As the final echoes of combat faded, Klade, bloodied yet unfaltering, collected himself for a final, devastating assault. His muscles tensed for the sprint, eyes locked on the faltering form of Glefnir. Yet, as he charged, a monstrous shadow loomed over him—the colossal Serpent, a vile creature under Glefnian command, slithering ominously towards him.
With venomous malice in its eyes, the serpent opened its massive jaws, aiming to end Klade's rebellion in one fell swoop. But Klade, with a glance brimming with defiance, did the unimaginable—he leapt directly into the gaping maw of the beast. Glefnir's laughter cascaded over the battlefield, shrill and triumphant.
Klade grinned, saying, "Goodbye."
'Leave the same way I came. This crazy old lady mentioned the Serpent goes out and collects the dead to bring them here. Back in the old word, a summon helps his master when they are in trouble, even when the master tells them not to attack. That's why he didn't attack when Glefnir fought Elgard. She knew he was too weak to fight her.'
"Fool!" she shrieked, her voice echoing amidst the chaos. "To the belly of the beast with you! A fitting end for a misguided hero!"
As the Serpent twisted and turned, making its victory retreat, Klade found himself in the cavernous, acidic interior, a pulsating chamber of death lined with the stench of digested doom. His landing was rough, his body slamming against the spongy, corrosive flesh of the serpent's insides. Yet, undeterred and fueled by a relentless drive, he rose to his feet, his hands tightly gripping the Maw of Perdition.
"Now's the fun part..escaping. At the right time. I can't automatically escape, he'll eventually go out and collect new bodies for this realm of Carnage they call the afterlife."
The internal sounds were horrifying—a mixture of squelches, drips, and the sinister hisses of the serpent's lifeblood flowing around him. The air was thick with toxins, a miasma of poison that would have incapacitated a lesser will. But Klade, driven by vengeance and the memory of his mother's sacrifices, braced himself against the overwhelming odds.
'It stinks in here. It's horrible. But I have to wait it out. Not too long, this toxin is bad..'
[Toxic buildup: 1%]
His system flicked in front of him, seeing a dark green bar rise slowly.
'It's slow. By the time it reaches a high amount, I can leave when the bastard goes out to collect more of the dead.'
Outside, Glefnir said to the Serpent, "Of course that brat almost had me with a trick move like that. He defeated Grendell. He probably used some slick shit on her too. Go out and collect more of the dead for me. This one went haywire. And my dear husband…"
Glefnir stood in front of her husband, who had died standing up. She kissed him, saying, "I'll be the best mother to our son. I promise."
(1 hour later)
[Toxic buildup 80%]
Back inside of the Serpent, Klade clenched his fists, "Let's go."
He just started running.
'Go! Go!'
With every step forward, tendrils of snake innards, like the arms of the damned, reached out to ensnare him. They wrapped around his limbs, attempting to drag him towards digestion and defeat. Each contact burned and tore at his flesh, but Klade's resolve only hardened. With a primal roar, he swung the Maw of Perdition, slicing through the choking tendrils in a spray of corrosive blood and visceral fragments.
He gritted his teeth, blood rushing out of him from all areas.
As Klade battled through the beasty gauntlet, his eyes searched desperately for the heart—a beating, colossal mass somewhere deep within the serpent. Each step forward was a battle against the monstrous anatomy that fought back with vegetative malice, each swing of his weapon clearing a path through the living nightmare.
'Every summon has a heart. That's their source of life. All those bastards die the same way. It's something I learned from the old world. I can survive better if I apply what I know before to this new world.'
Finally, through the haze of his pain and the fog of poison, Klade saw it—the massive, pulsating heart of the serpent, suspended above him like a grotesque chandelier. Summoning every ounce of strength left in his battered body, he made a desperate leap towards it.
'Hell yeah…I found it!'
Tears flowed from his eyes due to the pain, but he kept going.
In mid-air, Klade shifted his grip on the weapon, turning the Maw of Perdition to aim with precision. Time seemed to slow as he neared the vital organ, the Serpent's organ tendrils trailing behind him; the heart's rhythmic thumping echoing like a drumbeat of impending doom. With a final, desperate cry, he used the hammer's head to propel himself towards the heart, weapon first, driving the Maw of Perdition into the fleshy mass with all his remaining life force.
