[A Kiss of Prayer for Victory]

A faint sound echoed from a side path to the left, the distinct rustling of a reptile slithering across the ground that made one's scalp tingle.

Hiss—

The sound reached the pair in the blink of an eye.

It was a giant python that occupied more than half of the cave—no, that giant python even had a pair of black, massive horns on its head; it was likely no ordinary python!

In just a single encounter.

The moment they crossed paths, the giant python reared its head back, a glob of terrifying green slime instantly coalescing within its maw.

"Hm?"

"Damn it!"

Shane's survival instinct spiked; he scooped up the still-puzzled Frieren and bolted.

[Weight Reduction (Green/Excellent)]: When carrying heavy loads, offset 30% of the weight.

[Dash (Blue/Rare)]: Running speed increased by 2 times.

With the help of these two enchantments on his boots, Shane ran at lightning speed.

Frieren, slung over his shoulder, bounced and swayed, narrowly skimming past the giant python's fangs.

"So fast."

A heartfelt exclamation from Frieren.

Shane had no time to enjoy the elven girl's admiration; he felt his health bar flickering.

It could be emptied at any moment!

To make matters worse, the mine was riddled with Magic-Sealing Stone, rendering Frieren unable to use magic. Not only could she not help him, but she had also become an "ordinary girl" who needed protection.

He was just a novice who struggled to protect himself, and now he had to split his focus to protect a poor, weak teammate—this was just too hard!

"Your speed is faster than most warriors I have seen."

"But it is strange... your build is very slight; you do not look like a warrior."

Hanging upside down on Shane's shoulder, facing the giant python's gaping maw, Frieren actually had the leisure to analyze him.

Shane was so angry he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Slight?

Where on earth did you see that!

I'm not bragging, but this master's pecs could crush a mosquito. You sheltered old child, I shall forgive your ignorance.

Hoo—

Hoo—

He couldn't spare the breath to argue with Frieren. His stamina was depleting rapidly; even with the buffs from his traits, he couldn't keep running forever.

What to do?

The giant python behind them was closing in.

"Is that thing a magical beast? Why is it spitting saliva!" Shane gritted his teeth.

"Hmm... yes and no."

"?"

Pfft.

A glob of terrifying green slime shot precisely toward them.

Shane bent his waist, dodging it by a hair's breadth.

The slime hissed as it hit the ground, emitting smoke; there was no need to guess—it was undoubtedly highly toxic.

One strike followed another; the venom from the python's mouth sprayed continuously, and one glob headed straight for them, looking impossible to dodge.

In the moment of crisis, Shane drew the longsword at his waist and held it horizontally to block.

As the incoming venom was about to strike, it seemed to be pulled by something, weirdly changing direction and ricocheting to the side.

[Deflection Field (Blue/Rare)]: Summon a chaotic field to block one long-range attack from an enemy.

One of the traits enchanted on his longsword had played a crucial role at this very moment.

"Oh?"

Sensing the unusual energy fluctuations in the air, Frieren was slightly puzzled, her eyes filled with a hint of curiosity as she looked at the plain-looking longsword in Shane's hand.

The crisis was temporarily averted.

Shane took the opportunity to hide with Frieren behind a protruding rock.

For some reason, after the two stopped moving, the giant python behind them inexplicably stopped as well. The massive beast tilted its head, its movements becoming somewhat sluggish.

Shane frowned.

What is this guy doing?

Watching the giant python's somewhat abnormal behavior, Frieren tapped her chin, lost in thought.

"Listen to me, Shane," she said, her voice softening and her pace slowing, "this might be a hybrid subspecies of the Venom Extreme Dragon and a python."

Venom Extreme Dragon?

Shane had heard of them; they were water dragons that inhabited caves, possessed multiple eyes, and used their own venom to hunt for food.

But didn't that kind of dragon only live on the northern plateau?

When did it wander down to the south!

