The Hydra suddenly emerged from the water.
Its enormous body towered high above Ethan.
It raised its head and swung it toward him.
Ethan reacted instantly.
He activated Flight and moved through the air, turning midair to avoid the attack.
The Hydra also turned toward him.
"Come on!"
Ethan turned around and stretched out his hand.
He began firing blasts of fire from his left hand.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The fire blasts struck the Hydra.
But the Hydra didn't even budge.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"What do I have to do just to touch this thing?"
He stared at the Hydra's enormous body.
"If I can land beside its scales, near the back of its head, I can use my God Touch ability on it."
Ethan slowly moved toward the lake.
His body hovered just an inch above the surface of the water as he flew straight toward the Hydra.
He increased his speed.
"Even if it's still…"
"I can't touch it from this distance."
The Hydra watched him approach.
Ethan continued closing the distance.
He was getting closer.
Closer.
Just a little more—
The Hydra suddenly shook its enormous body.
SPLASH!
A huge wave of water exploded toward Ethan.
The water struck his face.
"Damn it!"
Ethan quickly wiped his eyes with his hands.
As he opened them—
His expression changed.
The Hydra was spitting something into the air.
Venom.
A dark substance poured from its mouth and spread through the air.
Ethan froze.
"What the hell?"
The venom quickly filled the area like black fog.
Ethan immediately held his breath.
"How the hell did it release its venom into the air this fast?"
He couldn't see clearly through the dark mist.
He turned to the other side, trying to find the Hydra.
"According to what I've heard…"
"Anyone who inhales this venom instantly suffers organ failure."
"They die in less than two minutes."
Ethan stared through the black fog.
"Damn it…"
The venom slowly began to dissolve.
As the air cleared, Ethan finally saw the Hydra.
It was holding the axe in its right hand.
The Hydra pulled its arm backward.
Ethan's eyes widened.
Then it flew forward.
Ethan stretched out his left hand.
"Just one touch."
The Hydra continued coming toward him.
Ethan's hand began glowing faintly.
[God Touch activated.]
He waited for the perfect moment.
The Hydra didn't react.
It came closer.
Closer.
Ethan reached out.
His fingers touched one of the Hydra's scales.
The moment he made contact—
The scale suddenly came off.
Ethan's eyes widened.
"What?"
A gigantic scale had detached from the Hydra's body on its own.
The Hydra immediately moved backward and swung at him.
Ethan flew backward and to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack.
He looked down.
The gigantic scale fell into the lake.
Then—
It regenerated instantly.
A new scale appeared in its place.
Ethan stared at the Hydra.
The creature had already created distance between them.
It was looking at him differently now.
Ethan's expression became serious.
"Wait…"
"Did it purposely remove its scale?"
He stared at the regenerated scale.
"Did it make sure the scale wasn't part of its body before I could extract its essence?"
Ethan slowly narrowed his eyes.
"Just how smart is this creature?"
The Hydra stared at him for another moment.
Then it turned around.
SPLASH!
It entered the water.
Ethan remained in the air, staring at the lake.
The Hydra had disappeared beneath the surface.
After a while, Ethan slowly looked toward the lake.
He noticed something strange.
The surface of the lake was spinning.
Then, a huge amount of water began rising upward.
The water moved toward Ethan before suddenly shifting sideways.
SLAM!
It crashed into the side of the dungeon.
Ethan stared at the lake.
Then, the Hydra emerged from the water.
It paused for a moment, staring directly at him.
Then—
It flew forward.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"This is really getting annoying."
"If I can't touch it, then no matter how strong I become, it doesn't matter."
"If I can't touch it…"
He stared at the Hydra.
"I can't do anything about its regeneration."
He thought for a moment.
"But I've got an idea."
"What if I'm fast enough to strike its skull?"
"If I keep attacking its skull continuously, even if one or two strikes aren't enough…"
"I won't give its head enough time to regenerate."
"If I keep attacking it without stopping…"
"Maybe I can shatter its skull before it can regenerate."
Ethan paused.
He stared at the Hydra as it flew toward him.
The Hydra suddenly launched its head forward.
Ethan moved backward, pulling his axe away as the Hydra tried to bite him.
Its enormous head passed dangerously close to him.
Ethan tried to land on the ground.
But the Hydra suddenly raised its head.
SLAM!
Its head struck Ethan from beneath.
"Gah!"
Ethan was sent tumbling through the air.
He quickly regained his balance and flew downward.
He raised his axe.
The Hydra's head came into view.
Ethan moved closer.
Closer.
Then he raised the axe with both hands.
He swung it down with all his strength.
SLAM!
The axe smashed directly into the Hydra's eye.
Ethan immediately pulled the axe back.
The Hydra let out a deafening scream.
ROAAAR!
Its enormous body twisted as it flew forward.
Ethan quickly raised his axe again.
The Hydra's head came toward him.
Ethan tightened his grip.
Then—
He swung the axe with all his strength.
SLAM!