The sea—
The moon was full. A silver disc high above, gleaming over the shoreline like an eye of judgment.
The treehouse village behind them—silent.
Every serpent—kneeling.
Every child—praying.
Their queen had gone to war.
---
On the rocky cliffs near the edge of the forest, three shadows stood tall:
Sigurd, spear humming in his hand.
Rex, scales hardened into armor, fists clenched.
Mimi, golden tattoos glowing, eyes narrowed like daggers.
Nox, in his half human and half serpent body.
Sai, narrowed eyes as getting ready to jump anytime at the battlefield.
And beside them, sitting cross-legged on Sig's massive shoulder—Val, now in smug bat form, legs dangling, face gleaming with pride.
Val: "Hmph. The show's about to start."
---
The sea churned.
The ocean boiled.
Out of the deep—a godless roar.
Tentacles. Fangs. Gleaming black-blue scales.
A beast the size of a cathedral, eyes glowing with a hate that spanned centuries.
The Levithian had come.
[ Levithian- SS class
-The Devourer of the sea ]
---
But above the chaos, floating in the air like a divine omen—
Cordelia.
A white blouse, barely clinging to her form. A silk skirt flowing with the wind.
Her crimson hair bled into the sky like ink in water.
Her eyes? Closed.
The Patels bloomed.
They fell from the sky in slow, gliding arcs—petals the color of death and grace.
> Slash—
A tentacle fell.
> Slice—
A roar broke out, but no one answered.
The petals moved like razors in ballet, cutting through the Levithian as if it were paper soaked in ink.
Sigurd?
Unhinged and proud as if it's expected from his master.
Mimi?
frozen, mid-summon.
Rex?
Just stared, utterly still.
Nox?
Dumbfounded.
Sai?
Still processing what just happened.
Val, sipping juice from a spectral cup: "That's my Root."
---
And then—she opened her eyes.
Golden. Ancient. Endless.
The crimson aura twisted. The vines rose.
The fire ignited—
Cordelia raised her hand slowly, fingers glowing like the embers of hell.
> "Asmodous Meal: Devourer."
The forest, the waves, the cliffs—everything fell silent.
And then—
BOOOOOOM.
The flames didn't just burn. They consumed.
The Levithian's body ignited from within, as if its soul itself was being erased.
Tentacles turned to ash mid-air. The beast screamed—and the scream cut off, not into silence—but absence.
All that remained was mist... and the scent of iron and ash.
---
Cordelia floated down, still glowing under the full moon.
Red petals swirled at her feet like an adoring storm.
She didn't speak. She didn't smile.
She had devoured a calamity.
---
Back at the treehouse village—
The elders, peeking through the marble orb used to view the battle.
Elder Voth, voice trembling:
"She... she just—"
Elder Numa:
"In under five minutes...?!"
Children dropped their prayer beads in awe.
One random serpent:
"Bro I didn't even finish my prayer yet—"
---
Back on the shore—
Sigurd,"My Lord..."
Val, smug as a god: "Told you. Root's cracked."
Cordelia, dusting off a petal:
"We're done here."
And then—a soft blue glow shimmered in the air in front of Cordelia. A system screen blinked open, illuminating her crimson-tinged features.
[ Quest Complete ]
- The Serpent Tribe's Lifelong Loyalty — Acquired.
- Skill Unlocked: Crimson Eclipse.
- Bonus Unlocked: Hidden Story — Ruler of the Sea.
Cordelia's lips curled into a sharp grin, fingers flexing as she felt the new power simmering beneath her skin.
Behind her, the five stood frozen, eyes wide in collective awe. Sigurd's grip tightened on his spear, Rex's jaw twitched, Mimi's tattoos flared, and even Nox and Sai were left completely speechless—mouths open, minds trying to catch up with reality.
Val, of course, floated over like he owned the world, plopping himself onto Cordelia's shoulder with his usual smugness.
Val (with a proud smirk): "Knew it… knew you'd wipe the floor in minutes."
Cordelia (without missing a beat): "Ah, so that's why you stayed here on the shore? Watched from a safe distance, huh? You lazy, smug, flying rat."
Val's wings faltered, an awkward laugh bubbling out of him as he scratched his cheek. "Well… someone had to manage the fan club, right?"
Sigurd stifled a grin. Rex shook his head in disbelief. Mimi just snorted.
Cordelia stretched, crimson energy dancing along her fingertips, and looked toward the distant treehouse village glowing softly under the moonlight.
Cordelia (smirking): "Let's go home."
________
The moonlight followed them back—five silhouettes and one smug bat gliding through the air.
As they crossed through the woven vines marking the entrance to the treehouse village, bells chimed softly. The moment Cordelia's foot touched the emerald grass, the atmosphere shifted.
The village had come alive.
Hundreds of serpents knelt in unison, heads bowed low, foreheads pressed against the earth. The children peered from behind the tree trunks, eyes wide, tails twitching in excitement.
Elder Voth's voice, thick with emotion:
"Welcome home… our Sovereign."
A tide of voices followed—united, reverent, overwhelming.
"Welcome back, My Lord!"
Cordelia's lips twitched into a grin. The air shimmered with crimson petals that danced around her ankles like a storm of devotion.
Sigurd stood tall behind her, pride swelling in his chest. Rex cracked his knuckles, Mimi wiped a satisfied smirk off her lips, while Nox and Sai stayed silent but sharp-eyed.
Val floated up, voice loud and obnoxious, "Bow deeper! My Root just served the sea its own doom!"
Cordelia using Link, " Shut up, you rat. They can't hear you."
Val: Nope. I've upgraded. They can see me now.
Cordelia: What the… .
And Sig just side eyed him even though acknowledging what he said.
