Chapter 311

311 Laugh #1

Hydra is dead.

I distinctly felt the very moment the beast exhaled its last breath.

The will—or perhaps the soul—that had supported its heavy body, the life force itself, left its body with that final breath, dispersing somewhere into the vastness of existence.

“The heavens be praised! Wasn’t it Hassan? You’ve slain the Hydra! You’ve removed a nuisance to the gods! An accomplishment no one else could achieve so easily, yet you’ve done it!”

Triton exclaimed as if truly joyful at the fact.

However, I couldn’t rejoice in this entirely. It wasn’t the truth, after all.

I didn’t k*ll the Hydra.

Swoosh—.

As proof, I gazed at the thick piece of wood in my hand.

It felt eerily similar in weight to my club, an uncanny and ominous fragment of timber firmly clutched in my hand.

Ssswooosh—.

The wood was soaked with Hydra’s venomous bl**d.

This was what ravaged internal organs and inflicted damage to vital tissues, turning living serpents into a curse that stained the seas. One might call it a cursed stake.

Tingling… Tingling…

Through my arm holding the wood, I could vividly feel what might be described as the creature’s resentment and hatred.

Though it’s more of an abstract concept; the discomfort is likely an allergic reaction caused by the Hydra’s potent venom.

It was indeed powerful.

Even my palms were itching uncontrollably, making it hard to keep holding the thing. Just as I was about to toss it far away, Triton panicked and stopped me.

“Whoa! Don’t just toss something like that into the sea! It needs to be burned with special fire to purify it! Who knows what could happen if it’s carelessly thrown into the ocean? And this corpse too!”

“So what should we do?”

“Do? There’s no choice. You’ll have to carry it. It seems like there’s no one else here capable of handling Hydra’s remains apart from you.”

Triton had a point.

In the end, I ended up carrying the Hydra’s corpse and the club.

As we returned to the ship we had come in, a massive shape writhed in the sea.

What on earth could it be? Only to discover an octopus or squid of a colossal size—capable of overturning a portion of the ocean—thrashing its tentacles in every direction.

“Hippolyte! I’ll sprinkle salt! Hold on just a little longer! The sorcery is almost complete!”

“Noxdothi! Hurry! I can’t hold on much longer!”

“Done, done! Hiiioooaat—!”

Neigh—.

As Luna sprinkled the bagful of salt she had prepared, the tentacles wrapping around the ship let out strange cries and began to withdraw.

Whoosh—.

Taking the opportunity, Hippolyte leapt onto the massive head of the beast, plunging her sword deep and splitting it open, scattering its brain everywhere.

Grrrk—!

The gargantuan squid collapsed with a terrible cry. Hippolyte, upon descending from the creature’s body, wiped the black ink staining her entire form.

“Hmph, I’ve gone completely black. Truly makes one a proper Samaritan.”

“Black hair suits you well.”

“Ah—?”

Hippolyte noticed my presence and called out brightly.

“Ah, good timing! We just finished fighting a colossal squid!”

“I saw it from the side just now.”

What colossal squid could reach such a huge size?

And how exactly were they able to combat it?

It was all so hard to comprehend, I decided to stop overthinking.

While Triton and I tangled with the Hydra amidst billowing shadows, apparently Hippolyte and Luna’s group protecting the ship were also caught in their own fierce battle. It seemed that way.

In a voice that rose with surprise, Triton cried out.

“That thing, wasn’t it the master of these nearby waters? I thought it had fled out of fear from Hydra, but it turns out it was here all along.”

At that, Hippolyte furrowed her brow.

“Did I perhaps slay a creature we shouldn’t have? It attacked us, so I eliminated it.”

“No, the problem wasn’t its defeat but its resilience. It was a nuisance to my dear merfolk and sailors in this area. I was planning to hunt it down anyway; you’ve just saved us the effort.”

“I see. Then what about Hydra?”

It was then Hippolyte noticed the massive snake corpse I dragged along.

“Good heavens, is that really the Hydra? Terrifying. Just being near its body makes it hard to breathe and my chest stings. How did you manage to defeat something like that?”

“I don’t know either, this guy named Hassan took care of it somehow.”

To which I could only respond honestly.

“I didn’t defeat it. I merely guided it to rest. I didn’t actually do that much.”

*

The rumors about warriors Hippolyte and Luna, along with the nymph Paranoi, defeating the master of the coastal waters, Kraken, spread like wildfire through the city of prophecy, Delphi.

