Round two

The snake's roars grew weaker, its massive body thrashing slower as its energy drained. Each strike from Kaden's mana bolts, each dive from the vultures, chipped away at the beast's vitality. The vines from [Sanguine Roots] coiled tighter around its decayed body, pulling it further into submission as blood and pus seeped into the ground.

Kaden gritted his teeth, his hands trembling as he summoned yet another mana bolt. His exhaustion was also reaching a new high but he was not about to stop now. 

He aimed the mana bolt at the snake but noticed that one of the vultures was dangerously losing blood. He did not want to miss the kill and changed trajectory. However, the next second the bird moved and he missed his target.

Something unexpected happened and the dying black panther let out a loud moan. The vultures immediately turned their heads to the dying beast and made a mad rush for it. It looked like even these birds preferred kill stealing their way to the top.

"Fuck. This is too soon!" Kaden did not look like the way the snake's eyes gleamed. 

If the vultures were gone, then the snake would retreat back down into the hole and run away to god knows where. All of his efforts would be completely ruined and he would lose the one shot he had to reach his goal.

Kaden redoubled his effort to cast another mana bolt but the snake simply glared at him as the bolt struck its flesh. His vines were also popping one after the other and it was only a matter of seconds before the beast disappeared.

Kaden had to make a decision now. He could see the vulnerable part the snake was hiding. If he could use Thorn Whip to attack it there, maybe… just maybe… but if he left the safety of his protective barrier, there was no guarantee that he would survive the encounter. 

The barrier had been his lifeline, his shield against the chaotic battlefield, and stepping out of it meant exposing himself to both the snake and the opportunistic vultures. But what choice did he have? 

If he failed right here then he would probably end up in the same damn prison in the future. The strength he wanted was not easy to obtain. He had to take the risk. There was simply no other choice.

"Damn it all," Kaden muttered under his breath. He was not going to give up. Not when he was this close to tipping the scales in his favor.

With a deep breath, he pushed through the shimmering edge of the protective barrier. The stench of decay was overpowering but Kaden's focus was locked on the vulnerable spot near the snake's midsection, where the injury was the worst.

The beast's head snapped toward him the moment he stepped out, its remaining eye blazing with fury. It hissed loudly, its massive coils shifting as it prepared to strike. 

Kaden raised his hand, summoning [Thorn Whip] with the last reserves of his mana. The energy surged through him, weak and strained, but still potent enough to manifest the spell.

The whip lashed out, its thorn-covered tendrils shooting toward the snake's exposed midsection. The attack struck true, the thorns embedding themselves deep into the decayed flesh. The snake roared, its body convulsing as the thorns tore into the wound, widening it further.

Kaden didn't stop. He pulled the whip taut, using the beast's own movements to deepen the damage. Blood and pus sprayed from the wound, the smell nearly making him gag, but he held firm. The snake's head swung toward him, its mouth opening wide to reveal venomous fangs.

Kaden released the whip and dived to the side just as the beast lunged. Its jaws snapped shut on empty air, and Kaden rolled to his feet, casting another [Thorn Whip]. This one came out like a spear emptying out the last drops of mana he had.

He did not waste any time and threw the spear at the snake before running back to the protective barrier and starting to make a run for it.

However, the snake was faster. It roared in pain and came at him with everything it had. Parts of its body got cut and torn open because of the sanguine roots. The thorn whip would in its midsection cut it in two halves but the damned snake still kept coming at him.

It dragged its half-body spraying blood and pus everywhere and flung itself at Kaden as if it wanted to devour him even if it was the last thing it did. 

The vultures were also too occupied to rescue him as they were busy with the black panther. Kaden heard another beast's roar in the mix and he could only assume that someone had decided to join the party.

But it did not matter. He just needed a second. All he needed was a second.

Kaden ran. He ran as fast as his legs could take him. The protective barrier was within his reach but just as he was about to get back in the safety bubble, the damned half-dead snake lunged forward and landed onto him like a flying monkey and twisted and warped its torn body around him, completely arresting him.