Chapter 161

Chapter 161 - Blackout (3)

As they approach the city, traces of the Hydra running amok are scattered everywhere.

Shattered carriage wheels slowly turn getting hit by the wind, and wolves tearing at the carcasses of packhorses are seen. Apples are spilled from a cart a short distance away.

Squeak-!

When a wild cat pounced on a rat digging into a mashed apple, a death throe scream rang out.

Birds pecking at apples nearby get startled and fly up simultaneously.

"I don't see any battlefield looters."

A mercenary who picked out a relatively intact one among the apples spoke while wiping it by rubbing it on his top.

Just like wild dogs flocking to lick even the bones remaining after a beast of prey has feasted.

Poor people and vagrants flocked to battlefields to pick up even the scraps left by the victors. Especially if there was a village or city nearby, even more so.

"Usually that only happens in places where war has been prolonged though."

"That must be how scary the Hydra is. Did you see the trees fallen over earlier? With that much weight class, it could probably ram into and smash a passable city gate?"

Even the experienced mercenaries seemed to gradually show signs of tension.

Of course, no one thinks the subjugation will fail. Because imagining a scene where a knight fluttering a Wendigo cape at the front loses is impossible.

However, to create an opportunity for him to properly fight, the troops under his command must assist. In that process, if unlucky, they could meet an untimely death.

"Were the guys we faced before easy?"

"Everyone, don't get scared. We just have to do it exactly as we've done so far."

Looking back, they wandered around many bizarre battlefields during the slightly over 1 year of time.

From pagan demonic beasts to Death Knights, hordes of undead risen from corpses of demons, monsters possessing blessings from evil gods, and even ancient spirits that must have lived from thousands to tens of thousands of years.

They maneuvered through various scenes diverse enough to be considered a bluff, yet their limbs are intact. That is not just because they are lucky or Eugene's army is strong.

It must be because the commander always makes an effort to put all his subordinates in his eyes.

- Shall I order them to light torches?

- No. I want to refrain from night pursuits.

- But if we chase now...

- There would be no need to get so heated in another's war, right. Just thoroughly stand guard and take a rest.

He is different from other knights who treat those below them as consumables to establish distinguished services. He pursued an ordinary victory with no damage over a great victory with damage.

- 2nd rank to the rear. Swap with the rear reserves.

- Lord! Those guys will still be able to hold out!

- Not in my eyes. Hurry up and swap them.

On the battlefield, he watched the condition of his subordinates examining the rear no less than the front.

"What is it? Is there something on my face?"

"N, no. Viscount."

The sight of Eugene, who accidentally made eye contact, smiling broadly and initiating a conversation. At that firm smile, the mercenaries felt their tensed heartbeats subsiding.

* * *

Upon arriving at the city, representatives of each guild and large merchant companies had come out to meet them. However, two men are arguing.

"Do you think we supported you with that money just to hear this kind of bullshit?"

The Mayor shouted fully imbued with annoyance. He was so angry he didn't even notice Eugene's arrival.

"If you failed in pioneering the sea route, you should say 'I am sorry!' and prostrate yourself flat. What? An unknown continent? Are you joking right now?"

"It is not a lie."

The captain with bronze skin spoke feeling wronged. A beard looking worn down by sea breeze, and wrinkles looking as if they were dug out pickled in salt no less than the passage of time. It is the appearance of a typical man of the sea.

After receiving investment from the city and pioneering a new sea route, he encountered a storm and lost everything. Even returning having saved his life is extremely fortunate, but the captain didn't want to fold his dream here.

"There is a vast land we cannot even imagine there. Numerous gold mines lie dormant, and flowing with milk and honey..."

"There 'is' a land? Or you 'heard there is'?"

"Uh..."

"What are you doing? Not answering quickly!"

The captain, who had been hesitating, spoke reluctantly.

"Though it's not something I saw personally."

"You said some native of an island whose name you don't even know informed you? How can you believe the words of such an uncivilized tribe?"

"That friend is a priest of truth. Since he swore before the god of the land, he has never spoken a lie even once in his entire life."

"Stop! Stop! We are currently in a situation where the city is paralyzed due to the damn Hydra. We cannot spend more money. The ship sank, and the majority of the crew died, so you're not asking us to buy everything anew, are you?"

Hit the nail on the head, the captain bit his lip. There was a bit more scuffling for a moment, but eventually, the captain trudged away with drooping shoulders.

"It seems to be a bad time in many ways?"

"V, Viscount?! Since when on earth..."

