[Sea Hydra's Wrath]

The four of them were now at the Guild Hall, searching for a quest or even multiple easy quests to do. Although Haru was just looking blindly, the phrases he heard in his sleep still lingered in his head.

The ones that were most prominent to him were "Your imminent demise..." and "King will awaken...". Especially the first one, as it was seemingly directed at him, making him extremely concerned.

His deep thought was eventually broken and even made him jump a little by Elleth asking him if he'd found a good one already, since she couldn't find any herself.

Haru: Huh? O-oh yeah I found a good one.

He frantically grabs the one in front of him, and shows it off to her as if he found a high-quality diamond.

Elleth: Let's see, saving a town from a gang that forcibly took over? Oh, wait, it's that town.

Haru: You know anything about it?

Elleth: I've only flown over it but it's quite a beautiful fishing town, along with a massive port area. Although it does have an abandoned-looking building near the ports. Such a shame it was taken over.

Haru: I see, in any case call those two over to see what they've got.

She then heads over to find Touka and Airi, in the meantime he actually goes and reads what he pulled, and immediately his eye gets drawn to the high rewards, completely disregarding its strangely low risk at the same time, letting his greed take over.

Haru: No way, now I have to do this job. This is all too good to pass up.

Touka: We're here now, c'mon show it to us, don't just stand there hunched over.

He hands it over to her, looking through it her face eventually showed the same shock as his when she saw the rewards. On the other hand when she saw the risk it had to match those rewards, her jaw dropped in disbelief.

Haru: Cool right? Low risk high reward-type stuff, easy money. Don't worry about it, if it turns out to be a trap, I'll take responsibility.

Touka: That's reassuring but, what about you two? Do you see anything wrong with it or are we going to take the plunge?

Elleth: Personally, I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe take it with a grain of salt in case, I guess?

Airi: Why not? As my dear Haru already said, it's easy money.

Haru: That settles it, we're doing the quest!

Touka: I guess so, though this place looks pretty far from here. I'll head over to the receptionist while you guys try to figure out how we get there, got it?

She leaves as Haru gains a grin on his face before facing Elleth who had a concerned look on her face. He leans over to her and whispers in her ear, much to Airi's displeasure.

Giving her a thumbs up for listening to his plan, she sighs, knowing there's not much she can do to change his mind on that.

Touka: I'm back, have you guys figured out how we're getting there? Aside from the train or a cart anyways.

Haru: Yep, isn't that right Elleth?

Elleth: Let's get it over with, c'mon follow me outside.

As the two wonder what she's got planned, while Haru keeps on grinning. Slightly creeping out Touka in the process. The four head to the rather large town square area.

Elleth: Stand back for a bit so you guys don't get hurt.

She then distances herself, stopping at a point where she assumes it'll be enough, though checks her surroundings to make sure. A large purple magic circle appears under her, before cloaking herself in a white light.

The light manipulated itself into the form of a dragon, confusing the sisters as Haru's face screamed excitement as the light dissipated from the form revealing an actual dragon. However this caused a bit of panic for the citizens as some started running.

Her scales were black, littered in red vein-like patterns, the wings were massive and sharp, along with the talons. The tail was spiked and long, ending with a sharp point.

Though one feature from her human form was kept, her piercing purple eyes. So Touka and Airi were still aware that it was still her in there.

Haru: What are you waiting for? Let's go already.

Running over to Elleth's dragon form, hopping on to her back with her help as the other two followed suit. Shortly after she asked them to hold on tight before flying off.

Meanwhile in one of the abandoned buildings in the same port town they were heading to, a member of the gang who took over the place was running to their boss.

Gangster 1: Boss, the bait has been taken. They're on their way right now.

???: I see, I do hope their strongest can keep up with me otherwise this will all be for nothing.

His arm shifted from a normal-looking human one into dark blue scales, with webbed hands with sharp yellowed claws at the end of each of the now four fingers.

While that happens the four arrive in town, or at least the path towards it. Elleth reverted to her human form as the three on her back got off and went ahead to the entrance of the town itself.

As they enter the town they notice there are a lot of people dressed as if they were in a gang patrolling about while the citizens act as if it was always like that.

