"What's up?"
Lucia caught Kurose Akira's odd stare and tilted her head curiously.
"Nothing."
Kurose Akira waved it off fast—he sure as hell wasn't telling her his tongue was supercharged, wanna test it tonight~?
"Really?"
"Yep yep!"
Ahem~
Kurose Akira coughed dryly to cover the awkwardness, eyes darting everywhere.
Still, he felt it—his tongue had changed.
More… flexible!
Slurp slurp~
"Something's stirring underwater!" Carmilla piped up suddenly.
Lakebed churned violently; massive water jets rocketed skyward, hundreds of meters tall.
"What the—?"
Marei Rhein blinked in confusion, wings beating swift to dodge an incoming geyser.
The assault didn't quit—more jets hammered relentlessly, trying to pin her over the lake.
"Annoying!" Marei Rhein scowled, roaring a blast of searing dragonbreath.
Pillars shattered into mist, veiling the sky.
"Watch out—another Death Serpent lurks below!" Lucia's voice rang clear.
"Another one?"
Kurose Akira's brow knit tight at her warning, expression hardening.
He triggered half-dragonization on instinct, scales sheathing every muscle.
Thanks to [XX! Fusion!] trait, he stuck to Marei Rhein's back like glue—no matter her wild maneuvers.
Lucia lacked that, so Kurose Akira scooped her into his arms, securing her tight.
Carmilla, clutch as ever, unfurled cherry-red bat wings, hovering steady.
"Found it!"
Kurose Akira's eyes tracked the surface—hundreds-meter serpent roiling beneath.
Its scales oozed black mana, chilling to the bone!
[Death Serpent (Epic)]
Level: 79 (?/63200)
Race: Giant Serpent
Strength: 2102 / Agility: 1865 / Magic: 1352 / Constitution: 2687
Growth: 10 (10 all-stats per level)
Skills: (Expand)
Traits: [?][?]
"Level 79!?"
Kurose Akira's face darkened at the level.
He'd questioned the warning before, but here was the real threat.
One arm locked around Lucia, the other summoned a blue thunderbird.
He hurled it lakeward.
The bird screeched, plunging in.
Lightning blanketed the lake; currents split into hundreds of thunderbirds, surging at the serpent.
But his spell barely scratched—Thunder Crystal and Thunderfire Rod buffs couldn't pierce those armored scales. Myriad birds left faint scars, no real damage.
"Ultra-tier magic not cutting it?"
Kurose Akira's brow locked. Level 79 beasts screamed B+ or A-rank quests.
Good thing the goal wasn't killing this one.
"We—"
Before he could brief, Carmilla struck first.
Her icy snarl echoed: "My new outfit, you bastard! You're dead!"
Blood claw materialized midair, slamming lakeward under her command.
Boom!
Impact vaporized the lake to nothingness; the hidden serpent surfaced fully.
Hundreds meters long, scales deep green ringed in dark gold—each pulsing black mana barrier, shrugging off her hit.
"This aura…" Lucia eyed it, puzzlement flickering—memory stirring.
"What?" Kurose Akira noted, probing.
"Records say it drank demigod blood, but no source named." Lucia explained. "Looks like Black Radiance Dragon blood."
"Black Radiance Dragon?" Kurose Akira's gaze sharpened on the beast.
Post-death, its corpse shards scattered—Carmilla snagging a drop wasn't wild.
"Way stronger than level peers. Stay sharp." Lucia cautioned, urging him to warn Carmilla.
Post-lake wipe, she'd winged straight at it.
"Got it."
Kurose Akira nodded, signaling her.
Carmilla scoffed: "Fat snake? Piece of cake! Brat, scared? Stay back—watch this progenitor hunt!"
Red streak—she dive-bombed.
Boom!
Blood mist bloomed.
Countless blood claws shredded like blades, raking the serpent's bulk.
In breaths, gashes wept crimson; gore fueled her claws for more devastation.
Kurose Akira hadn't pegged her for melee?
Not pure physical—blood magic.
"Die!"
