The cave was a tomb of stone and shadow, its rough-hewn walls slick with damp moss, a subterranean cathedral that seemed to breathe malice, its depths lost in a gloom that pressed against the skin like a living curse.
The three acolytes Bosain, Shaya, and O'Brian stood in a tense knot, their breaths shallow, their faces lit by the fading glow of Shaya's illuminating spell, its light flickering like a dying star. The Black Horrall Snake, a titan of midnight scales and amber eyes, had vanished into the shadows, its Shadow Stealth a blade of terror hanging over them, its mocking hiss still ringing in their ears.
The air flickered, a ripple of shadow and malice, and the massive body of the Black Horrall Snake materialized, its coils a mountain of muscle, its rhombus-shaped scales glinting like obsidian forged in a nightmare.
From the beast's enormous head, a vicious ray of light flashed, its amber eyes blazing with a hunger that promised death, its jaws gaping wide, fangs dripping with venom as it lunged at Leylin, the ground shaking under its wrath.
Leylin snorted, his bright brown eyes glinting with a cold, predatory fury, his voice a low growl of defiance as he raised his greed wand, its wood warm and it's gems pulsing in his grip.
He snarled, his tone thick with disdain, his heart pounding with a savage thrill as he thrust the wand forward. "Protego!"
A blue protective field shimmered into existence before him, its surface crackling with arcane energy, a barrier forged from his will. The snake's jaws clamped down with a bone-rattling crunch, its fangs scraping against the shield, the force shaking the cave, dust raining from the ceiling.
Leylin's eyes widened, his heart lurching as cracks spiderwebbed across the barrier and his wand.
"Damn it!" he growled, his tone raw with urgency, his rune-seared skin blazing red as he poured more power into the spell, his muscles tensing against the strain.
Boom! The shield shattered, fragments of blue light dissolving like broken glass, the snake's bite surging forward with devastating force, its jaws smashing into the ground where Leylin had stood.
The stone exploded, shards flying, a crater forming as the cave groaned under the impact, the air thick with dust and the scent of scorched earth.
Shaya gasped, her voice shrill with panic, her red hair falling into her face as she stumbled back, her tone trembling with fear. "Leylin! No, he's gone!" she cried, her green eyes wide, her hands clutching her comb artifact, her heart pounding with the horror.
Bosain's face paled, his golden hair matted with sweat, his eye flickered with disbelief, his silver robes smeared with dust and blood. His hands trembled as he gripped his silver sword, his heart thudding with the weight of their peril.
O'Brian's gaunt frame froze, his sunken black eyes darting through the gloom, his voice rough with panic, his words spilling out in a rush. "That thing just crushed him! We're fucked, we're all fucked!" he shouted, his tone raw with desperation, his hands fumbling for a potion vial, his heart racing with the need to survive.
But Leylin wasn't there. A flicker of red light pulsed a few meters away, and he materialized, his body glowing with dense, writhing red runes that blazed like molten fire, his robe torn but his stance unbroken, a savage grin curling his lips.
His greed wand, cracked and splintered from the strain, glowed briefly before exploding into a shower of fragments, the pieces scattering across the stone.
Leylin's eyes glowed red, a feral, vengeful light, his voice a roar that shook the cave, thick with a blood-crazed fury that sent a chill through the others.
"Fucking snake!" he bellowed, his tone dripping with venom, his heart pounding with a savage need to destroy. "I'll crush your bones to dust and carve a new wand from your spine, you hear me?"
Just before the shield broke, he'd activated his runes and a magic ring's hastening spell, a burst of speed that had torn him from the snake's jaws, his body a blur of arcane power.
In the next heartbeat, Leylin vanished, his form exploding forward with an insane force that cracked the ground beneath him, his voice a low, guttural snarl as he attacked.
"Fuck off!" he roared, his tone alive with a savage thrill, his fist slamming into the gash Bosain had carved into the snake's side, the wound already oozing dark blood. The impact was thunderous, the snake's massive body hurled back, crashing into the cave wall with a shower of stone and dust, its scales cracking under the blow.
Leylin's hand dripped with the beast's blood, the dark liquid glistening in the dim light, his rune-seared skin blazing as he stood, chest heaving, his eyes burning with a primal hunger.
Shaya, O'Brian, and Bosain froze, their faces pale, their voices silenced by the sheer power radiating from Leylin, their hearts pounding with a mix of awe and terror.
Shaya's voice broke first, trembling with fear, her green eyes wide as she clutched her comb, her tone raw with disbelief. "What… what the hell was that?" she whispered, her words quick and breathless, her red hair tangled and wild. "He moved so fast I couldn't even see him! That's not acolyte power, Leylin's something else, something way beyond us!"
Her heart thudded, her hands shaking as she stared at him, a flicker of dread mingling with her admiration.
