The false hydra, it's getting bigger and bigger. Everyone keeps commenting that a Hydra should only have a maximum of seven heads, and now it has grown another head. Its scale, from the silver color of a mirage, is turning dark. Dark flame from the Devil King's remnant began to cover it. It's not compatible in the slightest, as it quickly burns the false hydra, but the false hydra's regenerative power simply brushes it off. It grew larger and larger, so much so that the ceiling of the castle began to crack.
"Watch out for the falling debris!" [Head Knight Rentap]
We take cover thanks to the quick shield provided by the knights. The special material used to make the devil king castle is heavy, but, thankfully, the knights are strong. Not only do they protect us all, they also protected all the civilian that are still under the influence of the false hydra
"I will not let you do as you wish" [Nar].
Nar quickly used his aura to glow brightly. A powerful aura, just like the last time he fought the mighty behemoth. I have seen it before, and it is still me. He's the perfect definition of a hero described in countless stories. Power. Courage. Smart. Handsome. All in one. No wonder Jean falls in love with him, and few other female knights and adventurers do. If only he wasn't so dense. As he begins to swing his sword, the false hydra hisses in pain and begins to counterattack.
Since the false hydra has grown so large, even one of its heads wouldn't fit well in this hall. The Devil King's Castle is already larger than the hall in Aunt Amleth's Castle, and to think that just one head takes up almost a quarter of it, making it difficult for us to avoid it.
One head alone is a huge problem, and when two or three heads come together, disaster is guaranteed. Of course, we are agile enough to dodge, but it still hurts when the scale imbued with the black fire of the Devil King's remnant touches us. Immediately, Sas enters his own form to extinguish the flame. Once again, he shows his form during the battle with the behemoth. His own mana becomes so heavy that it forms its own miasma. He's a natural user of earth, fire, and wind spells, so he has to use a wand made of water mana and stone to cast any water-related spells. It would be understandable if his water spell wasn't strong, but it isn't. With just a flick of his wand, he sent a torrential amount of water and even managed to pierce a hole in the false Hydra.
"Hey Cat Lady! Protect my little sister! I'm going to help them!" [Dana]
"It's Kat! And yes, I will, even if you didn't ask me!" [Kat]
"Of course, that's why I love you, Miss Kat...!" [Diana]
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" [Dana]
"My hand... It is moving on its own!" [Kat]
Kat stabs me with one of her daggers. Luckily, Fie is agile enough to help me, so the dagger only pierced my left knee. Miss Kat herself is confused, and what's more confusing, she started stabbing her own stomach as well. Luckily, her protective armor covers her well, but not before she suddenly uses her thunder mana and charges her dagger. Fie and I quickly put Kat to sleep! It's the only way!
"Not only her! There are others with low magic resistance who are affected by this! [Khamisah]
"I guess if that bastard snake can't control us completely, even one limb should be enough" [Randy].
Some started throwing their swords at me. Some throwing spell. They're all shouting the same thing. Watch out! Stop, don't let me hurt her. Put us to sleep! Put us to sleep! They're confused even when Sister Khamisah gives them an explanation. Of course, it's terrifying to be controlled to hurt someone. It must be difficult for them as well.
"Activate taunt skill! All of you, come at me!" [Head Knight]
Head Knight is using his taunt skill. It's powerful enough to bypass the control of the fake Hydra. No... Not only that, the others fully trust the Head Knight to take everything they have, so they tried their best to fall into the taunt, and the Head Knight didn't disappoint them at all! I'm sure I'd be dead if countless spells and weapons were hurled at me, but the head knight, worthy of his position, didn't even flinch!
"Bastard false hydra! Sword, be one with me. Heroic slash!" [Nar]
Although Nar's voice is perfectly calm, his tone carries a hint of boiling anger. His single sword slash, from his powerful stance and his trustworthy sword, once again sliced through the false hydra. The false Hydra began to adapt, making each of his heroic slashes ineffective compared to the last, but that didn't stop Nar. He continues. He doesn't have a single sword skill. He has multiple spells, as you would expect from a hero!
"I can't believe I see someone so powerful with a sword" [Dana].
"That's Nar for you. If anyone can do it, it must be him" [Khamisah].
"You look very proud" [Dana]
"Who wouldn't be proud when their family member did their best?" [Dana]
Their battle takes place in the sky of Emas. The eight heads grow so large that I wouldn't be surprised if Neloufa and the others could see them from the city. Nar, Sas, and Khamisah, one by one, begin to wear down the five heads of the false hydra. They endured the devil king's flame, they endured the corrupting illusory mana flowing from the false hydra. An ordinary person would be exhausted, but not them. They continue their attack without a break!