The serpents' tails thumped against the ground in approval, their loyalty sealed in the earth itself.
Elder Numa stepped forward, voice steady, "Your domain has expanded, My Lady. Your name will be carved into history. Tonight—tonight we feast in your honor."
Cordelia tilted her head lazily, golden eyes scanning the glowing treehouses that now pulsed softly with her magic. She could feel the land breathing with new life beneath her feet—stronger, richer, protected.
Cordelia (with a satisfied hum):
"Feast it is. But tomorrow—" she flicked a crimson vine, making the banners sway, "—we build a future."
Sigurd's spear hit the ground with a deep thud.
Rex and Mimi shouted, "Yes, My Lord!"
Nox and Sai thumped their fists over their hearts.
Val just nuzzled into Cordelia's neck like the smug bat he was, whispering, "And tomorrow… I'm getting my own throne."
Cordelia snorted, "Keep dreaming. "
And just like that, the night exploded into music—drums thudding, laughter rising, flames crackling high into the sky. The serpent tribe celebrated like the olden days were reborn… because they were.
Their Queen had returned victorious.
Their future had just begun.
_________
The treehouse village pulsed with life that night.
Fires burned bright in the communal square. Crimson banners wove between the towering trees, and the wooden bridges trembled beneath the excited footsteps of hundreds of serpents gathering to celebrate. Roasted sea beasts sizzled over flames, exotic fruits were stacked high, and barrels of nectar were cracked open for the first time in centuries.
Cordelia sat at the largest treehouse balcony—her seated on a curved nest of living vines and soft petals. Her golden eyes half-lidded in relaxation, legs lazily swinging over the edge.
Val? Splayed across her lap, arms folded behind his head, humming in satisfaction.
Sigurd stood guard beside them, arms crossed, glaring down at the bat like it was a roach in royal quarters.
Sigurd: "My Lord… why do you let this… rodent… take your lap hostage?"
Val (smirking, wings flapping): "Because I'm adorable and irreplaceable."
Cordelia (snorting): "And lightweight."
Sigurd (grumbling): "Barely any weight… barely any use…"
Val (grinning wider): "You're just jealous, snake boy."
Down below, Rex was showing off his strength by arm-wrestling half the warriors, Mimi led the young serpents in wild dances, while Nox and Sai organized sparring matches with vibrant vines as ropes.
The air was thick with joy, but also—something new.
Cordelia could feel it in her bones. Her roots had spread wide into this land, and with the Levithian gone, power was returning, settling into the soil.
_________
The storm had passed a month ago.
The scent of charred salt still lingered at the edge of the shore where Cordelia once stood like a goddess, but the village… the village bloomed.
Her treehouse city, once dreamt and drawn in imagination, now stood tall beneath the sun—crimson leaves for roofs, curved vine ladders, smooth bark railings kissed by mana.
Children played.
Warriors trained.
Serpents prayed beneath the trees.
Cordelia lay stretched on a wide-rooted hammock woven from her own vines. Her white blouse fluttered slightly in the breeze.
On her lap?
Val.
In plush bat form. Belly up. Wings sprawled.
Val: "Ahhh… afterburn glow. Nothing hits like post-devour naps…"
Cordelia: "You didn't even fight."
Val: "I coordinated spirit morale."
Sigurd, standing nearby, arms crossed, leaning against a tree trunk, his face slightly darker with every passing second Val remained on her lap.
Sigurd: "…How long are you going to let that thing nap on you?"
Cordelia smirked. "Jealous, Sig?"
Sigurd stiffened. "Of that? Never."
Val (without opening his eyes): "Lap privileges aren't for scale-heads who sulk."
---
A few days later, they ascended the mountain ridge, overlooking the vast green of the forest and ocean.
The wind was clean. The sunlight warm. Cordelia stood with roots anchored around her boots. Sigurd at her right. Val circling above.
And then—something glowed.
Cordelia stepped forward, eyes narrowing.
Nestled in a crevice among glowing moss… grew petals of seven colors, shimmering like liquified crystal.
Sigurd: "Is that…?"
Cordelia: "Rainbow herbs?"
Val, flapping lazily in midair: "Oi, snake. Did you forget who lives nearby now? It's my Root. Of course freak herbs and mana hybrids are gonna start spawning. She's like a walking leyline."
Sigurd hummed low in his throat, brushing strands of hair back as he plucked one gently.
Secret pride shimmered in his purple eyes.
He held them out. "Master."
A blue screen bloomed in front of her.
---
[ Rainbow Herb - Hybrid Variant ]
— Healing: 95% effectiveness (internal injuries, broken bones)
— Boosts stamina and mana regeneration
— Temporarily triples speed for 59 second
---
Cordelia: "What kind of monstrous herb is this?"
Her fingers tightened on the stalks as thoughts spiraled.
Humans will kill for this. Empires will pay.
Just one tiny vial. Just one fake cure.
She imagined coin piles. Bargains. Chaos. Auctions.
She started grinning. Slowly. Wickedly.
Val hovered down and looked up—
Val: "Oh no. That face. That's the capitalism arc face."
Cordelia (innocently): "...I'm just thinking."
Val: "You're plotting how to exploit the entire human kingdom using flower juice!"
Sig: "We can sell it to humans. They will die for it. "
Cordelia:" I see. We have the same mindset. Sig. "
Val:" Oh my . Now they are even making the same face. "
---
Before she could finish fantasizing her first interspecies black-market empire, a sound echoed through the silence. Inside her head. An invader in her cave?
Sig who also felt the invade, " My Lord, please let me go first."
"Go."
As she commanded it he didn't waste a single second and transferred into his serpent form. Sliding in the speed of light. Towards the cave.
Sig can now use one of Cordelia's powers. Roam. So he knows where his master's chamber is.