Good heavens, wasn’t that a gold-tier beast? How did they manage to defeat it?

The ink from that wretched Kraken apparently stained the sea black.

I heard there was a prophecy about the black sea turning blue again? Indeed, it was an ominous indication that Kraken was doomed to fall!

No matter where you went, everyone was talking about the tale of the massive squid being defeated.

In the coastal city of Delphi, where the monstrous Kraken was practically a mythical entity, it was natural for interest to gravitate toward those who brought its reign to an end.

“Drag the corpse!”

Yoink—Cha—! Young—Cha!

At the dock, people were in the midst of using chains to drag the body of the colossal squid from the water.

The sight of that massive corpse being dragged onto land by their efforts was so overwhelming in size and magnitude that it left everyone speechless.

Soon, someone seeing this cried out.

“Look at this! Some people were boasting that this monstrous squid might be greater than Neptune himself! Everyone, have a good look—this is a god? No, this is just a squid!”

“Indeed! Let’s spit on the squid’s corpse!”

“Hip hip hooray! Hail the hero Hippolyte! Hail the hero Noxdothi!”

Most of these people were residents who had suffered losses of family and workplace due to the squid’s tyranny.

Fishermen and their families raised their hands in praise toward our group, who had restored peace to the waters surrounding Delphi.

Watching from a distance, Luna trembled as if extremely embarrassed.

“Oh, they’re calling me a hero! It’s so embarrassing!”

“Why does no one mention Nymph Paranoi’s name? I worked just as hard…”

“You were eaten.”

“It was all a ruse… A truly heroic move, volunteering as bait… Didn’t you notice the squid slowed after consuming me?”

“That’s true. But….”

As they were bickering, Paranoi and Luna turned their gazes toward me.

“Even so, compared to Hassan, who defeated Hydra, what we did seems like nothing. Why must such a great deed be kept a secret?”

Luna seemed genuinely bewildered that attention and spotlight were directed toward them rather than me.

“To defeat the Hydra… that was an undertaking even the gods struggled with!”

Luna’s words hit true.

If Kraken was the beast that shook the nearby seas, Hydra could be called the very emblem of monstrosities across the entire Gaia Continent. Its bounty ranking soared beyond gold to platinum.

A truly divine level of achievement.

But as I already said, it wasn’t me who defeated Hydra.

It was the club deeply embedded in its body, feeding off its life force. If anything, it was the person who embedded that club who deserves the credit.

Because of this, the Oracle and the clerics of Light in Delphi decided to remain silent about the matter of the Hydra for the time being.

Would you call it a sort of embargo?

At this point, Hippolyte, who had quietly leaned against the railing next to us, watching the seaside, spoke up.

“The Oracles are seeking counsel from the gods, they said. We’ll know soon enough—likely within the next three days since it’s already been two.”

“Hassan, it’s possible you could be recognized for your deeds and achieve Gold Tier!”

Luna seemed excited, as if my great achievement was her own. However, Hippolyte merely clicked her tongue, implying it wasn’t that simple.

“You’ve achieved something far too monumental, which could bring about complications. The Kingdom may assign monitors to you. There might be inquiries.”

Due to these possible issues, we who had slain the Hydra decided to stay quiet for the time being, keeping our identities hidden, and passed a few days at our lodgings.

Despite the beautiful sea vista, staying indoors proved tedious and frustrating for everyone, though thinking of it as rest helped us endure the situation.

“Unfortunately, Elpride wasn’t the imposter.”

“See, I told you.”

“Aah! What is this! I was sure Elpride was the culprit! So why did she keep sneaking glances at Hassan with an eerie smile?”

“I did that? Don’t lie.”

“Actually, the real culprit was Paranoi…! With her clever stratagem, everyone fell into her trap…!”

After a few more days had passed, I, standing by the sea, thought of the peculiar rasping sound the snake, Hydra, had made in its final breath.

It sounded just like the fierce winds of the ocean, mysterious and haunting.

Could there possibly be meaning behind it?

So I decided to ask Luna, who was stealthily approaching from behind.

“Luna, I have something I’m curious about.”

“Wha—? How did you know I was sneaking up on you? It’s like you have eyes on the back of your head, Hassan!”

“That’s not it; just a feeling, you know.”

“You’ve been incredibly perceptive ever since defeating Hydra! So, what is it you’re curious about?”

