Mana Infusion.
Sakeer swung his magic greatsword in a downward arc with one hand.
A visible slash of magical power tore through the air, colliding head-on with the incoming fireball.
Boom!
The fireball ruptured mid-air, splitting apart upon impact. Flames scattered in all directions, but the mana slash pressed forward, unhindered, cutting through the explosion and continuing its path straight toward Naga.
The Demon Snake's pupils contracted in shock.
With no time to hesitate, he yanked hard on the Ghost Bear's fur, forcing the beast to veer sharply to the side.
Boom!
The mana slash struck the ground where Naga had just been, carving a deep three-meter-long gash into the earth.
The Demon Snake stared at the mark, his mind racing.
"This… this isn't magic!"
As a seasoned magic caster, he could instantly tell when something was imbued with magical energy.
But this attack…
It was different.
This human—he wasn't just a magic caster!
He was also a warrior!
And worse—he could launch ranged attacks without relying on spells.
A dangerous combination!
Naga's expression darkened as he quickly reevaluated the situation.
"I only came to say hello."
Sakeer straightened, resting the magic sword casually on his shoulder.
His gaze shifted toward Naga, his head tilting ever so slightly in amusement.
"And maybe… discuss a bit of cooperation."
His tone was light, almost playful—but there was an undercurrent of danger in his words.
Sakeer had read about this creature before.
In the anime, when faced with the Bone King, the Demon Snake immediately surrendered after a brief resistance.
Yet now, here he was, putting up a fight.
The difference?
Naga, like most races in this world, viewed humans as inherently weak.
That perception was deeply ingrained.
But now—
Naga was starting to realize that the man before him was far from ordinary.
Still—retreat was not an option.
Naga was one of the three Ruler of the Great Forest of Tob.
Fleeing from a human?
Unthinkable.
Besides, War Troll Guu was still under this human's control. If Naga abandoned the fight, it could lead to greater troubles in the future.
His withered arms rose.
"Vine Entanglement!"
At his command, the weeds blanketing the ground suddenly surged upward, twisting and expanding at an unnatural speed.
Thick vines burst from the earth, lunging toward Sakeer like the snakes of a hydra, ready to bind him in place.
But—
Sakeer simply reached into his pocket, pulling out a magic item.
"Forest Crossing."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated it.
The moment the vines came within range, they veered off course—completely ignoring him and scattering harmlessly in other directions.
Boom!
Sakeer kicked off the ground, propelling himself forward with explosive speed.
His magic sword gleamed in his grip as he charged.
A mocking smirk played on his lips.
"I hope your strength matches your arrogance."
"Don't disappoint me."
"You insolent wretch!"
Naga's face twisted in rage.
His long tailwhipped against the ground—
"Rock Scatter!"
The earth shattered, sending countless jagged stones flying through the air, each one as deadly as a bullet, aimed directly at Sakeer.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sakeer did not stop.
His magic sword moved in a blur, cutting down the oncoming projectiles with precision and ease.
Not a single stone reached him.
Not even his speed slowed down.
Naga cursed inwardly.
This human—
Was too strong!
He needed a distraction.
With a flick of his withered fingers, he leaped off the Ghost Bear's back.
His ancient voice rang out in a roar—
"Beast Control!"
"ROAR!"
The Ghost Bear's eyes flared red, its body shaking as it succumbed to the spell.
Its muscles tensed, its claws dug into the earth—
And then, like a frenzied beast, it charged straight toward Sakeer.
The sheer bulk of its massive body barreled forward, not only attacking but also acting as a living shield—blocking Naga's escape in the process.
Naga's plan was clear:
Use the Ghost Bear as bait—and retreat into the shadows.
But—
Sakeer merely snorted.
"Pathetic."
With a single, effortless motion, he reversed his grip on the magic sword—
And swung upward in a devastating arc.
Schlkk!
The Ghost Bear's massive body split in half.
Blood sprayed, its thick fur and stone-like hide utterly useless against the raw power of Sakeer's blade.
A system prompt flickered before Sakeer's eyes.
[Experience Gained: 1511]
Yet—his gaze remained fixed forward.
Because—
Naga was gone.
"Tch."
Sakeer's eyes narrowed.
"Kuro!"
At his command, a low growl rumbled from the battlefield's edge.
"Rrrr!"
A small but menacing figure—the Little Barghest—leaped into action.
Its sharp gaze locked onto a seemingly empty patch of air—
And with feral intensity—
It lunged.
The black chains erupted from the Little Barghest, lashing out toward the empty space ahead.
The Great Whirlwind of Chains!
"Damn that cursed dog!"
A sharp crack sounded as the attack struck its mark.
