The had entered the deepest part of the swamp, it was milling with bog hags. Jazmel could see that there was about one hundred of them were digging around in the marshes, checking around he noticed that there were no witches this time. It was only hags but there were many of them.
“Clear them out.” Jazmel said and they rushed forward before the hags could even respond.
Thunderfire!
Sadé struck and her thunder arced through the hags and wails of pain bounced around the open space. Her thunder was conducting the water of the swamp and then her fire was burning their bodies. The hags were hunched over supporting a massive boil like sack on their back. Some of them popped from her attack and thick mucus burst out drenching others and then to Jazmel ’s surprise, they burned even more. The mucus was acidic and now they all knew.
“Be careful!”
Chain maiden
Katie said and whipping up some of the mucus, she flicked it onto some of the other hags and they burned. Jazmel took this moment to run in between them all and then his sword flashed; he struck out with yoru no Tsubasa his sword sizzled and carved through the hags.
DING!
3X TIER III BOG HAGS KILLED
+3 AGL
+2 DEX
The system gifted him more stats and his body bulged with the strength of them. Jazmel continued using his sword and struck damage between his strikes, but he was struggling with the numbers.
Mana swathe!
“Get down!” Patton yelled and Jazmel turned and crouched as he raised a huge sword covered in Mana, he had raised the size of his sword and struck out creating such an attack, that half the numbers of the bog hags were destroyed.
“New skill?” Jazmel asked and Patton smiled, he was breathing heavily, and Jazmel could tell the skill had taken a lot out of him. he drank three Mana potions and Jazmel could tell he was still really beleaguered by the skill.
“It’s costly.” He breathed out and Jazmel saw him drink a fourth potion, this time it was stamina.
“Gil can you cover him for now?” Gil nodded and stepped to the side and conjured ink crows, which covered them both.
DING!
THE BOG HAGS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!
BUT THE BATTLE HAS CAUSED GREATER BEASTS TO BE AWARE OF YOUR PRESENCE!
…
WARNING THIS IS A BOSS!
YOU HAVE AWOKEN A TIER III THREE HEADED HYDRA!
…
Jazmel turned around to look at everyone and they were all confused until the triple roars shook the surrounding area. Jazmel hadn’t heard anything like this before and yet he could feel his heart thumping in his chest. The ground drummed with its approach and Jazmel felt the steps grow heavier as it neared.
“Sounds big.” Katie called over her shoulder, she and Bannerman were cleaning up the last of the bog hags alongside Sadé.
The sounds grew heavier, and the trees creaked as something neared and when the trees from the right finally gave way, the monstrosity that the system had forewarned came through. It was huge, larger than anything they had seen. Mottled green scales covered its entire body and its thick legs ended in elongated claws that tore up the trees from the roots and dug deep grooves into the ground as it entered the clearing. It was even bigger than the drake he had defeated at the beast tide. Its three heads were on elongated necks, and they moved around one another peering into the swamp and studied the scene. One of the bog hags which was wounded and dying slowly was on the floor mewling. Then the head on the right cocked, clocked it; and peering down, snapped on it and ate it with slow savoury crunches.
DING!
THREE HEADED HYDRA FOUND!
A hydra is a nefarious draconic creature. Each head is a life, you must kill the three heads.
“Everyone we got a big problem!” Jazmel yelled and everyone was already focusing and preparing their skills.
Thunder crown!
Sadé pulled thunder into a crown above her head, and she pulled thunder into an orb within her hands before striking and flinging her skill at the middle head of the hydra. It squealed in pain, annoyance if anything but they were not wounded by much.
“We need to destroy each of their heads before we can defeat it!” Jazmel yelled and the others darted around the few remaining bog hags trying to make rid of them.
“Katie aim for a head; see how much damage you can do! Bannerman and Gil clean up the hags! Sadé we are going to need all the tails!” Jazmel shouted as he swigged a Mana potion and then turned to Patton who was still breathing heavy but seemed more recovered.
“I will recover and help when I can conjure that blade again, leave one head for me.” Patton said and he started to draw his sword and kill hags that were near him. Jazmel nodded and then sprinted through the marsh to rush forward and try his best to support the attack.
Chain maiden!
