I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

31 – Part 6: Hydra Guild (3)

Breaking the guild.

That was Veronica’s favorite thing. Breaking a guild bound by trust from beginning to end. However, she didn’t take her mission lightly, even though her taste was clouded.

Veronica didn’t separate Isaac and the Iron Shield for no reason. Isaac was the guild’s strongest force. Naturally, breaking the guild would not be easy if she kept them together.

It was almost certain that resisting with Isaac at the forefront would be difficult. So, she separated them to prevent an immediate response. Then, she assigned someone to the guild members.

“Excluding Hans and Sophia from the Holy Knights, there’s hardly any significant power.”

“….”

“Do you understand what I mean? Isaac Silverter. The moment you resist, you won’t see your family again.”

In simple terms, it’s a hostage situation. The threat to kill everyone in the family the moment he makes a move. Of course, Isaac seemed to be aware of that, as he asked those two for a favor before leaving. But who knows?

“If you can’t handle just this much, you can’t call it the Hydra Guild. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

“Say something, anything?”

Veronica chuckled and lifted Isaac’s chin with her steel-toed boot. However, despite his head turning slightly, there was no impact at all. Isaac didn’t respond.

“It won’t be that easy to find him.”

As the master of the Hydra Guild and a sorceress, she had already cast a barrier around her. Even if they tried to escape from this hostage situation, they couldn’t be found here at all.

Completely isolated from each other. Exploiting the imbalance of information to thoroughly dismantle everything from one to ten. That had been Veronica’s means and method of breaking down the guild until now.

However, there was something she hadn’t anticipated. There was only one person who could break through her barrier and know Isaac’s location. Someone existed within the shield of steel. That person was Zig.

“It’s very faint… but I’m sure, the master is here.”

“That’s a chilling method, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Following the scent of the master, they arrived at a deserted square in a back alley, even less frequented than Gideon. Originally, it would have been much harder to find, but thanks to Diego’s guidance, they arrived quickly.

“It seems like the right place, indeed.”

“Yes, heavily guarded around.”

“Talking about waste materials, daring…!!”

From the rooftops of the buildings near the square, they revealed themselves. Those with patterns of three snakes on their right shoulders. They were fellow members of the Hydra Guild, just like her.

“There are about 20 of them. Be cautious, each one is formidable.”

“They wouldn’t be here for no reason. Then where is the master?”

“I heard Senior Sofia, a skilled mage, can separate space itself. Maybe that’s it?”

“Meaning, the opponent is an extremely skilled mage.”

Diego shook his head as if annoyed. Mages were exceedingly rare talents even in Gideon, a city abundant with heroes who soared and fought. After all, there weren’t many who could handle magic in the first place.

But that didn’t mean they would retreat. Just at the moment when they were about to swiftly move and subdue the enemies. Something pierced the head of one of the Hydra Guild members on the roof.

“What?!”

“Where did these brats get the upper hand from?”

“Senior Cain? What’s that about?”

“It’s a wrist bow. Small, but lethal enough.”

Cain proudly displayed the bow attached to his wrist. As a wandering adventurer, he had accumulated countless experiences in such situations and knew how to handle them very well.

“Normally, the tactic is to strike with a surprise attack and then disappear.”

But now, they were in a position where they had to rescue the master. However, that didn’t mean there was no way. The Hydra Guild members, taken by surprise, swiftly counterattacked as an elite force. However…

“Oh, sacred light. Please become our shield.”

A massive wave of light emerged from the ground, forming a literal shield that blocked the attack. The individuals capable of harnessing the otherworldly power of magic were few and far between.

Among them was Yurina Prager. Radiant waves of dazzling light spread out from her center like roots. It was the aura of white magic, preserving, protecting, and healing people.

“Is she a magician?”

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“Don’t worry, white magic doesn’t have offensive spells.”

“Let’s go all-out in a war of attrition… Give it everything we’ve got.”

White magic primarily focused on protection and healing. Magicians usually specialized in one particular attribute. They tried to adapt their strategy accordingly but…

The ensuing barrage of flames surpassed even the expectations of elite warriors. Herus chuckled and snapped his fingers. With just that, columns of flames soared up.

“I thought our guild only had white mages?”

“No way. Are you telling me a small guild like that has three magicians?!”

“Without a master, we are at a disadvantage in terms of firepower.”

“Charge together! Break the barrier and slaughter the intruders!”

But even these elites could be caught off guard. They swiftly counterattacked using the information they had gathered. Excluding the power of magicians, they were nothing more than wanderers and brats.

In that case, it was more advantageous to break through the barrier quickly before the damage escalated further and engage in a full-blown battle. It was not an incorrect judgment. Rather, it was the most reasonable option.

Anyone would have thought the same, especially the heroes who served under Hades and had executed numerous guilds. Who could possibly think they would lose to some brats?

“What the hell are these brats?”

“Huh?!”

“Gotcha!!!”

“They’re weaker than Dig-senpai?”

Flash. They couldn’t even see the swords swinging. They just regained consciousness to find that the three guild members at the forefront had lost their lives. The owner of the sword that took their lives was Diego.

In less than five seconds, he took one life with his left and another with his right hand. He pierced through the neck of a tough guy rushing from behind using two swords.

Could you believe this was done by a beginner who hadn’t even learned the basics of swordsmanship for two months? Something was off. The man who thought that tried to salvage the surviving members and retreat.

