Chapter 770
The operation had begun.
The snakes scattered in all directions across the grassland, and Simon, Belya, and Hongpeng split up to chase them down.
– I’ll give the signal!
Belya shouted.
– If something explodes loudly in the sky, that’s the signal! From then, it’s twenty minutes!
Recalling Belya’s cryptic words, Simon sprinted.
He followed the tremors in the ground—sure enough, the trees on the plains toppled like toys. Beyond them, one of the heads of the Eildar Hydra was fleeing.
‘Found it.’
Simon focused Darkness at his toes.
‘Here we go, Feer!’
[Khhhhh! Make it flashy!]
Simon’s body shot forward, leaving behind a black trajectory. Using the trees as stepping stones, he accelerated with each bound. Pop! Pop! Each time, the trees wavered and tilted.
At last, he closed in on the fleeing serpent and swung the Greatsword of Destruction with all his might.
Shraaak–!
Scales split apart, blood spurted. The snake’s anguished cry echoed.
‘But as expected…’
Ordinary strikes couldn’t cut through those solid scales.
Either seal the hydra’s movements and slice through space itself or split the scales and strike again at the exposed flesh.
At that moment, the hydra turned its maw toward Simon and spewed venom. He stomped the ground and leapt away.
Pwooom! Pwooom!
Where Simon had just stood, the venom splattered, rising like a green tidal wave the size of mountains.
[Khuhuhu! Getting hit by that would make you explode before you even get poisoned!]
Sweat trickled down Simon’s temple as he veered aside.
“Help me, Kal!”
But Simon had his own venom arts.
Answering his cry, the greatsword turned a sinister shade of green.
<Kal’s Original – Toxic Fiend Hounds>
Kuhng! Kuhng! Kuhng!
From his blade, vicious poison hounds burst forth, latching onto the hydra’s body. Wherever they bit, the scales melted away, exposing weak points for Simon to cut.
“One more time!”
He swung again. The hounds relentlessly corroded the scales, and Simon lifted his head toward the sky.
The chance was here, but he couldn’t strike just yet.
‘The signal…?’
The instant Simon looked up, a BOOM! thundered overhead. A green cloud spread into the shape of a skull. Simon grinned and leapt onto the hydra’s back.
But the beast didn’t take it lying down. As Myurr’s summon, it too could wield magic—runes spread around it, summoning thin white serpents that shot at Simon.
“Feer! Handle its movements!”
[Got it!]
Feer took control with Bone Armor, guiding Simon’s evasions. Meanwhile, Simon stretched out his arm, focusing his will.
With no one watching, the conditions were perfect to use it.
<Simon’s Original – Dragonian>
From subspace, the Dragonian Suit manifested, running alongside Simon without a wearer.
“Let’s go!”
The white serpents fired again, but the Dragonian Suit advanced, raising a barrier. They bounced off or vanished mid-air.
Simon sprinted close behind. As the distance closed, he suddenly leapt.
“Haaaaaahhh!”
A perfect chance.
His sword pierced precisely into the flesh exposed by Toxic Fiend Hounds. With the sound of skull splitting, the hydra twisted in agony.
Kugugugugung!
Its massive frame toppled trees as it crashed to the ground. Immobilized, it was finished when Simon plunged down from above for the final strike.
“Phew!”
The hydra’s head split apart.
‘That made one out of ten.’
It seemed about two minutes had passed.
“Next!”
There was no time to rest. Simon kicked off the earth and launched himself toward the next set of tremors.
* * *
–Shhhhhhht!
Here too, a hydra head plowed through the forest, destroying everything in its path.
Each movement was like a natural disaster. Creatures caught unaware were torn apart, their flesh scattering in bloody heaps.
The hydra intended to cross the river and escape the grasslands.
Drip.
But then—was it rain? A drop like water fell onto its pupil.
The beast’s eyes shifted upward.
“One spotted.”
Belya crouched atop its crown, wearing a sinister smile.
“No matter how much you run, you’re just a flea.”
The hydra’s stinging eyes burned as it thrashed wildly. Belya remained squatted as if glued in place.
“You’re making me nauseous. If you’d just stayed still, I would’ve made it quick, painless….”
Swaaaaash!
The hydra’s body whipped around like a lash, striking from behind. Belya clicked her tongue and vaulted skyward to dodge.
Thump.
Landing back on its body, she bared sharp triangular teeth.
“This is all your own doing.”
<Belya’s Original – Thousand Transformations>
Her hair tie dissolved. Her hair spilled loose, whipping in the wind.
The brown locks shifted color—pink, mint, violet. As if drenched in fluorescent paint, she glowed with unnatural brilliance.
“Shall we take a walk?”
Balancing atop its head, she strolled forward.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
With hands clasped behind her back, she walked as if on a casual promenade. Each step left behind a ‘footprint’—and each footprint instantly spread into venomous pools that melted the hydra’s scales.
–Sssssshhhhhh!