The impact resonated through the cavernous internals of the serpent, a definitive strike that would decide fate. Klade's momentum carried him deeply into the heart, the weapon embedded within, as he clutched it tightly, his vision blurring from exertion and pain.
Blood sprayed everywhere, and Klade kept pushing, Tendrils snapping at him.
As Klade's cry of defiance echoed through the dark, pulsating chamber of the serpent's innards, his beleaguered form endured the lashes and constrictions of the snake tendrils. Each malicious whip marred his flesh, dealt with the cruel intent of a beast's natural defense. The tendrils, thick and seething with a venomous purpose, tried relentlessly to incapacitate him, their toxic secretions burning into his blood. Yet, amidst this visceral assault, Klade's resolve burned fiercer.
[Toxin rate: 90%]
Gripping the Maw of Perdition, now deeply embedded in the giant heart, he began a desperate act of creation borne from the crucible of survival. His screams turned from cries of pain to roars of determination. With the hammer section of his weapon, he struck the hearty, pulsating flesh rhythmically, the impacts sounding like a grotesque forge at work. Each hit molded the heart's material, catalyzing a transformation under his relentless, well-placed strikes.
'Armor..if I can kill this bastard while crafting armor at the same time, I can maybe survive!'
[Forging…]
Process: Heart of Serpent transformation
Item Being Forged: Serpentkin Armor (Cloak, Hand Wraps, Pants, Shoes)
Status: In Progress...
The great heart's flesh, under the force of Klade's hammering, began to unnaturally contort and reshape, fibers intertwining and toughening under the stress. The pounding of the hammer synced with the heart's own beats, a symphony of creation amidst destruction. Blood, sinew, and the essence of the beast melded under his unyielding will, shifting from organ to armor.
The brutality of the process was stark. Blood and venom sprayed with each strike, coating Klade in the lifeblood of the serpent. Through sheer force of will and physical strength, he dominated the mighty heart, turning its power against itself. The tendrils, sensing their core's invasion, assaulted with increased ferocity, tearing at Klade's skin, attempting to reclaim the stolen vitality.
[Forging…]
Process: 75% Complete
Warning: Vital Signs Declining
Ignoring the system's clinical warnings, Klade forged on, his actions fueled by a mix of adrenaline and instinct. With a final, triumphant slam, the transformation completed. The heart's raw, beating rhythm stilled, replaced by the hardening and cooling of the newly formed Serpentkin Armor.
Klade, his energy nearly spent, tore open the heart completely, stepping back as the forged items fell away from their organic crucible—each piece a testament to willpower and desperate ingenuity.
[Item Forged: Serpentkin Armor (Silver Rank)]
Armor Set Includes:
Serpentkin Cloak – Enhances stealth, absorbs minor toxins, mildly regenerative properties.
Serpentkin Hand Wraps – Increases grip strength, resistance to abrasion and cuts.
Serpentkin Pants – Augments lower body agility, reduces fall impact.
Serpentkin Shoes – Enhances speed, silent movement.
Total Armor Rank: Silver
Special Abilities: Toxin Filtration, Enhanced Camouflage
Durability: High
User Affinity: High
'The hammer can create higher ranked gear, but it levels with me. The higher level I am, the higher level gear and weapons I can craft..'
Clad in his newly forged armor, each piece placed with a subtle, deadly elegance, Klade stood ready to face whatever horrors awaited. The Serpentkin Armor, formed from the very heart of his monstrous adversary, not only provided physical protection but also a deep, symbolic resonance of having conquered and repurposed the strength of his foes.
His cloak was black and had a hoodie on the back, and had magma like vines on it, and the same went fit his hand wraps, pants, and shoes
Wounded but encased in his creation, Klade prepared to fight his way out of the beast, a living symbol of pain turned power, ready to confront Glefnir and end the torment she had wrought upon the world.
[Toxin Rate: 58%]
Klade smiled, 'The armor is getting rid of the poison!'
