Apophis

The young man named Liam hadn’t anticipated that Ethan also intended to betray him. Before he could react, the dart struck him in the shoulder.

"Ha! You really had ill intentions from the start!" Liam sneered. Without wasting time, he gripped his dagger tightly and charged forward.

He knew that Ethan, the most experienced herbalist in the village, was no easy foe. Liam’s current advantage came from attacking first. Once Ethan regained his composure, he would be far more dangerous.

Being young and fast, Liam's relentless attacks soon put Ethan on the defensive. Ethan had initially hoped to draw the knife from his waist, but under Liam’s quick strikes, he found no opening to do so.

"Liam, I didn’t expect you to be so ruthless, kid! You’re already this venomous at such a young age... Good thing I was prepared for something like this," Ethan muttered, his voice tinged with both irritation and disbelief.

Rolling on the ground, Ethan narrowly avoided another stabbing blow from Liam. "Let’s call it even, Liam. We’re from the same village after all. How about this: we split the Red Leaf Herb evenly and forget this whole mess, huh? No need for bad blood between neighbors."

Liam ignored his plea. He knew Ethan’s character too well. Ethan had always used his skill and status to bully others in the village. If Liam gave him any breathing room, there was no doubt Ethan would take advantage of the situation, likely plotting to kill him later.

Liam’s strikes grew more vicious, leaving Ethan barely able to defend himself.

Already injured and weakened with age, Ethan was struggling to keep up. Soon, Liam’s dagger had torn through Ethan’s defenses, leaving several bloody gashes across his body. Growing desperate, Ethan tried once more, saying, "Liam, do you know what really happened to your third sister three years ago?"

Liam’s hand faltered slightly, his momentum slowing at the mention of his sister.

Seeing the hesitation, Ethan pressed on. "That day, I was drunk and came by your house to chat. Your mother was out, you weren’t home, and only your third sister was there."

"She was a beauty, you know? I couldn’t help myself, so I took her."

"I threw a few coins at her to keep her quiet, but she threatened to report me to the authorities. So, I had no choice... I drowned her in the river."

Liam froze as if struck by lightning. Trembling with shock, his heart pounded wildly. All this time, he had believed his sister’s death was a tragic accident, an unfortunate drowning. Now, the truth revealed she had been murdered by this monster.

His rage surged uncontrollably. All Liam could think about was tearing Ethan to pieces. With a roar, he screamed, "You filthy animal! You deserve to die!" and charged forward.

But just two steps in, the world began to spin around him. His body felt heavy, and all his strength suddenly vanished. He collapsed to the ground, powerless.

"What... what’s happening?" Liam murmured in disbelief as his body failed him.

Seeing Liam collapse, Ethan finally exhaled, relief washing over him. He walked slowly toward Liam, kicking the dagger away with a smirk. "Heh, you’re still too green to take on someone like me."

High above, Apophis had been quietly observing the two from a distance. Now that a clear victor had emerged and Ethan was standing directly beneath the boulder it was hiding on, Apophis began its slow descent.

As it slithered closer, a pungent smell assaulted its senses. Now in its full python form, Apophis’s keen sense of smell detected the presence of sulfur and something else it couldn't quite identify. The scent made it dizzy and uncomfortable, triggering an instinctive urge to flee.

Apophis realized that both men had used insect repellent powders. Herbalists and hunters often carried such powders for protection in the mountains. However, Apophis, with its human intelligence, refused to give in to its primal instincts. Instead of retreating like a wild beast, it pushed through the discomfort and continued its approach.

Below the boulder, Ethan bent over and yanked the dart from Liam’s shoulder. "The poison I put on this dart could take down a black bear, yet you managed to hold out for this long. I’ll give you some credit for that," Ethan laughed mockingly.

It turned out that Ethan had been provoking Liam intentionally, trying to enrage him. By quickening Liam’s blood flow, the poison would take effect faster.

"Was what you said about my sister true... or just a lie?" Liam’s voice was hoarse, his thoughts consumed by his sister’s fate. At this point, he no longer cared about the Red Leaf Herb. All he wanted was to know the truth.

Ethan squinted, then clicked his tongue, as if savoring a distant memory. After a long pause, he finally replied, "Oh, it’s true. Your sister was quite the treat."

"If she wasn’t so feisty, I would’ve kept her around longer for some fun."

"You... bastard!" Liam's eyes burned with rage as he tried to summon his last ounce of strength to stand.

But before he could do anything, Ethan thrust the dart deep into Liam’s forehead, silencing him for good.

At that moment, Apophis made its move. With a powerful flick of its tail, it launched itself from the boulder, aiming straight for Ethan. Its mouth gaped wide, revealing sharp fangs dripping with venom.

Ethan, having just killed Liam, heard the sound from above too late. Before he could react, something cold and slimy coiled tightly around his neck, followed by a sharp sting.

Apophis’s fangs had sunk deep into Ethan’s neck, injecting its deadly venom.

Ethan dropped the dart, panicking as he tried to tear the snake off. With a mighty yank, he threw Apophis against the boulder.

“Thud!” Apophis hit the boulder with a loud crash and fell to the ground. Despite the force of the blow, its robust body had only sustained minor injuries. Instead of continuing its attack, Apophis retreated quickly.

Ethan, now aware that he had been bitten by a venomous snake, pressed his hand against his neck, frantically trying to slow the spread of the poison. His other hand searched his pockets for the snake antidote he carried with him. But before he could retrieve it, he collapsed onto the ground, dead.

The venom was far more potent than Ethan had expected.

Liam, with the dart embedded in his forehead, had already been on the verge of death. His burning hatred for Ethan had been the only thing keeping him alive. Now, seeing his enemy lifeless before him, Liam’s final breath escaped him. His eyes dimmed, and his body went still.

Seeing both men dead, Apophis finally relaxed.

Once again, venom had proven to be its most reliable weapon. If it had relied on brute strength and gotten into a physical struggle, the risk of injury in the wild could have been fatal.

Better to go hungry than to be injured.

This lesson became deeply ingrained in Apophis’s mind.

After processing these thoughts, Apophis remembered their earlier conversation about the Red Leaf Herb. The legendary herb was within reach, and excitement surged within the python.

But before it could make a move, a massive, overwhelming force descended upon Apophis—a pressure so intense that it felt like the presence of a higher being suppressing its very soul.

Apophis’s body went limp, unable to muster even the slightest resistance. It lay trembling on the ground, every fiber of its being screaming in terror, despite its desperate efforts to remain calm.