"Patter... drip, drip, drip..."
The torrential rain showed no sign of stopping as time passed, pouring down in sheets and washing over this mountain of corpses and sea of blood, like something straight out of hell.
Rainwater mixed with blood, streaming down into the deep pit where the Hell Flower stood. The blood lake's water level slowly rose, while its crimson hue gradually faded.
At that moment, amid the piles of corpses atop the Hell Flower's stamen, the abdomen of the boy's body—half buried beneath the corpses—was washed clean by the rain, revealing the pallor unique to someone who had lost too much blood.
As well as the satisfied smile at the corner of his mouth.
"Hiss... hiss..."
Then, amid the rain that filled the sky and the silent pile of corpses, a faint hissing suddenly sounded.
A small bulge suddenly rose beneath the clothing over the boy's abdomen. A tiny pink forked tongue extended from the front of the bulge through a tear in his clothes, only to withdraw at once.
Then, as if that tongue flick had been a signal, a long ridge rose behind the bulge and began to wriggle.
As the ridge moved, the bulge began to shift as well, swaying left and right before finally drilling out through a charred hole in the clothing over the boy's abdomen.
A smooth white snake head emerged from the hole. Its body and tail swaying, a small snow-white snake with black markings around its eyes slowly slithered out, revealing its full form.
"Hiss, hiss..."
Flicking its delicate pink tongue, the little white snake raised its head and looked around, seemingly surveying its surroundings. Then it turned its gaze toward the silent body of the boy lying on the ground.
It tilted its head, as if puzzled—or perhaps it