Fire Mage

Chapter 629: Serpent

Then, two notifications flashed in his vision:

’Shadowsteps’ and ’Umbral Veil’.

Charles narrowed his eyes. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’Even Eye of Runes can’t find its trace? Tsk.’

He blinked again and focused on the twenty possible futures unfolding before his eyes.

They flickered, twisted, then converged on one.

’Five seconds. Shadow tendrils will burst from the nearby trees—fifty of them—binding me completely.’ A glimpse of the Nightstalker’s position flared into his foresight.

His instincts roared to life. He had five seconds.

No time to think—only act.

Charles entered a deep state of concentration, readying the [Finger of Destruction] spell again. He focused on a specific point—where the Nightstalker would be.

The shadows around him darkened, thickened.

And then—just as predicted—dozens of shadow tendrils exploded from nearby trees, whipping toward him.

But he was already gone.

[False Blink] triggered, his form slipping into a crimson blur that danced past the entangling shadows.

He reappeared behind the Nightstalker, poised to strike. Flames—deep and chaotic—gathered in his palm, fury swirling at his fingertips.

As the panther turned, his hand shot forward, unleashing the [Finger of Destruction].

A lance of fire surged toward the beast—but it vanished again, twisting through the dark with unnatural grace.

The spell struck only air.

Charles didn’t falter. With a flick of his wrist, he launched a barrage of [Fireballs], each infused with chaotic flame. They exploded on impact, flooding the area in fire, momentarily blinding the Nightstalker.

Seizing the opening, Charles activated his Rebirth Domain, slowing time around them.

Within that warped space, he lunged. The False Field spell enhanced his speed, and his body blurred toward the beast.

Spells danced from his fingertips—flames coiling to restrict the Nightstalker’s movement. As it struggled, he cast [Soul Shock], unleashing soul fire that surged into the beast’s core, halting its movement.

He closed in as the creature shuddered, fighting off the restraints. Charles slipped in front of it, eyes glowing.

He took a slow breath, steady.

Then—[Burning Thoughts].

The spell tore into the panther’s mind, fogging its focus, burning its thoughts. The beast stumbled, dazed.

In that precise moment, Charles cast [Finger of Destruction] again.

A thunderclap of flame burst forth.

The Nightstalker’s body jerked violently, a fist-sized hole erupting through its forehead.

The battlefield fell silent.

Then—thud.

Its massive body collapsed. The earth trembled beneath its weight, and a heavy stillness settled in.

Charles stood over the corpse, firelight flickering around him, breath steady.

Then, a notification blinked before him:

[3 wisdom points obtained!]

’Oh? Didn’t expect to get three wisdom points for a Pseudo-Legend... How much would I get for a real Legendary Beast?’

But he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. This fight had gone smoothly only because of preparation and foresight.

’A Nightmare Wolf could adapt to my spells. I might end up vulnerable next time.’

He shook the thought aside and approached the corpse. Drawing a sharp knife from his space ring, he began skinning it with practiced efficiency.

Once done, he dissected it, reaching into the chest cavity and pulling out a blackish crystal, roughly the size of a head.

’Perfect... No, this is a Fairy Rank Crystal.’

He studied the crystal closely, eyes narrowing.

’Shadow essence? There are spell model imprints, too...’

His mind wandered to a familiar name.

’I should give this to Runeth. He’ll analyze it.’

Pocketing the crystal, Charles began moving once more. This time, he didn’t unleash his wisdom power recklessly. Every step was deliberate.

He moved in a random direction, guided only by instinct. His goal was clear: seek the Star Totems.

Eventually, he neared a tranquil lake. The water shimmered under the golden light, the serenity washing over him like a balm. Yet his eyes remained sharp.

Then, something caught his gaze—an ancient structure rising amidst the untouched wilderness.

A temple.

At first glance, it looked like mere ruins. But as he drew closer, the faded carvings told a different story. It had endured.

Intricate patterns of snakes curled across the stone, whispering of forgotten rites and ancient deities.

Charles stepped toward the entrance, the heavy wooden doors weathered but firm. Snake patterns curled along their surface, aged yet eerily alive.

’A temple of the Snake Deity?’

He crossed the threshold.

Inside, shadows clung to the walls. The air smelled of dust, incense, and memory.

At the heart of the sanctum stood a crystalline statue of a woman.

She appeared to be in her twenties, with long, curling hair, each strand carved with precision.

In the heart of the sacred sanctorum, Charles beheld an awe-inspiring sight—a crystalline statue of a young woman, exquisitely sculpted and ethereal in beauty. Though frozen in stillness, she stood tall and commanding, radiating an aura of enchantment that drew his gaze like a magnet.

She seemed suspended between youth and maturity, her age hovering somewhere in her twenties or thirties. Cascading over her shoulders, abundant curls resembled serpents in their sinuous grace, adding an air of mystery to her already enigmatic visage.

