King of swamps

After traveling deeper into the forest, Solvyr stumbled upon another Dreadfang Boar. But this time, it was different. This one was larger, more massive than the last—clearly a mature beast. Its armor-plated body gleamed under the dim light filtering through the dense canopy, and its bone spikes were even more pronounced, jagged like blades.

"Well, I wonder how this beast managed to survive this long," Solvyr mused to himself, gripping his master's odachi tighter. "Can't wait to find out."

Before he could react, the Dreadfang Boar charged at him with terrifying speed. He barely caught sight of its movement before he was sent flying, crashing through several trees. The force of the impact rattled his bones, and he coughed as he struggled to rise to his feet.

"Damn it… I got too reckless. Too egoistical," he muttered, brushing dirt off his face and steadying his breathing. He braced himself, expecting the beast to follow up with another attack.

But then—

"Huh?"

The Dreadfang Boar stood still for a moment, its massive frame tensing unnaturally. Then, without warning, it turned away, retreating into the shadows as if something far worse had caught its attention.

Solvyr narrowed his eyes. "Did it just… get scared?" He followed the boar's gaze and turned around—only to feel a cold, primal fear creep up his spine.

A 15-meter-long serpent loomed before him, its thick, scaled body coiled partially around a large tree. Its dark hide blended into the shadows, but its menacing orange eyes burned brightly, locking onto him with a predator's focus. Solvyr immediately understood. The souls he had devoured—the Dreadfang Boar and the Crimson Reaper—recognized this creature. And they feared it.

Not just fear. Terror.

His breathing steadied, and a small smirk crossed his lips. "So that's why the boar ran…" He exhaled, his grip on the odachi tightening. "But your reign over these swamps ends today."

The serpent responded immediately, lunging at him with terrifying speed. Despite its size, it moved with shocking precision, its jaws wide open, revealing fangs dripping with venom. But unlike the boar, which had blindsided him with a sudden charge, Solvyr was prepared.

This time, he knew.

The souls within him screamed in warning, but they also revealed something else—memories of how creatures had once escaped this beast. How it moved. How it struck.

"I know every movement you can possibly make," Solvyr said, stepping just out of range as the serpent's head slammed into the ground where he had stood moments before. Dust and leaves exploded into the air from the impact.

He countered with a swift slash at its side, but the thick scales absorbed most of the damage. The serpent hissed, recoiling slightly before twisting its body in an attempt to coil around him.

Solvyr leaped backward, narrowly avoiding its crushing grip. He adjusted his stance, focusing. 'It's slower than the boar because of its weight and size…' he thought. 'But it's still deadly.'

The serpent's eyes locked onto him again, and this time, its throat bulged unnaturally. Solvyr's instincts screamed at him—

"Acid," he muttered before the beast could release its attack.

Just as the serpent spewed forth a stream of sizzling green liquid, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the corrosive spray. The ground where he had stood moments before began to melt, sizzling violently as smoke rose from the decayed earth.

Solvyr grinned. "Didn't I tell you?"

With a swift motion, he threw his master's sword. The odachi spun through the air, slicing clean through the serpent's eye.

A piercing screech filled the air.

The massive beast writhed in agony, its colossal body thrashing violently as blood poured from its destroyed eye. It tried to retreat, but its movements became sluggish. Solvyr watched as its remaining eye widened with something that he hadn't expected.

Fear.

Even this ruler of the swamp… knew it was dying.

[You have successfully hunted a Venomous Titan Python.]

{+2 Souls}

(Soul detected.)

Solvyr exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he approached the fallen creature. "Two souls, huh?" he muttered. "I wonder just how strong this thing really was."

Reaching for the odachi, he yanked it free from the serpent's eye, wiping the blood from the blade. Then, his gaze fell upon the large, glowing orb that now hovered above the lifeless body.

"Still the same?" he whispered, studying it. The soul looked no different than the others, yet this was a beast that had ruled these lands. He held the orb in his hands, feeling its energy pulse faintly. "Well, let's see how this terrifying creature hunted."

With a deep breath, he consumed the soul.

A rush of sensations hit him instantly—flashes of dark waters, long nights hunting in the swamps, the sensation of muscles coiling before striking prey in an instant. And most importantly… the instincts of a creature that had survived countless battles.

His lips curled into a smile. "Without my knowledge of this beast, I'd probably be dead right now," he admitted.

He took a final glance at the fallen serpent before walking away. "It's a shame," he muttered. "I just ended your reign."