Invisible Enemies

Something slithered around my leg. It's Cold, scaly body coiling tightly.

My breath hitched as it crept up my thigh, its grip like iron.

Fuck, what is this?!

Without hesitation, I reached for the dagger strapped to my hip and drove it into the unseen force constricting my leg.

Shriik!

A sharp, wet hiss filled the air as my blade tore through flesh. Blood oozed onto my skin, thick and warm. The grip around my thigh loosened, and a moment later, a black snake dropped to the ground, its gaping mouth baring long, venomous fangs.

"Shit," I exhaled, heart pounding. "That thing nearly bit me."

The healer rushed forward, eyes narrowing as he examined the creature. "Ghostfangs, young master. They are poisonous and can blend seamlessly with their surroundings, making them invisible. They are common here." He said as he placed his fingers around his chin.

My stomach twisted. Common here? That meant—

I glanced around the dimly lit tent. The blankets, the wooden beams, the untouched corners.

Something isn't right.

Even in the wild, there should be insects. Rodents. Some sign of life skittering in the dark. But there was nothing around this place.

I couldn't sleep in peace from now on. Pushing aside my unease, I stepped out of the tent, drawn toward the glow of the fire. The knights stood in formation, their gazes sharp, scanning the darkness. Even though the Ghostfangs were invisible to the naked eye, their trained senses should have picked up on any lurking threats.

So how the hell did one end up in my tent?

"KYAAAAA!!"

Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream shattered the night.

Every knight snapped their heads to attention. Hands flew to weapons, eyes locking onto the source of the sound—a girl, dressed in a pristine white uniform, blonde hair disheveled, running toward us at full speed. It was the healer girl from our group.

She skidded to a halt just before the knights, chest rising and falling as she gasped for breath.

"What happened?" one of them demanded.

She swallowed hard. "I—I saw snake tracks. Then something grabbed my leg, and I panicked. So I ran."

Laughter erupted from the side.

"Hah! Are you serious?" Ranald, lounging near Selene's tent, shook his head in amusement. Several knights chuckled with him.

"This is a forest, not a noble's garden. Of course, there are snakes," he mocked.

"If you're that scared, maybe don't wander too deep just to take a leak," Garrick added with a smirk, and nearby knights chuckled.

That girl's body stiffened, face burning with embarrassment.

"Garrick."

A low, dangerous voice cuts through the amusement like a blade.

Edric.

His hand gripped his sword hilt, fingers flexing.

"Is that how you speak to a lady?"

Garrick paled instantly. "H-Hiiekk! I—I'm sorry!" He bowed his head, voice scrambling to apologize.

Huh. Interesting. I watched the interaction carefully. There was a strict hierarchy among these knights—one I hadn't fully grasped until now.

The girl kept her head down and walked toward me. No—she walked towards the middle aged healer man with Black hair, standing next to me.

I narrowed my eyes, studying her face.

Something wasn't adding up.

Why come on such a dangerous expedition if you were terrified of snakes?

The healer beside me walked toward the girl and gently patted her head. Her tears shimmered under the dim firelight as they spoke in hushed voices. I couldn't hear them, so I turned away and sat near the fire, trying to gather my thoughts.

In the game, I had never encountered any invisible snakes—because I had an Intimidation Ring equipped. That ring made powerless creatures fear me and kept them at bay. But here? Here, I had nothing.

Snake venom wasn't life-threatening to knights if they circulated mana through their bodies fast enough to neutralize it. But for me, that trick was useless. I scanned the area for my so-called bodyguard, Evan. He was standing near a group of guards, laughing and chatting like we weren't in the middle of goddamn nowhere.

I clenched my jaw.

His carefree expression was irritating. I nearly got bitten by an invisible snake, and this guy was over there cracking jokes? Why did I even bring him? I sighed and ran a hand down my face.

But then—

His laughter stopped.

His face stiffened and posture turned rigid.

Not just him.

