Chapter 2: The Snake of Hell

"Mars, have you ever seen an Elf?"

After leaving the Adventurer’s Guild, we discussed the merchant’s story while heading to our carriage.

"I haven't. Have you, Clarice?"

"Neither have I. In fact, I've only ever seen Humans. I've heard that Beastmen and Dwarves exist in the Royal Capital, major cities, and large Dungeon cities... Does our route pass near the Forest of Magic on the way to the next town?"

"I might have seen someone who looked like a Beastman back in Almeria where I first lived. I don't think we pass near the Forest of Magic. After all, Count Beetle's route puts safety first."

I looked down to check the route Count Beetle had chosen. Surprisingly, it passed right through the middle area between the next town and the Forest of Magic.

Huh? If the Forest of Magic is so dangerous, he should have chosen a route further north or one that stopped by the neighboring town... When I told Clarice about the route, she replied, "I see... It would be nice if we met them so we could protect them."

She sounded a little disappointed.

"Yeah. But even if we managed to protect them, we can only hand the Elf over to the Adventurer’s Guild. In the end, they'd just be returned to the Duke as a slave. If they've managed to escape safely, they might be happier staying that way."

"You're right, Mars. Well then, let's go."

Clarice agreed, and we boarded the carriage, heading west.

After driving the horse for several hours from the town of Polo, and making good progress along Count Beetle’s route, I saw a massive shadow coiled up in the distance.

"Clarice, look at that."

I spoke to Clarice inside and had her look.

"What is that? A snake... right? Snakes in this world... surely can't be that big."

"Yeah. We might be able to slip past if we keep going west, but just to be safe, I think we should take a wide detour to the north. Clarice, can you keep an eye on that snake for me?"

Because of its immense size, we spotted it before it spotted us, allowing us to circle around and escape the monster.

Just as I was sighing in relief, Clarice suddenly shouted.

"Mars! Stop! Someone is running toward the snake!"

—What?!

I turned around to see a girl, about the same age as my little sister Lina, running desperately from something.

Her features were distinctive—long, pointed ears and emerald-green hair. Even from this distance, it was immediately obvious she was an Elf.

"Hey! Look ahead!"

I called out to the small Elf in a voice low enough not to alert the giant snake. The Elf noticed my voice and obediently looked forward, but what happened next was unexpected.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!"

Upon seeing the giant snake, the Elf child screamed.

The giant snake noticed the noise, and worst of all, our presence was exposed.

"Run! Come this way!"

The Elf child, face wet with tears and snot, ran desperately toward us.

"Mars! That girl is fast, but that monster is even faster!"

Just as Clarice said, the Elf child was surprisingly fast, but the chasing snake was faster. It was immediately clear she wouldn't escape.

"Damn it! I'll stop that snake! Clarice, grab that girl and run while I buy time!"

"Absolutely not! I'm going with you! If something happens to you here and I'm the only one who survives, I might as well be dead!"

True, if I died here, the next targets would be Clarice and the Elf child. Even if she survived this, the path ahead would be fraught with difficulty.

"Alright! Once you get that child to safety, support me with your Magic Arrow!"

Drawing my Mithril Silver Sword, I ran toward the giant snake, while Clarice ran toward the Elf.

As I ran, I used Appraisal on the snake. Rows of numbers appeared that made me regret engaging.

【Name】－
【Title】－
【Race】 Hell Snake
【Threat】 A
【Condition】 Good
【Age】 3
【Level】 5
【HP】 252/252
【MP】 6/6
【Strength】 92
【Agility】 100
【Magic】 1
【Dexterity】 81
【Endurance】 132
【Luck】 1

Stats far exceeding a Goblin King. I couldn't quite accept that its Threat Level was only A with these numbers.

It apparently had no Special Abilities, but its fangs were undoubtedly venomous.

Against an opponent like this, I have to strike first!

(《Wind Cutter》!)

I fired a 《Wind Cutter》 without chanting while running, but the Hell Snake twisted its body dramatically just before impact, dodging it.

Even at a distance, to think it could dodge that...

However, it worked in a way; the Hell Snake's attention was fully fixed on me. In that opening, Clarice ushered the Elf child into the wagon.

Having bought its attention, I rapidly-fired Wind Cutter’s while backing away from the carriage. The Hell Snake chased me, and the distance between us gradually closed.

As the distance closed, the chance of getting hit by the Hell Snake increased, but so did the chance of my 《Wind Cutter》 hitting.

Proof of this was that as it got closer, the Hell Snake couldn't fully dodge the Wind Cutter’s. Even without direct hits, its skin was gradually being sliced away.

Thinking I could defeat it unscathed if I kept kiting it like this, I used Appraisal again—but its HP hadn't decreased at all.

This thing was consciously wearing its shed skin like armor to protect its body.

Then I just have to peel that skin off first!

(《Wind Cutter》!)
(《Wind Cutter》!)
(《Wind Cutter》!)

The shed skin peeled away bit by bit, but in that time, the Hell Snake closed the distance. by the time the skin was fully stripped, the Hell Snake was only a few meters away.

The ominous phrase "letting them cut your flesh to sever their bone" floated through my mind.

『Shyaaaaaaaah!』

It roared, opening its massive mouth to bite. I deployed 《Sylphid》 to dodge by a hair's breadth and delivered a slash to its defenseless torso with my Mithril Silver Sword.

"—Wha!?"

I managed to land a hit, but the Hell Snake's flesh was hard. The blade stopped after cutting only a few dozen centimeters, and it was all I could do to pull the sword back out. An 【Endurance】 of 132 wasn't just for show.

