Either because I was so small compared to the hydra or because its focus was solely on Elandris, the hydra didn’t notice me popping out of its shadow and clung to its scales for my dear life. As I held tight while the creature whipped its head, I got a good look at the status of its body. Orca head was out of the picture. The neck that carried it was limp and its charred head dreg in the ground as the other heads moved. I wasn’t sure if it was the lightning attack that got it but I doubted it. I tanked it before so not being able to survive it was not possible. Elandris must caused extra damage to it. I pulled myself with one arm and jumped on top of the bug-like head. The feelers on its head moved erratically and tried to grab me. As they were taller than me they posed an actual threat to me.
Despite their size, they were feelers like the ones Bug Knight had and not tendrils. Even though I was surprised when they tried to grab me, I quickly managed to cut them down. The problem was they regrew instantly.
“Gökbörü.”
With my order Gökbörü quickly got to work, freezing the feelers trying to grab us. I took that opportunity to raise my sword high and gather mana on it. Green head turned to me probably feeling the massive mana infused into my sword. and I could see the shock in its one remaining eye despite its alien body and the massive damage done to its face by Elandris. Was it surprised that I didn’t die?
“Too late.”
It opened its mouth but I brought down my sword to bug head. I released all the mana I gathered on my sword. As my sword descended upon the bug-like head, the released mana surged forth, creating a brilliant cascade of energy. The hydra's remaining eye widened in a moment of realization, but it was too late for the creature to do something about the impending strike. The powerful blow landed with tremendous force, cutting through its carapace-like scales and flesh alike. A shockwave rippled across the hydra's body as the mana-infused attack inflicted significant damage. The bug head recoiled from the impact, its feelers thrashing in agony.
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
If it wasn’t for Gökbörü binding my feet to the creature I would have fallen when it trashed around though it wasn’t the best way to stay on top of the creature. If my body was slightly weaker my ankle, knee, and hip joints would have snapped due to the momentum of the creature moving while my feet stayed still.
Covered with blood, all of my body aching I swung my sword to the creature’s exposed skull. Despite having a bug-like appearance it had a skull beneath its scales and flesh. It kept trying to heal and cover its weakness but its healing was noticeably slower now. Even though my mana wasn’t even half, I kept striking.
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
As I struck its skull, I absorbed more mana. As I absorbed more mana I put more strength into my strikes.
(Mana Manipulation ranked up to C rank. Your ability to reinforce your body and weapon simultaneously increases greatly.)
Bone shards I broke splashed on my armor as I saw its brain. Green head must think that it needed to get rid of me at any cost as it ignored Elandris’s arrows piercing its scales and opened its mouth to me.
Well, fuck it. I can’t really sink into the shadows now not only due to my low mana reserves and the effects of Arcane Overload interrupting my focus. I can only hope I can survive it and then heal back with Rapid Healing, Regeneration, and Elandris’s help. I plunged my sword deep into the exposed brain of the creature, expecting a lightning blast to roast my ass.
But it never came. I glanced back, it was stupid to focus on somewhere else but I couldn’t help it. I saw the green head being encapsulated in a perfectly shaped water bubble. On top of it was again a feminine translucent being. But this one was blue and had a fishtail as her lower body. I quickly turned my focus toward the head I was fighting after seeing it. Since my sword was comparable to a toothpick for the creature one strike wasn’t enough to cause enough damage to its brain unless I put large amounts of mana into it, something I didn’t have right now.
That’s why I stabbed repeatedly the creature like a madman.
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
(You managed to absorb small amounts of mana.)
Even though the chance for mana absorption was abysmal, I could swing my sword more than a hundred times in half a minute. I managed to get knee-deep into brain matter and skull fragments. The regeneration of the creature was noticeably slowing down, indicating that my persistent attacks were taking a toll. And I hope that creature was on its limit! I was literally on its skull and slashed a quarter of its brain and it was still moving around, spewing a poisonous gas everywhere!
(You resisted Deadly Smoke.)
(You resisted Deadly Smoke.)
(You resisted Deadly Smoke.)
At one point it tried to cover itself with its own acid by spitting on the air and letting it drop on top of its head but Gökbörü managed to freeze it and sent it flying to somewhere else. With one final, determined thrust, I drove your sword deep into the hydra's compromised brain. The mana-infused attack, enhanced by my mastery over Mana Manipulation, caused a cascade of energy that rippled through the creature's form. The head convulsed before rapidly falling.
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“Oops.”
The long, snake-like neck supporting the bug head went limp the moment I destroyed its brain, falling freely, taking me with it. Despite how far high up my head was, I felt the pain of hitting the ground rather quickly. The squishy brain tissue of the creature cushioned my fall somewhat but my knees still complained as the impact traveled up my body.
