[14th Everdusk, 2103] — CGA Branch, Dyna Crest Country
{The system has detected low health of the host. Please restore it before you die.}
I heard the message.
But no words came out.Pain.Unrelenting, searing pain tore through every inch of my body like a thousand barbed needles ripping me apart from the inside.
Then—something changed.
Like a switch flipped.An unknown force surged inside me, fierce and foreign. It wasn't mine. But it was helping me.
{System has detected some strange energy coursing through the host's body, neutralizing the effect of poison.}
{System can't detect what it is. Please refrain from using otherworldly powers which may cause harm to the host's body.}
"Wh... what..." I croaked, barely able to move. But I was conscious. That alone was a miracle.
Or maybe not a miracle—because the system wasn't done.
{System has detected a message from a dormant talent lying inside the host, which is starting to wake up, detected a message from the talent, proceeding to forward it.}
[Talent has detected the lowest grade of poison in the host body, the awakening requirement has been confirmed.]
[Talent
[Talent has detected the poison to be enough to form a skill, the skill creating is being processed.]
[1%.....23%.....34%.....67%.....89%.....100%]
[Skill has been created,
I coughed violently, a thick blob of dark red blood spurting from my mouth and sizzling where it landed.
It was the poison.
No, not just the poison—proof that I'd adapted. The talent had activated on its own, saved me, and even created a new skill in the process.
"…I got a resistance skill out of this," I murmured. "Even if it's low-tier, that's not bad. Resistance skills are rare… and valuable."
I opened my status to confirm it.
__
Low Poison Resistance (Lv. 1)
Type: Passive Skill
Grade: Tier 0
Proficiency: 0%
Description: Grants basic resistance to low-level poisons, reducing their effectiveness and duration. This skill provides a slight edge against toxins encountered in beginner-level adventures.
Effects:
Reduces damage from low-level poisons by 10%.
Shortens the duration of low-level poison effects by 15%.
__
[8/230 HP] [181/300 MP]
"…Why is my HP so low, but my MP almost full?" I asked aloud.
{Host was unconscious for more than an hour. In the meantime, the host's HP wasn't recovering while mana was regenerating at a normal pace. It was found that the poison stopped the body's regeneration ability, and only after the poison was released did it start.}
I scowled. "So I've been lying here like a gift-wrapped meal for over an hour… and nothing ate me?"
Either I was lucky—or something was very wrong.
I stood slowly, body aching and sluggish. Regaining full health would take at least two hours at this pace.
But just as I prepared to move—
Hsssss...
The rustle of leaves sent a chill down my spine.
Three snakes slithered down from a nearby tree, their glossy scales identical to the one that nearly killed me earlier.
"So you are here," I said, forcing a grin. "Perfect. I was looking for you before the boss battle. Would've been annoying if you showed up later."
I couldn't leave loose ends. Even a 15% chance of boss monsters summoning backup was too risky.
With my luck? It was probably closer to 90%.
"Let me settle the debt your friend left me," I muttered, raising my hand.
Two skeletal figures emerged from the dark glyph beneath me, clothed in tattered remains and wielding rusty swords.
"Alright, boneheads. Time to crush some fangs. Don't let me down."
The skeletons charged, colliding with the snakes. Despite being only Level 6, my summons had abnormal stats—they held their ground.
Until one of them collapsed. A serpent's strike shattered its leg, disrupting their rhythm.
I clenched my jaw. "Tch—Fine. I'll help."
A crackling bolt of dark energy shot toward the serpents and struck with force, burning through their health bars.
Still... no level up.
"Seriously? Still no level?" I muttered.
Before my skeletons could finish them, I halted them. I had other plans for these snakes.
I stepped forward and cleanly sliced their heads with my sword, careful not to rupture their venom sacs. I tossed the intact heads into my inventory, awaiting the system's prompt.
{You've killed 2~Lv.7, 1~Lv.8 Venomfang Serpents. You've gained 85 EXP points.} [85/350 EXP]
[You've gained 20 Evo-enchant points. Total: 130 (110+20)]
The command echoed as faint energy swirled above the corpses.
[Talent has detected a few bodies of Lv.7~8 Venomfang Serpents, what do you wish to do: Plunder, Dismantle, Store.]
I choose plunder why this talent is asking me this so much time, can't it choose by itself?
[No talent, skills, abilities, few degraded bloodlines (not suitable) detected. Stats identified.]
[You've gained +2 Agility, +1 Intelligence, +1 Strength. The degraded bloodline,
"Wait… they had a bloodline?" I blinked. "Then what about this?"
I pulled out the vial—the unknown bloodline.
"Hey, Talent, mind scanning this one too?"
[Scan completed. The bloodline is suitable for host use. Recommended to use after a certain strength is reached to avoid mutation through the process.]
"…So that one's compatible, but the serpent's isn't?" I narrowed my eyes. "Are you being manipulated by those Thrones too?"
No answer.
"Tch. Figures."I turned my glare to the sky. "Whoever is behind this—I swear I'll kill you."
{A/N: Why am I feeling chills here? My feet are all cold right now.}
My roar may have been dramatic—but it was also dumb.
The next second, I heard them.
Howls.
Wolves.
Fast and closing in.
I ducked into cover, cursing my luck once again.
To be continued…
What's next? Will Evan survive the next wave? What's with those snake heads? Selling them, or using them? Stay tuned for answers—and don't forget to share your wildest theories below.