BXBX NOVEL Chapter 285 285: Cowardly Snake
The magic beasts with low levels of intellect didn't care about the mist at all and they continue breathing as usual causing them to inhale the mist. The potion was after all not colorless and odorless. A creature with a slightly higher intellect might raise their guards against the mist but these magic beasts didn't. They simply let the mist enter their system and it showed its effects
The eyes of the magic beasts soon turned red, a huge sense of irritation and bloodthirst bloomed inside them. Their emotions welled up and in time, they started attacking each other
While still living in the forest, Rezen already used something similar to the potion he just used that causes the magic beasts to fight against each other. The potion he used now was an upgraded version of that and is a genuine alchemical potion
The potion only works on magic beasts with low intellect as the smarter ones would avoid it. Thankfully, all the magic beasts present in the oasis are nearly mindless that only know how to eat, drink, sleep, and attack others when necessary. The potion was incredibly effective against them
Rezen hid behind the tree as he watched the magic beasts fight to the death
One scorpion-type magic beast with two stingers on its back squirted sand with those same stingers hitting a snake that was biting a Desert Worm many times bigger than it was
eaglesnovɐ1,сoМ The snake-type magic beast was entirely focused on biting the Desert Worm that it didn't dodge or at the very least blocked the sand attack causing its demise
The scorpion's sand landed on the snake's body and the snake hissed furiously. Its scales were crushed revealing the flesh inside
Soon, the snake fell down from the Desert Worm while bleeding. It landed on the sand and didn't move again
Now that the Desert Worm was free from the snake, it turned its attention to the scorpion. It burrowed its body into the sand with a speed that you would not expect from its large body
The scorpion does not care that the Desert Worm vanished and it searched for another victim. It was only starting to move when the sand below it trembled
From the sand, an open large mouth with razor-sharp teeth dripping with saliva emerged. The scorpion was not able to dodge and the Desert Worm's teeth crushed its hard carapace
Bits of flesh and blood fell down to the Desert Worm's throat before it swallowed the remaining carcass of the scorpion. When the target was dead, it once again burrowed into the ground to target another magic beast
This type of scene happened all throughout the oasis all thanks to the potion that Rezen used. Blood dyed the sand and the oasis itself while the perpetrator watched with an emotionless gaze
If it was for his goal, although he doesn't like it Rezen would still kill innocent humans much less these magic beasts that have no relation to him
The chaos continued as the magic beasts died one after another but one snake was actually not affected by the potion
It carefully watches out for its surroundings before and seeing that it was safe, the snake dove down to the oasis
"Crazy! Those mindless beasts are crazy! They have seen that strange mist, why did they do nothing and just let themselves inhale it? They are stupid! Did another human come here? It doesn't matter, I just have to hide in my hideout to avoid dying"
The snake actually spoke that although is not unusual for magic beasts is still quite a surprise
No matter how weak a magic beast is they still have the chance to awaken a human-like consciousness and intellect. However, the chance of that happening to low-ranking magic beasts are incredibly low
The higher the rank of the beast is the higher the chance that they would awaken their wisdom but this snake was just at the 3rd cycle of the Junior Rank and it was unusual for magic beasts like that to become as smart as a human and even have the ability to speak
The snake though clearly didn't find that abnormal and it already detached itself from the likes of the mindless magic beasts. Despite the snake also being a magic beast, it doesn't think that it was of the same kind as the beasts in the oasis
With the intent to keep its life, the snake swam deeper until it finally reaches the deepest part of the oasis or at the very least to the part that most would think is the deepest
The snake stopped, its eyes looking around it as if it was searching for something and when its gaze landed on a seemingly ordinary rock, it swam toward it
The snake bit its own tongue causing it to bleed. It made sure that its blood would land on the stone and the stone suddenly turned into a portal
Without wasting any time, the snake entered the portal and when it arrived at the other side of the portal what greeted it was a room, a simple one at that
The room was not too big and is only around thirty square meters. At the center, it has a wooden table that only has dried leaves
Seeing that this place is a desert where trees are extremely sparse, it might have taken a long time to gather all those leaves
On the ground were scattered books, glass fragments, and some unknown apparatuses
At the corner of the room were wooden shelves. Some shelves stored books and some shelves have various things and substances on them
The snake wiggled its way to the top of the only table inside the room and it rested its body on top of the dried leaves
"That damn human! I rarely go out because of those stinky humans but when I did, I'm actually unlucky enough to encounter one. I hate them!" The snake complained
The snake did not confirm the presence of a human but humans are the only ones he could think that are devious enough to use that strange mist to cause the magic beasts to fight against each other
It has seen humans before and many times those humans seemingly came to the desert to wipe out the magic beasts. They not only have their raw power but they also use various items to aid them
As such, the snake harbored ill will against the humans but at the same time, it has a cowardly attitude. It didn't dare attack those humans and whenever he would encounter a human, he would hide here in his hideout
As much as possible, the snake would not come out and would only do so when it really needed to drink or eat. Otherwise, it would spend its days sleeping in this room
"Damn... I'm hungry but I must wait at least a day before I go out again" the snake complained while using its tail to rub its chin
It decided that it should just sleep to ignore its hunger when a portal suddenly materializes inside the room
"To think that there is actually something like this here, did I hit the jackpot?" A human voice said and the snake immediately moved to raise its body
Its eyes visibly widened after seeing a human in its hideout and it hissed in fear. "H-human! H-how did you c-came h-here?!" The snake questioned trying to act tough but the fear in its tone could be easily sensed
"Ah? A talking snake? A magic beast with intellect?" Rezen was surprised to hear the snake talk
He already guessed that this magic beast was smarter than usual as it consciously entered this place but he didn't expect that the snake would actually be this smart
Whenever Rezen entered a resource point he would have Ivy assist him to search for resources. Even when he used the mist against the magic beasts, Ivy is still constantly scanning the area. As such, Ivy sensed that a magic beast used some sort of mechanism to enter this place
If not for Ivy's scanning ability, the snake would definitely be safe and this room would continue to be hidden
Unfortunately, it was discovered by Ivy, and although Rezen is one cycle lower than the snake he decided that the risk is worth it
Firstly, he is a Deviant and he might not be as strong as average beings in the 3rd cycle but he was also not an average 2nd cycle Body Mage. Secondly, he has alchemical potions that would at least ensure that he could flee. And lastly, he still has one fortune fruit that he could use. The fortune fruit could not directly save him but it could arrange some coincidence that would positively help Rezen
He felt that his progress is too slow and Rezen decided to risk it even if he has to face a 3rd cycle magic beast