It had been two days since Kael began his journey toward the Cloud touching Mountains.
This journey was not so unforgiving—because he was traveling in a desolate land which was filled with an endless number of creatures that saw him as their prey. But that wasn't his only problem—the real challenge was finding a place to rest, somewhere safe enough to recover from the exhaustion of the journey.
Kael with his wings, began to descend onto the desolate land. After his landing, he scanned the area—finding nothing suspicious, no threats were in his sight. He spotted a rock in that scan which was near him and walked towards it and sat down on it to catch his breath.
His body was drenched in sweat as he was leaning against the rough stone as he stared at the distant mountain ahead.
"Flying is too exhausting."
His Wolvenhide Mantle that was clinging to him was soaked in his own sweat, and his muscles were aching from the constant exertion. The strain of using the artifact Gravewing Shroud was not much but the strain form by flying in a single pose had pushed him to his limits.
His eyes narrowed as he thought,
"Is it just me, or is this world actually getting hotter as I am going to approach that cloud touching mountain…"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and pondered on his next step.
"Maybe I should travel by night," he muttered
The heat of the day had drained me, and the monsters in this region seemed to grow more in number and getting aggressive with every passing distance. Traveling at nightfall might give me an edge to wings. Fewer creatures. Cooler air. More land can be covered without stumbling into life taking dangers that are hunting me in this open daylight.
With a flick of thought, he summoned his Gravewings and Wolvenhide Mantle back into his soulcore. His clothes vanished, leaving him stark naked. This unfiltered act of becoming stark naked had turned into quite an odd norm for him. Yet, he didn't mind this because what option was available to him? The heat was just too unbearable to stay in clothes, and his clothes were soaked through, weighing him down during the flight.
During this contemplation of practical choice and embarrassment….
He felt something.
A sharp, cold shiver that was rushing to his spine.
Giving him a feeling that something was wrong.
His mind was screaming at him—but everything was too quiet and too still.
From the edge of the shadowed trees, two dark, gleaming with pupil-less eyes that were staring at him.
Then a sound came out from the shadows of the trees.
A deep, guttural rumble.
It was an earth-crawling monster that was emerging from the shadows trees, dragging itself with a terrifying speed. Its body was long and serpentine, wrapping with black, shiny scales that shimmered like wet obsidian under the fading light. Its monstrous head swayed from side to side, with it jet-black and pupil-less eyes that were fixed on Kael with but those eyes giving a feeling of blindness.
Two fin-like ears jutted out from either side of its skull, twitching with his movements. Then its mouth stretched open unnaturally wide, revealing rows upon rows of razor-edged teeth. Each one shines like a dagger, perfectly aligned for tearing his flesh from his bone.
As it mouth opened It released a low, menacing growl that tore through the silence of the forest.
"This monster is Ravager rank—but its size is making no sense. It was far too massive, for a Ravager rank monster.
Kaelvren didn't flinch, but deep down in his heart Kael was filled of fear that he could become it's prey. Then mind took over and tell him that don't stay still you run. He sprang to his feet, manifest his dagger in one swift motion. His sense became clear in few seconds, because this wasn't the first life-threatening moment he'd The horror of that night was still burning within him which was far worse then this serpent or wherever was it.
"There was no time to think.
Only to act."
With that said he lunged forward but before he come lunged the monster sudden roar, and lunged toward him. Its serpent-like body cut through the air with terrifying speed.
But Kael still lunged forward, making his blade to intercept the monster but before he could do anything that monster twisted itself in mid-air with his unnatural agility —narrowly dodging the attack. Its jagged jaws snapped shut just inches from his shoulder, the sound echoing like cracking bone.
He kicked off the ground, leaping backward and rolling as the beast's momentum crashed into where he'd stood moments before. Gritting his teeth, he steadied himself.
It was fast. Far faster than he'd expected.
And he was exhausted—his strength barely recovered from the day's brutal march. His muscles ached, and his lungs burned from the lingering heat. He couldn't afford to drag this fight. One solid hit from that thing, and his body would break.
This had to end quickly.
The beast lunged again. Its massive body slammed forward with deadly precision. Kaelvren rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the crushing blow. In one swift motion, he drew his sword and slashed in a wide arc. The blade connected—met resistance—but barely left a mark. Just a shallow scrape across the glinting, hardened scales.
His eyes widened in shock.
The monster roared, its fury intensifying.
Kaelvren moved in again, this time with sharper, more precise strikes. But every slash bounced harmlessly off the beast's armor-like hide. He gritted his teeth, frustration growing.
Without hesitation, he summoned his dagger, aiming for the gaps in its defense. But before the weapon found its target, the creature's thick tail whipped around—fast as a whip—and smashed into his chest.
A violent crack.
The impact sent him flying—crashing through the woods with a deafening thud. Kaelvren groaned, blood spilling from his lips. He wiped it away roughly. There was no time to breathe. No time to hesitate.
