Ayaan took a step back while swinging the knife in his hand.
The knife stuck the incoming snake in the neck. But the incoming force is a bit too much for Ayaan. He fell backward into the water, while the snake ignoring the knife lodged into its neck just pressed on him.
*SPLASH*
Ayaan fell into the water along with the snake. As the snake charged at him, he held onto the knife still stuck in its neck and diverted to the side. But this time, it was much harder. The snake is not floating on the water anymore.
It is slithering on the roof, trying to entangle with Ayaan.
Its tail is already coiled around Ayaan's leg trying to hinder his movement. Ayaan felt surprised at how much strength and weight the snake had. With every second its body tightened around his leg. The only saving grace is that he pushed the snake's head to the ground using the knife and kept it from eating him.
At that moment from the corner of their eye, he saw something else moving.
Level 01 Water Serpent.
Another snake is coming. His gaze turned colder. With a thought, the Mutant soldier sword appeared in his hand. He loosened his grip on the knife and held the sword with both of his hands.
As the snake raged and tried to bite his head off, he drove the sword down its throat with both his hands.
*SLASH*
Blood gushed out of the snake and covered his sight. Its grip on his legs loosened. Ayaan got up and moved away.
[Exp +10]
[MP +1]
*HISS* *CHOMP*
The moment he moved, another snake that he had just seen bit in the spot that he was just in. Ayaan stepped back and slashed the sword down on it.
*SLASH*
The snake slithered away, as the sword gashed on its body, cutting off a small portion of its scaly skin. Blood gushed out and its health bar reduced.
It blended well in the water that didn't reveal much in that dark night. However, the blood left a trail as it moved and he managed to catch it as it tried to coil around his legs, trying to make him lose his footing.
Ayaan backed away a bit more, avoiding the snake, but it lunged at him, trying to bite him down. As its head came out of the water, Ayaan swung the sword horizontally.
*SLASH*
The blade cut through its mouth, slicing its jaw off, the snake was unable to close its mouth and writhing in pain. Ayaan side stepped letting it fall to the side and slashed it. The sword cut through the scales smoothly, severing its head off.
[Exp +10]
[MP +1]
The water finally calmed down. Ayaan took deep breaths trying to calm his breath and noticed the three hovering blue lights. Two of them are familiar. They are the serpent leather pieces. But the third one is different. It looked like a sphere.
He collected them all.
[Obtained Water Serpent Leather +2]
[Obtained Water Serpent Pearl +1]
Ayaan opened the inventory to check and discovered something.
==============================
INVENTORY
==============================
Slots: 6/10
- Handgun (Loaded)*1
- Handgun (Loaded)*1
- Magazine*1
- Magazine*1
- Water Serpent Leather*3
- Water Serpent Pearl*1
==============================
Unlike the handguns and magazines which didn't stack into a single slot, the three serpent leather pieces occupied only one slot in the inventory.
His initial thought is that since it is an item given by the system, it could be stackable. But he didn't have the leisure to test it. He is still in the danger zone.
He gave a sweeping glance at the surroundings and tested the water. Only after confirming that there is no creature nearby did he go back to the inventory.
He checked the Water Serpent Pearl details.
==============================
ITEM DETAILS
==============================
Name: Water Serpent Pearl (Uncommon)
Type: Consumable
==============================
EFFECTS
==============================
**Enhanced Lung Capacity**:
Increases underwater breathing time by **+1 minute**. *(Stackable)*
**Serpent Attraction**:
Consuming this pearl emits a scent that attracts **Water Serpents**.
The more pearls consumed, the stronger the attraction effect. *(Stackable)*
==============================
DESCRIPTION
==============================
A rare, glimmering pearl found within Water Serpents.
It holds mystical properties that aid underwater survival but also
carries the risk of drawing serpents closer.
==============================
The quest progress has also changed
==============================
QUEST PROGRESS
==============================
Quest Name: **The First Guardian**
Objective:
Defeat the Water Serpent King.
Clear Conditions:
Collect at least **12 Water Serpent Pearls**:
Progress: [█░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 1/12
Kill the **Water Serpent King**:
Status: **Incomplete**
==============================
Ayaan frowned at the effects of the water serpent pearl. He started understanding how the quest would progress at this rate. However, he didn't consume it immediately. He needed to ensure his safety first.
The place he is at right now is not a good spot to attract water serpents. He stood on the railing and looked around to see what structures were still intact and one caught his eye.
It is a watch tower of the village. Usually, it is used to check the state of the city without actually leaving the village and it is the tallest structure. He stored the sword back in the inventory and held his knife in its holder on the hip.
He took a deep breath before he dove into the water and started swimming towards the watch tower.
Two minutes after he started swimming, from one of the submerged buildings, a black serpent charged at him from the side.
He maneuvered his body barely dodging its bite. The snake turned around without giving him much space attacking while coiling around him.
Ayaan analyzed his situation. As he swung his knife to stab it, it did not create enough force. The scales are already blocking the knife. It is barely effective when he stabbed it openly.
But underwater, with the water resistance, he is barely able to produce enough force.