Though on further inspection they saw that some of the citizens acted cautious whenever one of these members was in front of them, going back to normal as soon as they left.

Elleth: Haru, stay on guard. Get ready to bring your sword out, I've told the same to Miss Touka and Airi.

Haru: Got it, though I can't help but feel someone is approaching us.

It was all too late, as a purple mist surrounded them, slowly they fell asleep, one by one as the gang members approached them.

Touka wakes up inside a prison cell, one with an iron door and a small window with iron bars on it, unlike the usual iron bars. Aside from that her arms were also cuffed to the wall via long iron chains.

It was the same with Haru, Airi, and Elleth, all of them were in their own separate cells, and unlike her their respective weapons had been taken. Presumably in storage within the prison itself.

Touka: I can't risk summoning out my swords, I'd rather not have the guards come in and take it away, which is most likely what happened to the others. I need to figure out a-

Haru: Hundred Impale!

Her train of thought was abruptly broken by his shout, which was closely followed by a loud boom, the sounds of screaming guards, and brown smoke.

Haru: Yo! Touka, might wanna back up to the wall just in case.

Touka: O-ok!

Haru: Alright Elleth, let it rip!

Elleth: Roger!

The iron door dissolved right before her eyes, the parts that were left had cream colored substances on their edges. Elleth then walks over to her and breaks her chains, her arms in partial dragon form.

With the four of them out of their cells the only real thing left was for them to get out of there and maybe deal with whomever put them there in the first place.

As they ran through the hallways, fighting off the guards at the same time, their main priority, well at least for the three that had them taken anyway, was to find where they'd put their weapons.

After a while of wandering around they eventually find the room at the end of a hallway, guarded by two heavily armed gang members used as guards.

Shockingly enough Airi was the one to take initiative and take them out, as she placed her hand on the wall and casted a blood magic spell which caused blood to burst out of where the guards were and trapped them in solidified blood.

This allowed her, Haru, and Elleth to retrieve their weapons and finally make their escape. Though Haru made a bit of a stopover as the girls were distracted by fighting off the other members attacking them.

The four of them were now out in the open running aimlessly, occasionally taking out the odd gang member or two as a lot were just patrolling the town. Fortunately they found an alleyway to hide out in as the gangsters tried to find them

Touka: Where are we even heading to Haru?

Elleth: Yeah, I've been wondering where we were headed.

Haru: To whoever's the boss of these guys, that's where.

Airi: How'd you even get the info, dear?

Haru: I asked one when you guys were busy fighting 'em. Now that I think about it, It was more like I threatened them to be honest. Elleth, mind checking if they're still out there chasing us?

She looks out of the alleyway they hid in, and luckily enough it was only citizens, none of the gang members were there, though she did remain cautious as some could just be in disguise.

Elleth: None at the moment, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down, that's what got us captured in the first place.

Haru: So the coast is clear huh? Alright then, get ready to run as fast as you can, I'm heading directly for their boss' base, all you guys have to do is back me up just in case.

With this plan in his head and no way for them to change his mind, the girls reluctantly nodded and got their weapons ready along with activating their skills, as they ran towards, unsurprisingly, the tallest broken down building in the town's abandoned half.

The gang's boss was just sitting in his makeshift office's chair, seemingly waiting for someone who was actually coming for him, his arms already transformed and ready to fight whomever was going to come through the door.

???: Alright, I guess I migh-

Haru: Vlad!

He heard a voice from behind the door as at the same time a bunch of bone spikes spawned from the floor of the room, the walls, and even the ceiling. Some actually hit him, specifically in the foot, the leg, and even his transformed arms as Haru barged into the room, sword in hand.

???: Y'know, it's always nice to see young people like you come by, I usually get older knight types coming by to take me on. The name's Arke, hope you give me a great fight, kid.

Haru: Sorry to burst your bubble, but I plan to end this immediately so I can just go back home. Now take this! Hundred Impale!

Cocking his free hand back, thrusting it forward as, as the attack's name would suggest, hundreds of sharp bones are thrown at Arke, knocking him out of the already broken up building.

