Snakes are naturally agile climbers; even ordinary snakes can outpace many quadrupeds when scaling trees, let alone this one that had grown four legs!

The giant serpent couldn't quite master the use of its four legs for crawling yet, so it moved with a slithering motion while clumsily employing its new limbs to climb the pillar.

Despite such awkward movements, the pace was terrifyingly swift; in the blink of an eye, it had reached a spot not far from me.

Before I could even utter a curse—Damn it!—the snake already had its maw wide open, spewing a black stream directly toward me.

Sensing imminent disaster, I used my psychic ability to propel myself upward, leaping instantly to a height of over ten meters.

At that moment, the black substance landed on the surface of the earthen pillar, emitting a sizzling sound, exactly like a red-hot iron being plunged into water. Countless bubbles erupted as the surface of the pillar was rapidly eaten away, carving a deep pit.

My heart leaped into my throat; I never imagined the venom of this serpent could possess such destructive power.

Furthermore, this creature could no longer be considered just a venomous snake—it was a venomous dragon!

The thought flashed through my mind, but the serpent, having missed its mark, showed no pause. It immediately began coiling and climbing upward again.

To avoid being drenched by its venom, I mimicked its actions, spiraling around the stone pillar as I ascended.

However, I hadn't climbed long before I realized I had reached the very top, yet the snake relentlessly pursued me.

Just then, Number 12, stationed on the opposite pillar, shouted, "Hurry up and jump over! It’s dangerous if you don't!"

I scrambled onto the platform atop the stone spire and yelled back, "I can't jump! This snake’s explosive launch capability is terrifying; if I leap, it will devour me just like before!"

Hearing this, Number 12 responded, "Then what should we do! We can't just wait here to die, can we!"

As we spoke, I could already see the two fleshy lumps on the snake's head emerging over the edge of the platform.

The grating sound of those thick scales scraping against the rock was incessant, raising goosebumps all over my body.

I thought, what a horrifying fate it would be to be crushed and scraped by those cold, hard scales until my internal organs burst.

Time allowed no more musings. I had to resort to my final move: focusing my psychic power on Number 12 on the opposite pillar, blasting him off his perch.

Caught completely off guard, Number 12 was sent tumbling backward, flailing his limbs wildly.

I allowed myself a faint smile, wondering if the young man would grasp my intention.

At that very instant, the snake's triangular head emerged beside me, surging skyward like a giant dragon rising from the water.

Its massive body then arced through the air, plunging down upon me.

I felt its coils cinch tightly around the stone pillar, causing the earth beneath my feet to begin cracking.

When the serpent's head met my gaze directly, I perceived a strange, inexplicable anger in its eyes.

That fury was akin to facing a father's murderer, a burning desire to tear me to shreds immediately.

Yet, this rage was utterly baffling; I had no idea why this snake harbored such deep hatred upon our first meeting.

The serpent dove from its height, stopping inches before me. Malice burned in its small red eyes, but its entire physique exuded a low, desolate aura, its constantly bulging muscles containing a terrifying, explosive potential.

Strangely, however, it didn't strike immediately, choosing instead to observe me with cold arrogance.

Gazing into those eyes, beyond the intense fury, I felt a crushing pressure that nearly stole my breath.

This oppression came not just from its physical bulk but from the sheer dominance permeating its being.

I had to admit, even though this snake hadn't fully transformed into a dragon, it already possessed something akin to the legendary Dragon Might.

I considered myself experienced, so not wetting my pants instantly was an achievement, but even while maintaining some semblance of self-control, my limbs were completely immobilized!

It was a miraculous, irresistible force.

As cold sweat dripped from my brow, the giant snake slowly opened its mouth, and a plume of green gas, like freshly melted dry ice, seeped out between its jaws.

This gas instantly enveloped me, obscuring my vision.

I stood there like a statue, able only to see the red glint of the serpent's eyes flickering behind the smoke screen.

But after just a second, those two red orbs began to shift shape, slowly elongating into thin, quivering lines.

I shook my head, realizing I had been poisoned, and my vision began to blur into hallucinations.

While the venomous mist the snake expelled wasn't as immediately fatal as the liquid venom, it was slowly paralyzing the nervous system.