As if properly startled, the Mayor jumped up.

"I apologize. This lowly one committed a discourtesy not even knowing the noble personage had arrived."

Mayor Giacomo groveled, 180 degrees different from how he treated the captain just earlier.

'Damn it. I should have just chased that kind of bastard away and focused on the reception.'

Having too many stressful matters recently was the problem. He lost his reason for a moment because of a brazen captain who came seeking more money despite failing his mission.

Venting his anger a bout made him feel a bit refreshed inside, but if the price is the Viscount's displeasure, it's a massive loss.

"Do not mind it. Since I confirmed the situation is serious while coming."

"Thank you for your mercy like the sea. With Viscount having arrived, the Hydra must be a dead life. You must be busy with stabilizing the city, yet you took a difficult step."

Giacomo rubbed his hands diligently and flattered exactly as when dealing with the former Count.

"You too have suffered a lot in various ways since the beginning of your term of office."

"This too must all be the will of the gods. Ahaha... ha... haa."

The City of Water was a territory belonging to the former Count. A City Council composed of city tycoons rules it.

The representative, the Mayor, was appointed by the Count pointing him out among the council members, and the standard was simple. The one who offered the most bribes and promised the most taxes was chosen.

It is a structure where naturally a bastard who is corrupt yet squeezes the city residents well becomes the Mayor.

Giacomo rose to the position of Mayor spending an enormous amount of money, but with war breaking out 6 months later, the owner of the city changed.

- Worship the god!

- W, worship the god!

- Mayor Giacomo. I have heard stories about you, brother, in various ways. It seems you received favor from the former Count? From now on, please report the city's operational situation to the monastery every week.

The gaze with which the Bishop dispatched to the city looked at Giacomo was cold as ice. As if looking at a maggot sucking the blood and sweat of the people.

It was a momentum implying they would leave him alone for now since the city needs to roll without confusion, but they would send him off immediately if he pulled any funny business.

Giacomo, who came under vicious surveillance right when he was about to recover his principal, wept tears of blood. He had no choice but to operate the city soundly from now on.

'If I make a slight misstep, I get dragged to the Apostle State and put on trial too. Then it's finished.'

In calculations and organizational operation, priests are also an elite group not lacking compared to merchants. If they are at the level of being dispatched to Sicily, deceiving their eyes or buying them off with bribes is also impossible.

"You must have been tired coming here, so I would like to treat you with all my heart and soul."

"No need for a banquet."

"However, we cannot do nothing after having invited you."

"Catching the Hydra comes first. Judging by the looks of it, it was a guy holding an egg sac, so if we don't catch it as soon as possible, it will become a headache."

Giacomo wanted to pull strings with the new person in power, but Viscount Meyer seemed to have the exact opposite disposition of the former Count.

'Damn it. Where did the Apostle State bastards find a noble exactly like themselves?'

Befitting a city famous for recreation and hedonism, it's tempting enough, yet talking about monster hunting first was exactly as he had heard.

"I wish to see all the maps the city possesses."

"I will bring them immediately!"

Having diligently prepared liquor and dancers in a box containing bribes, Giacomo, who hadn't even thought about maps, moved in a flurry.

"M, master? You just have to order us."

Flustered slaves followed behind him. Looking at Giacomo's obese back view, Rex stroked his chin.

"He brings to mind Security Officer Panis. Don't they somewhat resemble each other?"

"That's a discourteous sound. You should compare what can be compared."

Being fat, having a high desire for success, and not discriminating means and methods are similar up to that point. However, Panis's outstanding acumen and affection for the city were also incomparably strong.

[I offer congratulations on your shining success. Although I am genuinely grateful for your heart evaluating me highly, I wish to bury my bones in the Bonyard. To develop this wonderful city that gave me an opportunity for success even a little and inherit it to future generations is my calling.]

Eugene proposed the position of Governor of the northwestern port city Palermo and sent a scouting letter. However, the reply was a rejection.

The highest level of success opportunity as a commoner. He's a friend who refused that solely out of affection for the city. It's an apologetic act to compare him to a corrupted person like that.

* * *

Perhaps due to the Hydra, the City of Water is in a quasi-war situation. Any ward is full of wounded, and even churches halted worship and focused on healing activities.

"Warriors gathered for success! Will you not join our Gorba Mercenary Company? Using Dwarven heavy crossbows, we achieve minimal casualties in any operation..."

To replenish troops, Mercenary Companies setting up platforms on the main street and recruiting unaffiliated mercenaries were everywhere.

