In the dark cavern,
an irritated head emerged.
Arin's tail slammed against the stone—again, and again—
the sound echoing as he waited.
"They're too slow," he muttered, fury simmering beneath his breath.
Just then, another presence surfaced.
The discolored one slid out first.
Moments later, the veined serpent followed—then the one-eyed.
Arin waited.
Only after a longer pause did the wide-jawed serpent emerge.
His mouth was already moving, words lining up—
Then it hit him.
"F**k."
They had fed him.
Fought beside him.
Followed without question.
And yet—
Nothing to call them.
His brows knit together, irritation creeping in.
Relentless.
"I'm really bad at names," he muttered.
He turned to the wide-jawed one first.
Thick body. Uneven scales. A presence that refused to yield.
"Gorath."
The serpent didn't react.
Didn't need to.
The name settled anyway.
Arin puffed his chest, absurdly proud.
Next— the veined one.
"Virex."
Then the discolored serpent, half-lost to shadow.
"…Nyss."
Finally, his gaze met the single eye.
It lingered too long.
Something about it crawled under his scales.
"Kael."
He exhaled.
"Oh my god," he muttered, shaking his head.
"I should be a professional name-giver at this rate."
A translucent window drifted upward.
[Honestly, I feel really bad for them.]
"C'mon. Let's go," he said.
They dove deeper into the cave.
Then the second realization hit him.
"My reward!?" he screamed.
[You know, I really thought you forgot.]
[Reward Granted:]
Coiled Foundation Method (Incomplete)
A foundational cultivation method designed for organisms possessing both structured meridians and adaptive flesh.
The method establishes a dual-flow state:
One stream of qi circulates through newly formed meridian pathways.
The other diffuses into muscles, scales, and organs, reinforcing the physical vessel.
The two flows do not merge.
They resonate.
Improper use may result in internal conflict, tissue rupture, or loss of bodily control.
(Again. You should really try that.)
Compatibility Requirement: Extremely high.
Additional Reward:
Access to Shop — Tier D]
[Quest:]
1. Successfully circulate the Coiled
Foundation Method
2. Ensure all your named serpents survive one coordinated hunt
3. Locate or create a habitable area
(You have a really bad history with this one.)
He didn't smile.
He didn't curse either.
He slowly turned back toward the serpents.
His chest tightened.
His breath grew heavier.
It was fear.
It was understanding.
But most of all—
"Son of a b***h," he sighed.
"I'm a real father now, aren't I?"
The serpents stared, bewildered.
Still wary, Arin slithered forward.
Scales scraped against stone.
Then—
One sound stopped.
Arin turned.
Kael hadn't followed.
His head was pressed to the ground, tongue flicking again and again, as if trying to devour the rock itself.
Everything froze.
Arin felt it a beat later.
Not sight.
Not sound.
Not smell.
The qi was… wrong.
Thinned.
Scraped.
As if something had passed through and left the cavern hollow.
He stared into the darkness ahead.
A place that shouldn't exist.
His heart thudded.
Scales tightened.
And for the first time—
His mouth curved upward.
Not by command.
But by instinct.
A dark smile.
Steps echoed.
"Are you sure we should move forward?" Sol asked.
Ren fed qi into the fire, flames rising.
"Yes. Before we return, we need a clear picture of what's happening in this cave."
No one relaxed.
They moved forward—on guard.
Time passed.
Nothing happened.
Tension brewed as—
two paths diverged.
"Where now?" Negi asked.
"To the right," Ren answered.
No one questioned it.
They followed.
…
Arin was furious—more than ever.
"Why the f**k are you so slow?" he screamed at Gorath.
Anxious, he snapped his gaze forward.
"Shit… can you see the light?" he cried to Kael.
Kael split a rock in two—then stared at it, curious.
Virex copied him.
He opened his mouth.
A liquid sprayed out.
It splashed against the stone.
The stone didn't crack.
It separated.
As if something fundamental had been quietly removed.
A heartbeat later, the split stone lost its strength and collapsed into fine powder.
Nyss vanished against the cavern wall, his discolored scales blending until nothing remained.
At a distance from him a stone cumbled.
Both stared at the ruined stone, their bodies tense with something close to pride.
Only Kael kept his gaze on both stones.
From a distance, Arin watched them.
He didn't know whether to be amazed by their ability—or their lack of intelligence.
He sighed.
"Right. They don't understand words."
He slithered forward. "C'mon. Let's go."
They followed.