Slithering

HISSSS! The lesser python grew closer, its large, white figure growing clearer and clearer as it slithered through the purple fog. Ethan stared desperately at the disappearing images of the members of his group. He jerked his body as he tried to move, in some way, in any way, just to get out of this place.

Ba-dump.....ba-dump.....ba-dump. His heart had started acting up once again. Ethan wanted to laugh. At this particular moment, when death seemed to be looming over him, his heart wanted to remind him that it existed. He took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time for any random thoughts. He had to get out of here, and he had to get out fast.

Whirr!! He channeled his mana throughout his body, trying to eject all of the needles sticking into him. A wisp of mana originated from his heart, making its way towards his spinal cord. "Mmmph!" Ethan's eyes widened as he screamed in pain. His mana was pushed back violently as the needle stayed firmly in place. "Mmph mmph!" Ethan tried to curse as he jerked his body violently. His mana circuit was blocked by the thorny dragon's needles. And he didn't have a high enough Mana or Magical Circuit stat to blast through them.

Ba-dump....ba-dump....ba-dump. Tiny waves of water crashed into his face as he lay struggling. HISSS! Whirr! He channeled his mana through his body. "Mmmph" He screamed in pain as his mana was thrown back viciously once again. There was no other way. He had to try as many times as he could. Eventually, the needles would break, letting him free. He just had to persevere.

Whirr! "Mmmph!" Ethan continuously battered his mana against a needle, trying to break through desperately as he recoiled in pain. Ba-dump...ba-dump...ba-dump. His heart started beating faster. He didn't know whether it was because of the pain, or because it was just acting up for another reason. But he didn't care. Ba-dump..ba-dump..ba-dump.

HISSSS! Suddenly, a 4 metre tall, pure white creature slithered into view. Its pure yellow eyes contained small black slits that focused on Ethan. Its tail stretched 20 metres behind it as its large body twisted and turned over the swamp, slithering forward. It was covered in dirty white scales, yet its face held a haughty look, as if it were a king.

HISSSS! It opened its maw wide, hissing at Ethan. Ethan stared at the lesser python in fear. Its mouth was full of small, round teeth, instead of the two pointed teeth that he associated with snakes. But its large mouth, looking like a huge cavern, ready to swallow him, sent chills down his spine.

There was no way out. All of his struggles were for nothing. He was going to die right here, before he could take revenge on any of the people who had harmed him. He clenched his teeth, facing death right in its eyes. He wouldn't go down so easily. Ba-dump..ba-dump..ba-dump.

Ethan screamed as he battered his mana against the needle. Whirr! Boom! Suddenly, a rush of mana emerged from his heart. "Yes! Yes! I'm almost there!" Crack! The first needle cracked, giving way under the immense pressure of the mana. All he needed to do was break the first needle. The momentum gained by his mana would start breaking the other needles, like a domino. Crack...crack...crack. Multiple needles broke one by one, as the mana was circulated faster and faster.

Crack.....crack.....crack. "Mmmmmph!" Ethan shouted in glory as his arm slowly started to free up. Crack....crack....crack. HISSSSS! The lesser python moved faster and faster, nearing its prey. Crack! "Yes!" Ethan screamed in his mind as he dug his now free hand into his pocket. His fingers curled around a transparent vial containing a dark red liquid. Tiny currents of mana bounced against the walls as they circulated inside the vial.

HISSSS! The python lifted its neck as it prepared to strike. Ethan lifted his arm. "Hey, worm!" He looked at the monster in contempt. "Eat this!" He swung his arm forward, throwing the vial into the depths of its stomach. Crackle! The mana sped through Ethan's body, now incinerating the needles as it moved faster and faster.

Reptilian creatures followed a strict system of hierarchy. Crackle....crackle....crackle. Each monster was born with a specific bloodline, and their positions were based on heredity. Crackle....crackle....crackle. Going against this hierarchy was a cardinal sin for them. Every reptilian monster respected all species 'above' them, bowing down in submission instinctually.

Crackle...crackle...crackle. And the reason they never fought against their positions was very simple. CRACK! The glass vial crashed into the python's insides as the contents spilled over. Touching a drop of royal blood was a sin against their very own nature.