He launched forward, pain roaring through his chest. His dagger flashed toward the serpent's thick leg. This time—it worked. The blade bit deep. He slashed again. And again.
But from the corner of his eye—movement.
The tail was coming.
He leapt, just in time, the tail crashing past him and shaking the ground. In that instant, he saw an opening.
With a roar, Kaelvren dashed forward, vaulting over the serpent's whipping tail. He drove his dagger toward the creature's head, leapt onto its massive form, and slashed down—both eyes. Blood burst from the sockets.
The beast thrashed violently, blind and confused, roaring in rage. But Kaelvren didn't stop. He began to tear through the beast's hide, smashing and slicing with every bit of strength he had left.
With one final devastating slash, he split open the creature's torso—water-like blood gushing out like a broken dam.
The monster fell, crashing into the earth with a quake-like rumble.
Then—silence. A deep, oppressive silence.
Kaelvren dropped to one knee, panting hard. Blood dripped from his dagger, and wounds covered his body. But even through the pain, he felt it—that faint pulse. The dagger's regenerative property kicked in, slowly sealing the worst of his injuries.
He looked at the now-still corpse.
A Ravager.
A rank-nine monster But Larger, faster, more dangerous than any other Ravager Rank monster he had faced so far. And yet—it had fallen. Just like the others.
The stink of its corpse filled the air as he caught his breath.
Then—ding.
[You have slain a Ravager Land Serpent.]
[You have obtained a Utility-Type Artifact.]
A wide, greedy grin spread across Kaelvren's face.
"Ha... seems I suffered for a good reason," he muttered under his breath, the fatigue melting slightly in the wake of triumph. "A utility-type artifact... this is going to be useful."
With that, he let himself collapse back onto the ground, arms stretched out, the rough earth oddly comforting beneath him. For the first time in what felt like days, he allowed himself a moment of peace. The adrenaline faded slowly, replaced by a deep ache across his muscles.
After resting for a while, his stomach growled—loudly.
He sat up, wiping sweat from his brow, and turned toward the fallen serpent. "Well, I might as well eat like a king after killing one."
With practiced hands, Kaelvren carved strips of meat from the monster's body—muscle still warm, blood still seeping. He set up a small fire using dry twigs and leaves, sparks catching quickly under the dry heat of the region. Soon, the air was filled with the scent of sizzling meat—smoky, strange, but oddly enticing.
As the flames crackled and his meal roasted, kaelvren leaned back against a rock, feeling the warmth seep into his aching muscles.
"Maybe I should check the details of that artifact," he muttered, his voice rough from exhaustion.
With a flicker of thought, the information about the newly acquired artifact appeared before him.
---
Name: Serpent Ring
Rank: Ravager (Rank 9)
Type: Utility
Effects:
Space Vault: Grants access to a pocket dimension where the user can store or retrieve items at will, regardless of size or weight.
Sense Enhancer: Temporarily heightens the user's senses (sight, sound, smell, etc.) to superhuman levels for exactly 5 minutes.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Flaw:
Sensory Overload: Overuse causes temporary blindness, deafness, or disorientation.
---
With that, he summoned the artifact.
It appeared in his palm—a ring forged from deep obsidian black, coiled like a serpent devouring its own tail. Twin jewel-like black eyes were embedded in the head, glowing faintly with an eerie light. The craftsmanship mirrored the very beast he had just slain: sleek, ancient, and deadly.
kaelvren reached out and attempted to slip the ring onto his finger. Before he could fully slide it on, the ring moved on its own.
With a swift motion, it coiled tightly around his index finger, as if reacting to something. The serpent's body curled perfectly around his finger, the black gem-eyes locking forward, unblinking. For a moment, it pulsed—cold, silent, yet strangely fitting.
kaelvren froze, watching as the ring settled into place.
"It moved on its own…"
After a brief pause, it remained still, now snugly locked in place, as though it had always belonged there.
A chill ran down his spine, not from fear, but from the unsettling smoothness with which the ring adjusted to his finger.
Without any discomfort or resistance, it fit perfectly. The serpent's eyes gleamed faintly as if acknowledging its new bearer. kaelvren flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of the artifact. Surprisingly, it felt light—almost weightless, like an extension of himself.
"Seems like it's mine now," he muttered to himself, unsure of what to think but recognizing the potential power of the artifact.
With a wide, happy smile, kaelvren grabbed his roasted meal and took a hearty bite. The smoky, charred flavor filled his mouth, and he let out a satisfied grunt.
He tore into the food like a starved beast, eating with reckless energy. Every bite seemed to pull him back from the edge of exhaustion, warming his body and lifting his spirit.
For now, the fight is over. He had won, he had eaten, and he had gained something powerful.
A rare moment of peace settled in.
And as the shadows stretched across the land, swallowing the dying embers of the fire and cloaking the world in silence, kaelvren leaned back with a full stomach, his eyes slowly closing.
The ring pulsed faintly on his finger, and for the first time in days, he let himself rest.