"Arthur—GET DOWN!"
Charlie's voice ripped through the forest like a blade.
Before my mind could react, his body slammed into mine. I hit the damp forest floor hard, the breath knocked clean out of my lungs as dead leaves and cold soil filled my senses.
Something whistled past where my head had been a heartbeat earlier.
Swish!
A heavy thunk followed, deep and violent enough to make the ground shudder.
I sucked in a sharp breath and twisted around.
A massive fang—long, thick, and bark-colored—was buried deep into the tree trunk behind me, still vibrating from the force of the strike.
My heart stopped.
Slowly… very slowly…
I lifted my gaze.
At first, I thought it was part of the tree itself—rough, ridged bark, wrapped tight around the trunk. But as my eyes adjusted, the illusion shattered.
It wasn't the tree.
It was wrapped around it.
A colossal serpent coiled midway up the trunk, its massive body fused so perfectly with the bark that it was almost impossible to tell where wood ended and flesh began. Its scales mimicked cracked bark, streaked with mossy greens and dull grays. Only its eyes betrayed it—two narrow, venomous slits glowing faint yellow in the dim forest light.
The creature was enormous—easily over ten meters long. Its body was thick enough that it could have crushed the tree it clung to if it wanted.
Venom dripped from one exposed fang, hissing softly as it struck a root below, eating into the wood like acid.
A cold chill crawled down my spine.
"What… is that…?" I whispered, my voice barely more than breath.
Charlie's expression hardened instantly.
"A Camouflage Serpent," he muttered. "Venomous. Aggressive. And very, very dangerous."
The serpent's tongue flicked out, tasting the air.
Then its gaze locked onto us.
Charlie clicked his tongue in frustration.
"How did we not notice something this big…?" he murmured—then answered himself immediately. "No… with camouflage like that, it makes sense. It was waiting. Watching."
The Camouflage Serpent released a low, rumbling hiss. Its coils tightened around the trunk, bark cracking under its sheer strength.
Then it moved.
Its massive head snapped downward toward Charlie.
Charlie shoved me aside and rolled away as the serpent's jaws slammed into the ground where he'd been standing. Dirt, leaves, and broken roots exploded into the air.
Charlie sprang back to his feet, chest heaving as he sucked in a sharp breath. Sweat mixed with dirt on his face, but his eyes never left the towering monster before him.
"What do I do…?" he muttered under his breath, voice tight, mind racing as he calculated every possible move.
The Camouflage Serpent lifted its head once more.
Muscles rippled beneath its bark-like scales as it drew itself higher, shadow stretching across the forest floor. Its slit pupils locked onto Charlie, cold and merciless.
Then it struck again.
Faster.
Charlie twisted aside at the last instant. The serpent's massive head tore through the space where he'd stood a heartbeat earlier—but not cleanly.
A jagged scale grazed his cheek like a knife.
Blood welled instantly, a thin crimson line cutting across his skin.
Charlie hissed in pain, but his expression hardened instead of breaking.
No hesitation.
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
A spark flared to life.
Then another.
Heat gathered rapidly, the air around his palm warping as a small flame bloomed, swirling and unstable.
Charlie thrust his arm forward.
A streak of fire tore through the air and slammed into the serpent's side, erupting in a burst of heat and sparks against its hardened scales.
The forest echoed with the impact.
Boomf!
Flames crawled across the serpent's scales, scorching the bark-like surface and leaving behind faint blackened marks.
And that was all.
No scream.
No recoil.
Just a shallow burn—barely an irritation.
Charlie's teeth clenched hard.
"Tch…" he hissed under his breath. "Its hide is too tough…"
The Camouflage Serpent let out a low, vibrating hiss, its massive body tightening around the tree. Those slit, venomous eyes narrowed, no longer curious—
Only furious.
Killing intent flooded the air.
Charlie snapped his fingers again—faster, sharper, refusing to give it time to react.
Another spark ignited.
Then another.
Small bursts of flame shot out in rapid succession, slamming into the serpent's body. Smoke rose. Several patches of its scales darkened and cracked.
It wasn't enough to seriously injure it. But it was enough to enrage it.
The serpent released a deafening hiss, the sound vibrating through the forest like a warning of death.
It lunged.
"Charlie!" I screamed.
He hurled himself aside just as the massive head tore through the space where he'd stood. The impact sent dirt and splinters flying—
The serpent didn't stop.
It struck again.
And again.
Each attack came faster than the last, its movements growing more precise, more vicious. The air itself seemed to shriek as its fangs cut through it.
Charlie dodged desperately, breath ragged, muscles screaming in protest. Then—
His foot caught on a thick, knotted root.
