Chapter 34: Hydra!

Orianna led Jax away from the gathered Dragons without ceremony, her wings folding neatly against her back as she guided him deeper across the island.

The air changed the farther they walked, the oppressive density of draconic mana thinning into something calmer.

Jax could also sense various Mana Formations on this side of the island, all improving the air and mana quality, creating a sort of ’Holy Ground’ on this side of the island.

Orianna led him through a natural stone arch veined with glowing runes, then along a stretch of pale sand that curved gently toward the island’s edge.

The roar of the ocean grew louder with each step they took, constantly crashing far below the island’s cliffs. When the path finally opened, even Jax paused for a brief moment as he saw where Orianna led him.

Before them lay an isolated cove carved into the edge of the island, hidden from the skies and the interior by layered mana formations that shimmered faintly like heat haze.

At its center was a wide, open pool carved directly into the stone, fed by naturally heated mana springs beneath the island. The water glowed softly with ambient magic, steam curling upward as waves rolled lazily against its edges, giving it the feel of a luxurious jacuzzi merged seamlessly with the sea itself.

Beyond the pool, the cliff dropped away sharply, offering an unobstructed view of the endless black ocean and the distant horizon where sea met sky.

The beach itself was pristine, white sand untouched by claw or flame, and tucked just behind it stood a spacious beach house crafted from pale stone and polished obsidian wood, its structure reinforced with subtle enchantments rather than ostentatious defenses.

Jax glanced around, golden eyes taking in every detail.

Orianna smiled, clearly pleased with his reaction.

“After our first meeting at the Cathedral and hearing your plans, I immediately had this place prepared for you. This side of the island was blessed by Goddess Sona years ago, so it has a perfected environment. We usually send juniors who have accomplished something great to train in this blessed area for a week or two as a reward,”

The Dragoness folded her arms casually as she continued, “Once you arrived, I had this part of the blessed area sectioned off and created for you, with the help from some Emerald Dragons and Witches. It didn’t take long once they knew who it was for,”

She gestured around them, “The formations around this place block sight, sound, and spatial sensing. Unless you personally allow someone in, no one can find this location or perceive what happens here. Even Elder Dragons would only feel… absence.”

Jax hummed approvingly, “Efficient. Seems like I have to thank you again,”

Orianna let out a quiet laugh. “I assumed you’d want privacy. And somewhere to relax after… well.” She glanced back in the direction of the shattered peaks. “That.”

They continued forward, stopping near the edge of the pool. The steam brushed against Jax’s skin, carrying a faint, clean mana scent that felt restorative rather than overwhelming.

“There’s another reason I wanted to bring you here,” Orianna said, her tone shifting, becoming more serious. “It concerns Hydra.”

Jax turned his attention fully to her, a confused expression on his face as he heard that, “Who..?”

“Oh that’s right, Hydra is the Second Dragon you took as a Mount, the one with the poison,” Orianna explained and Jax finally nodded.

“Hydra is… special, even among Emerald Dragons,” she began, “Normally, Emerald Dragons possess unparalleled control over Nature. They specialize usually in Growth, Healing and managing ecosystems. They’re the backbone of living Dragon territories, capable of nurturing forests or turning entire regions lethal if provoked.”

“Even this island, most of the vegetation is maintained by them. Though Emerald Dragons are very rare. They’ve always been the second rarest Draconic Species, second only to Chaos Dragons like me, but that’s a whole different conversation,” Orianna said.

Her expression tightened slightly, “But Hydra is very different. She was born with a rare Magic Constitution. While she can control Nature, that has been overwhelmed by her constitution making her a Conduit for Poison, Toxins and Corrosive substances,”

Jax’s brow rose slightly, interest sharpening as he listened.

“Her body doesn’t just generate mana,” Orianna continued, “It refines and corrupts all mana she takes in, transmuting that mana into magical toxins, corrosive energies, and poisonous miasma constantly, without pause. Breathing, existing, even sleeping, she is always producing poison.”

She sighed softly, “Over time, she’s learned to suppress it to an extent, but even that is nowhere near perfect. Suppressing it makes her extremely uncomfortable, and it only allows someone to interact with her for a very short period of time,” Orianna explained.

“The longer someone stays close to her, the more it accumulates. Even I can’t remain near her for extended periods without suffering effects. Her Poison goes beyond Magic, it’s quite spectacular to be honest. Also, any emotional fluctuations makes her lose control and stop suppressing the poison,”

Jax recalled Hydra’s trembling posture, the way she instinctively stepped back from him, fear written plainly across her face as he approached her.

“So she isolates herself,” he said quietly.

Orianna nodded. “She has no choice. Other Dragons fear harming themselves or others by staying near her too long. As for other Demon Species, don’t think about it, I doubt any of them can even last two minutes next to her before falling onto a deathbed,”

She paused, then added, “If Hydra ever consumes a poison, magical or otherwise, her body doesn’t neutralize it. It analyzes it. Breaks it down. Then reproduces it… endlessly. We learned of this by trying to add certain poisons to neutralize the others in her body, but instead, it just made her produce that poison, and branches of it endlessly,”

Jax’s eyes glinted faintly, “So her existence is an evolving toxic arsenal.”

“Yes,” Orianna said bluntly. “A walking calamity, if she ever lost control. She can completely annihilate vegetation, and even normal life in an environment easily if she lost control,”

“And yet,” Jax said, “she bowed without hesitation.”

Orianna smiled faintly, “That’s Hydra. She’s gentle. Kind. Almost painfully considerate. She hates her own power because she believes it only brings harm.”

She looked at him carefully, “I searched for centuries. Ancient records, forbidden research, I asked Willow and even other Demon alchemists. I never found a solution. Only ways to contain her… never to help her.”

Silence stretched between them, filled by the distant crash of waves.

Jax finally stepped closer to the pool, crouching slightly as he dipped his fingers into the glowing water. Mana rippled outward at his touch, responding eagerly.

“Then it’s a good thing,” he said calmly, “that you stopped looking before I arrived.”

Orianna turned fully toward him, eyes widening just a fraction.

“You believe you can help her,” she said, not as a question.

Jax straightened, water sliding effortlessly from his fingers as his aura shimmered faintly, controlled and absolute.

“I don’t believe,” he replied. “I know.”

Orianna stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled slowly, a smile spreading across her face that held both relief and pride.

“Then,” she said softly, “I’m glad she chose you.”

“When you’re done here, send her in, I wanna talk to her and help her,”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep