81: Fallen King of Snakes

After Silver entered the cave and stopped breathing, the massive snake emerged from the hole and stood at an eye level to the crimson lions.

Its eyes were filled with unconcealed pride, boundless confidence, and even disdain as it looked at the two beasts before it.

{You came to die?}

Shockingly, the snake spoke, its tone was filled with nothing but arrogance and disdain.

The crimson lions released a threatening growl with their eyes exuding defiance and anger.

{Give us the human and we'll leave.} The male crimson lion replied also with a tone filled with arrogance and disdain. If Silver knew that the crimson lions could speak, only the heavens knew what sort of reaction he would have.

Meanwhile, the snake tilted its head in confusion.

{Human?}

{A human entered your den. Give us the human and we'll leave.} The male crimson lion said, further explaining his earlier words.

The snake's eyes flashed with confusion and then a ripple was released from its body. The ripple spread all around the den, the cave above its den, and even the two crimson lions.

The crimson lions released a threatening growl, however, the snake was unbothered. Its eyes flashed with realization when its senses saw Silver in the hole it had always tried to enter.

When it saw Silver's condition, its eyes flashed with a strange glint.

{Give us the human Fallen King of Snakes.}

The male crimson lion spoke once again, this time, its voice containing anger and irritation.

The snake's gaze became cold and vicious light flashed in its eyes as it gazed at the male crimson lion.

{You dare order me?}

The Snake King hissed and the male crimson lion released a deep growl.

{You're a fallen king. A failure of a king. Give us the human and we'll leave your den. I know you cannot leave this place and you're clearly not at your peak. Be wise and give us the human.}

The male crimson lion crouched in an attacking stance, and the Snake King's eyes flashed. It glanced at the female crimson lion who stood to the left of the male crimson lion, and when it saw her posture and stance, it hissed with a vicious glint in its eyes.

{A beast who is not even a Lord dares to bares its fangs at me. How foolish.}

The Snake King hissed, and without waiting for a reply, it struck at the male crimson lion..

Roar!

The male crimson lion roared and with killing intent, it raised its left paw and struck at the snake king.

The snake king hissed with disdain flashing in its eyes. Just as the crimson lion's paws were about to touch the snake king, it suddenly swerved its body in a manner that was only possible for snakes, and to the horror of the crimson lion king, the snake king's new target was the female crimson lion.

ROARRRR!!!!

The male crimson lion roared in immense rage as he saw his partner's neck in the mouth of the snake king.

Flames appeared all over his body, and with rage filled eyes, his mouth opened and he spat out a large fireball.

Whoosh!

The Snake King chuckled derisively, and with a smirk, it left the neck of the female crimson lion at an absurdly fast speed.

BOOM!

ROARRRR!!!

A roar of pain escaped the lips of the female crimson lion, and the rage in the male crimson lion increased.

{COWARD! FIGHT LIKE A BEAST!}

The male crimson lion roared in anger, and the Snake King laughed.

{THIS IS WHY I LOOK DOWN ON YOUR KIND. YOUR ARROGANCE AND STUPIDITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS}

The Snake King loudly declared and the cave above trembled with several rubbles falling from above.

{DIE FOR ME YOU FOOLISH LION!}

The Snake King hissed, and then it struck at the male crimson lion once again with his mouth opened wide.

The male crimson lion roared and struck with his right paw once again. 

However, just as the crimson lion's paw was about to touch the Snake King, the Snake King twisted its body in such a manner that was only possible by serpents, and to the wrath of the male crimson lion, the Snake King struck at his partner once again!

ROOOOARRRR!

The male crimson lion roared and the flames on his body flared up, and with reddened eyes, he swung his paw at the Snake King.

SCREEEECH!

A loud screeching sound resounded in the entire cave and even outside the forest as the male crimson lion released a large flaming claw at the Snake King.

It knew that his partner would not be able to survive his attack, but he had already made his decision after thinking it through.

The Snake King had already bitten his partner, and with how deadly the poison of the Snake King was, he knew that there was no hope in saving his partner's life.

So why not use the opportunity to unleash an attack that had the chance of killing the Snake King.

When the Snake King saw the attack of the crimson lion, it shockingly released a roar, and then the four horns on its head glowed with a black and greenish light.

The instant the four horns glowed, an indescribable pressure engulfed the entire cave and even parts of the Greenbelt and the Heartwood outside of the cave.

The male crimson lion's eyes flashed with despair and fear as he watched his flaming claw crumbled apart.

Just as the glow on the Snake King's horns reached a certain point, a sinister and malevolent aura replaced the aura that was released by its horns.

The blackish and greenish light was instantly replaced by a deep crimson light, and the same went for the Snake King's body.

Its body was filled with deep crimson lines that radiated a sinister and malevolent aura, and the Snake King released a painful roar of anguish and rage.

ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!

While the Snake King was roaring in pain, the male crimson lion saw an opportunity in this and ran towards the Snake King, fully intending to strike it down in one blow.

The Snake King saw this and he roared in anger.

{PISS OFF!}

The Snake King suddenly struck at the crimson lion with a speed that was incomparable to what it had previously shown.

The crimson lion felt death approaching and could not respond. It all happened to fast and the speed was something he could not deal with.

ROAR!

The crimson lion released a deep roar of pain as it felt the Snake King's fangs on his back.

Without hesitation, he released another flaming claws at the Snake King and this time around, his flaming claws reached the Snake King and caused a huge and deep gash to appear on its back.

ROOOAAARRR!

The Snake King left the crimson lion and roared, and the crimson lion immediately ran away the moment he saw the opportunity.

The Snake King which still had the countless deep crimson lines on its body thrashed around in pain while hissing and roaring in pain.

This continued for many days.