The Achievement Junkie

As Lunara had no way to argue further about the Mantis Leviathan, the party rushed through the water. Jinbe's guidance was key as they spotted two more potential crevices or trenches along the way. But they soon arrived at a trench directly in front of them and Lunara came to a gradual halt.

The Hydra Goddess sniffed and let the water pass calmly through her gills. Faint smiles appeared on her many heads. 'This is the one… It's faint, but I can smell the difference…'

'Then what about your hydra form?' asked Jack.

'I'll change that after passing another thousand meters. The influence of the hydras isn't that large.'

'Even after so long?'

'That--'

'HALT!'

Telepathic shouts caught Lunara off guard. She had only gone a couple of hundred meters into the trench yet she was already spotted by something. Immediately, Lunara frowned and glared into the abyss.

When Jack expanded the reach of his light, they got a clear picture. Two Glacial Hydras were nearing them, both with only a single head and at lv. 84.

'What is this?!' shouted one of the hydra's momentarily blinded y the light.

'Sorry…" Jack dulled the light while keeping it steady through the area. This allowed the party to see the two hydras and the two hydras to better see the party.

'What…' The leading hydra blinked, believing his eyes were deceiving him after the moment of blindness. 'You're… a hydra?'

'I've come to see Glacier Keep. I have no desire to interfere with Glacier Reef or the life of my fellow hydras,' replied Lunara, making her purpose clear from the get-go.

'Glacier Keep?!' the second hydra shouted again, baring his fangs.

But the one in the lead was more subtle in his judgments, showing a solemn but stern glare. 'What reason do you have for visiting Glacier Keep? And how did you find this place?'

Lunara nodded respectfully and answered, 'Long ago, after being born in Glacier Reef, I fled for the upper world as a child. Now, I've come back to see Glacier Keep once more, and that's all.'

'And why should we allow you to pass?' asked the second hydra, to which the first hydra did nothing to retract.

'It's imperative that we visit Glacier Keep.'

'Why? Explain yourselves,' demanded the lead hydra.

Both of the hydra guards were unable to see the levels of Lunara and the two figures on her back. However, that wasn't entirely uncommon for creatures dwelling so deep in the ocean. Sure, Lunara was larger than both of the guard hydras but that didn't stop their pride.

'For a hydra with so many heads, you demand a lot with little information,' argued the second hydra.

'If you prefer, I can count your heads after I let them roll…' Jack's casual tone stunned the two guard hydras, increasing their uncooperativeness.

'I demand an audience with the Hydra Head.'

'WHAT?!' shouted the second hydra. 'How dare you demand such a thing!'

Lunara continued, still showing only a soft gaze at the hydras. 'I have no ill will towards my own people. I seek an audience with the Hydra Head since we'll need his permission to visit Glacier Keep, and explaining everything to you right now would only waste our time. I'll explain everything to the Hydra Head and the elders.'

'Or would you prefer us forcibly entering?' asked Jack, playing the role of bad cop.

While the second hydra was entirely against it, the lead hydra guard clicked his tongue and turned around. 'We'll escort you to Glacier Reef. It will be up to the elders if you're allowed to stand before the head.'

'But we--'

'Enough!' The lead hydra shut up his comrade. 'This is how it goes… You know this.'

Begrudgingly, both hydras turned and began to lead the way down the trench. Lunara followed them from a respectable distance, not too close yet not too far. She wanted to maintain a showing of respect for her people.

'So much for hiding your true self,' Jack joked via their mental link.

Lunara sighed, 'I hadn't considered the expansion of the hydras…'

'Too distracted and nervous to consider it?'

'... Yes…' admitted Lunara.

'Mom, why do they only have one head?' Lina asked

'That's how our people were at first…' Lunara replied, choosing her words and tone carefully. 'It's quite common for hydras to have one head and it's rare for our people to have three heads.'

'Then, what about us? We have nine heads… Are there any more like us?'

'No, sweetie… there aren't…' sighed Lunara.

'Oh… But the others are still like us, though, right? They're still Glacial Hydras?'

Jack replied emphatically, 'Correct. Without a doubt, those two hydras leading the way are Glacial Hydras just like you, Lina.'

Lina had never felt lonely when thinking of her species, but this was the first time meeting anyone other hydras apart from her mother. It was an eye-opening experience and gave Lina the feeling that she was part of something larger than herself, a common feeling among large tribes. Pride for her species. It was a new feeling that had existed in her mother's shadow but was truly growing after realizing that an entire civilization of her people existed in the world.

But Jack continued to question Lunara in private conversation, 'Who's the Hydra Head?'

'That's the hydra chosen to lead the people. The hydra head is our chief, of sorts.'

'And why can you demand such a meeting upon arrival? Those two hydras only became cooperative after mentioning that request.'

Lunara answered, 'Any hydra returning from beyond the trench has the opportunity to meet with the elders or Hydra Head in case they have urgent news to relay. That's how the protocol works.'

'And how would you know that?'

'My mother was forced to use it a few times…' stated Lunara.

Sensing the unwillingness in her voice, Jack stopped himself from asking more about the matter. He thought it would be better to ask about such a sensitive topic when the situation was more fitting.