Chapter 14: The Super Beast

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The moonlight bathed the nocturnal forest, its tranquility shattered entirely.

"A snake? That massive?"

Rhodes paused, his eyes igniting with a fervent, unspoken excitement.

Not far away, a colossal serpent slithered into view, demolishing rocks and trees in its path. The monstrous creature carved a path through the forest, leaving chaos in its wake. Its body stretched an imposing 20 to 30 meters long, with a girth the size of a water barrel. Its dark green scales, each as large as a grown man's hand, glistened ominously under the moonlight. Its triangular head bore golden vertical pupils, exuding an aura of cold menace.

No wonder the other beasts were fleeing at such speed—this apex predator's presence alone was terrifying.

Given its size and strength, any prey caught in its coils—whether black apes or wild boars—would undoubtedly be crushed to death in mere moments.

---

"How is it *you*?"

Nia, panting and disheveled, stopped abruptly upon seeing Rhodes by a campfire. Her expression shifted instantly.

Without hesitation, she changed direction mid-stride, kicking off hard against the ground. Her lithe frame twisted as she veered away, clearly intent on avoiding dragging him into her predicament.

Yet after running a few meters, something felt off.

"Damn it!"

She skidded to a stop and glanced back, her face contorting in alarm.

The snake had abandoned her and was now slithering directly toward Rhodes.

"This idiot! Who in their right mind sets up a barbecue this late at night? Does he think he's hosting a campfire party?"

The tantalizing aroma of Rhodes's roasted feast had evidently drawn the serpent's attention.

Cursing under her breath, Nia pivoted and sprinted back toward the scene. With a powerful leap, she vaulted into the air, her iron staff trailing a whistling arc through the night before smashing into the serpent's thick body.

**Bang!**

Despite the creature's seemingly impenetrable scales, Nia's strike managed to crack a few, leaving behind a swollen, reddened area on its flesh.

However, that was the extent of the damage.

Her attack only served to enrage the beast.

---

**Whoosh!**

The serpent's enormous tail swept toward her with incredible force, the sheer pressure kicking up a violent gust of wind. A direct hit from this tail would shatter walls and split the ground, leaving devastation in its wake.

Understanding this, Nia activated her mastery of movement.

"*Shave!*"

In an instant, her figure blurred and vanished, leaving only fractured earth behind.

The serpent's tail crashed down a moment later.

**Boom!**

The impact resembled a meteor strike, the ground quaking violently. Waves of energy radiated outward, sending debris and dirt flying. A jagged fissure extended outward from the point of impact.

"Close call…"

Nia wiped the sweat off her brow, breathing heavily.

---

This situation was beyond frustrating.

She had been resting peacefully when the tree she had perched on suddenly snapped under the weight of this colossal snake. Instinctively, she had attacked it out of irritation, landing a solid blow. Unfortunately, that had provoked the serpent's wrath, initiating a relentless chase.

Her survival hinged on her agility and mastery of the Navy's Six Powers, particularly the explosive movement technique, *Shave.* Even so, she had barely managed to escape its wrath multiple times.

---

Meanwhile, back in the monitoring room, Fisherman Haku frowned as he observed the events unfold.

"Rhodes? That's reckless."

Ordinary humans couldn't hope to match the strength of such a beast unless they possessed overwhelming power capable of inflicting fatal injuries.

Nearby, Koala, however, chuckled softly.

"This is what it means to be a true swordsman," she said.

Swordsmen in this world were notoriously proud and self-assured, wholly committed to their blade and their path. They believed in their sword's ability to conquer all obstacles—a belief especially strong among young prodigies like Rhodes.

---

At the scene, Rhodes stood unflinching, gazing up at the towering serpent. Its upper body alone, when raised, reached the height of a multi-story building, making Rhodes appear insignificant in comparison.

In most cases, anyone standing before such a titan would be overcome with dread.

But Rhodes wasn't like most people.

His eyes scanned the serpent, studying it intently—not with fear, but with the scrutinizing gaze of a butcher examining meat, deciding where to make the first cut.

"What a pity… It met me," Rhodes muttered, shaking his head slightly.

---

**Crackle!**

Electric arcs danced across his body as the air filled with the sound of crackling energy.

In an instant, his entire frame was engulfed in lightning, transforming him into a radiant blue silhouette that illuminated the dark forest.

"What the hell? Lightning powers?"

Nia, mid-step toward the serpent, froze in shock, her mouth slightly agape.

Before she could react further, Rhodes crouched low.

**Boom!**

The ground beneath him shattered as he launched himself skyward, a wave of displaced earth scattering around him. His form blurred into a streak of light as he ascended above the serpent.

Lightning surged from his body, condensing around his sword into a massive blade of pure energy—five meters long and crackling with untamed power.

Suspended in midair, Rhodes brandished the massive lightning-infused blade above the serpent's head.

"What is this…"

Below, Nia stood dumbfounded.

The boy before her, bathed in the brilliance of his own power, looked nothing short of divine. In that moment, he appeared less like a mortal and more like an avatar of heavenly wrath, ready to unleash divine retribution upon the earth.

(End of Chapter)

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