The Snake God with SSS Rank Evolution System

Inside the carriage, Alice slowly opened the front window and peeked outside, revealing only a small portion of her face and one ear.

"What’s all that noise? Is something happening out there?"

Her sleepy gaze wandered toward the commotion, only to find Azrynn already in the middle of the fight.

The dark elf had drawn her dagger and was moving toward the bandits at an astonishing speed. Glowing purple runes had appeared beneath her feet, forming luminous wings that propelled her forward with every step.

One of the bandits barely had time to widen his eyes before Azrynn appeared beside him.

A flash of steel passed through the air.

His head flew from his shoulders, and blood sprayed across the grass as his body crumpled to the ground.

"Oh. So that’s what’s happening."

She watched for another moment, then rested her chin against the window frame, seemingly content to observe the fight from a safe distance.

Outside, the remaining bandits stared at their fallen companion in horror. Their earlier arrogance vanished as they realized just how quickly Azrynn could move.

"W-What the hell was that?!"

"Don’t lose your nerve!" their leader roared, trying to suppress the growing panic among his men. "She’s just an elf! We have something that can deal with her!"

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a strange artifact.

Adam’s gaze immediately settled on the object.

It resembled the severed head of a beautiful woman, so lifelike that it almost seemed to be sleeping. Its eyes were tightly shut, yet thin streams of blood trickled from beneath its eyelids and ran down its cheeks. A short chain extended from the top of the head, allowing its wielder to hold it like a weapon.

Adam narrowed his eyes slightly.

’What an unpleasant-looking thing.’

[Artifact identified: Spirit Cry.]

[Grade: Unique]

[Effect: Releases a supernatural scream capable of weakening spirit-based entities and temporarily paralyzing those who rely on spiritual power.]

Adam raised an eyebrow.

’Hoo. So that’s what it does.’

The bandit leader lifted the artifact by its chain, his confidence returning as he pointed its grotesque face toward Azrynn.

"Now you’re finished, elf! No matter how fast you are, you won’t be able to move once this thing screams! Let’s see you dance around us then!"

The other bandits immediately regained some of their courage. They spread out around Azrynn, grinning as though they had already won.

Azrynn, however, merely glanced at the artifact before looking back at its wielder.

"That won’t work on me."

The leader frowned. "What?"

"I don’t use spirits."

For a brief moment, silence fell over the group.

Then the bandits burst into laughter.

"Don’t use spirits? What kind of elf doesn’t use spirits?"

"Stop making excuses! You think we’re stupid?"

Their leader sneered, tightening his grip on the chain. "It doesn’t matter what you say. You’re an elf, and this artifact was made to deal with your kind. You can pretend all you want, but you’ll be on your knees the moment I activate it!"

Azrynn let out a quiet sigh.

It seemed they had no intention of listening.

She adjusted her grip on her dagger as the purple runes beneath her feet began to glow once more.

"Very well," she said calmly. "Find out for yourselves."

The bandit leader’s grin widened as he raised the grotesque artifact.

"Get her! Don’t give her a chance to escape!"

The bandits charged from several directions, their weapons raised as they closed in on Azrynn. Behind them, the archers lifted their bows and began preparing to fire.

"Hold your fire, you idiots!" the leader barked furiously. "Don’t use your arrows! You’ll damage the merchandise!"

The archers hesitated, exchanging glances before reluctantly lowering their bows. Their leader was clearly more concerned about preserving Azrynn’s value than the lives of his men.

Meanwhile, he tightened his grip on the artifact’s chain and thrust it toward her.

"Now, let’s see how you handle this!"

The statue’s eyelids snapped open.

Two blood-red eyes stared out from its beautiful, lifeless face, and a piercing scream erupted from its mouth.

The sound swept across the battlefield, shaking the surrounding trees and making the horses in the carriages grow restless. Several bandits covered their ears, but their expressions soon twisted into cruel grins as they watched Azrynn.

"That’s it! You’re finished!"

"Fall to your knees, you arrogant elf!"

They were already imagining her helplessly collapsing before them, unable to resist as they dragged her away.

Yet Azrynn showed no sign of being affected.

Instead, she lowered her stance and drew her second dagger.

Purple runes shimmered across the blades, their light spreading along the edges like flowing water.

"Didn’t I tell you?" she murmured. "I don’t use spirits."

Before the bandits could process her words, Azrynn surged forward.

The glowing wings beneath her feet flared, propelling her straight into the approaching group. Her first dagger swept across a bandit’s throat while the second deflected a sword aimed at her side. She twisted around her attacker, slipped past another man’s thrust, and struck again before either could react.

The bandits had expected a mage who relied on spirits and spells. Instead, they found themselves facing an opponent who fought at close range with terrifying speed and precision.

"Get her! Don’t let her move around!"

Their shouts dissolved into panic as Azrynn continued her assault. She moved between them like a violet streak, her daggers flashing whenever an opening appeared. Each strike was deliberate, leaving her opponents with no opportunity to retaliate.

One bandit swung his axe down at her head.

