Chapter 310

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310 Strength of Monsters #10

Thud, thud—

Rolling the boulder aside with all my strength revealed the dark interior. Ignoring the sound of dripping water droplets hitting the ground, fluorescent round objects soon began to rise from the pitch-black darkness.

Sssss….

It didn’t take long to realize that these were akin to the glowing eyes of a living creature.

Sss, ssshh—

The sound of something smooth scraping against wooden planks sharply echoed, and soon, massive snake heads emerged, revealing themselves toward me.

Sssss.

One, two, three, four—

A total of nine heads.

It seemed the Hydra had as many as nine enormous heads.

Ssssssshk!

Soon, all nine heads bared their massive fangs and lunged at me.

The fact that it attacked immediately without any probing suggested it was either an impatient creature or one with a vicious temperament.

Shaaaak—

Feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, I twisted my torso to the left just as a massive body brushed past my right side.

Had I been even slightly slower, I might have been sent flying like a deer hit by a truck, my bones shattered upon impact.

But there was no time to relax just because I dodged one attack.

This thing had nine heads.

To put it simply, it was like fighting a boxer with nine fists—there was no difference. It swung all its heads relentlessly, attacking me from all directions without pause.

Whoosh, whoosh—

The snakes’ erratic rhythm of attacks.

Shyaaak—!

One head lunged at me, brandishing its sharp venomous fangs. I swiftly ducked and drove my dagger into the underside of its jaw.

Crunch.

The dagger—honed to its limits—managed to pierce through the scaly jaw and inflict a deep wound.

“Gotcha, d*mn it! This dagger’s imbued with aura—it’s gotta hurt like hell!”

With a sharp tug of my hand gripping the dagger, I tore through its jaw and skull as if splitting it in two.

The vivid sensation of cutting through bone, thick hide, and muscle came clearly, but the problem was what came next.

Splaaash—

The dark red bl**d gushing from the wound began corroding my dagger and the leather armor covering my body.

As the corrosion spread, I quickly released the dagger still embedded in the creature and tried to put distance between us.

Whoosh—

“Wha—!?”

Another head bit into my leg.

Before I knew it, each of my arms and legs were clamped in the jaws of different heads, immobilizing me.

Not only that, but the remaining five heads aimed for my skull and nape, putting me in a truly hopeless situation.

The force pulling me in different directions stretched my limbs to the point of near-tearing. If this continued, my body would be split into five.

“Grrraaaa—!!”

In an effort to shake off the heads burying their fangs into my shoulders and limbs, I poured all my strength into my body.

Thud—

With the sound of muscles tearing, one of the Hydra’s heads—the same one I had wounded earlier with my dagger—rolled onto the ground.

Graaak—!

With a massive scream, my body flew away.

Crashing against the wreckage’s wall, I clicked my tongue at the sight of the gaping wound from the massive fangs. Despite being pierced by sharp teeth, there was no trace of venom or similar effects.

Or maybe I just couldn’t feel it.

“Haa…”

I steadied my breathing, gathering the inner energy within me. The bl**d gushing from my wound seemed to slow slightly.

Now, my gaze turned to the Hydra.

Its severed head flailed wildly in anger.

The sight of a new head sprouting from the stump of the fallen one was nothing short of horrifying and despair-inducing.

“d*mn it… Can we really win against this?”

Graak—! Ssshhhk—!

Hiss, hisss—!

The wrecked ship shook violently under the injured Hydra’s rampage, as if it would sink any moment. I had no choice but to retreat, stepping out of the dark vessel where the Hydra made its nest.

*

“d*mn… Almost died there.”

As I stepped out of the ship, the Hydra hid itself back in the darkness. At least I could catch my breath.

Triton whistled at me.

“Was just thinking of cleaning up your corpse. Can’t believe you came back alive. You’ve already stacked up some serious Karma.”

“d*mn, it’s seriously vicious. How the hell do we even k*ll it?”

“Vicious and brutal. Its heads regenerate unless burned. Wanna seal the entrance again and try another day?”