Veterans within the Mercenary Companies, robust and wearing excellent equipment, line up to show off their prestige.

"E, excuse me..."

"Oh! Are you interested too?"

"Well yes, but I have no equipment and only my body."

"It's fine! It's fine! Just bring your body. We can lend you at least a minimal level of equipment."

"Is that true?"

"I was exactly the same as you in the past too. Everyone starts like this, you know."

Young people tired of boredom and drawn by the desire for success while ignorant of the ways of the world. That was the prey most preferred by worn-out Mercenary Companies.

While paying them low wages, they can be used frugally from all sorts of trivial tasks to putting them forward as meat shields.

"Join the Silver Axe Mercenary Company! You all must have already heard that we faced off against the demon-like Immortals in this holy war and slashed their leader!"

"???"

"What the, those sons of bitches?"

Eugene's subordinates, passing by while watching with interest, flared up.

The ones who pursued the Immortals' retreat and dealt a massive blow were Eugene's horse archer unit. As for the Immortals' leader, some mercenary bastard merely delivered the last hit while he was kneeling with 3 arrows stuck in him.

Packaging that as if they fought and won it made their heads explode with anger.

"Enough. Just leave them be."

"But Viscount!"

"Regarding the distinguished services of that battle, reports have all gone up to the Apostle State. They act like that only when coaxing low-rank mercenaries, if the scale grows even a little, they won't be able to lie out of fear."

Whether a Mercenary Company or a knight, inflating one's own achievements is a common occurrence. Pointing that out one by one was too tiring an act.

"Still, to be so brazen in front of people in broad daylight!"

"It's not like they outright lied, right? I hate causing trouble from the first day in another's territory."

Among the fully excited subordinates, Hind also placed his hand on his sword hilt.

"Are you truly entirely unaffected?"

Hind was educated as an orthodox knight. He might not know about other things, but he couldn't tolerate touching achievements of the battlefield. He's making a face wanting to smash the platform and request a duel with the Captain of the Silver Axe Mercenary Company.

"I am only thinking to the extent that if we run into them later, I should use this as an excuse to work them for cheap."

"..."

The more outstanding a knight, the more highly authoritative a noble, the more sensitive they were to their honor being touched.

However, Eugene didn't have much interest in those below him squabbling. Since behind-the-back talk about the king is also done in places where the person involved isn't present.

Eventually, the subordinates swallowed their anger by drawing out even the strength from nursing and spitting phlegm toward the platform.

"Khaaa... ptui!"

And Eugene saw Hind, a model student, spitting on the main street for the first time.

"Sir Knight. That's not it. Think of it as having one more lung behind your nose. You have to inhale to the maaaaxium."

"Khruuuuum!"

"Exactly! And then you use your tongue like a catapult and launch!"

"Pteeeet!"

The cheers of his subordinates were heard. Since morale rose this way and that, wouldn't a good thing be good?

* * *

"It is an honor to see you agai.. Keuk!"

"Stay lying down."

Eugene restrained the Holy Knights Order Commander trying to force himself to stand up from the hospital bed.

While fighting the Hydra, he got hit by its tail and suffered a severe injury of his ribs breaking. If he was just a little unluckier, the broken bones would have pierced his lungs and met death.

In this place, the best hospital in the city, mercenaries and knights groaning from injuries are strewn about.

"What? Say it again! What did you just say?!"

"Kh! Kh! F, first let go of this neck..."

"You dare to sever a knight's leg? Alright, I'll slice off your neck first!"

Priests barely managed to tear away and stop a knight causing a disturbance on a hospital bed.

"Sir Knight. The nerves and cartilage in your right leg have already all been severed and are in necrosis. If it rots away like this, even your life will become in danger."

"No! I will absolutely never allow it!"

The Order Commander, watching that sight gloomily, bowed to Eugene.

"Please forgive the discourtesy of greeting you while lying down."

"Pay it no mind. Because you, sir, have the qualification to do so. If not for the Knights Order, far more people would have died."

At the attitude treating him unchangingly as a comrade-in-arms even after ascending to Viscount, tears welled up in the Order Commander's eyes.

Strictly speaking, tears came out because it hurt too much, but Eugene's warm attitude did make the drops grow bigger.

"I see almost no Knights Order members in the city."

"Only the wounded including myself were evacuated to the city, and the rest are pursuing the Hydra. Currently, Vice Commander Philip is leading them."

"He must be quite a competent person to entrust the operation to?"

The previous Vice Commander was killed in action during the battle against the former Count. If they continued the operation in a situation where the two commanders who led the Holy Knights until now are missing, he would be an incredibly competent person.