He ended up landing on an old bridge, his chair and his desk having fallen through some of the old rotting wood into the water below as he laid on the piece of wall he went through, the wounds from Haru's previous attack healing slowly as he got back up.

Haru on the other hand went for a running jump out of the broken wall, aiming to slash him from above for an easy and clean kill.

Though this didn't go according to his plan, as Arke had already transformed his body into a partial Hydra-like form, with only three of its classical nine heads appearing, including that of his own head.

Instead of being able to slice him apart easily as he thought, one of the heads caught the sword in its teeth, much to Haru's certainty.

Arke: End this immediately to go back home, huh? We'll see about that!

Haru attacks using a downsized version of hundred impale, which allowed him to get his sword out of the Hydra's mouth, jumping back before sheathing his sword.

He then created large sharp bone lances that enveloped his lower arms, before activating {Swift Demise}, rushing towards him, thrusting each one into Arke, alternating between the left and right lance.

This, of course, wasn't working as he was just wasting his energy and only made small scratches as Arke kept dodging his attacks.

Haru: Dammit, just keel over for me, all I want is to live comfortably on half the effort.

Thinking to himself as he kept on, uselessly attacking, all the while Arke had a look of boredom and disappointment throughout as he dodged.

Arke: This is getting boring, c'mon now kid, I told you to entertain me. Though I guess you need a bit of motivation!

Transforming into his full on Hydra form, Haru on the other hand was very much terrified along with having no clue how he's even going to beat this behemoth, that and the fact he tore the bridge in two.

Haru made a rash decision, going ahead and shot a bone tendril at the sea monster Hydra hybrid in front of him, using it like an anchor to get himself onto the large beast.

As he kept pressing forward, cutting each of the heads using the lances, the heads kept regenerating, even using Vlad wasn't as effective as before, as Arke's monstrous form just popped out each spike via regeneration.

So he thought, trying to remember what a Hydra's weakness was, as he vaguely remembered playing a game with one of them as a boss. Though he eventually gave up on trying to remember, taking out his sword once more, his arms no longer had the lances on them.

This time he aimed to cut off all the heads at the same time, and hoped that it'll be enough.

Haru: Here I go!

Arke: That's the spirit!

Activating {Swift Demise} he gets a speed boost, successfully cutting five of the nine heads, only to get stuck on the sixth's flesh.

Aside from that the now regenerated head of the fifth one almost immediately bit him in the arm, causing him to grunt in pain as Arke looked at him in disappointment.

Arke: What made you think that'd work, kid? Look, I'll let you off with some bite marks, I'm not going to rip your whole arm off. All I asked was that you don't waste my time!

The head that bit him was then used to throw him into an old pirate ship that laid unused on one of the broken ports. Breaking through its rotting wood, the floor on its bow had already been broken.

And to add insult to injury he'd also been impaled on his side by one of the broken pieces of wood. His lower half submerged in water as he just placed his sword on the wood by his side as he tried to tend to injury to no avail.

Haru: Imminent demise huh? This sure is imminent, how nice.

He weighed his options for getting out of there, almost all of them weren't in his favor or were just straight up unrealistic. So he just tried to keep himself awake in spite of the immense pain the impaled wood caused him.

Haru: You know, having a necromancy skill would be really useful right now. I could just be near death and perform some self-necromancy, If that even works.

Meanwhile Arke seems to be busy fighting the combined forces of Elleth, Touka, and Airi. The trio seemingly held their own quite well and with amazing synergy to boot.

The three of them used almost everything in their respective arsenals, Airi using her blood magic and showing off a hellfire manipulating skill, Touka using her new swords, while Elleth fought in close combat using her draconic strength.

As one of Arke's Hydra heads was about to take a bite out of Airi, but Touka was able to throw her swords' blade in its mouth before it could. She then summoned the other sword before using it like an anchor, just like Haru did earlier to move in closer.

The pair of swords were something else, their blades were able to fire out of it using a trigger on their hilts via chains. The only problem was that they were extremely hard to control and aim once launched, and that they only had a range of a single kilometer not counting the blade itself.

At the same time Elleth tried rotting off the heads using the same technique she used to destroy the cell doors. But to no avail as the heads regenerated faster than she could rot them off.

