"So, you are the Viper King?" Alvara spoke coldly, her golden eyes narrowing as they locked onto the massive creature before her.
It had taken her considerable ti and effort to locate the beast. The Viper King was not easy to find, hidden deep within the dangerous 10th Zone. Alvara had begun by slaying the first simple Red Vipers she encountered—its crimson scales slick with blood—then using her innate connection to nature, she ordered her plants to trace the scent of the viper's blood through the dense undergrowth. The further she walked into the Zone, the more intense the scent beca, until it led her to this concealed pit, deep underground.
The entrance had been cunningly disguised, blending into the surrounding grassy landscape. A careless wanderer would have easily been fooled, stepping right into the trap. It was a place designed to deceive and kill. Even with her Life-Screen that could shield her from fatal strikes—Alvara knew that this place was still fraught with danger. One wrong step, and it could be the end.
Harvey had warned her about the dangers of the 10th Zone. That was why he had forbidden anyone from venturing this far just in case. The students were never ant to pass beyond the 8th Zone, and for good reason. Harvey had stationed staff nearby, ready to intervene should anything go wrong. But now, none of them were awake to help… and perhaps, none of them were alive at all after Behemoth's intrusion.
Alvara stood in the dim, expansive pit. Beside her, the unconscious figure of Amael floated in mid-air, held aloft by thick vines that curled around his body. He hung limply, poisoned, his breath shallow and labored. Her gaze returned to the creature in front of her. The Red Viper King.
A four-ter-tall serpent, its body covered in blood-red scales that shimred like molten tal under the dim light of the underground cavern. Its eyes, large and reptilian, glead with a predatory hunger, the sa deep shade of red as its scales. Around its thick body, dozens of smaller serpents slithered and writhed, seemingly born from its own flesh—living, pulsating tendrils that grew from the monstrous viper.
The Viper King hissed, a low, bone-chilling sound that reverberated through the cavern. It slithered closer, its massive body wriggling, though its gaze never left Alvara. To the beast, she was prey—fresh, vulnerable, and within striking distance. Its forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, and it sensed sothing more. Behind her was another human, already dying, his life slowly being drained away by the venom of the Viper King's children. The faint scent of poison clung to Amael, and the creature's lips curled into what could only be described as a grotesque approximation of a smile. This would be easy.
But Alvara remained unfazed. Her expression did not change, her golden eyes devoid of fear. She observed the Viper King with cold detachnt, sizing it up. It was no ordinary creature, that much was clear. This was a Hybrid Beast and judging by its size and the mana it exuded, its rank was likely sowhere between 7☆ and 8☆ so it was Chaos Beast.
The smallest of the Red Vipers hissed in unison, their slithering bodies twisting and writhing along the walls and ceiling around Alvara. Even those behind her, still hidden in the shadows, began to erge, drawn by the scent of fresh at. Much like their father, the Viper King, they were eager to sink their fangs into her flesh.
The creeping sounds of the snakes filled the air, echoing off the stone walls of the pit, but Alvara barely acknowledged them. Her focus remained upon the enormous creature before her.
"I'll give you a chance, disgusting beast," Alvara spat, her voice dripping with contempt that could have rattled even the gentlest of creatures. Her golden eyes glimred with disdain, piercing through the Viper King with a look that would drive any lesser being into submission. She lifted her hand and pointed a slender finger directly at the monstrous snake.
"Lower your filthy head," she ordered, "and perhaps I will grant you a swift death."
The Viper King's body tensed, its crimson scales rippling as it hissed in fury, a harsh, grating sound that filled the underground place. Mana pulsed through its massive form, causing its eyes to burn brighter. It wasn't one to bow to anyone, least of all a human. Its large, forked tongue flicked out nacingly as its thick body coiled tighter, preparing to strike.
"Otherwise," Alvara continued. "I will make your death as agonizing as possible before I deal with the rest of your writhing, disgusting offspring." Her eyes flicked briefly to the smaller Red Vipers creeping closer, their glossy red scales glinting in the faint light. Although they couldn't comprehend her words, the disgust in her expression conveyed everything. They hissed violently in response and launched themselves toward her with startling speed. "Sarracenia Flava," Alvara muttered.
-BOOM!
