Chapter 6
The Hydra was enormous.
It stood taller than a bus, and the length of its writhing head extended well over 20 meters.
“When I got there, only one head remained. I don’t know who did it, but it made things easier.”
‘As expected, there’s only one head left.’
The Hydra, which should have had nine constantly regenerating heads, had already lost eight.
Its eyes were cloudy, and its scales were dull and dry.
It was clearly poisoned by its own venom.
Yet the sheer pressure it gave off was terrifying.
It hadn’t noticed me yet, flicking its tongue out lazily.
‘Let’s do this fast before it notices.’
“There was a big wound where the jaw meets the torso. Its own venom had seeped in, and it was dying. So I aimed right there!”
Staying in its blind spot, I threw a rope.
The rope traced a perfect arc through the air and wrapped tightly around the Hydra’s snout.
I gave it a strong pull.
Grrrrr!
The Hydra thrashed, startled as its mouth was suddenly bound shut.
It flailed, trying to free itself, but the rope held tight.
Just as it lifted its head and tried to bite through the rope—
[Casting “Courage of Arrogance”.]
[Duration: 5 minutes.]
‘This is the turning point.’
Activating the skill, I dashed toward the Hydra.
My target: the wound between its jaw and torso.
The plan was simple—drive the sword as deep into the wound as possible and enlarge it.
To pierce deeper and harder, I used Courage of Arrogance.
But as I approached the wound Heracles had spoken of, I couldn’t help but curse.
‘That bastard, I knew it!’
A single scale was out of place, revealing a small gap underneath.
That’s what he called an injury?
‘That’s a reverse scale.’
I had expected Heracles’ intel might not be 100% accurate.
So this was still within my anticipated range.
Besides, a reverse scale was still a weak point.
Beneath the unprotected flesh lay major blood vessels.
If I aimed right there, it was enough to kill it.
Thud!
My blade pierced deep into the wound.
Screeee!!!
The Hydra shrieked in agony and thrashed violently.
But—
‘It’s shallow.’
Boom! Crash!
It slammed its body against the cave wall like trying to shake off a parasite.
I quickly yanked my sword out and rolled to the side.
“Damn it.”
Its massive body must’ve absorbed most of the blow.
I didn’t feel the blade puncture any vital vessels.
“I’ll have to take the direct approach.”
The only fortunate thing—
The Hydra was heavily poisoned by its own venom.
‘Its movements are sluggish.’
If it were in peak condition, I’d already be dead.
Riiip!
At last, the rope snapped.
The Hydra turned toward me, jaws wide open.
“Your breath stinks. Close that mouth.”
Its venom splashed over the ground where I’d just stood.
The potent venom melted even the stone into liquid.
But strangely, the rope that had touched the same spot was intact.
Instead, the oil coating melted, washing the venom away.
‘Good. The oil bought me one chance.’
But only one.
That meant I had to make this count.
“Hoo…”
Taking a deep breath, I waited for its next move.
‘The moment it opens its mouth to spray venom—’
I closed the distance.
As expected, the Hydra opened its jaws again.
I rushed in like diving into its maw.
As if anticipating my dodge, the Hydra spewed venom in all directions.
Its lethal poison rained down like a storm.
Predicting a straight trajectory is easy.
But randomly scattered venom rain? Impossible to dodge.
Sssshh.
The hissing sound of poison melting stone rang loud.
But the venom that landed on me and my sword slid off along with the oil.
I swung my blade, deflecting the falling venom.
‘There won’t be a second time.’
The oil shielded me only once.
Braving the poison storm, I charged straight for the Hydra’s body.
Sword in hand.
I plunged it once more into the reverse scale, bleeding profusely.
“Let’s end this!”
Thud!
I felt the resistance of muscle tearing under pressure.
The Hydra’s aorta, nestled near the reverse scale.
I sliced clean through it.
The venom, not yet fully neutralized by the oil, burrowed into its flesh.
Splat!
As I pulled out the sword, crimson blood gushed forth.
A volume worthy of its massive body.
Screee!
The Hydra thrashed in its death throes.
I stepped back and waited patiently for it to die.
After four hours of desperate writhing, it finally lay still.
No need to check.
[You have defeated the “Nine-Headed Beast.”]
[As a reward, the trait “Venomous Serpent of Nine Heads” has been recorded in the Chronicle.]
[Venomous Serpent of Nine Heads – Grade A]
[Effect: Greatly increases resistance to poison. Significantly reduces the chance of poisoning.]
[Your Chronicle has leveled up.]
[Godslayer grows stronger based on the number of recovered Chronicles.]
[Chronicle Lv. 3]
[Bestiary Entries – 3]
[At Lv. 5, the number of usable skills increases.]
The Hydra’s corpse dissolved and was absorbed into my body.
Past the poison- and blood-filled chamber, I reached where its head had been.
There lay the Hydra’s venom sac.
“No more need to coat my weapons in oil now.”
I registered the Hydra’s poison resistance trait and picked up the venom sac.
This was why I came—Heracles’s sacred relic.
[Consumable Item: Hydra’s Deadly Venom – SS Grade]
[Description: A venom capable of killing even gods.]
Hydra’s venom.
