Let's think about it.

There are no downsides to taking Sikare's offer. It's not even an offer—it's a challenge. I plan to subjugate the hydra later anyway, and having her help me will be a relief. Though, I already have my friends for that.

And at this point, I do want to test out my maximum fighting capacity. These last few periods, I haven't been able to do that with an enemy.

''Sure. I'll do it.'' I say to Sikare.

''But I won't need your help,'' I add.

The witch appears amused, nodding as she continues to stir the pot. Since the deal is already sealed, I rise to my feet and prepare to leave.

''Ah, wait, wait. Are you going to kill it right away?''

''Yes.''

Sikare then tells me to wait for her for a minute. The woman extinguishes the fire below the pot and begins to run around the room, whisking vial after vial of strange-looking potion into her bag. She also stuffs a bunch of old books and sheets into it, inflating the already puffy leather backpack.

It isn't until the baggage becomes bigger than her own body that Sikare finishes her prepping.

''Let's go!'' She says excitedly.

''...''

I suppose she wants to watch it. Why do I feel like gaining another Becky all of a sudden?

These Luxia-like girls... they're multiplying, I swear.

----------------------------------------

''H-Huh?? Why did you bring her here?! Weren't you guys supposed to fight?''

Upon arriving in the snowy forest, Becky sees us and immediately freaks out, hugging her drone like hugging a protective totem. Sikare chuckles at this sight, showing an unusual smugness.

''Move on, little tech girl. We're going to hunt the big lizard at the center lake.''

''L-Little tech girl?? Who are you to call me that?!''

''I am me, the only me am I.''

''What...??''

With the two bickering behind me, I slowly begin to move toward the center of Zircon. 'Slowly' might be misleading since I am basically running faster than most cars, but the forest is simply that vast. I consider this a warm-up, and I don't want to waste MP teleporting.

Around fifteen minutes later, we arrive at the location.

Here, a large lake, one that seems to be at least tripling the one in the academy in size, comes into view. The water surface is a peaceful blue, and not even a tiny ripple can be spotted. More than anything, the sight of four different biomes, each surrounding the lake in a direction, is surreal.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Four clear cuts, four types of weather, vegetation, and atmosphere.

''You'll go in alone?''

After telling Becky my plan, she shows a lukewarm reaction and obediently sits in a corner with Sikare, who is already putting out her stuff like a vendor.

Information about the hydra... is probably not needed. Unlike other situations, I have safeguards, and I need to be prepared to fight opponents I don't know anything about regardless.

So, I pull out my sword and give it a wide slash.

My frost mana, heeding my call, forms around the blade and burns intensely before being blasted away, succumbing to the kinetic energy my arm generates. In an instant, the entire lake is covered in a layer of ice.

In the absolute silence, I channel even more mana into my sword, to the point that it starts to sound a cold sizzle.

''...''

A bit more.

Almost.

Soon enough, I can feel the ground beneath me wail as if in pain, and my footings shake helplessly.

The relatively thin layer of ice bursts like being hit by a bomb. A truly colossal shadow befalls me, accompanied by raining water and its frozen shards. Blocking the sun as it heaves out thrilling breaths, the nine-headed, scale-covered creature fixes its blood-red eyes on me.

Although not as giant as the dragon back in Neveah, this one makes up for it by its sheer intimidation. If the guardian dragon at least seems like a majestic creature, the hydra appears much more rugged, brash, and fierce.

The scales are crooked and sharp, like spikes, and the eyes are devoid of intelligence, like those of wild beasts.

So this is the hydra... great, it can hide its status screen, too.

Still, since four of its heads are trying to cast water and wind spells, I can rely on that to counter it. Water with ice, and wind with fire... is what I want to say, but.

''[Gauntlet of Severance].''

————————!!!

The dragon lets out a painful groan as the well-charged ice magic explodes within its body. I aim at the base of one of its necks since the body is submerged, and right away, I can see that part inflate like a balloon, threatening to fling off the muddy dark blue scales.

Despite that, I don't have the feeling that I've dealt significant damage to it.

True to my prediction, the dragon soon fully recovers its wound, reverting to a pristine state as if turning back time.

So then, how do I...

''...!''

A half-cut screech.

Before the sound of wind being shattered and the silhouette of the thing can be clearly made out, a brutal collision blasts all of that away. I narrowly dodge to the side, springing myself away further to avoid being hit.

It's the hydra's head.

It seems I have severely underestimated how strong this creature is.

Now, being surrounded by three heads baring their fangs and six heads behind casting magic, my mind starts to spin. Since coordinating all nine heads will no doubt be close to impossible, especially for this one, I reckon it will only have a few active at most.

''Tch...!''

A water arrow grazes me.

It doesn't seem like so. Instead of completely letting some heads rest, the monster chooses to sync them into batches, operating several as one. If so, can I use its positioning?

So, after observing its behavior a bit, I decide to regain my initiative.

By now, the ice surface of the lake has largely been destroyed by the hydra, so I confidently jump in with another large-scale glacial blast. Spells are coming in from all directions, and with the physical heads blocking the ways, dodging seems impossible.

[Blink].

Of course, if the opponent wasn't me.

Once again, a layer of frost covers the entire lake, hindering the monster's movement for just a second—or so I naively think.

In reality, the thing almost gets me again with its head. The sheer impact it makes as it rips through the air blows me away, sending me straight into a maze of spells that have just been shot.

Water surges from below, breaking apart my ice, while the wind runs rampant as if wanting to blow me away.

Through all of this, the hydra remains perfectly fine. It menacingly envelops the whole space, pulling everything into its domain.

I swallow a dry gulp.

It has been a while since I have felt this way.

A sense of absoluteness as though standing before a mountain.

The reluctance when facing an unbeatable opponent...

And the immense joy it ought to bring when I surpass that.