Chapitre 3: Nightfang

HISSSSS

Damien heard a hissing sound, but couldn't see anything. Suddenly, something hit him from behind and he was thrown across the cave.

[Attention, High-Level Danger Detected]

"I can see!!!", with a scream, he rose to his feet and faced his adversary: a menacing black serpent.

The sight of the nearly 10-foot-long black serpent was truly awe-inspiring. Its sleek body was coiled in a serpentine fashion, and its skin was covered in strong, impenetrable black scales that shone like obsidian. The scales looked impervious to any form of attack, giving the serpent an almost invincible appearance.

The serpent's head was slightly triangular, with two piercing purple eyes that glowed in the darkness. These eyes were surrounded by a circular ring of black scales, enhancing the creature's already ominous appearance.

The serpent's tail was long and thin, tapering off to a point, and moved with a graceful, fluid motion reminiscent of a dancer's.

He took a glance at the snake, then assessed the most viable option in this precarious situation, which was...

RUN

He quickly turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction, the sound of the serpent's scales scraping against the cave floor creating an eerie melody as the creature slithered in pursuit.

However, to his dismay, he soon reached the dead end of the cave, halting his escape and leaving him trapped with the slithering serpent.

Realizing he had no other choice but to fight, he summoned the Moonslayer into his right hand with a billowing black mist and took a defensive stance, preparing for the imminent battle. Despite his fear, he steeled himself for the confrontation ahead. "I'm so dead," he thought to himself, but he refused to give up without a fight.

The serpent lunged forward, its jaws snapping shut just inches from Damien's face. He quickly sidestepped the attack and swung his sword, but to his dismay, the sword bounced harmlessly off the serpent's impenetrable scales. Despite his best efforts, it seemed that his weapon was no match for the creature's formidable defenses.

The serpent coiled and struck again, but Damien managed to dodge to the side in a display of speed and agility. As the adrenaline surged through his veins, he realized that he needed to find a weak spot in the serpent's defenses if he had any hope of surviving this battle. With that in mind, he took a deep breath and readied himself for the next attack.

Despite feeling overpowered by the massive serpent, Damien refused to give up. His heart racing, he circled the creature, carefully assessing its movements and searching for any weaknesses in its defenses. He knew that he had to wait for the right moment to strike if he wanted to stand a chance against such a formidable foe. With his weapon at the ready and his instincts on high alert, he steeled himself for the battle ahead.

The serpent attacked again, its jaws gaping wide as if ready to swallow him whole. But Damien was ready. With lightning reflexes, he leaped forward and thrust his sword toward the serpent's head. With a satisfying thud, the sword sank deep into the serpent's eye, causing the creature to roar in fury and thrash wildly. Despite the danger, Damien remained focused and alert, knowing that he had to press his advantage if he wanted to survive this encounter.

The serpent reared up, its massive body towering over Damien as some kind of strange purple light began to gather inside its gaping maw. In a split second, the light was discharged, narrowly missing Damien as he rolled out of the way just in time.

The blast hit the rock wall with tremendous force, causing chunks of stone to come tumbling down and revealing an unusual passage beyond. Damien's heart raced as he watched in horror as everything that came into contact with the strange substance turned into a gooey mess, sending a shiver down his spine.

Without a moment to spare, Damien seized the opportunity and lunged forward again, driving his sword deep into the serpent's skull while the creature was still disoriented from its failed attack. With a final hiss of defiance, the massive serpent hit the ground and slumped over, lifeless.

Damien leaned against the wall, panting and covered in sweat as he surveyed the newly revealed passage before him. It was narrow, winding, and seemed to stretch on endlessly, with no indication of where it might lead.

Despite the sense of trepidation that gnawed at his gut, Damien knew that he had no choice but to press on if he wanted to find his way out of this labyrinthine cave system. He took a deep breath, steeled himself for whatever lay ahead, and began to move forward.

"My sword skills finally came to some use", he comments as the Moonslayer disappears in a black mist.

"Man I am so OP"

[Weeb]

"Haha", he laughs awkwardly

After catching his breath and wiping his sweat with the sleeves of his shirt, Damien walked over to the dead serpent. He crouched down near it and placed his hand on the creature's lifeless body. With a black mist, the serpent's body disappeared.

[Analysis Complete]

[Species, A Demonic Beast known as Nightfang]

[Nightfangs are a part of the black serpent cluster, known for their sleek bodies covered in strong and impenetrable black scales. Their piercing purple eyes and ominous circular rings of black scales surrounding them give them an intimidating appearance. These serpents are feared for their venomous fangs and their ability to strike with lightning speed, making them formidable predators in their natural habitat. Encountering a Nightfang is a rare and dangerous experience, and those who manage to survive often have tales of their terrifying encounter to share.]

[Two new skills acquired]

[NightFang Armour: It is an Extra skill that will transform your skin into armor composed of the obsidian scales of the Nightfangs. This formidable armor provides exceptional protection against physical and magical attacks, as well as an increase in strength and agility. The transformation also grants you heightened senses, making you more perceptive and aware of your surroundings]

[Purple Fire: It is a Unique skill that produces 'Purple Flames' which are not ordinary flames but are magical flames with unique properties. These flames can burn even in the absence of oxygen and are much hotter than regular fire. Additionally, they have the ability to nullify magic and consume magical barriers and spells.]

The flames flicker and dance in Damien's hand as he uses the skill, emitting an eerie purple glow. He feels a sense of power and control as he holds the flames, knowing that he possesses a unique and powerful ability.

"Cool"

He enters the newly formed passage. As he walks through the winding passage, he notices strange markings on the walls. They seem to be ancient runes, but he cannot decipher their meaning. The air feels heavy and dense as if he is walking through a mist.

As he continues down the passage, the air grows colder, and the purple flame on his finger flickers and dims. He can hear the sound of dripping water echoing through the passage. Finally, after what seems like hours, the passage opens up into a large chamber.

A gate was present there standing tall, towering over him, and blocking his path. It's made of dark iron and adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures, adding to the ominous and foreboding feeling of the gate.

The gate is so large that it seems to touch the ceiling of the passage, blocking out all light except for a faint glow emanating from the gate itself. As Damien comes closer to the gate, he notices that it's covered in strange symbols and runes, and a feeling of unease washes over him.

Standing before the gate, as if standing guard, is a knight statue carved from a single piece of black marble. The statue is the same height as the gate itself and depicts a heavily armored knight, holding a long sword with both hands. The sword's blade points downward toward the ground, adding to the statue's imposing presence.

The sword is ornate, with intricate designs etched along the length of the blade, catching the faint light and reflecting it in a mesmerizing dance. The armor of the knight is no less impressive, every plate and rivet carved with a precision that speaks of master craftsmanship. The knight's face remains obscured by a visored helmet, adding to the already imposing presence of the statue, as if daring any who approach to test their worth.

As he approached closer, Damien realized that there was something more to this statue than meets the eye. The knight statue is not just a lifeless piece of stone but appears to be imbued with some sort of magic. Its eyes glow with a faint blue light, and its sword seems to pulse with power. The knight seems to be ever vigilant, watching for any intruders who might attempt to pass the gate. Damien couldn't shake the feeling that this was no ordinary statue, and he knew he had to proceed with caution.

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