HISSSSS! The python screamed in pain as its head rose into the air. It convulsed its body, feeling immense pain its own blood rebelled against itself. Snake blood. What Ethan had poured into the depths of this python was the blood of a D ranked snake. A creature superior to this monster. Something that ruled over these royal lesser pythons. Something that the python could not harm.

HISSSSSS! The lesser python thrashed around as its battered its body against the floor. THUD! THUD! THUD! Splash! The monster kicked up water everywhere as it thrashed around. It had completely forgotten about Ethan, now focusing on getting rid of its immense pain.

Crackle! "Huff...huff...huff." Ethan breathed heavily as the last few needles were burnt away. He had survived! "Cough...cough...urk." Ethan pushed himself off the floor as he tried to get up. His fingers curled around his kusarigama, the metal feeling cold against his warm hands.

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[Mana Sense (G)]

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Ethan could feel the monster's energy dropping as it slowly lost most of its powers. THUD! Suddenly, the monster stopped moving as the pain went away. Crash! It fell down to the swamp, breathing heavily as it tried to catch its breath.

Ethan had specifically searched for the blood of a D ranked snake-like monster for this mission. He knew where Noah had gone as a part of his expedition in the book, so he had a rough idea of the monsters he'd be seeing based on his collective information of his two lives.

But simply knowing what he was going to face didn't help. So he had scoured the internet for some sort of miracle drug against the berserk reptilian creatures who'd attack because Noah was killing their 'kings'. And he'd discovered their weakness.

HISSSS! Suddenly, the lesser python hissed loudly once again. It was assaulted by another round of pain. The blood had a toxic effect on the creature, draining its mana until it dropped it down to half of its original rank. The python had started at F-4 rank- the highest rank in this gate aside from the 'boss'. But now its rank was F-3, and it was dropping fast.

THUD! It banged its body against the floor once again, kicking up waves of water. Ethan sat down in the muddy water as he observed the monster. He didn't care about getting dirty. His face was already full of dirt after lying in the swamp for so long. Sitting back down wouldn't change anything.

The reason he hadn't left the gate was because he wanted to kill this monster. This pathetic piece of trash that had played with his life. Of course, it wasn't really the monster's fault. The real people Ethan wanted to hurt were the eight other excuses for gatekeepers that had abandoned him in this godforsaken swamp, even when they could have rescued him if they put their minds to it. But he couldn't act against them. For now. So he'd kill this monster and vent his frustration on it for now.

THUD! THUD! THUD! The lesser python began another wave of thrashing as its rank dropped to F-1. Ethan watched it struggling with relish. He wouldn't try to kill it right now. Not when it was desperately struggling to survive. Few things could be as dangerous as a higher ranked monster when it was about to die. Especially a reptilian type.

THUD! THUD! THUD! Crash! The monster fell to the floor once again, breathing heavily. Its glared at Ethan with hatred. The python wasn't very intelligent, yet it knew that this human was the the cause of all its pain. HISSSS! It hissed at him angrily. Ethan stared back into its yellow eyes as he smirked, provoking the creature. It raised its head in anger, getting read to strike.

THUD! THUD! Suddenly, it collapsed, suffering from another round of pain as its mana decreased further. Ethan tensed his body. This was the moment. Its rank was finally decreasing for the last time. He clenched the chain tightly, preparing to fight. THUD! THUD! Crash!

The python twitched in pain, reeling from the shock as it lay motionlessly. Crack! Crack! Small cracks started running across its body, expanding further as they started to cover it completely. CRACK! The flesh hardened, turning into dust as it started falling away.

HISSSSS! A voice burst from the remains, not as magnificent, yet much more vengeful than before. Ethan stared at the monster in pity. The python was smaller, now only two metres tall and 12 metres long. Its rank had decreased drastically, dropping to G-7.

Whoosh...whoosh...whoosh. Ethan started swinging his chain. "Hey worm!" HISS! The snake hissed back at Ethan, as if it were talking to him. "Looks like you're much weaker than before." Whoosh.....whoosh....whoosh. "Now both of us are at the same rank!" HISS! Whoosh....whoosh....whoosh. "So shall we see..." Ethan's face broke into a smile. "Who's stronger- a human or a python."

HISSSSS!