Author's Note: Hey friends, I'm back. Sorry for slowing down on the writing, but I'll make up for it with longer chapters.
Chapter 2 - Guardian of the Forest of Spirits
The cold earth seeped beneath his scales.
The small black snake remained motionless, coiled between massive roots as he held his breath.
Slowly, he raised his head.
His forked tongue flicked into the air.
The scent of blood was nearby.
The little snake was especially careful not to hunt at night.
Powerful beasts often emerged after dark.
Strong demonic beasts searched for creatures of similar rank to devour and strengthen themselves.
More often than not, those targets were the offspring of powerful monsters.
To reach adulthood quickly, they required rich sources of nourishment.
That was exactly the situation the little snake found himself in.
...
The forest was dark the thick trees blocked even the moonlight.
Only a faint movement could be seen in the distance among moss-covered stones.
A small creature stood out clearly within his thermal vision.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary rat but it wasn't.
It was a demonic beast known as a Stone-Furred Rat.
As the creature gnawed on mushrooms growing from the ground, the little snake watched silently.
He hesitated for a moment.
Stone-Furred Rats naturally possessed the Metal Element and tough hide, but their throats remained vulnerable.
If he attacked with his fangs, he could bypass its defenses.
The snake was inexperienced this was the first demonic beast he had ever encountered.
His instincts told him the rat was strong.
Yet he sensed no danger.
The Stone-Furred Rat suddenly lifted its head and froze.
Although demonic beasts could vaguely sense differences in strength, the rat knew it stood little chance against one of its natural predators.
The little snake lunged with all his might.
He reached the rat instantly.
Even though it had been farther away than expected, he caught it and sank his fangs deep into its flesh.
The rat struggled desperately.
But it was useless.
The snake's jaws had not only locked it in place—they had already broken its spine and his venom would soon paralyze it completely.
Even if it somehow escaped, death was inevitable.
The rat twitched a few final times then it became still.
The little snake refused to release his prey not until a familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
[Enemy Analysis]
Name: ???
Species: Stone-Furred Rat
Level: 12
STR: 15
HP: 15
DEX: 10
INT: 5
Traits:
• Metal Element
• Stone Fur
Only after confirming that the Stone-Furred Rat was dead did he loosen his grip.
Without hesitation, he began swallowing it whole.
Its stone-like fur was tougher than expected but thanks to [Boneless Jaw], his mouth stretched wider and wider.
Minutes later, the final piece slid down his throat.
...
The little snake remained still.
The weight in his stomach was far greater than that of ordinary prey.
At first, he thought nothing had happened but several minutes later, a gentle warmth spread through the depths of his body.
The sensation wasn't unfamiliar.
He had felt it before.
Yet this time it was far more intense.
The muscles beneath his scales tightened slightly.
It felt as if some invisible force was nourishing his flesh and bones.
The little snake knew his stats hadn't increased.
But if this feeling continued, perhaps it would help him grow and so he made a decision.
From now on, he would hunt demonic beasts day and night.
...
At first, finding them wasn't easy some fled the moment they caught his scent.
Others attacked him outright but none posed any real threat.
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, he devoured:
Five Stone-Furred Rats.
Three Long-Tailed Lizards.
Ten Black-Claw Weasels.
And several other young demonic beasts.
After every hunt, more vitality accumulated within his body.
His scales hardened.
His muscles grew denser.
His length slowly increased.
Most importantly, he no longer hunted like a novice.
He had begun thinking like a predator.
Learning patience.
Tracking.
Waiting for the perfect moment to kill.
...
At the end of the week, the little snake rested atop a boulder.
His tongue flicked through the air by now, he recognized most of the young demonic beasts in this region and something was bothering him.
The number of prey he encountered had begun decreasing.
That could only mean one of two things either the prey population was shrinking... or a stronger predator had appeared.
...
The little snake had spent the past week hunting throughout the forest.
His body had grown.
His scales had hardened.
Then—
The sky darkened.
The little snake raised his head.
