The earth rumbled as the serpent uncoiled.
Thick as a subway train. Its scales shimmered in jagged bands of obsidian and sickly gold, each breath releasing a fog of poison. Its eyes glowed molten red, like coals pulled from hell itself.
> [Final Boss Identified: Apex Serpent – Corrupted Core Host Lv. 18]
Traits: Acid Fang | Bone Molt | Mana Sense | Aerial Class Predator
[Threat Level: Fatal]
Rei's pulse spiked.
Even the air bent around this thing.
The Apex Serpent didn't hiss. It stared. Studied. Intelligent.
And then—it attacked.
A blur of motion. Bone-blades flared from its ribs as it lunged like a battering ram. Rei rolled left, the ground erupting behind him. Debris cracked against his carapace. He sprinted forward, slashing upward—
His claws scraped harmlessly against its scales.
> [Notice: Physical Resistance Detected. Standard attacks ineffective.]
So brute force wouldn't do it.
Rei ducked under another strike. The serpent's tail came sweeping—Rei was lifted off his feet, smashed into a pillar, ribs cracking. His breath caught.
> [Damage Taken: 37% | Carapace Fractured]
Blood ran down his mouth.
But the hunger didn't scream.
It laughed.
"Fine," Rei growled, eyes narrowing. "We'll do it your way."
He darted into the shadows.
The serpent hissed—then tracked him through mana.
> [Predator's Sense: Countering Mana Detection…]
Success.
Rei vanished from the serpent's radar for just long enough to climb onto its back.
Claws extended.
Teeth bared.
And he bit into the soft ridge between its neck and skull.
The serpent screeched, thrashing, but Rei held on—tearing at scales, burrowing teeth-first.
> [Devour in Progress… Core Contact Detected]
Suddenly, everything stopped.
Time slowed. A vision bloomed in Rei's mind—a circular chamber. A throne of serpents. A man seated in it, wearing a crown of bone and black fire.
"So… another Devourer awakens."
> "Who are you?"
"A memory. A warning. And maybe… a curse."
> [You have touched the Fragmented Throne.]
The image shattered.
---
▓ Reality snapped back.
Rei screamed—his entire body shaking.
> [Devour Complete – Apex Core Assimilated]
New Mutation Acquired: Core Overload (Burst Skill)
New Skill Acquired: Acid Fang Lv. 1
> [Level Up: Lv. 5 → Lv. 7]
The serpent collapsed, twitching once… then stilled forever.
Rei stood over it, body steaming, armor cracked and bloody—but alive.
And stronger.
> [Rift Cleared – Collapse Begins in 00:05:00]
He staggered toward the fading portal, the hunger momentarily satisfied.
But deep in his mind, that voice still echoed.
> "The throne remembers you."