the Water Mary produced.
When the Fire Dragon reached the middle of the basin, it turned right. It seemed to be heading east. The basin was long in the east-west direction. And the west should be the direction where the sea is. In other words, if we go east, it must be a steep canyon.
As we proceeded, we came to a place where a mountain ridge protruded from the south, and we landed right at the tip of that protrusion.
Beyond the protrusion, a similar wetland spread out, but as expected, the tip was connected to a canyon. According to the Fire Dragon, the Hydra was indeed in a pool in that canyon. I don't know if it was cursed, but the canyon had a strangely eerie atmosphere. Both the mountains on both sides and the wetland at the exit looked as if the vegetation had been stripped away, showing the ground. It might be that plants can't grow due to the influence of the poison. Since Salamander wasn't there, I wanted to call Dune and have her look, but according to Mel, who had volunteered to translate, it was better to call her after the subjugation. If we did, she might get furious and cause a flood that would change the terrain, let alone the Hydra.
As reconnaissance, Eleanor-sama, Beatrix, and Bonnie rode in Wilson-san's bowl to go see the pool where the Hydra was supposed to be. They would draw a map and finalize the details.
Since they returned in about half an hour, we showed the map to the Fire Dragon; it said the location was correct, but they weren't necessarily there. This was because they go to get food. So, first, confirming where the Hydra was became the first stage of the operation.
Now, the operation began. When Eleanor-sama signaled the Fire Dragon, it spread its wings and soared. Mary and I rode in Beatrix's bowl and followed behind. Of course, we were hiding our presence.
We flew over the wetland in one go. No presence of living things could be felt in the vicinity. It might be because the Fire Dragon was flying, but we couldn't even see them fleeing.
As we entered the canyon, as we went deeper, the rock surfaces on both sides were becoming purplish, as if some dye had soaked in. At a certain height, grass and trees were growing, but their forms were somehow distorted. It was clearly strange.
As the width of the canyon narrowed, the Fire Dragon gradually slowed down and ascended at the same time. The canyon curved along the mountain ridge, and in time, a large pool came into view.
On the mountain side of the pool was a sheer cliff. The side of the cliff near the water surface was dyed light purple. The water in the pool didn't look like anything was wrong, but it must be poison.
I had thought there might be a cave in the cliff used as a nest, but there were no such holes. I heard the Hydra was a snake with many heads. Since it lives in marshes and pools, it might be in the water.
The Fire Dragon took a bit of distance from the cliff and roared loudly. It was a declaration of war. The low frequency vibrated in my stomach.
We positioned ourselves slightly behind and above the Fire Dragon's head. We were the escort. Apparently, the Fire Dragon had disliked it, but it had accepted.
One part of the water surface stirred.
The Fire Dragon took a deep breath. It intended to breathe fire as soon as it came out.
However, a snake head came out from a place completely different from where the water surface had stirred and suddenly blew a poisonous mist. As expected, it was a decoy.
"Mary! Right!"
"Okay! Blizzard!"
Mary, responding to Beatrix's words, chanted the Blizzard she had prepared. She slammed the blizzard toward the poisonous mist blowing up from below. I heard from Dune that mist is made of very small water droplets. In that case, we should be able to freeze it with Blizzard.
The aim hit home, and ripples formed on the water surface where the Hydra's head could be seen, as if it were raining. The head that had been visible disappeared.
"Holy [Over Flow]!"
I reinforced the Blizzard with [Over Flow]. As the temperature of the blowing blizzard dropped, a thin, transparent layer of ice began to form on the surface of the pool. Snakes are weak to low temperatures. If we lower the water temperature, their movements should become sluggish. We had also considered the method of freezing the entire pool with Cocytus, but even if we froze it, it would revive once it melted. Moreover, since it was B-rank, it might release magic power and escape. We drove it into a corner as if we were harassing it bit by bit.
Suddenly, there was a crack, and the ice broke. Two parts of the water surface swelled up with a splash. Apparently, it disliked it. Moreover, it was exposed that both of them were in the pool. Too easy.
Fine. We knew their location. It was the second stage.
From upstream of the pool, a sound like something cracking echoed.
It must be Eleanor-sama's separate unit.
Next, there was a loud rumble, splash.
When Beatrix moved the bowl to the entrance of the pool... in other words, upstream, large rocks were rolling and had completely dammed up the mountain stream.
Eleanor-sama had caused a landslide with Crevasse and Colossus Collapse. By temporarily damming the mountain stream, we would reduce the water in the pool. We would drag the Hydra out of the water. If we didn't, we'd follow in the footsteps of the sea snake battle and struggle.
After watching for a while, the water flowed away more and more, until it only remained in the pool part.
One of the Hydras crawled out to where the water was gone. It had a dark color, like moss that had soaked up water. Its belly was light brown.