"Red hair! We must destroy the remaining three heads and join them!" [Dana]
"My name is Randy!" [Randy]
Randy and Dana begin their attack as well. The remaining three heads couldn't coordinate well since they took up a lot of space in the hall, giving Randy, Dana, and the other a big advantage. Randy continues to use his berserker mode while Dana begins to pierce the false Hydra with her trusty spear. Eye gouged out. The Hydra's tongue is split even deeper. The other adventurers and knights who weren't affected were also able to inflict some serious damage on the false Hydra. Still, the regenerative power of the false hydra is frighteningly good!
As for me, I do as I am told. Continue to support them so that the false Hydra does not get into their heads. I'm sure there's something I can do to help them more, but I'm not so sure, so I trust them.
(Purify THE THING) [Merlin]
"Master Merlin!" [Diana]
(Purify THE THING. Once you do, the false Hydra will weaken exponentially!) [Merlin]
"But it's so powerful! I don't think I can do it." [Diana]
(No matter, once you start to purify it, it will go berserk. It is already on the verge of collapsing, the only thing holding it together is THE THING) [Master Merlin]
"I... I will do my best!" [Diana]
Master Merlin spoke to me through Fie. I didn't think of it before, but I've done it countless times. This time, the target is my enemy, so I should expect him to retaliate. As soon as I raise my hand and start to purify it, all the heads rush towards me, ignoring everyone else.
"Fie! Run for our lives!" [Diana]
"Meow! Meow! Meow!" [Fie]
"Yes, I'm sorry! I'll catch you the biggest fish you've ever seen!" [Diana]
Fie, imitating Kat, imbued himself with Thunder Mana, and with lightning speed and reflexes, he dodged every single attack that came our way. When we get too close to one of the heads, I begin to purify it. Again, it goes berserk, not like a hydra, but more like a worm in pain or a leech when you throw salt at it.
"Everyone! Hold the head so that Young Lady Diana can make it disappear! [Head Knight Rentap]
"Yes!"
"I'll take the biggest head!" [Nar]
"Then I'll take the second largest!" [Sas]
"Not if I get it first!" [Khamisah]
"I'll take the one on the left, do you think you can handle the one on the right?" [Randy]
"Are you mocking me? Of course I can!" [Dana]
"Everyone, with me! Concentrate our spell and create a shield large enough to crush the remaining three heads! [Head Knight]
"Formation!"
"Formation!"
"Formation!"
"Do you really think a mere human can succeed!" [False Hydra]
With this. They all did their best to hold the head. Of course, it's not easy. In fact, the false hydra is mocking us all, with mirage mana on top of it to further bring down our morale, but somehow it has the opposite effect. Everyone is fired up instead. Nar tries to stab the head with his sword. Sas using the Hand of Gaia spell. Sister Khamisah just uses her brute strength to hold the head in place, she uses abundance of neutral mana to mitigate the devil king flame and the mirage mana of the false hydra. Dana nails it with Gungnir. Randy does the same with his golden axe. As for the Head Knight and the other, they create a giant shield spell and begin to squish the remaining head!
"Chance!" [Diana]
"Meow!" [Fie]
I begin to cleanse THE THING from the false Hydra and it begins to fight! This is the same as the monster fighting for its life! It works, but THE THING also tries to attack me! A first! It tries to surround me, but I cleanse it as well. It hasn't been a minute, and the false Hydra shows signs of crumbling, seeing this, Nar quickly takes advantage
"By my sword that cleaves the darkness and illuminates the path ahead, forging the truth by destroying the lies. Go forth and burst with the radiance of the goddess herself!" [Nar]
With a mighty slash, the false hydra disappears.
The sky cleared. The mirage mana has vanished from the air. One by one, the civilians snap out of it. Even Kat, who I put to sleep, somehow wakes up on her own. Cheers from everyone as we realize that we have succeeded in killing the false Hydra. Everyone is elated! Nar raises his sword and congratulates us all! Head Knight follows and does the same. Everyone's morale is high. Even the confused victim couldn't help but feel happy. Everyone cheers for Nar, praising Sas for his powerful spell. They admire Khamisah for her unparalleled strength. They thanked the head knight for leading the team. They also thank me for doing my job, not only protecting them from the false Hydra, but also cleaning it up, but they're confused as to why I show no sign of happiness, and that's because...
"You're awake, aren't you, Devil King?" [Diana]
"Descendant of Aru, how perceptive, and that witch is still alive, I see" [Devil King].
"To think I have the opportunity to hear your voice again, how disgusting" [Merlin].
"!" [All]