The sword might be of help. It cut through the snake pretty easily before. But swinging such a sword inside the water… at his current strength, the water resistance will be too high.
It would be a great way to tire himself out.
Despite his high endurance, he is not willing to test himself that way.
He moved closer to the roof of the submerged house and stopped. He let the snake bear his weight as it coiled around him. When it had a sufficient grip around him, it tried to bite him.
Ayaan just held the knife in the path of the snake letting it stab itself in the neck. He extended his arm completely, keeping it at bay. After a few seconds, he suddenly took the knife and hand away, letting the snake charge at him.
But the sword appeared in his other hand, he held it straight in the snake's path letting it charge it into its tip.
[Exp +10]
[MP +1]
The snake's body fell off and disappeared. He caught the leather drop and started swimming again. Once again, he put the sword in the inventory and the knife back in its holder.
He swam as fast as he can.
Only now did he realize the effect of increased stats.
From these brief interactions, these snakes are as strong as the Level 1 Mutant human he fought in the tutorial. However, he noticed several flaws in these snakes.
First, they are not as intelligent.
Second, they are not as versatile in their movement. That mutant human was a tough opponent not because of his strength, but rather because of the way he fought. He was fast, agile, and had thoughts beyond his instinct.
But the fighting style of snakes is a charge, chomp, coil, chomp. That is all.
Once he realizes this, with his increased stats and the mutant soldier sword, things are getting easier.
On his way to the tower, two more snakes came at him. For the first snake, Ayaan moved and even entered the range of the snake, dodging past its head and keeping it at bay with his knife.
As it coiled around him, he pulled the sword out of the inventory and held it parallel to his leg. The snake didn't stop to think and just coiled around his legs and the sword.
When the grip was not completely tight, he turned the sword sideways and pulled it up, the snake was half dead with just one slash that cut it across three parts of its body.
Then it became easier to stab it under the neck while it was writhing in pain.
He defeated the other snake in the same way.
It seemed like him being Level 2 really has a good enough difference against these creatures of Level 1.
The only disadvantage is that his fatigue accumulated a bit. It hasn't even been fifteen minutes since he started the quest and his fatigue already reached 10.
No matter how much he is good at swimming, fighting these serpents in their own territory is a bit taxing.
He continued forward and soon reached the watch tower.
There is a hole in its wall, exposing the stairway. The water has entered it and the whole tower is filled. However, the steps upward are still open. He swam into the hole and climbed up reaching the top of the watch tower.
The top of the watch tower is barely wet. There is no water and the space is open except for the roof above him.
Ayaan had a pretty decent view of the whole village.
'Should have started from here'
He thought to himself. He looked down from the edge. The water surface is at least ten feet below. Even if the water serpents came, they couldn't just jump to the top.
Their only way to him is to enter through the hole and then crawl up and fight him on the roof where there is no water at all.
One thing he learned in the Navy is to modify the circumstances of the battlefield to his advantage. No matter how minute they are, he has a habit of gaining every advantage he can and eventually, they always stack up.
He opened the inventory and took out the Water Serpent Pearl.
He consumed it without hesitation.
The system notification appeared.
==============================
ITEM CONSUMED
==============================
You have successfully consumed a **Water Serpent Pearl**.
Effects Applied:
**Enhanced Lung Capacity**: Underwater breathing time increased by **+1 minute**. **Serpent Attraction**: Water Serpents are now more likely to be drawn toward you.
==============================
A cool sensation invaded his body. It felt so comfortable. His pores seemed to have opened up as if all the heat was getting out of his body.
Another system notification followed it.
==============================
The player has compatible skill *Aqua Respite*
Water Serpent Pearl's effect Enhanced Lung Capacity is added to the Skill.
*Aqua Respite*. Now player can breathe underwater for 7 mins
==============================
At that moment, the quest progress window popped up.
==============================
QUEST PROGRESS
==============================
Quest Name: **The First Guardian**
Objective:
Defeat the Water Serpent King.
Clear Conditions:
Collect at least **12 Water Serpent Pearls**:
Progress: [░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 0/12
Kill the **Water Serpent King**:
Status: **Incomplete**
==============================
The progress he made is gone now. He thought for a moment before, he stood at the edge of the tower and observed the water.
His gaze became sharp as he noticed a movement nearby.
*SPLASH*
A water serpent came to the surface not too far away and it came towards the tower at an increased speed.
When it reached the tower, it looked at Ayaan and hissed. It seemed like the effect was no small. He is indeed attracting the serpents.
The serpent got angrier with every passing second and started hitting the tower.
[████████████████████████░] 95%
Its health dropped by five percent. It didn't hold back. While he observed its actions, he also noticed a few serpents popping up nearby.
Previously, he didn't notice them even though they were in such close vicinity to the tower. They blended well in the water in the night with their black scales.
But now, with just consuming one pearl, he lured them.
The snakes circled around the tower hissing at him. Ayaan stayed in their sight and moved gradually, luring them towards the small opening.
The snakes entered the tower and crawled upstairs.