At first, he thought it was a cloud.
But soon he realized it was moving.
...
A gigantic shadow glided across the forest.
A blood-red body stretching hundreds of meters.
Countless legs agleaming black exoskeleton.
Even the treetops looked tiny beneath it.
It resembled a river flowing through the sky.
No.
Not a river.
A centipede.
The little snake's entire body tensed.
His instincts screamed.
Run.
Run.
Run.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
[Requirements Met.]
[Analysis Skill Acquired.]
Before he could understand what was happening, a new window appeared before his eyes.
[Analysis]
Species: Thousand-Year old Centipede
Realm: Demonic Beast
Bloodline: Common
Age: 1,128
STR: 640
HP: 1345
DEX: 210
INT: 15
The little snake fell silent.
640 Strength.
1345 Vitality.
210 Dexterity.
He remembered his own status panel.
STR: 82
HP: 70
DEX: 90
The difference was so vast it wasn't even worth comparing.
The Thousand-Year Blood Centipede continued drifting through the sky.
As though it were the true ruler of the forest.
And for the first time...
The little snake realized a truth.
In this forest... he was not the strongest predator.
...
The little snake was searching for prey near a river one day.
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside his head.
"Hello?"
The little snake froze.
He turned around.
A young female snake with pure white scales stood behind him.
The little snake's first thought was:
How is a beast talking?
His second thought was:
I should run. She's getting closer...
His third thought was:
She's going to eat me.
And without warning, he bolted away.
The white snake politely lowered her head.
"Excuse me, could you tell me if this way—"
Although surprised by the reaction, the female snake decided it would be better to ask someone else for directions.
---
Name: ???
Bloodline: Ancient Frost Demon
Lineage: Noble Demon Beast
Title: (-)
Realm:
Peak Wild Demon Beast
Age: 5
Statistics
Str: 110
Hp: 90
Dex: 210
Int: 53
Abilities
• Kin Communication
• Frozen Blood
• Frost Breath
• Essence of Ice
• Frost Venom
...
After that encounter, days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into months.
The little black snake was no longer the same as before.
The young Wild Demon Beasts living in the outer regions of the forest had ceased to be threats to him.
Stone-Furred Rats.
Iron-Shelled Hedgehogs.
Crimson-Clawed Rabbits.
Venom-Tailed Lizards.
Creatures that once required careful planning and caution were now nothing more than prey that could be dealt with in a few breaths.
...
After swallowing another Stone-Furred Rat, he waited for the familiar sensation.
The warmth flowing through his body.
The strengthening vitality.
The growth of his flesh and bones.
But nothing happened.
...
He hunted another one.
The result did not change.
...
A third.
A fourth.
A fifth.
Still, there was no reaction.
...
The little snake slowly raised his head.
His golden eyes turned toward the depths of the forest.
The life force emanating from the forest felt weak.
The pressure that once made him feel threatened had vanished.
...
The black snake slowly slithered onto a large boulder.
His scales shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight.
He was no longer the thirty-centimeter hatchling he had once been.
He had grown to nearly four meters in length, and his thickness rivaled the waist of a young man.
Muscles shifted beneath his scales, and every movement carried an extraordinary sense of power.
...
He fell into silent thought.
Should he leave the forest?
Or should he claim it as his own territory?
...
For a while, he pondered the question.
Should he leave?
Or...
Should he make the forest his domain?
...
Raising his head, he looked around.
There was something he had noticed over the past few weeks.
The area he lived in was strangely peaceful.
There were no adult Wild Demon Beasts.
Nor was there any powerful creature claiming the territory as its own.
It felt like a forgotten corner of the forest, abandoned by the rest of the world.
...
The reason wasn't anything profound.
In fact, it was quite simple.
He was bored.
...
Grow stronger.
Hunt.
Sleep.
Grow stronger again.
Hunt again.
Sleep again.
Using his long body, he surveyed his surroundings.
This region was peaceful.
It was close to a trade route used by humans.
