LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Trash Among His Peers
Chapter 13: Trash Among His Peers
Finn felt a ferocious presence behind him, a wave of predatory intent washing over him like a storm. Turning sharply, he saw the source: a massive tiger, nearly three meters tall, its fiery red body striped with jagged streaks of yellow that looked like lightning bolts. Its eyes glowed a feral gold, and its elongated fangs gleamed like freshly sharpened blades.
A guttural growl rumbled from the beast as it leapt toward him without warning, a blur of raw power and fury. Finn reacted instantly, rolling to the side as the tiger's claws raked the air where his head had been moments before, their razor-sharp edges slicing through a nearby tree trunk as if it were paper.
The ground trembled under the beast's landing, and it whirled to face Finn again, its roar reverberating through the forest like a thunderclap. This time, it charged with even greater intensity, its claws aimed to cleave him in two. But Finn was ready. He unsheathed his grass sword in a fluid motion, the blade catching the faint light as it hummed with latent power.
The tiger lunged, its claws coming down in a ferocious arc. Finn met it head-on, swinging his sword with precision honed by countless battles. The blade sliced clean through the tiger's paw, severing tendons and muscle in a spray of hot, crimson blood. The beast roared in agony, the sound a mix of rage and pain, as it stumbled back, shaking its injured limb.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Finn taunted, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him.
The tiger's fury only grew, and it retaliated with renewed ferocity, leaping at him in a whirlwind of claws and fangs. Finn weaved through the storm of attacks, his movements fluid and deliberate. He countered with swift strikes, his sword slashing through the air, each swing a hair's breadth away from the beast's vital spots. The battle was a deadly dance, neither combatant yielding an inch.
But then, as Finn executed a backflip to avoid a particularly aggressive lunge, his foot caught on an exposed root. He stumbled, his balance faltering for a split second—just enough time for the tiger to capitalize. With terrifying speed, the beast closed the gap, its massive jaws descending toward Finn's head.
Finn barely managed to raise his arms in defense, but the tiger's teeth clamped down around his skull. A searing pain exploded in his mind as its fangs pierced through the surface, drawing blood. Finn let out a cry, but before the tiger could crush his head entirely, something inside him ignited.
His body responded instinctively, the pain replaced by a molten surge of energy. Finn's head began to glow, the heat radiating outward in waves. His skull reshaped itself, now a mass of molten orange energy crackling with untamed power. The tiger hesitated, its jaws still locked around him but trembling. Its golden eyes widened in pure terror as the glow intensified, the heat forcing it to recoil.
Finn rose slowly, his body emanating a terrifying aura. His once-flesh hand morphed into a molten, clawed appendage that dripped with fiery liquid. He focused his energy, condensing the lava into a solid, searing fist.
"Your turn," Finn growled, his voice reverberating with an otherworldly resonance.
With a roar of his own, Finn swung his molten fist toward the tiger. The blow connected with a deafening impact, sending a shockwave of fire and heat that rippled through the battlefield. The tiger let out a final, anguished roar as the fiery explosion consumed it, the inferno reducing the area around them to smoldering ash.
When the flames subsided, only Finn remained standing, his molten features slowly fading back to their human form. Around him, the forest lay silent, the air heavy with the scent of charred earth and victory.
[First stage complete,] the voice of the serpent's spirit echoed as Finn kicked aside the charred remains of his opponent.
[Second stage begins.]
"What's the rush? You'd think your tail was on fire," Finn grumbled.
[You might have been lucky in the first trial, but I'll ensure the remaining two are far more challenging. They'll give you a taste of the sanctity of the Great River Serpent,] the voice taunted with smug superiority.
Before him, a blood-red orb appeared on the ground.
[Now, you will either endure the most excruciating pain of your pathetic life or beg me to end it for you,] the voice hissed, dripping with malice. Its cruel laughter echoed like shards of glass scraping against stone, each note designed to torment.
Finn instinctively took a step back, his hand hovering over his sword, but before he could react further, the dark orb shot toward him like a predator pouncing on prey. It slammed into his chest, burying itself deep within his body. Finn staggered, his eyes wide with confusion as he clutched at the point of impact, trying to understand what had just happened.
"What... is this?" he managed to rasp, his voice shaking with unease.
But there was no time for answers. A sudden, white-hot pain erupted in his chest, a sensation so intense that it stole the air from his lungs. He dropped to his knees, his fingers clawing at his chest as if he could rip the pain out of his body. A guttural scream tore from his throat, raw and primal.
[Hahaha! How do you like it now?] the voice mocked, its glee uncontainable. [This is the venom of the Great Serpent—a poison so potent that even the mightiest of creatures begged for mercy under its touch. Oh, but don't worry, human. You're only experiencing a diluted fraction of it. Still, it should be more than enough to break someone as insignificant as you.]