If not for my iron will and robust physique, I would have passed out already.

Even though my sight was now fuzzy, I could still perceive a black, tentacle-like object slowly reaching toward me. It circled behind my back and then swung around from the side.

I knew it was the snake's tongue—it intended to capture me alive!

Immobile, I could only await capture, muttering inwardly, "Number 12, how far do you need to fly? Are you not done yet?"

Just as the thought formed, the tongue wrapped tightly around my waist, drawing me toward its open mouth.

And then, just at that moment, my vision swam, and the giant red eyes behind the smoke vanished. The serpent’s immense silhouette disappeared, replaced by the figure of Number 12.

I sighed with relief, thinking, The kid finally got the message.

Then, from a distance, came a heavy thud as the giant snake hit the ground, followed by its enraged roar, perhaps fifty or sixty meters away.

Seizing the opportunity, Number 12 slowly walked toward me, saying as he approached, "Ten, you were too reckless... I... if I exchange with a creature more than ten times my own size, I'll instantly collapse..."

A chill ran down my spine. Before I could apologize, he pitched forward with a thump at my feet.

I tried to reach out to help him, but as I took one step forward, I too collapsed with a thump.

At that moment, I felt utterly drained, my head pounding, my viscera churning—I was deeply poisoned.

We lay prone on the ground, conscious but able only to stare at each other.

The surrounding purple mist slowly dissipated, and soon the brilliant blue sky appeared overhead.

Staring blankly at the sky, after a few seconds, I said to Number 12, "I think we're done for... That venomous dragon will surely be back soon..."

Number 12 looked at me, his limbs twitching, but he could only manage a wry smile without a word.

Then we heard the winding scritch-scratch sound of the giant snake slithering on the ground, followed by a slight vibration in the earthen pillar we occupied.

A few seconds later, the massive body reappeared before us, completely blocking the sunlight.

Number 12 and I watched the enraged giant snake in despair, readying ourselves for certain death.

This time, however, the serpent seemed disinclined to capture us alive. It opened its maw wide and lunged at me in a single bite.

I promptly shut my eyes, refusing to watch further.

Yet, in the five seconds after closing my eyes, nothing happened. I was still paralyzed, but there was no sensation of being ripped apart.

I found it strange and slowly opened my eyes, only to see Number 12 staring up at the giant serpent with an expression of astonishment.

I followed his gaze and saw that the serpent had halted its attack, its head frozen mid-air.

Just as I felt utter confusion, its body began to sink slightly.

Immediately afterward, the fierce, cold look in the serpent’s eyes transformed into sheer terror.

It began to convulse its entire musculature, its malformed legs scrabbling desperately to climb upward, but it seemed useless.

In fact, the more it struggled, the slower its body sank.

I realized something below must be dragging the serpent down, and its power had to be far superior to the snake's.

But I couldn't possibly imagine what entity could be more brutal or stronger than this giant serpent.

As I puzzled over this, the giant snake's claws, which had been gripping the platform edge, suddenly slipped off. Its body instantly lost balance, and it tumbled off the platform.

Then, a tremendous boom echoed from the ground, and the serpent thrashed about like a massive fish just hauled onto shore, struggling violently.

The sounds of battle were so intense that merely listening conveyed the sheer brutality of the fight.

This lasted for less than a minute before the serpent let out a hideous shriek, and its tail smacked the ground with a crack.

One second later, a gigantic silhouette reappeared beside us.

The serpent’s body, covered in wounds, launched itself into the air.

We knew it must have been employing its ultimate escape maneuver—the explosive launch—because it was defeated.

But after watching for a moment, we realized that didn't seem to be the case.

The serpent writhed and twisted, performing motions typically seen in water.

It actually took flight, soaring higher and higher.

We were too stunned to speak, but what was even more unbelievable was that just as the serpent ascended, a tiny human silhouette leaped up from the ground and instantly surpassed the snake’s altitude.

Then, that figure clenched a fist and brought it smashing down upon the serpent’s forehead from above.

The snake sounded like it had been struck by a meteor, letting out a heart-wrenching wail as it plummeted back toward the ground.