“Well, it’s nothing much, but… something like, shiiii-?”

“Are you trying to describe hissing sounds?”

“Yes.”

I attempted to mimic the sound Hydra made, searching my memory, but struggled. Luna, however, treated it like the simplest task in the world and laughed.

“At your level, you’re still a beginner. Thank you, and be cautious. That is all I can offer to you.”

“Is that it?”

Thanks… Hearing gratitude from a dying snake felt quite strange, yet it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

At that very moment, someone knocked on our door.

“We’ve come from the Shrine of Delphi. The High Prophet Pythia requests your presence. She awaits all of you.”

So it has come.

We ended our brief period of isolation that felt simultaneously long and short and ventured onto the city streets.

Walking along the streets escorted by the priests from the Delphi Shrine, we realized that all the townspeople turned their gaze toward us, whispering.

“Look over there. They must be the protagonists featured this year in the Prophecy Festival.”

“The brave warriors who accomplished the High Prophet’s task?”

“But who is the man with black hair standing beside them?”

Among the voices of people noticing us, a long line was seen extending through the city.

Pilgrims, travelers seeking prophecies, and even those convinced they were the sons of gods themselves, formed a long queue leading up the high stairs of Delphi’s Shrine.

Their line stretched like an enormous snake.

Of course, that was just my random thought.

There’s nothing better than random thoughts while climbing an immense staircase.

When we had climbed over a thousand steps, we finally reached the mountain-top temple of Delphi, dedicated to the God of Light.

The high mountain and the countless pillars atop it.

The vividly blooming wildflowers of the mountain.

But somehow, the stones and rocks scattered around made it hard to imagine it as just a divine temple—rather, it seemed more accurate to call it a ruin.

The bustling crowd also gave it the feel of a tourist site for ancient relics.

What is this place?

Is this really it?

As I harbored these doubts, the priest of Light who had guided us said,

“Just ahead, follow the Forbidden Path of Secrets.”

“Do you not guide us further?”

“The Adyton, the Secret Path, is a hallowed domain for the High Prophet and the gods. We are not allowed to delve into forbidden truths…”

I’m unclear about the details, but it evidently wasn’t a place for just anyone. We made our way past the crowded ruins to a desolate stone path.

Suddenly, a mysterious vapor, seemingly originating from nowhere, enveloped our shoulders warmly. It had a peculiar smell.

Sniffing it, Luna commented.

“Sulfur smell. There must be a hot spring nearby! Don’t breathe it in for too long—it might make your mind hazy!”

Ah, it’s sulfur then.

But what about this place having a High Prophet?

At that moment, Hippolyte said,

“Hassan, I was aware you’ve been hiding many things from us. And while I didn’t press you before, you no longer have the luxury of hiding them now.”

It felt like a warning.

A bit creepy, isn’t it?

While pondering this, we began to make out strange stone pillars emerging through the thick mist.

Psssst—.

Smoke spouted from holes between the pillars, and then, beyond them, a black-clothed figure sat in a cross-legged position, facing us.

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you. The questions you seek, and their answers, are already prepared.”

Her laughter echoed gently, radiating wisdom. Though her face was hidden behind a black veil, the white hair extending outward hinted at the weight of her years.

Is she a truly aged woman fitting her title as the High Prophet?

At this moment, Paranoi spoke up,

“Hey, isn’t this old lady the Grand Priestess of Light, Pythia…? She’s far more ordinary-looking than I imagined… She could be a fraudster!”

“You, a nymph of ditch water, Paranoi. Today, you secretly took two candies from Hassan’s pocket without his knowledge. Did you not?”

“That, that’s….”

“Should you doubt me, how about I reveal an even more remarkable secret? Let’s see…”

“I, I believe you! It seems you’re the real deal…!”

Seeing Paranoi tremble, we realized that the veiled grandmother seated before us was truly something akin to a prophet.

To reach her, we journeyed far from Sodomora to this place, enduring numerous hardships.

After so much…

“Much has been achieved, Hassan of Samaria.”

Wa, swivel! Did she just read my thoughts?

With the idea that this grandmother might indeed answer the many mysteries I pondered, I was absorbed in thought right as the High Prophet Pythia burst into laughter anew.

“I’ve never encountered anyone quite like you in my long life. Raven? Mikami Yuu, who exactly are you?”

“… Swivel!?”

The concealed truths I had wanted to hide began to be peeled back, voiced by someone else.