Claws flew, blood-infused, nigh shredding the beast apart.
Death looming, serpent panicked—maw belched thick black fog, blocking and fleeing.
"Run? Dream on!"
Carmilla merciless; claws merged"What's up?"
Lucia caught Kurose Akira's odd stare and tilted her head curiously.
"Nothing."
Kurose Akira waved it off fast—he sure as hell couldn't say, My tongue's super OP now, wanna test it tonight~
"Really?"
"Yep yep!"
Ahem~
Kurose Akira coughed dryly, dodging the awkwardness, eyes darting everywhere.
He did feel a change, though.
His tongue… way more nimble!
Slurp slurp~
"Something's stirring underwater!" Carmilla piped up suddenly.
Lakebed churned violently—massive water jets rocketed skyward, hundreds of meters tall.
"What the—?"
Marei Rhein blinked in confusion, banking wings to evade the nearest geyser.
The assault didn't quit. More pillars hammered up, like they aimed to pin her over the lake.
"Annoying!" Marei Rhein scowled, roaring a blast of searing dragonbreath.
Pillars shattered into mist clouds, veiling the sky.
"Careful, everyone—another Death Serpent lurks below!" Lucia's voice rang out.
"Another one?"
Kurose Akira's brow locked at her warning, face hardening.
He triggered half-dragonization on instinct, scales sheathing every muscle.
Thanks to [XX! Fusion!] trait, he stuck to Marei's back like glue—no matter her wild maneuvers.
Lucia lacked that, so he scooped her tight into his arms for safety.
Carmilla, clutch as ever, unfurled cherry-red bat wings, hovering steady.
"Found it!"
Kurose Akira's eyes tracked the surface—hundreds-meter serpent roiling beneath.
Its scales oozed black mana, chills-inducing!
[Death Serpent (Epic)]
Level: 79 (?/63200)
Race: Giant Serpent
Strength: 2102 / Agility: 1865 / Magic: 1352 / Constitution: 2687
Growth: 10 (10 all-stats per level)
Skills: (Expand)
Traits: [?][?]
"Level 79!?"
Kurose Akira's expression darkened at the level.
Quest warning made sense now—not the first one, this beast.
One arm locked around Lucia, the other summoned a blue thunderbird.
He hurled it at the lake serpent.
The bird screeched, diving in.
Lightning blanketed the lake—hundreds of thunderbirds surging at the serpent.
But his spell barely scratched. Thunder Crystal and Thunderfire Rod buffs couldn't pierce those iron scales. Birds left faint scars, no real damage.
"Ultra-tier magic too weak now?"
Kurose Akira frowned deep.
Level 79 meant B+ or A-rank quests.
Quest wasn't kill, though.
"We—"
Before he could brief, Carmilla struck first.
Her icy snarl echoed: "My new outfit, you bastard! You're dead!"
Blood claw solidified midair, then slammed lakeward under her control.
Boom!
Impact vaporized the lake to nothingness. The hidden serpent surfaced.
Hundreds meters long, scales deep green ringed in dark gold—each oozing black mana barrier, shrugging her hit.
"This aura…" Lucia eyed it, puzzlement flickering—memory stirring.
"What?" Kurose Akira noted, probing.
"Records say Death Serpent ate demigod blood, but no source named." Lucia explained. "Looks like Black Radiance Dragon blood."
"Black Radiance Dragon?" Kurose Akira's gaze sharpened on the beast.
Post-death, its corpse shards scattered—Carmilla snagging a drop? Plausible.
"Way stronger than level peers. Stay sharp." Lucia warned, urging him to alert Carmilla.
She'd lake-nuked and was divebombing wings-out.
"Got it."
Kurose Akira nodded, signaling warning.
Carmilla scoffed mid-dive. "Fat snake? Child's play! Brat, scared? Stay back—progenitor'll bag it!"
Red streak—she slammed in.
Boom!
Bloodmist bloomed.
Countless blood claws like blades shredded the serpent.
Seconds in, gashes wept crimson—fueling her claws for more carnage.
Kurose Akira hadn't pegged her melee specialist?