Finn couldn't answer. His entire body convulsed as the agony spread, a wildfire of torment racing from his chest to every nerve ending. It felt as though countless daggers were being driven into his flesh, twisting and grinding without mercy. His screams grew louder, his voice hoarse from the sheer force of his cries. Blood and foam spilled from his mouth, staining the ground beneath him as the serpent spirit's laughter rang louder, cruel and unrelenting.
[More,] the voice cooed. [Scream louder! Beg for your pitiful life, human!]
Finn's body spasmed violently, his limbs jerking as if trying to flee the pain that held him captive. Then, suddenly, he stopped. His screams ceased, his body freezing mid-convulsion before slumping to the ground in a motionless heap.
The silence that followed was deafening.
[Hah! I didn't expect him to break this quickly,] the serpent spirit mused, its tone both amused and disappointed. [For all his bravado, he crumbled like the rest of them. How utterly predictable.]
But before the spirit could revel further, another voice—calm, commanding, and laced with an unsettling power—interrupted.
[You speak as though your venom is unmatched. Yet, even diluted, it has failed to achieve its intended purpose.]
The serpent spirit recoiled, its confidence wavering. [W-who said that?!] it stammered, its voice tinged with an uncharacteristic fear.
The stillness surrounding Finn's lifeless form was shattered as a faint glow emanated from his chest. The light grew brighter, pulsing rhythmically like the heartbeat of something ancient and indomitable.
Above Finn's unconscious body, a small figure materialized, descending with an ethereal grace. Her movements were fluid, almost otherworldly, as she touched the ground without a sound. Her calm green eyes, glowing softly, held an enigmatic mix of beauty and authority that could silence storms. They radiated an unmatched elegance that seemed to pierce through the very fabric of reality.
Her golden hair spilled like liquid sunlight over her shoulders, each strand shimmering as though kissed by divine light. It framed her face perfectly, a visage so flawless it felt as though it had been sculpted by the gods themselves. Her snow-white skin, smooth and untouched by imperfection, glowed faintly under the light, exuding an aura of purity and strength. Draped over her form was a flowing green dress, its silken fabric fluttering lightly as if moved by an unseen breeze. The dress hugged her slender frame with subtle elegance, giving her an air of grace that transcended mortal comprehension.
Though she appeared to be no older than fifteen, her presence defied her youthful appearance. There was a timelessness about her, a power that demanded reverence. Every detail about her—from the way her hair fell to the way her dress moved—seemed deliberately crafted to embody the pinnacle of beauty and majesty.
When she spoke, her voice was cold and clear, carrying a weight of unshakable confidence. "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is who you are," she declared, her emerald gaze boring into the serpent spirit with unrelenting intensity.
A smirk touched her lips, sharp and cutting as a blade. "I know you. The so-called sacred beast, whose arrogance among mortals is surpassed only by its pathetic servility among the true sacred beings. You're nothing more than a groveling cur, too cowardly to lift your head before those stronger than you."
Her words hung in the air like a blade poised to strike, and the sheer force of her presence made the serpent spirit falter, its earlier confidence crumbling in the face of her scathing disdain.
[H-how dare you insult me?!] the serpent spirit roared in anger.
"You're a fraud," she said, her voice soft yet cutting, each word laced with venomous anger and contempt. "The venom isn't part of the trial—it's a death sentence. Trials are meant to offer a chance of victory, defeat, or death. Not an inevitable demise."
[You insolent wretch! You dare speak to me that way? I'll show you the power I wield!] the serpent spirit hissed, its fury crackling through the air.
Large, crimson serpents materialized around her, their scales gleaming like molten lava. One surged forward, fangs bared, aiming directly for Finn's unconscious body. The girl didn't flinch. Calm and composed, she raised her hand, her delicate fingers glowing with a gentle green light.
The light struck the serpent mid-lunge. Instantly, its body dissolved into countless shimmering fragments, scattering across the ground like dust caught in a breeze.
The remaining serpents hesitated for a fraction of a second, then attacked in unison, lunging at her with feral intensity. With an almost dismissive wave of her hand, a green energy rippled outward, sweeping through the air like a tide. The serpents disintegrated on contact, shredded into nothingness with the same effortless precision.
The air stilled, an oppressive silence settling over the battlefield.
[W-who are you—?] the voice stammered, its once-commanding tone reduced to a trembling whisper.
"Enough questions," she interrupted coldly, her glowing emerald eyes narrowing as she extended her hand, pale and delicate but brimming with undeniable power. "Let's keep this simple. Hand over the serpent summoning technique."
[But... my lady... this technique is sacred. It holds the essence of the departed serpent spirit! I cannot simply—]
Her gaze sharpened, cutting off his protests mid-sentence. "I won't repeat myself."
The arrogance in the spirit's voice vanished, replaced by unrestrained fear. After a tense silence, a small white orb materialized in the air, trembling as it floated toward her outstretched hand. She caught it effortlessly, her fingers wrapping around the orb as a soft green glow enveloped it. The orb pulsed briefly before dissolving into her palm, its power absorbed in an instant.