The ground erupted beneath her. A massive cylindrical yellow plant burst forth, its wide, gaping maw opening hungrily. The Sarracenia Flava snapped shut with a wet squelch, devouring the Red Vipers that had lunged at her. Its vines, thick and pulsing with life, shot out with blinding speed, slamming into the ground with such force that the earth cracked beneath them, obliterating any snake that dared co near. Not a single one got close to her or the unconscious Amael, who remained suspended in the air.
While her yellow plant dealt rcilessly with the smaller vipers, Alvara's attention remained fixed on the Viper King.
A smirk curled at the edge of her lips as she raised her hand once more. "Try to entertain for a minute at least."
Without hesitation, thorny vines, bristling with razor-sharp thorns, shot from the ground and lashed toward the Viper King, their speed deadly, aid to pierce through its thick, scaled hide.
The Viper King reared back and opened its massive maw, releasing a stream of thick, reddish venom. The venom sprayed across the cavern, sizzling as it t Alvara's vines. The once-strong tendrils withered and shriveled on contact, disintegrating under the potency of the Viper King's toxic attack.
Alvara narrowed her eyes slightly. Even her usual poisons couldn't damage her plants so easily, but this was no ordinary beast. The Viper King was a Chaos Beast, born in the rich lands of Sancta Vedelia. It made sense that its venom would be far more potent than anything she had encountered before.
She scoffed, unimpressed. "How predictable."
With a flick of her wrist, she injected Prana into the remaining thorny vines. The green glow of her Prana surged through them. Reinforced, they lashed out once again, this ti with greater speed and power, striking the Viper King with a resounding crack.
-BAM!
The Viper King grunted, the force of the blow reverberating through its massive fra. It had felt the sting of her attack, but it wasn't over yet. Alvara's vines, despite their strength, lted upon contact with the Viper King's scales. A thick layer of venom coated the beast's body, acting as a natural defense, dissolving anything that dared touch it.
The Red Viper King moved with terrifying speed, its enormous body slicing through the air as it lunged toward Alvara, its crimson scales shimring with lethal intent. Despite its size, the beast moved almost like lightning, closing the distance with frightening precision.
But Alvara was no ordinary prey. With a graceful leap, she dodged the initial attack, her form flying through the air. The Viper King, however, wasn't finished. It raised its massive head and, with a furious hiss, spat another stream of venom directly toward her. The dark liquid hissed as it cut through the air, too fast for her to evade while airborne.
Instinctively, Alvara threw her hand toward her yellow plant, her fingers crackling with energy. The Sarracenia Flava responded instantly, one of its thick, sinewy vines shooting up from the ground and coiling tightly around her waist. The vine yanked her downward just before the venom could reach her, cushioning her descent and ensuring she landed safely.
"Dionaea!" Alvara summoned as her feet touched the ground.
A massive mana circle flared into existence beneath her, glowing with vibrant energy. From the circle, another colossal carnivorous plant materialized—a monstrous creation, its maw lined with jagged, thorny teeth that dripped with sap. Inside its gaping mouth, a sphere of condensed green Prana began to form, growing larger by the second.
"Let's see how your cursed scales handle this," she spat, her golden eyes glinting.
-BOOOOM!
The sphere released a devastating ray of pure Prana, slicing through the air like a beam of concentrated power. The ray tore through the smaller vipers in the vicinity, turning them into smoldering shreds of flesh, before slamming directly into the Viper King with a deafening explosion. The sheer force of the attack sent the beast hurtling backward, its massive body crashing into the stone wall.
As the dust and debris settled, Alvara's eyes locked onto the Viper King. A massive, gaping wound marred its once-impenetrable scales, a smoking crater etched deep into its side. Yet, despite the damage, the beast continued to writhe and hiss in agony. Its hatred for her burned brighter than ever.
The Viper King's entire body began to glow an ominous red, pulsating with mana. Alvara's eyes narrowed as she sensed the mana around the creature shifting, concentrating rapidly toward its throat. Whatever it was preparing, it was dangerous.
Not wasting a second, Alvara raised her hand, summoning another layered mana circle. This ti, she ford a Triple Layered Mana Shield in front of her, each layer gleaming with mana and Ruah. She could feel the pressure building as the Viper King's attack neared completion.
But even with her preparation, it wasn't fast enough.
-BOOOOM!
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