“Ah. So we need fire.”

I wondered how things would’ve gone if Elpride were here. If she hadn’t fainted from her fear of the sea, maybe we could’ve taken the Hydra down easily.

But there was no use dwelling on what wasn’t here.

“So, you’re just gonna watch? Aren’t you the Prince of the Sea? Just letting that thing run wild in your territory?”

“Unfortunately, I’ve got too many ladies who’d cry if I got hurt. I’m too precious to risk falling flat in a place like this.”

Typical.

In a way, Triton was wise. From his perspective, the risks outweighed the rewards of fighting the Hydra.

“Can’t blame you for being a coward. I feel like dying just standing here.”

He wasn’t wrong.

His face and body were already covered in bl**d, likely corroded by the miasma the great serpent spread.

“Still, if you can just lure it out, maybe I can help a bit. That thing’s a nuisance in my domain. One I’ll have to k*ll eventually.”

“Got it. Just gotta drag it out, right?”

Sigh.

After a brief exhale, I slapped my cheeks. The stagnant air in my lungs cleared slightly.

I assessed the situation calmly.

I was up against a snake.

A massive snake.

With nine heads, but if I imagined nine separate snakes, it was easier. Me against nine snakes.

Against my one body.

Hopelessly outnumbered.

Any way to turn the tide?

Even if I could raise the dead—

With that alone, I could’ve rivaled the power of those who boast themselves as gods or their children.

As I honed my aura and wore the Silver Tier necklace, I realized something clearly.

Just how powerful the necromancy I wielded was—and how absurdly out of my league it had been.

Necromancy was forbidden.

But to stop me, Jupiter could’ve taken Pluto’s eye from my necklace—yet he didn’t.

He wasn’t even interested in artifacts like my necklace.

What he adjusted was my constitution.

Perhaps the reason I could wield necromancy wasn’t because of the necklace’s power, but simply my own innate traits?

It was something I’d ignored for a long time, but maybe I truly held incredible potential.

What am I?

My mind buzzed with thoughts and doubts. I stopped thinking and pulled the club from my back.

“Huu.”

Unrealistically heavy.

Its weight silenced all distractions—except the thought of wielding it.

Elpride, necromancy—regretting what wasn’t here was useless.

I focused only on what I could do now.

Human strength pushed to its limits, a blessed club, and the divine blessings I’d received—

At this moment, I could proudly call myself a hero.

Standing before the serpent’s nest, even after experiencing its terror firsthand, the fact that I wasn’t running was proof enough.

And monstrous snakes exist to be slain by heroes.

“Alright. Let’s do this, d*mn it.”

“Your turbulent Karma has settled. You’re fascinating. Said to be Saturn’s descendant, but perhaps you’re actually—”

“No.”

I cut Triton off.

“That’s not a story for you to tell.”

The one who should answer my questions was someone else.

That man—he’d have subdued nine snakes without breaking a sweat. Stung by hornets or bitten by snakes, he’d never flinch.

I felt the bl**d coursing through half my body vividly.

My other half.

What brought me into existence.

Not just that—the stench of the poisonous air, the sound of crashing waves, the sticky salt on my skin, Triton’s heartbeat, and—

—even the Hydra’s tremors of cold fear.

“It was said to be excessively savage, but seems like it’s genuinely wounded.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wait here. I’ll drag it out—then we finish it together.”

I swung my club through the air—Hwoong, hwoong—dispelling the black mist and clearing my vision.

Then, I rummaged at my waist and pulled out a small vial.

Without hesitation, I poured its contents over myself from head to toe.

“Ugh, what the hell?”

Triton recoiled, grimacing.

“What are you spraying? The sea’s gonna get polluted! Ugh, get that away! Don’t come near me!”

The stench must’ve been overwhelming even to his corrupted senses.

“What is that? d*mn, it’s disgusting! Never smelled anything worse! I might puke!”

“Disgusting? That’s harsh.”

I replied.

“It’s love.”