Lowering her arm gracefully, the girl turned her attention to Finn. Placing her hand lightly over his chest, she closed her eyes, her aura shifting to one of serene focus. A dark red liquid, streaked with sickly black veins, emerged from Finn's body, writhing like a living thing as it was forcibly expelled. With a flick of her wrist, she cast the venom far into the distance, where it vanished without a trace.
"And now..." she murmured, her voice trailing off as she straightened. Her glowing, pale green eyes lingered on Finn's still form for a moment before she turned away. With a final glance, her figure shimmered and disappeared, leaving behind only a faint trace of her presence in the silent aftermath.
---
"Finn! Finn, wake up!" a faint voice called out.
Finn's eyes shot open to see Jake shaking him. "Jake, what…?" Finn mumbled, trying to piece together the events.
"What happened? Did you see something?" Jake asked, his tone laced with concern.
"How long was I out?" Finn asked, still disoriented.
"Not long. I waited for about half an hour before I tried moving you, and you woke up," Jake said, shrugging.
Before Finn could respond, they both heard a piercing scream of agony echoing from below.
"Is that…" Finn whispered, glancing at the cracked, glowing green orb on the floor. "...the serpent spirit?"
"We need to get out of here!" Jake grabbed Finn and bolted toward the stairs. With his many legs, Jake sprinted up and leapt over the collapsing steps as the cavern trembled beneath them, the screams suddenly ceasing.
The two boys rushed out of the cave and stopped just outside the entrance. Jake collapsed to catch his breath, panting heavily from the non-stop run.
"I wonder who was screaming down there," Jake said, peering into the cave's depths.
Finn narrowed his eyes and remembered Sika.
"Sika, are you here?" he thought.
[Yes.]
"Did you see what happened?"
[Of course. That lunatic couldn't hide anything from me.]
"Lunatic? Didn't it claim to be the spirit of a sacred beast or something?" Finn asked, puzzled.
[The Seven Sacred Beasts—they were creatures that lived in Ooo for 800 years after the Mushroom War and disappeared 200 years ago.]
"And this River Serpent was one of them?"
[Not exactly. The River Serpent was a vile creature that looked down on those weaker than itself and groveled at the feet of the stronger. It only managed to make it onto the sacred beast list through deception and flattery.]
"So, it's not strong?" Finn frowned at the thought.
[To you and the people of Ooo, it's an incredibly powerful celestial beast. But among its peers, it's pathetic.]
"I see…" Finn remained silent for a moment, clenching his teeth. "...I can't believe I lost in a trial from a pathetic creature like that."
[You didn't lose.]
"Huh?"
[As I said, you didn't lose. When it saw you cleared the first stage so easily, it was certain you'd complete the next stages as well. That infuriated it, so it gave you venom that you couldn't possibly endure at your current level.]
"Yeah, that venom was awful," Finn muttered, touching his chest where the venom had caused searing pain. He shivered at the memory of the unbearable agony. "I feel ashamed for falling to it so easily."
Sika didn't respond. She knew that for someone of Finn's level and body, the venom should have killed him in seconds. The fact that he lasted as long as he did was astonishing, his sheer willpower and hatred of defeat leaving her in awe.
"And worst of all, I gained nothing," Finn grumbled angrily.
[Who said that?]
Finn was stunned by the unexpected reply. "What do you mean?"
[You gained something—something you wouldn't have received even if you passed its trial a thousand times.]
"And that is?" Finn's interest was piqued.
[A monster summoning technique.]
"A summoning technique? Like Naruto?" Finn chuckled.
[Sort of. Yes, in Naruto, characters like Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Boruto, and Orochimaru used similar techniques to summon giant snakes or multiple large serpents.]
[But unlike that world, summoning techniques here are vessels that allow you to house high-level monsters. Acquiring one is extremely difficult.]
"Wait, are you saying Naruto's world is real too?!" Finn exclaimed, now reeling from the realization of three worlds he'd thought were fictional being real.
[Most of the standout stories were created by people who traveled to another world and returned. But if they spoke of it, they'd be dismissed as crazy. So instead, they told great stories about those worlds. Not many of them had the resources to make a show or cartoon, so most either stayed silent or wrote novels if they were good at storytelling.]
"Hah, I always suspected things like *Gravity Falls*, *Attack on Titan*, and *Against the Gods* couldn't just be made up," Finn said, a small smile forming as he recalled the amazing shows he'd enjoyed.
"Alright, give me the technique," he demanded.
[Not yet.]
"What do you mean, 'not yet'?" he asked, irritated by her refusal.
[The technique is too advanced for you at the moment. At the very least, you need to reach the mid-level of the Entry Phase before you can use it, and even then, it will be challenging.]
"Tch, whatever. That'll happen soon enough," Finn muttered, looking at his fist as if making a silent vow to grow stronger.