Chapter 87: The One Who Came from the Abyss

What...? Something creepy’s approaching from the abyss hole. I turn toward the hole, and Leo and Wang do too, their gazes shifting.

Then—

A blinding light bursts from the edge of the pit. Leo, Freyja, Wang—swallowed by the light, vanishing.

The light comes straight at me. I panic, casting Barrier Art, slapping down a double-layered defensive rune array. After defeating the Earth Dragon, my Warrior of the Holy War rank had risen from C to B.

Should stop most attacks... but—

The light slices through the defense like nothing. It touches me. Where it hits, flesh just... vanishes. No regeneration. Nothing.

As the light enveloped me, I felt everything... fading. Disappearing.

"——————————!!"

What was that?! A vision from the "God's Eye"?! No—shit. I froze time.

That light’s gonna kill everyone here in a few seconds!!

Still frozen, I carried Wang and Liu, the members of the Sanctuary Knights, to safety. Took a few trips. Seriously.

Even got Freyja’s flying dragon—was a nightmare.

Once everyone was safe, I went back to the abyss hole and peered inside. Just endless darkness. Nothing. But something’s coming up. I know it.

I returned to the safe spot, crouched low, waiting to see what happens.

Time’s moving—

"Wait...?"

"What? The view changed?"

"Where... is this?"

Everyone’s confused. No time to explain.

"Quiet! Something’s coming from the abyss hole."

Everyone went silent at my words. They must’ve sensed something was wrong—bent low, eyes fixed on the abyss hole. When all their gazes converged on the dark chasm, the light erupted.

Everything that had been there vanished. Only a deep, gouged-out earth remained.

From the abyss’s darkness, it emerged—slowly, deliberately. Whether from a nuclear blast, or triggered by the clash of Titan and the Flame Dragon King’s magic, who knows.

Either way… we’d awakened something from the depths. Something monstrous.

Its entire body shimmered dark silver. It spread massive wings and floated upward with calm ease—slightly smaller than the Flame Dragon King? Still, unmistakably… a dragon.

But unlike any dragon I’d seen before—it had three heads. A multi-headed beast, then.

I activated my鉴定.

Divine Dragon Hydra

Dragon Species Level 5593

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Level 5500?! Higher than Titan or the Flame Dragon King?! Is this thing the Dragon Leader? Or… something even worse?

“Hey! Hey! Hey! What the hell is going on?! We already took down the Leader, didn’t we?!”

“Not a chance I’ve heard of another one like this!”

Elias and Anna shouted, voices tight with fear.

“Gojo… is that also a Leader? Aren’t there only supposed to be one per nation?”

Wang asked, worry heavy in his voice.

“I don’t know… but that thing feels more dangerous than the Flame Dragon King.”

I stood up, looked at Leo.

“I’ll take it down. Get out of the way—stay clear.”

I started forming a rift in the sub-space to teleport—then, just as I turned, Greys seemed to try to say something from behind me—before vanishing in a flash, reappearing instantly right in front of the dragon.

A three-headed dragon floating right in front of me… the oppressive pressure is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

The Hydra stared at me with its three heads, eyes flickering with interest. This monster shouldn’t be allowed on the surface. America scorched to ash by a Titan flashes through my mind.

I have to take it down here. Now.

I crossed my arms over my chest. Pulled every ounce of magic from my body, gathering power. Lightning cracked through the air, the atmosphere trembling.

Full power—now!!

I raised my hands high, channeling magic. The sky flared with light—the Hydra barely reacted.

Pierce through—!

“Thunder Emperor!!!”

A colossal bolt of lightning splitting from sky to earth. The strongest lightning spell I’ve ever cast. The ground where it struck was blown to splinters.

But the Hydra emerged from the light, charging straight at me. Not even damaged?

I dodged by zipping left at high speed. The Hydra turned with me, three mouths unleashing the “light” of annihilation!

That light’s bad. Can’t block it. If it hits… I might not even regenerate.

I dodged the beams, timing my spell launch. This dragon’s faster than I thought! But with God’s Eye and instant teleportation, it’ll never hit me.

Flying in the air—just a slight edge on my side. The Hydra’s massive size created a split-second opening as it chased me.

I channeled magic upward, forming a massive fireball of immense mass. The three heads of the Hydra looked up at the fake sun hovering above them. The fireball fell straight down—toward the dragon—

“Inferno of Hell’s Maximum!!”

Direct hit on the Hydra! The explosion blooms into a colossal pillar of flame, scorching everything around. If even a little damage is taken, there’s still a chance… but…

Three lights surge from within the flames! With the fire vanishing, the dragon’s black body now looms overhead. Even extreme magic won’t work on this thing?

Then… fine.

I unfold a massive magic circle. If the power is strong enough, it should break through the Hydra’s defense!!

“Summon!! ———— Flame Emperor Shiva!!!”

A dragon with crimson scales and blazing heat emerges from the circle.

It roars at the Hydra. The magical energy of the divine dragon and the Flame Emperor Shiva collides.

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No way, no way, no way—this is insane! Summoning magic requires massive magic power—whether you’re calling it forth or taming it. The stronger the creature, the more power it takes.

Gojo’s throwing spells I’ve never seen, attacking the black dragon, and he’s already summoned a Titan. It’s like he’s got infinite magic power.

“Carlo… did Gojo tame the ‘Leader’?”

Leo asks, face twisted in confusion.

“Looks like it. If he can tame a Titan, then a dragon’s ‘Leader’ should be possible too… but…”

The problem is the success rate… “Leader” status means taming should be nearly impossible. After a Titan, now a dragon king? His job rank must be through the roof.

“Carlo… that dragon king’s already dead, right?”

Freyja says, worry in her voice. The dragon’s like a parent’s killer, after all.

“Don’t worry. He’s dead. Gojo’s just recreating him with summoning magic.”

She gives a faint expression of relief at my words... but—

“Freyja!”

Gress shouts, his face pale.

“What is it?”

“Can’t you bring Gojo here? We can’t keep going like this. We’ll all die!”

The urgency in his voice—it’s insane. Send Freyja into the middle of a fight between Gojo and that black three-headed dragon? Are you out of your mind?

“What’s so bad, Gress? You can’t seriously expect me to send Freyja into a place like that!”

“Even Gojo can’t beat that dragon! There’s a reason… he… can’t… win…!”

Gress’s words, his “Sight” cutting through the air—everybody here freezes.