Arke: Jet Typhoon!

He sends out a large devastating water vortex at the trio, knocking them back into the very same building he got thrown out of..

Touka: Damn, this isn't working. Though at least we're doing better than that guy.

She stood up, huffing in between her words as she'd nearly been drowned moments ago, her swords clutched tightly in her hands, fingers on their triggers.

Airi: At this point beating him is impossible, he's an absolute monster.

Elleth: Got that right, but I think I've got one more ace up my sleeve. I'll need you two to give me some cover so I can charge up.

As they rush to fight him once more, Haru was busy trying to keep himself alive, still not accepting that this was how he was going to pass.

Haru: Dying in my sleep or in a blaze of glory was always my answer if, for some reason, I was asked how I wanted to die. Then again, I'm bleeding out quite slowly, thank god I stopped myself from taking it out.

He ponders on his options at the moment once more, though the only one he could think of at the moment was somehow making this boat functional again and maybe even using it to ram into Arke.

Haru: That's a stupid idea, I don't even know how to sail a ship anyway. At this point walking on water is what I should be wishing for, I already know how to walk.

At this point it finally hits him to finally use that skill he got from the mimic, he immediately checks his status, and there was. While he felt like he needed a miracle rather than using a completely new power, he had no other choice. Haru gambles everything on it, and it fortunately results in success.

Haru: I've really hit the jackpot, for a D rank skill that is. It really isn't useful as much as I thought. Being able to walk on water is nice.

He tries to stand up but winces in pain, forgetting that there still was a piece of wood jammed into his side. He remedies it quite easily, breaking off the wood from where it was.

This didn't necessarily heal him, since he still left the bit that impaled him inside his side. Had he taken the entire thing out, he would've bled out much faster.

Surprisingly enough, walking on water was a lot harder than he expected, it was like he was walking on jelly the first time he set foot, though he did eventually regain his balance.

He finally got out of the broken ship sword in hand, he felt something on his back, the sound of clinking metal moving, then quintuple torpedoes and twin 100mm guns?

These modern warship weapons were in pairs, all held by a dedicated robotic arm each. On set of these two on each side of him. He looked at his reflection in the water to make sure he wasn't seeing things, then he saw one more weapon, a pair of triple 25mm anti-air guns.

At this point he had two of each weapon. All coming out of his side, connected on his back, their weight not actually affecting him too much. It was as if he was just wearing a normal backpack.

Haru: Hold on, have I just been turned into the male equivalent of a shipgirl? I'll check the skill again to make sure this isn't a one time thing or if I've actually gone mad.

He opens his status to see that it was now {Fleet} -Modified- along with having sub-skills below. Each labeled, Destroyer, Cruiser, Carrier, Battleship, and one which was locked and did not have a label at all. It must have changed since now that he activated it.

Destroyer in particular was highlighted, likely to show that it was the one that he had on at the moment.

Haru: So I can choose via verbal invocation of the one I choose huh, still I never said destroyer, I guess it's the default mode when the skill is active. In any case that should be enough messing around, I'm heading back to fight that bastard again.

And so he did, rushing towards Arke, who was fairly far from the ship he was thrown into. He skated in the water as if it were just second nature to him, his sword was ready to cut him to pieces, and his newfound powers were going to blow him to bits.

All the while Touka and Airi covered Elleth so she could charge up an attack. The sisters fought off the Hydra heads that went after her using their respective abilities.

Touka: Elleth this better be worth it, It's getting tiring having to defend you!

Airi: Sister focus, otherwise this will all be for nothing.

Arke: Jet Thy-

Elleth: Draconian Howl!

She fired out a large purple beam from her mouth. The sisters thankfully got out of the way as Arke got blasted with the beam. They managed to both cut off six of the nine heads, as well as cauterizing them at the stump. This prevented them from regenerating at that point, leaving him only with three heads left.

Though at the same time she fell on her knees, obviously tired after firing off such a powerful attack. At the same time however, she had a look of triumph, a look that found a way to beat a monster like Arke.

Touka: She really did pull it off huh, those final three heads will be a piece of cake.

Airi: Don't let your guard down just yet, sister.

