Free Web NovelChapter 129: Mountain Serpent
Griselda sat down on the edge of the couch nervously.
An angel of her stature being treated like a patient felt humiliating, but she trusted the warlord enough to remain perfectly still.
Misha approached silently, her footsteps making no sound against the woven rugs.
"Relax," the oracle whispered.
Reaching out, her delicate fingers pressed against the center of Griselda’s chest, resting right over the hidden seal beneath the fabric.
Instantly, Misha’s pupils vanished.
Her eyes turned completely white as she tapped deep into her seraphic blessing, searching the invisible magical circuits woven into the angel’s flesh.
"The mark..."
Misha murmured, her dual-tone voice vibrating with an overlapping echo that chilled the room.
Griselda looked at her intently, holding her breath while her hands gripped the couch.
"It was a curse," Misha diagnosed, pulling her hand back abruptly as her eyes snapped back to their normal golden hue.
"Cursed by who?" Kane demanded.
"The gods themselves," Misha answered, her expression remaining completely flat.
"Why did they do it?"
"Her memory was erased to hide the reason," Misha explained, tilting her head as she studied the taller woman.
"Whoever put the seal there made sure she could never remember the sin that caused her fall. The magic is designed to eat her grace slowly while keeping her ignorant."
’Well, that complicates things,’ Kane thought, his brow furrowing as he processed the new information.
’I already knew she got banished from the higher realms. It’s just that this specific reason doesn’t match anything I remember from the original game plot. Back when I viewed this world through a screen, she was just a lore character handing out late-game buffs. I never knew her actual backstory.’
"What should we do?" Kane asked, prioritizing immediate solutions over solving ancient history.
"Kill the curse," Misha stated simply, as if suggesting they sweep the floor.
"How?"
Misha stared directly into Kane’s eyes, delivering the answer with chilling certainty.
"You must slay The Mountain Serpent."
Kane’s eyes widened as the world stopped.
Griselda immediately turned toward him, her hands frantically weaving text into the air.
[You are not strong enough, Kane. Don’t even think about it.]
He didn’t reply right away.
Instead, he just stood there, lost in thought while staring at the floorboards.
’I have been worrying about border disputes with elves and human noble factions when the real fight hasn’t even begun,’ Kane realized, feeling a thrill wash through his veins.
’Bringing down that sea beast during the fleet battle was a solid upgrade, sure, but that monster was an A-rank threat at best. The Mountain Serpent is different. That thing is a god’s familiar.’
It was a legendary beast that slumbered on Fog Mountain.
From what Kane remembered playing the game, the creature measured around fifteen hundred meters long, coiling its body around the entire mountain peak in a way that terrified anyone foolish enough to enter its territory.
"Do not overthink it, husband," Misha advised, breaking the tense silence.
"What?" Kane blinked, looking back.
"You cannot defeat it," Misha said bluntly, offering zero sugar-coating.
"I have seen you fight. You are strong, yes. But no matter how godly your axe is or how much punishment your body endures, you are still just a human. Besides, your weapon is only operating at ten percent of its original power. You would be swatting a dragon with a twig."
"I understand the odds," Kane nodded, unfazed by her honesty.
’Mjoldr cannot even put a scratch on those scales right now. I figure I need to level up fast if I am going to raid Fog Mountain. But I’m still going.’
"Does Milfheim know anyone residing near Fog Mountain?" Kane asked, shifting his strategy toward diplomacy.
"Mother has some political connections in that region," Misha answered, tracing a finger thoughtfully along the edge of her vanity mirror.
"There is an old temple situated near the base of the peak. She knows the saintess who prays to the local deities regularly. The temple acts as a buffer zone."
"Send a message to your mother," Kane instructed, pacing a few steps across the room.
"Tell her you need a favor, and ask that saintess to meet me halfway."
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Misha frowned, her rings pulsing with concern as she stepped into his path.
"Did you not hear me? It is suicide to challenge a god’s familiar."
"I’m not going to charge in like a madman, Misha," Kane chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her white hair.
"I know what that beast is capable of. I just need information first."
"The curse does not require you to kill the beast," Misha clarified, slapping his hand away playfully to fix her hair.
"It only needs the creature’s blood for Griselda to drink. The divine resonance in the blood will shatter the seal from the inside out."
"Which is equally hard," Kane pointed out, leaning against the table.
"You cannot just walk up and politely ask a fifteen-hundred-meter snake for a pint of blood. If I prick its skin, it will wake up."
Griselda formed another frantic sentence in the air, the golden letters shaking with her anxiety.
[We can wait! The seal is painful, but I can endure it longer. Please do not risk your life for my sake. I am already broken.]
"I protect what is mine," Kane told the angel, his tone shifting into an unwavering command that left no room for argument.
"We are fixing your core, Griselda. You are not broken, you are just benched. Let me handle the play."
Griselda lowered her gaze, overwhelmed by the protection.
Closing his eyes, Kane pictured the vivid scenes from his past life playing the game.
He remembered the digital rendering of Fog Mountain perfectly.
Snow covered the peaks year-round, creating a hostile environment that drained stamina rapidly.
Through his old headset, a haunting, low-frequency hum had echoed all through the day and night, simulating the giant creature’s breathing.
The beast itself surrounded the mountain, using its white scales to merge seamlessly into the swirling fog, making it nearly impossible to track until its jaws were already snapping shut.
Players usually needed a full raid party of max-level characters just to survive the environmental damage, let alone crack the serpent’s armor.
’This will be the hardest boss fight I have ever triggered,’ Kane anticipated, opening his eyes and looking between the two women.