Frieren observed the giant python and continued, "I've noticed since a moment ago that when it moves, its body uncontrollably sways from side to side, frequently slamming into the stone walls."

Following Frieren's lead, Shane also began to observe the giant python.

Yes, the creature's movements were indeed strange.

It seemed to habitually tilt its head, and it would bump into the stone walls from time to time while moving, just like a drunkard unable to control their direction, or perhaps...

"Does it lack vision?"

Shane whispered back to Frieren.

Frieren nodded, "Although I cannot be certain, it is highly probable."

"Magic beasts and wild beasts generally do not produce hybrids; there are occasional exceptions, but almost all subspecies suffer from developmental defects. We might be able to take advantage of that."

Shane pondered; if the creature lacked vision, then as long as he and Frieren didn't make a sound and retreated quietly, they should be able to escape.

However.

Shane glanced at the intricate, narrow mine tunnels.

In such an extremely quiet environment with low visibility, even stepping on or kicking a small pebble would produce a continuous echo, amplified over and over.

It was basically impossible to avoid making a sound before finding the exit.

Moreover, with such a vicious beast constantly trailing behind them, the danger factor doubled; the probability of being chased again or running into it at a corner was far too high.

Thus, only one choice seemed to remain.

Shane recalled his nonsensical joke from before leaving the house this morning about "paying rent and killing a dragon."

He hadn't expected it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Although it was a subspecies of the Venom Extreme Dragon, it still counted as having "dragon blood," so he really was going to kill a dragon today.

Since the creature lacked vision, as long as he could sneak around to its back and succeed in a surprise attack...

He took a deep breath.

Shane tightened the coarse hemp rope wrapped around his sword hilt and gripped it firmly with both hands.

"Frieren, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Hmm?"

"Although we just met and are only temporary teammates, I've heard this town has a tradition: before a young warrior sets out on a campaign, a beautiful lady offers a [Kiss of Victory]."

"..."

Watching Frieren tighten her grip on her staff with an expression that clearly said, If you continue, I will "take care of you before the giant python does," Shane clicked his tongue.

"Alright then, I'm going in."

Holding his breath, he crouched down and pressed himself against the stone wall.

Shane moved slowly toward the giant python.

In his past life, he hadn't even killed a chicken; although he had entered a few dungeons after transmigrating, he had only followed others around to scavenge, never encountering a monster.

This was truly his first time engaging in a real, life-or-death hunt.

Right now, he was struggling with all his might to overcome the fear in his heart.

As the distance closed, the patterns on the giant python's body became clearly visible, and beneath the scales that had fallen off from slamming into the stone walls, pink, tender flesh was exposed, no different from a normal reptile.

Whoosh—

Upon reaching the planned position, Shane nodded toward Frieren, who was hiding in the distance.

Frieren understood and picked up a medium-sized stone, throwing it far toward a fork in the path.

Bang.

The sound provoked the giant python's hostility; the creature followed the noise, slamming headfirst toward it and exposing its entire back to Shane.

Now!

Driven by the fear in his heart, Shane's body acted on instinct. He pushed off with his legs, raised his longsword high, and with all his might, swung it down.

Crackle.

Following his movement, the otherwise unremarkable longsword suddenly erupted with silvery-white lightning.

[Electro-Execution (Blue/Rare)]: Attacks carry a lightning effect; upon hit, deals additional lightning damage and inflicts a 1s paralysis effect.

Inside the cave, lightning whistled and crackled, a truly astonishing sight.

With lightning dancing in his hands, Shane looked like a god descended from the heavens.

Squelch.

Dragging a brilliant trail of lightning, his longsword hacked into the giant python's seven-inch mark.

Zzzzt.

The electric shock and paralysis effects from the trait took hold, causing the python's entire body to stiffen instantly and tremble uncontrollably.

And so, Frieren, hiding behind a rock, watched with her own eyes as the once-arrogant giant python was...

Squelch.

Zzzzt.

Squelch.

Zzzzt.