A sudden, powerful yank nearly sent Draven falling into the snake, but he dug the sharp tips of his gloves into the hard wall, anchoring himself just in time.
'Damn it! I should've jumped without looking. Stupid instincts!'
"Reece!" Draven shouted, his voice strained. "Even if you reach the end of the mountain, there's nothing behind it but an empty plain! The blue light is an illusion. I know where the real legacy is!"
Reece hesitated, his grip tightening around Draven's ankle. Sweat dripped down Draven's face as he watched the Mud Serpents below, their scales glinting ominously in the light.
"Ree—" Draven started, but his words were cut off as a rope snapped upward, coiling around Reece's waist and yanking him into the depths.
Draven glanced down to see Sera swinging through the air, the rope in her hands as she arced toward safety. Reece, however, plummeted into the writhing mass of serpents below. His screams were drowned out by the hissing and snapping of fangs.
Without wasting a second, Draven tightened his grip and crawled forward, his movements silent and deliberate. The serpents converged on Reece, their massive bodies twisting and coiling as they devoured him. After which, they only hissed and played together.
After five tense minutes of crawling, Draven finally reached the end of the ravine. He hauled himself onto the surface and stumbled into another shallow fissure, collapsing into it.
His chest heaved as his body trembled, the effects of Berserker Z1 fading fast. His strength ebbed away with each labored breath. Lying there, bathed in the ethereal blue light, he stared at the sky, watching the clouds drift lazily overhead.
'This should be the territory of that big guy in the mountain. No other monsters should be around. This ravine should dampen its senses, so it shouldn't detect me. Now, how do I get it to leave the cave? I'm halfway through my plan, but those idiots already got themselves killed. I wish the legacy was behind the mountain, but it's just an illusion—a magical mirage. The real deal must be deeper inside, close to that beast.'
Draven rested, his mind racing as he plotted his next move. When he felt steady enough, he walked in the ravine and paused at a safe distance from the surface. Before him loomed the mountain, its surface riddled with countless deep, gaping holes that resembled the lairs of enormous monsters. The pockmarked facade looked like a crumbling sand dune, yet its texture was harder than stone.
Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted, shaking the air and rolling across the landscape like a tidal wave. Draven's heart clenched, and a cold dread slithered down his spine, amplifying the chill already gripping him.
He instantly crouched, moving deeper into the ravine. 'Shit! I thought it only sensed movement on the surface. That rumor was dead wrong!'
A massive, fur-covered ape burst from one of the holes, landing with a ground-shaking crash.
Draven's skin prickled with goosebumps as the beast pounded its chest and roared again, its voice echoing like thunder. Then it charged toward the far side of the mountain, each step sending tremors through the earth.
'What's happening…? Sera!'
Understanding dawned on him. 'She must've miscalculated. She went around the mountain and stayed on the surface for a long time, triggering it. This is my chance!'
Though fear threatened to paralyze him, the memory of his impending death hardened his resolve. He pulled out another vial of Berserker Z1 and swallowed its contents in one gulp.
Then he sprinted toward the mountain, his speed far beyond that of any ordinary human. Reaching the base, Draven scaled the rocky surface with practiced ease, the sharp tips of his gloves finding grip on the surface. His movements were fluid, almost spider-like, as he ascended.
But another roar from behind the mountain made him realize he might've been detected. Draven pushed himself to the limit, climbing faster while fighting to maintain his grip. Soon, he reached the cave and slipped inside.
Deeper within, he found a cluster of massive eggs blocking a narrow passage, blue light spilling from the depths beyond. 'I was right. It's hidden beneath the mountain.'
Draven shoved at one of the eggs, but it didn't budge. He drew his dagger and drove it into the shell, splitting it open. The contents spilled out, and he slid into the hole, shielding his head with his arm.
The descent was rough, the rocky slide scraping against his body. After a minute, he tumbled into a vast chamber, rolling uncontrollably until he collided with the wall.
Groaning, Draven sat up, rubbing his head as he scanned the room dazedly. The huge chamber was empty save for a single object: a hovering blue crystal, its glow casting an icy light that seeped into his bones.
Draven's teeth chattered, but his eyes sparkled with triumph.
Suddenly, a weary voice echoed through the chamber, seemingly coming from everywhere at once:
"At last, a successor."
Draven's gaze darted around, but he saw no one.
The voice continued: "I am the Last Soul Warlock in existence, and this is but a fragment of my soul, carrying my final will. I bequeath to you my Legacy, housed within this crystal. Though it may be flawed at first, those imperfections will vanish when you ascend from the Transient rank to the Primal rank. Farewell, the next Soul Warlock. Do not dishonor my legacy."
Draven hesitated, then approached the crystal. Ignoring the biting cold, he touched it. The crystal dissolved into his hand, vanishing.
[Inheriting the Soul Warlock's Legacy!]
[Error… Incompatible Legacy…]
[Error… unawakened…]
[Synchronization and awakening: 10%...]
A series of panels flashed before Draven's eyes. His vision was abruptly swallowed in an icy-blue glow that shone in the dark chamber, exuding a pressure that froze even the air.
As quickly as it appeared, the light faded, and his sight returned to normal.
Draven exhaled, feeling warmth return to his body, but a thunderous roar from above shattered the moment.
The ground trembled, and the sound of scraping stone filled the air. 'Damn it! It's coming!'
Draven scanned the chamber frantically, though he couldn't fathom how the massive creature would fit through the narrow passage. Spotting a wide tunnel by the side, he bolted toward it.
Just as Draven entered the tunnel, a deafening crash echoed behind him. He didn't look back; he couldn't afford to hesitate again. He sprinted up the sloping tunnel, the darkness broken only by a faint glimmer of light ahead.
The sound of footsteps grew louder behind him, rushing toward him with terrifying speed. He could feel his heart pounding faster.
Draven kept running.
When he saw sunlight flooding the tunnel's end, a grin spread across his face.
'The exit!'
Draven rushed forward, but a rope lashed out from the shadows, coiling around his neck like a venomous serpent. Before he could react, a brutal yank lifted him off his feet and slammed him into the tunnel wall. The impact left him gasping for air, his vision swimming.