Because of that, powerful Wild Demon Beasts tended to avoid it.
He thought about it for a moment.
Then he smacked his tail against the ground.
"Alright."
...
"From now on, this is my territory."
...
After making that decision, he found himself in an inexplicably good mood.
Any creature that wished to live here could do so.
As long as they didn't cause trouble.
...
A Stone-Furred Rat.
A few rabbits.
Even several young Wild Demon Beasts.
He couldn't even be bothered to hunt them.
...
At first, the smaller creatures feared him.
They either hid or fled at the sight of him.
But as the days passed, they began to notice something unusual.
The black snake only killed predators.
He never attacked beasts that caused no trouble.
...
One day, he killed a foreign demon beast that was hunting a young Crimson-Clawed Rabbit.
Another day, he chased away a starving wolf that had wandered into his territory.
...
Slowly, a strange rumor began spreading among the creatures of the forest.
Deep within the woods lived a giant black serpent.
Yet he did not kill small creatures without reason.
...
The black snake, however, knew nothing about these rumors.
The only thing on his mind was:
"At least I have something else to do now."
...
Months turned into years.
One day, while returning from a hunt, he encountered an unusual sight.
Several Stone-Furred Rats were wandering through the bushes near his cave.
...
The little snake stopped.
Tilting his head slightly, he observed them.
He had never seen these rats before.
Their scent was unfamiliar.
They had come from another region.
...
He watched them for a while.
The rats froze in terror.
Yet no attack came.
After staring at them for a few seconds, the black snake simply slithered back toward his cave.
...
The next day, there were more.
This time, several rabbits had joined them.
...
On the third day, a young Wild Demon Beast arrived as well.
A small deer with budding horns.
It looked weak.
Probably too weak to survive elsewhere.
...
At first, the little snake paid no attention.
The forest was vast.
Creatures came and went all the time.
...
But as the days passed, things became stranger.
It was no longer just a few rats.
New creatures arrived every day.
Some stayed only briefly.
Others settled permanently.
...
While resting atop a boulder, the little snake gazed over the clearing below.
A family of rabbits.
Several rats
Two young lizards.
A few birds.
...
All of them had begun making their homes within his territory.
...
"Strange..."
he thought.
But he didn't care much.
After all, they weren't harming him.
...
What he didn't know was that rumors had begun spreading throughout other parts of the forest.
"In the Black Snake's territory, you won't be killed without reason."
"If you're peacefull, it'll ignore you."
"He drives away outside predators."
"Younglings grow up more safely there."
No one knew how much of those rumors was true.
But for small creatures, even a single possibility was enough.
...
And so the first migration began.
Silent.
Slow.
Almost impossible to notice.
Yet significant enough to one day alter the balance of the entire forest.
...
The number of creatures living within the forest depths continued to grow.
At first, he paid little attention.
A few rats.
A few rabbits.
Several young demon beasts.
That was all.
...
But over time, things began to change.
One day, when he emerged from his cave, he found several unfamiliar beasts waiting nearby.
A large Rockback Boar.
Two Horned Deer.
A giant lizard covered in thick scales.
They stood far from his cave.
As though they were waiting for something.
...
The little snake stared at them.
And they stared back.
...
He lowered his head.
Then slithered away as though nothing had happened.
...
The next day, they were still there.
And this time, there were even more of them.
...
The third day.
Still there.
...
The fourth day.
They still hadn't left.
...
Then, a dull murmur echoed from the depths of his mind.
Like distant voices speaking from far away.
...
"....."
"....."
"...guard..."
"...here..."
...
The little snake stopped.
He glanced around.
No one was speaking.
...
After a while, the murmur returned.
This time, it was slightly clearer.
...
"...Guardian..."
"...Lord of the Territory..."
"...Younglings..."
...
The little snake blinked blankly.
He had no idea what was happening.
Maybe he had slept too much.
Maybe he had eaten something strange.
...
Just as he turned to leave, the voices grew louder.
This time, dozens of voices spoke at once.
...
"...Guardian..."
