Apophis

As dawn broke, golden rays spilled across the sky. In the swamp, a large toad struggled to jump out of the water, devouring a small insect. Afterward, it slowly sank back into the water.

Suddenly, a dark shadow darted from the mud, and the toad, seeing the massive triangular head of a python, was filled with terror. The snake's mouth opened wide, its sharp fangs glinting in the light. Before the toad could react, it was swallowed whole.

Apophis slowly swallowed the toad. Although this meal was substantial, it was merely enough to sustain its enormous body for a while. After eating, it felt a wave of laziness wash over it and decided to find a place to rest and digest.

Raising its head, Apophis caught sight of the sun slowly rising over the horizon, the first rays of light bathing its body.

“It’s been over a month since I arrived in this world,” Apophis mused.

Indeed, it was once an explorer from another world, and after a bizarre experience, it found itself here, transformed into a python.

“Since I’m here, I might as well make the best of it,” Apophis thought, watching a crab scuttle into a mud hole. “At least I became a python; if I had turned into one of those little crabs, I wouldn't know if I could survive in this harsh world.”

With that self-reassurance, it began to wriggle its massive body, slowly making its way back to its den. For a python, feeling sleepy after a meal was natural.

As it passed through the grass near the swamp, it suddenly halted. A massive crocodile lay on the shore.

What a huge crocodile! Its body stretched several meters long, covered in tough, dark scales. If Apophis hadn’t swum close enough, it would have been nearly impossible to spot it.

It dared not move. Though Apophis had never encountered a crocodile in its previous life, it knew they were fierce carnivores. When hungry, anything from fish and shrimp to small mammals and even pythons could end up as their meal.

However, the giant crocodile seemed unaware of its presence, lying quietly and staring at the water, as if waiting for something.

“Is it lying in wait for prey?” Apophis wondered but quickly decided not to linger, hastening away.

Once back in its den, it began to reflect. Since its rebirth, it had been active around this swamp and hadn’t encountered any particularly powerful predators. Was it because this was the crocodile's territory?

Moreover, could the crocodile's behavior indicate a unique survival strategy or territorial instinct?

Apophis grew increasingly wary of this world. Since arriving, it had lived in this area, and if special survival rules existed, it would need to adapt quickly and find a way to survive.

A green interface appeared before its eyes:

【Host: Apophis】

【Race: Python】

【Status: Normal】

【Lifespan: 3/20】

【Length: 5 meters】

【Racial Skill: Strangulation Power Lv1】

【Potential Points: 0】

Indeed, this was Apophis's golden finger. Based on its past experiences, it resembled a point-allocation system. Since its rebirth, the lifespan value had not changed.

The length indicated it had reached a certain size, but in the python world, it might still be considered immature. Apophis understood that length was crucial for a python, influencing power, speed, and predation ability.

As a python, its racial skill was Strangulation Power, currently at level one. The potential points should be used to enhance its racial skills, but since rebirth, there had been no change, and it was unclear how to accumulate them.

With this golden finger, Apophis believed it could grow into a… powerful python.

However, its lifespan was only twenty years.

Thinking about this, Apophis felt a twinge of frustration. It had experienced a rich life in its previous existence, and now, with such a short lifespan in this one, it felt as if everything was just beginning.

Wait a minute… Apophis suddenly thought of the mysterious crocodile. If…

As it pondered, its consciousness began to fade.

There was no helping it; for a python, feeling sleepy after eating was instinctual.

…

Apophis woke up to an intense feeling of hunger. It wriggled its massive body, slowly crawling out of the den.

At this moment, the golden rays flooded the swamp’s edge, turning the water plants into shades of gold.

It dared not approach the swamp, fearing another encounter with the crocodile. If the creature suddenly attacked and turned it into a meal, that would be tragic.

Having lived in this world for half a month, it had a general understanding of the surrounding terrain. This was a vast swamp, with the center being a bottomless pit, surrounded by dense grass and trees. A small river flowed from the swamp’s edge, its destination unknown.

Apophis’s den was by the small river. It climbed onto a large rock outside the den, looking up at the sun as it rose in the sky.

Recalling the giant crocodile from yesterday, it coiled its massive body, triangular head facing the sunrise, and slowly flicked its tongue.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes…

After ten minutes, Apophis collapsed on the rock.

“So tired! So thirsty!”

Well, this action seemed pointless!

Apophis wasn’t surprised. In its previous knowledge, the growth and evolution of any creature required specific methods and conditions. A python couldn’t simply mimic actions to become powerful; if that were the case, it would be too easy.

As for how to gain strength and survival skills, should it consult that crocodile?

It immediately shook its head. The crocodile looked formidable, and any creature surviving in this swamp must have its own methods and temperament!

I’m so hungry!

Thinking about strengthening itself could wait; the immediate task was to find food.

Shoving aside its chaotic thoughts, it wriggled off the rock and slipped into the nearby grass.

Soon, it paused beside a large tree, sinking into the dense vegetation.

Through the gaps in the leaves, its cold snake eyes locked onto a beehive in the branches.

It had discovered this beehive days ago when a swarm of bees had chased it, nearly costing it its life.

However, it had not forgotten that grudge.

Of course, its current size posed a significant threat to the entire bee swarm.

Since it couldn’t directly destroy the beehive for now, obtaining some benefits was still necessary.

At that moment, a buzzing sound filled the air as a swarm of bees emerged from the hive, heading out to collect nectar.

Apophis didn’t act immediately; it remained hidden in the foliage, waiting.

Sure enough, after a while, the buzzing sound returned, and the bees began to fly back to the hive.

They circled around the hive a few times, seemingly detecting no abnormalities, before finally entering the hive.