Chapter 7: Serpent Against Tyrant

    The battlefield seemed to breathe, alive and tense as Arkanos and Nythralis simply locked eyes, intensely.

    The ground trembled under the weight of the colossal serpent as it coiled in a menacing stance, raising its head, towering above the emperor.

    The holy sword in Arkanos'' grip glowed with divine light, its brilliance shining through the murky darkness that surrounded them.

    Nythralis'' blue eyes gleamed with its mana, its body shifting as it prepared to strike.

    Arkanos watched every movement, his muscles tensed, his breath steady. In an instant, Nythralis launched forward, its massive body whipping through the air with blinding speed.

    The emperor dodged to the left, his legs shifting as he rolled, narrowly avoiding the serpent''s fangs as they suddenly dug into the earth. Dust and debris exploded from the ground as Nythralis'' head crashed into the earth where Arkanos had just stood.

    In a sudden burst of speed, Arkanos charged in, sword raised above his head, and slashed downward. The holy blade left a trail of golden sparks as it sliced through the air, aiming for Nythralis'' exposed side.

    But the serpent was fast—too fast. Its massive tail whipped around in a blur, aiming at Arkanos'' side, but he saw the incoming attack, forcing him to leap backward. The air around the tail sizzled, a shockwave rippling outward as it missed Arkanos by mere inches, sending stones and dirt flying in every direction.

    "By the gods, such destructive power," a mage murmured.

    "If that had hit him, he would have been swatted like a fly."

    Seraphine clasped her hands as she spoke in a hushed tone, "My Liege..." She silently hoped he would be alright.

    In his thoughts, Arkanos got another notification: [You successfully dodged the attack of a mythical class monster! +120XP]

    Nythralis hissed in frustration, its eyes narrowing as it recoiled. Knowing the sword could wound it, the beast became more cautious.

    It slithered around the battlefield, keeping its distance, its massive coils rippling over the uneven ground. With a sudden motion, it smashed its tail into a nearby boulder, sending the huge rock hurtling toward Arkanos like a projectile.

    The emperor''s eyes flashed. With a sharp inhale, he gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and charged forward. The holy sword hummed with energy as he swung it in a clean arc, cleaving through the boulder with a shower of sparks. The stone exploded into fragments, dust filling the air as Arkanos moved through the debris like a blur.

    But Nythralis didn''t stop there. Taking advantage of the distraction, the serpent lashed out again, its fangs bared. Arkanos barely had time to react, twisting his body in time as the massive maw snapped at his side. But the serpent''s teeth grazed his armor, tearing through the steel with ease and leaving a jagged cut along his ribcage.

    Arkanos then let out a battle cry, "Haaaaaa!" His green eyes flared intensely as he put his strength into pulling the sword along the serpent''s side.

    The serpent screeched as the sword cleaved through scales, sending a spray of black blood into the air, splattering all over Arkanos. It would have been poisonous, but due to the nature spirits flying around him, he was unaffected. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, dust and debris exploding from the ground.

    The troops were in awe.

    "Did you see that? He cut right through its scales like they were nothing!"

    "Look at him! Not even the serpent''s poison can touch him!"

    "I''ve never seen anything like this. He''s beyond human!"

    "Is this what the blessing of the gods can do to a human?"

    [The loyalty of your troops has increased by 5%]

    But Nythralis didn''t retreat. It snarled, suddenly twisting its massive body around to encircle Arkanos.

    Its powerful coils tightened, trapping the emperor within. Arkanos grunted as the crushing force of the serpent''s body pressed against him, the air leaving his lungs. His vision blurred for a moment, but his resolve didn''t falter.

    "By thorn and vine, by root and earth,

    Let nature''s fury now give birth!

    From deepest woods and skies above,

    Strike with rage, no mercy, no love!"

    "Nature''s Wrath!"