Ambush!
With seven minutes left,
'Alright. I'm practically there. But...'
The space separating the Venomous Snake from the Forest was the densest in living beings so far.
Snakes, Scorpions, and Lizards, wandered in and out of the Forest.
Every couple of seconds though,
Kiii-
'Another one gone.'
Hawks and Eagles would descend, picking up prey from the ground.
'Shit... Should I wait for all of them to have picked something to eat? If I keep waiting this way, I'll definitely run out of time!'
Seconds passed, and a Desert Iguana approached the Venomous Snake.
The latter was hidden under the sand, and did not want to draw attention to itself.
The Desert Iguana moved while turning its head from left to right.
'Ugh. Dangling them in front of me...'
On his Grand Quest to becoming a Dragon, growing legs would bring Samael a step closer.
But now wasn't the time.
He opened his mouth slowly and,
Paralysing Spit-
From its fangs, a paralyzing substance was shot towards the Desert Iguana's eyes.
The latter sneezed. One second later,
Kiii-
'Serves you right, motherfucker!' The Venomous Snake cursed internally as the Desert Iguana was picked up by a Hawk. 'Fuck that was scary... Too close. Way too close...'
The Paralyzing Spit was a Skill that had been obtained after a Bodily Alteration.
Apart from that Bodily Alteration, three others.
At the end of the Venomous Snake's tail, a wicked stinger that belonged to the Common Scorpions.
Its tongue had been modified too. Able to stretch and inflict poison now.
Its scales were coated, rendering them poisonous at the touch.
'Shit...'
Three minutes left.
Little progress had been made.
The Venomous Snake's patience was starting to thin out.
A meter forward and to the right, a Desert Horned Lizard.
The Venomous Snake licked its lips.
Paralyzing Spit-
Frightened, the Desert Horned Lizard immediately started running forward!
Before it could get away,
Kiii-
Snatch-
But unlike the times before,
Paralyzing Spit-
'FUCK YEAH!' The Venomous Snake shouted internally as the paralyzing poison hit the Eagle's eye.
The latter lost its balance and fell onto the sand.
It rolled due to its momentum, only to find three Paralysing Snakes waiting for it!
Immediately, the three bit the Eagle and wrapped themselves around its much larger body.
The Eagle screeched!
Three Snakes had shown themselves, which made the hungry Hawks and Eagles that had been watching from above descend.
'Chance!'
The Venomous Snake, using the rucks as a cover, started moving forward!
'Faster! Faster!' It slithered forward!
The first tree was only twelve meters ahead!
But suddenly, it stopped.
High up on a tree, a Vulture watched.
The Venomous Snake's body froze.
With tiny movements, it hid itself below the sand once more.
2 minutes left.
1 minute left.
30 seconds left!
15 seconds left!
Finally! The Vulture moved!
'FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!'
The Venomous Snake slithered forward as fast as it could!
7 seconds left!
'FUCK!'
It crossed the first tree.
Only ten meters left!
6 Seconds!
5 Seconds!
Doubt that it might not reach.
Anxiety!
Fear!
4 Seconds!
3 Seconds!
2 Seconds!
Out of reach.
'FUCKKK!' Samael cursed internally.
Becoming a Snakelet?? Again??
The next second,
Kiii-
'What...? WHAT?'
[You have Cleared your First Challenger Mode Quest!]
[Congratulations!]
[As a Reward, you can...]
'WHAT THE FUCK!' Samael shouted internally, as he passed countless trees.
Around his body, a Hawk's sharp talons.
'After I did everything to avoid this!! The fucker came from behind!! What the hell??'
The Venomous Snake's eyes narrowed and it instinctively wrapped itself around the Hawk's legs.
'FUCK YOU!!'
Simultaneously, fangs and stinger pierced the Hawk's body. Fangs from the right, and stinger from the left.
The Hawk screeched as Venom entered its body from two different spots.
'Serves you right!!' The Venomous Snake thought as it bit down and injected as much Venom as it could.
But the Hawk was much larger. It wouldn't fall as quickly as the Common Toads did.
The fangs left the Hawk's body and,
Paralyzing Spit-
The Hawk veered to the left before,
CRASH-
Bam-
'ARGHH-'
[You have lost 4 Health Points.]
'Really? He's the one who freaking hit that tree. Just falling did this much damage?' The dizzy Venomous Snake thought to itself.
Less than a meter way, lay the fallen Hawk.
'Guess it snapped its neck. Fuck yeah!'
The Venomous Snake looked around.
The middle of the Forest? How vast was it in the first place, Samael did not know.
'Let's hide for now.' He thought.
Just beyond the fallen Hawk was a thick bush.
The Venomous Snake bit into its body, and dragged towards that bush.
'Shit... Heavy!'
It lay under the bush for a bit, unmoving to make sure nothing was approaching.
'Only took a couple of seconds for the pain to dissipate. Guess that's thanks to that Passive Skill, huh?'
[Sublime Health Point Regeneration[A]: Regenerates 5% of your Max Health Points every 5 seconds.]
'That doesn't seem like a lot, but for a huge Dragon, that would be...' Samael's enthusiasm and excitement started surging high but, 'Gotta get there first. For now, 5% is half a Health Point. Now...'
The Venomous Snake's gaze turned towards the Hawk by its side.
'How do I eat this?'
[You have defeated a Hawk!]
'Only died now?'
[You have gained 120 Experience Points!]
[You have Leveled Up!]
[Every Stat increases by 0.2 Stat Points!]
[You have Leveled Up!]
[Every Stat increases by 0.2 Stat Points!]
[You have Leveled Up!]
[Every Stat increases by 0.2 Stat Points!]
'I'm guessing since I bit it to drag it here, that counts as the final hit before it stopped breathing? Wait... 120 Experience Points?? Mmm. I guess it was pretty unlikely. Had it not hit the tree...'
[You have reached Level 5!]
[You have gone beyond the Quest's Clear Condition!]
[Congratulations!]
[You can choose three of the five following Rewards:
1-Hardened Scales.
2-Heat Sensitive Vision.
3-Passive Skill: Heightened Senses[F+]
4-Passive Skill: Silent Movements[F+].
5-Passive Skill: Sneak Attack[F+].
]
'Mmmm. Let's see...' The Venomous Snake wondered, its mouth open wider than it thought was possible, the dead Hawk in its jaws.