73 The Final Battle – Part Two

It must be said that Hydra’s abilities are not only extraordinarily powerful but also exceptionally deceptive. One particularly misleading aspect is his “super-speed regeneration.” At first glance, it seems terrifying—perhaps even more exaggerated than Wolverine or Deadpool’s healing, for in an instant he can sprout dozens of colossal serpents, each several meters to over ten meters long.

But after reading the description of the skill he had copied, Joss understood the underlying issue: frankly, this wasn’t healing at all. It was a forced consumption of life force to create new snake heads. Though the distinction might seem trivial, in reality, it made a world of difference.

To put it simply, it’s the difference between regenerating ten percent of health per second and gaining certain attributes with each attack suffered. The same problem applied to the ever-strengthening snake heads. From a rational perspective, since attacking only made him stronger, one would naturally hesitate to continue and seek another breakthrough. Yet, that was precisely the trap—Hydra grew more reckless the more his opponents held back.

Had he retained his reason, paired with the wisdom that founded the organization Nine-Headed Serpent, this ability would have been truly formidable. But now, with his mind lost, Hydra fought purely on instinct, greatly reducing his threat. If Joss wasn’t intent on slaying him alone, he could simply wait for reinforcements and they’d pummel Hydra into a pulp.

Now, knowing the method to break him, Joss held nothing back. Using a set of windblade sword techniques he’d reinvented and practiced himself, alongside the fully activated chainsaw greatsword, he easily cleaved Hydra apart, sending blood and flesh flying, snake heads strewn across the ground.

After a bout of fierce entanglement, Joss lost count of how many snake heads Hydra now sported, for at this point, Hydra resembled a massive, spherical abomination, countless venomous serpents twisted together. The sheer sight of it triggered an acute sense of dread and repelled many who’d intended to help, leaving others hesitant and afraid to act rashly.

Screeeech!

The high-temperature, vibrating blade struck, yet only showered sparks across the now darkened scales—his defense was impenetrable!

“Damn it! Who is that kid? Can’t he see this monster grows stronger the more you fight it?” A burly, middle-aged man wielding a shotgun cursed aloud, his blood-spattered appearance marking him as someone who had stepped up in battle.

“No... perhaps he has his reasons.” A cold, calm voice sounded from behind, irritating the middle-aged man enough to turn and see who was challenging him. Yet, upon turning, he saw a black man with crimson eyes, gripping a silver longsword. Just one glance at those blood-red eyes made his heart tremble inexplicably.

The Bladewielder had already dispatched many foes. Though he still had strength left, against a monster of Hydra’s caliber, he was powerless. The combatants gathering now were as varied as their enemies—famous superheroes, ordinary humans of remarkable prowess, and even regular people who had taken up arms.

The battle unfolding left most onlookers awestruck. Whether Joss or Hydra, both displayed power that to mere mortals seemed divine or demonic. Even the stronger superheroes couldn’t discern the situation, sharing the same doubts as the shotgun-wielder.

Joss’s approach was reckless—the serpentine ball clearly grew stronger with every blow. The only way to defeat it was to overwhelm it with force beyond its capacity, not through gradual attrition.

Yet, among the crowd, a few—or more precisely, those who knew or had acted alongside Joss—had faith he might have a way. For he had always been like this.

Even an awkward dance, in his hands, became a formidable skill. How could his desperate efforts now be meaningless?

“Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn! Why is everyone just watching from the sidelines? Are you all here to see a show? Am I supposed to bash this thing alone with my head?!”

Though he screamed inwardly, Joss couldn’t spare a moment to call for help, nor even risk using his chest’s electrical sense, for any pause would mean instant death.

Two minutes ago, the number of snake heads had already exceeded a hundred. Each venomous strike was as swift as lightning; every hit felt like being rammed by a truck—no, even a truck could not deliver such crushing force.

His system points were rising by hundreds every second, yet Joss took no pleasure in discovering this scoring machine. It only meant he was dancing on the edge of death every single moment.

“No… I can’t fall here. This guy must be nearing his limit. Even if his life force could last millennia, his mental strength can’t hold out much longer!”

Gritting his teeth, Joss swung his greatsword even faster. The stronger Hydra grew, the closer he was to collapse.

Humans take years in childhood to master their limbs; the sudden emergence of countless new appendages imposed immense strain on the brain and nerves. Once a critical threshold was reached, the opponent would collapse instantly!

“Tempest Severance!”

With a furious roar, the sword of Mercy split into several arcs of light, slashing across Hydra’s body. The reimagined Yasuo’s ultimate no longer required an airborne prerequisite; even grounded, it unleashed terrifying power.

Sword light flashed—the steely serpent heads spurted blood anew, and this single blow severed seven at once! Yet, before the fallen heads could hit the ground, fourteen new ones sprouted.

“Rooooar!!!”

Every snake head on Hydra shrieked madly, launching another assault on Joss. But just as Joss raised his hand to block, the heads froze in midair, then dropped limply.

“Did I… succeed?”

Staring at the suddenly lifeless Hydra, even understanding the cause, Joss felt a strange, abrupt disbelief.

Yet before he could catch his breath, the limp snake heads suddenly surged upward, and a thunderous roar erupted from every serpent’s maw.

“JOSS!!!”

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I’ve been thinking of changing the synopsis, but every attempt so far seems worse than what I have now. Is there anyone who can rescue this synopsis-challenged soul…