"...Permission..."
"...Raise our young..."
"...Safe..."
"...Here..."
...
The little snake flinched.
His head snapped upward.
The voices weren't coming from outside.
They were echoing directly inside his mind.
...
At that moment, a system window suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Conditions Met.]
[Mental communication attempts detected.]
[New Skill Acquired.]
[Telepathy]
Allows communication with nearby intelligent beings and enables the perception of thoughts they willingly share.
...
The little snake stared at the panel for a long moment.
Then he looked back at the creatures before him.
...
Silence filled the clearing.
...
Then a timid voice spoke.
This time, it was perfectly clear.
"Guardian..."
...
The little snake froze.
One of the horned deer continued.
"Will you allow us to raise our young here?"
...
The little snake simply stood there.
...
Staring blankly.
...
Then he looked at the dozens of creatures gathered before his cave.
...
And then back at the deer.
...
The deer was sweating as it waited for an answer, but relaxed when the black snake gave a small nod and retreated into its cave.
"Since when did I become a guardian?"
Name: ???
Species: Wild Demon Beast(Peak)
Bloodline: Unkown
Title: (-)
Level: 30
Statistics:
Str: 240
Hp: 320
Dex: 184
Int: 93
Unassigned Points: 0
Skills:
• Thermal Vision
• Venomous Fangs
• Boneless Jaw
• Appraisal
• Telepathy
The little snake distributed its stat points however it pleased.
A moment later, its cave collapsed on top of it.
The snake had finally realized that it had grown too large for both its cave and the forest itself.
...
The sounds of breaking trees from the depths of the forest grew more frequent with each passing day.
The black snake was far larger than it had once been.
Areas where it had once moved comfortably were now beginning to feel cramped.
Several times, careless movements had knocked over young trees.
Once, merely dragging its tail had caused a small cave to collapse.
...
It was not particularly happy about this situation.
After all, most of the creatures in its territory had already grown accustomed to its presence.
It did not want to crush them by accident.
...
After some thought, it decided to leave the area.
At least for a while.
Maybe it would find larger prey.
Or perhaps it would simply wander.
...
Thus, it began to slither away in silence.
Its enormous body left deep trails across the ground as it moved between the trees.
Several hours later, it caught an unfamiliar scent.
Humans.
...
It raised its head.
A wide dirt road stretched before it.
Tracks left behind by wagons.
The scent of humans.
The smell of iron.
The smell of sweat.
...
A trade route.
...
The snake stopped behind a large boulder.
It did not particularly dislike humans.
More accurately, it simply did not know what to do with them.
So it considered turning back.
...
At that moment, its instincts suddenly tightened.
Danger.
...
Its eyes shifted toward a figure further down the road.
A young man who appeared to be around nineteen years old.
A sword rested on his back.
He wore the uniform of the Protection Union.
...
Instinctively, the snake activated [Appraisal].
Name: Kim Mun-Jin
Species: Human
Titles: Young Master of the Mun-Jin Clan, The disciple of the immortal swordswoman, Chosen One, Blessed by everyone.
Traits: Genius among geniuses
Level: 35
Realm: First-Class Martial Artist (Peak)
Str: 350
Hp: 266
Dex: 367
Int: 113
Techniques;
Swift Step,Iron Vein Body, Mountain shattering sword, A thosund, Sword flash(Master+), A Sword Equal to Heavens(Imitation). Sword Intent(Beginner)
A.N: It suppresses cultivation progress.
The snake looked at the panel several times.
Then looked back at the young man.
...
He appeared weak.
But the numbers suggested otherwise.
...
Just as it was considering retreating, the young man suddenly turned his head and looked directly toward its hiding place.
...
Kim Mun-Jin frowned.
For a brief moment, he thought he had seen two golden eyes among the trees.
...
The snake froze.
"How did he notice me from such a great distance?"
...
The black snake had already fled.
Kim Mun-Jin stared at the forest for a few more seconds before shaking his head.
"I must have imagined it."
With that, he continued on his way.
