109: There’s a way to fight, you know.

Might come out with the third volume this month.

Thanks to you licking the last drops of divine wine from the bottom of the barrel like some kind of creep, I managed to blow both of the eight-headed hydra’s heads clean off.

“Hah! How’d the special divine wine taste!? You damn serpent!”

Shouting, I dash sideways.

Just gotta get this snake bastard away from Maina, even a little. Don’t want him making a mess when the reinforcements show up.

As I run, I pull a flask-shaped Leifan-made potion bottle from spatial storage.

You know the one—test tube kind, big bulb at the bottom.

That bulb’s packed full of alchemical “burning powder.”

The furious eight-headed thing—six heads now, but whatever—lunges forward with its massive head.

Looks like it doesn’t do breath attacks like a dragon. That’s already a huge edge.

I hurl the flask at the hydra’s head, weaving through the trees at full speed.

Perfect throw—my adventurer’s precision hits dead on.

And just as it should, the flask shatters and vanishes mid-air.

Probably only I in the whole damn world could pull off a move like this.

No mage or alchemist’s gonna train in throwing or fighting like that.

But my years as an adventurer—yeah, they’re kicking in now, keeping my feet moving, my body alive, right in front of this nightmare.

The burning powder spills out in a puff, like a cloud of smoke.

Fine powder. Good for hiding, for a moment.

Ku—ga—aaaah—!

I dodged the head lunging at me by a hair’s breadth, my vision gone.

“That’s not it! Not by a long shot!”

No pause. I threw the knife.

It was oiled, and lit by magic the moment it left my hand.

The knife, wrapped in flame, struck the hydra’s head. Of course, a cheap throw like that wouldn’t do real damage.

But.

At impact, the burning powder exploded in a burst of flame—igniting instantly, roaring into a wall of fire.

Hugaaauuuuuaaaaaa!!

With magic, you could adjust power on the spot, aim it perfectly. You could guide it with your eyes, almost.

But I’ve got no magic left to spare.

I’d regained a little power while waiting, but not much.

Like, I swear, it’s like the whole useless-mage era was just built for this exact moment. A weird, full-bodied feeling.

“Huh… hahaha! Not wasted! Not wasted at all! My adventurer days weren’t wasted! Hahaha! Hahaha!”

Even now, I’m laughing so hard I’m practically burning up—flinging flare bottles like I’m throwing confetti.

After getting hit in the head three times, even the damn hydra finally got the hint—stopped lunging blindly.

(Alright, alright! Stay still, you overgrown lizard!)

We both edge closer, slow and tense.

Though, honestly, with that giant body, it’s like a mouse and an elephant staring each other down.

(What’s left in my hand…?)

That’s when I let my guard down. My focus slipped from the hydra.

And the hydra didn’t miss it.

Not one bit. Not with that body.

Vanished from sight in an instant.

“Wha—!?”

A split second later, a geyser erupted where the hydra had been.

The water column spiraled around me like a whirlwind.

Meaning—

“Behind me!”

It had moved—massive body and all—straight behind me in a flash!

There are techniques unique to monsters, not the kind humans use with swords.

What the hydra just did? That was one of those.

“‘Rainbow Shield—’”

A jolt ripped through my whole body.

I was slammed back by the massive head charging straight at me.

Just barely, thanks to the defense spell I’d forced myself to complete, I avoided instant death—but I was rolled through the swamp at high speed, then smashed hard into a thick tree.

“Ghah—!”

My body didn’t tear apart this time, but I’d definitely broken a few bones.

I forced my face up.

Incredible speed—row after row of fangs were closing in, covering me completely.

(At least take one head with me—)

From my coat, I pulled out the one magic bomb I’d saved, clenching it tight.

The moment I decided to detonate it the instant I was eaten—

“‘Slash Flash Sky Fang Soar’!!!”

A powerful slash pierced the hydra’s neck.

Parting through the thick fog, its form revealed itself, of course.

“Raidock!”

“Tch! Too shallow!”

Raidock didn’t even glance at me. He stared straight at the hydra.

The beast was gushing blood, but its head wasn’t severed.

It looked badly wounded, yet Raidock stood between me and the hydra, on full alert.

Why wasn’t he finishing it off?

Why wasn’t he pressing the attack?