Katie flung her coiled chain down onto the middle head of the hydra, she had tangled her chains up into a knotted ball and slammed it onto the head. Its head dropped from the pain and looked like it had fainted, but the other heads were erratic and clearly angry.
The head on the left hacked out a fluid that smelled like vinegar and looked like oil. It spewed it in the air near where Katie was, she had untangled her chains and rappelled out of the way, the head on the right spat miasma; a toxic gas at her and when it mixed with the fluid; it combusted. Bursting in a flammable cloud, it reminded Jazmel of the flame bombs the dwarves had used and he decided if they won here; he would buy some from Frae.
“I am okay!” Katie said as she swung out of its reach and into some trees to drink her potions and also
DING!
MIASMA BLAST HAS EXPLODED IN THE AREA!
…
IT IS TOXIC AND SOMETIMES POISONS!
BE AWARE!!
The system pinged and Jazmel could already see the nasty Mana that seemed to float in the air and mingle around the cloud that has just burst.
“that cloud is poisonous!” he yelled, and the others simply watched but averted.
Thunderfire!
Sadé flung a bolt of her thunder and fire like a spear, and it burst through the toxic cloud and igniting it again the flames burned harder, but this time her skill hit the head which had spewed the oil like mucus just as it was planning another spit; the oil ignited in its mouth and she watched as its mouth exploded, teeth bursting from its jaws and pelting the area in fangs. It mewled in pain, and this awoke the middle head and threw the head on the right into a rage, the system screen popped up again.
DING!
THE THREE HEADED HYDRA IS ENRAGED!
10% INCREASE IN STR AND END FOR 300 SECONDS!
The system chimed and Jazmel shook his head, which was going to be dangerous. The left head was the most wounded, they needed to attack it and kill it while they had a chance. The others had seen the system notice also and were doing their best to keep out of the way of the rampage of the enraged hydra.
“Keep it busy! I will kill the left head when the buff ends!” he yelled, and everyone leapt into action. Keeping the other heads as busy as they could.
Crows!
Gilmore used his ink and pelted the heads with bombardments of crows that seemed to hit them with damage when they dive bombed into them. Jazmel hadn’t seen them do that before; wondered if that was a new skill.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Beast frenzy!
Bannerman slashed the air repeatedly and sent a barrage of clawed strikes at the head that kept spewing miasma and it screamed with pain and anger, the enragement was still going on and the Mana was churning and wafting off of it and Jazmel could see it was so drunk on its power, it was almost as if it felt invulnerable and was intoxicated with that feeling.
“one hundred and fifty seconds!” Patton shouted and Jazmel realised he was telling them through which they were halfway. Jazmel was considering their next steps when he realised that the hydra was rising up something of an attack when it raised its left leg and stamped down.
DING!
…
THE ENRAGED TIER III THREE HEADED HYDRA HAS STRUCK THE CORE OF THE SWAMP
MORE CREATURES HAVE HEARD AND WILL ENTRENCH ON YOUR AREA!
…
DEFEAT THE TIER III THREE HEADED HYDRA BEFORE YOU ARE OVERRUN!
…
That was not good news and Jazmel was worried immediately.
“Guys!” Jazmel yelled but everyone was already fighting.
“We saw it!” Katie said leaping from her hiding space in a tree and striking deeply with her chains.
Chain claw!
Jazmel watched as her chains were erected with claws that hung all along the chains. She lashed the back of the hydra and it shrieked with pain, her chains tore off scales and even cut the thick skin beneath. But it wasn’t enough to do true damage. Sadé took this moment to throw fox fire on its back and it burned the uncovered skin on its back.
“30 seconds!” Patton bellowed above the sound of the flailing hydra.
Jazmel readied himself, he still carried Yoru no Tsubasa and he meant to use it grievously. moving forward, Jazmel headed towards the left head where it was simply mewling and spewing mucus from its ruined mouth and it was something that Jazmel could tell that it was dying. He was just worried about another buff, but he had the best of is retainers with him. Another buff and this three headed hydra might grow stronger.
Fall of the black raven!
He crashed black ravens made of Mana into the mewling head and it whimpered, struggling with trying to raise its head back up so it could defend itself. but Jazmel didn’t let it, he carved across its face; slashing through its eyes and it shrieked again. Jazmel backed up and inhaling, trying his best to move as quickly as possible. He raised his sword above his head.