Charles’s gaze rose to meet hers—and found himself staring into a pair of gemstone-like eyes, their depths swirling with a kaleidoscope of color. Rainbows seemed to dance within them, shimmering with a beauty that felt almost alive, as if peering into another realm.

Her expression, carved with serene elegance, emanated an ancient wisdom—silent, knowing, timeless.

The statue wore a flowing gown that draped to the floor, each fold seemingly shaped by divine hands. The intricate design was etched into the crystalline surface with breathtaking precision, accentuating her slender figure and lending her an otherworldly regality.

After a long pause, Charles tore his eyes away and examined the murals and inscriptions adorning the walls. He didn’t recognize the language, but his Rune Eye activated, attempting to decode it.

’Hmm, my Rune Eye isn’t strong enough to decipher this one... I managed to read the writing at Violet’s house because it originated from Earth, even if I couldn’t identify the exact language or family. But this... This is completely foreign. It has no connection to Nether, Rune, or any Edhen World language.’

He shook his head with a quiet sigh and turned to the altar behind the crystalline statue. Ten unique, empty bowls were arranged in order atop the stone table. But what caught his attention—what truly unsettled him—was the small blackish egg resting at the center. It looked sinister, as if pulsing with dormant life.

"Some kind of resurrection ritual?" he muttered aloud, instinctively stepping back. He decided not to disturb it.

With quiet steps, he exited the ruined temple and resumed his exploration. Though he encountered three more Pseudo-Legend Rank Magical Beasts along the way, they posed no real threat. He defeated them easily—and gained something unusual in the process.

’These elemental stones have strange spell imprints... No—there’s something alive inside. A lifeform made of pure essence?’

The thought struck him with sudden clarity.

’Could it be...? Star Totems?’

Eyes wide, Charles pressed on, the implications churning in his mind. He began actively hunting more Pseudo-Legendary Magical Beasts. By the time he brought down the eighth, seven hours had passed.

’Only two hours left.’

His gaze turned toward the distant mountain range—his next destination: the waterfalls.

’That’s where I sensed the strongest presence earlier.’

As he neared the waterfalls nestled deep within the mountains, the air turned cool and moist. Mist clung to his skin, and the roaring sound of crashing water echoed all around, reverberating like the heartbeat of the land itself.

Towering waterfalls came into view, cascading from high cliffs in torrents. The waters pounded the rocks below with a thunderous grace, sending up spray like fogged crystal dust. Charles moved forward, undeterred, his every step driven by unwavering resolve.

The moment he entered the area, an unfamiliar energy washed over him, sharp and electric. His skin tingled. His breath quickened.

Then, it emerged.

From within the churning currents, a creature slithered forth with fluid elegance—an enormous serpent, breathtaking in its majesty.

Roughly 40 to 50 meters long, its massive form rivaled the girth of an elephant. Crystalline green scales shimmered in the sunlight, each reflecting fragmented rainbows. Its gem-like eyes gleamed with shifting hues, radiant and mesmerizing.

Charles narrowed his eyes. He noticed the creature’s neck bore a unique marking—a monocellate hooded pattern, as if embroidered from emerald silk. The detail was intricate, purposeful, almost divine.

’Chinese Dragon... No. A winged serpent,’ he whispered, breath catching in his throat—not because of its beauty, but because of its power.

This was no ordinary beast.

It was a True Legend Rank Magical Beast.

’Come closer, my child.’

A whisper echoed through the air—soft, nearly inaudible, yet impossibly alluring. Something in the tone tugged at him. He stepped forward, unthinking.

No... His mind stirred with sudden alarm.

He realized too late—he had already fallen under a bloodline spell. An enchantment designed not to harm, but to control.

’Damn... it’s influencing my mind without my knowledge!’

Even as the thought flickered, his will slipped away, strings of his consciousness yanked like a marionette’s. He moved forward, no longer of his own volition.

The serpent responded to his approach. With coiled grace, it slipped away from the falls and slithered towards him, moving in silence like a flowing river of green crystal.

It halted before him, head high, body hovering above the earth. Its scales shimmered in radiant light, forming ripples of color as it slowly wrapped its midsection into the air—forming a floating circle that enclosed Charles like a serpent’s embrace.

The serpent’s eyes locked onto his, boring deep—not into flesh, but into memory.

Then came the forked tongue.

Glistening with dark venom, it slithered around his neck. A faint touch. A subtle pressure.

And then—agony.

A dark liquid, born from pure darkness essence, surged into his body. It raced through his veins and pierced into the deepest part of him—his mind.

And in the same moment, the serpent cast its bloodline ability.

It invaded his memories.

It scoured his past, clawing through the events that had shaped him, digging out every buried fear, every hidden vulnerability.