Chapter 37: BLIND IN THE ABYSS
Then one of its heads spotted him.
The creature surged forward, its speed terrifying even underwater. The pressure shifted as it closed the distance, the water trembling around its enormous body.
Raito turned just in time to see its jaws open wide. He twisted his body, rolling aside as the Hydra’s bite missed him by inches. Bubbles and debris swirled violently around him.
Another head followed immediately. He spun again, barely dodging as it sliced past.
It’s fast... too fast down here.
Raito kicked hard, swimming sideways through the murky water, dodging strike after strike. Each movement drained his lungs, his chest tightening from holding his breath too long.
Then—an opening.
One of the Hydra’s heads dove too low. Raito shot upward, using the water’s momentum to land on top of its neck. He clung to the slick scales, driving one dagger deep into its flesh.
Blood clouded the water. The Hydra roared—muffled but deafening even underwater.
Raito held tight with his left dagger, raising the other in his right hand. He swung again and again, trying to pierce deeper through its thick hide.
But before he could strike again, the other two heads turned toward him, their movements slow but deadly precise.
They lunged.
Raito’s instincts screamed—he kicked off the Hydra’s neck, propelling himself away just as the two heads crashed together. The impact sent shockwaves through the water.
He spun in the current, using the turbulence to his advantage, and landed on another head’s back as it rose upward.
Raito tightened his grip on his daggers. His lungs burned, bubbles escaping his lips.
"Come on," he thought fiercely. "If I can just reach one of the eyes..."
The Hydra [Trash O3-8] thrashed violently, sending waves of pressure through the water.
Raito twisted his body, swimming as fast as he could while slashing at its thick scales.
Each strike made the creature roar beneath the surface, but the only reward he got was a faint flicker of notification across his vision.
[LLP +2]
[LLP +3]
It wasn’t enough. The damage he had taken was far worse than what he dealt.
His lungs ached, his body heavy from the thick, almost toxic water. Every second felt like a weight dragging him deeper.
This water... it’s not normal, he thought grimly. It’s filled with poison. Nothing could survive down here—not even me for long.
The system bar in his vision pulsed weakly.
[Current LP: 320]
[Warning: LP decreasing due to environment toxicity]
He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to move. Each minute he stayed below, his strength faded a little more.
From the corner of his eye, he saw movement—the Venomous Serpents, still trapped in this cursed water, desperately slithering away from the Hydra’s reach.
The Hydra’s head lunged again. Raito dodged, twisting through the water before grabbing onto one of its scales. The creature bucked violently, but he clung tighter, digging his blade into its neck.
The Hydra’s roar echoed, and in its rage, it shot upward—bursting out of the surface with a massive splash that sent waves crashing against the cavern walls.
Raito released his grip, gasping for air the moment he broke the surface. Cold air filled his lungs, sharp and painful after so long underwater.
He inhaled once. Twice. Then he dove again.
The water swallowed him whole, and his lungs tightened as he held his breath once more. The fight wasn’t over yet.
"None of my attacks are working..." Raito muttered through clenched teeth, gripping his daggers tightly as the Hydra’s shadow loomed over him beneath the water. "After I defeat this... I’ll finally be to quench Greed hunger. But still..."
He hesitated, glancing at the creature’s massive form twisting in the dark water.
"This is an S-Rank Monster. I’m not even close to that level yet."
[Warning: Current Opponent - Hydra (S-Rank)]
[Recommendation: Retreat]
His mind screamed at him to flee, but his heart refused. "No... I can’t back down now. If I win this... I’ll rise."
Raito inhaled sharply and channeled every ounce of strength he had left. With a fierce cry, he struck down with full force—daggers flashing in the murky depths.
But the Hydra retaliated immediately. Its enormous tail swept through the water, sending Raito flying backward. The impact was so strong that it felt like being hit by a collapsing wall.
He spun in the water, disoriented. Then he saw it.
The Hydra’s three heads opened their mouths wide. Inside, a dark black liquid swirled violently, glowing faintly like molten ink.
[Unknown Substance Detected]
[Analyzing... Error: Unable to Identify Compound]
"What... what is that?" Raito whispered. "It’s not the same venom from before. I’ve never read about this... not even in the monster encyclopedia."
He kicked his legs, swimming backward, but it was too late. The Hydra expelled the black fluid, and it spread through the water like smoke.
When it touched his face, a sharp pain exploded in his eyes.
"Ah—! My eyes! What’s going on?!"
He couldn’t see. Everything went black, like ink spilling into his vision. Panic rose in his chest as he flailed in the water.
[Status Effect: Unknown Corrosion - Eyesight Compromised]
[Vision: 0%]
"No... this isn’t poison. It’s something else. What is this...?"
He forced himself to breathe slowly, listening. The sound of the Hydra moving through the water was all he had left.
I can’t see... but I can still hear it.
The creature shifted, massive and slow, the water vibrating with its presence.
Raito gritted his teeth. "Fine. If I can’t see you... then I’ll fight by sound."
"This system... it’s funny," Raito muttered, his voice trembling through the water. "It says I should retreat—like I could. The dungeon entrance is already sealed. Even if I escape this water, I’d never make it through that door. It’s too thick to break... and I can’t even see where I am anymore."
He spun slowly in the dark water, blind and disoriented.
"What should I do...?"
Then he heard it—the sound of rushing water, pressure building. His instincts screamed a warning.
He clenched his eyes shut, trying to track the Hydra’s movement by sound alone.