Chapter 16 The Hydra'S Also One Punch
A while ago, the pharmacist Leaf Chemist had created a potion for the great merchant Jasmine.
In the outskirts of the capital city, the S-ranked adventurers party known as the [Twilight Dragon] were currently in battle.
"Whew...huff...are you guys okay?"
The leader of the Twilight Dragon, Aerial, called out to their companions.
They were the top adventurer party in the kingdom, having even defeated ancient dragons in the past.
However, they were currently struggling against a single Hydra.
"Darn it...the Poisonous Hydra! What a troublesome opponent!"
The Hydra, a gigantic serpent that exuded a dark and deadly poison from its body, was making it difficult for the adventurers to defeat it.
The ground where the Hydra stood was barren, with no grass growing due to its lethal poison.
Aerial and their Twilight Dragon companions, along with the kingdom's knights, joined forces to take on this deadly Hydra.
The Twilight Dragon focused on the main attacks, while the knights provided support and defense in a coordinated battle plan.
But the outcome...
The kingdom's knights were destroyed by the Hydra.
Aerial struggles on somehow, but there are no more knights to shield them, and their own strength is nearing its limit.
The leader closes their eyes, eventually making a decision.
"Messenger! Retreat! We twilight dragons will hold the line! Take the chance to withdraw!"
The messenger's knight pales.
"But... what about all of you?"
"Hah... don't worry, we're the strongest, right? Dealing with a poison dragon like this is a piece of cake!"
...However, Aerial and the messenger's knights both knew.
They could never defeat this poison dragon.
So the members of the twilight dragons, who are holding the line, all know they will likely die.
...But the knight acknowledges their resolve and decides to entrust the future with them.
"I'm sorry! We'll call for reinforcements right away!"
"Yeah, we're counting on you!"
The messenger's knight relay the order to retreat, shedding tears as they do so. The knights hesitate, but those who are able to move cooperate and flee from the scene.
As the members of the Twilight Dragon each find their own way to recover.
"Leader, please escape."
"Yeah, as long as the leader is here, the dragon won't die."
Despite being moved by the kindness of their companions, Aerial shakes their head.
"You fools. Without leader, you can't fly... Let's go, you guys!"
They were truly grateful to have a leader who cared for them.
And so, they made up their minds. They were prepared to die.
"This is our final stand! Hold your ground!"
"""Yeah!"""
First, the archer releases a magic arrow.
The arrow, created with magic power, transforms into the shape of a phoenix in mid-air and attacks the poison dragon's body.
Ssss...! There was a burning sound...
But it was not the sound of the dragon being burned by flames.
Magic arrows were dissolved by the poison secreted by the Hydra.
"Leader! Sorry...my Phoenix Shot was...defeated by a dissolving poison..."
"Dissolving poison that can even undo magic...darn it! Time for close combat! Let's go!"
The vanguard, including the leader, drew their weapons.
"Enchanter! I'm counting on you for the best strengthening enchantment!"
The enchantment magic that raises the attack power and strength of the weapons was imbued into the weapons.
Without thinking about later consequences, they gave their allies the best enchantments.
"Let's go! CHARGEEE!"
Aerial and their friends launched their attack with weapons in hand.
But...the Hydra grinned.
Ssss...
"The weapons...cough!"
"Cough! Leader...poison gas...gghh!"
Aerial and their friend's weapon were dissolving.
Even with their full strength enchantments, it was a poison that could not be overcome.
Furthermore, around the Hydra's body, there was poison gas that could destroy human organs.
Approaching was impossible.
"Controlling multiple poisons... is a monster that is... damn... skilled at changing forms! But! I'm spearman! Take this!
The spearman who was waiting in the back, with a running start, throws the spear.
"Haaaaa! This is my final blow! Pierce through! [Wing Spiral Strikeeeee]!
With the cost of their life, the strongest blow launched.
Their spear is an artifact, a spear that gives the power of invincibility, a spear that will never break.
It's a technique to throw that spear at an extraordinary speed.
The spear, flying at super speed drawing a spiral, overcomes the Hydra's poison gas.
And the spear pierced the Hydra's forehead.
"Did we do it!?"
It was a blow so strong that it blew off the head... however.
The poison secreted from the body crept towards its head.
The poison was manipulated like clay, and it transformed into the lost head.
Upon seeing that, Aerial and the others fell into despair...
"That... I thought that dragon was a poison-secreting dragon. But... it's not. The dragon itself is the poison."
