Chapter 53: Master of Hellscape Island (7)
Around the time I obtained the magic sword Venus, Head Instructor Everhart and some other instructors were rushing back to Bentram Fortress.
―Tad!
They had abandoned the search for the missing me due to an urgent matter—the barrier above their heads was breaking.
“Instructors, pick up the pace. We need to return to the fortress!”
“Head Instructor, is it really okay to leave Evan like this?”
One instructor voiced concern as they raced toward the fortress.
“Shouldn’t we leave a few more besides Nell?”
“There’s no time. Evan is important, but there are dozens of people at Bentram Fortress. They’re our responsibility.”
“Of course, but…”
“I trust Evan and Nell.”
Evan, a cadet and instructor with immeasurable talent.
Nell, who had the potential to succeed him as Head Instructor.
Trusting them, Everhart had boldly ordered the withdrawal.
But despite his words, a corner of his heart was gripped by unease.
The vampire’s appearance and the Hydra’s rampage.
Could they really return safely amidst this?
‘I want to go back and get them myself. But…’
As the island’s overseer, Everhart had a duty to protect everyone.
Suppressing his anxiety, he led the charge to the fortress.
“Everyone, move faster!”
The Head Instructor surged ahead at a pace even the other instructors couldn’t match.
Ultimately, he reached the fortress first.
Recognizing him, instructors on the walls moved to descend, but Everhart, ignoring them, took a deep breath and shouted.
“Head Instructor! Good news—the ship has…”
“Emergency! Everyone, get up! Gather in the center!”
His booming voice echoed through the fortress.
“Hurry!!”
Not a single person failed to respond, all emerging with bewildered expressions.
One instructor, descending from the wall, rushed over.
“Head Instructor? What’s the rush? The ship just arrived…”
Another ship had arrived to replace the presumed-sunken regular vessel—an undeniably welcome piece of news.
“Is that so? Perfect timing! There’s an emergency on the island. Look up!”
“What?”
The instructor guarding the fortress looked skyward.
“Why the sky… Oh!”
Fine cracks were beginning to form in the transparent barrier.
The fractures spread beyond their position, extending toward the island’s outskirts.
“Why is the barrier cracking…”
“No time to explain. I was planning to head to the coast, but since the ship’s here, everyone pack and prepare to board. You—run to the ship and tell the crew to ready it for departure!”
“Y-Yes!”
Following orders, the instructor turned to the stunned others, reiterating the situation.
They looked up, jaws dropping, and scrambled to their tasks.
“Servants, pack the luggage! Cadets, arm yourselves! Check for anyone missing!”
While servants loaded carts, others donned clothes and grabbed weapons.
As the fortress was roughly organized, the situation grew more dire.
―Crack crack crack!
The barrier was on the verge of shattering.
‘Damn it. The barrier’s breaking too fast. That blasted Hydra!’
For centuries, the Eternal Hourglass had stood strong.
Even the Hydra’s full-force assaults hadn’t fazed it, and it was expected to endure.
But that was arrogance.
The great beast called Hydra grew stronger with time.
When it decided to rampage, even the barrier couldn’t hold.
The timing had come sooner than expected—neither the late Great Mage, Everhart, nor even the Hydra could have foreseen it.
―Crack!
The barrier, known as the Eternal Hourglass, finally shattered.
This meant Bentram Fortress was now exposed to danger.
Everhart shouted again.
“Draw your weapons! The outside is now fraught with danger. Instructors, guard the front and rear. Cadets, secure the flanks. Servants take the center.”
Everhart’s strategy to save everyone was set.
“I’ll clear the path!”
Finally, he drew his sword.
“Let’s move!”
The organized group exited the fortress, heading along the main road to the coast where the ship was docked.
―Grrk?
―Kaaak!
Monsters fleeing the Hydra spotted prey and charged.
“Stay calm! Cadets, remember your training and respond!”
Fortunately, weeks of training had strengthened the cadets, mentally and physically.
Their recent training had focused on monsters, so they handled them adeptly.
The problem was the sheer number of monsters, far exceeding training scenarios.
“Garn, Havel! Protect the cadets!”
“Yes!”
Everhart organized the formation, preparing to face monsters at the vanguard.
‘There are many, but we can break through. But…’
More concerning than the monsters’ numbers was something else.
Above the broken barrier, a black mass was gathering in the open sky.
‘What’s happening? What kind of magic is that?’
The black substance spread, as if to envelop the island.
It resembled a dark curtain, slowly descending to isolate the island from the world.
“We must break through with all we’ve got! There’s no time!”
Judging the spread, the black curtain would reach the ground in about thirty minutes.
Enough time to escape if they only fled.
But the problem was…
―Kraa!
―Hrrr…
The swarm of monsters ahead and those yet to join them—Evan and Nell.
‘Please, return safely. I beg you.’
***
―Crack!!!
As the barrier shattered, Nell and I climbed out of the pit.
“We need to hurry back. Everyone else is likely at the fortress by now.”
“Escape the island? What about the Executor training?”
“Forget it! The training was possible because of the barrier. Without it, continuing is impossible. Nothing’s more important than survival!”
Above the fortress, flying monsters like wyverns and drakes soared.
With the island in such chaos, normal training seemed infeasible.
Unless it was the Empire’s style—training at the cost of lives.