Sunder
He cut through the head and deep into the neck of the throat. It died and Jazmel watched as the other heads wailed in fury.
DING!
ONE HEAD OF THE HYDRA HAS BEEN KILLED!
…
THE OTHERS ARE ENRAGED!
THE OTHER BEASTS OF THE SWAMP ARE ENCROACHING!!
…
DING!
+5 AGL
…
YOU HAVE REACHED 100 STATS IN AGILITY
CONGRATULATIONS!
…
MOVING AT A SPEED WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR STAMINA AS MUCH!
The system rang out and he smiled, he would get everything he could from these stats, and he would use the buffs. He needed the strength and he turned to see how the others were fighting, and he smiled. His team was destroying this three headed hydra, and they were winning.
Ink havoc!
Blackened shards of ink crashed into the middle head; the second head of the hydra and pelted it. The ink didn’t disappear after it struck the head. instead it began to spread, and Jazmel could see purple tints in the Mana.
“It looks like poison!” Jazmel shouted over the din of battle at Gilmore who was running past him, and averting miasma being spewed at him.
“That is because it is! I mixed it in the ink!” he said running past.
Thunderfire!
Jazmel watched as Sadé smashed a bolt of writhing flame into the second head, and before it could even respond to her. Katie was above the head and using her chain she slung it around the neck of the middle head and yanked but she wasn’t strong enough.
“Pup!” she shouted and immediately Bannerman leapt up beside her and pulled with his own might. The neck wrenched and with an exerted crack, the middle head’s neck was broken.
DING!
ONE HEAD OF THE HYDRA HAS BEEN KILLED!
EXP ACCRUED!
…
THE LAST HEAD IS ENRAGED!
THE OTHER BEASTS OF THE SWAMP ARE ENCROACHING!!
…
Jazmel was enthralled by the kill, and his team was doing great. But not only was the final head enraged, but it was also spewing toxic miasma everywhere.
DING!
THE OTHER BEASTS OF THE SWAMP HAVE APPROACHED!
…
More bog hags had appeared, even swamp witches. There were other creatures coming but Jazmel didn’t have time to see the others as the final head was putting up a large fight and was almost covering the entire area in miasma.
“Make way!” Patton yelled and Jazmel leapt out of the way, watching Patton and Gilmore rush forward.
Ink havoc!
Jazmel watched as ink spread across all of the creature and covered its eyes. The Mana covered the eyes too and it started spewing miasma all around, it was dark and the Mana within it twinkled which was more than Jazmel could even deduce, it was dangerous and even he was worried about how far the cloud was dispersing.
“Sadé no fire! It could combust!” she head him and leapt back, bounding out of reach. A bog hag had stumbled over towards Jazmel , he was about to defend himself with a strike, but Paldane crashed into from above. and clamping down he bit into the back of the neck of the hag, and she died instantly.
DING!
COMPANION PET
LEVEL UP!
COMPANION WILL EVOLVE!!
Paldane growled and then a roar ripped from its throat, flames erupted from the scales across the back ridges and the blue flames expunged the whole body and bathed him. Paldane grew, his body grew in amongst the flames something Jazmel had ever seen. The small lizard became the size of a cat, wings, and all, it was a sizeable growth and Jazmel felt the bond between them strengthen.
COMPANION BOND HAS STRENGTHENED!
…
PALDANE HAS LEARNED A SKILL
…
AEONIC FLAME (TIER I)
…
Jazmel smiled and continued to do what he was doing Patton had leapt into the air and raised his huge Mana blade into the air and smashed it down onto the hydra, cutting through the neck and killing the final dragon. Jazmel whirled to see what was left and he and his party made their way around the clearing and killed the others that made their way into the clearing. They acted quickly and before long they were standing around exhausted in a swamp filled with bodies of tier III monsters and a boss creature too.
Jazmel checked the system notifications and read through them.
DING!
…
THE LAST HEAD OF THE HYDRA HAS BEEN KILLED
…
THE THREE HEADED HYDRA HAS BEEN DEFEATED!
REWARDS WILL BE ADJUSTED!
…
EXP ACCRUED!!
YOU DEFEATED A LOT OF CREATURES IN THE CLEARING ALSO!
…
REWARDS WILL BE ADJUSTED!
…
+4 STR
+4 DEX
+3 END
…
MORE OF YOUR STATS HAVE REACHED 100!
