Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)-Chapter 529: The Terrifying Snake

Third Person’s POV

Because among all of them, he was the only one who understood one simple truth, and it was the fact that this treasure was not meant for him, and he was perfectly fine with this decision.

However, the young man did not understand any of that.

The moment he grasped even a fraction of the orchid’s value, his eyes lit up with unrestrained excitement.

His chest swelled with confidence as a surge of impulsive determination filled his mind.

Without thinking any further, he suddenly broke away from the group and rushed toward the pond.

"I will procure this flower for you, Princess Arlene!" he shouted loudly, his voice echoing across the icy cavern as he dashed forward.

The declaration was filled with confidence, but it seemed to be carrying recklessness rather than courage.

Behind him, Uncle Caspian’s expression changed drastically, and his cloudy blue eyes widened in alarm.

"Stop—!" he began to shout, his voice sharp with urgency.

But before he could finish his warning, the young man had already reached the edge of the pond.

At the same time, the young maid let out a soft, mocking laugh, her lips curling in open disdain at his foolish display, as even she had realized that obtaining such a treasure was not a simple matter.

And if it truly had been so simple, then just reaching its location would not have been so difficult.

As for the young woman, Princess Arlene herself, she did not react with concern.

Instead, she simply watched with a faint, amused smile lingering on her lips as if she were watching a funny show while her starry blue eyes followed the young man’s reckless charge.

To her, this was not an act of loyalty but more like an opportunity, as this young man was totally behaving like a convenient pawn who moved exactly as she wanted, without her doing anything.

Through him, she could test the hidden dangers of this mysterious and unnatural pond without risking herself.

"Stop, you fool—!" Uncle Caspian’s voice rose again, and it was louder this time while being filled with genuine alarm.

But it was already too late, and a sudden, deafening sound swallowed his warning.

SPLASH—!

The still surface of the freezing pond exploded violently, splashing a mix of ice fragments and cold water everywhere, even reaching the four of them in the back as something enormous moved beneath it.

In the next instant, a colossal snake head covered in sparkling blue scales burst out from the depths of the pond.

Its size alone was overwhelming.

Its icy scales glistened under the dim blue light, and its enormous jaws opened wide, revealing rows of sharp, curved fangs that looked capable of crushing stone with ease.

The creature lunged forward with terrifying speed, aiming directly at the young man who was just about to leap into the water.

The change was instantaneous, and all of the group members froze.

Horror filled their faces, and fear gripped their hearts as the cold water splashed and drenched them.

The sheer aura radiating from the massive serpent was suffocating, raw, and filled with bloodthirst.

The oppressive pressure it released was comparable to that of a seasoned Sky Realm expert, making their bodies tremble uncontrollably.

Their legs felt weak, and their breath grew shallow.

For a moment, it felt as though even moving was impossible, though there was one exception in the group, i.e the tall armored knight.

"Hmph."

A low, cold snort escaped his lips.

In the very next moment, he moved.

With lightning-fast precision and speed that didn’t match his figure, he reached behind his back and pulled out a heavy, chained mace.

The weapon gleamed faintly under the cavern’s dim light, its spiked metal head connected to a long, dark-blue handle.

Without hesitation, he swung it forward.

The motion was swift and clean as the spiked head of the mace detached from the handle and shot forward through the air, connected to the handle with a chain that emerged from the hollow handle, uncoiling behind it like a streak of dark lightning.

It flew with incredible speed.

Before the young man could even comprehend what was happening, the mace head wrapped tightly around his waist.

The armored man did not pause, and with a single powerful motion, he yanked the young man backward.

The young man’s body was dragged away just in time.

A split second later—

The serpent’s massive jaws slammed shut exactly where he had been standing.

A thunderous crunch echoed through the cavern.

The creature’s bite tore through the solid ice at the edge of the pond, ripping away a large chunk of hardened frost as if it were nothing more than fragile glass.

The ice shattered and collapsed instantly under the sheer force of its jaws, crushed into fragments that scattered across the ground.

The impact sent a tremor through the surrounding area, and for a brief moment, the entire cavern seemed to hold its breath.

The young maid’s teeth began to clatter uncontrollably as her entire body trembled in fear at the overwhelming and raw display of power released by the monstrous magical beast in front of them.

Her fingers curled slightly as if seeking something to hold onto while her breath turned uneven and shallow.

She had lived a sheltered life within the safety of the family castle ever since her childhood, protected from the harsh and unforgiving realities of the outside world.

And the only form of combat she had ever experienced was carefully arranged and supervised duels between individuals of her own age, where there was no true danger, no real killing intent, and certainly no fear of death lingering at every second.

This, however, was completely different.

This was a real battlefield, and she was facing the wrath and viciousness of a real monster.

And for the first time, she felt what it meant to stand on the edge of life and death, yet the one she served did not crumble so easily.