A twisted, angry snarl filled the air as Demon Snake Naga was forcibly wrenched out of his stealth state, his wrinkled face contorting in rage.
"I should have killed you from the start!"
Though the attack hadn't wounded him, the humiliation stung far more than any injury.
But his anger quickly turned to alarm.
Because—
Sakeer was already closing in.
Naga's expression shifted.
Without hesitation, he threw up both arms and shouted loudly:
"Forest Mist!"
"Dissolve the light—disrupt the vision!"
Whoosh—!
A thick white mist exploded outward, rolling across the battlefield like an encroaching tide.
Naga's form faded, vanishing into the dense fog.
This time, his stealth was even deeper, making him nearly impossible to detect.
Sakeer's eyes narrowed.
He instinctively scanned his surroundings, but all he saw was a swirling mass of mist.
His brows furrowed.
"Of course… fighting a pure warrior is much easier than this."
Suddenly—
A cold, vice-like grip clamped down around Sakeer's torso.
His body tightened, constricted by something thick, smooth, and unyielding.
His pupils shrunk in realization.
"Tch—!"
From within the mist, Naga's enormous serpentine tail had coiled around him, wrapping him in a crushing bind.
The Demon Snake's voice rang out, tinged with gleeful malice:
"Die, human!"
His pale, greasy scales shimmered in the faint light, making his hold slick yet unbreakable.
The coiling pressure intensified rapidly, restricting Sakeer's movement.
It was too tight to break free by force alone.
"Not happening."
Sakeer's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Impure Impact Shield!"
A sudden surge of black energy erupted from Sakeer's body, exploding outward in a powerful shockwave.
BOOM!
The sheer force of it sent Naga flying, his serpentine body whipping through the air before he slammed into the ground with a heavy thud.
At the same time—
The dense mist that had clouded the battlefield was completely blown away, leaving Naga fully exposed once again.
Skill: Impure Impact Shield
Usage: 2/day
Effect: Generates a pulse of pure energy, knocking back all nearby enemies. Simultaneously, it has the ability to dispel and negate enemy magic.
This was one of Valkyrie's signature skills, unlocked after reaching Level 3.
With the massacre of countless high-level demonic beasts and over 200 ogres in the eastern region, Sakeer had racked up an astronomical amount of experience—over 140,000 points.
Naturally, he had funneled all of it into Valkyrie's class advancement.
And now—
His Valkyrie class had reached Level 4.
[Experience Slot: 26,933/60,000]
Bang!
Before Naga could recover, Sakeer had already moved.
His form blurred, and in the next instant, he was standing over Naga's sprawled-out body.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the serpent's tail—
And lifted him into the air.
"Not as tough as you claimed, are you?"
Then—
He swung.
BOOM!
Naga's massive body slammed into the ground with a thunderous impact.
Bang!
Again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Over and over, the serpent's form was brutally smashed into the earth, each impact shaking the battlefield.
The air was filled with the crack of breaking bones, the shuddering of flesh, and the agonized howls of the so-called Ruler of the West.
"I SURRENDER!"
"I SURRENDER!"
"I SURRENDERS!"
The once proud Demon Snake now screeched in desperation, his voice trembling.
BOOM!
With one final slam, Sakeer released his grip.
Naga collapsed onto the ground, bloodied and broken.
His two withered arms lay at odd angles, completely shattered. His entire body was twitching, unable to even lift itself.
Sakeer stepped forward, his expression indifferent.
He planted his magic sword into the ground beside him.
Then—
With a casual flick of his wrist, an iron sword appeared in his palm.
Dark, cursed energy coiled around its blade, radiating malice.
Without a word, Sakeer stabbed the sword directly into Naga's chest.
"AAAAHHH!"
Naga's scream tore through the air, raw and agonized.
The iron sword barely pierced his flesh, but the pain—
The unholy suffering—
Was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
His body convulsed violently, his scales paling, his breath shuddering.
Sakeer pulled the blade free, and immediately, a stream of darkened blood spurted from the wound.
Naga's entire form quaked uncontrollably.
His gaze—
Once filled with cunning and arrogance—
Was now overflowing with pure terror.
"W-What is this...?!"
"The pain… IT'S UNBEARABLE!"
For the first time—
The Demon Snake felt death closing in.
His ancient body, which had endured countless battles, now felt frail—on the verge of crumbling into nothingness.
His voice broke into pitiful, panicked sobs.
"Please… I surrender!"
"I'll serve you! Just don't kill me!"
Naga dragged himself toward Sakeer's feet, his once proud form reduced to a groveling heap.
His mouth opened, his voice trembling with genuine fear.
Because this time—
He wasn't pretending to surrender.
He was truly begging for his life!