...
The snake had already left the trade road far behind.
Humans had no interest in it.
And it had no interest in humans.
Just as it was about to return, its instincts suddenly screamed.
Danger.
The snake's head snapped toward the depths of the forest.
Far away.
Very far away.
Yet it could feel it.
An overwhelming pressure.
A blood-soaked aura was rapidly approaching.
And its direction...
The snake's pupils narrowed.
It expanded its divine senses to their limit.
Between the trees, it saw a colossal shadow.
Countless legs.
A long armored body.
Shattered plates.
Open wounds.
A Thousand-Year Centipede.
The snake's body tensed involuntarily.
It recognized this creature.
One of the forest's former rulers.
Normally, it would have turned away the moment it saw such a monster.
But something else caught its attention.
The creature was heavily wounded.
Large portions of its armor were destroyed.
Many of its legs were missing.
Greenish blood marked its path.
But that was not the problem.
The problem was where it was headed.
Straight toward the snake's territory.
For a moment, it hesitated.
Should it run?
Logic said yes.
Then it remembered the Stone-Furred Rats near its cave.
The Red-Clawed Rabbits.
The young demon beasts.
And the countless creatures that had migrated there over the past months.
If the Thousand-Year Centipede reached them...
None of them would survive.
"..."
The snake remained motionless for several seconds.
Then it changed direction.
Instead of fleeing, it lunged forward.
Its enormous body shot through the forest like a bolt of lightning.
The centipede was wounded, but it was still incredibly fast.
So the snake accelerated.
Then accelerated even more.
The distance between them slowly began to close.
On one side was a thousand-year-old monster desperately searching for prey to survive.
On the other was a black snake trying to stop it before it reached its territory.
For the first time, the forest trembled beneath the pressure of two colossal creatures.
And for the first time, the snake had a truly serious thought.
If I can't stop it before it reaches my territory...
It will destroy everything.
The Thousand-Year Centipede advanced in fury.
Its massive body uprooted trees, split the earth apart, and left a bloody trail in its wake.
Its injuries were severe.
Yet it remained terrifyingly powerful.
Ordinary demon beasts fled before it.
Some failed to escape and were crushed beneath its body.
---
The black snake continued its pursuit.
It could feel the gap in strength between them.
Under normal circumstances, even approaching would have been suicide.
But something had caught its attention.
A massive wound on the centipede's left side.
Its armor had been completely shattered.
Internal tissue was exposed.
---
"I can get in through there..."
---
The moment the thought appeared, it sped up.
The giant centipede was getting closer to its territory.
It could not wait any longer.
---
Suddenly, it launched forward.
Like a black arrow cutting through the air, it reached the centipede's side.
---
The centipede noticed it.
Hundreds of eyes looked downward at the same time.
A furious screech echoed through the forest.
---
But the snake did not stop.
It dove directly into the open wound.
---
SPLAT!
---
It plunged into blood and torn flesh.
---
The centipede began thrashing madly.
Its gigantic body slammed into the ground, shaking the forest.
Trees collapsed.
Rocks shattered.
---
But the snake was no longer outside.
---
It was inside.
---
It moved through narrow tunnels of flesh.
Warm blood coated its scales.
It could feel the creature's heartbeat.
---
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
---
Each beat sounded like a war drum.
---
Its instincts told it to retreat.
But something else had caught its attention.
---
A scent.
---
The most wonderful scent it had ever experienced.
---
Sweet.
Rich.
Irresistible.
---
Its mouth watered involuntarily.
---
"What is this?"
---
It had no idea.
But every cell in its body was telling it the same thing.
---
Eat.
---
It followed the scent.
---
Minutes later, it found the source.
---
A black core suspended among flesh and veins.
---
Golden and black lights flowed across its surface.
It resembled a living heart.
---
The snake's eyes locked onto it.
---
At that moment, the system appeared.
---
[???]
---
No further explanation.
---
Even that could not stop it.
---
It opened its mouth.
And swallowed the core in a single bite.
