Chapter 9 “An Entertaining Sight”

The snake provokingly hissed at the leafy sea dragon, who desperately tried to behave unfazed as its blood ran cold and, in a state of delusion and fear, declared proudly, “Be grateful as you are honored to experience my otherworldly beauty! Very few creatures have ever had the right to lay their eyes upon me! Be humbled by my greatness, you useless snake!”

In its delusion of being the center of the world, it really, wholeheartedly believed in its words, pushing away its fear and its last remaining brain cells.

As the snake saw this utter pathetic behavior, it amused smiled inwardly before swimming through the seaweed, completely ignoring its existence, treating the leafy sea dragon as just another weed.

The weed tuned its head in outright disbelief as it saw the snake swim away, not sparing it a glance, “H-How dare you ignore me!”

As the snake vanished into the distance, the leafy sea dragon started to convince itself out loud, “Right, they must have simply not seen me! It was a coincidence, that’s all! There is no way this overgrown stick would ignore such a mighty being as I!”

But unbeknownst to the weed, this was all intentional to get an entertaining reaction from it, and as it continued to further fall for its own lies, the snake, silently hiding in the seaweed with an imaginary bucket of popcorn, observed cheerfully its new amusing neighbor (Toy).

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

***

As the mighty snake continued its hunt for tasty exp to obtain the next skill, which sounded more than practical, it slithered upon a pink coral imitating fish. Fearlessly, or rather carelessly, it swam closer, thinking that a lot of the creatures here have a camouflage skill and wondered whether it would ever get such a useful skill as well.

Then, before its eyes, a window popped up yet again.

Fulfill the condition to unlock Weak Poison Resistance:

Let yourself be stung by the Stonefish and survive its potentially deadly poison.

Reward:

Weak Poison Resistance

45 exp

***

The round fish, doomed forever having a grumpy visage, did not move, having perfected the art of imitating a coral. Even when an impudent snake curiously swam closer, intruding its comfort zone, it did not move and never would!

“Please go away!” It whimpered in its mind, as it was not comfortable with anyone getting closer to it. Thanks to its deep-rooted trauma, it grew anxious to come into contact with other fish; its only wish, to peacefully hide between its only friends, the corals. That’s all that it ever wanted. A humble wish from a scared and ugly-looking fish.

But it seemed that the snake was about to disregard this meek wish as its eyes shone brightly as it stared into the water, the coral imitating fish wondering what the snake looked at with such excitement.

And shortly after, it was about to find out…