The First Men Chronicles

**Chapter 36: The Serpent's Wrath**

The void stretched endlessly, a sea of pulsating darkness that seemed to breathe with a life of its own. In the center of this abyss, Draven stood alone, his figure dwarfed by the colossal serpent that loomed above him. The beast's scales shimmered like liquid obsidian, reflecting the faint, eerie light that permeated the void. Its golden eyes burned with a primal, ancient malice, narrowing as they locked onto the mortal who dared to summon it.

"You dare summon me, mortal?" The Serpent's voice slithered into Draven's ears, a deep, guttural rumble that reverberated through the very fabric of the void. Its tone was a mix of rage and pride, a godlike being scorned by the audacity of a mere human.

Draven's All Creation Eyes ignited, their intricate, otherworldly design pulsating with energy. His vision sharpened, capturing every minute detail of the Serpent's movements—the subtle shift of its scales, the faint ripple of its muscles, the way its eyes flickered with disdain. His breath steadied, his body tensing as he prepared for the inevitable clash.

Then—**BOOM!**

Draven blurred out of sight, his body moving faster than the eye could follow. He raced across the Serpent's massive body, his feet barely grazing its shimmering scales as he ascended like a phantom. The ground beneath him trembled, the void itself seeming to recoil from the sheer force of his movement.

The Serpent's response was immediate. Its maw yawned open, revealing rows of dagger-like fangs, and from its throat erupted a devastating torrent of compressed wind pressure.

**FWOOOOOM!!**

The force exploded outward, a wall of pure destruction that hurled Draven away like a ragdoll. His body twisted violently in mid-air, the impact sending him crashing into the dark abyss. He skidded across the void, the sound of his body colliding with the unseen ground echoing with a deafening **CRACK!** Pain shot through his ribs, and he coughed, his lungs burning.

But there was no time to recover.

The ground beneath him shifted—then rippled.

From the shadows, hundreds of miniature serpent heads erupted, their fangs bared and dripping with venom. They lunged at Draven with unnatural speed, their movements a blur of deadly precision.

**Ssssshhkktt!**

Draven's All Creation Eyes flickered, predicting the trajectories of each attack with flawless accuracy. His body twisted and turned, narrowly dodging the first strike—then the second—then the third. He danced between the venomous fangs, his movements minimal yet precise, his feet barely grazing the shifting terrain.

Then, he made his move.

He inhaled deeply, gathering his Shen into his lungs. With a sharp exhale, he unleashed a storm of fire from his mouth—

**FWOOOOOOOSH!**

The flames spiraled outward in a 360-degree inferno, scorching the ground and incinerating the serpent heads in an instant. Their screeches filled the void as they burned to ash, the searing light of the flames illuminating the abyss for a brief moment before fading into darkness once more.

Draven's body trembled, his muscles screaming in protest. This fight was pushing him to his limits, and he knew he couldn't afford to drag it out.

He clenched his fists, sparks of red lightning crackling across his arms. With a sharp step, he launched himself skyward, flames erupting from his feet as a propulsion system. His body twisted through the air like a missile, his eyes locked onto the Serpent's massive form.

The Serpent watched, its eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and disdain. Then, with an effortless motion, it opened its maw, summoning a pulsating sphere of sickly green energy. The void itself seemed to distort around the sphere, the air crackling with raw power.

**ZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTT!!!**

The energy collapsed inward, then exploded forward—a wave of pure destruction barreling toward Draven.

Draven's All Creation Eyes caught every detail of the attack. His hands blurred, forming a single seal as he muttered under his breath:

"The Sealed Gates of Messiah!"

**WHOOM!!!**

Six golden gates materialized in an instant—three soared forward, intercepting the green energy blast, while the remaining three hovered around Draven like celestial guardians. The gates absorbed the energy wave, but instead of neutralizing it, they redirected, the force of the attack from The Serpent sent the gates hurtling back at Draven at twice the speed.

**BOOOOOOM!!!**

Draven barely had a moment to react before his own technique betrayed him. The sheer force of the impact blasted him downward, sending him plummeting back into the abyss.

**CRAAAASH!!!**

He lay there, coughing, his vision blurred. His body ached, his muscles screaming in protest. The void seemed to close in around him, the weight of the Serpent's power pressing down on him like a mountain.

The Serpent laughed, its voice thundering across the void.

"You insignificant whelp… you are nothing before me."

The ground trembled as the beast's massive coils tightened, its head lowering to loom over Draven. Its fangs dripped with venomous power, each drop sizzling as it hit the ground.

"You dare to disturb my slumber? You think you can command me?"

Its eyes glowed, seething with fury.

"I only serve one master. Lord Arcade."

At the mention of that name, something inside Draven snapped.

His teeth clenched, his fists tightened, and his eyes burned with raw emotion.

"Arcade this, Arcade that," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Then, he roared—

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ARCADE!!"

The entire realm trembled.

An explosion of Shen erupted from Draven's body, shaking the void itself. Behind him, a silhouette began to form—a massive, towering figure wrapped in celestial darkness . Its presence was overwhelming, its eyes glowing with divine judgment as it slowly emerged from the shadows.

The Serpent's pupils contracted, its eyes widening in shock.

This power…

Draven's breath slowed, his body still trembling from the strain. His voice lowered, but it was filled with absolute resolve:

"I only want to kill Shiki."

The silhouette behind him flickered to life—and the battle truly began.

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