The green serpent’s deadly aura flared, a vivid, venomous green that filled every inch of the cave, clashing violently with Cale’s crimson presence. Their energies met and wrestled, pressing against each other with an almost physical force, thickening the air until it was charged with pure hostility.
Cale didn’t waste a second. He surged forward, scythe held high as he sent three powerful slashes in rapid succession. Each swipe released arcs of red energy that sliced through the air toward the serpent. The creature tried to dodge, its towering head twisting away, but one arc managed to graze its tough scales. Hot, green blood splattered out, hissing as it struck the cave floor, releasing plumes of toxic steam.
The serpent’s eyes narrowed, fury flashing in its gaze as it swung its massive tail in retaliation. The ground shook under the weight of the blow as the tail crashed down, cracking the stone where Cale had been standing a moment ago. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, only to see the serpent’s jaws open wide, a ball of poisonous energy building within.
The serpent spat the poison sphere with a thunderous hiss, sending it hurtling toward him. Cale pivoted, his grip tightening on his scythe as he swung it down in a sweeping vertical arc. A surge of crimson energy shot forth, slicing cleanly through the poison ball in a burst of green and red mist. The poison scattered, but the force of it left faint burns on his clothing and a sting on his skin.
Without hesitation, the serpent unleashed a flurry of smaller, faster poison spheres, each one radiating a deadly, acidic green. Cale danced through the onslaught, his scythe a blur as he sliced through the orbs one by one. Yet, even as he struck them down, bits of poison sprayed across his sleeves, burning small holes through the fabric and leaving raw, stinging patches on his skin.
Cale’s face twisted into a fierce scowl as he met the serpent’s unrelenting gaze. This thing was different. It wasn’t mindlessly attacking—it was almost… desperate. He could sense an urgency in its movements, an unwillingness to retreat despite the clear damage it was taking. He narrowed his eyes, watching it closely as he continued to dodge and strike.
‘Why won’t it move from that spot?’ he wondered, sidestepping another barrage of poison. He slashed a large orb out of the way, then ducked under another, his mind racing with possibilities. ‘It’s trying to protect something.’
A dark thrill shot through him at the realization. His smirk returned, more wicked than before. 'So that’s it,' he thought, his eyes gleaming with a renewed determination. 'You’re hiding something, aren’t you? I’ll make you regret that choice.'
With a burst of speed, Cale launched himself toward the serpent, his eyes locked on its towering form as he closed the distance between them. Just as he was about to attack, the Green Serpent moved. With its tail, it struck Cale, sending him crashing into the wall of the cave. Smoke billowed from the impact as debris fell.
The Green Serpent paused its attack and stood still, ready to strike again if Cale charged. But it remained in position, watching fiercely at the spot where Cale had crashed.
A silhouette of a man appeared through the smoke. The Green Serpent hissed loudly at the survival of its foe. Cale emerged from the smoke, his face covered in blood, but he stood tall and strong, wearing a mocking yet fierce expression. 'I got it', Cale thought as he looked at the Green Serpent, slowly walking toward it. "You...!"
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Ding!
[Monarch's blood has been used]
[All stats raised by 5]
[Abilities on the brink of ranking up are temporarily raised]
Cale's body became enveloped in black liquid. His arms to his shoulders turned into armor. His legs, from his feet to his thighs, also became armored as the black liquid enveloped them. His mouth was covered by the liquid, which solidified into armor. With the black armor, a blood-red aura surged from him.
Ding!
[Host has merged Monarch's blood with aura]
[Merging successful]
"You are pregnant, BITCH!!" Cale shouted loudly as he tightly gripped his scythe, placing one leg behind him and the other forward. In an instant, he charged at the Green Serpent.
The Green Serpent’s mouth open and a ball of venom formed, then surged forward, a massive sphere of poison energy gathering in its maw, pulsing with a menacing glow. It roared, releasing the poison in a concentrated linear blast that cut through the air like a deadly green laser.
Cale ducked to the side, feeling the heat of the poison’s acidic power as it sliced past him, carving a deep trench into the cave floor. He pressed forward, dodging the scattered debris as he raised his scythe high, then in a split second brought it down in a vicious series of slashes. His blade struck again and again, each impact sending a shockwave of red energy rippling through the serpent’s body. He targeted the creature’s head, each blow carving deeper into its scales, leaving long, bloody gashes.
Then, with a final, brutal swing, Cale slashed a vertical line through the serpent’s head, cleaving through the left side in a geyser of green blood. The serpent’s agonized roar filled the cavern, its head filled with blood as it writhed in pain, its body twitching in spasms of agony.
Cale lightly landed back, lowering his scythe as he watched the creature, waiting. Its massive form wavered, then slowly slumped, its eyes dulling as it finally began to succumb to the injuries he’d inflicted.
But there was no victory message, no system notification. Cale walked toward the serpent, his gaze cold and calculating as he examined its limp form. He stopped beside it, to watch as its breaths grew shallow, its body shivering with the final throes of life.
Yet, he wasn’t ready to let it die—not so easily. A chilling smile spread across his face, and he leaned close, his voice a low, menacing whisper sounded in the Green Serpent's mind. "I WON'T LET YOU DIE THAT...EASILY!!"
The serpent’s eyes flickered open, terror pooling in its gaze as it stared up at him. Its instincts screamed as it recognized the look on Cale’s face—a look of merciless intent, of a predator savoring its prey. Cale straightened, letting his scythe rest casually on his shoulder as he raised his foot and pressed it firmly on the serpent’s head. In his other hand, five yellow potions glinted in the dim light.
“Did you really think my revenge would end here?” he murmured, holding up the potions, his expression darkening. The serpent’s entire body went rigid, its eyes widening as Cale’s voice filled its mind, each word dripping with venomous intent. “I’ll use these hard-earned recovery potions to bring you back—again, and again, and again. I’ll bring you back every single time, until I’m satisfied. And only then…”
He leaned in close, his voice softening to a dangerous whisper. “Only then will I finally let you die.”
The serpent’s terror spiked, every instinct screaming at it to escape, to break free from this nightmare. But it was powerless, trapped under the weight of his stare, the fierce, unyielding promise of pain that radiated from him.
“And when I’m done with you…” Cale’s gaze turned colder, more ruthless. “I’ll find your children. Your newborns, your infants—I’ll slaughter them, one by one, right before your very eyes.”
The serpent’s scales trembled, its wide, fearful eyes fixed on him, and for the first time, Cale saw true terror there. It was more than simple fear of death—it was a primal dread, a deep-seated terror as it realized… it could understand him. Every threat, every word. Cale’s cruel, mocking voice echoed in its mind, spelling out its fate in chilling detail.
And he smiled, a wicked, satisfied smile, relishing the sight of his helpless prey, the fear painted across its trembling form.