However it may be, this place is perfect for the final battle. My words struck the members of the guild.
"What are you talking about?! This is their stronghold, I can't stand even being here!" Katrina protested, wanting to escape from this place as quickly as possible.
I gave her a chilling look. "What am I talking about?" My voice remained utterly impassive. "I am going to fulfill the contract, and you will obey me if you want to survive."
Katrina looked at me with eyes widened in surprise. Seleria let out a satisfied snort, "Not bad for a commoner." The princess of the black dragons nodded approvingly, while the others, including the vengeful failure, remained puzzled.
"Kurone, have you done what I asked you to?" I asked nonchalantly, pretending that nothing had happened.
"Yes, I think I'm getting the hang of it," she replied.
"Good. Grain, could you collapse the bottom of the lake onto that spherical chamber below?"
"Collapsing such a layer of earth is difficult, but it's within my abilities," he replied, seemingly not objecting to my command.
"Make the necessary preparations. I need you to be able to do it at any moment."
"Alright, it will take some time to create the necessary cracks."
"That will be your main task, but not the only one. Can you scan the entire ground from here to the entrance of the lair, especially the tunnels and their layout?"
"I will try."
"I don't need an exact map, just draw the major tunnels, especially the ones through which the pack mother could pass."
"I see you're planning something grand. Do you think you can lure her to the surface? But where will you find such a large bait?"
"I'm not sure if we can lure her out, but she came out before, trying to protect her offspring, so we might be able to smoke her out. We can ignite the marsh gas; it must be accumulating in the deep caves," suggested Seleria, with a touch of madness in her proposal.
"You're crazy! We'll all blow up!" even Katrina understood such a simple thing.
"I don't think the hydras are so foolish as to build their lair in a place with a gas buildup. I believe they constructed the caves themselves, avoiding the gas pockets. We need a scout who can quickly get inside, set the blaze, and get out, leading the enraged mother away."
I looked around at those present; there were not many options.
"Don't even look at me. I agreed to help you, but I didn't sign up for suicide!" Leira immediately protested.
"Well, you're hardly suitable for this task. Grain, how's the map coming along?"
"It turned out quite rough, with passages intertwining and going both deep and to the surface."
Just as I thought, the main corridor led from the nest under the lake to the northern exit, but there were also several branches leading to distant caves at other swamp exits. Everything was falling into place, and my gaze settled on Ragni.
"Grain, how wide is the main corridor?"
"Almost twenty meters, why?"
"My dear Ragni, can you tell me, in dragon form, can you fly through such a passage?"
"Have you gone mad? I might fit in it, but my maneuverability will be limited," the dragoness protested vehemently, clearly disliking the idea of unfamiliar caves. "And how will I navigate with this map I'll never remember?"
"All you'll need to do is fly forward and burn all the side passages. The main thing is to reach the nest and set it on fire, then the main hydra will definitely chase after you."
"THIS IS MADNESS!! How will I navigate?"
"Grain and Kurone will guide you," I said with a cunning smile on my face. "When was the last time you heard Kurone's voice?"
"What are you talking about? She just spoke with you," Katrina was as bewildered as everyone else.
"Really? Did you see her moving her lips or hear her pronouncing words?"
All eyes widened, fixed on Kurone, waiting for her response.
"Well, well, Mr. Krito, you've exposed me," she didn't speak aloud; her lips didn't move. Her voice simply resonated in the minds of everyone present. "Besides invisibility, I can also communicate telepathically."
"I gave her special training to develop this ability. Haven't you noticed that she hasn't spoken a word in the last two weeks?" I said.
Guild members exchanged glances and shook their heads in disbelief.
"That's precisely it, and that's the whole point. Now Kurone is an indispensable member of the team! With her help, we can work together seamlessly and precisely according to the plan. And she'll be able to transmit thoughts between Grain and Ragni, so you won't get lost for sure."
"Well, if you're so sure, then alright," Ragni frowned slightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "But why do I have to fly in full form? In human form, I'd be more agile."
"If the hydra bites you, you'll have a chance to deflect the bite with your scales. In human form, you won't survive even one bite."
I explained the strategy to everyone else, and we prepared for the battle.
At noon, we began the operation.
Ragni, in dragon form, flew into the hydra's cave. There could still be many small offspring inside, but their bites did little harm to her. The venom from their teeth didn't have time to penetrate her scales before the dragoness shook them off the cave ceiling.