The answer came fast.

The wounds Raidock had inflicted were healing—right before my eyes.

“What the hell is that regeneration?!”

You didn’t get it, Craft!? How the hell did you take off two heads!?

Just set a trap! Can’t use the same trick twice!

No time for celebration, no exchange of joy—just the bare minimum of words.

"Solar! Get to Craft! Keep that snake-haired bastard in check!"

"Got it!"

Solar, who’d just caught up to Raidock leading the charge, slid into position beside me without pause and fired arrows in quick succession.

You okay!? Craft!

"Just barely… damn it."

I downed a Healing Potion in one gulp.

The pain vanished instantly—but the damage was still too deep to fully heal.

Just as I reached for another potion, Bep and Bardack caught up.

"Phew! Phew! You two! Too fast! Too fast!"

"Whew… whew… Magic’s… tough on me!"

Two people drinking stamina potions, breathing like they’re about to collapse. Must’ve pushed themselves hard to run that far.

Raidock and Solal’s full-speed sprint is just too much.

Morda’s still not even in sight.

“…God’s healing… ‘Speed Healing’…”

Even gasping for air, the priest with the holy seal, Bep, casts a healing spell.

Wounds that didn’t fully heal from the potion begin to close.

“Saved, Bep.”

“Just glad you’re safe. Craft.”

We nod at each other, confirming we’re both still in one piece.

Then Bardack, catching his breath, steps beside me.

“Craft… got any mana potions left? I’m tapped out.”

“Sorry. Out of stock. You met up with Eva and the others, right? Didn’t Eva share some with you?”

I’d given all my mana potions to Eva already.

She pushed herself too hard to buy Kyle time to escape. Looks like she used up all her potions too.

Huh. Speaking of which, what about Jitarou and the three Cassper sisters?

Bardack frowned.

"...Guarding Zaid. Somehow, they're following us."

"What!?! Isn't she supposed to be holding back!?!"

True, Raidock could see them clearly—following. But did that idiot actually think he was coming all the way here? Into this death trap!?

"Before that, the adventurers and the lizardmen are merging. Craft—got any plan to take down that eight-headed monster?"

"Confirmed its terrifying regenerative ability....If you knock its head clean off in one hit, it won’t regenerate."

"How’d you manage that?"

"Loaded it up with magic bombs till it blew."

Ah, that one.

Bardack recalled the cave they’d entered together. He smirked.

"But to hit something with that kind of force? Can Craft’s attack magic even handle it?"

"No way. My mana’s drained dry. Impossible."

Mana’s gone. Mana potions too. Only one magic bomb left—saved for self-destruction.

But we still have Raidock as our trump card.

"Adventurer, Lizardman, all of us—we stop the hydra’s movement, one piece at a time, and let Raidock crush it."

"Figured as much. Tried that same tactic when we let Kyle escape, but that hydra back then was just too quick."

"Slowed down now, you say!?!"

"Yeah. Just not darting around the swamps at lightning speed? That’s already a relief."

Even now, it’s moving like it’s drunk on divine wine.

If moving so fast it leaves no afterimage at all is normal, then this fight’s already hopeless. Good job, Kyle, escaping that one.

While we’re talking, Raidock and Solar’s pair are keeping the hydra distracted.

Seems like the eight-headed beast is wary of Raidock, keeping its distance and growling.

What’d you do to scare off a monster that big? How many times did you beat up that bastard, Raidock?

Without that cheat-level regeneration, Raidock’d’ve killed it ages ago.

“Craft!”

Raidock calls out, still facing forward.

“Got a plan!?”

“Once the others join up, we’ll go full force—just not you. Hold its movements down, and Raidock’ll cut off its head for sure!”

“Can you really hold it without me!?”

Not arrogance. Just cold, clear assessment of the situation—Raidock yells it.

Still… something’s off. A little fuzzy.

“…Eva and Camille are needed too.”

Don’t know how much magic power Eva has left, but if she’s able to join in even a little, that’s a big help.

Camille’s quick swordwork’ll help keep the hydra’s movements in check.

Marilyn can back up Bepp.

“Alright! Until our reinforcements arrive, we’re holding the line—everyone, center on Craft and Bardack, keep them pinned!”

“““Got it!!”””

And so the bell for the second round rang out.