Ethan ignored the strange feeling in the air.
"I don't care."
But for some reason, the air was getting thicker.
Ethan stood up.
"I have to break through this door."
He put all his strength into his body.
He had gained the full strength of the Grizzly Bear, and now he intended to use it.
He pulled his fist backward.
"I'll just break it down."
He swung his fist toward the crystal door.
BOOM!
A huge explosion of sound erupted throughout the dungeon.
The crystal door shook violently.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
He pulled his fist back and slammed it into the door again.
BOOM!
Again.
BOOM!
Again.
BOOM!
But the crystal door didn't budge.
It resisted completely.
Ethan slowly lowered his fist.
He was breathing heavily.
Then he turned around.
His eyes returned to the lake.
The sound of water moving continued.
"Just what could be in that water?"
He stared at the lake.
"Because, honestly, I have no idea."
"I know someone was killed here."
"Could it be…?"
He thought for a moment.
"I'd like to assume it's some kind of monster fish."
"Maybe it's a monster fish."
"They're capable of making this very same sound."
"Hopefully, that's what it is."
Ethan continued staring at the lake.
Then his eyes moved toward the skeleton.
"Wait…"
"Why wasn't the skeleton thrown into the lake?"
"Or…"
"Was this person killed by something else?"
"Could they have died for another reason?"
"I really don't know."
He paused.
The dungeon became silent again.
Ethan stared at the water.
Then—
Something emerged from the lake.
A huge head slowly rose above the surface.
Ethan's eyes widened.
The creature's enormous head continued rising until its eyes met his.
They stared at each other.
Ethan froze.
Slowly, he bent down and picked up the giant axe.
Sweat rolled down his face.
"What in the hell…?"
He stared at the creature.
"This isn't going the way I planned."
"And here I was thinking it was just a monster fish."
The creature rose even further from the lake.
Its enormous body emerged from the water.
Ethan's expression changed completely.
"A Hydra…"
He tightened his grip around the axe.
"An A-rank Hydra."
"Damn it…"
Ethan was still very terrified.
Very, very terrified.
But still, after defeating monster after monster in this dungeon, his confidence had increased.
"I know what I'm dealing with," he said.
He opened his eyes and looked directly at the Hydra.
The two stared at each other, eye to eye.
"It's a one-headed Hydra."
Ethan remembered what he had learned.
"Most of the time, when I was jobless and couldn't get an actual job, I spent my time in the library."
"That's where I learned about this A-rank, one-headed Hydra."
"If it were a three-headed A-rank Hydra, that would have been trouble."
"But still…"
"it's at least 46 feet tall."
Ethan smiled as he raised his axe forward.
"Give me your best shot."
He held the axe with both hands.
"Give me your best shot, you big worm."
The Hydra suddenly let out a deafening roar.
ROAR!
It launched itself toward Ethan at insane speed.
Ethan's eyes widened.
But just before the Hydra reached him, it suddenly changed direction.
Ethan jumped away.
BOOM!
The Hydra slammed into the dungeon wall.
BOOM!
A huge part of the wall was destroyed as the Hydra stumbled and fell onto the ground.
Ethan quickly got back on his feet.
He paused as he watched the Hydra slowly rise.
Its head turned toward him.
Ethan stared at its enormous mouth.
"What the hell?"
"Its mouth is big enough to swallow a human."
The Hydra moved its head forward toward him.
Then it started running.
"Damn it!"
Ethan moved aside.
The Hydra suddenly stopped and pulled its head back as it stood still, watching him.
Ethan stared at it.
"What do I do?"
He paused for a moment.
"Let me run toward it."
He tightened his grip on the axe.
"It won't have enough time to dodge before I bring this down."
"If I'm fast enough, I might be able to at least land a fatal strike."
Ethan ran toward it with the axe.
The Hydra simply stood there, watching him.
As Ethan closed the distance, the Hydra didn't move.
"What the hell?"
"Why isn't it moving?"
"Is it just watching me?"
He continued running.
He raised his axe backward.
"For strength…"
Ethan swung the axe down.
He jumped near the lake and slammed the axe directly into the side of the Hydra's scales.
CLANG!
Ethan's expression immediately changed.
He landed back on the ground.
"What the hell?"
He looked up at the Hydra.
"Not even a single scratch…"
Suddenly, the Hydra lowered its enormous body.
Ethan's eyes widened.
Its massive body was about to land on him.
"Run!"
Ethan barely escaped.
BOOM!
The Hydra's body slammed into the ground.
Its tail struck the crystal floor.
CRACK!
A huge part of the floor instantly cracked.
Ethan rolled across the ground before slowly getting back onto his feet.
The Hydra lifted its head and stared at him.
"What the hell?"
Ethan frowned.
"According to what I read… I just remember that it's very, very smart."
He stared at the Hydra.
"It knew my axe wouldn't be able to pierce its scales."
"That was why it let me attack it."
"It wanted to use its body weight to just crush me."
Ethan spoke in a low voice as he frowned.
"This thing is smart."