'Damn it.' There was no room for doubt; he was certain the snake had managed to bite Zahira. Many thoughts raced through his mind, from wondering if the snake would let him escape while feasting on her body to a faint pang of pity for his traveling companion, who would die without ever truly knowing this world.
The turmoil in his thoughts didn't last long—it was obvious what he should do. Alone, there was no chance of victory in this battle; it was simply impossible.
All that remained for him was to turn and flee, relying on luck to survive.
As he turned his back on the grotesque scene and prepared to run, he heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Dusk... I think I'm going to need... a little help here."
Surprised, he turned to the source of the voice.
Tristan saw Zahira, blood pouring from her mouth like water from a tipped jug. Yet what truly caught his attention was her expression—it wasn't what he expected from someone on the brink of a cruel death. She seemed unnervingly calm about the situation.
Using her strength, she tried to break free, but the snake's jaw appeared locked in place.
'Damn it!' He fought the urge to slap his own forehead.
'I completely forgot she was a Green cultivator.' Now that his emotions had settled, he remembered that users of this element possessed vitality rivaling that of Light cultivators—some even claimed it surpassed them, as noted by wise scholars of magic in the books he read at the sect. There were many accounts of them surviving even after losing limbs.
'However...' Tristan also recalled that Green cultivators didn't have the same regeneration capabilities as Light or Blood cultivators. This made him worry about how her severe injuries might affect her future. But he quickly shoved those useless thoughts aside. This wasn't the time for worry—it was time to act.
[Dark Blade]
He summoned his shadow blade, the only weapon he believed could harm the monster. Any attempt to use his sword would likely result in it bending against the creature's scales.
[Shadow Aura]
Rushing toward the snake, he slashed its body with his black blade. It wasn't difficult to cut; a red gash appeared between the creature's scales, revealing its muscle. The beast turned its gaze toward Tristan while still holding Zahira in its mouth.
'I'd need about a hundred more hits like that to kill this thing.'
The snake swung its tail toward him, slicing the air like a massive whip.
Thanks to his heightened senses, Tristan managed to dodge. He closed the gap again, delivering a crosscut. Zahira took advantage of the snake's distraction, shooting more spikes at its face. Yet the creature's persistence showed—it refused to let her go.
Tristan returned to his assault. Since his attacks weren't particularly effective, he targeted whichever part of the beast was nearest.
Soon, under mounting pressure, the snake's jaw weakened. Sensing the opportunity, Zahira summoned several branches around her, forcing the snake's mouth open by expanding her body.
When she finally broke free, Buk appeared out of nowhere, jumping into her arms.
The beast's eyes burned with fiery rage. It opened its mouth, unleashing a fireball toward her. Zahira dodged, but the snake spun its body, generating rings of flame.
For a time, the battle was at a stalemate.
Zahira chose to keep her distance, launching spikes or transforming her arms into roots to whip at the enemy. Tristan seized these moments to approach and slice the snake's body.
While the beast relentlessly pressured Zahira with waves of fireballs and blazing infernos, Tristan faced a different treatment—bites, headbutts, and tail strikes. Curiously, the snake only used physical attacks on him. The reason was clear: there was no point in wasting energy on someone at his level. It was better to reserve its essence for Zahira.
Tristan didn't mind this fact at all. He was focused on something else. Reviewing the battle in his mind, he realized their situation was dire.
'Zahira can't defeat it alone, and my attacks don't do much damage.'
He wondered if there was anything he could do to change the tide of the fight. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Initially, he thought it was absurd, but doing something was better than doing nothing. Reaching into his leather backpack, he began searching.
He pulled out a small blue vial.
'Sleep salts.' Tristan had tested their effectiveness on some beasts during his travels, and the results had exceeded his expectations. He assumed a full vial could cause an overdose in a creature the size of a bull. However, using it on a magical beast this large was uncharted territory.
For his insane plan to work, he only needed a way to get the substance into the creature.
'This is so small; it'll be like a fly to that thing. It won't even notice.' He decided to stick with the conventional method.
