After a good rest and a full meal, Shinju, Koharu, and Swen set off again at the first light of dawn.
As they descended along the mountain's edge, a dense fog slowly crept in, swallowing the surroundings step by step.
At last, Koharu broke the silence.
"Shinju… after absorbing the Yin essence from those rats… have you gotten any closer to your former strength?"
Shinju remained quiet for a moment before answering.
"No. Not yet.I'm nowhere near what I used to be…But don't worry — I'm far stronger than before."
Koharu lowered her gaze slightly, then looked back at him.
"Even if you're not as strong as before… when I walk with you, I feel something strange.I feel… safe."
A faint smile appeared on Shinju's lips.His eyes were fixed somewhere deep within the fog, as if staring at something unseen.
"Don't worry… as long as I'm here, no one would dare harm you."
Koharu didn't know how to respond.A small, shy smile formed on her face.
Swen broke the moment.
"I hate to interrupt your romance, but… the air here is unstable.This fog… isn't natural."
Shinju lifted his head.
Even sound was being swallowed.Their footsteps faded after just a few meters.
"You're right…" he said quietly.
At that moment, Koharu stumbled.
"My head… it's spinning…"
Swen immediately dropped to one knee, touching the ground.
"This fog… it's suppressing our senses. If we stay too long, we might lose consciousness."
Shinju spread his hands, releasing Yin energy around him.
The fog rippled—as if something unseen had noticed them.
"Stay back. I'll go ahead."
Koharu clasped her hands together.A ring of white light formed and began to circle around them.
But…
Something was wrong.
The light… was fading into the fog.
As if it couldn't "exist" in this space.
Koharu frowned.
"That's strange… my light magic is weakening…"
Shinju noticed—but said nothing.
"This area…" he murmured,"…is home to something very strong."
He stepped forward slowly.
Then—
A faint hissing sound echoed.
Shinju froze instantly.
His muscles tensed.His eyes sharpened.
The hiss rushed toward him—
And then—
Vanished.
Silence.
Then—
From the right.
From the left.
From behind.
The sound shifted constantly.
The creature wasn't visible.
But it was there.
I can't track it… this is bad.
Suddenly—
The fog split apart.
A massive body appeared before him.
Green eyes.Stone-like scales.
And then—
Acid burst forward.
Shinju instantly raised a Yin barrier.
But the moment the liquid touched it—
It began to melt.
Even the ground sizzled.
"Acid…" he muttered."So that's your attack."
The serpent's tail lashed out.
Shinju crossed his arms to block—
But this time—
The impact was heavy.
The force slammed into his ribs, knocking the air out of his lungs.
For a moment…
A real moment…
His knees nearly gave in.
"Tch—!"
"Shinju!" Koharu shouted.
"I'm fine…" he said—but his voice wasn't as steady anymore."Not yet…"
He formed Yin needles and launched them.
They struck.
Nothing happened.
The serpent didn't even flinch.
Shinju's eyes narrowed.
"That's it…?"
He gathered more energy.
A black blade formed in his hand.
But just as he moved—
The rattle.
The serpent's tail vibrated.
And the sound—
This time—
It didn't reach his ears.
It reached his bones.
The Yin inside his eye destabilized.
The blade shattered.
Shinju staggered back.
"This… it's disrupting my energy!"
Swen shouted:
"Resonance!That sound is vibrating your Yin energy out of phase!"
The serpent lunged again.
This time—
Shinju couldn't avoid it.
The tail slammed into his ribs.
Something cracked.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
His breath was gone.
One more hit… and I'm done.
The thought didn't finish.
Koharu raised her hands.
"Light!"
A burst of white energy exploded outward.
But—
It passed right through the serpent.
No effect.
Her eyes widened.
"How…?!"
Shinju's mind went blank.
There's no escape.
Swen shouted:
"Buy me time! I need the tail immobilized!"
Shinju took a deep breath.
Pain spread through his entire body.
But he didn't step back.
"Got it."
He ran.
The moment the serpent opened its jaws—
Shinju leapt straight inside.
"SHINJUU!!" Koharu screamed.
He grabbed both jaws.
Forced them apart.
His muscles tore under the strain.
But he didn't let go.
The serpent went berserk.
The vibrations intensified.
The ground shattered.
Each wave tore through Shinju's body—
And every time—
His body regenerated.
But the pain remained.
His vision darkened.
If I let go… it's over.
"SWEN!!"
Swen was already moving.
He slammed the sphere to the ground.
Placed his hand on it—
and began chanting.
The sphere glowed.
He flicked it with his finger.
And then—
The world stopped.
Truly stopped.
For a single second, everything fell silent.
Then—
A vibration spread outward.
Invisible—
but absolute.
It struck the tail.
CRACK.
One ring shattered.
Then another.
Then all of them.
The sound vanished.
The serpent froze.
Shinju's eyes opened.
A dark, exhausted smile formed.
"It's over…"
The blade reformed—
And in a single motion—
The serpent's head was severed.
Its body convulsed.
Then…
Went still.
Silence.
Koharu rushed forward.
"Shinju! Talk to me!"
He struggled to breathe.
"I'm… fine… don't worry…"
He placed his hands on the corpse.
Black smoke rose—
then flowed back into him.
Koharu whispered:
"Did you absorb the Yin essence?"
Shinju nodded.
"For something this strong…it had less than I expected."
Swen crossed his arms.
"If you're struggling this much with a snake…"
"…we're in trouble, my friend.Without me, you'd still be bathing in acid."
Shinju smirked faintly.
"I never said I was strong.There's no such thing as an easy prey…Every creature in the Void survives by adapting."
Koharu stared at the corpse.
"This snake… was it a normal Void creature?It felt… too strong."
Shinju rested his hand on his chin.
"If I were at my peak, it'd be no different than an ant.But right now… it was a worthy opponent."
Swen crouched beside the body, cutting it open.
"This is too slow…Damn it, I can't believe I forgot my teleport talisman."
"…Genius alchemist, my ass."
Koharu leaned closer.
"What are you doing?"
"Collecting resources.This venom sac is valuable."
"So… not food?"
"No, princess.If processed correctly, it'll be very useful."
Shinju glanced at it.
"That venom looks dangerous. Be careful."
Swen shrugged.
"Danger is my specialty."
Shinju stood up.
"Let's move."