"—!"
He lost his balance and slammed hard into a lower tree trunk, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. Pain flashed across his face as he staggered, barely managing to stay upright.
The serpent rose above him once more.
He forced himself upright, breath coming in ragged, uneven pulls as pain tore through his body. Dirt clung to his clothes, and sweat mixed with blood along his sleeve.
Above us, the serpent shifted.
Its massive body tightened around the tree, coils creaking as bark cracked under the pressure. Using the trunk for leverage, it rose higher—higher than before—until its shadow swallowed us whole.
The enormous head loomed overhead.
Slowly… deliberately… its jaws began to part.
Wider. And wider.
Rows of fangs gleamed faintly in the dim forest light, each one slick with venom. Thick, viscous drops fell from its mouth, hissing as they struck the ground below. The stench of poison filled the air, sharp and suffocating.
It was enormous.
Big enough to swallow several people whole without effort.
My blood ran cold.
Every instinct screamed danger. Every muscle in my body locked in fear.
Then—
The serpent struck.
Its colossal head snapped downward, jaws gaping, aimed straight at Charlie.
He rolled away at the last second, the head smashing into the ground with enough force to shake the forest—but this time, he wasn't fast enough to escape cleanly.
A branch snapped beneath him.
His leg twisted awkwardly.
"Ugh—!"
He dropped to one knee, clutching it.
"Charlie!" I cried.
The serpent pulled back, flames still smoldering on its scales. Its tongue flickered again as it adjusted—
Not toward Charlie this time...
Toward me.
The serpent's massive head shifted, scales grinding softly as its gaze locked onto mine.
Our eyes met.
In that instant, the world seemed to freeze.
The forest fell away. The sounds vanished. Even my own heartbeat felt distant, muffled beneath a crushing weight of terror.
I couldn't move.
My lungs refused to draw air, as if my body had forgotten how to breathe. Every muscle locked in place, rooted to the ground while those cold, slit pupils bored straight into me—measuring, judging.
I was prey... and I knew it.
The massive serpent began slithering toward me, its body still half-wrapped around the tree as it lowered its head.
Charlie's voice tore through the air behind me—ragged, strained, stripped of all composure.
"Young Master! Run! Leave me—run!"
His shout echoed in my ears, but my body refused to obey.
My legs felt rooted to the ground, heavy as stone. No matter how desperately my mind screamed at them to move, they wouldn't respond. My fingers dug into the damp earth, nails scraping against dirt and roots as if clinging to the ground might somehow keep me alive.
My whole body shook uncontrollably.
Run.
That single word repeated in my head.
But I couldn't.
I was frozen there, trembling, helpless, watching as death loomed closer.
The serpent's mouth opened again, its breath washing over me—cold, rotten, thick with the stench of old blood and venom.
It came closer.
Closer.
"Young Master!" Charlie shouted again, his voice breaking.
The serpent's massive jaws loomed before me—a yawning cavern of darkness lined with glistening fangs, the stench of venom and rot flooding my senses. Its breath washed over my face, cold and suffocating, as if death itself had leaned in to claim me.
It lunged.
In that instant—
My mind went blank.
My body moved on instinct alone.
My fingers closed around the first thing they touched—a heavy, jagged stone half-buried in the dirt. With a raw, desperate cry torn from my chest, I hurled it with everything I had.
Crack!
The stone struck just above the serpent's eye.
Slowly, it turned its gaze fully on me. Those cold eyes narrowed… not with rage—but curiosity. Almost amusement.
Its tongue flicked again.
Step by step, it slithered closer.
Behind it, Charlie groaned, trying to stand, his injured leg betraying him.
"Young Master!" he gasped. "Run! Please—run!"
I couldn't.
My body shook too violently.
The serpent's shadow swallowed me whole.
Its mouth opened again—wider than before—darkness consuming all light.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
This is it…
"YOUNG MASTER!"
Charlie's scream rang out like a final prayer.
And then—
Something exploded from my chest.
A blinding light burst outward from beneath my shirt—right where the book rested. The glow expanded instantly, forming a curved, translucent shield in front of me, like a half-dome of pure, shimmering energy.
The Camouflage Serpent's massive jaws crashed down.
BOOM!
Its fangs slammed into the barrier—and stopped.
The shield rippled violently, but it didn't break.
For a heartbeat— No one moved.
The serpent froze, eyes wide in animal confusion.
Charlie stared, utterly stunned.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
A glowing shield stood between me and death.
And a giant serpent's jaws were stuck against it.
The serpent. Charlie. And me.
All three of us—
Completely flabbergasted.