"I don't know... how to beat it. I just read about it in an old book... Wait! I think it said that when it was defeated long ago, the deciding factor was a wound to the torso! There was some kind of nucleus there!"
The creature that stood before them had long been thought immortal, a legend of a beast that could not die. But according to what Elena remembered from that ancient text, the Hydra's secret lay in its torso—its nucleus, the core of its life force.
When the Hydra had once been exterminated in ancient times, the key to victory had been destroying that core while it was still young and weak. That same principle might work again.
"The only way to stop it from regenerating its necks is to destroy the nucleus," Daniel said, his voice steady despite the danger. "Sophia, Elena—can you blind all the heads? Just enough to buy us a few seconds. If possible, use a bow. Even if they regenerate, the arrows won't disappear."
He only needed a moment. That was all Daniel ever asked for. He was confident he could end it if they just gave him that brief window.
"Then I'll use fire magic to distract it," Elena said, gripping her staff tighter. "And Sophia can shoot out its eyes while I do it. Right?"
"Yeah. Sophia, can you do it?" Daniel asked, meeting her gaze.
"Don't ask if I can do it or not," Sophia shot back, pulling a bundle of arrows from her quiver. "Just tell me to. I can shoot seven in a row—twice, if I have to."
"That's my girl," Daniel said with a small grin. "Everything's perfect. I'll lure it in. Once it's close enough, shoot it straight in the eyes. Then both of you, cover your ears and open your mouths. It's going to get loud. If you have any sound-dampening magic, use it."
Elena frowned, confused by his words, but Sophia nodded as if she'd already guessed what Daniel was planning.
"I can use a spell to reduce volume," Elena said quickly. "But… Daniel, what exactly are you going to do?"
Daniel exhaled slowly, resting his hand on the sword at his hip. "It's simple. I'm going to finish it. You'll see... I'll show you the true meaning of [Thunder]."
With that, he stepped forward, his presence radiating confidence and focus. The Hydra's seven heads turned toward him, hissing and writhing in fury as if mocking his challenge.
"Come here! Come on, you ugly beast!" Daniel shouted, his voice echoing through the dungeon.
Two of the Hydra's heads whipped toward him, tongues flicking out as they shrieked at the insult.
"Yeah, that's it! Over here! I'm fresher than that half-dead lump over there!"
With a mocking wave, Daniel made himself the perfect target. The Hydra roared in rage, its body shifting to face him fully.
Derek still lay unconscious nearby, barely clinging to life. Daniel's eyes flicked toward him briefly. I don't like the guy, he thought, but I'm not leaving him to die. He probably regrets what he's done already.
"Daniel!" Elena called out, her voice tight with worry.
"Hey, pervert," Daniel said, flashing a grin over his shoulder. "Get ready. It's coming right for us."
Sophia had already drawn seven arrows and set them across her bowstring. She wasn't sure if normal arrows could pierce the Hydra's eyes, so she imbued each one with nearly all the magic power she could muster. The air around her shimmered faintly, distorting from the dense mana flowing through her.
Unlike her usual calm, graceful archery, this was something entirely different—deadly serious.
The Hydra's seven heads turned toward Daniel's taunting voice. Its massive body followed, the sheer force of its movement making the ground tremble.
With a thunderous rumble, the beast lunged forward. The speed was unreal for its massive size—like a mountain charging at full tilt.
"I can only stop it for a second!" Elena shouted. "Don't miss this, Sophia! Red Lotus Formation—[Blaze of Fire]!"
Flames erupted around her as she thrust her staff forward. A roaring wall of fire burst to life, surrounding the Hydra in a vortex of crimson heat.
Daniel felt the air distort and heat crackle across his skin. It almost felt like they were in a furnace.
Sophia stood firm beside her, her bow glowing white with magical energy.
"I'm no amateur, you idiot," Sophia muttered with a smirk. "I'm an elf, born for the bow. The blood of the bravest runs in me... Grant Archery—[Meteor], Sevenfold!"
Seven streaks of white light shot through the flames, each arrow flying faster than a gunshot. The sound of their release was so sharp that it blended into a single burst of air.
The Hydra's enormous body shook as every one of its seven heads lost an eye in the blink of an eye.
Even Daniel paused for a heartbeat. That's… faster than a rifle.
The arrows glowed as they hit their marks, searing through flesh.
Elena's wall of fire began to fade as the Hydra thrashed in pain, its regeneration slowing.