"He was a knight highly renowned for monster hunting in the past. Then he heard the voice of god and became brothers with us last year."

It had only been 1 year since he joined the Knights Order, but various situations overlapped and he luckily rose to the position of Vice Commander.

"He must have heard I was departing, didn't he push too hard by stepping forward?"

"Philip said the Hydra's lifespan does not have much time left."

"It's a guy that's been active since several hundred years ago, so nothing strange about it."

"Are you aware the bastard is carrying eggs?"

"Ah, I saw smashed eggs while coming."

"When death is imminent, they are bound to burn with the desire to leave off-spring. It's the same for that bastard."

Vice Commander Philip, abundant in knowledge about monsters, saw the egg sac attached to the Hydra's body and realized hatching was imminent.

- We must fight right now.

- Viscount is coming, wouldn't it be better to wait more and fight together?

- After some time, the Hydra will go deep into the mountains, dig into the ground, and hide. Then there will be absolutely no way to find it. The young hatched from the eggs will safely grow up while digging into and eating the mother's carcass.

There was no other way. The Order Commander accepted Philip's advice, rallied Mercenary Companies and knights, and set out on a subjugation. The battle scene Eugene saw while coming was merely a part of that.

"So were all the eggs broken? If not much lifespan is left, there would be no need to even catch the Hydra, and just breaking the eggs would be sufficient."

"I apologize. I also fainted for 3 days and barely regained my senses at dawn today."

"Yeah. You suffered a lot. Leave the rest to me."

"I ask of you. They are valiant brothers, but their swords are accustomed to facing pagans, bandits, or ordinary monsters. Regarding a monster beyond specification like this time, everyone lacks experience..."

Eugene forcefully laid down the Order Commander who tried to stand up once again and left the ward.

* * *

Eugene's army, having finished brief maintenance, departed immediately.

Because it was a battle pursuing a bulky monster with numerous troops, the traces were exceedingly naked.

Even if they lost the track occasionally, they frequently ran into stragglers or wounded, so tracking was easy.

"It, it went that way."

"Please hurry, milord! The Holy Knights are all going to die!"

The mercenaries hired by the city begged Eugene, worrying about the Knights Order members.

Unlike knights who treated them as consumables, the Holy Knights respected them as equal comrades-in-arms.

The sights of them always fighting at the front even in dangerous situations and dying or getting hurt. Seeing that, it was inevitable for even mercenaries who only cared about money to develop loyalty.

"There are eggs here too!"

Scouts pointed at eggshells that were broken and vomiting their contents *glug glug*. Red blood shed by humans and blue blood seemingly shed by the Hydra were sprinkled around them.

It seems the subjugation squad was also accumulating damage on the Hydra, however little.

Finally, Eugene's army arrived on top of a hill where the fierce battlefield was clearly visible.

Kuoooooo-!

"Retreat! Retreat!"

On the vast meadow, there were a Hydra roaring a roar of victory, and an army that had reached its culmination point of offensive and was routing. What won in the persistent pursuit battle was ultimately the Hydra's regenerative power.

'So it's a guy resembling that.'

A terrifying appearance as if Imugis were dangling in clusters from a body like a dinosaur.

"Uaaack!"

"Save me!"

Mercenaries unable to run due to injuries were bitten by the jaws of Imugis and lifted into the air.

"Please save..."

Gulp!

The mercenaries' screams were cut off as they were swallowed whole. At first the upper body disappears, and then the struggling legs and shoes disappear.

Afterward, pink snake tongues the size of carpets flicked, giving even Eugene's subordinates goosebumps.

Naturally, the soldiers fleeing in front of it cried and wailed and screamed. Some were running even pissing themselves, perhaps losing strength in their bladders.

"It's truly a joke-like regenerative power exactly as you said. To think not a single wound remains despite fighting like that."

Eugene clicked his tongue at the Hydra's intact appearance.

The fleeing subjugation army still had a large scale, but their will to fight cleanly evaporated.

The more they fight, comrades die and disappear, yet the monster is completely intact exactly as when they first met it. Under these circumstances, losing motivation was natural.

What meaning would there be if 3 of our side died while inflicting a wound on the Hydra?

10 seconds later the Hydra becomes perfectly fine, but the dead comrades don't return. A friend who had eaten from the same pot up until yesterday is looking at them with hollow eyes without movement.

If this repeats endlessly, no matter how trained elite soldiers are, their morale cannot help but collapse.