“This damn monster…!!”

“The monster isn’t me, it’s that guy.”

Diego clicked his tongue. In a brief moment, he had massacred over 20 Hydra guild members alone. Even among those with similar talents, there was a distinct gap. Only then did the man move his gaze.

“W-What…?”

Calling each of them a hero wouldn’t be an exaggeration. That was precisely the Hydra guild. However, members who were close to 20 in number were now all dead. At the center stood a girl. Blood dripped from her black hair onto her cheek. Covered in blood, she looked like a demon risen from hell.

Once, her hair shone brilliantly in golden color. Now, her chilling red eyes had turned a horrifying shade of crimson. His instincts screamed at him to shout out as loudly as possible if he wanted to survive.

“I’ve taken your friend hostage!!!”

Silence. Unfortunately, the desperate voice for survival reached her ears. Realizing that this method worked, the man continued speaking, even though beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

“Children of God! Yes! Those little brats attending school!!”

“This punk, using such dirty tricks…?!”

“The name of a hero is resounding.”

“Speak your mind freely! It’s just pathetic excuses of losers!!”

Knowing the enemy and knowing myself, I can fight without danger even a hundred times. Veronica thoroughly executed those words. In preparation for any unforeseen circumstances, she even took the children attending school hostage. And during this opportunity…!

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“What?”

“Hans senior mentioned it before we left.”

[The children, we will protect them.]

Right before setting off, Hans, who had been quiet, called out Cain alone and explained the methods of the Hydra Guild. Cain, who had been half-asleep listening to the story, raised his eyebrows.

“Surprising. I thought they would try to tear us apart by force.”

“I’m tired of putting reality first. So, I’m just going to do as I see fit.”

“…You fool, just like you.”

“You’re the same. There’s no separate group of little Isaacs either.”

Grumbling, Cain watched Hans’ back as he moved and smirked. He thought that asking the two of them for help with the guild before taking the Master away was not just for nothing.

“We’ve already seen through all of your methods. Got it?”

“T-That can’t be… A-Ahh?!”

“Hey! Zeke! What are you dawdling for?!”

“Leave this punk to us. There’s a lot we need to do.”

The eerie red eyes turned back to golden. Zeke nodded and turned his head. Before her eyes, there was the passage opened by Sasha and Yulina combining their powers.

“The magic is too strong. This is our limit, Zeke. Hurry up!!”

“…!!!”

“…Thank you, everyone.”

If she were alone. She would definitely not have made it this far. But because she was with everyone, she barely made it here. Zeke nodded his head. And threw himself into the passage.

“Master, I will definitely rescue you…”

“Are hopes all you have?”

“…Huh?”

However, the one who greeted Zeke from the other side of the passage. Was none other than Veronica. The emotion that began to settle on her expression was excitement. There’s nothing that can be done no matter how she came.

You would have seen hope.

You would have thought it was possible to save.

But what should I do?

That could be more harmful.

She was well aware of what was happening outside, having created the barrier. So she intentionally created a weak point. Talented but still fledgling, they could barely breach it.

And her prediction was accurate. They managed to exploit the weakest spot, unaware that the passage was closest to Veronica herself. Soon, she took action.

Taking this child hostage, right in front of their eyes. She demanded absolute obedience from Isaac Silverter. Constrained by the need to wear the necklace herself, it had powerful magical effects.

“Oh, how I miss them.”

The sight of hope turning into despair, her own hands slaughtering her family. The moment of submission she had endured finally arrived. It was indeed a flawless plan.

If only the opponent hadn’t been Isaac.

“…?”

Veronica tilted her head. There was no sign of the child bound by her snake-like hands. Instead, it felt emptier, too empty, as if something that should be there was missing…

“I clearly warned you.”

Her voice, as cold as piercing ice, stabbed at Veronica’s ears. Finally coming to her senses, she could see in the distance her own arm cleanly severed. When had that happened?

“Don’t touch my family.”

No, not just the arm. Even her subordinates who held him captive for a split second, just to gain that one-second advantage, all had their throats slashed. In that brief moment, everything was gone…!!

“Huh…?!”

Zeke couldn’t comprehend the situation. He vividly remembered that mop-like woman sticking out, but now, why did he find himself not in the master’s embrace but cradled like a baby?

“I’m sorry, kid. I put you through something terrifying because of my shortcomings.”

“No, no… It wasn’t scary at all.”

“Isn’t this self-defense? They attacked first, didn’t they?”

“You should have endured.”

Petting Zeke’s head, whose voice was turning smaller like a mosquito’s, Isaac cut Veronica off, providing his own justification. However, Veronica defended herself in her own way.

“But they cut off your subordinates’ limbs, even their lives. How could you endure that, Master?”

“I’m the one being bound. Did you think there wouldn’t be such a price?”

Chilling.

The softness and apology vanished from his expression in an instant. What remained was vitality. It pierced through her entire being, like witnessing the incarnation of death…!!

“I could endure anything. I am the strongest. I could laugh it off, no matter what they did.”

“Then, can’t you just laugh it off now?”

“But you crossed the line. You touched my family. Now it’s time to pay the price.”

“What on earth is that price? I’m so curious, so curious!”

However, even in the presence of such a monster, Veronica was smiling. She was deliberately provoking Isaac. But Isaac didn’t take the bait and simply replied calmly.

“One of the snake and shield will disappear from this world.”

“…….”

“And that is.”

You will become it.