"Another volley!" Sophia shouted. "Seventh series, number two—Sink into darkness! Daniel, now!"
The second set of arrows slammed into the Hydra, completely blinding it. Despite its terrifying regenerative ability, the creature couldn't expel the arrows from its sockets. Roaring in pain and confusion, it stumbled into the center of the chamber.
"Copy that! You two, cover your ears!" Daniel shouted.
"Yes! [Deafening]!" Elena yelled back.
After casting her spell, she threw herself over Sophia, hugging her tightly and pressing her hands over both their ears. She didn't even think about it—her body simply moved to protect her friend, knowing Sophia's hearing was more sensitive.
"This crazy woman..." Sophia mumbled, half annoyed, half flustered, her face buried against Elena's chest.
"Thank you," she whispered softly.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing!" Sophia barked, cheeks burning red as she covered her ears tighter.
Daniel took one last deep breath. "Body Strengthening... Body Strengthening... Hypersensitization... Pain Dulling... I'll be sore all over tomorrow."
He stepped forward. The world slowed around him.
In an instant, Daniel crossed a hundred meters as if he'd teleported. To an untrained eye, he vanished and reappeared. Every sense was alive—he could feel the air pressure shift, the faint pull of gravity under his boots, the flutter of his clothes.
His movements were perfect, controlled. Every muscle responded in harmony.
He had spent seventeen years mastering this one art—Body Strengthening. What others considered basic enhancement, Daniel had elevated to an absolute.
He could feel everything: the pulse of his veins, the beat of his heart, the shifting of each muscle fiber. His kinetic vision was so sharp that the Hydra's movements seemed frozen in time.
No magic was more human, more pure.
"One more time," he whispered. "Body Strengthening... I won't let you suffer. Just a moment... We'll share the pain."
The Hydra didn't even realize he was beside it until it was too late.
Daniel didn't draw his sword. Instead, he kept it sheathed, gripping it like a blunt weapon. With one explosive motion, he struck the Hydra's torso—the place where its nucleus lay hidden.
The sword hit with a deep, echoing thud, followed by a sharp crack that split the air.
A moment later, the dungeon roared.
Boom. Boom. Boom!
Thunder exploded through the chamber, shaking the walls and floor. The sound carried through the entire labyrinth, reaching the surface above.
The Hydra's body convulsed, then burst apart in a blinding flash. Flesh and scales scattered across the stone walls, melting into the ground.
Its regeneration was meaningless now—its core had been obliterated.
Daniel stood there silently as the dust settled, his sword still at his side.
It wasn't magic. It wasn't a trick. It was pure force—raw impact strong enough to make the earth tremble.
That was why they called him [Thunder].
And in that moment, Sophia finally understood the name.
"Ouch... this is what happens when I use [Pain Dulling]... The impact is too strong. But if I go easy on the Hydra and make a mistake, I'm done for... It's simple, but difficult."
Daniel, holding a sword that was shattered except for the handle, tossed the useless weapon aside and tended to his right arm. Originally, the sword had acted as a buffer to reduce damage to his body.
The price of immense power is a reaction to oneself. The force was too much for a human. Daniel's entire body ached with severe muscle pain. He felt sluggish and heavy. His clothes were tattered from the impact. If he had any complaints, it was that he was just a commoner.
Sophia and Elena, who had been sent flying slightly by the blast from Daniel's strike, got up with messy hair and looked at him in shock.
...Too strong.
"My ears are burning! Aaah!" Elena cried, checking herself.
Since she had used her hands to shield Sophia, Elena had no other protection besides magic.
Sophia rushed over to Daniel, worried about his state.
"Master!"
"Are your ears okay?" Daniel asked, smiling as he checked on her. He then glanced at Elena, who was still oohing and ahhing.
"I... I still have some ringing in my ears... but that pervert put herself on the line to protect me..." Sophia said softly.
"Good. Did you say thank you?"
"I did... I know it's annoying, but..."
Sophia blushed slightly as she looked down. Daniel laughed and patted her head with his left hand.
"Good. Thank you is important. That door over there is the treasure room of this dungeon. In other words, we've made it through."
"But more importantly, are you okay!?" Sophia's concern was genuine.
"My right arm is all red, but I didn't break any bones. My muscles are just exhausted. I'll be fine in a few days. Healing magic isn't my strength — just physical specialization with [Body Strengthening]."
