LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 25
“Johann, this is incredible. I can’t believe it even though I’ve seen it with my own eyes…”
“We need this much to catch that thing.”
Karina’s mouth dropped as she looked at the traps I set up in the open space.
Cute. She looks slightly dumbfounded, but with that beauty, it just comes off as adorable.
Her body is far from cute, though. I forcefully turned my gaze from Karina and took one last look at the traps I had made.
A massive trap designed to capture the giant Hydra. I had cut down the surrounding trees and set sharp stakes everywhere, interspersed with sharp rings made from bear bones. It looked lethal enough to cause serious injury even with a mere scratch. Just to be cautious, I had even hung log traps between the giant trees.
If the traps work properly, capturing the Hydra should be easy.
Once we catch the Hydra, we can bid farewell to those annoying snake bastards forever. Most snakes would’ve been wiped out by the corrosive poison anyway, so killing the Hydra would mean no more threats on this island other than dungeons.
“…I wonder when Renny will arrive.”
I looked in the direction Renny would come rushing from. The open path was silent.
When will she show up?
I lifted my gaze. The weather was clear. The peaceful sunlight that seemed unbelievable for the day of battle struck my eyes. Normally, I’d find a comfortable spot to lounge about or work in the shade, but for now, it was time to patiently await the Hydra’s attack.
I had a moment of leisure to spare.
I decided to lean against a tree and take a short break. I didn’t plan on closing my eyes, but… I shouldn’t let my guard down too much. But I also shouldn’t be too tense.
“Merciful Kalon…”
At the sound of a clear voice from beside me, I naturally turned my head.
Of course, it was Karina.
After all, the only ones who could speak in this forest are me, Karina, and Renny, who was probably bringing the Hydra this way. I was used to seeing this scene often, but today had a different flavor. Instead of her usual stitched priest robe, she was praying in armor suited for warriors.
Seeing her pray without her helmet on was like watching a paladin from a game. Technically, Renny was closer to a paladin, but honestly, I didn’t think Renny had much faith. No matter what Kalon says, Renny’s gaze was only ever on Karina.
Even if Kalon himself were to come down and declare excommunication to Karina, she’d still side with her.
Literally a faithful dog, I suppose.
But a rabid dog to the enemies.
“I should stretch a bit.”
I thought it would be better to loosen up a bit before the final battle with the Hydra. If I went into combat in a state of relaxation, I wouldn’t be able to fight properly. I got up from my spot and started a light stretch.
—————-
“That’s terrifying.”
The air trembles.
While it probably wasn’t really the case, it felt that way. I gripped my shovel tighter, watching the eight snake heads starting to appear in the distance. The battle would begin soon. I looked at Karina, who stood up with her hands clenched tightly.
My hands trembled.
Amid her swirling pink hair, I could see a face filled with fear. No matter how much of a saint she is, it’s natural since she’s a girl who hasn’t been in a situation like this before.
I approached her and gently patted her shoulder.
“Don’t be scared. It’ll end smoothly.”
This was an operation set on a thoroughly arranged stage. If there are no significant variables, we have a chance to elegantly wrap up ten long years of fighting.
“…This is my first time, so I’m really anxious.”
The pink saint said that as she looked up at me. Our eyes met. Odd-eyed. What should’ve been pink eyes contained a golden hue. Was she gathering up her sacred power?
“Don’t overthink it. If you just do your part, it’ll end easily.”
“What if something goes wrong?”
“Then we die.”
Yeah, we die.
I wasn’t planning on dying, but the consequences of a failed operation would be deadly.
In the worst-case scenario, we might actually die.
So I intended to give my all in this fight.
“You seem calm, Johann…”
“I’ve been through this countless times.”
“You must have had a tough time.”
Tough time.
I’ve had it rough as hell.
Thinking about all the hardships I’ve faced up to now, this operation felt overflowing with hope. At least there are three of us this time. No matter who makes a mistake or if unexpected variables pop up, there are people who can cover for each other. When I was alone, if something like this happened, it was like a life-or-death gambling game right away.
Die or live.
Every day was a dance of death where we wagered our lives as stakes. I was always the winner, but I had never won without injury.
The rough scars etched all over my body were proof of just how dangerous this hellish island is.
…Ugh, let’s not think about that.
