Slithering through dreams (Snake Isekai ?)

A dark figure of a snake stood on a lily-tree pad,, triumphantly looking at the sinking creature. It’s once shining blue scales now covered in mud and blood. Its outline seemingly standing proud… or maybe feral, battered by raindrops the size of its head. For a short while you could still see signs of the defeated creature struggling… and then, only the waves and the snake remained. And a violent glint appeared in the eyes of the snake.

I won. I WON! Against a freaking giant! Like David against goliath! 

(“Or like a virus against world economy!”)

(“Or a tapeworm against man”)

I could not stop the feeling of exhilaration, the excitement… and yet part of me saw the falling undercone. The terror in his eyes. And I could not help but feel- that next time that could be me.

Is that part of the adrenaline shock? Call to action, and cold remembrance that you can be the one to die next?

Fortunately, a new message appeared in my mind, taking my mind off the negative thoughts.

(“Speaking of, what about the other undercone?”) - its tall figure could be seen, looming on the shore. I barely survived against this monster, there is no way I can go against a bigger, stronger, verson! Unfortunately, I didn’t magically heal up due to level up, or suddenly obtain the skill that lets me to go against it (“You say, as If we didn’t win thanks to new skill against the Gecko!”)

(“Well, what do we do?”)
(“As another I would say, I estimate our chances of victory.. To be zero”)

(“That’s identity theft! But yes! Or how another I would say “This is time for honorable me to let him go this time, hurr durr muscle hurr durr”)

What are the other possibilities? Swimming to the other shore? Waiting for it to go away.. Or for the weather to get better? If it stops raining I could try swimming.. But how long will it take? What if it’s some kind of a hurricane, that might take a week to clear up? What if water rises high enough that I won’t survive? Also I’m hungry! The whole reason why I went out of the nest was to find something to eat, and now my victim is instead going to feed the fishes!

And, as usual, I forgot that my enemy won’t just wait for me to find a perfect plan. While I thought the whole fight was hidden from its sight, the creature obviously knew what happened. And it was not pleased, oh yes, the short angry shriek it let out was enough to make me shake in my boots. My mana sense picked up some mana in the sound itself…

(“We are dead. It will catch us, and eat us.. And we are dead”)

(“Okay, but still, it shouldn’t be able to swim should it?!”)

(“Yeah, we should be safe here!”)

And then nothing happened, and we waited out the rain, and went back to the nest, and lived happily ever after.

Except obviously not! Yeah, undercones can’t swim... But this one didn’t need to! It's shallow water, it decided to just walk in, and go through! Waves that nearly drowned me, were to it but an annoying breeze! And what to me seemed like deadly depths, to the creature was an unpleasant walk. 

I did not need the violent panging of my new tattoo to tell me that it is not coming here to shake my noodle, and, congratulate me on winning the fight, oh no.

It started smiling as it got closer. Those stupid moles always looked as if they were smirking, multiple rows of serrated teeth peeking through. They really really liked to smile and leer, as if they enjoyed making others want to punch them in the face, when they knew they were too weak to do so.

Its wobbly body got closer and closer to my refugee. I thought I was hidden from sight, but this thing looked directly at me. Another step, and I can see the eyes even clearer.

I involuntarily moved back a step, but like a protagonist of a horror movie, dumbly looked at it instead of running away. Or doing anything!

And that’s when, in an unexpected fashion I could feel the fear of death skill activating - and it broke the spell of whatever was keeping me looking at the impending doom! I need to do something! I turned back and looked at the edge of the heaving and swaying pad.

(“The other shore is too far!”)

(“But that’s our only chance!”)

I looked back at the closing figure… it seemed to have sensed my plan.. And it hastened its pace! Just as I was about to jump into the water, I heard a loud splash, and then shriek, which made me turn around!

(“I can’t believe it!”)
(“But it is true!”)

It seems that a huge snake (that I knew very well) rammed the undercone until it turned over! While neither snakes nor undercones are creatures of the lake, snakes obviously have an advantage! The undercone quickly tried getting back on land, but a floating snake was stopping him, with its jaws ready.

“Mother!”

Unfortunately the enemy wasn’t a fool either, it than started walking towards me instead. Not wanting to risk my life, mother moved around him and swam faster then he could walk towards the lilly-trees..

And as she reached my location, the enemy gave the last loo, fool of hatred, toward our direction and disappeared. 

Most of her huge body floating on the surface of the lake, only head getting close to me. But then she stopped, unsure…

Moved, by some instinct, I decided to break the standoff and just swam towards her. I braved the waters, gobbling a few cups of water, tired, worried… but finally safe. For the first time since reincarnating, knowing the hug of my parent… even if it was a cold, wet hug of a snake.

Reisinling

Sorry for being late. Was doing an automated coding job interview. Spoiler- there were errors in the task description, which cost me ~15min, which is about how much time I lacked to complete the task. Ehh, whatever, have another one later this week. 

2 chapters tomorrow, and then on Thursday back to normal schedule. Maybe 1 more chapter on the weekend, so in total there should be 2 bonus chapters this week as repayment for being late.