---
...
---
For a brief moment, everything fell silent.
---
Then the centipede's body trembled.
---
GRRRRRRAAAHHHH!!!
---
A horrifying scream echoed through the forest.
---
The centipede began convulsing violently.
The earth split apart.
Trees fell.
Even the mountainside cracked.
---
But the snake did not understand why.
---
It could only feel the warmth spreading through its body.
---
A powerful vitality flowing from its heart into every corner of its being.
---
Unlike anything it had ever consumed before.
---
As if hundreds of years of life essence had entered its body in a single bite.
---
Outside...
---
The Thousand-Year Centipede struggled one final time.
---
Then its enormous body slowly collapsed.
---
And for the first time...
One of the rulers of the forest truly died.
...
The black snake remained inside the centipede's corpse.
The warmth surrounding it continued to intensify.
The black core it had swallowed was already beginning to dissolve within its stomach.
---
This feeling...
---
It was unlike anything it had ever experienced.
Not from wild demon animals.
Not from wild demon beasts.
Nor from any prey it had hunted throughout the years.
---
It felt as though its entire body had been submerged in a warm river.
---
It felt good.
Far too good.
---
Its muscles relaxed.
Its eyes half-closed.
For the first time, it felt truly full.
---
No.
---
It was beyond fullness.
---
It was as if a missing piece of itself was finally being completed.
---
Deep within its heart, the vitality it had accumulated for so long began spinning wildly.
---
A seed.
---
That tiny seed, silent until now, finally began to appear.
---
Yin and Yang intertwined.
Life and death.
Light and darkness.
The remnants of hundreds of consumed lives.
---
All of them began merging under the power of the core.
---
The black snake was completely unaware.
---
Because it was becoming intoxicated.
---
Its body felt lighter.
As though it were drifting among the clouds.
Then...
---
The system's voice echoed.
[A massive amount of vitality is being absorbed...]
---
The snake's eyes opened slightly.
---
[Demon Seed detected.]
---
[Warning.]
---
[30 seconds remaining until Heavenly Tribulation activation.]
---
"...?"
---
The snake stared blankly.
---
Heavenly...
Tribulation?
---
What did that mean?
---
The system did not answer.
---
The sky did.
---
BOOOOOOOOM!!
---
The entire forest shook.
---
The snake raised its head.
---
For the first time...
It felt fear.
---
The sky was darkening.
---
No.
---
It was not the clouds becoming dark.
---
The clouds themselves seemed to be breaking apart.
---
Black clouds stretching for miles began to rotate.
---
A colossal vortex formed in the heavens.
---
Lightning appeared.
---
Blue.
Gold.
Purple.
Crimson.
Black.
---
Each one slithered through the sky like a living serpent.
---
The snake's scales stood on end.
---
Its instincts were screaming.
---
RUN.
---
RUN.
---
RUN NOW.
---
But there was nowhere to go.
---
The system spoke again.
---
[Nine Great Heavenly Tribulations detected.]
---
[Calculating survival probability...]
---
[...]
---
[Error.]
---
[No data available.]
---
"..."
---
For the first time, even the system had no answer.
---
The vortex in the sky grew larger.
---
Creatures throughout the forest began fleeing in terror.
---
Stone-Furred Rats.
Red-Clawed Rabbits.
Young Demon Beasts.
---
They all felt the same thing.
---
What was approaching was worse than death.
---
And it wasn't only the animals.
---
Even humans miles away noticed the sky.
---
Kim Mun-Jin stood frozen, staring upward.
---
"What is that...?"
---
He had never seen anything like it.
---
The sky was now completely sealed.
---
As if heaven itself had become enraged.
---
The snake lay curled upon the ground, breathing heavily.
---
The intoxication faded.
---
Something else replaced it.
---
Fear.
---
Pure fear.
---
And at that moment...
The first lightning bolt opened its eyes.
---
Nine Tribulations.
Nine Judgments.
Nine Deaths.
---
And the first one was about to descend.
...
To be continued...