The poison had solidified into the shape of a dragon.
This fact robbed Aerial and the others of their last hope.
"Magic doesn't work... Weapon attacks don't work... This thing is invincible...! We can't defeat it...!"
Physical damage from the poison gas and the revelation of this new fact caused mental damage.
All the members of the Twilight Dragons wore expressions of despair.
The Hydra laughed hideously.
Aerial also chuckled.
"It's fine... We've done our job. You can revel in your victory for now, you venomous serpent. Someday, a hero will come and defeat you."
It's uncertain if those words reached the poison dragon.
The Hydra, as if mocking, arched its chest proudly and spewed out its poisonous breath...
That's when it happened.
"[Prescription: Purification Potion]"
Ssss! In an instant, the poison gas vanished.
The deadly gas that corroded everything melted away in an instant, as if the mist had lifted.
"Are you okay?"
Appearing there was a featureless man.
He seemed to be around 18. Black hair and black eyes.
He wore a green short coat and had a backpack made of wood on his back.
In his hand, he held a large staff.
"Oh, you're quite beaten up. I'll heal you right away."
"Hey, you! R-run! It's the Hydra!"
"The Hydra~?"
The boy turned around and nodded as if understanding.
"No worries. It's just a [harmless snake]."
"A h-harmless?! Snake?!?"
Unbelievable.
I mean, the Hydra is using poison that dissolved everything and nullified all attacks, the strongest poison dragon.
And yet, this boy called it a harmless snake.
"The poison... It's not much of a poison. With this... [Prescription: Antidote Potion]"
As the boy waved his staff, everyone present began to glow.
"My body feels better!"
"Leader! My body doesn't hurt anymore!"
"The poison's gone, and the damage to our bodies disappeared!?"
It's an unbelievable healing technique.
He simultaneously removed the poison and healed in an instant.
"W-who are you...?"
"Huh? I'm just a..."
Then, the angry Hydra unleashed its poison breath.
The densely compressed poison breath attacked the boy.
"Run, boy!"
"Huh, no need."
In an instant, the boy tossed Aerial and their friend far away.
The poison breath splattered over the boy's head....
With a rumbling sound, the earth melted away.
Aerial and their friends were speechless at the overwhelming destructive power of the poison.
"The boy... sacrificing himself to... save us...!"
"Ughh, I got dirty."
"W-WHAT IN THE WORLLLLLD!?"
Aerial and their friend were astonished. The Hydra too was wide-eyed.
"Wait, how are you still alive!? You just took a direct hit from the poison dragon's breath!"
Aerial said exactly what Hydra was thinking.
Hydra also nodded in agreement.
"Huh? Oh, well, poison doesn't affect me."
"POISON DOESN'T AFFECT YOUUU!?"
Hydra and Aerial were both surprised by this. They were now feeling the same shock, no longer enemies but allies, facing the appearance of a third... monster.
"I've been eating poisonous plants and monsters with poison since I was young, so I've built up a resistance to poison. I've even eaten harmless snakes before."
"M-Monster...!"
Aerial voiced Hydra's thoughts.
Now, the boy put away his staff and took out a knife.
"Now... time to collect this snake."
"Collect...?"
The boy readied his knife.
"It's useless! Physical attacks won't work on it! It's just a blob of poison!"
"I know. That's why... like this!"
With a swift motion, a boy plunged a knife into the belly of the Hydra.
Then...
Shloop... Shlooooop!
"!? Is the Hydra being absorbed!? Through that knife, into the boy's body, it's being sucked in!?"
The Hydra was getting smaller, as if the boy was absorbing its poison.
"What's happening!? What is going on!?"
The thoughts of the Hydra (continued...).
"This is a skill called Poison Absorption."
"Poison Absorption?! It's a skill!?"
"Yes. Normally, it's a medical skill to remove poison from the body. But in my case, since poisons don't affect me, I can store them inside."
So basically, it's a skill to remove and discard internal poisons using a syringe. That's its original purpose.
However, this boy, for some reason, was absorbing the poisons he removed.
He calmly drank down the deadly poison, as if it was nothing.
Nothing was left behind...
"Phew... I'm alright now."
Seeing the smiling boy...
The Twilight Dragons exclaimed.
"""A-A MONSTER!"""
Then the boy... Leaf Chemist looked around with a puzzled expression.
"Huh, where, where?"
"""IT'S YOUUUUU!"""
Like this, Leaf easily defeated the Hydra.
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