“Okay, fuck.”
It wasn’t easy to climb out of the skull of the creature. Due to my attacks and the hit it suffered, most of its brain was basically liquid. Despite all, I managed to jump off without swallowing too much brain matter accidentally. I hoped that prion disease didn’t exist here.
I observed Elandris and his battle with the remaining head. The body of the hydra was slower and clumsier, probably due to the two dead heads it dragged. Two spirits at Elandris’s side did a good job of restraining it while Elandris bombarded it with high-powered arrows. While his maximum output was lower than mine, he was better at constantly attacking. Despite the creature's diminished mobility, it fought fiercely, unleashing its lightning breath time and time again until it overheated once more with vapor rising up from its body.
I started to run towards it again. This was my chance. I climbed up to the creature’s legs. Even though green head was burning up with enough heat to cook a nice, hot meal it was nothing to me. Elandris and his spirits hit the creature with a rather powerful attack, making sure that it wouldn’t notice me climbing. Seizing the moment, I rushed towards the hydra's eye. With a single strike, I blew its eye into bloody, small chunks. It tried to retaliate but Elandris's roots tightened their grip, holding the creature in place as I dug deeper into the creature’s body through its eye socket.
Unlike my previous experience when I tried to do the same thing to the bug head, its healing didn’t hinder me. It must reach its limit healing every wound we inflicted upon it. With a powerful thrust, I aimed for its brain.
(You collected Soul of Chimeratic 3-Headed Hydra.)
(You cleared the fifth floor of the Chimera Garden.)
(You acquired the title Dragonic Slayer.)
I waited for the sensation of falling but it didn’t come. Instead, I saw massive roots holding up the head and one particular one extending itself to me. I clung to it as it slowly lowered me to the ground.
“Thanks.”
I threw myself to the ground after the root lowered me enough and lay there for a minute, motionless. Only after Elandris didn’t respond to my thanks I looked at him. Instead, my eyes met with the mermaid elemental’s eyes, startling me. I didn’t sense her. While it confused me for a second, I understood why. She had no real physical presence, no smell, or a body to make noise. She was fully naked and I could see everything but she didn’t seem to mind that. And honestly, I didn’t mind looking at her either. Her skin despite being made out of translucent blue energy was flawless. Her hair was wavy and reached to her lower body. Her boobs despite their size and not being supported by a bra weren’t saggy at all. Her belly bulged a little but it was a sign that she was healthy rather than her being fat. Her lower body was of a fish though I couldn’t tell what species it was. Her face was young and attractive but she looked not so perfect that it would awaken an uncanny feeling.
“Greetings!”
She nearly shouted, clearly excited. Despite her loud voice the words she said sounded like a song.
“Ugh, hello?”
She spun around me, swimming in the air.
“He talks, he talks, he talks!”
I raised my body and looked at Elandris while ignoring the water elemental celebrating. He was close to the bug head, inspecting it carefully. A part of me told me that it was the head that was affected by Nidhogg’s presence most.
“Woof! Bark!”
I looked down at Gökbörü who was barking at the water spirit trying to pet him.
“Come on your majesty! Don’t be stingy and let me pat your fur!”
Gökbörü barked once more and escaped between my legs. Gökbörü usually lets females pat him, especially beautiful ones so what happened now?
“Excuse me. Gökbörü and I just went through a harsh battle so he is not comfortable with people patting him.”
The water elemental pouted, crossing her arms.
“Hmm. His majesty is just being stingy.”
Despite my words, she tried to pet Gökbörü who was between my legs.
“May I ask why you are calling him his majesty?”
Gökbörü, tired of her pestering hid into my shadow. Spirit pouted once again and made a surprised face.
“Well, because he is a prince of course!”
She knows that Gökbörü is heir to the Wolf King? How?
“May I ask how you know that?”
She made that surprised face again. She reminded me of the giggly girls I had in my high school before I got transferred to military school.
“I know the Wolf King, that old grumpy doggy! Of course, I would recognize his heir!”
Did she casually say that she knew a Calamity Candidate? A long dead one to the booth.
“When did you meet him?”
She thought with her thumb in her mouth for some time.
“Several winters ago, I think?”
Well, that was impossible. Even though I didn’t know when exactly he died, I was sure that it was a long time ago. Maybe her sense of time was different from humans or she met with a “shadow” like I did. I really would like to learn more but with how much my head ached, I think I would have to deal with it later. I walked closer to Elandris, who stood beside the wind elemental.
“Ah, here comes the foul beast-smelling monkey.”
Wind elemental looked directly at me and loudly exclaimed. Okay, this will be difficult.