The monster tried desperately to throw her off, but to no avail. She flaunted herself, her multicolored hair streaming wildly.
And not only footprints—her whole body erupted with bangs like bursting craters, spewing fluorescent pink, mint, and violet toxins.
Each was lethal. Some melted past the flesh into bone, others mutated the tissue into charred black husks.
“Kyahahahahaha!”
She was a walking chemical weapon.
Within thirty seconds of her stroll, the hydra collapsed, its body mangled.
“Tch, already over?”
Murmuring, Belya stepped toward its head. Its pupils, glowing with fear, stared up at her.
“Let’s hope this is the last time we see each other, hmm?”
She raised her index finger before the hydra’s eyes.
“Every time you resurrect, I’ll kill you painfully.”
Her fingertip trembled—
Then, tok!
A jet-black droplet unnaturally fell from the tip of her finger.
The instant it touched the hydra’s head—
Chiiiiiiiiiiik!
The massive head melted away entirely. In moments, a crater the size of a lake yawned open where its skull had been, a horrific stench rising from within.
“Mhm.”
Landing on the ground, she turned her head. In the distance—BOOM! BOOM!—impacts resounded without pause.
“The Legion Commander will manage somehow, but… I’m more worried about my little sister.”
* * *
–Shhhhhhht!
“Huff… haah! Huff!”
Hongpeng was running desperately atop the hydra’s back. She swung her arms with all her strength as she ran, but her stamina had already bottomed out.
‘Dangerous.’
She had managed to take down the first hydra without much trouble, like Simon and Belya.
But by the time she faced the second one, her body had reached its limit. Even as she tried to inhale mana with her breath, it refused to turn into Darkness; her limbs had no strength left.
She was little more than a walking corpse.
What moved Hongpeng now was sheer willpower and responsibility.
“Hhngh!”
She leapt and slammed her fist into the hydra’s head. With a BOOM! its head lurched backward.
“Ah.”
But no power carried the blow.
Instead of being smashed into the ground, the hydra’s head halted mid-swing, then fired venom at her suspended body.
She quickly pressed her palms together and thrust them forward.
Whooosh!
A gale force wind deflected the poison, only for the hydra’s gaping jaws to surge forward, swallowing her whole.
“Khugh!”
Barely, she braced herself—hands pushing against the roof of its mouth, legs splayed wide to hold back its closing jaws. Still, it clamped down and smashed her bodily into a nearby cliff.
Kwakwa-kwa-kwang!
With a thunderous crash, the area vanished into a choking cloud of dust. The hydra pulled its head free, then unleashed a barrage of venom into the impact site.
Pwooom! Pwooooom!
The Poison Breath detonated against the cliff, melting stone itself, leaving it sagging and unstable.
When finally the hydra ceased its barrage—
Bang!
Hongpeng burst out from the far side of the mountain, swinging a clenched fist.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Surging Current>
Pwooom!
A shockwave blasted forward, striking the hydra square in the face. Yet despite the air-splitting impact, the beast’s head only tilted slightly to the side.
Shrrrrrr–
A hopeless situation.
Hongpeng’s overexertion drained the last of her strength, one knee collapsing beneath her. The hydra opened its maw once more, venom swirling to fire.
‘Move!’
She struck her own thigh with a fist, willing her body to react—but it wouldn’t. She pressed both hands to the ground, desperate to crawl away.
Kwadadadadak!
Suddenly, a massive glacier chunk fell from the sky and smashed into the hydra’s head.
“…What?”
“Professor Hongpeng!”
<Glacia>
High above, a girl with long hair streaming in the wind stretched out her arms. Hongpeng’s eyes widened.
“Me-Maelyn… student?”
The hydra shook its head, dazed from the impact, then lunged again toward Hongpeng, jaws yawning wide.
<Blood Storm>
A crimson whirlwind surged up, blocking its charge. Beside it stood a vampire girl, draped in a cloak of blood.
“Use this chance to escape, Professor Hongpeng!”
“Kamibarez… student too!”
But the hydra ignored Maelyn and Kamibarez. Its instincts locked on Hongpeng—by far the strongest of the three, but now exhausted and unable to fight.
“Pardon me!”
Maelyn gestured. A magic circle flared beneath Hongpeng’s feet, and an ice pillar shot upward, hoisting her skyward.
Hongpeng wobbled, losing balance, and tumbled backward.
“Ha-ha! Got her!”
Swoooosh!
From the river below, Dick, waiting with his boat, caught her safely in his arms. Hongpeng’s eyes went wide.
“Dick… student!”
“Hold tight, Professor!”
Dick activated the mana engine mounted on the boat.
Swooooooosh!
The craft tore through the river’s current with speed, carrying Hongpeng to safety. Behind them, the hydra lashed its tongue angrily, slithering after them.
“You’re not getting to the professor!”
Maelyn and Kamibarez burst forth, unleashing high-powered Dark Frost Barriers and Haematology magic in a torrent. In that moment, Dick set Hongpeng down on the boat and spoke.
