He moved carefully through the cavern, his footsteps barely making a sound against the cold, uneven ground. The damp air carried a faint, metallic scent, a reminder of the countless battles that had taken place in this underground abyss.
His grip tightened around the serpent's fang—the only weapon capable of piercing through the Nethrite scales. It was his only chance.
But first, he had to lure the right prey.
He had scouted a suitable execution spot—one that would allow him to trap and kill a Lower Nethrite Serpent, a creature larger and much stronger than the ones he had faced before. The plan was simple in theory: bring the snake to the designated spot and take it down with precision.
But there was one critical problem.
How the hell was he supposed to get the serpent to follow him?
The last time, the serpents had pursued him naturally, but this time, they had all slithered back into their nest, blending into the chaotic mass of writhing bodies. If he wanted to bring one back, he had to expose himself to them.
Which meant a massive risk.
"If I get the attention of a stronger serpent, I'm dead."
His breath slowed as he considered the possibilities. Given his luck so far, it was almost guaranteed that the worst-case scenario would happen. But he didn't have a choice. He needed that dagger, and the only way to get it was by killing a Lower Nethrite Serpent.
Taking a deep breath, he made his way toward the faint light filtering in from the cavern's entrance.
And there it was.
The nest.
A vast, sickening pit filled with tens of thousands of serpents. A ceaseless, undulating sea of scaled bodies, all slithering over each other, fangs flashing as they bit, tore, and consumed their own kin. The sheer brutality of it sent a shiver down his spine, but this time—this time he didn't let the horror consume him.
His eyes scanned the mass, searching.
He needed a target.
A serpent larger than the non-ored ones but not fully covered in Nethrite scales. Something strong enough to qualify as a Lower Nethrite Serpent but not beyond his capability to kill.
There.
A mid-sized serpent, its body glistening with patches of dark metallic scales but not completely armored. Its movements were faster than the ordinary ones, more fluid—more dangerous.
That's the one.
Now, he just had to get its attention without drawing in the real monsters.
He bent down and picked up a loose stone, rolling it in his palm for a moment before hurling it toward the snake.
Thud!
He missed.
Instead of hitting his intended target, the stone struck another serpent—one far, far larger than he had anticipated.
Its head snapped toward him.
For a brief, heart-stopping moment, their eyes met.
His blood ran cold.
Then, just as quickly, he activated Stealth and melded into the shadows.
The massive serpent flicked its tongue, scanning the area, but when it found nothing, it returned to its feast, sinking its fangs into another unfortunate creature.
He swallowed hard.
That was close. Too close.
Gritting his teeth, he grabbed another stone and tried again.
Miss.
Miss.
Another miss.
It was maddening. He was throwing stones like a desperate idiot, hoping to land a hit while avoiding instant death.
Then—finally—
Thud!
The stone struck its mark, hitting the Lower Nethrite Serpent squarely on the head.
The creature immediately snapped up, its forked tongue flickering in irritation. Then, its gaze locked onto him.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then—it started to come for him.
"Good!"
He turned on his heel and ran.
His feet pounded against the cavern floor, his movements controlled but urgent. He could outrun the serpent with his base stats alone, so he held back, ensuring the creature stayed close enough to keep chasing him but not so close that it could strike.
The sound of its body scraping against the stone walls echoed behind him, growing louder as it picked up speed.
But he had already memorized the route. Every twist, every turn. He knew exactly where he was going.
The execution spot was waiting.
And the hunt had just begun.
The man ran, and the serpent chased after him, hissing in rage. Everything was going according to plan. He would lead the serpent to the execution spot and take its life out of its hissing body.
He made turns and turns, ensuring the snake followed him without losing sight of him. The cavern was uneven, filled with twists and turns, but he had already memorized the route. There were no unexpected obstacles—just a direct path to the trap he had prepared. He held back just enough to keep the serpent chasing, knowing he could outrun it if needed. His base stats were enough; there was no need to waste energy using Dash yet.
But then—the hissing stopped.
His heart clenched. Something was wrong.
"What!?? Where did it go?!" Startled, he thought to himself.
He whipped his head around, his eyes darting in every direction, but the serpent was gone. Just moments ago, it had been right behind him, its presence undeniable. And now—nothing.
A chill crawled down his spine. Had he lost it? No… that wasn't possible.
Before he could process his thoughts, a blur of movement entered his peripheral vision.
His body screamed at him to move.
The serpent came from the side, its massive jaws unhinging as it struck—nearly swallowing him whole.
His instincts took over.
[Dash]!
He barely managed to activate it in time, his body jerking away from the attack in a blur of speed. He landed hard on the uneven ground, his breath catching in his throat.
Dust rose around him as he scrambled to his feet. His pulse pounded in his ears. That was close. Too close.
The serpent slithered back, its golden reptilian eyes locked onto him. It didn't attack immediately. Instead, it watched him.
Mocking him.
"How!??" The man thought, his mind racing. "Did it realize what I am up to!??"
His concern was genuine. The snake had indeed realised what the human was planning to do to it.
He had underestimated the intelligence of the monster. It had seen through his plan and had countered it flawlessly. Instead of blindly chasing him into a trap, it had anticipated his movements, found a new path, and ambushed him.
It had played him.
The realization sent a surge of frustration through his veins. So he had become the prey again.
The serpent's body tensed, preparing for another strike. Its tongue flicked out, tasting his presence. He could see it in its eyes—it thought the hunt was over.
But it wasn't.
The man exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the Nethrite fang. His mind cleared. The fear, the hesitation—it all burned away.
A slow smirk crept onto his face.
"You think you've won, you bastard!?" His voice was steady now, his blood thrumming with adrenaline.
The serpent tilted its head slightly, as if it understood him.
"You really are a fool." He straightened, rolling his shoulders. His smirk widened, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"It's not me who's getting hunted today."
His stance shifted.
"It's you."
He raised the fang, his grip tightening. The serpent hissed, its body coiling, muscles tensing—ready to strike again.
"Bring it on, you slithery son of a bitch!!