God of Souls: Attaining the Strongest System in an Apocalyptic World
Chapter 33: Intermediate Beast

Chapter 33: Intermediate Beast

The tremors grew increasingly violent, each rumble shaking loose fragments of rock that clattered to the ground. A shrill, piercing sound swept through the air, cutting into the ears of everyone present. It drew their attention to the darker side of the cave, where a vivid red light emerged, steadily edging closer at an alarming speed.

"What the fuck! It’s a beast!" Kyle yelled, his voice trembling as he threw his palms wide open. Sparks of white electricity began crackling around his hands, their intensity building into an electric storm.

Kyle readied himself for an attack, his stance firm. Meanwhile, Ragon—closer to the source of the disturbance than anyone else—braced himself. One hand clutched his jaw, the other stretched outward, his body coiled like a spring as he prepared for battle.

But what happened next sent a jolt of terror through them all.

A crimson blur shot out from the darkness, its speed otherworldly. In an instant, it reached Ragon, revealing itself to be the enormous head of a snake—its body armored with scales resembling tempered steel, and its crown adorned with jagged, menacing horns. Its glowing red eyes burned with malice.

Before Ragon could react, the snake lunged forward, its cavernous mouth opening wide to reveal rows of jagged fangs. It sank them deep into his side. His scream echoed in the cave, a sound of pure agony. He struggled, thrashing against the beast’s grip, but the venom worked quickly. It spread through his veins like wildfire, paralyzing him in seconds.

Ragon’s body went limp, dangling lifelessly in the snake’s jaws. The monstrous creature tilted its head back, loosening its grip just enough to swallow him whole. Its unhinged jaw stretched unnaturally wide, and with a sickening gulp, Ragon disappeared into the beast.

The remaining group stood frozen in horror, unable to process what they had just witnessed. For Kael, it was the first time he had ever seen a creature of this magnitude. Its sheer size and unnatural appearance were unlike anything he had imagined. For Kyle and Jason, this was an encounter they would rather forget—if they even survived.

Kael’s instincts screamed at him to act. Ignoring the creeping fear clawing at his resolve, he activated his inspection skill, his eyes narrowing as a translucent screen appeared before him.

[Name: Spear Fang Mutated Snake]

[Level: Intermediate Beast]

[Defeat this beast to gain rewards]

’Fuck this!’ Kael thought, his heart pounding as the realization hit him. This wasn’t a fight they could win. Any plans for revenge or heroics dissolved in an instant. Survival was the only priority now.

Without hesitation, Kael turned and sprinted toward Cole, hoisting the injured man over his shoulder like a sack of grain. "Hang on!" he muttered under his breath, his legs already carrying them in the opposite direction.

Kyle’s voice rang out, sharp with fury. "Hey, you bastard! Where are you going? Help us fight this thing!"

"Concentrate, Kyle!" Jason snapped, his voice cracking under the weight of his own fear. "We can’t lose focus, or we’ll—"

Jason’s words were cut off by a deafening hiss. The Spear Fang Snake lunged again, this time targeting him with even greater speed. Jason barely managed to react, summoning a yellow energy field to shield himself. The snake’s powerful strike collided with the barrier, sending shockwaves rippling through the cave. Cracks spiderwebbed across the force field, and Jason staggered backward, dread washing over him.

’Am I... really going to die here?’ Jason thought, his throat dry. He turned in time to see Kyle unleashing a furious torrent of electricity into the snake. The crackling energy danced across the creature’s armored scales but caused no visible damage.

The beast let out an ear-splitting shriek, its jagged fangs bared as it prepared to strike again.

Kael, still running, felt a cold knot tighten in his chest as the high-pitched screams of his comrades echoed behind him. He didn’t dare look back. All he could do was pray that they would hold the beast off long enough for him to escape. But deep down, he knew the truth. Against an Intermediate Beast of this size and power, their chances were slim.

Reaching a three-way tunnel, Kael skidded to a halt. He had to make a decision—straight, left, or right. His breathing was labored as he chose the right path, hoping to throw the beast off his trail.

But as he ran, the screams behind him abruptly ceased. Silence fell, save for the ominous slithering sound growing louder with every passing second.

’Fuck... It’s catching up.’

Kael’s mind raced. The snake was faster, stronger, and relentless. With Cole slowing him down, escape seemed impossible.

"Cole!" Kael barked, his voice sharp. "The beast is close. We can’t outrun it. I need to know your ability—now! If we combine powers, we might stand a chance!"

Cole didn’t respond. His head hung low, his expression a mix of shame and despair.

Kael gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. Without warning, he came to a halt and threw Cole off his shoulder, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Get the hell away from me!" Kael snarled, his voice raw with anger. "Run! Get out of these tunnels! I don’t need a coward slowing me down. If you can’t fight for your life, then go lose it somewhere else!"

Cole stared at him, stunned. The words cut deep, wounding his pride. Slowly, he picked himself up, his head bowed. Without another word, he turned and ran, his figure disappearing into the darkness.

[It’s quite admirable to see you muster such guts to face an Intermediate Beast alone.]

"Not helping, system," Kael muttered, swiping the air as if to dismiss the voice in his head.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. The air around him felt heavy, oppressive. He took a deep breath, steadying himself as he prepared for the inevitable.

The red glow of the beast’s eyes appeared in the distance, growing brighter as it drew closer. But something was different now. The snake wasn’t rushing anymore. Instead, it slithered toward him with an eerie calm, each movement deliberate and calculated.

[The Spear Fang Snake has acknowledged your one-on-one duel.]

Kael’s heart pounded in his chest, the sound echoing in his ears. The beast loomed before him, its towering form casting a shadow that seemed to engulf the cave. Its eyes burned like twin infernos, locking onto him with an unnerving intelligence.

Kael bit his lip, the metallic taste of blood grounding him. This was it. There was no turning back now.

As the snake coiled, its monstrous figure rising higher, Kael felt the weight of its presence crush down on him. The air grew colder, the shadows around him deepening.

His breath hitched. ’Am I really going to make it out of this alive?’