The moon cast a soft light on the serpentine figure that was slowly emerging from the dark. On its huge head, a pair of glowing green vertical eyes were fixed on the dark figure ahead.
As it approached, its height kept increasing until it cast a long narrow shadow toward the dark figure. Its body of more than twelve meters long created a strong contrast against the demonic horse that had grown to 3.5 meters tall since its advancement.
Four flames beneath the demonic horse kept dancing as the figure slowly approached.
As the distance became shorter and shorter, the air seemed to grow heavy, as though with just a spark a great fire would erupt.
Hisss!!
A terrifying low hiss spread as the huge demonic snake fully left the shadows, and its red body covered in dense red scales stopped ten meters away from Dravok.
This is a strong beast. Dravok only had this thought surface in his mind as he felt the pressure of life radiating from the demonic snake, which was much stronger than that human he had fought before.
The ground beneath his flaming hooves, which was slightly charred, started to burn even hotter, almost melting the ground into lava.
Feeling the rising fighting intent from his opponent, the demonic snake didn't retreat. Instead, an eerie deep red flame also appeared on top of its head, distorting the air around it.
Nighhh!!
Hisss!!
Two battle cries that shook the forest echoed one after the other, making the air tremble.
The ground exploded behind Dravok's hooves, and flames spewed out as he flashed toward the massive slithering body bathed in flames that was heading toward him at high speed.
As the two flaming figures moved, the dark forest lit up with a red color.
Booom!!!
Hooves bathed in flame rose high and met the incoming head surrounded in flames head-on. The clash created strong explosions followed by flames engulfing both figures and burning everything around them.
Thrgggg...
The ground split apart as Dravok was lightly pushed back. His hind legs that kept his body upright exploded with strength after huge amounts of chaos energy spread.
Nighhh!!
Dravok pushed hard against the snake's head and, by leveraging the force, his figure flew into the air, followed by a trail of fire as he jumped several meters high. Then, from his hooves, waves of flames exploded, crashing down toward the snake's red body.
Hisss!
The snake hissed, and the flame on top of its head grew bigger, creating a huge fire curtain that collided with Dravok's flames.
Booom!!
Another deep explosion was generated. A powerful shockwave spread all around, pressing the vegetation to the ground and exploding trees.
The strong force pushed both demonic beasts back twenty meters, plowing the charred ground beneath their heavy bodies.
That hurt. Dravok, who had just steadied himself, looked at his slightly trembling front hooves. In this frontal clash, he was actually at a slight disadvantage in pure strength.
Just as his chaos energy surged once more in his hooves and flames roared, prepared for a long fight and a possible retreat, a deep voice sounded in his mind.
That's enough, Horse!
You have proven to be worthy of joining the Golden Fur Forest!
Nighh!!
"Who is that?!" Dravok screamed out in surprise, as this was the first time he heard a voice that he was able to understand since arriving in this world!
It is I, the Red Arrow Serpent! The voice appeared again, and with it, the red demonic snake's figure also emerged from the smoke and ash, coming close.
"You can understand me?! I can understand you?! Nighh!" Dravok exclaimed in surprise once more as he stared wide-eyed toward the huge red figure.
"Indeed. You are a newly promoted Notorious rank. You don't even know the most basic things. You don't have to use your physical voice to speak. We Notorious rank beasts can communicate through our thoughts. said the demonic snake in an arrogant tone.
"Can you read all my thoughts?!" Dravok questioned in a serious voice, with worry in his heart and a murderous look in his eyes.
"Nonsense. I can only understand what you intend to communicate with me. No one can read thoughts." The demonic snake transmitted in an annoyed tone.
After this transmission, both parties fell silent.
Dravok was now exploring this connection he felt toward the snake in his mind and vigilantly tried not to think about any of his secrets.
The red snake, as though he knew Dravok needed some time to comprehend his words, also fell silent. His vertical pupils still fixed on the dark figure with some shock in his heart at the strength of this newly promoted Notorious rank beast.
While both demonic beasts were lost in thought, the surrounding dark forest was already engulfed in flames for dozens of meters around them. Trees charred and smoke filled the night sky, covering the moon's light.
But shortly after, the dark clouds in the sky seemed to be angered and rain started to pour furiously.
Pat. Pat.
Rain fell, and the terrifying flames died one after the other.
Dravok, who was snapped out of his thoughts by the falling torrential rain, finally regained his composure and questioned through the mental connection:
"What did you mean with 'I am worthy of joining the Golden Fur Forest'?" Dravok asked cautiously, his vigilance increasing even more, and the chaos energy in his chest surged with energy ready to explode with power at any time.
"It is just as I have said. After testing your strength, I have judged that you are worthy of joining the Golden Fur Forest and serving the Absolute Ruler of this forest, Golden Bull True Horn!" The demonic snake answered in a serious tone.
"And if I refuse?" Dravok asked while the flames on his hoofs surged.
"Then I will leave you to your death, since a hunting team composed of ten Notorious rank humans has already been dispatched to hunt you! Oh, right, you probably don't know what Notorious rank means. It means those ten humans are at the same rank as you and me. Do you think you can survive that?" The demonic snake said in a sneering tone.
"What?!" Dravok was truly shocked and couldn't help but exclaim!
"Did you really think you could run wild so close to human territories without consequences? Why do you think you only meet weaklings in this part of the forest? Because all the strong ones got killed or recruited."
Hearing his words, Dravok's heart shook. He had guessed that because of his actions, the humans would hunt him, but he didn't expect so many. Thinking of ten Notorious rank humans that are at the same rank as him hunting him right now made him feel a strong threat. Although he is much stronger now, he just gained this new strength and is not used to it yet.
"Have you decided, Demonic Horse? Will you wait here for death, or will you follow me to serve Golden Bull True Horn? Not only will you gain protection, but also crucial knowledge to advance in strength. For example, like this."
With that, the flame on top of the red snake surged, which startled Dravok into creating a wall of flames.
But the flames did not surge toward him. Instead, they flew into the air. The color grew deeper and turned into a condensed ball filled with glowing runes of flames. In the next instant, it expanded, and three arrows made of pure flames with a sharp and scorching aura appeared and surged into the distance with sonic booms.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three terrifying explosions appeared one after the other, with a light so bright that it appeared as though the sun had risen.
Dravok, with a look of shock in his eyes, felt the explosion's aftershock.
The power was much higher than their collision from before! If he was hit, he doubted whether he wouldn't be severely injured.
"This is a flame technique — a special way of using chaos energy to condense power and unleash greater strength. Something that you can only learn by joining a powerful force." The snake said in an arrogant tone.
"Now you have to decide." The snake narrowed its huge eyes, its tone cold.
Dravok fell silent for a moment, his thoughts spinning at lightning speed, calculating.