Touka: I'm not that careless, thanks though.

Arke gave a loud growl, as he started to go berserk and created towering water tornadoes, seemingly ready to throw them at the trio at any given time.

Of course this made them a bit nervous as he'd fully become the beast he transformed into. Yet the trio still wanted to keep going regardless.

Touka: Oh boy, this isn't good at all.

Elleth: At this point I don't know how much longer I can fight.

As the now wild Arke was about to send one of those water tornadoes at them several explosions occurred on its bottom half, causing it to lose balance a bit and disrupt the otherwise devastating attack.

Haru: And the Hero steals the spotlight!

Touka, Elleth, and Airi all had a look of shock, joy, and confusion. Haru had now returned after having been out of commission for most of the fight standing on the water, and with warship themed weaponry.

Slowly their collective gaze went to the massive wound, the piece of wood that impaled him still in his side, they wondered how long was he going to be able to fight with that injury.

Haru: I got a bit busy thinking if it was my time to pass on or not, sorry for the delay. Now then, how about we send him off to hell with a bang!

The smug grin on his face as the three of them got ready for battle once more was at least able to distract them a bit, but in the back of their heads they had to prepare themselves if he ended up collapsing.

It was also around that time that Arke's berserk Hydra state had gotten back on its feet. Much more aggressive as it immediately went for a Jet Typhoon as opposed to the water tornado it tried and failed to send at them moments ago.

Haru fired off his twin 100mm and triple 25mm anti-air guns to weaken it further, as Touka and her sister fought off the remaining three heads so that Elleth could charge up once more.

One of these heads was about to bite Touka from behind, Haru sees this and fires off his remaining five torpedoes as if they were missiles right at it, before cutting the head off entirely with his shark teeth-like blade.

Touka: Thanks for the save, though what even is that skill?

Haru: I'll explain best I can later, right now the three of us should be buying time for Elleth.

Airi: Dear, Elleth's just about done charging up!

Haru: Roger that! Looks like that's our cue to get out of the way?

He picks her up in his arms much to her embarrassment as he jumps back onto the water, backing away just before Elleth fires off another Draconian Howl.

This time she was able to completely decapitate and cauterize the heads so they couldn't grow back anymore.

Gangster 1: No way...

Gangster 2: This has got to be a joke, there's no way the three of them actually defeated boss...

Arke's monstrous form abruptly reverts back to his human form, all charred and burnt, full of fresh battle scars.

His body was just floating on the water among the pieces of the now broken bridge as Haru went on to grab it using his bone tendril. Weirdly enough the tendril was black instead of its usual white, but Haru didn't pay much attention to it as he only wanted to make sure that Arke was either actually knocked out or dead, not wanting to risk being tricked.

He then heads back to the main part of the town, Touka still in his arms as he throws Arke's body at the remaining gang members.

They looked at him as if he brought them the body of their dead pet, scared, confused, and in denial at what they're seeing right at that moment.

Haru: He's still breathing, you're his subordinates right? You saw us fight him, you should already know he's not passing easily.

His voice sounded tired as he pointed towards Arke's burnt body, obviously being right about him still breathing. Reassuring his men that their boss would be able to, at least barely, live.

{Fleet} deactivates as he puts Touka down, the injury he received, coupled with all the energy and mana he used up fighting the behemoth, led him to collapse in her arms as the other two arrive.

Touka: Hang in there! Quick, someone get a doctor over here!

Those were the last few things he heard as he fell unconsious as the other two, along with some of the townspeople in the vicinity, went off to find the doctor for him.

Meanwhile a shadowy figure was watching them from behind a dark alleyway, seemingly grinning as she looked at the now collapsed Haru.

???: Kanzaki Haru, you really are an interesting fellow. I could see why the higher ups told me to keep an eye out for you. I might've even fallen for you at this point.

Her hoarse voice echoed a bit as she clenched her left arm, it was notably dark blue with glowing blue cracks along it, bursting and grimming with power.

???: I just can't wait to finally defeat you by my hands, don't die till then, my beloved Haru.

A sinister smile then appears on her face as the figure pulls out a crystal and teleports away, their work seemingly done at the moment.