The boy was shocked for a moment, but after looking at Silong's face, he realized that this was a serious request and took a deep breath before diving into the water head first. Everyone waited in suspense as silence spread through the crowd, anticipating the boy's return to the top.

After over thirty seconds of waiting, a head suddenly popped up from under the water. "I don't think there's anything in her—" The boy nearly finished his sentence, before a giant set of teeth suddenly emerged from the water and swallowed him whole.

Suddenly surprised, the kids closet to the edge of the lake dashed backward as they witnessed a majestic beast of enormous proportions rising out of the lake with a menacing presence. As it arose, its immense body coiled with the undulating waves, glistening with droplets of green poison.

Towering above the kids, the part of it's body that could be seen stretched to 20 feet, its scales reflecting the colors of celestial skies—pearlescent blues, greens, purples, and shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence.

To behold it was enough to captivate its onlookers with a mesmerizing beauty, but on top of that, its dangerous presence was also enough to send shivers down ones spine.

Within it's massive jaws lined rows of razor-sharp teeth and on the top of its head a crowned red jewel that glowed the brightest out of everything else on it's body.

Staring ruthlessly at the kids, it backed up slightly before unleashing a rumbling roar form the depths of its stomach, resembling the thunderous clashes of lightning and ocean as it assaulted the atmosphere with a layer of bloodlust.

[Warning! A creature with a lethal threat level has bloodlust over you!]

[Creature threat level: HAVOC]

'As expected.' Lyrian thought on seeing this message, keeping an eye on the ferocious beast that had appeared in front of him.

"Hey Alten, is this not the Hydro Serpent you spoke about on our way here?" Leon questioned on sight of the beast.

"Ye-yes! That's right, but it seems that something is off," Alten exclaimed, pausing for a moment, "A Hydro Serpent shouldn't be at this level of power! At max, it would be identical to the Diamond Lizard in strength!"

"It's obvious!" Silong suddenly retorted, "This creature has been boosted by the examiners, after all, it holds a powerful item, and I think I already know where it is." He said as he gazed at the beast's crowned jewel.

'Scan.' Lyrian said in his mind, wanting to ascertain the beasts power before doing anything rash.

[Scan]

Name: None

Species: Hydro Serpent

Age: 55

Overall Power (OP): 9

Health: 90/90

Stamina: 85/85

Strength: 95

Agility: 75

Defense: 92

Rank: Genesis: Layer 1

Special: Tier 4 (Exam Tier), Enhanced creature

(Author note: The creature Scan menu has been changed due to technological issues. It will be back to normal in the following chapters.)

'Enhanced creature.. so Silong was right, this beast must have been enhanced by the examiners. I suppose the best way to defeat it would be to team up.'

"Alright! Listen up everyone! I know we all want the prize, but if we act stupidly here then all of us will get eliminated and no one will get the item, so it would be best for us to team up!" Lyrian shouted out to the crowd of kids, not wanting an incident like what happened with Cedric and the Emperor Tiger to occur again.

This situation was also more crucial than with the Emperor Tiger, as if many were to get wiped out by the Hydro Serpent, there would be no chance at getting the prized item.

"Shut up retard! Don't tell me what to do!" A kid suddenly retorted from the back of the crowd of kids, pulling out his giant iron hunk of a two-handed sword before dashing towards the serpent at full speed.

'I suspected this wouldn't work. These kids aren't just average examinees, they planned and prepared for this, and haven't been eliminated on there way here.' Lyrian thought to himself on hearing this, and seeing other kids cheer in agreement. 'I'll just have to figure something else out as soon as possible.'

As the kid neared the lake, he jumped out and put his sword above his head, swinging it down on the serpent at max power. However, just before his blade reached the face of the serpent, it spat out a splash of green poison at the boy's face, instantly forcing his head to roll back into his head as he fell into the lake like a ragdoll.

Without hesitation, the Hydro Serpent dove down and devoured the body of the kid whole. Of course, as they entered it's stomach they were instantly teleported out of the Tasnan Wilderlands and eliminated from the exam.

