Chapter 91: Swallowing Phyton
Ding!
[Host has reached the requirement for Volkoid’s taming.]
Lucien paused, surprised by the sudden words of the system as he went through his evolved skills.
Before he could grasp the system’s words, his top was instantly destroyed by a huge wave of Originat. The fabric tore apart, scattering across the room like leaves in a storm.
This startled Lucien and with his keen sense, he immediately noticed something was wrong. With Originat, he constructed a mirror with it as he used it to check his back where he felt the wave of Originat came from.
He saw something shocking.
On his back was a giant tattoo of a coiling serpent that looked terrifyingly real. Its body was wrapped around his torso in tight coils, dark obsidian scales gleaming with a faint, oily sheen. Its head was broad and triangular, with ridges of bone running along its crown like a crown of thorns. Its eyes were closed, but even shut, they held a sense of ancient malice. Its long, curved fangs extended past its jaw like twin blades, and a thin line trailed from them like frozen venom. The entire tattoo seemed alive, pulsing faintly with each beat of his heart.
’What the hell is this tattoo behind me.... Wait wait, this is familiar.’
As this thought crossed Lucien’s mind, some memory events were invoked. The serpent he fought in the land of death. This tattoo appearance was similar to it.
’No, that can’t be possible.’
Lucien dismissed this thought.
But then, his back began to burn.
The heat was intense. Searing. Like fire spreading across his skin. He gritted his teeth, his hands clenching the bedsheets. The pain was unbearable, spreading from his shoulder blades down to his lower back.
And then came the itch.
It started small, a tingling sensation. Then it grew. It became unbearable, crawling beneath his skin like thousands of tiny insects. He couldn’t help himself. He rolled on the bed, pressing his back against the mattress, trying to scratch it. He twisted and turned, his body writhing in agony.
’What is this?! Why is this happening?!’
The heat intensified. The itch grew worse. He could feel the snake tattoo pulsing, shifting, as if it was alive. As if it was settling into his skin, claiming him.
He almost screamed. His body twisted. His hands clawed at the sheets.
Then, a cooling sensation washed over him.
It spread from his back like a wave, replacing the burning heat and unbearable itch. It was refreshing, soothing, calming. The pain faded, replaced by a gentle, pleasant warmth. His body relaxed. His breathing steadied. A soft, involuntary moan escaped his lips as the comfort washed over him.
He lay on the bed, panting. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His body was exhausted, but he felt... whole. Complete.
Ding!
[Taming successful.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully tamed the Swallowing Phyton.]
[Swallowing Phyton (Rare – Evolvable): A serpentine Volkoid carrying the diluted bloodline of the Primordial World Devouring Phyton, an ancient beast that once terrorized the realms. It possesses the ability to consume Originat, physical matter, and even weaker originators, growing stronger with each devoured target. The Phyton enhances Host’s spatial perception, allowing Host to sense hidden distortions and track prey across vast distances. Its venomous bite can paralyze and drain the mana of its victims. Currently in its juvenile form, the Phyton resides as a tattoo on Host’s back.]
’What!’
Lucien blinked. His mind was foggy. He forced himself to sit up, looking at the notification.
Swallowing Phyton?
He read through it, processing the information. A serpentine Volkoid. Descendant of a world-devouring beast. And it was now sealed in his body as a tattoo.
He touched his back. The scales were warm and smooth. The snake pulsed faintly, as if acknowledging his touch.
How did I not notice? There was clearly no tattoo before. Wait... There can only be one thing.
"System, I guess some explanation would be needed here," Lucien asked, even though he had his hypothesis, he couldn’t land into conclusions.
Ding!
[Due to the fact Host was in danger, the Primordial Dragon’s bloodline sprung up and forcefully sealed the Swallowing Phyton in Host’s body. Host, however, is too weak for the bloodline to unleash more power to fully tame the Volkoid. I am sure Host can complete the rest of the story.]
Lucien finally got the gist of what happened. It correlated with his hypothesis. He never thought his bloodline was the one that saved him then.
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he exhaled.
So my bloodline saved me. Again. It sealed the Phyton in my body because I was too weak to fight it. And now I have a Volkoid living inside me.
He looked at his back again, feeling the tattoo’s warmth.
A descendant of a world-devouring beast. Living in my body. As a tattoo.
He let out a slow breath.
’Well, at least it’s loyal.’
He felt relieved by this thought. He knew how powerful the Phyton was. Speaking of which, he hadn’t even checked its strength or status yet.
’Now how will I summon this Phyton?’
Lucien thought as he immediately tried to will it to appear. And it worked.
A faint shimmer of light appeared before him. The familiar form of the Swallowing Phyton materialized, its dark scales gleaming under the dim light. Its tongue slithered out briefly, tasting the air. Its eyes flickered with intelligence as he noticed the wound gash on its body had completely disappeared.
"Master."
Lucien was surprised. Not because it could talk but because he heard a female voice.
He held his chin, looking at the serpent as he scrutinized it. "Can you transform?"
"Yes, Master."
The Swallowing Phyton bowed its head slightly. A faint, dark mist began to seep from its scales, curling upward like smoke. The mist thickened, swirling around its form, obscuring it from view.
For a moment, there was nothing but darkness.
Then the mist began to dissipate, revealing a figure kneeling on the ground.
"DARLING!"