Realm Wars

"Arrays?" Rosa asked unamused. "He is planning to capture that thing?"

"Not capture, restrict it until we find the jewel. The only way to defeat that thing is to cut all its head. But the Hydra can regrow its head as long as it has mana. We'll be dead before we can even deplete that things supply of mana. So the best choice is to seal it even for just an hour or two," Lucian said while assisting the situation they were in.

Restrict it? Was that even possible? Cecily and Rosa thought.

Athen and Athena barely managed to hold it while the mercenaries were almost wiped out. 

Meanwhile, the Owner was hiding in the shadows to cast the arrays, and all they had to do was delay the beast and keep it away from the Owner for at least thirty minutes.

"How do you supposed we delay that thing? Its hide is so tough that no spell nor skill could penetrate it. Not to mention that it's immune to status effect because of its multiple heads." Cecily felt resigned. Because of her, they were in this situation.

If not for the Owner, they would have already backed out from this mission and returned to Skull's ship and reported that it was impossible to acquire the jewel without sacrificing hundreds or even thousands of Mercenaries.

A rank-S beast was a whole new level altogether. It couldn't be compared to a Rank-A. And to defeat it, at least ten or even twenty Rank-A mercs have to work together. As for the Hydra, it was already considered a Godly Beast that only the legendary heroes could defeat.

"We don't have a choice." Lucian swung his sword, eyes at the monster. "It's either that or you die."

Cecily shut her lips and her fists balled to her side.

"Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." Kai trotted to Lucian, crying. "You can't possibly be serious! Let's just run and leave the little missy here."

Cecily shot a glare at Kai, but the latter was more afraid, ten times more at the Hydra than Cecily.

"You go if you want. No one is stopping you." Lucian stepped forward. "The more we dally, the more people die."

With a leaped of his foot, he charged into the fray, and the others could only sigh into the sky.

Not minding Kai anymore, Cecily joined Lucian to fight while Rosa cast her spells. This time, since they were dealing with a powerful foe, she would cast devastating spells that required time and mana.

"Fifi! Go and support Lucian." She then briefly shot Kai a condescending look. "If you want to see Fifi again and travel the Nightmare Sea in one piece and in peace without being sick, I suggest you help out and keep that monster away from me."

Rosa then glanced at Ryu and Ferris, eyes lingering more on Ferris. "You two, don't just stand there! Go protect your master!"

Rosa didn't have to tell him twice. Ryu was already leaping towards Cecily. Since they were still on the lagoon, mobility was hard. It was precisely why the mercs were almost wiped out with a single attack because they had nowhere to dodge.

Ryu leaped and jumped to get to the Ancient Hydra using the tiny rocks and driftwoods on water. But he was like a pebble against a boulder since he couldn't even reach the Ancient Hydra's head.

Ferris, on the other hand, was lethargic. He couldn't think straight and couldn't fight properly because her body needed rest. As days progressed, the amount of time she needed to sleep grew, and she didn't know how long till her human body would last.

But for now, the important thing was to defeat the Ancient Hydra as soon as possible.

Ferris knew that they were in a dangerous situation. She didn't even know if she could defeat it with her demon form. But if things turn worse, she'll flee with Ryu. She'd drag Cecily if that made him go. She didn't care for the others.

Kai shook his head when Ferris leaped into the air and blasted forward into the jaws of battle.

"For the love of–!" Kai couldn't cast freeze on the water since he was conserving mana. He needed it if he wanted the battle to last for thirty minutes.

With their weapons and spells not affecting the godly beast, they needed all the mana they've got to keep it occupied.

Kai could only hope that the Owner's plans went through or else. .. all of them would be goners.

"What did I get myself into? I should have stayed in the darn boat." With scimitars in hands, Kai shot forward in a chaotic manner, making it impossible for the Ancient Hydra to evade and predict his path even with multiple heads.

Kai's aim was one of the Ancient Hydra's eyes while Lucian and the others occupied it. Since its head would just regrow, it was no use cutting it, and since its body was tough, he didn't want to target it either. 

His best bet was to delay it by blinding it even for just seconds. Sneak attacks were his forte, after all. 

But it didn't work against the Ancient Hydra when its slit eyes hovered at Kai.

"Shit!" Before Kai could change his course, one of the Ancient Hydra's heads opened its mouth, and two fangs glistened when a beam of light blasted from its mouth.

"Geh!" It was so hot before even making contact with his skin. Kai's flesh was burn and melted like rubber under fire. 

"Not good." Kai attempted to cover his body with ice to protect it when the beam of light zeroed on him.

"Idiot! Move!" Lucian appeared beside Kai and toppled him to the side just in time that the beam of light was released from the Hydra's mouth.

Still, both Lucian and Kai suffered burns from just being exposed to the rippling heat of the beam, while those who couldn't escape its attack were nowhere to be found—not even leaving the bones.

One side of the lagoon was burned, scorched almost half its water evaporated from the heat. Those who were in the waters melted from the boiling temperature like the lagoon turned acid. 

The Hydra didn't distinguish anyone be it humans or not. All the beasts and creatures in the lagoon fled. Even the persistent Dracodiles ran away.

Kai panted as they emerged from the water after they fell. He coated his and Lucian's body in a thick layer of ice to combat the boiling heat, and Kai's mana was almost emptied because of that.

"Shit. How do you suppose we keep that thing occupied without being killed?"

Lucian wiped his wet face and looked over the Owner, but he couldn't find him. It was the same thing as before. It was like he could mask his trail that not even he nor Raphael could detect where he was.

What a dangerous skill. Lucian thought. For all he knew, the Owner already fled.

Lucian shook his thoughts away. Only fifteen minutes more, and if the arrays didn't appear, they'd make a run for it. 

Cecily, Ferris, Athen, and some mercs took the vanguard while Rosa and Athena were the only mages left. 

Lucian's gaze was then captured by a figure so minuscule at the base of the cave. "What the––?"

Lucian couldn't believe his eyes.

"What is it?" Kai followed Lucian's gaze, and his jaw dropped.

"I-is that. .. Ryu?!"