Klade, now clad in his freshly forged Serpentine armor, tumbled through the heavens like some vengeful comet descending upon the world below. With resounding force, he blasted through the toughened scales that enclosed the serpent, carving an exit through sheer will and explosive violence. The acrid air ripped past him as he hurtled downwards, the Sinew of Liminality—his indomitable hammer—leading his fiery descent.
He struck the ground with a tremendous crash, the impact resonating through the air, kicking up clouds of dust and debris. The violent entry left a crater beneath him, symbolizing his tumultuous journey from the bowels of his gigantic foe. As the dust settled, Klade's form shifted slightly, pushing himself to sit up amidst the rubble, his every movement heavy and labored.
"AGH! Ow that hurts.." Klade rubbed his head. Sitting up.
When he saw his surroundings, he was in shock.
"Whoa.."
The realm that greeted him was starkly alien and vividly haunting. The skies above churned with a surreal palette of reds, dark purples, and striking golds, casting an eerie glow that bathed the landscape in a spectral twilight. The land around him bore witness to an extraordinary tapestry of life. Small, mythic creatures darted about, their forms blurred and ethereal—spirits of the brush and wind engaging in their ageless dances. In the distance, massive humanoid beings moved with slow, deliberate grace; one such giant, draped in earthen robes, guarded a nearby stone bridge that spanned a chasm filled with swirling mists and whispers.
As Klade regained his composure from the unexpected encounter, he took a few cautious steps forward. His system, ever vigilant, scanned the surroundings, populating his vision with details of the bizarre and mythical beings that roamed this warped landscape. Each creature and entity seemed to pulsate with the raw essence of the otherworldly realm known as Völundrheim—named so after an ancient forge god associated with craft and destructive creativity.
[Quest complete, you have escaped the realm of Carnage. All stats raised by 40 points.]
Klade smiled, "Really?!"
Occupation: Dragonhound Blacksmith
Level: 3
Attributes:
- Vigor: 55
*(The backbone of his health, now far more robust to withstand the intensive heat of higher tier metalworking.)*
Mind : 50
(Significantly expanded MP allows for prolonged focus and use of more complex blacksmithing techniques.)*
Endurance: 54
*(Greatly increased to sustain longer periods of manual labor, handling even heavier and more resistant materials without fatigue.)*
- Strength: 55
*(Now capable of manipulating tougher and heavier metals with ease, crucial for forging silver and gold artifacts.)*
- Dexterity: 52
(Enhanced dexterity ensures precision in handling delicate gold filigree and intricate silver chasings.)*
Intelligence: 50
(Wider knowledge and understanding of more mystical and exotic materials are incorporated into his works.)
- Faith: 50
*(Stronger spiritual connection enhances the enchantments Klade can imbue in his sacred metalworks.)*
- Luck: 50
(Improved luck—important for successfully integrating rare gems and materials into his smithing projects.)
Upgraded Equipment: Enchanted Silver-Gold Hammer (Silver Rank)
Weapon Details:
- Type: Hammer
- *Evolved from a humble wooden base to a fusion of silver with gold accents.*
- Material: Silver Body with Gold Accents
- Rank: Silver
- Weight: 5 kg
- Total Length: 0.50 meters
Weapon Stats:
- Physical Attack: 35-50
*Clearly a step up, granting you the ability to work with tougher materials with greater efficiency.
- Magic Potential: Moderate
*Incorporated enchantments allow for temporary boosting of material toughness, making them apt for higher-grade crafting.*
Durability: 80/100
*Reflects strengthened construction, allowing more forging sessions before maintenance.*
Special Abilities:
- Advanced Material Transmutation:
Can now transmute higher-grade metals and gems, crafting intricate silver ornamentals and sturdy gold weaponry. Efficiency and success rates have greatly improved.*
- Forging Blessings:
You can now invoke minor blessings during crafting, which enhance the protective properties of the armors and weapons forged, especially against mystical or elemental damage.
Klade smiled, looking up at the sky, saying, "This reward is amazing…I worked so hard to get out of there, and now I'm out…finally. With new armor and a weapon, new things have to be done. I need a workstation, and I need material. I might need to hunt as well. A lot of creatures and humanoid beings that seem hostile around me, I have to test their strength to see if I can kill them for their material for more crafting. Because after it's all said and done, I'm killing the entire royal family."