"That poison.. it didn't work like how I expected it to. Usually snake poison does not cause such a reaction." Lyrian said, for Alten to follow up.

"You're right. The Hydro Serpent's venom is not like any other reptiles in these lands. Instead of poisoning ones physical body, the venom goes straight for the mental side of things. Or in other words, it fights you mentally."

Hearing this, Silong also gave his input. "The Hydro Serpent. A beast that attacks your will instead of your physique. One with a powerful body could survive a powerful snakes deadly venom, but even he shall fall before the Hydro Serpent if he does not posess an iron will." historical

"Huh.. Is that right," Lyrian said on hearing this, "What happens if I defeat it's venom?"

"What?" A random kid scoffed as he heard this, "Are you stupid? You're best off to try and avoid it's venom, unlike that other retard. No one can defeat it's venom. Didn't you hear, it doesn't attack your physique, but your mind. Don't underestimate it. Even a normal Hydro Serpent is nearly impossible to defeat without a giant crew if the leader of poisoned, and this one's enhanced so what makes you think you would be able to overpower that venom?"

"I don't want to admit it, but he's right, Lyrian," Alten agreed, wanting the greatest situations for everyone, "It's best—or rather, even nesseciarry to avoid it's venom at all costs."

Just as he finished saying this, Lyrian suddenly noticed the Serpent emerging from the bottom of the lake after devouring the kid, it's mouths clearly ready to shoot out a load of venom.

"Everyone! Dodge!" He was able to yell out, but to his surprise, the Serpent looked directly at the sky and shot out the venom, causing it to rain down venom on top of all of the kids in a wide area.

"That's it's Toxic Rain skill!" Silong said, attempting to dodge.

"What did it use it now!? It should normally only use it as a last resort, ridding all of the venom in it's body as a way to self destruct it's poison capabilities!" Alten yelled.

Although everyone tried to dodge the rain, there wasn't anyone who wasn't on guard enough to be able to.

It would be like trying to dodge rain. Although one may move faster than it, one cannot shrink and expand to fully get out of it's way.

In moments, everyone was hit by the rain, causing their eyes to roll back into their head as they all fell unconscious.

The Hydro Serpent also fell back slightly, it's most powerful skill already having been used.

Now, it couldn't use any more poison, atleast not for weeks. However, as it attempted to regain some of it's stamina, it suddenly noticed that one person out of the several was still moving although the venom hadn't effect them at all.

This was Leon. His eyes were white, although they had rolled back into his head, but his sword was also already out, causing them to go white anyways.

***

Back in the examiner room.

"Hahaha! Leonidas Serroa! What a fine specimen of a contestant!" Julius laughed at what he was seeing.

"Indeed. One thing this snake failed to calculate was that this boy's true power only awakened when unconscious, so attempting to make him fall asleep is only foolish!" Another examinee exclaimed.

***

Back into the Wilderlands, Lyrian suddenly lost consciousness and was thrown into a place that felt quite familiar.

Darkness..

Looking around, all he could see, feel, and hear was nothing. This was almost the same sensation as when he was first reincarnated into the womb of his mother.

'I can still think.. meaning, this must be the skill of the Hydro Serpent,' He paused, thinking of what to do next, 'They said that the serpent attacked the mind. I wonder what they meant by that, or if even they now as well.'

As he thought this, the darkness around clearly didn't feel like lasting for too long, as before he knew it, he could feel sensations on his back, as though he was laying down on something.

All of his five senses returned to him at once, although he was placed back into his human body, as he finally opened his eyes.

Looking around, Lyrian observed that he was at a familiar place. Almost too familiar to forget. There was no doubt about it, he was back on earth.

Looking at his arms, they were small and scrawny just like before, bruised and scratched like he remembered.

He got up from the floor where he slept and walked to the mirror, only to see a horror inducing sight.

Looking in the mirror, the person staring back at him was none other than despair.

'Zero?'