Chapter 22: The Price of Magic

(Sam's POV)

The flicker of flame left a faint warmth lingering in the air, but the feeling of exhaustion that followed hit me harder than I expected. I had barely used Fire Breath for more than a few seconds, and already, my energy was drained.

'So much for being a powerful fire-breathing snake.'

I slithered through the dense undergrowth, trying to recover. My magic power was low—really low. It wasn't like my stamina, which could recover quickly with rest and food. Magic was different. I could feel it; a limited reservoir inside me that, once emptied, left me vulnerable.

'If I'm going to use magic, I need a bigger pool to work with,' I thought.

Still, I couldn't complain too much. Fire Breath was the first magic skill I'd unlocked, and even if it drained me quickly, the sheer destructive potential was hard to ignore. The Fire Fox hadn't stood a chance once I figured out how to use it in short bursts.

But now came the hard part—figuring out how to improve my magic.

I flicked my tongue, tasting the air for any signs of prey. My Hunger wasn't too high after devouring the Fire Fox, but I could feel my energy dipping again. It was time to hunt.

[Name: Unnamed]

[Species: Predator Snake]

[Level: 16]

[Rank: F]

[Skills:]

– [Bite Lv 5]

– [Venom Lv 5]

– [Slither Lv 4]

– [Stealth Lv 2]

– [Status Inspection Lv 2]

– [Devour Lv 1]

– [Harden Lv 2]

– [Burrow Lv 1]

– [Frenzy Lv 1]

– [Fire Breath Lv 1]

[Traits:]

– [Cold-Blooded]

– [Predator's Intuition]

– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]

– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Basic)]

– [Heat Resistance (Basic)]

[Status: Recovered]

[Hunger: 35%]

Moving quietly through the brush, I came across a small group of Wild Boar—low-level creatures, not too different from the ones I had faced before. They weren't exactly challenging prey, but right now, I needed to conserve my magic power and rely on what I was good at.

I circled around, using Stealth, and waited for the right moment. Bite and Venom were simple but effective, especially on creatures with weak defenses.

(Lina's POV)

Our new quest wasn't particularly exciting—just a routine hunt for a group of low-level beasts that had been causing trouble for some nearby travelers. Honestly, it was the kind of quest we could have completed with our eyes closed.

But after what happened with the snake, I didn't want to take any risks.

Leon led the way as always, his sword drawn and his posture tense. He was still focused on the snake, even if he wasn't saying it outright. I could tell by the way his eyes darted around, scanning the forest for any sign of movement.

"We'll handle this quickly," he said, his voice low. "Take out the target, and we can move on to bigger things."

Marie nodded, a small flame flickering in her palm. "Ready when you are."

Derrick adjusted his shield, his expression unreadable. I couldn't blame him. After the encounter with the snake, we were all a little on edge.

But I couldn't stop thinking about it. That snake had saved us, and yet, here we were, preparing to hunt down a different group of creatures as if nothing had changed. Leon hadn't said it directly, but I knew he still had plans to find the snake again.

I just hoped we wouldn't have to face it anytime soon.

(Sam's POV)

The hunt was quick. My Bite sank into the first creature, a low-level Wild Boar, taking it down with ease. I coiled around its body, feeling the satisfaction of another victory, even if it wasn't much of a challenge.

The Wild Boar's body went limp beneath me. A familiar message popped up, confirming the kill.

[You have defeated Wild Boar (Lv 12).]

[You have gained 40 XP.]

[Hunger decreased by 20%.]

As I uncoiled from the carcass, something I'd been waiting for finally happened.

[Bite has leveled up.]

[Bite Lv 5 → Lv 6]

[Venom has leveled up.]

[Venom Lv 5 → Lv 6]

'Finally!'

Both Bite and Venom had been stuck at the same level for a while. Now that they'd leveled up, I could feel the difference. My jaw felt stronger, and my venom's potency was on a whole new level.

I flicked my tongue to taste the air. I wasn't exactly hungry anymore, but leveling up these core skills was a win. A quick look at my status confirmed the changes.

[Name: Unnamed]

[Species: Predator Snake]

[Level: 16]

[Rank: F]

[Skills:]

– [Bite Lv 6]

– [Venom Lv 6]

– [Slither Lv 4]

– [Stealth Lv 2]

– [Status Inspection Lv 2]

– [Devour Lv 1]

– [Harden Lv 2]

– [Burrow Lv 1]

– [Frenzy Lv 1]

– [Fire Breath Lv 1]

[Traits:]

– [Cold-Blooded]

– [Predator's Intuition]

– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]

– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Basic)]

– [Heat Resistance (Basic)]

[Status: Focused]

[Hunger: 35%]

As I continued my hunt, I tested out the improvements. Each bite sank deeper, and the venom spread faster, finishing off prey much quicker than before.

But the real challenge lay deeper in the forest. I needed more than just leveled-up skills—I needed something that would give me an edge. Something that would take me one step closer to evolving again.

(Lina's POV)

The fight was over almost as quickly as it began. The beasts were no match for us, and we finished the quest with barely a scratch.

But even as we reported back to the Adventurer's Guild, my mind wasn't on the victory. It was on the forest—the deeper parts, where the snake had vanished after saving us. I couldn't help but wonder if it was still out there, watching us.

"Let's keep moving," Leon said as we collected our reward. "This was too easy. We need a real challenge."

Marie and Derrick nodded, but I stayed quiet.

Because deep down, I knew that the real challenge wasn't just another quest or another beast.

The real challenge was still out there, and it was growing stronger with every passing day.