O'Brian's gaunt face twisted, his voice hoarse with panic, his sunken eyes darting between Leylin and the snake, his tone heavy with a desperate realization. "He's too strong!" he shouted, his words spilling out in a rush, his hands trembling as he gripped his potion vials. "That speed, that strength! He's been holding back this whole damn time, playing us like fools!" His heart raced, his mind grappling with the betrayal, his gaunt frame shrinking back as if Leylin's power were a physical weight pressing against him.
Bosain took a step back, his silver robes rustling, his voice a low, trembling whisper, laced with a fear that cracked his usual arrogance, his golden hair falling into his eyes as he stared at Leylin. "He lied to us," he said, his tone heavy with dread, his hands tightening around his sword, his heart pounding with a mix of terror and betrayal. "Leylin's already an official Magus! No acolyte could do that, move like that, hit like that! He's been toying with us, hiding his strength!" His words were quick, his voice rising with a frantic edge, his eyes wide as he glanced at Shaya and O'Brian, seeking confirmation, his pride crumbling under the weight of Leylin's power.
Leylin glanced at them, his eyes cold and unyielding, a flicker of disdain curling his lips, his voice low and cutting, laced with a quiet menace that made their blood run cold. "Keep your whining to yourselves," he said, his tone hard as granite, his heart steady despite their fear.
His focus snapped back to the Black Horrall Snake, its coils stirring, its amber eyes glaring with a wounded fury, his rune-seared skin blazing as he prepared for the next move, his mind locked on the beast.
He raised his blood-drenched fist to his mouth, his tongue flicking out to taste the snake's dark, viscous blood, his eyes glowing with a savage intensity, his voice a low, guttural growl of satisfaction. "Let's see what you're really made of," he muttered, his tone thick with a blood-crazed hunger, his heart pounding with the thrill of discovery.
This wasn't some fetish it was power, raw and ancient, coursing through the blood. Inside his sea of consciousness, the grey book of the Cursed Bloodline Codex pulsed, its vein-like tendrils twitching with excitement, the blood altar within stirring with a potent, primal force.
The single lick of the snake's blood sent the altar into a frenzy, its energy surging, a tidal wave of power that shook Leylin's mind, his rune-seared skin blazing red as the codex analyzed the beast's essence.
Leylin's thoughts raced, his mind heavy with realization as he stared at the snake, his heart thudding with a mix of awe and ambition. 'This feeling… Rank 2? No, it's more—Rank 3?'
'Unbelievable.' he thought. 'A fully mature Black Horrall Snake, starved for centuries to regress to a level acolytes could face? Did the creator of this inheritance set this up, weaken it just enough for us to have a shot?'
Leylin's eyes narrowed as he studied the beast, its wounds oozing, its coils trembling but still alive, its amber eyes blazing with defiance. That punch had carried a part of his strength, amplified by runes and rage, and yet the snake endured, its scales a fortress of ancient power.
Leylin had a spark of greed igniting in his chest, his brown eyes alive with a fierce determination. 'A Rank 3 specimen's blood, I need it.'
Leylin's blood soaked fist was clenching tight, his rune-seared skin blazing as he prepared to strike again.
'Those scales are tough, but not unbreakable. I'll need a Rank 1 spell to finish this, no question.' His mind was cold, calculating, his heart pounding with the thrill of the hunt, his eyes locked on the snake's writhing form, its horn pulsing with latent energy.
He paused, before attacking in full force, he weighed his options, his gaze flicking over the beast's wounds.
'Let's make sure it can't pull any last-minute tricks.' His rune-seared skin tingled, his mind sharp with anticipation, his body poised for the next move, the cave's gloom a perfect stage for his vengeance.
The snake hissed, its coils shifting, and it merged with the shadows once more, its Shadow Stealth cloaking it in darkness, the air rippling with its power.
Leylin smirked, his eyes glowing red, his voice a low, mocking taunt that echoed off the stone, his tone thick with a savage confidence. "Trying the same trick again, huh?" he said, his words dripping with disdain, his heart pounding with the thrill of the chase. "That's cute, but you're not the only one who plays with shadows, you ignorant beast." He raised his hand, his rune-seared skin blazing, his voice a sharp command that stirred the air. "Shadow Form!"
Leylin's body dissolved into a blur of shadow, his form vanishing before the three acolytes, the cave humming with the clash of unseen forces.
Shaya's voice broke, shrill with panic, her green eyes wide as she clutched her comb, her tone trembling with fear, her heart pounding with the chaos around her. "Where'd they go?" she cried, her words quick and breathless, her red hair falling into her face as she spun, searching the gloom.
"This is insane!" O'Brien whispered, his gaunt face twisting with fear, his hands trembling as he braced for an attack that could come from anywhere.
Bosain's face was pale, his hands clutching a scroll he'd pulled from his robes, its surface pulsing with latent power.
His heart pounding with a mix of terror and betrayal. "We thought he was one of us, but he's been hiding this power all along. An official Magus, or damn close to it! We can't fight him, not like this!" His words were quick, his voice rising with a frantic edge, his eyes darting to Shaya and O'Brian, seeking a plan, his pride crumbling under the weight of Leylin's dominance.