“That was close. Should I take you somewhere safe now?”
At his words, Hongpeng’s eyes hardened. She shook her head firmly, again and again.
“No! We must bring that monster down right now before it escapes!”
As if waiting for those words, Dick grinned broadly and shouted.
“Maelyn! Kami! You heard her, right?”
“Yes!”
At that moment, the hydra broke through Kamibarez’s blockade and plunged into the river. Its massive maw gaped wide as it surged forward, cutting through the water, a sight so terrifying it made the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.
“Woohoo, now this is thrilling.”
Dick muttered as he glanced back at the beast in pursuit.
Then, from above, Maelyn appeared, her sky-blue hair streaming in the wind.
“Bring the boat over here, commoner!”
<Maelyn’s Original – Ice Track>
A frozen path materialized in midair. Dick steered the enchanted boat onto it.
Clunk!
The boat rose onto the ice path. Hongpeng swayed, clutching the rail tightly.
Ka-ga-ga-ga-gak!
The vessel glided across the suspended track, but the hydra coiled around it, jaws snapping hideously as it chased.
“Let me down, Dick! Against something like that, you kids…!”
“Even a single second of recovery matters right now.”
Dick gave a calm smile.
“Our firepower isn’t quite enough to deliver the finishing blow. That’s your role, Professor.”
“!”
“So, we’ll deliver you right to its nape!”
With that, Dick pulled out a heap of specially made black magic bombs with wings from subspace. Enchanting them, he hurled them onto the ice track. They bounced forward and clung to the hydra’s body wrapped around the frozen path.
“I’ve always wanted to try this one!”
He spread his palm wide, then clenched his fist.
<Disenchant>
Kwoooooom! Kwoooom!
Black explosions ripped across the hydra’s body. With an agonized shriek, the monster halted its pursuit.
Whooosh!
In that gap, Kamibarez leapt. Landing atop the hydra’s neck, she opened her mouth wide—her small fangs glowing crimson.
Crunch!
She bit down hard, cracks spiderwebbing across its scales like glass before a shattering crash as a section broke off entirely.
Leaping away, Kamibarez shouted:
“Now!”
“Nice one, Kami!”
Maelyn cried out. She twisted the ice track she had created, turning its direction straight toward the hydra.
The boat carrying Dick and Hongpeng plummeted right toward the beast.
“Ah.”
Hongpeng’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Right before her, through the gap Kamibarez had torn open, gleamed the scarlet flesh beneath.
“See? I was right.”
Dick grinned. Hongpeng felt a wave of overwhelming emotion at her students’ courage, clenching her fists tight.
Suddenly, strength returned to her body. Her paralyzed legs stirred once more, her breathing at last converting into Darkness.
Ssst!
The hydra, too, shook off its daze. Its eyes flared as it targeted Hongpeng again. She kicked off the deck and charged.
Only two strikes are needed.
One to slam it into the ground, pinning it down. Then another, to drive the shockwave through the torn scales into its exposed flesh.
The hydra lunged, jaws wide—Hongpeng swung her fist.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Chwita>
Kwoooooom!
Her blow slammed into the hydra’s skull. Its head lurched sideways, nearly crashing into the earth, but it resisted with brute strength.
‘Still no power…!’
Hongpeng despaired inside. The hydra readied another charge, venom swirling in its maw.
“Haaaaaaaah!”
From behind, Maelyn, Dick, and Kamibarez rushed forward. Clenching their fists, they copied the technique their professor had taught them.
“Chwita!!”
Their fists, shrouded in Darkness, smashed into the hydra’s skull.
Kwooooooom!
The monster’s head slammed into the ground, dust billowing skyward in a violent storm.
These three had no special talent in Magical Combat. But Martial Combat was built on perseverance, diligence, and earnest training.
Not only geniuses like Simon could wield it. For the past year and a half, these students had drilled tirelessly under Hongpeng’s guidance. And that persistence had now carved open this chance.
“Now, Professor!”
“Give it everything!”
The fruit of their effort stood before her eyes.
Overwhelmed with a tsunami of emotion, Hongpeng clenched her fist again. Darkness surged around it, vaster than with any technique she had ever used before.
Her strike came down on the hydra’s raw flesh before its scales could regenerate.
<Hongpeng’s Original – Blue Wave>
Kuguguguguguguk!
A colossal shockwave ripped into its flesh and spread through its body.
Kwagwagwagwagwaaaang!
The hydra convulsed as if struck by lightning. Thousands of scales exploded off its hide, blood spurting from thousands of holes.
Thudddddd!
The massive body collapsed.
Hongpeng slumped to the ground, her arms falling limp.
“Professor Hongpeng!”
“Professor!”
Her students rushed to her. She spread her arms wide and drew them into an embrace.
“Thank goodness…”
Her voice trembled with tears.
“I’m so relieved none of you were hurt!”
The students, beaming, hugged her back.
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