bookpub Chapter 333: Ouroboros Coils
Chapter 333: Ouroboros Coils
Adam’s crimson eyes locked onto the Red Templar as the corrupted knight shifted its stance. It grasped its massive greatsword with both hands, the blade lowering into a guard position. Then, red aura began to leak from its armor, thick and suffocating, coiling around its body like living flame.Adam’s lips curled into a sharp grin. "Oh? You want to get serious?"
The Red Templar didn’t answer. It simply tightened its grip.
Adam was already moving. "Sorry, but I’m not letting you finish whatever you’re planning."
He shot forward, Abyssal Step carrying him through the shadows, closing the distance in an instant. But as he emerged, a wall of dense, jagged shadow crystals erupted in his path—sharp as glass, dark as obsidian—blocking his advance.
The Nightwraith hovered behind the barrier, its spectral form flickering. More crystals formed in the air around it, swirling and sharpening, before launching toward Adam in a deadly volley.
"Tch." Adam twisted, dodging the first wave. "That’s not going to stop me."
He prepared to burst through the barrier. But as he moved—
The Nightwraith’s attack wasn’t meant to kill. It was meant to bait.
Adam’s instincts screamed a split second too late.
The Red Templar had already closed the distance. Its greatsword, now wreathed in that thick, crimson aura, swept through the air in a devastating horizontal arc. The blade itself seemed to distort space as it moved, leaving a trail of crimson static that crackled violently.
Adam threw up his arms. "[Aegis of the Colossus]!"
The barrier flared to life around his body just as the blade struck—
CRACK—SHATTER.
The Aegis didn’t hold. The crimson aura tore through it like paper, the impact sending Adam flying sideways. He crashed into a crumbling pillar, stone exploding around him as he tumbled to the ground.
Blood sprayed from a deep gash across his ribs. The wound was long and jagged, his regeneration already working, but slower than usual. The crimson aura had left a burning residue in the wound, something that clung to his flesh, resisting his healing.
The Nightwraith didn’t waste the opening. It lunged forward, its spectral claws aimed at Adam’s exposed throat. But Adam had already rolled to his feet.
His eyes blazed crimson-gold.
"[Berserker’s Bloodlust]."
Adam’s body surged with crimson energy as [Berserker’s Bloodlust] activated. His muscles swelled, veins glowing like molten rivers beneath his skin as his physical stats spiked by 25% in an instant. The burning residue in his wound sizzled and died as his regeneration kicked into overdrive, knitting flesh and mending bone.
The Crown of the Hollow Glutton blazed on his brow, its hungry light pushing back against the oppressive darkness. Both guardians faltered for just a fraction of a second, their forms flickering as the weight of his presence pressed down on them.
Adam’s lips curled into a savage grin, blood still dripping from his ribs.
"Starting with you."
He lunged at the Nightwraith, Abyssal Claw extended, dark energy tearing through the air. The spectral creature tried to dissolve into shadows, but Adam had already anticipated the move. His other hand shot forward.
"[Venom of the Void]."
A concentrated cloud of necrotic poison erupted from his palm, engulfing the Nightwraith before it could fully phase. The creature shrieked, its form flickering violently as the paralytic agent seeped into its spectral flesh.
"[Paralytic Neurotoxin Activated. Target immobilized for 3 seconds.]"
The Red Templar surged forward, its greatsword blazing with crimson aura, aiming to crush Adam while he was focused on the Nightwraith.
Adam didn’t dodge. He turned and met the blade with his bare forearm.
CLANG—CRUNCH!
The greatsword bit into his scales, drawing a spray of blood, but Adam held. His feet slid back, carving trenches in the stone, but he didn’t fall.
His tail lashed out, coiling around the Red Templar’s torso, its legs, its arms, pinning the corrupted knight in place. The Templar struggled, its crimson aura flaring, but Adam’s grip was iron.
"Got you."
[Constrict – Activated.]
The coils tightened. The Red Templar’s armor groaned, then cracked. Bones snapped beneath the pressure. The creature roared, thrashing, but Adam’s hold only grew stronger.
"My berserk form is amplifying my strength," Adam growled, his voice layered with draconic resonance. "You’re not breaking free."
Venom of the Void seeped into the Templar’s wounds, blackening its corrupted flesh, weakening its struggling. The creature’s movements grew sluggish, its aura flickering.
The Nightwraith had recovered. It lunged at Adam’s exposed back, claws extended.
Adam’s head snapped toward it. His jaws opened wide.
"[Fire Breath]!"
A torrent of searing flame erupted from his throat, engulfing the Nightwraith. The creature screamed, its intangible form burning as the fire consumed it. Its claws fell short, its body flickering violently.
Adam didn’t give it a moment to recover. He raised his hand, prismatic light already gathering in his palm.
"[Prismatic Beam]."
The rainbow lance shot forward, striking the Nightwraith square in the chest. The creature convulsed, its form unraveling, dissolving into wisps of shadow that scattered into nothing.
The Red Templar, still caught in Adam’s coils, let out a final, guttural roar before its body went limp. The crimson aura faded. The greatsword clattered to the ground.
Adam released the Templar, its broken body collapsing to the stone floor. He straightened, his chest heaving, blood still dripping from his wounds.
He turned to face the empty darkness where the Nightwraith had been, then looked down at the Red Templar’s remains. His breathing was heavy, but a cold, satisfied smile spread across his face.
"Two down."
[Through intense combat usage, Constrict has evolved!]
[New Skill: Ouroboros Coils (Lv. 1)]
[Effect: The user’s serpentine form is unleashed. Ouroboros Coils allows Adam to envelop and crush targets with the full force of his draconic strength. The coils tighten with each passing second, dealing increasing damage over time. The target’s escape attempts are significantly hindered. Duration: 10 seconds. Can be maintained longer with sustained focus. The skill is particularly effective against targets larger than the user.]
Adam flexed his tail, feeling the new power settle into his muscles. A slow, predatory smile spread across his face.
"Ouroboros Coils... this is going to be useful."