"I'll heal you! [Heal!]"
Warm energy enveloped Daniel's arm. Sophia seemed relieved.
"Wow... the pain is fading."
"Nnn... I don't have much magic left. I'm sorry, I can't fully heal you..."
"Don't worry. I've prepared for this. This isn't the first time. I'll manage."
Even with Daniel controlling his body perfectly, he couldn't move normally when his muscles were shredded. Concerned about Sophia, he had her stop halfway.
Sophia was nearing her limit, including the previous battle. Daniel, though injured, still had plenty of time.
"Can you heal, Elena? If you can, you should. Derek might actually need it."
"Right! Derek!" Elena ran to him as Daniel guided Sophia.
This wasn't his fault, he thought. Derek had been slammed into the wall by the Hydra before Daniel and the others arrived.
The dent left in the wall by Derek's body was still visible.
But Derek was now lying motionless, far from the spot. The impact from Daniel's strike had blown him away, barely alive.
"He's breathing. But the injuries are severe... I think he can survive if we heal him."
Derek's white armor was crushed, covered in dirt, blood, and mud. His limbs were bent unnaturally. It was a painful sight, even for Daniel.
"Let's bring him to the treasure room. It's hard to breathe here, and the poison in the air isn't good for him."
Daniel tore off Derek's armor outside and left it in the stinky, ruined state it had become. Then he placed Derek in the bathroom and asked Elena to heal him.
Sophia continued healing Daniel.
"Wow... broken bones can heal this fast?"
Even after removing his armor, Derek's condition was still dire. Several broken ribs had pierced his lungs, his body was swollen, and blood coated almost every part.
Elena carefully aligned his bones and repaired his internal organs first.
"If it's just connecting the bones, yes. But first priority is his organs. Limbs come last."
"There was no one like you in my village... I've broken bones before, but it was only physical therapy," Daniel thought.
Elena worked for a while until Derek stabilized. Daniel tucked the exhausted Sophia into bed and monitored Derek with Elena.
"I'm tired... I've done what I can for now, but I don't have enough magic to fully restore his limbs..."
"Good work. We've conquered the dungeon, so let's rest in the treasure room until our limits. I'll make food. What do you want?"
"Meat! Aren't you two hungry from eating leaves?" Elena slumped to the floor, rubbing her calves. She was wearing cute pink lacy panties.
After battle, Daniel's arousal was high despite exhaustion. His gaze hardened at Elena.
Noticing his stare, Elena flushed slightly, legs still apart.
"I'll say goodbye when Derek wakes... can we... have sex?" she asked.
"I'll think about it. I'll wash Derek first. You can rest with Sophia. I need him fed at least," Daniel said, trying to control himself.
He washed Derek, noticing his rough condition. Derek was tough but in need of care.
Daniel wondered why he was helping him, but finished bathing, wiping, and dressing him. Derek was wrapped in a blanket in the center of the treasure room.
While Sophia and Elena rested, Daniel cooked alone. He prepared the best meat for Elena and vegetables for Sophia.
"Ugh... Elena," Derek groaned.
"You left me behind, didn't you?"
Daniel wondered what he was talking about. Derek was seeing a happy dream, a world where he hadn't been so delusional.
"It smells delicious! Meat, meat, meat!" Elena exclaimed, following the scent.
Sophia was asleep.
"What's he calling you?"
"Not awake yet. Maybe he realized he liked you," Daniel said.
"If he likes me now... it's a little uncomfortable, but I think it's better to have sex with Daniel! That fight was so cool too."
Elena slumped over Sophia, and Daniel realized she hadn't seen him directly.
"I'll say goodbye properly... I like big dicks most! And lovey-dovey mating, the kind with kissing," she whispered.
"You pervert... such a high sex drive."
"It's more than that. I like you, Daniel. The loneliness... makes me want to be with you. Even with Sophia here, I feel complete alone. I can do anything."
Daniel didn't answer. He couldn't. He had spent two lifetimes alone, hiding, and this was all he'd ever known.
"Ugh... am I dead?" Derek muttered, looking up.
"You're awake! You're alive!" Elena said, stepping in front of him.
Derek burst into tears.
"Elena, you... came to help me. I've done terrible things, and you're forgiving me? You're the only one who can..."
It was a grand misunderstanding. Derek thought Elena had come for him.
"Yeah... but I need to tell you something..." Elena began, her words cruel, adding to Derek's guilt.