Odyssey of the Renegade Sovereign

Each step he took felt heavier, and the ground was nonstop trembling from the shockwave of the two powerful entities. Trees swaying and getting uprooted, shaken loose by the thunderous clash between Baldoc and the serpent far behind. The very air seemed charged, divine light colliding with venomous darkness, and it clawed at his skin.

'That old man… Baldoc. What kind of monster is he?'

Astrael's teeth clenched as he ran, dodging obstacles on the path. One punch made the earth split. And what was that skill, Sacred Slash… It was so much powerful I thought it would end the serpent right there. But it didn't. Even his power isn't absolute…

Clawdia bounded beside him, occasionally glancing back with a low, anxious growl.

"I know, girl… I know," Astrael muttered through ragged breaths. "That fight… It's beyond us. If I stay anywhere close, I'll just be crushed like an ant."

He forced himself to keep running, even as his chest burned. His mind, however, refused to quiet. 'Basilisk bloodline… divine sword… Churches… beasts… It's all so much bigger than I thought. And me? I'm just running. A mere pawn of the grand scheme of this world.'

His jaw tightened, a raw ember of anger sparking in his gut. No. I won't stay like this. I need power. Enough power that even a monster like Baldoc… would have to look at me twice.

But as he pushed through dense brushwood, his body froze. His breath hitched.

Because ahead, looming in the darkness, a massive silhouette was running away, blocking the path entirely.

Astrael's breath caught as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Just 12 meters ahead, slithering weakly through the ground, was the same white serpent but in a smaller form. And it was continuously bleeding. At first, he was confused.

'Appraise'

[Target: White serpent]

[Tier: 4 (2)]

[Level: 260 (30)]

[Threat: High]

[Status: Injured, Cursed, Weak]

[Note: The White Serpent, bearing a faint trace of the Basilisk bloodline, was cursed by a mage in its early years. Recently injured in battle, it is now weakened from the toll of a forbidden secret technique. Despite its frailty, its innate resilience and latent bloodline powers may still surface unpredictably.]

An invisible sweat started coming out from Astrael's temple. Its once-mountainous form was now compressed, its body no thicker than a carriage. Scales once gleaming like steel were cracked and dull, streaked with venom

It dragged itself forward in a slithering way. Each movement was forced labour, and its forked tongue flicked out sluggishly. And now Astrael noticed, the forest trembled no longer. This was no longer the untouchable juggernaut that had shattered the earth with its tail.

'But how did it get so much smaller, and what is meant by cursed?'

Astrael was confused and shocked. Astrael crouched low behind a jagged boulder, Clawdia silent at his side, silver fur blending into shadow. His pulse hammered in his ears,

But with fear, an opportunity to become strong also came to his mind. If he kills the serpent, he will get many powerful abilities through his Plunder talent.

His hand instinctively gripped his weapon, knuckles whitening. If I kill it now, I gain not only its soul energy… but maybe more. Skills. Bloodline traits. Power.

The thought dug into him, intoxicating, burning. But so did fear. What if it notices me? Even like this… one strike could end me. And Baldoc—what if he's still watching? Would he stop me?

Clawdia pressed her head lightly against his hand, her low growl vibrating through his bones, as if urging him forward.

Astrael swallowed hard, eyes narrowing. "This… this might be my only chance," he whispered, barely audible even to himself.

Then, blade in hand, he began to move through the shadows, step by cautious step, toward the weakened serpent.

The white serpent lowly hissed as he dragged his body desperately of its broken body desperately through the brush.

Astrael crouched low, his blade trembling in his grip. One chance. If I strike wrong, if I hesitate, if it even senses me… I'll be fucked. Real one

Astrael slowly, with shallow breadth, walked silently in stealth mode. Suddenly, a twig snapped underfoot, and he froze.

The serpent's head lifted suddenly, glowing blue eyes burning faintly in the dark. Its tongue flicked. Astrael's heart slammed against his ribs so violently he thought it might burst. But after a tense moment, the beast slumped back down, slithering toward the safe area.

Close. Too close.

Clawdia slinked ahead, her paws silent, circling wide like liquid shadow, her silver eyes locked on the beast. She stopped, glanced back at him, as if to say: Now.

Astrael carefully stepped forward. Sweat slid down the side of his face. His hand flexed tighter around the hilt. He lowered himself further, inching closer, feeling each breath echo inside his skull.

And silently activated the blood berserker skill and all the skills in his arsenal.

This is it.

He drew in one last breath, then burst from the shadows—

"HYAAAH!"

His blade flashed in the moonlight as he slashed, every ounce of his strength poured into the downward arc aimed at the serpent's exposed, cracked scale at its neck. The beast jerked suddenly, its body coiling with surprising speed, but Astrael's strike was already in motion—unstoppable, reckless, desperate.

The steel edge met flesh with a flesh, yet at the same instant, the serpent's single unblinking eye snapped wide open, glowing with raw fury.

The forest itself seemed to be still as Astrael felt its killing intent erupt around him, suffocating, as if the air had come to a standstill.

---------

The streets of the City trembled with anxiety as the rumbling sound grew louder and nearer with each second. The peaceful night was suddenly disrupted into chaos. People quickly shut their doors, children cried and were hurried by their mothers through tight alleys as bells rang out around the walls.

On the eastern ramparts, Captain Roderic stood firm, gripping his sword. His keen eyes scanned the walls, where archers and spearmen trembled as tremors shook beneath their feet. "Form up! Shields to the front! Archers, prepare to fire, do not shoot until I signal!" His commanding voice pierced through the panic, steady against the storm.