Chapter 182: Island Survival 6
This snake was even larger than the Gilt-vein Serpent.
At the sight, goosebumps instantly erupted all over Moira Lynch’s skin.
Her attention had been focused entirely on the Gilt-vein Serpent, so she’d completely ignored her surroundings.
Moira Lynch’s first instinct was to use the Invisibility ability of her Illusion Cloak. But she quickly realized it would be useless; snakes don’t hunt by sight, but by smell and thermal senses.
The snake had clearly noticed Moira Lynch and was already poised to attack.
Seeing this, Moira Lynch leaped into a tree, deciding to make the first move.
Drawing the bowstring taut, she sent a white arrow flying.
However, this time the arrow failed to strike The Jade Serpent’s body as Moira Lynch had anticipated.
Just as the arrow was about to hit The Jade Serpent, it was suddenly deflected by a mysterious force.
Moira Lynch swore she hadn’t imagined it.
Right before the arrow pierced The Jade Serpent’s body, a faint green light had coalesced around it.
It only appeared for an instant, but Moira Lynch had caught it.
"Patience, what’s going on?"
[Based on my analysis, this snake has likely swallowed something that caused it to mutate.]
Moira Lynch fired several more arrows in quick succession, but every single one was deflected without exception.
A sense of anxiety crept over her. If even the Thousand Feather Bow was useless, there was no point in trying other weapons.
Just then, Patience finished its data analysis of the snake.
[Analysis indicates that using that ability consumes a massive amount of energy. Host, you could fight a war of attrition.]
It was a long shot, but she had to try.
The snake had already targeted Moira Lynch, and her attacks had only served to enrage it further.
The snake reared up, and only then did Moira Lynch realize it was even larger than she had thought. It was a cobra.
Her gaze met its golden eyes, and a chill ran down Moira Lynch’s spine. She felt frozen to the spot, not daring to move a muscle.
Even though she had just killed a Gilt-vein Serpent with her own hands, there was no denying her deep-seated fear of the creatures.
Taking a deep breath, Moira Lynch decisively raised her Thousand Feather Bow and loosed two arrows at once. This time, she aimed for the snake’s eyes.
At the same time, the snake attacked Moira Lynch.
Its massive jaws opened, and two jets of venom shot toward her.
The snake was also aiming for Moira Lynch’s eyes.
But before the venom could get near her, she absorbed it directly into her space.
All the while, Moira Lynch used her small, agile frame to leap between the trees, preventing The Jade Serpent from getting a lock on her.
Meanwhile, the Thousand Feather Bow in her hands was never idle.
Just as Patience had analyzed, while the snake had a miraculous ability, using it cost an enormous amount of energy.
Having used its power repeatedly to avoid Moira Lynch’s arrows, the snake’s body was beginning to give out.
Moira Lynch could sense The Jade Serpent’s courage failing through her spiritual power, but she had no intention of letting it go.
This was clearly no ordinary snake; it was intelligent, and intelligence meant it would hold a grudge.
’If I let it escape now, what’s to stop it from recovering and ambushing me later?’
Therefore, the snake had to die today.
Thanks to Moira Lynch’s persistence, the green light finally vanished completely, and an arrow plunged straight into the snake’s body.
The Jade Serpent let out a pained HISS, but it knew the tables had turned. It had to escape, and quickly.
But Moira Lynch had already made up her mind: she would absolutely not let it escape.
Moira Lynch loosed her arrows as if they were free, one after another, burying themselves in The Jade Serpent’s body.
All these arrows were formed from Moira Lynch’s spiritual power. Previously, she wouldn’t have dared to waste her spiritual power so lavishly, but now, with the Healing Device, she had nothing to worry about.
Ten minutes later, The Jade Serpent’s movements grew sluggish. It was riddled with so many arrows that, from a distance, it looked like a porcupine.
Finally, The Jade Serpent went completely still.
But Moira Lynch didn’t approach recklessly.
She could still sense a faint aura of life from the snake, which meant it was still breathing. It might be waiting for her to get closer before launching a surprise attack.
Moira Lynch wasn’t about to fall for it.
She immediately condensed another arrow—larger and sharper than all the ones before it—and sent it flying toward The Jade Serpent’s vital point.
Only after the snake was completely lifeless did Moira Lynch collect it into her space.
Inside the space, she skinned it, deboned it, and removed its gallbladder.
In addition to the gallbladder, Moira Lynch found a green, diamond-shaped Crystal Stone inside the snake’s body.
The Crystal Stone had been deeply embedded in the snake’s flesh.
Upon analysis, she determined that this green, diamond-shaped Crystal Stone was the source of the snake’s mysterious power.
[Guardian Crystal Stone: A mysterious Crystal Stone blessed by Forest Sprites. Carrying it on one’s person or affixing it to a weapon will produce unexpected effects.
P.S. The Guardian Crystal Stone cannot be digested. Swallowing is not recommended, as it may cause severe bodily harm.]
Moira Lynch recalled how the Crystal Stone looked when she’d first found it, then glanced at the one in her hand. ’This shape...’
She couldn’t help but think of the Priest’s Staff she had bought at the Navi Auction.
It was crafted entirely from a branch of the Undying Tree, simple in design, and inlaid with green Crystal Stones. Its tip was shaped like a crescent moon.
When she had first seen the item, Moira Lynch felt the white flame within her stir restlessly, which was why she had bought it.
But ever since she’d obtained the Priest’s Staff, Moira Lynch had always felt that something was missing, that it was incomplete.
Now, the appearance of the Guardian Crystal Stone sparked an idea in her mind.
"I’ll try it out when I get back."
Since Patience said carrying it would have unexpected effects, she was eager to see what those effects would be.
With that, she slipped the Guardian Crystal Stone into an inner pocket, keeping it close to her skin.
As for the gallbladder, it was a full size larger than an adult’s fist.
’Something this big... it’s impossible to swallow it whole. I’d choke to death. Better to wash it and slice it up with a knife.’
The Gilt-vein Serpent’s gallbladder improved eyesight, whereas this Jade Serpent’s gallbladder could grant Moira Lynch immunity to snake venom.
This would make her that much safer.
She continued toward the water source.
Strangely, after those first two snakes, she didn’t encounter a single other one. Her path to the water source was completely unobstructed.
It was a mountain spring. The temperature was pleasant, and an occasional cool breeze would drift by, dispelling the sweltering heat that clung to Moira Lynch.
A stream of clear water flowed ceaselessly from a fissure in the rocks.
Moira Lynch went closer to inspect it. The water was even clearer than the river she had seen earlier.
She licked the water from her finger. A faint, salty taste spread through her mouth.