AS A BONUS, WE WILL ADJUST YOUR OTHER STATS!
+6 WIL
+6 INT
+1 VIT
…
YOU HAVE HIT 100 IN ALL OF YOUR STATS!
…
REWARD HAS BEEN ADJUSTED!
YOUR BODY MUST BE ADJUSTED
…
WILL YOU ALLOW ADJUSTMENT?
Y/N?
…
Jazmel looked around, everyone else was studying their system screens and were moving things around. Making sure that their gifts went elsewhere, but Jazmel wasn’t shocked, they were doing their best and probably had earned well from the system and the labyrinth.
Yes
He felt his body shudder, the muscles tear and repair he groaned. Hunching over in pain from the transformation he was undergoing. His body was breaking down as it rebuilt and he wondered if he had been hurting himself while he had been upgrading his stats and now that he had reached the limits of his body, he was somewhere in between, and his body couldn’t keep up.
DING!
TIER III LOWER DRAKE HEART HAS BEEN CONSUMED!
The system took the drake’s heart, the beast he had defeated during the beast tide and incorporated it into this bodily adjustment he was undergoing. He felt flames, pure fire crawl up his veins and intrench his muscles. His tendons burned under this purifying, and he realised it was the nature of the drake heart being added to his body. He gritted his teeth and willed all his focus to hold back a scream.
DING!
YOUR BODY IS ADJUSTING!
…
BUT IT CANNOT MANAGE THE FLAMES OF THE LOWER DRAKE!
WILL YOU ADD SOMETHING IN HARMONY?
Y/N?
He considered his next thing and with grit, he pulled the tier I frigid herb from his ring and bit it. It tasted bitter, earthy, and cold. It had the coldness of the frost shard, but also the purity of being truly cold inside. It reminded him of ginseng, and he chewed it and swallowed the whole herb in three bites.
DING!
THE TIER I FRIGID HERB HAS BEEN CONSUMED!
…
…
…
IT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE TIER III LOWER DRAKE HEART!
THEY ARE COEXISTING!
…
YOUR BODY IS CONTINUING TO ADJUST!
YOUR BODY HAS FOUND HARMONY IN FRIGID FIRE!
…
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BODY SURVIVING THE ADJUSTMENT!
…
YOUR BODY HAS CHANGED!
YOU HAVE GAINED THE BODY OF THE TYRANT!
DING!
…
ALL YOUR STATS ARE OVER 100!
YOU HAVE HAD YOUR BODY ADJUSTED!
…
YOU HAVE EARNED THE TITLE BODY OF A TYRANT!
…
The body has adjusted and now you will use Mana and stamina more efficiently. The system notification shared with him, and he rolled his neck and his body felt robust, he was stronger again.
He liked that, he knew that meant he wouldn’t burn through Mana and stamina as easily. That was good news and he revelled in the changes, but he was happy with the work he had done. He wondered what he looked like with the changes, and he wondered what they would do next.
“Let’s collect the loot, we need to move on from here.” Jazmel said and they agreed and began moving around collecting the cores and other things of value. Patton and Gilmore were already deciding on how they were going to carry the corpse of the hydra back.
“We need to go back; I need to rank up.” Bannerman said and everyone looked at him with surprise.
“I got a lot of levels for this, and I was preparing for this from before.” He said and everyone congratulated him, he had been travelling with Katie, so it didn’t surprise Jazmel that he was growing quicker and stronger.
“Bring back as much as you can.” He asked and he himself began to loot the bodies.
TIER III BOG HAG MUCUS SAC
TIER III BOG HAG MONSTER CORE
TIER III SWAMP WITCH CORE
TIER III SWAMP WITCH MIASMA POTION
TIER III SWAMP WITCH BEASE CORE
TIER III THREE HEADED HYDRA BEAST CORE
He took just this much and added it to his ring. The beast core was given to him by Patton, for killing it first. It took them almost two whole hours to pick the clearing clean. When they had done, the space where the hydra had come from led out of the clearing and into a cave that had been made into a den. The den was a gateway and entering it and they pushed through the hanging moss.
DING!
WILL YOU ENTER THE BLACK WING OUTPOST?
Y/N?
He touched the gate with his raised and entered, hoping to head straight to their outpost and home.