Azrynn ducked beneath the blade and planted one foot against the ground. The runes beneath her sole flashed, launching her high into the air.

The bandit looked up in confusion.

By then, Azrynn had already reached for the arrows strapped across her back.

She drew several in a single fluid motion, her fingers passing over their shafts as purple runes illuminated each one. Then, while still suspended above the battlefield, she turned her body and released them.

The arrows rained down.

The bandits barely had time to look up before the enchanted projectiles pierced their bodies. The runes etched into the arrowheads erupted upon impact, releasing concentrated bursts of energy that tore through their defenses. One after another, the men collapsed, their cries cut short as the barrage swept across the clearing.

By the time the final arrow struck, the battlefield had fallen silent.

Azrynn descended gracefully, the luminous wings beneath her feet fading as she touched the ground. She landed with one knee slightly bent, her daggers held loosely at her sides.

A few drops of blood slid from the blades before she flicked them clean.

Then she calmly turned toward the only bandit still standing.

Their leader stared at her, his mouth hanging open. The artifact dangled forgotten from his hand, its red eyes still open but its scream having accomplished nothing.

He couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.

’What the hell is wrong with this elf?!’

His mind raced as he desperately tried to make sense of the scene before him.

’Elves are supposed to be weak without their spirits! That’s why this artifact works on them! Why isn’t she affected?!’

His fingers tightened around the chain as his disbelief gave way to mounting terror.

’Why the hell is she so strong?!’

Adam watched Azrynn land and gave an approving nod.

"Impressive. You’re getting stronger and stronger, Azrynn."

Azrynn turned toward him, a small smile appearing on her face.

"That’s because of you. Whenever I’m with you, trouble always seems to find us. I have no choice but to become stronger if I want to survive."

Adam chuckled.

"So there is a good side to getting into trouble after all."

"Apparently."

The two continued their casual conversation as though they hadn’t just witnessed a battlefield full of corpses.

Their exchange left the bandit leader trembling with anger.

’Are they seriously chatting right now?!’

He had come here expecting an easy fortune, only to watch his men get slaughtered while his target treated the entire situation like a training exercise. Worse, neither of them seemed to consider him a threat.

’To hell with capturing her! I’ll kill them both!’

"Archers! Mages! Attack!" he roared. "I don’t care if you damage her anymore! Kill that elf!"

The surviving archers immediately raised their bows, while the mages behind them began gathering mana. Arrows pointed toward Azrynn from several directions, and glowing spells began forming above the casters’ palms.

Azrynn merely glanced around at them.

"There’s no point."

The bandit leader’s expression twisted.

"What did you say?"

Azrynn raised one hand. A delicate purple butterfly had settled on her finger, its luminous wings fluttering gently.

"I’ve already scattered several runes around you."

The leader doesn’t understand what this bitch is saying.

Only then did he begin noticing the strange purple butterflies scattered throughout the clearing. Some hovered above the grass, while others clung to the bandits’ clothing and armor. A few had even settled on the archers’ bows and the mages’ outstretched hands.

They had been there all along.

The leader’s face paled as he watched another butterfly crawl across his sleeve.

Azrynn gently tilted her finger, allowing the little creature to flutter its wings.

"I’m not one of those elves you hunt every day to sell into slavery."

Her violet eyes settled on the bandit leader.

"I’m someone you should never have provoked."

The bandit leader stared at the purple butterflies scattered across his body, and for the first time, genuine fear seized his heart.

He had underestimated her. No, he had made a terrible mistake from the very beginning.

"W-Wait! Hold on a moment!" He hurriedly dropped the artifact and raised both hands. "We can talk about this! If you want money, we can give you everything we have! Please, just spare our lives!"

Several of the surviving bandits immediately followed his example, throwing down their weapons and begging for mercy.

Adam watched them with a rather unimpressed expression.

"Ah, here we go again. That’s a pretty classic excuse."

The leader flinched at his words, but Adam simply shrugged, showing no intention of intervening.

Azrynn glanced at the men kneeling before her. For a moment, she seemed to consider their pleas, and the purple butterfly perched on her finger gently opened its wings.

"Honestly, I was thinking about torturing you a little longer," she said calmly. "But you’re not important enough to waste that much time on."

Her smile faded.

"So, just die."

The leader’s eyes widened.

"Wait-!"

A brilliant purple light engulfed the clearing.

The butterflies scattered across the bandits’ bodies suddenly burst into flames of violet energy, detonating one after another in a spectacular chain reaction. Explosions blossomed throughout the field like fireworks at a grand festival, painting the surroundings in dazzling purple light.

The bandits had no time to scream.

When the final explosion faded, silence returned to the clearing. Not a single one of them remained standing.

Azrynn lowered her hand as the last traces of purple light disappeared from her fingertips. She glanced at the devastated battlefield, then calmly turned toward Adam.

"Well, that’s taken care of."

Adam looked at the clearing, then back at her.

"Quite the fireworks display."

Azrynn smiled faintly. "I’m glad you enjoyed it."