The Full Serpent (2)
‘Lightning!’
Kwaaaang!
Since the first attack hadn’t drawn any aggro, I struck as hard as I could without knocking it unconscious. “Shaaaak!!!”
A violet bolt of lightning crashed down onto the Full Serpent’s head with tremendous force. The creature let out a thunderous roar, clearly reeling from the direct hit.
“Who…?!”
I frowned, a sharp headache stabbing through my skull. “I jumped in because it looked like you were all about to be wiped out.”
Looking at the archer, I spoke firmly. “We don’t have time for long explanations. Let’s decide quickly—will you let me help finish it and split the loot, or should I stay back as a third party while the five of you fight?”
“No need to think about it! We misjudged the monster’s strength. Please, help us!”
The three in the rear nodded eagerly, their faces brightening as if they too realized they might die if things continued this way.
“Then the other two will join in as well, so right away—”
Shit. I threw myself backward. Fwoosh!
A sphere of water slammed into the exact spot where I’d been standing. The ground cratered from the impact, sending a chill down my spine.
‘A direct hit would at least cause serious injury.’
I looked up. From a distance, the Full Serpent glared at me with eerie crimson eyes. “Sssseuuu—”
A blue energy began gathering around its wide-open maw.
Kwaaaah!!
A breath-like beam of water shot straight toward me. I dodged toward an empty space based on its trajectory, but the creature tracked me with its head. The breath followed relentlessly, tearing up the ground in its wake.
That was when it happened.
“Eat this!!”
Gail casts ‘Chal’.
Tu-kwaang!
The spearman, sent flying by the water bomb, charged the Full Serpent and thrust his spear into its head, blood streaming down his face.
“Kihyaaa!!!”
The Full Serpent screamed as the spearman’s mana-infused technique pierced its side. It threw its head back and roared. The breath, aimed at the ceiling, cut off amid its thrashing.
Now!
I detonated my mana and closed the distance in an instant, reaching the wildly flailing creature.
“Hup!”
Switching to the greatsword, I unleashed a barrage of attacks on its relatively vulnerable underbelly.
Kwaang! Chwak! Chwaak! Sgeogeok!
After piercing the hide with Storm Sword Art, I followed up with a relentless chain of slashes fueled by the killing intent accumulated from successful strikes.
“Sshaaaak!!!”
The Full Serpent’s belly was torn open by the onslaught of dark sword strikes. It thrashed helplessly, unable to regain its footing.
‘Its fat layer is too thick. Simply splitting the hide and digging into the flesh won’t be enough.’
I needed a single, powerful blow that could penetrate deep inside. Yes, that was what was required.
To deliver the finishing blow, I steadied my stance and began channeling mana into the sword.
“Krooo… Shaa!”
But the creature had no intention of accepting death quietly. Tzuzuzik. Chwachwachwachwak!
The massive amount of blood that had gushed from its torn flesh began to churn and spin, transforming into countless spikes that stabbed toward me.
“Damn it!”
I canceled the mana gathering and leaped back, raising my sword to block only the trajectories I couldn’t dodge.
Divine Shield
Yeriel’s protective barrier covered my blind spots perfectly. Thanks to it, I escaped the attack’s range with ease.
Tzuzik. The stray spikes dissolved back into blood and seeped into the ground, but blood continued pouring from the wound on the creature’s belly. Escaping once didn’t mean the assault was over.
Layla casts ‘Flash Arrow’.
Piyung—
At that moment, the archer, who had been watching for an opening from the rear, loosed an arrow at the Full Serpent’s face. Just as it neared the creature’s eye—
Hwaak— Paaaat!
True to its name, the glowing arrowhead burst like a flashbang, silently devouring all nearby darkness. Naturally, the creature’s eyes didn’t escape unscathed. The blood-based attack was safely interrupted as well.
The disoriented monster, momentarily blinded, suddenly made the ground near it tremble. “Kishaaa—!”
Kulleong…
“Uhh?”
I backed away to avoid getting caught in whatever was happening. ‘Huh…’
The surrounding earth had turned entirely into water, and a massive pool began forming around the Full Serpent.
With a splash, the creature submerged itself in the pool. Its underbelly slowly mended, the wounds healing.
Staring in disbelief, I realized this must have been its final trump card. Though the injuries were closing, the blue scales on its hide and its two straight horns had visibly dulled.
‘What now? Flying through the air or walking on water is impossible right now. Swimming toward it? It’s not stupid enough to just watch.’
Holy Arrow
Black Fang
Layla casts ‘Spike Arrow’.
Schmidt uses ‘Fireball’ Scroll.
The others seemed to have reached the same conclusion—that we just needed to stop its recovery. Yeriel and Lumia unleashed holy arts and magic, the archer fired her technique, and even the porter tore a scroll to launch a ranged attack.
But—
“Saaah!!!”
The Full Serpent spat blood and unleashed a sonic wave from its wide-open mouth, scattering half the attacks. Then, water surged from the massive pool like a barrier, nullifying the rest.
‘Damn it! If it fully recovers, all this will have been for nothing. How is that a pool? It’s a lake.’
I racked my brain while watching the creature, trying to find a way. …Huh?
Right—the Frost of the Bitter Cold! I could use it to freeze the water the moment I stepped on it, repeating the process to approach. I couldn’t expect the same power as when I froze an entire area of water, but freezing just the spots where my feet touched should be manageable.
