Polymath Redux

Chapter 30: PROJECT: Hellgate Part 7

The 'Greater Armored Hydra'.

A Hydra's natural strength laid three things: limitless regenerative properties, powerful acid-like poison breath and a high resistance to magic. Even a normal Hydra was rated by the players as one of the toughest field bosses in [Hellgana] for this reason. That being said, it would of course make no sense from a balance prospective if a player summoned Hydra was stronger than a field boss. The 'Greater Armored Hydra' was merely a namesake and thus was scaled down to a manageable level by the system.

However in this world all restrictions on skill limits were lifted, as such the multi-headed serpent that contested the gathered warriors was indeed much stronger than a normal Hydra as its name implied. How much stronger? Their difference in strength could be comparable to the difference in strength between a house cat and a Russian Siberian Tiger.

For starters, it was said that the best way to defeat a Hydra was through physical based attacks; however the Greater Armored Hydra had high physical damage resistance due to its armored plated scales in addition to its high magic resistance. In the game this was scaled down to player level thus it was fairly balanced but this world was reality; there were no glaring 'weak points' or 'vulnerabilities' that one could exploit in order to win. By definition the real world was full of imbalances that could border on cheat level and this was merely just one of those cases.

The armor plating that coated and protected the Greater Hydra was also part of its body and thus it too was subjected to rapid regeneration. Scales tougher than titanium, resistance to elemental magic, acid-like poison that could melt people; there was no feasible way for normal humans to defeat such a legendary monster. A monster that could even give the Dragon King a run for his money; what chance did these humans have?

Faced with an impossibly fearsome monster at the front and surrounded by a gathering horde of monsters at the back; all avenues of escape were cut off, meaning that there was only one way to get out of this situation alive: 'win'.

"So do you have any more bright ideas commander?"

Mordred(Doppelganger) asked his commander, Katy Granate.

"The best possible action for us right now would be to sneak past that armored Hydra and kill that magician. At the very least even if we die we could stop the rain of fire bombarding the city."

From the moment she was born into the Granate family she swore an oath to live and die for the citizens of this country. If it meant to sacrifice her life to give them the chance to escape then so be it, but as she currently stood at the crossroad of life and death she could only wryly look at the burning city she once called home. 'Would it be possible to rebuild?' she wondered as a single stream of tear fell down the side of her cheek. She didn't want to die, no one does; but she had to because it was her job to do so.

"Commander?"

Noticing her teary eyes Ash glanced back to ask if something was wrong. Well, the entire situation was wrong to begin with so he could understand her feelings but to see the iron commander with tears was a little damaging to morale.

"Sorry... our best option right now would be for the Royal Alchemists and the Royal Knights to intercept the gathering monsters and buy time for Miss Irina and the Hywel knights to somehow slip past and kill that Magician."

She answered as she wiped away her tears.

"Hmm... do you think it's possible?"

Swallowing his pride, Vladimir asked Irina and the Hywel Knights. Since a young age Vladimir Zandora had rejected the ways of economy and trade that his family's entire history was based upon. Instead he wanted to do something more with his life. He forged his mind, body and soul to pave a new path for his future, one that did not require him to sit around filling out ledgers all day, and thus he had decided on the path of a knight.