The scroll in his hand—a Rank 1 spell, a last-ditch defense but it required immense spiritual force and time to activate, both a luxury he didn't have, although his physical injuries healed from the backlash, the failed contract still sapped his spiritual force.
Suddenly a booming crash shook the cave, followed by a crunch of breaking scales, the sound reverberating off the stone like a war drum.
The Black Horrall Snake materialized, its massive body hurled back, crashing near O'Brian with a shower of dust and stone, its scales cracked, its wounds oozing dark blood, its amber eyes blazing with a mix of irritation, fear, and fury.
Leylin appeared a heartbeat later, a savage grin curling his lips, his eyes burning with an crimson menace that sent a chill through the acolytes, his voice a low, taunting growl. "I guess you are really done, you are supposed to be a challenge for acolytes but against someone like me, you have no chance."
The snake hissed as if retorting, a roar of wounded pride, its coils trembling, its horn pulsing with desperate energy, its eyes locked on O'Brian, the closest target.
It lunged, its jaws gaping, its body surging forward with a speed that shook the ground, its amber eyes blazing with a primal hunger.
"No!!" O'Brian's voice broke, raw with panic, his gaunt frame scrambling back, his tone a desperate cry as he raised his hands, a weak shield spell flickering to life.
"Save me Leylin!" he shouted, his words quick and breathless, his heart pounding with terror, his sunken eyes wide as the snake's jaws closed around him.
The beast engulfed him whole, its stomach bulging with a human shape that twitched for a moment before stilling, the bulge fading as O'Brian's life was snuffed out, the cave echoing with the crunch of bone and flesh.
Shaya clenched her comb like a lifeline, immediately stepping back and glancing at Leylin who could have easily saved O'Brien but he didn't, now the biggest threat wasn't the Black Horrall Snake but the unpredictable alchemy genius.
Leylin's eyes flicked to the snake, his voice cold and unyielding, his tone laced with a quiet menace that made the air feel heavier, his heart steady despite the chaos, his rune-seared skin blazing red as he spread his hands, his innate spell stirring within him.
"Incendio!" he roared, his voice a command that shook the cave, the runes on his body flashing like writhing snakes, blood mist pouring from his skin, forming a crimson cloud that ignited into a blazing inferno, the flames surging toward the snake with a thundering roar.

Bosain watched in terror, his voice a low, trembling whisper, his hands clutching his scroll, his tone heavy with awe and fear, his heart pounding with the power before him. "That's… a Rank 1 spell."
The flames slammed into the snake, its scales crushing under the assault, its body hurled back with a thundering crash, the cave shaking as stone and dust rained down, the air thick with smoke and the scent of charred flesh.
The snake's wounds oozed, its coils twitching, its amber eyes dimming as the flames burned through its defenses, its hiss a weak, dying rattle. The mist and smoke swirled, obscuring the cave, the acolytes coughing as they shielded their faces, their hearts pounding with the chaos around them.
When the dust settled, the snake lay dead, its massive body sprawled across the stone, its scales cracked and burned, its horn dull and lifeless, its amber eyes staring blankly. Leylin stood atop its head, his boot grinding into its skull, a smirk curling his lips, his eyes glowing with a savage triumph, his voice a low, mocking hiss in Parseltongue—"Shaaa hisss… should've listened to me from the start, you ignorant beast."
"You..I mean Lord magus killed it. Thank you for saving us." Shaya's voice broke the silence, her body trembling as she bowed respectfully.
"On the behalf of Lilytell family, its my honor to be the first to congratulate you, the academy is honored to have such a genius like yourself." Bosain despite his powerful identity also bowed in respect, but also brought up his family name for Leylin to understand he can't mess with him despite his new found strength.
Leylin's gaze flicked to them, and he smiled, "Scion of powerful families are really different don't worry I won't kill you but your adventure ends here."
Leylin has made his mind to claim this inheritance for himself, at first he didn't take it seriously thinking it was merely a ruse or at most broken inheritance just like branded swordsman, but with a Rank 3 mutated creature guarding the inheritance it means the master of this space was at least a Rank 3 magus.
Before Bosain could react or threaten Leylin in any way, he flashed before Bosain and punched his stomach with enough force to crush his internal organs.
"Garr!"

Bosain body hit the floor thunderously and laid before Leylin with a dented abdomen, bleeding profusely from his mouth.
Bosain coughed a few times, his throat full of blood unable to word any sentence, his body in shock but fortunately Leylin held back enough to not crush him completely.
Leylin took out a black colored potion from his pockets and force fed it to Bosain, whose eyes widened in terror. After a few seconds of twitching his body turned stiff and his eyes lifeless, Leylin put him understand suspended animation.
"Now that I have paid my respects to the young master, it's your turn little bitch." Leylin sneered as he looked at the cowering Shaya.