The Achievement Junkie - 664 Lunara vs the Hydra Elders

‘Head Raztol, this challenge is–‘

‘I said, ‘I will be taking no part’, Wingreig,’ repeated Raztol.

The hydra head took the opportunity to memorize who stood against Lunara and who hadn’t, remembering the nine elders that were truly looking out for the people. Also, it was the first time that Raztol was able to find out who exactly was true to the causes they had been manifesting as elders. Of the nine elders refusing to face Lunara, three had always remained neutral among equality debate, four had favored the multi-headed people, and two had favored the current system of inequality. Despite their difference of views, however, those nine proved to be the most loyal toward the hydra race.

Many more were found among the twenty-one against Lunara, including the consuls that supported the current system and Artrat who led the cause of altering the system. It was a moment that proved just how similar the supposedly-warring elders were in actuality.

‘Let’s not do it here!’ roared Lunara, not wanting to waste any more time debating. ‘We’ll go outside, above the city. There, the people will be our witnesses and will learn that only a deity can stand against a deity!’

Having said that, Lunara bolted out of the chamber. Some elders hesitated but as the consuls and Artrat rushed after Lunara, the rallying elders did the same. The audience did the same, letting the elders pass first before they piled through the halls of the Glacial Palace.

‘What’s your name?’

Lina felt someone nudge her back amidst the crowd. She noticed a couple of elders and even more council members lining up behind her.

‘Leave her alone!’ Raztol’s voice startled the hydras trying to greet Lina. ‘Don’t mind them. Come, I’ll get us the best view.’

‘Thank you, Head Raztol.’ Lina bowed and climbed onto the old hydra’s back, glad to not have so many people bothering her.

‘Their intentions aren’t bad,’ commented Raztol. ‘They merely want to curry favor with you and ask about Lunara.’

Lina nodded. ‘That makes sense.’

‘By the way… Will she really be okay?’

‘Mom?’ Lina blinked as Raztol forced his way to stand in front of everyone high above the city.

‘Yeah… Will Lunara be alright against so many hydras? I would never–‘

‘Don’t worry about her,’ giggled Lina, happy to have such a great view. ‘I’m more worried for your elders.’

‘That… Then I’m glad she’ll be fine.’

Curious, Lina asked, ‘Why are you more worried for her? Aren’t the elders your friends?’

Raztol sighed and shook his head. ‘Just because we work together doesn’t mean we’re close. I haven’t had anyone worthy of being my friend for longer than I want to remember…’

‘Well, can I be your friend?’

‘You helped me and made sure I wasn’t hounded by the other elders. Since you’re being friendly to me, can’t we be friends?’ reasoned Lina.

‘I-I… I don’t see why not…’

‘Good! I think Mom will be happy that you’re our friend!’ Lina chuckled. ‘Oh, it’s starting!’

Raztol kept quiet, not wanting to distract Lina from the imminent battle or accidentally say more than he should.

Basking in the light of Glacier Reef, Lunara looked down upon the twenty-one elders and the distant crowd that grew larger by the second as word spread.

Without warning, Lunara unleashed her energy without holding back. Her massive body began to grow even larger, taking on the true, towering size she had become after her ascension. Boundless divine energy poured out of her and onto the hydra elders and spectators below, astounding them all.

Some elders were already questioning themselves, doubting if their involvement was actually worth the risk. However, the more confident elders stood firm and unleashed their own energies, which were all at the very peak of what mortality could offer them.

‘I’ll allow you one minute!’ roared Lunara, startling the elders and spectators further. ‘If you can harm me within that minute, then I’ll concede. If you cannot, then I’ll execute a single attack to annihilate all who defy my proposal. Do you dare accept?’

‘You’re too arrogant!’

Wingreig shouted as he and Hindrad made the first move. They didn’t want to appear weaker before Lunara but they wouldn’t turn down her offer either. With a minute of openings, all the elders felt much more confident in facing Lunara.

Both consuls hurled javelins of ice, cold enough to freeze magma on contact. Following that were similar attacks by their fellow elders.

But the only crashed into Lunara’s unmoving body and snapped like fragile twigs.

Taking her more seriously than ever, the many elders teamed up into pairs or small groups. Each hydra elder summoned their frost body to heighten their strength to the absolute limit. This stunned the spectators as they knew there was no more holding back in the impromptu, unannounced battle that all hydras wanted to see.

Those hydras then did something that even Lunara found surprising. The frost bodies of the hydras supposedly crashed together, only they merged into a single being and instead of damaging one another on impact. The frost bodies had grown larger and shared many heads now, each head representing one of the conjoined elders.

Next came another round of icicle spears but they weren’t comparable to the previous volley. Now, they whizzed through the water and could most definitely threaten a god. But not Lunara.

Thanks to the demigods grinding in Earthen Keep, Lunara had already reached lv. 97 and would likely be lv. 99 within the next twenty-four hours. To her, those attacks may be felt but showed no true threat.

With a mighty roar, Lunara covered herself in her own frost body, growing larger and proving just how intimidating a high-level god was to the hydra people below. She openly accepted all attacks, letting her own frost body cancel out the spears of ice. Since they came from water and ice, her own affinity and specialty, Lunara swatted at the ice with her powerful tail. Unmoved and untouched, Lunara roared again in preparation for their next and final volley of attacks.