Chapter 100

Already, I had lost all sense of time and date.

The deep fog always dyed the view a milky white, and the only thing visible was the eerie, tangled roots of the mangrove plants.

How many days had passed since I set foot in this place?

Or had it only been a few hours?

Before I knew it, the number of accompanying soldiers had fallen below half.

Most had scattered during the battles and had not been able to regroup in the fog.

"Lord Zayeed! It's a Hydra again! Soldiers! It has six heads! Everyone, stay alert!"

The sergeant shouted.

How many times had I heard that same cry?

The Hydra is a ridiculous monster that gains more heads as it grows stronger.

With six heads, it is extremely powerful.

Still, for my soldiers, hunting a six-headed Hydra should not be that difficult. Normally.

But we are having a very tough time.

The first reason is the fog.

This milk-like white vision hinders our actions.

The second is the footing.

This is a swamp, after all, and everything is flooded.

It is extremely difficult to move.

The last is the mangrove forest.

It hinders us in finding the enemy, attacking, and advancing, but the Hydra moves through it without any trouble.

The battle to exterminate the Hydra has come to this.

"...Kail!"

I couldn't help but let the words slip out.

Despite being raised freely without the harsh reprimands of a strict father due to his weak constitution, he aims for the position of a border lord!?

He denies it, but look!

He is seeking achievements, lying through his teeth!

The adventurers from Kail's village use this swamp as a good hunting ground for magic stones!?

In what world do such vicious monsters become a source of income for a group of adventurers!?

As I fumed alone, the soldiers finally defeated the Hydra.

They were in a sorry state.

The sergeant approached.

"...Lord Zayeed. We have already used up all the potions. What do you wish to do?"

The sergeant looked straight at me.

I thought.

"Suppose we change our direction of advance towards our town, can you determine the direction to go?"

"...No. But if we continue like this, we will definitely have casualties the next time we encounter the enemy."

The death of soldiers is not a problem. It is included in their pay.

However, as a ruler, the death of soldiers is only permissible in victory.

Unfortunately, I already understand that it is difficult to exterminate the Hydra. We need to regroup and reinforce our forces before trying again.

As I folded my arms in thought, the sergeant raised his head.

"I have a suggestion."

"What is it? Speak."

"First, let's find a safe place to rest, and then advance in one concentrated push. Even if we end up out of the swamp, it will be the result of advancing."

The sergeant looked at me intently.

Hmph. Fine.

I will give him credit for not using the word "retreat."

"I accept your advice. Move accordingly."

"Hai! Everyone! First, search for a direction with fewer monster traces! Then secure a place to rest!"

"\"Hai!!!\""

Thus, we began to move stealthily, hiding.

It was humiliating.

For a while, we moved like we were crawling on the ground, and the sergeant tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"No... It just seems strange..."

"What do you mean?"

The thick fog, the water, and the twisted branches were all the same.

"No, we haven't encountered any enemies at all..."

"Isn't that because of how we are moving?"

I, who am moving through the mud, am getting the expected result.

"Hai... Yes, that is true, but..."

He is vague.

I was about to scold him when another soldier approached.

"Lord Zayeed, Sergeant, may I speak?"

"...Hmph. Speak."

"Hai! Ahead, the forest looks very strange..."

The sergeant frowned.

"Fool. Can't you report clearly!"

That's what I wanted to say to you, but I'll listen to you for now.

"It's just that, in that one area, the fog is thinner, and the plants are unusual..."

"What?"

The sergeant folded his arms and thought.

"Understood. We will avoid that area. We will take a detour..."

"Wait. We will go there!"

"Hai!? Lord Zayeed!?"

Why would you think of avoiding it?

"If there is a change, we should investigate."

"We will do so if we have the resources! But!"

"Enough! It's decided! Follow me! Besides, there might be a secret to breaking through the fog!"

"That's..."

I didn't wait for the sergeant's words and had a soldier guide me.

As I followed the soldier, the fog gradually thinned.

The other soldiers also seemed to brighten up a bit.

Hmph. My decision was right.

As the view opened up... the scene that appeared was abnormal.

"What... is this?"

It was black.

The mangroves, the grass, the flowers, everything was black.

We slowly looked around the pitch-black swamp.

"The shape is similar to the plants in the swamp."

The sergeant, with a stern face, picked up a plant.

It has a cursed color, but touching it doesn't seem to be a problem.

"Look! At the roots of that huge mangrove! It seems to be entangled with a large rock and is not submerged in water!"

"What!?"

The sergeant hurried over and peered into the roots of the huge black mangrove. From the outside, it's hard to tell, but there seems to be a large hollow inside.

"Lord Zayeed! We can rest here! Permission to set up camp!"

Crawling into the roots of such an unknown plant is unpleasant, but I don't want to be in the water anymore.

"Permission granted."

"Thank you! Everyone! Start camouflaging to avoid being spotted by monsters!"

"Hai!"

The soldiers, as if coming back to life, began to set up camp enthusiastically.

I went in first and started drying my wet pants.

One of the soldiers who can use magic prepared hot water and tea with magic.

When I took a sip, I could feel the warmth returning to my body.

It seems my body was colder than I thought.

The soldiers, having finished camouflaging, crawled into the root space.

It's cramped and uncomfortable, but I'll allow it. I am generous.

The soldiers took off their armor and wrung out their wet clothes, shivering.

"What's wrong? I'll allow you to drink tea as well."

Even with my generous decision, the sergeant shook his head.

"No, we have no magic power left."

"Then start a fire."

"That would defeat the purpose of the camouflage."

"Understood. Then endure it."

"Hai."

The soldiers huddled together, nodding off.

Hmph. Rest well for my sake.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep as well.

I don't know how much time had passed, but I slowly regained consciousness.

I felt a chill on my back.

It was a chill different from the cold, a chill that made my instincts scream.

The sergeant, who had been sleeping, also woke up.

I was about to scold the guard for sleeping, but he was already awake.

"Sergeant, this guy will get a pay cut later."

"...Hai!"

"More importantly, something is wrong."

"Yes. I have a bad feeling."

"Indeed."

I peeked out from the gap in the roots.

The fog still covered everything.

This area of the eerie black plants is slightly less foggy, but visibility is still terrible.

Still, following my instincts, I focused on the direction where I had a bad feeling, and I could see something huge slowly moving in the white fog.

It was a mountain.

A huge mountain.

It was a mountain that needed to be looked up at, a huge mountain.

It was a huge Hydra, like a mountain.

Zayeed, who snatched the 100th episode.