"Zahira, I have a plan that might give us an edge. I need you to restrain the snake's mouth when I give the signal."
"Are you sure this will work? It's pretty risky for me to get close to that thing."
"No," he replied honestly.
Zahira glanced at the furious beast again, which still eyed her like an invaluable prize.
"Alright, let's try your plan!"
Tristan uncorked the vial and charged at the snake once more.
What came next was incredibly risky. He needed to get close enough to ensure the snake would try to bite him. The problem was, if he delayed even slightly, he could lose a limb—or worse, his life.
Taking a deep breath, he amplified his body with essence and quickly closed the distance.
Even as he approached, the snake kept glancing at Zahira, unwilling to lose sight of her.
HEADBUTT.
He stopped and leaped back.
To his dismay, the snake greeted him with a head-first dive, creating a crater inches from where he stood. Tristan stared at the beast, now just meters away, contemplating running but ultimately deciding otherwise. He remained still, offering himself as bait.
The height difference between them was staggering—Tristan looked like a mere hamster in comparison. As the snake opened its massive jaws to strike, he stood his ground, waiting until the very last second.
When the distance was less than arm's length, Tristan released the blue vial into the air and flipped backward with all his might. The snake's jaws snapped shut where he'd been, narrowly missing his feet by a hair's breadth.
"Now."
Zahira transformed her arms into long roots, binding the snake's mouth shut. The beast resisted, and flames erupting from its body scorched her roots.
"How long do I have to hold this?"
"I don't know."
Gritting her teeth, Zahira summoned more roots.
Seconds passed, and nothing seemed to happen. Then, the snake's eyes widened as if sensing something was amiss. It began convulsing as if trying to vomit, but Zahira held it in place. Gradually, its movements slowed, becoming lethargic.
For a few more seconds, its eyes burned with rage, but then the light within them faded. The snake's body collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Tristan and Zahira stared, stunned.
"What the hell?"
"What did you do?" she asked, astonished. Her roots began to retreat, but Tristan stopped her.
"Don't release it yet—it might be a trick. I'll check."
He approached cautiously. His Darkness-enhanced eyes detected no movement from the beast.
Reaching its head, he drove his black blade into its skull.
[Tyrannical Eye]
Using his diagnostic ability, Tristan confirmed the monster's heart had stopped, and no life remained in its body. Satisfied, he turned to check on Zahira. Her arms were burned, and her body was riddled with puncture wounds from the snake's fangs.
"Are you alright?"
"No, but I will be." She collapsed to the ground, exhausted. "How did you bring that thing down?"
Before he could answer, an intense wave of orange aura filled the tunnel. Tristan's hair fluttered as his body was covered in dust from the floor. He didn't need to turn to know the source of the disturbance.
Moments later, a deafening explosion echoed. When Tristan looked at the snake's corpse, it was engulfed in what seemed like a red fire cyclone.
When the cyclone dissipated, the snake's scales glowed like embers. Its eyes were gone, replaced by four streams of flames pouring from its nostrils and sockets. The once-lifeless corpse now moved awkwardly, like a newborn or a puppet controlled by an amateur puppeteer.
"What's happening?" Zahira asked, her voice trembling. She had never seen anything like this before. To her, death had always been final. Now, she was witnessing something that challenged one of the most fundamental concepts of life—and worse, she didn't know if she would live to see how it would reshape her understanding.
"It doesn't matter."
"Attack it! We can't let this continue!" Tristan shouted at her.
Zahira hurled spikes at the snake. As before, they embedded in its flesh without issue. However, this time, the snake didn't react like it felt nothing.
The flaming zombie rose fully, its head turned toward them. Though the creature lacked eyes, Tristan felt its intense hatred and resentment directed squarely at him.
The fiery, undead monster charged toward them, leaving a trail of flames in its wake.
Watching this, a vein on Tristan's forehead throbbed more than usual. Grinding his teeth, he braced himself for another fight—one where he'd likely flirt with the void of death once again.
'Since when do the monsters in this world have a second phase?'