If a sword can't deal enough damage, then I'll use magic!

I dodged another biting attack and this time unleashed an 《Air Blade》. There was some resistance, but the blade of wind sliced into the Hell Snake.

『Shyaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!』

As the Hell Snake thrashed in pain, I tried to follow up with another 《Air Blade》, but perhaps learning from the short range, it leaned its body far back to avoid it. Then, whipping its body from torso to tail, it swept toward me.

—Crap! I can't dodge this!

I tried to cushion the impact with the Mithril Silver Sword, but I couldn't fully absorb the blow empowered by centrifugal force. I was sent flying easily ten meters.

What speed!? That speed combined with power produced this impact. If I hadn't deployed 《Sylphid》, several of my bones would definitely be broken. Maybe out of fear, my grip on the Mithril Silver Sword grew sweaty, and my legs began to tremble.

"Mars!?"

Clarice, having hidden the Elf child in the carriage, screamed while firing Magic Arrows.

Her voice, drifting with tragic desperation, was enough to dispel the terror soaking into my body. If I die here, who will protect Clarice!?

"Just a little scratch! I have a plan! Clarice, keep supporting me with Magic Arrows!"

I slapped my knees, which had been trembling moments ago, to psych myself up. I deployed 《Sylphid》 again and this time charged straight at the Hell Snake.

It generates that much power because it whips its body... which means if I get close enough that it can't wind up, the tail attack shouldn't be much of a threat!

"Uooooooooohhh!!!!!"

With every step I took closer, fear welled up from the bottom of my stomach, but I shouted to rouse my spirit!

As if supporting my heart, countless magic arrows rained down on the Hell Snake.

『Kishyaaaaaaaahhh!!!』

It hissed in irritation at Clarice firing from a distance, but it couldn't ignore me charging while screaming. Just like before, it whipped its tail to sweep me away.

I already have an answer for that!

(《Wind》!)
(《Wind》!)
(《Wind》!)

Because of its massive size, the surface area contact for 《Wind》 should be large. I thought this would offset the power of the tail a little... but the effect was better than expected.

By the time two 《Wind》 spells hit, the power had dropped enough that I didn't even need to dodge. When the third one hit directly, it actually pushed the tail back.

I can do this!

Before the next tail attack could come, I dove right into its guard and unleashed rapid-fire Wind Cutter’s.

(《Wind Cutter》!)
(《Wind Cutter》!)
(《Wind Cutter》!)

Even the Hell Snake couldn't dodge at this range. And this time, it was magic, not a physical blade. Toxic-colored blood splattered everywhere.

Furthermore, magic arrows from the rear accurately struck the Hell Snake. Just when I thought we could win like this...

With an intimidating sound, the Hell Snake opened its mouth wide. Its long, grotesque tongue, a mix of red and green, was twisted into a spiral. Saliva dripped from it, and as the spiraled tongue snapped back to normal, the saliva sprayed out in all directions.

Instinctively realizing that I must not get hit by that stuff, I blasted the saliva away with 《Wind》 and created distance.

When the saliva spewed by the Hell Snake landed on some scattered stones, they vanished in an instant with a sizzling sound of evaporation.

—I can't get close carelessly anymore... But if Clarice and I keep attacking from a range, we should be able to defeat it eventually.

Clarice must have thought the same, as her rate of fire increased, stripping away the Hell Snake's outer skin. Perhaps realizing it would take damage if it approached, it didn't force its way toward me like before.

"Alright! We'll push through just like this!"

As I fired Wind Cutter’s and Magic Arrows to whittle down its HP, I noticed the Hell Snake’s mean, cold eyes were locked onto something.

"Oh no! It's aiming for the carriage!"

If we kept chipping away at it with 《Wind Cutter》 and Magic Arrows from a distance, we would definitely win, but in the meantime, the horse would be eaten, and the Elf child too.

"No way!? What do I do!?"

I tried to draw its attention back to us, but the Hell Snake ignored me, its massive body undulating low to the ground as it rushed toward the carriage.

Damn it! Is there nothing I can do... No, there is one thing! It has some risks, but that magic might work!

"Clarice! Buy me a little time!"

I closed my eyes, held both hands out in front of me, and focused my consciousness.

The risk of this magic is that it takes time to manifest, and I can't do anything else while casting it. But if I can just pull it off, I can break this deadlock! Circulating mana from my dantian, I channeled wind mana into my right hand and fire mana into my left.

Good! Sufficient mana is flowing into both hands! With this!

I opened my eyes—only to find the predator's eyes, which had been fixed on the carriage moments ago, were now locked onto me.

"Mars!"

Clarice drew her bow with all her might, trying to divert the Hell Snake's aim from me, but those cunning eyes remained fixed on me, coming straight for me without hesitation.

The thought of cancelling the spell to use 《Wind》 against the saliva-spewing snake crossed my mind, but then it would just target the carriage again. I have to finish it here!

"《Firestorm》!"

I released the mana toward the looming Hell Snake. But before the spell could manifest, the Hell Snake's massive maw opened to swallow me whole.

"Noooooooooooo!!!!!"

Just as Clarice’s scream—sounding like pure despair—echoed, the Hell Snake that was about to swallow me was blasted backward with a sound like shattering glass.

Simultaneously, a storm of fire manifested on the spot, swallowing the Hell Snake in an instant. The firestorm trapped the snake as it desperately tried to escape, burning it to nothing in mere seconds.