I need to concentrate on the battle now.
I regained my focus and looked back at Karina again. She seemed to have relaxed a bit from our conversation, her tremors had ceased.
“…It’s coming.”
“Yes. It is, Johann. As soon as it gets caught in the traps, I just need to use Purification Magic, right?”
“…That’s right. As soon as it gets caught, you use it immediately.”
Just that would achieve the first plan.
If that’s where it ends, it would be awfully anticlimactic, but if that Hydra remains alive, we would need to move on to the next plan. I squeezed and released my grip on the shovel.
The ground rumbled.
And I could see Renny and the Hydra rushing this way.
The operation was about to begin.
“Stay back. You might trip.”
Karina nodded at my words, stepping back a few paces and clenching her hands tightly against her chest. I turned my gaze from that scene and faced forward again.
The distance between us shrank.
I raised my hand. It was the signal we had arranged beforehand with Renny. At the sight of my signal, Renny leaped over the trap with immense power. Her extraordinary strength allowed her to leap across the 20-meter-wide pit. I admired her as I activated the gift aimed at the Hydra’s head reaching out towards Renny.
The ground shook.
It was the signal for the activation of the giant trap spanning 20 meters.
The Hydra’s head, which I had to look up at painfully, suddenly became very close. It seemed like the trap was functioning properly. I immediately shouted.
“Now!”
“Almighty Kalon… please purify the wicked evil with the power of light.”
As soon as Karina’s voice finished, I shielded my eyes from the dazzling light. The radiant glow was beyond my expectations, and I grimaced while watching the writhing Hydra.
Smoke was rising from the Hydra’s body. Flesh was falling off its body. Its zombified body was being forcibly purified by the Sacred Magic. It twisted its whole body as if trying to escape, but my trap was too formidable to allow easy escape.
The numerous stakes and bone hooks I had driven into it wouldn’t let it go. Some would break, but I didn’t expect it to endure indefinitely. All it had to do was hold on until Karina’s Purification Magic ended.
Wow, I guess being a saint really has its perks. This effect is amazing.
“!@()$(&)!)$!(*!”
“Ouch, my ears… this is really tough.”
Renny complained, covering her ears due to the Hydra’s roar. I wanted to cover my ears too but couldn’t. If the Hydra hadn’t completely died, it would retaliate, and so I had to stay vigilant.
But the worst didn’t happen. The eight heads, which had been rampaging, dropped to the ground, shaking the earth. We staggered but didn’t let our guard down.
I didn’t believe the Hydra was truly down for the count.
We needed to confirm the kill just to be sure.
Glancing over at Karina, who was now sitting down, I turned my attention back to the still motionless Hydra. In contrast to how it had tormented me for ten years, its end was anticlimactic. I never thought we would win so easily.
I approached the now motionless Hydra, shovel in hand.
Climbing atop the fallen Hydra’s head, I swung my shovel down hard at where its brain should be. The skin marked. I didn’t stop until the skin tore, revealing the skull, then cracking open that skull to break the brain inside. By the time I’d ripped through its brain, sweat was pouring down like rain.
Damn, it’s rock solid.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I have to smash all its heads.”
“Oh, right.”
Renny joined me in the head-crushing endeavor. With two of us working together, it was at least a bit smoother.
Unlike me, Renny drove her sword straight in, wiggling it around to rearrange the brain, pulling it out repeatedly. Her strength was enviable. I wondered how she could make it look so easy.
One, two, three, four… after smashing the seventh head, I moved toward the last one. As I got closer, memories of the torment from this bastard’s hands surfaced one by one.
Every time I revisited the lengthy struggle, the bloodlust that lay buried within me rose increasingly.
Those hellish days.
This damn snake.
In the end, I’m the one who wins, you piece of trash.
The end is in sight.
The end of this prolonged fate.
I lifted my shovel, covered in brain matter. Those closed eyes will never open again.
Then, it happened.
Suddenly, the world flipped upside down.
“Shit…”
“Johann!”
“…Johann!”
My entire body ached as if it were being torn apart. That was the first thought that crossed my mind amid the horrifying weightlessness.
The last head of the Hydra, slowly fading away from me, gazed at me with a sinister tongue sticking out.
A cunning look in its eyes.
Wounds that were healing gradually.
The Hydra had resurrected.