After all, I only needed to cross the water to reach it. Once there, with the creature visibly weakened, I could land One Point Concentration…
‘Yeah. It’s doable. But…’
To pull it off, I needed someone to break through when the creature raised another water barrier to block approaches—just like before. I couldn’t make any violent movements while channeling mana into the sword.
The only person here capable of that role was the spearman.
Traits: (Collapsed)
Family Spear Art — Ibane
Light Body
Spear that Pierces Boulders
Spear that Pierces Boulders (C)
[A] A secret technique acquired through grueling effort via the family’s secret manual. It channels mana along a strictly defined path and hurls the spear with unwavering, disciplined form. A throwing technique that consumes enormous mana in exchange for matching power.
— Greatly increases penetration against a single target when used.
— Cannot be pushed back by any attack while in use.
— Applies Exhaustion, Weakness, and Lethargy status ailments to the user after use.
It looked good, but had quite a few flaws. I could understand why he hadn’t used it in combat.
“Hey, spearman! Got any hidden techniques you can hit it with hard? If your main weapon is a spear, you must have at least one, right?”
“I… I do. It’s hard to use normally, and since it’s a throw, there’s only one chance. But how can you be so sure…?”
Good. He wasn’t lying. Ignoring the question, I continued.
“I have a way to reach it alone. The only problem is what it’ll do to interfere—like how it blocked all the attacks earlier.”
I looked Gail straight in the eye.
“Just once. I need someone to clear a path no matter what it throws at us so I can get close. Can you do it?”
“…Understood. Fine, let’s give it a shot!”
The moment I heard his answer, I focused and began infusing mana into the sword.
‘Recall the training with Rotten. Remember that feeling when you first succeeded!’
I exhaled cold air from beneath my feet, centered on my legs. As mana gathered in the sword enough that I could move while slightly loosening my focus, I stepped toward the Full Serpent, whose wounds were nearly healed.
The moment I started moving, the creature—apparently most annoyed by me—began firing water with ferocious intensity.
Hwiooo— Paang! Pang! Paang! Paang!!!
Numerous water spheres coalesced around the Full Serpent. With a shriek, they all rushed toward me.
Should I dodge? …No, no need.
Light of Protection
Divine Shield
Lugen’s Black Hand
Ta-da-dang! Huuk!
Robert casts ‘Ironclad Defense’.
Robert casts ‘I Will Protect’.
Perhaps frustrated at constantly being knocked back by the Full Serpent, Robert raised his massive shield with both hands, his face twisted in determination.
“I’ll block it, so go!”
With the rear support and the frontline shield protecting me, I reached the edge of the massive pool.
Standing before the enormous body of water, I took a step forward.
Crack.
One step. Another step.
Cr-crack.
I took a large stride and broke into a run.
“Sssaaah!!”
As I advanced, the creature resisted fiercely with water, but the rear interception alone wasn’t enough to stop me. Right now, my focus was at its peak.
Crack! Cr-crack!
Minimizing violent movements, I glanced at the incoming trajectories and impact points, dodging everything a step ahead as I simply ran.
“Shaaaaah!!!”
An enraged roar struck my eardrums. A threat that it would definitely kill me? No—that was just the desperate scream of a cornered beast.
Kwaaaah───
The moment I reached right in front of it, another water barrier surged up, blocking my view.
“Now!!!”
Gail casts ‘Spear that Pierces Boulders’.
Huuk…
—Tu-kwaaaang!!
In an instant, a large hole was blown through the barrier.
‘Only one chance.’
Passing through the hole Gail had desperately created, I slowly raised Barak to chest level.
Don’t use it unless it’s a guaranteed hit.
‘Yeah. Now’s the time.’
I pulled my right arm, gripping the sword, back taut. My right hand held the hilt. My left hand slid down the blade once, steadying the tip.
An unprecedented amount of mana, pushed to the limit, overflowed from the sword, surging wildly.
“You persistent bastard. Just die already!!!”
One Point Concentration.
Like drawing a bowstring, I thrust my arm forward with all my strength, focusing everything into the sword’s tip.
Every moment unfolded in slow motion.
The muscles of my right arm twitching and writhing. The blade piercing straight toward the creature’s weak point without a single deviation. The destructive mana overflowing uncontrollably.
Kududeuk—
It connected.
The sword pierced through the creature’s body and slowly advanced. As it cut through flesh, Barak began crumbling from the tip, having fulfilled its role.
Pipit.
As the blade scattered, the mana infused into the sword lost its path and spread in all directions.
Dudeuk. Dudududuk.
A bright light leaked from the spot where my arm had thrust the sword. Cracks began spreading from there across the creature’s entire body.
Dududuk.
Light spilled from the spiderweb-like fissures in its skin. My mana.
Kwaaaah—!!!
Devastating light engulfed the Full Serpent’s entire body.
“Sha, shaaaaah—”
“Get lost.”
Those were its final words.
Puh—eong!!
A deafening roar shook the ground. Unable to withstand the mana, the Full Serpent’s body exploded, turning into chunks of flesh and blood.
As a downpour of blood rained down on me, I clutched my throbbing arm.
“Haa, haa.”
…The victor was me.
‘Ah, shit. If it exploded like that, the loot—’
The thought came a beat too late, but—
Uung.
Eight lights spread from where the creature died, falling before each adventurer. They shone with such a brilliant glow that I immediately forgot all about the loot.