“What?”

“You’ll see.”

I strode back into the dark wreckage.

Ssss…

The Hydra, which had been baring its fangs at me moments ago, now hid in the shadows, refusing to show itself.

“A special Potion to repel snakes… Works even on you, huh?”

Exactly.

Luna had given me this snake-repelling Potion before I faced the Hydra.

The most sensitive organ in a snake is the Jacobson’s organ—its sense of smell.

Luna, ever the snake lover, knew exactly what they hated.

Squelch.

One more step forward.

Graaak—!

All nine heads shrieked, scales bristling, before recoiling.

Nine heads meant nine flickering tongues—nine times the olfactory sensitivity.

Graak! Graaaak—!

It screamed in terror at my approach.

d*mn, its hatred was kind of hurtful.

Swoosh.

At the wreckage’s dead end, I raised my empty hands toward the Hydra, stowing my club away.

“Hey, no need to be scared. I’m not your enemy. If anything, I’m a friend. Let’s just forget about that fight earlier.”

Graaak—!

But its nine heads just kept hissing. Getting closer seemed risky.

A cornered beast is dangerous—especially an injured one.

“Hey, recognize this hide? It’s your brother’s. Me and your mom—

Graaaaak—!

d*mn. Wrong thing to say.

“Okay, okay.”

I stopped advancing and slowly pointed at what could be called the Hydra’s torso.

Thump, thump—

There, embedded deep, was a pulsating thorn—more like a thick pillar, resembling my club.

Drip, drip—

This was the core of its heads, like an octopus’s body. The wound festered, oozing dark red bl**d that tainted the sea and air.

Graaak—!

“That’s why you’re so aggressive, huh? d*mn, must hurt like hell.”

I frowned.

Though snakes are often depicted as monsters or demons, they’re generally docile—rarely attacking humans unprovoked.

Graaak—!

Of course, this one was just plain vicious.

So I moved even slower, crouching low, minimizing even the sound of my muscles shifting.

Finally, I reached the thorn embedded in its body.

Hsss, hiss—

The Hydra’s heads hissed but lacked the courage to strike me, repelled by the stench.

Swoosh.

I reached out.

Come to think of it, hadn’t I done something similar before?

Pulling a sword from a dragon’s body—this was just like that. Maybe that had been practice for this moment.

Thud.

Grrr…

Its body trembled from the pain. I understood then.

Everyone spoke of slaying it, but even without that, its lifespan was nearly spent—thanks to the wooden pillar piercing its heart.

The agony it endured was immense, conveyed vividly through my fingertips.

A wound that should’ve been fatal—yet its monstrous vitality kept it alive in endless torment.

Had it come here to d*e, nestling in the depths, waiting for its end?

Ironically, the thorn prolonging its suffering also staved off d*ath.

Removing it would k*ll it.

I knew instinctively.

“What do you want?”

I asked the Hydra.

This thorn was its poison—to yank it out and hasten d*ath or endure the pain?

The choice was its alone.

Ssss…

All nine heads lowered. The hostility from moments ago faded into something almost… gentle.

I couldn’t speak to snakes like Luna, but I understood.

“You wanted to see your mother before dying? The Giant’s Forest isn’t far from Delphi.”

Silence.

Its shallow breaths were answer enough.

“Alright.”

I gripped the thorn and pulled.

Graaak—!

The Hydra screamed, scales bristling.

Whoosh—

A massive head struck me, hurling me out of the ship.

Then—

Graaak! Graaaak—!

Instead of calming, the Hydra thrashed wildly, smashing through the wreckage and bursting out.

“Whoa, you actually dragged it out! Nice! Wait—!”

Triton swung his harpoon, conjuring massive water hands that seized the Hydra midair.

“Got it! Unbelievable! You really pulled it out! And look at it—writhing in pain! What did you do!?”

But soon, the Hydra’s body went limp.

Its heads sagged, roots drenched in water, exhaling what seemed to be its last breath.

Hsss, ssss, ssss…

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