Barely alive with large gaping holes in her back, and an entire magic staff shoved from the butt to the neck like a barbeque skewer laid in the center of the arena. The guild Healers looked at Pythia unsure what to do as if knowing it's a lost cause, and tenderly attempted to move her into another area for operation and healing.
Although the situation was gory and absolutely horrid to look at, the arena crowd was not chattering and murmuring in displeasure. In fact, most were even amused and excited for the next contestant to perform.
From feeling disgusted by the Penelope's dismemberment, slowly transitioning to pure ecstasy entertainment clapping and cheering for the excellent but futile effort of Pythia.
Riding on these emotions, the announcer roused the crowd and amped it up by announcing "With such low success rates from our previous two contestants we will now be sending contestants in a party of 3 to help increase their odds of success, but a place of our choosing so that the area is difficult enough to test these rookies.
Next three rookies coming up to party they are, "Helen the Centaur Warrior princess!" as the crowd watches in awe as she galloped into the stadium, with her strong horse legs, body adorned with silver armor clutching a massive shield with an Ancient Sigil carved in this center.
"Next Virgil the Harpy master archer" Soaring in the sky and coming to a gentle landing.
"Lastly Arachne the demon Spider Assassin!" as she reveals herself emerging from Helen's mighty shadow.
"This newly banded party is one to look forward to! Equipped with a strong tank, long range even assassination this next monster should be worried." with that honorable mention, the group was teleported to a natural underground spring.
Much like an underground cave it was domed shaped with its ceilings reaching as high as the sky. While in the middle, a lake of still spring water pooled.
The party of three set off cautiously exploring the underground lake, its extreme quietness eerie not even a sound of running water was heard, just their own breathing and footsteps.
"Hey, we should assume a formation with me at the front, Virgil gets on my back and prepare to fire your arrows when ready, Arachne hide in my shadow and warn us of any danger you sense, and also deflect any incoming sneak attacks."
Like a well-oiled machine, they traversed the outer ring of the cave ever so slowly spiraling into its center.
Helen softly whispering to the team, "Nothing on the ground or the walls only one single hole at the top of the dome, perhaps that's the only entrance and exit."
With a look of determination and purpose, Virgil spread his feathered harpy wings and immediately took flight and headed towards the opening attempting to scout the aerial space above, where his other team members could not.
Hovering near the opening of the hole "It's dark up here but I can see a path illuminated by a line of luminous quartz crystal. I'm going to take a closer look."
"Wait its dangerous! Regroup and we can find another path to forge ahead" but Helen's voice was too far to be audible.
Just as Virgil headed deeper into the narrow hole, a giant ripple cascaded on the surface of the lake, in the silence with fear and trepidation, a giant 7 headed hydra violently emerged from beneath the lake.
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Monster: Ancient Immortal Hydra
HP: 2500/10,000
DMG: 3900/10,000
DEF: 2000/10,000
SPD: 3500/10,000
Skill: Headless Immortal (Rapid regeneration)
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The 7 heads began converging coiling into itself into a thick spiral and aimed above unleashing 7 jets of highly pressurized and scalding hot water into the hole above.
The water slammed into the unsuspecting Virgil and pushed him all the way into the inner ceiling of the hole, unable to escape. Soon most of his bones broke under the immense pressure, and the high temperature boiled him alive causing his skin to inflate and swell cooking his skin and eyes thoroughly.
Helen sprang into action winding back and with a running start jumped straight into the Ancient Immortal Hydra casting "Ancient Siege Magic, Shield Bash!" The ancient sigil glowed with power and created a hexagonal light wall around her, allowing her to collide into the giant Hydra with massive force.
This amount of brute strength and magical power knocked the giant Hydra straight out of the water flying into the ground on the other side of the lake. (Damage -1000) .... before instantly updating to (Damage -0).
This quick decision stopped the water barrage and saved Virgil from getting completely cooked, sparing his internal organs as he falls helplessly in the air before getting teleported away.
"Looks like we will have to slay this beast ourselves Arachne." Nodding in agreement they changed their battle stance and formation.
Arachne dashed around like a ninja delivering minor cuts and blows to the hydra in order to find its true head as all other attacks are ineffective. (DMG -0) ... (DMG -0) ... (DMG -0) ... (DMG -0) ... (DMG -0).
While Helen prepares in the back, twisting the top of the shield like a handle and unsheathing a massive blade with the ancient sigil with it. "This is the ancient blade of the trojan empire outfitted with its shield sheath, will cut you down in an instant Hydra!"
Despite the massive onslaught dealt by Arachne, the true head of the hydra was too exclusive and could not be found among its seven heads. The duo had been careful all this while not to deal too severe a damage that severs a head, as both remembered that legends of this beast was that severing one head would grow two more.
As the fight prolong, fatigue kicked in slowly her movements with many near misses of being snapped up and caught by one of the heads. Feeling the desperation and helplessness, Arachne devised a plan, "Helen let's get this beast in one swing, I'll direct its movements to the top of the cave to lure it to use its scalding magic, once the neck contorts into a singular piece cut it all off."
In agreement, Helen begins chanting building power in the sword's sigil. Arachne attached a long rope to a throwing blade and used all her strength to jam it in the ceiling. Performing major impressive acrobatics dodging seven snapping hydra heads before rope climbing to the top.
However, the Hydra would not take the bait and begun to ignore her as it knew unless it's a sure kill with an enemy trapped in the hole it would not risk firing its scalding magic and kept charging towards Helen in a fury. Arachne fully realizing the sheer intelligence of the Ancient immortal hydra knew she had to risk her life in a desperate attempt for their plan to work. Throwing the last of her blades infused with explosion magic, she leaped into the hole above.
On cue, the hydra rears all of its heads and contorts into a singular neck and charged its scalding water cannon. In this opportune moment, Helen began her own assault towards the Hydra, galloping while chanting. Reaching point blank range, casting "Ancient Siege Magic, War Cleaver!"
The sword grew twice its size and glowed with a radiance of plasma, with a giant swing, it sliced the Ancient Hydra's neck clean off its torso residual force of the magic slashing deep into the walls behind it, with the contorted heads collapsing splashing into the water.