Chapter 39: The Search for Power

(Sam's POV)

'Four weeks. It's been four whole weeks of training, fighting, and occasionally not dying. How's my life been? Well, I'm glad you asked.'

I slithered through the Duskwind Forest with newfound confidence, dodging trees like I'd been doing it for centuries. These past couple of weeks had been... let's call it "eventful." I'd fought, trained, and eaten enough weird creatures to fill a nightmare zoo.

'I'm basically a glorified garbage disposal. The more I eat, the stronger I get. Classic.'

But, to be honest, the progress was undeniable. My physical skills had shot up faster than I could have imagined, and even my magic skills were starting to feel less like baby's first fire spell and more like actual weapons.

'Not that I'm complaining. I mean, who wouldn't want a free buffet of power-ups, right?'

I flicked my tongue, tasting the air. The forest felt more... manageable now. Not because it had gotten any less dangerous—no, it was still full of things that wanted to turn me into lunch—but because I wasn't the same helpless little snake from before.

Each fight, each hunt, had pushed me further, forcing me to use my skills creatively. I wasn't just relying on raw power anymore. Now, I was thinking ahead, planning ambushes, and using the terrain to my advantage. I had grown smarter, more cunning—just like any good predator.

I slid through the underbrush, narrowly avoiding a flock of overgrown birds that had talons sharp enough to slice through steel. I could take them now, but why waste the energy?

'four weeks, and I'm practically unrecognizable. I'm not saying I'm invincible, but I'm definitely not the easy snack I was before. Honestly, I'm starting to think I might even be getting good at this survival thing.'

I'd become faster, stronger, and deadlier than I could have ever predicted. And yet, something felt... off. Despite all my progress, there was still a gnawing feeling in my gut. I was stronger, sure, but was I strong enough?

[Status Inspection Lv 3 activated.]

[Name: Unnamed]

[Species: Predator Snake]

[Level: 24](Evolution Available)

[Rank: F]

[Skills:]

[Skills:]

– [Bite Lv 9]

– [Venom Lv 9]

– [Slither Lv 9]

– [Stealth Lv 7]

– [Status Inspection Lv 3]

– [Devour Lv 1]

– [Harden Lv 7]

– [Burrow Lv 5]

– [Frenzy Lv 4]

– [Fire Breath Lv 6]

– [Tail Whip Lv 8]

– [Charge Lv 4]

– [Enhanced Fangs Lv 4]

– [Quick Dash Lv 7]

– [Water Jet Lv 5]

– [Wind Slash Lv 5]

– [Dive Lv 4]

– [Breath Holding Lv 4]

– [Venom Spray Lv 3]

– [Scent Tracker Lv 2]

– [Tremor Sense Lv 3]

– [Far Sight Lv 3]

– [Leap Lv 4]

– [Lightning Strike Lv 2]

[Traits:]

– [Cold-Blooded]

– [Predator's Intuition]

– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]

– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Intermediate)]

– [Basic Regeneration(Intermediate)]

– [Pain Resistance(Intermediate)]

– [Water Affinity (Basic)]

– [Night Vision]

– [Wind Affinity (Basic)]

– [Enhanced Endurance (Intermediate)]

– [Poison Affinity (Intermediate)]

– [Fire Affinity (Basic)]

– [Earth Affinity (Basic)]

– [Enhanced Reflexes (Intermediate)]

– [Enhanced Hearing (Basic)]

– [Enhanced Agility (Intermediate)]

– [lightning Affinity (Basic)]

[Status: Satisfied]

[Hunger: 20%]

'Look at that! Skills, traits, and a whole bunch of other fancy words. I'm practically a living weapon at this point. Or at least, a squishy one with a nasty bite. Either way, I'm one step away from evolution.'

The idea of evolving was both exciting and... concerning. Last time I evolved, it was straightforward. The system had laid out a couple of common paths for me—nice, predictable options. But this time? There was something new on the table.

'Alright, let's see what my options are now. Because I'm not about to settle for being just some "special snake." Oh no, I want the good stuff.'

I mentally called up the Evolution Paths menu, and there it was—three categories. Common, Special, and... Unique.

[Evolution Paths Available:]

[Common Path: Venomfang Serpent, Ironhide Snake...]

[Special Path: Fire Serpent, Thunder Viper...]

[Unique Path: ??? (Locked)]

'Oh, great. A mystery. Because nothing screams "dangerous" like a giant, flashing question mark. Thanks for that, system.'

The common paths looked... fine, I guess. If you wanted to stay mediocre. I wasn't looking for fine—I was looking for power. The special paths? They seemed better. Fire Serpent sounded cool. Thunder Viper was a step up, too. But my eyes kept going back to the Unique Path—locked, hidden, and just out of reach.

'Why is it always the good stuff that's locked behind some stupid requirement?'

There was no explanation, no clue as to what I needed to unlock it. Just a big, fat question mark staring back at me like the universe was mocking me.

'Of course, it's locked. And, of course, I have no idea how to unlock it.'

I slithered around a large tree, my mind racing. I could evolve now, take the Special Path, and probably get stronger... but something in my gut told me that if I really wanted to stand out, to become something no one could predict or stop, I'd need the Unique Path.

'But how the hell do I unlock it? It's not like there's a magic switch around here somewhere. Or... is there?'

If I was going to unlock that Unique Path, I needed to find something—something powerful, rare, or just outright bizarre. Something that would push me beyond my limits.

I flicked my tongue, tasting the air again. The forest was vast, and I'd barely scratched the surface of what it had to offer. Somewhere out there was the key to unlocking my next evolution.

'So, what's the plan, Sam? Slither around until you trip over some legendary artifact or... maybe a ridiculously powerful monster?'

The thought of fighting something even more powerful than I had already faced wasn't exactly comforting. But if I wanted to unlock the full potential of my next evolution, I needed to take risks. I knew that much.

I glanced at my status screen again, looking at the nearly maxed-out skills. I wasn't far from the cap, but I wasn't going to settle. No, I wanted that unique evolution. Something that would make me more than just another snake.

'Looks like it's time for a good ol' scavenger hunt... of death.'

The forest grew thicker as I pushed further into its depths. The faint sounds of distant creatures rustled through the trees, most of them staying far from my path. Smart.

Even though I wasn't in the middle region of the Duskwind yet, the deeper I ventured, the more dangerous it became. There was an unspoken tension in the air, a growing sense that something much more dangerous lurked just beyond my reach.

I could sense the lingering presence of stronger creatures. Ones that wouldn't just see me as a meal, but as a real threat. They weren't coming for me now, but I knew that could change in an instant.

'I need to get stronger... much stronger. If I'm going to survive here, I have to unlock that path. Whatever it takes.'

I slithered forward, a mix of anticipation and dread churning in my gut. Somewhere out here was the key to my future, the thing that would push me beyond my limits. I just had to find it before something bigger found me.