The entire camp fell silent.

Knights instinctively reached for their weapons, scanning the darkness with sharp, trained eyes.

'Huh? What happened?'

The mood shifted. The air around us grew tense as the guard's expressions hardened.

Then—

"Everyone, spread out around the tent and ready for battle!"

The commander's voice rang out, his sharp command slicing through the eerie stillness.

"Dain! Take the mage and guard the horses."

"Yes sir!" A young knight rushed near horses together with mage.

My pulse quickened. 'Just what is happening?'

A sudden rustling echoed around us. The leaves trembled, disturbed by something unseen. Then, even I felt it—a creeping presence, growing stronger. Too many.

Everyone unsheathed their weapons at once.

Selene stepped out of her tent, her cold, piercing gaze sweeping across the area. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around the surroundings.

Meanwhile, I gripped my dagger, my heart hammered inside my chest.

Then—the ground in the dark moved.

Ripples spread across the soil in unnatural waves.

As realisation dawned on me, a chill ran down my spine.

No way....

Snakes.

I swallowed hard. The ground kept shifting, the invisible bodies of countless serpents slithering toward us. Just how many were there?

The commander clenched his sword hilt, his muscles tensing. Then, in one swift motion—

FWOOOSH!

Blue flames erupted around his blade, illuminating the darkness.

SWISH!

With a heavy swing, the burning arc of blue fire sliced through the ground.

BOOM!

The ground shook as the firestorm tore through the approaching wave.

Charred, twitching bodies littered the camp—severed black serpents appeared in its visible form, writhing in their final moments.

"What the fuck..." I muttered.

There were hundreds.

I exhaled, my grip on the dagger loosening slightly.

"That's… too many snakes," I muttered. Thank god I have powerhouses like him.

But before I could even process relief—

Another wave.

Bigger and faster than the previous one.

The knights reacted immediately, their blades flashing through the air. The moment a sword struck the ground, a black-scaled corpse would appear, blood seeping into the dirt.

But no matter how many they killed, the attacks didn't stop, new ones kept appearing.

"Shit!" A knight cursed as something coiled around his leg. He swung his sword wildly at his ankle.

SPLASH!

Blood sprayed as the severed black serpant became visible. The crimson stain spread across his pants, though his expression remained hardened. He wasn't down—but he was slower.

Even if the knights could resist the venom, it still numbed their limbs. And if these things kept coming, it would turn into a serious disadvantage.

Selene stood firm, her protector, Edric, stationed at her side, unmoving. He didn't lift his blade—his job was only to guard her.

Meanwhile, Evan darted into action, his sword moving faster than the eye could follow. The blade—the one I gave him—glowed faintly with a dim green light as he weaved through the battlefield, slashing with impeccable speed.

Then—

THUMP.

A sound behind me.

Soft. Almost too soft.

I frowned looking upwards.

The trees.

Something was moving in the trees.

And my stomach dropped.

"No. No fucking way."

I looked down.

The leaves on the ground rustled, the soil shifted.

Then—a snake trail darted toward my leg at terrifying speed.

"Fuck!"

I gripped my dagger and swung with full force at the ground looking at the trial—

But no impact.

'Where the hell did it go?'

It's trial stopped, but I hadn't hit anything.

Panic surged through me as my eyes darted left and right. Then—

A flicker of movement—

I whipped my head up.

For a split second, I caught it—a second shadow above my head merging with my own.

A chill shot through me.

Instinct kicked in.

I swung my dagger over my head—

SLASH!

Warm blood splattered across my face as a severed snake dropped on both sides of me.

I exhaled sharply, my chest heaving.

"...They can jump?"

I looked up again.

Leaves on the trees shuddered violently. Branches creaked. Shadows shifted.

And then—

They dropped.

One.

Two.

Dozens.

Snakes were falling from the goddamn trees.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

All around the camp, the sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed, followed by an eerie chorus of hissing.

It wasn't over.

It had only just begun.