114: Counterattack—no time for hesitation.

Five simultaneous attacks aimed at Hydral’s Kyle happened in an instant.

Raidock and Van, who’d been dealing with the heads one by one, quickly noticed Kyle’s situation and focused all fire on the final head.

Even Hydral couldn’t keep four remaining heads retracted back toward the torso.

Thud. Zaid fell down.

Just the upper body. His lower half had been swallowed by the Hydra.

(This… won’t work.)

He still had breath, barely. But half his body was gone. Even a Healing Potion would only buy time at best.

If his lower half had remained… maybe we could’ve saved him.

No healing spell from Marilyn or Bep could fix this.

Actually… there is a way to heal Zaid.

Use the elixir made from Maina’s tears. Probably could save him.

But this is only for emergencies—specifically for Kyle or Maina.

No way I’m giving it to him, no matter what Kyle says.

"Brother! Zaid brother!"

Kyle clings to Zaid, sobbing.

Even a brother like that… must’ve meant something real.

"Craft brother! Please! The potion! Use the Healing Potion!"

I shake my head at Kyle’s desperate plea.

The potion was washed away by Hydora’s water attack. Even if we’d had it, it wouldn’t have helped.

"Kyle. It’s impossible unless we at least have his lower body."

"But… but! He’s still alive! I can feel his breath!"

Kyle cries out, but there’s nothing I can do.

Never thought Zaid would be my first death.

He saved every single one of his personal soldiers.

When I shake my head again, Kyle’s face twists in pain.

That’s when I started hesitating, wondering if I should really hand over the elixir.

Kyle suddenly looks up, as if he’s noticed something.

“……!”

He shoots to his feet and sprints toward Van, who’s keeping watch over the hydra nearby.

“Please! I beg you—grant me the medicine… the universal elixir! Van-san… no! Your Majesty!”

Kyle salutes Van with a perfect military bow.

Wait? He just said “Your Majesty”?

Your Majesty… like, the king?

“Eh… eeeehhh?!?”

My dumbfounded shout echoes across the storm-wracked sky.

◆

Van glances briefly at Kyle and Zaid.

“Kyle. You really want me to save that brother of yours?”

“Yes! He’s precious to me! Please… please, have mercy!”

Van lets out a soft breath.

“…You’ll succeed in clearing this swamp. That’s your advance payment.”

“Your Majesty!”

Van, addressed as Your Majesty, pulled a small vial from his coat and tossed it carelessly at Kyle.

The vial Kyle caught—definitely the universal elixir Elixir, presented to the King himself via the Marquis.

"...No way."

"Craft."

"Wait!?"

I muttered it aloud before I could stop myself. Van reacted, letting out a dumbfounded sound.

"I'm not the King here. Just an adventurer named Van. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't stress over titles."

He grinned at me.

"Ah! So that's right! Adventurer Van, huh!"

"Perfect! Just focus on protecting Kyle and taking down that monster!"

"Got it!"

Honestly, I’ve got no room to play royal. So yeah—I’ll take you up on that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Professor Jabir clutching his head.

He gave the okay, so it’s fine! Professor!

While Van and I were doing our comedy act, Kyle was rubbing the elixir all over Zaid’s torso.

Then, bone, organs, muscles, skin—all of it regenerating at an insane pace.

“U… uo.”

“…Incredible. Never thought I’d see this kind of effect firsthand.”

“Van, you didn’t test the medicine?”

“Would I just hand something this rare to anyone? I tested it every way possible. Knew it was real.”

“Yeah, fair point.”

Looking at Zaid again, his body was completely restored.

Kyle hurriedly draped his cloak over Zaid.

“U….”

Zaid immediately clutched his head and pushed himself up. That elixir’s intense.

“Brother!”

“…Kyle? Where am I?”

Zaid looked around, dazed.

Hit his head or something?

No. Not just his head. That was the least of it.

“Brother! Don’t you remember? We’re in a swamp. We’re fighting a hydra—the eight-headed one.”

“What?”

Zaid stared at Raidock and the others battling the hydra, eyes wide with shock.

“Remember now… I think… my unit went after the hydra, and you all rescued me during our retreat…”

He muttered it under his breath, but something was off.