"Still, it seems all the eggs were popped."

Just as Rex said, the egg sac attached to the Hydra's body was completely empty.

"Then there's no need to pursue it, is there?"

"It seems so, but it's a bit strange."

Rex tilted his head.

"The bastard is too calm. The shriek I heard while coming to the city was grief-stricken and filled with anger like a parent who lost their child."

For a gambler, observing the opponent's expression is important, and for a gladiator, reading the opponent's breathing is important.

Likewise, when hunting monsters medium-sized or larger, one always had to figure out what emotional state the bastard is in.

Driving a monster just like appropriately releasing and pulling a fishing line against a big catch is the refinement of an outstanding hunter.

And the reason why the Hydra was relaxed was soon revealed.

"Another one appeared!"

"But it's quite small? Could there have been a young that already hatched?"

Behind the massive Hydra, a much smaller individual newly appeared.

Not only is its size small, but it also has only one head and a different body shape. Aside from having short limbs attached as if degenerated, it resembled an Anaconda in Eugene's memory.

"Rather than a young, isn't that guy a male?"

"Ah!"

It was exactly as Eugene guessed.

On the victorious battlefield, the final courtship of an aged female and a male took place.

Just as Vice Commander Philip said, it seems the Hydra's lifespan truly didn't have much time left. Without even escaping to a safe zone, the final copulation continued exactly as it was on the spot they won.

Because that process was so swift, Eugene's army positioned on the hill didn't even have a chance to attack.

Chomp!

The bride who finished copulating immediately bit the male's head. Because a massive amount of nutrients was needed to fertilize eggs consecutively.

Gulp gulp.

The male obediently gave up its body without resisting the entire time it was swallowed by the bride. As if understanding that if even this time fails, the lineage of their species would be severed on this island.

"Entire army, prepare to attack."

Eugene's calm voice dug into the subordinates watching engulfed in emotions difficult to describe.

"Even if wounds healed, it can't do anything about the consumed stamina. The bastard is exhausted and its body became heavier. Now is the optimal time to attack."

A commander who calmly judges and issues orders in any situation instills faith in their subordinates.

Eugene's army, having reorganized from a mobility formation to a battle formation in perfect order, descended the hill.

"It's an ally!"

"Everyone stop! Reinforcements have arrived! I said stop!"

Knights and Mercenary Captains whose complexions returned tried to rally the troops, but it was difficult.

"What use is it no matter how many reinforcements arrive against an immortal monster? We'll all die anyway."

"That's right, Captain! We have to flee quickly!"

"You idiots, can't you see that flag? Look at the bow shooting lightning! I said Viscount Meyer has arrived!"

Resurrected hope and an opportunity to catch the eye of a powerful noble! Captains hungry for success anxiously persuaded their subordinates, but the main trend was still to flee. A pursuit battle where stress, fatigue, and fear accumulated terribly to that extent.

Shyaaaaaa-!

Fiercely looking giant Imugi heads turned entirely towards Eugene's army at the same time. However, the subordinates who completed their battle formation lined up facing it without fear.

"Actual combat like training!"

Eugene's roar echoes loudly.

"Training like actual combat!"

The knights standing in a row and the troops behind them firmly replied with one voice.

It's a somewhat embarrassing slogan for an experienced army to shout. However, hunting a large monster like a Hydra, moving as trained beforehand was more important than anything else.

"Couch lances!"

At Eugene's shout, Hind and the tribe knights received their lances from their respective retainers.

It is different from ordinary spears knights of this era use on the battlefield. It was a guy 5m in length and over 10kg in weight. It was far larger than even those used in tournaments.

The tips of the spears are generously slathered with ominous dark green liquid. It's a blood-coagulating venom for large reptilian monsters concocted by the tribe witches.

Behind the knights, Cassandra and female warriors in twin-horse chariots armed with staff slings are waiting on standby.

"Attack from maximum range. It's fine to miss, so do not force yourselves to approach."

"Understood!"

When Cassandra gave a military salute, the female warriors shouted together and raised their sticks high.

A large hurling pouch is attached to the end. A staff sling can use both hands and can throw things much larger than rubble.

At their feet riding the chariots, explosive gourds commissioned to be crafted by the Alchemy Guild were loaded.

"Charge forward!"

"Goddess Vanas! Protect your servants!"

"It's time to add a new achievement!"

When Eugene's command fell, the knights bravely spurred their horses.

The Meyer family's flag flutters in the middle of lances raised to the sky. That solemn sight was firmly engraved in the minds of the routed city subjugation army.