Not pure physical—blood magic.
"Die!"
Claws flew, bloodmagic-charged, near-shredding the colossal frame.
Death looming, serpent panicked—maw belching thick black fog to block and flee.
"Escape? Dream on!"
Carmilla merciless: claws merged to massive blood hands, vise-gripping the tail for fresh pummeling.
"This girl… that strong?"
Kurose Akira gawked.
Level 1!
Her stats tied to his, sure—but overkill.
Level 79 beast, toyed with?
"Gets it…"
Lucia broke his thoughts. "She's suppressing its mana source via blood control—that Black Radiance demigod drop. Can't flex full power."
"Plus, burning some blood for massive boost."
"Burning blood?"
Kurose Akira checked her panel: stats skyrocketed, his buffs pushing all past 1000!
Serpent's blood suppressed, down to <30% power.
Result: Carmilla curb-stomping.
Soon, serpent mangled bloody—white bone peeking through red horror.
"Just a dead snake!"
Carmilla sneered, prepping blood-drain finisher.
Finger-blood poised—serpent erupted black fog, swallowing her whole.
"Bad!"
Carmilla sensed doom, wings-flared retreat.
Fog cleared: struggling serpent… transformed.
Body rotted fast—skin/scales sloughing, bones bared. Dried husk, coiled lifeless on cracked bed.
"That fog?"
Kurose Akira clocked weirdness, pulling Carmilla's panel.
New debuff: [Death Erosion]!
[Death Erosion: Cursed by Death Goddess. Unit dies in ? days! (?)]
"?"
Kurose Akira's face set grim.
Death Goddess curse? Not simple—timeline blanked, extra unknown.
Negative status either way—purge ASAP.
"Rhein, to her." Kurose Akira ordered. Marei rocketed over.
"Cough cough cough~ Sneaky bastard!" Carmilla hacked, knowing the fog's game.
"You're cursed!"
"Know it!"
Carmilla gritted fangs, crimson eyes whirling, then: "Relax—progenitor's got suppression. Trivial for vampire prime!"
"You good?"
"'Course!" Chin high, smug. "Worst? Nap decades. No biggie!"
"…"
Kurose Akira speechless.
Sleep? Wasted recruitment!
Gotta lift it quick.
"Human!"
Carmilla inhaled deep, hands on hips, fang-grin proud: "Progenitor badass, right?"
"…"
Kurose Akira paused, then: "Yeah."
"Heehee!"
"No chit-chat—check the corpse." Lucia cut in.
Eyes hit the rotten husk on the bed.
Stench wafted; black wisps lingered.
"Why Death Goddess curse?" Kurose Akira landed, quizzing Lucia.
"Dunno. Name's Death Serpent—maybe linked?" Lucia shrugged, origins fuzzy.
"Human brat, look!"
"What?" Kurose Akira peered.
Carmilla beckoned—a black-gold blood drop from the corpse.
Grinning smug: "Demigod blood—huge for you!"
"?"
Kurose Akira puzzled. "Not taking it?"
"Pfft~ Progenitor scoffs at low-tier swill. Demon Mother's only worthy sip!" Scorn-laugh, she flicked it over. "Yours."
"Thanks."
He caught/secured it, stowing carefully.
Eyes back to husk.
Demigod blood gone—body crumbled to fragments, airborne dust.
Post-fade: silver hair gleamed coldly in view.
"That?"
Kurose Akira scooped it quick.
[? Silver Hair: ??]
"All unknowns?"
Probed—no name, stats blank.
"This hair…"
Lucia, Carmilla, Marei Rhein's gazes locked on it.
Kurose Akira looked up: "Know its origins?"
Marei's eyes hungered, hand out: "Human, gimme. Prime treasure-vault material!"
Kurose Akira hesitated—dragon-coveted? No ordinary.
Lucia pondered, chin-rub serious: "If memory serves… Medusa Queen's silver hair."
"Medusa Queen's hair?"
Kurose Akira eyed it.
Texture: upper humanoid, lower serpentine—coiled motif…