It was my first time seeing it, but it wasn't that long. It was half the length of the sea snake. In exchange, should I say, its torso was considerably thick. It was three times that of the sea snake. Many heads were wriggling out of its torso, each opening its mouth and intimidating the Fire Dragon. Its face was just like a snake's. Since it was raised up at the middle of its torso, the heads seemed to be able to move quite freely. Since they were moving around, I couldn't count how many there were, but it was probably eight. Each head was thin, and all of them bundled together would be about the same as the torso. In other words, they were about three-eighths to four-eighths the thickness of the sea snake.
The tail was strangely thin, as it was formed by the torso narrowing midway.
When that Hydra hissed something, a large amount of water from the pool suddenly flew toward us.
It must be Maelstrom. Unlike when it's produced from nothing, the momentum was incredible. If eight heads chanted it at the same time, the power would be eightfold.
Even though it was water, it was likely poison. When we ascended and fled along with the Fire Dragon, eight heads stretched out from the mass of water as if chasing us. Four were toward the Fire Dragon, two were toward us, and two were changing direction as if looking for something. As expected, it was exposed even if we hid our presence. Can snakes and their kind tell?
When I put out a wall of Light at an angle, we were pushed, but we were able to divert the direction skillfully. In the meantime, Mary, who had been chanting Glaciate, froze the heads chasing the Fire Dragon one after another. The finishing blow must have been Eleanor-sama's; the mass of water itself froze. It was like a giant ice dragon with eight heads.
Furthermore, it was Lightning. When one bolt of lightning fell on the ice dragon, it collapsed as if it had shattered into pieces, and the Hydra hurriedly dove into the pool and fled.
Taking this opportunity, Crevasse and Colossus Collapse were chanted again, and this time a landslide occurred on the downstream side. With this, the defensive wall surrounding the Hydra was completed.
"It's the third stage. We'll strip it bare."
It was Eleanor-sama. Since we hadn't cast Mute on each other, I could hear her well.
We moved to the pre-determined location.
"Preparation complete!"
I replied in a loud voice.
"Here we go. Prominence!"
Eleanor-sama's voice could be heard from below. At the same time, an orange dragon's head appeared from over the ridge on the opposite side of the pool. Since it was the fourth shot of ultra-high-level magic, its momentum had dropped slightly, and it was a bit smaller and red rather than orange.
Leaning out from the edge of the bowl, I fired Holy Lances in rapid succession. Since there was light flying from below too, Miana must have been firing as well.
To avoid the hot wind, Mary unleashed Blizzard.
The distance was short. Three shots were the limit. Since Miana probably fired four, it was seven. The dragon's head, whose original temperature was low, only became orange.
With a roar, the dragon's head slammed into the cliff right above the pool. We moved near the Fire Dragon just like that. The bowl Eleanor-sama and the others were riding in should be ascending.
The unleashed Prominence dug into the cliff, and the surrounding rock began to melt into sludge. Digging a hole wasn't the goal. It was melting the rock while dug into the cliff. The rock that fell into the pool was cooled by the water, making a magnificent sound along with rising steam.
I fired more Holy Lances. There was distance, but since Eleanor-sama was controlling the Prominence's flame, it was moving as if licking the surface of the cliff, creating lava.
After adding three more Holy Lances, the Prominence, which had turned yellow, began to move over the water surface. Magnificent steam rose from the pool. We were going to boil the Hydra.
As reinforcement, the Fire Dragon breathed red fire.
When the Prominence's flame entered the water of the pool, the water in the pool boiled in an instant, raising magnificent steam, and the water decreased rapidly.
As expected, even the B-rank couldn't stand this, and both of them jumped out. Furthermore, they counterattacked by flying many masses of boiling water over a wide area.
Ice magic couldn't block it. The flying water would just become ice. It would be even more dangerous. I spread a wall of Light in front of my eyes and ascended, but I couldn't block the pressure of the water. The wall was pushed against the bowl, and likely pushed by that pressure, we were blown away to the high altitude in an instant.
Unable to withstand the acceleration of the rapid ascent, the three of us ended up rolling at the bottom of the bowl.
Thanks to Beatrix desperately changing the shape of the bowl to make a lid, we managed to avoid falling, but it was quite dangerous.
Good grief, when I looked around, the Fire Dragon was in a completely different place. It must be Teleport.
I don't know how Eleanor-sama and the others dodged it, but they were counterattacking with Silver Arrows and Sianya's thick Holy Lance. Wilson-san might have deployed a second Wind Barrier under the bowl.
By the time the Prominence's flame disappeared, most of the water in the pool had evaporated and become like a puddle. With this, the opponent couldn't hide in the water. In other words, our attacks with magic and weapons became effective. Especially, the fact that the power of magic remained as it was was significant.
The battle situation entered the fourth stage.