“Kyle! Why the hell are you here!? You’re supposed to be sick! …No… you’re better now… but why the hell have I been avoiding you all this time?”

Zaid clutched his head, fingers digging into his scalp.

Hey—hold on.

“Zaid… sir! Come on, that’s going too far! You’ve been treating Kyle like a nuisance the whole time, haven’t you!?”

I snapped, unable to help it.

I’ll never forget it.

You sent Kyle to that dangerous frontier, jealous of his achievements, and started this reckless crusade—!

"What nonsense! Why would I—my dear little brother—put him through something like that…?"

Zaid snapped back at me instinctively, but his voice trailed off, fading into silence.

"Why…? Why did I… hate Kyle…?"

"Hey… you."

Jabir came up behind me, pressing a hand on my shoulder. Stretching up.

"Patience, Zaid-sama. You thought Kyle was an annoyance, didn’t you?"

"No! …No, but… why? I did terrible things to Kyle… I really did…"

"Hmm."

Jabir stood there, eyes closed, silent for a moment.

"Me… of all people…"

He seemed to have realized something.

"Sir! What’s going on!?"

"Craft, remember the effects of the elixir?"

"Uh? Yeah, I remember."

"Try saying it out loud."

"Y-yes... The universal healing elixir can cure any illness or injury, as long as you're not already dead. Said it tastes good when eaten, like a salve."

"There's another one, isn't there?"

"Uh? Oh, right— it can also cure moderate curses..."

His thoughts halt mid-sentence.

"A... aaaaaaaaaaaah!?"

"That's right. The elixir can cure moderate curses too."

"S-so... that means!?"

"No doubt about it. Lord Zaid was cursed....Likely Lord Kyle too."

"W-what!?"

"Explains why every treatment failed. But..."

The teacher falls into deeper thought.

There's still something else?

"Never mind that now. We've got things to do."

"Yes, sir."

The Hydra’s heads were fewer now, and Raidock and the others were barely holding it back—but it wouldn’t last forever.

Suddenly, Van pulled a large pendant from his chest.

He muttered something into it, low and quick.

...Wait!

That glow—...Orichalcum!?

“Good.”

Van slipped the pendant back into his chest and raised his sword.

“Listen! From now on, we strike down this giant Hydra! Fear nothing! The moment to win is now!”

“Van?”

The Hydra’s heads were fewer, sure—but considering how furious it was, it didn’t feel weak at all!

“Relax. I’ll create an opening for it—right now!”

He pulled out a potion bottle he’d seen before, tossed it to Raidock.

“What’s this!?”

“That’s—!”

My voice and Raidock’s overlapped.

The potion Raidock caught….

"Slur wine!?"

"What?"

Not just me and Raidock, but Hydora froze for a split second too.

And then, instead of continuing to pounce on Kyle, Hydora suddenly switched targets—straight to Raidock.

"Hey!?"

What the hell, Hydora? You'll drink anything with booze in it, huh!?

"Raidock, drink it quick! It's a strength potion! And the duration? Hell, it lasts longer than anything I've ever made!"

"O-oh! Right!"

With help from the adventurers, Raidock finally downed the entire bottle of Slur wine.

"...Tastes good!?"

GyogwaAAAAAA!!

Hydora roared in fury.

And now, even angrier than before, it launched a relentless assault on Raidock.

You're drinking too much, man!

"Ah..."

Van muttered, as if caught off guard.

"Hey! You! Van! Is this your secret plan!?!"

"Nah. Didn't expect to get pounded by a full barrage, though. Hahahaha!"

"You're not the time to laugh!?"

I yelled, and Van grinned at me, all smug.

"Who said I only had one trick up my sleeve?"

"Huh?"

Before I could even process that dumb reply, a massive fireball slammed down on the Hydra.

"What the—? What the hell is that!?"

I looked up. There, flying in the sky, was a dragon... a wyvern.

"Too slow, Orthros!"

Looks like Kyle’s old man just showed up.

What the hell is going on now!?

The third volume drops in just two days!

Grab it this New Year’s for some fun reading!

It's way easier to read now!