―Kieeek!
Even the flying monsters were disoriented, rampaging without direction.
This wasn’t just due to the broken barrier but the intermittent roars echoing across the island.
―Boom!
The impact was so great it felt like the fortress shook.
The source was the Hydra.
The beast’s advance crushed the ground, its tremors resonating across the battlefield.
“Why’s the Hydra acting like this?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it ate something bad.”
“Ah.”
I felt a pang of guilt.
“No way…”
“Hm? What’d you say?”
“Nothing.”
Nell drew his sword.
“Let’s go. The good news is the Hydra’s not in its right mind. Let’s use that to get out of this area. It’s too dangerous here!”
Nell moved to leave the fortress but paused.
“What’s wrong?”
Following behind, I saw something beyond—a scene like the end of the world.
“Good heavens…”
Lightning and gales raged in the sky.
On the ground, earth surged, and flames engulfed the forest.
It was a spectacle befitting the moniker “Hellscape.”
The culprit was the island’s master, the Hydra.
Its nine heads spewed fire, ice, and poison, wreaking havoc.
Each swing of its massive tail shook the earth.
And it was alarmingly close.
“This is bad. That monster’s turned the area into a wasteland. Evan, to escape…”
“We’ll need to draw out our qi.”
“Can you manage?”
“Yes. And I can prepare for unexpected situations.”
I raised the magic sword Venus.
Only then did Nell notice it, tilting his head at its unusual design.
Had there been time, he’d likely have asked about it.
But the urgent situation left no room.
“I’ll take the lead.”
“Got it.”
We drew out our qi, enhancing our bodies.
With lightened steps, we left the fortress, navigating the upheaved terrain.
―Tap!
Among the Hydra’s rampaging heads, the wind head inhaled deeply.
It exhaled, unleashing a gale strong enough to uproot trees.
“Damn!”
“Leave it to me!”
I stepped beside Nell.
Raising my sword, I absorbed the wind.
Nell’s eyes widened.
“Evan! What is that sword?”
“It’s a magic sword I stumbled upon. I’ll explain later!”
A drake, fleeing the Hydra, opened its maw and charged, unwilling to miss prey.
I swung my sword.
A gust erupted, blasting the drake far away.
‘Magic-engineered weapon… It’s really something. If I’d had this in my past life, I wouldn’t have died so vainly.’
Feeling Venus’ power, I pressed forward.
Crossing the twisted terrain, I spotted a swarm of monsters ahead.
“Evan, monsters ahead! I’ll cut through with sword aura!”
“I’ll add my strength! One moment!”
I deliberately approached a lightning strike.
―Crackle!
Extending my sword, I absorbed the lightning’s power and returned.
“Ready? Let’s go!”
“Yes!”
Nell and I unleashed our sword auras at the monster swarm.
―Slash!
―Boom!
Our combined auras obliterated the monsters in front.
“The path’s open! Move!”
We carved through, heading for the fortress.
One of the Hydra’s heads watched us intently.
“Saaak!”
The ice head fired an ice wave.
I turned, absorbed it with Venus, and sent it back as a single mass.
―Boom!
A boulder-sized ice chunk struck the head.
Reeling from its own attack, the Hydra staggered, hissing.
Then, writhing from another surge of internal pain, it thrashed.
In that moment, Nell and I slipped away.
“Saaak!”
At the peak of its agony, one head spat out a bloody mass.
“Kaak!”
―Splat!
It began smashing everything in sight.
―Boom!!!
Monsters fled in a mass migration to survive the beast’s onslaught.
―Boom!!!
Amid the chaos, the bloody mass twitched slightly.
It began to grow, ever so slowly.
―Splat splat.
As it grew, the mass took shape, forming a human figure.
The blood washed away, revealing Gaiard’s face.
“Lowly species dare… Urgh!”
Gaiard, swallowed, hadn’t died.
Sucked into the Hydra’s stomach, he’d torn through its insides to survive.
But the acidic fluids relentlessly corroded him.
Regenerating became nearly impossible, forcing a desperate decision.
He pierced the stomach wall and absorbed the Hydra’s blood.
This power allowed him to escape, but severe side effects ravaged his body.
“Argh!!!”
The Hydra’s nine heads, each with distinct properties, made its blood extraordinary.
Hot as lava, cold as a blizzard, acidic as venom, it melted his veins as it passed.
It was blood only a Hydra could endure.
Vampires typically avoided absorbing Hydra blood.
‘I want to rip my body apart and drain this blood. Even breathing is agony.’
The pain was so excruciating it tempted him to give up.
Yet, this harsh price granted him immense power in a short time.
The blood of a centuries-old Hydra, not just anyone’s.
“That brat—I’ll tear you limb from limb. I swear!”
Benner Island was in chaos.
The barrier broken, the Hydra rampaging.
It felt like the island’s end.
Amid this, Gaiard rose with one goal—to kill Evan Lafard.
“I’ll slaughter you.”
A drake, mistaking him for human prey, lunged.
Gaiard merely flicked a finger.
―Slash!
A line of blood sliced the drake in half.
―Thud.
Drinking monster blood wasn’t his preference.
But driven by vengeance, he had no time for such distinctions.
“I’ll shred your limbs, lowly species. You’ll beg for death.”
Absorbing the drake’s blood, he headed north, sensing human presence.