Grain sat, concentrating solely on the wide underground corridor, through which the huge reptile was now charging. Kurone worked wonders: she managed to connect their minds directly, resulting in Ragni seeing the map in front of her and always knowing where to fly and when to turn.
As I suspected, the hydra's birthing chamber was located directly under the lake and was half-filled with dark crimson liquid. It was definitely blood and flesh, the remains of all the victims the hydras had dragged here over the past couple of months, mixed with swamp water.
Movement was noticeable beneath the surface of the liquid. Ragni exhaled flames onto the lake's surface and illuminated by the flash, enormous snake-like heads emerged from the water. The mother was defending her offspring and immediately lunged at the intruder.
The attention of the main hydra was drawn, and we had to retreat. The way back was not so straightforward; the adult hydras, summoned by their mother, gathered at the edges of the cave, preparing to attack the passing dragoness. The only way to get rid of them was to burn all the cave walls. However, using fiery breath constantly was draining, and we had to rely on instincts, choosing only the most dangerous moments.
Only ten minutes passed, and Ragni had already escaped from the underground captivity and soared into the air. She was wounded and couldn't rise above the treetops. The ancient hydra was after her, eager to avenge its devastated nest.
Soon, the dragoness reached her destination, gliding over the surface of Merenlake; she collapsed exhaustedly near the southern shore, transforming into her human form along the way.
Anticipating the imminent retribution on the enemy, the hydra stepped onto the lake with her entire body. She was enormous, with a body about thirty meters wide when standing upright, and twelve serpent-like heads on long necks sprouted from it. This was one of the most dangerous ancient hydras in the world. But we were ready.
As the hydra stepped into the lake with her entire body, it was time for Grain. He had long stopped scanning the underground paths; all that was left for him was to gather as much earth mana as possible in his fist and unleash the prepared trap.
The lake started sinking. Layer after layer, the earth collapsed into the underground chamber, crushing the eggs of the new brood. Simultaneously, the entire western part of the lake sank down ten meters, and the resulting hole filled with swamp water from the nearest lakes.
The trap snapped shut, but the creature was so immense that even when submerged in the marsh with its entire body, it easily reached us with its heads. Moreover, the hydra didn't even try to escape the trap and immediately attacked us.
The eastern part of the lake remained untouched, with only its water flowing into the newly formed hole. The small island in the center also remained untouched, where Grain, Leira, and Kurone were now located. Leira, the quiet sorceress, was doing her best to divert the attention of the twelve heads from that area.
The creature couldn't see or hear them, but it could sense their smell. The heads were slowly closing in on the island when, simultaneously, two bursts of fire erupted from opposite shores of the lake.
Under the cover of the Fire Mages, two swordsmen stood on the lake's shore. Krito and Ragni from the south, and Algo with Seleria from the north.
Six heads lunged at each flank, but the swordsmen easily evaded all the attacks. Both warriors were under Leira's magic; it was complex magic, and while she concentrated the mana of lightning and wind on us, she could hardly move. But that wasn't her only task; she shielded us with an air barrier to prevent the hydra's blood splashes from reaching us.
Dodging the first attack, I struck the nearest head with a running attack. Thanks to the flames enveloping our blades, conjured by the Fire Princesses, Algo and I could effortlessly slice through the monster's tough skin, and the first head took flight.
"Ragni, Leira, to the left!" Kurone's commands immediately coordinated the sorceresses' actions.
A gust of wind blew away the hydra's blood, which began corroding the grass on the shore like acid. At the same time, the burst of flames halted the regeneration, not allowing the hydra to recover from its loss.
At that moment, Algo dealt a blow and knocked off the second head. In the same second, the sorceresses took care of the second neck.
We acted in perfect sync, beheading the hydra one after another.
Soon, the hydra was left with only six heads.
Algo, evading a simultaneous attack from both sides, removed two heads with a single swing.
"Don't take such risks, Algo! Burning two at once is very challenging."
"Better finish this quickly; I'm beginning to feel the side effects of Leira's magic."
The swordsman no longer moved as swiftly as at the beginning of the battle, and his left arm hung limply along his body.
"Sorry, I'm distracted by the gusts of wind, and I'm losing focus on your speed."
