The cavern was silent.
No hissing. No screeches. No battle cries.
Only the sound of ragged breathing, the slow drip of blood against the stone floor, and the faint flickering of the bioluminescent moss that barely illuminated the battlefield.
Shwet stood tall, his fists clenched, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.
And at his feet—
The mighty Great Serpents, once feared as apex predators, now lay broken.
Their massive bodies, once coiling with unshakable dominance, were reduced to tattered husks. Their scales, once glistening with an unyielding sheen, were cracked and bloodied. Their piercing, ruthless eyes now trembled—not with fury, but with terror.
They had once mocked him. Played with him. Treated him as nothing more than a feeble insect.
And now?
Now, they were the ones looking up. And he was the one looking down.
A deep, suffocating fear settled into the Serpents' cores. Their primal instincts screamed at them—this was no longer prey. This was a predator. Their predator.
> [System: Title Unlocked – Predator]
A low chuckle left Shwet's lips as he wiped the blood from his mouth. His fingers twitched, still tingling from the overwhelming power surging through his body.
He tilted his head, looking at the defeated Serpents with amusement.
"What's wrong?" His voice was sharp, mocking. "Not going to kill anyone now? Did you piss your pants?"
The Serpents flinched but did not respond.
They couldn't.
They had no strength left to fight.
The Taratects' Triumph
Across the battlefield, the evolved Titan Taratect stood victorious.
The remains of slaughtered Serpents littered the cavern floor, their lifeless bodies torn apart by the relentless onslaught of the Taratects. Only one Serpent remained—struggling for its life, caught in the vice-like grip of the Taratect's powerful fangs.
Shwet exhaled. "Let's end this farce."
He crouched slightly, muscles tensing. Then, in a single burst of power, he kicked off the ground—soaring towards the cavern ceiling with the force of a cannon.
> [Skill Activated – Air Kick]
The moment his feet touched the rocky ceiling, he pushed off again, launching himself downward like a human missile.
His fist, brimming with raw, uncontainable power, collided with the skull of the wounded Serpent.
CRACK!
The impact sent a deep, sickening tremor through the cave. The Serpent's body convulsed violently before its movements stopped altogether. Its lifeless body slumped to the ground, unmoving.
One remained.
Shwet landed, turning his gaze toward the last surviving Serpent.
It hissed weakly, its broken body trembling.
Its eyes held no more arrogance. No more cruelty.
Only the desperate flickers of life—begging for mercy.
Shwet scoffed. "Too late for that."
Before the Serpent could even react, his fist drove straight into its skull.
Another death wail. Another lifeless body.
And then, silence.
The Taratects descended upon the fallen Serpents, their sharp fangs tearing into flesh, marking the final act of the battle that had twisted and turned in every direction.
Victory belonged to them.
But the cost was high.
The evolved Titan Taratect shuddered. Its massive, reinforced exoskeleton cracked once more—this time in reverse. The glowing energy that had surged through it faded, and its once-imposing form shrunk back to its original size.
Its evolution had been a temporary reaction—a desperate last stand in the face of overwhelming odds.
And now, it was exhausted.
Survivors of the Abyss
When the dust settled, the survivors of the war stood amidst the wreckage of battle.
Two Titan Taratects, barely holding themselves up.
Shwet, standing strong, his body drenched in sweat and blood.
The precious eggs, untouched, preserved amidst the chaos.
And… the Assassin Taratect, barely clinging to life.
The once-proud guardian, who had fought to its last breath to protect its kin, was sinking into darkness.
Its legs twitched, its broken body convulsing weakly.
It would not last much longer.
Shwet took a shaky breath, wiping the sweat from his brow. Then—
> [System: Congratulations! Victory Achieved!]
> [Rewards –
1,000,000 Sigils
Recovery Potion x10
Healing Potion x10
Skill – Predator Instinct
Skill – Silk Weaving
Weapon – Twin High Nethrite Daggers
Weapon – High Nethrite Broadsword
Supplies – Bread x20]
Shwet barely registered the notifications. His mind was focused on one thing.
Without wasting a second, he pulled out a Healing Potion and a Recovery Potion from his inventory.
He rushed toward the Assassin Taratect, kneeling beside its broken form.
"Come on… don't you dare die on me now."
With careful hands, he tilted the creature's head up, pouring the precious liquid down its throat.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—its body twitched.
A faint, almost imperceptible movement.
Relief washed over Shwet, his shoulders loosening.
"That's it… just hold on a little longer…"
His voice wavered, exhaustion finally creeping into his bones. His vision blurred. His muscles felt heavy.
And then—
His body gave in.
The last thing he saw before everything turned dark was the faint rise and fall of the Assassin Taratect's chest.
It was still alive.
And that was enough.
Then, Shwet collapsed into unconsciousness.