Chapter 24: Counter Attack

Chapter 24: Counter Attack

Zaphro's POV

All I could see was light—blinding, burning, all-consuming light.

It happened in an instant.

The moment the legendary Hydra unleashed its surprise AoE attack, the battlefield was engulfed in a white explosion. My vision flickered with static, and even the system HUD distorted from the impact. The sheer power of that attack made my heart skip. I couldn't even tell if anyone had survived.

My party information was gone—scrambled. I could only see myself, Accel, and Slicer, our HP bars barely above 50%. That blast nearly wiped us, and if it weren't for the golden pentagonal barrier that appeared in time… we'd be done for. It had to be the GMs. Only a Game Master-tier skill could stop an AoE of that magnitude.

"Everyone, regroup!" I shouted as the blinding light slowly faded, revealing the destruction left behind.

"Zaphro!" a voice called out—Ayana's. I snapped my head downward, and without hesitation, I flew toward her.

What I saw made my gut tighten.

Our allies were in critical condition. Their HP bars hovered under 10%. Jin and Aryus were unconscious, barely clinging to life at 3% HP. Even healing magic struggled to restore them—this wasn't just damage. It was shock trauma. The kind that lingers even in virtual form. Enigma Online PH's realism went beyond expectations; you didn't just see damage—you felt it.

Without a second thought, I lifted Aryus into my arms, while Slicer carried Jin. We soared away from the boss's line of sight, toward the healers positioned in the rear. A squad of elf-type players—the Faeries—rushed to our side.

"Let us take care of them," said one of the Faeries with a calm but urgent voice.

I nodded. "We're counting on you."

The golden barrier was still up, encasing the nine-headed serpent. Players scrambled around, tending to the wounded, drinking potions, casting buffs. I downed HP, MP, and SP potions in quick succession. My regen had been disabled by the boss's skill. It was a nightmare—a boss that could suppress healing.

"Slicer!" I turned to my long-time friend. "Can you see its weak spot?"

"I've been scanning it since the start," he groaned. "Nothing's showing! It might be hidden... or covered by one of the heads."

"Just keep checking!" Andromeda added. "It might reveal itself after a certain phase!"

Accel nodded. "Kuya Dan's right! Let's not give up yet!"

Wait—did he just call Slicer by his real name?

"You called him Dan?" I blinked.

"He's my cousin, bro!" Slicer laughed.

"Small world," I chuckled back.

Accel raised his voice, urgent again. "C'mon, before that monster starts regenerating!"

We launched ourselves into the sky. I activated Hex Phase, slipping through the GM-generated barrier like a phantom. Accel and the other flight-enabled players ascended from above, entering from the top of the dome. My rage meter was almost full—just a bit more, and I could transform again.

I dismissed my pet for now. It needed to rest.

"Engulfing Flame!" I chanted. My blade erupted in fire and I slashed down the back of the Hydra. I landed squarely on it and drove my sword into its spine.

"Inferno!" Blue and red flames burst out in an area explosion, igniting the creature's scales. Its HP dropped incrementally. 52% remaining. Still too high.

But if it reached full regen again, it would return to 100% in just five seconds. We couldn't afford that.

"Heaven's Judgment!" I raised my weapon to the sky, summoning divine light that shot down like lances from the heavens.

The strike landed, but it wasn't enough. Its HP barely dropped.

And then—backup arrived.

"Pinning Blow!" shouted Andromeda, spinning like a top and smashing down onto the monster.

"Holy Stab!" Slicer followed up, launching a blade of pure energy that pierced the Hydra's back, nailing it to the ground.

"Way of Binding: Chains of Shadow!" Accel's voice echoed, as black chains shot from his cards and wrapped around each of the Hydra's nine heads. Each chain anchored to Accel's hands, binding them in place.

"We finish this now!" I roared—and let go of all restraint.

My body shifted—my skin turned dark, my aura burned like obsidian flame. I had entered my full Demon Form.

The GMs lowered the barrier, and players who had survived the earlier blast stormed the battlefield. Aryus and Jin had regained consciousness, and even more players returned to the frontlines.

"Unleash all melee skills now! Archers, follow with precision volleys. Mages, you're the finishers!" I commanded through party and general voice chat.

"Roger!!" a chorus of determined players echoed in reply.

Accel stepped forward and summoned six giant cards, forming a magical cube. "ON MY COUNT!" he said over general comms.

"Ready!"

3…

2…

1…

GO!!!

The battlefield erupted as melee fighters charged first. Even low-level players joined, determined to leave their mark. Blades clashed, axes flew, claws and fists struck in rapid succession.

I unleashed Cold Fire, freezing part of the Hydra's body solid. It howled in pain.

We pulled back as the Archers released their skills—an entire volley of arrows rained down in precise waves. Explosions echoed across the forest.

Then came the Mages.

Beams of every color, elemental orbs, and glowing sigils filled the sky in a storm of magical fury. They poured everything into their final blow, draining their mana completely.

The Hydra disappeared into a thick cloud of dust and smoke.

"We can't see it!" someone cried.

"I've got this—Wind Gust!" Andromeda summoned a massive breeze, clearing the smoke.

"There it is!" she gasped. "It's still alive!"

5% HP remained.

"Still not enough?!" Verillion shouted.

"We're out of mana!" an elven mage cried.

Then—

"I FOUND IT!!" Slicer yelled. "The weak spot! It's the red gem… on its chest!"

That was all I needed to hear.

I still had enough mana for one last skill. In my demonic form, I activated a newly acquired ability.

Black flames—Hellfire—wrapped around me, writhing like living serpents. The ground cracked beneath me from the sheer pressure. My wings burst wide.

"Demonic Wrath!!!"

I became a black comet, piercing straight through the Hydra's chest. The red jewel cracked—then shattered.

The world froze for a moment. Then—

BOOOOM!

The boss screamed. Its body writhed, thrashed—then collapsed with a final, earth-shaking roar.

Silence.

Then…

[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]

> Epic Boss "Hydra of the Abyss" has been defeated! Reward Distribution Initiated…

My breath caught. We had done it. The nine-headed nightmare was dead.

But I knew—

This was just one head…

Of something far more terrifying.