"Then turn it off!" I gave her the order, although I still had three heads against me.
"Are you crazy?"
"No, I'll manage, and Algo has only one opponent left. What kind of warrior is he if he can't handle even one?"
"Don't risk it for no reason! I'll help!" It was Katrina's voice.
I glanced at a small rocky elevation on the eastern shore of the lake. A storm raged there, with the Mistress of Lightning at its center. Throughout the battle, she had been accumulating lightning mana around herself. Even nearby rocks began to lift from the ground due to the accumulated electricity.
"No! Your time will come later! It's not the end; I'll manage."
At that moment, three heads launched their final attack on me. Two came from the flanks, attempting to bite my hands. I blocked them with two swords, and in the same moment, the third head lunged at me from the front, thinking I wouldn't be able to dodge. At the last moment, I pushed off from the approaching head with my foot, soaring into the air above the hydra's closing jaws. Making a mid-air turn, I cut off the last three heads, which were instantly incinerated by Ragni.
The hydra had only one head left, which Algo was currently fighting, but it showed no signs of impending death. This wasn't over yet; I ran towards the hydra's tail, which still lay at the edge of the lake; I had to climb onto its main body.
For Algo, the battle was not going as smoothly. Without the speed and strength provided by Leira's magic, he was at a disadvantage.
"Seleria, help him infuse his sword with as much fire as you can," I decided to aid him however I could.
"Will he withstand it?"
"Algo, I noticed your sword; it's made of mythril, right?"
"Yes, it was a gift."
"Then do as I say."
Bright flames erupted on the northern shore. Algo's sword grew significantly in size. The flames gathered in the blade, creating a several-meter-long edge that even frightened the hydra. The last head recoiled, but Algo leaped forward and with one swift motion severed the monster's neck.
Having lost its final head, the hydra's necks listlessly collapsed to the ground.
"HURRAY!! WE WON!!" the people on the islet celebrated, relieved after the final strike.
"STOP, KURONE!! Don't remove the invisibility!!" I tried to warn them, but it was too late.
The hydra's necks converged at the front of its massive body, forming a ring-like shape, as if encircling something inside.
Between the fallen necks, two bright yellow eyes flared up. The last, thirteenth head of the Hydra was hidden within. The most monstrous head we saw during our first encounter was tucked away, protected by the smaller necks. It was designed to deliver the final blow.
In an instant, the head straightened, rushing toward the islet where our comrades were rejoicing, aiming straight for the weakened Leira, who sat on her knees at the edge of the islet.
"Lady Leira!"
At the last moment, a figure appeared before the frightened sorceress, blocking the huge jaws with a wide sword.
"Algo! What are you doing? Run, quickly!" The bewildered lady yelled at her foolish servant, ready to sacrifice his life for her.
"Only after you!" He smiled foolishly. To make such a great leap, he gathered all the lightning mana left from Leira's spell in his legs. The spell's effect was hitting his body harder than the hydra's venom. He fell to his knees but continued holding the sword in front of him.
The mythril blade blocked the hydra's jaws, preventing it from swallowing the islet with its inhabitants. Venom dripped from its sharp fangs, burning through the warrior's leather armor and corroding the blade. A few more seconds, and it would break under the pressure.
"KATRINA!! Attack now!"
At that moment, an unprecedentedly large lightning bolt struck the monster's face. It was far more potent than the sparks from the entrance exam. This lightning could knock down any monster, but not this one. The hydra's scales glowed brightly as they absorbed the discharge and channeled it into the ground through its thick bones. It was incredible; the hydra's thick bones acted as a lightning rod.
The monster was thrown back by the blow, electric discharges filled the air, numbing all its senses, but it didn't give up. With a soul-chilling roar, and spewing acid from its mouth, it once again lunged at its target.
However, the islet was now enclosed by a high stone wall; Grain had realized what needed to be done. The hydra crashed into the wall, and at that moment, a dark figure ran up its arched neck. He wasn't afraid of the electric discharges; they were nothing to him. The tattoo on his right arm glowed, and his blade was enveloped in black flames.
"HAHHHHHHHHH!"
Performing a somersault in the air, I delivered a powerful strike at the base of the head. The blow hit precisely between the vertebrae, cleanly severing the head from the body.
The Royal Hydra helplessly slumped and stretched out at the bottom of the lake.