The Snake God with SSS Rank Evolution System

Chapter 386: The Lost Blade

Ignis stretched out across Lilith’s lap like a contented cat, her flames reduced to a soft, warm glow as she gazed up at the sky. Her voice carried a lazy, dreamy note.

"So, we’re going straight to the Demon King’s castle? I want to see what it looks like! Do you think it’s grand? Full of dark, spiky towers and glowing eyes?"

Isolde’s voice cut through, sharp and practical, her pale blue eyes narrowing with exasperation.

"Don’t be foolish. If we march into the Demon King’s castle unannounced, we’ll be painting ourselves as hostile intruders. We’ll enter the demon territory normally."

Azrynn’s gaze drifted downward, her yellow eyes fixed on the landscape passing beneath them. Her voice carried a note of quiet concern.

"Will the demon race accept a Dark Elf? I’ve heard stories of how they treat outsiders..."

Isolde’s voice softened, carrying a note of reassurance.

"Demons have never been discriminatory toward race. They judge individuals by their actions, not their bloodline. In fact, many humans once lived in demon territory without issue—though that was before the war. Now, it’s much harder for them to cross the border."

Azrynn’s voice carried a note of quiet regret, her yellow eyes fixed on the horizon.

"That’s... unfortunate. I had hoped the war hadn’t changed things so much."

Before anyone could respond, Adam’s draconic voice rumbled through his chest, sharp and focused.

"There’s something ahead. A flock of monsters—looks like birds. I don’t want to risk losing my camouflage. Can you handle them?"

Isolde’s gaze sharpened, her hand already moving to her weapons. She didn’t speak, but her posture shifted, ready for battle.

Azrynn’s voice was calm, confident as she drew her bow in one fluid motion, a rune arrow already nocked.

"Leave them to me."

She released the arrow. It streaked through the air, trailing silver light, and struck the lead bird square in the chest. The creature convulsed and plummeted. Azrynn nocked another arrow, then another, each shot finding its mark with deadly precision. Within moments, the flock was scattered, their bodies falling like dark rain.

But a few stragglers broke through the barrage, screeching as they dove toward the group.

Lilith’s lips curved into a thin, predatory smile as she drew Soulreaver from the shadows. The black blade hummed with eager hunger.

"Allow me."

The blade carved through the air in a series of precise, fluid strikes, and within moments, the last of the stragglers fell, their bodies tumbling into the void below.

Lilith settled back, Soulreaver resting across her lap as she resumed her idle stroking of Ignis’s hair. Her voice carried a light, satisfied note.

"They were barely a warm-up."

Alice’s cat ears twitched, her dark violet eyes fixed on Soulreaver with undisguised interest. Her voice carried a note of quiet desire.

"Where did you get a weapon like that, Lilith?"

Lilith’s voice carried a light, dismissive note, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.

"From a corpse. Its previous owner no longer needed it."

Alice’s ear twitched again, a note of admiration creeping into her voice, though she quickly masked it.

"Even so, it’s impressive. A weapon like that must be useful."

Lilith’s smile widened, a note of smug satisfaction curling through her voice.

"It is. Though I doubt you could wield it as well as I do."

Alice’s tail lashed, her voice sharp with indignation.

"Hey! I could learn! I just need the right weapon!"

Adam’s voice rumbled through his chest, thoughtful and deliberate, cutting through the brewing argument.

"Actually, Alice... I might know where we can find a weapon that suits you."

Alice’s ears perked up, her voice carrying a note of eager curiosity.

"Really? Where?"

Adam’s voice was steady, carrying a note of quiet certainty.

"Kaelthar."

Isolde’s brow furrowed, her pale blue eyes narrowing with confusion as she processed Adam’s words.

"Kaelthar? But wasn’t that city destroyed? We left it in ruins—there’s nothing left but rubble and ash."

Adam’s draconic voice rumbled thoughtfully, his massive head tilting slightly as he glanced back at her.

"I know. But I threw away a really good dagger there. I’m going to try and retrieve it. Besides, it’s on the way to demon territory, isn’t it?"

Alice’s ear twitched, her dark violet eyes sharp with skepticism. Her voice carried a note of doubt.

"Wouldn’t it have been taken by someone by now? If we go all the way back and it’s not there, we’ll have wasted time for nothing."

Adam’s voice was calm, steady, carrying a note of quiet confidence.

"Don’t worry. We’ll find it. You can use your treasure radar, Alice."

Alice’s tail lashed, her voice rising with incredulity.

"Treasure radar?! What makes you think I have something like that?! And even if I did, Kaelthar is a ruined city—there’s bound to be countless objects giving off readings. It would be impossible to pinpoint one specific dagger!"

Lilith’s voice drifted over, smooth and measured, her crimson eyes fixed on Adam with a mixture of curiosity and dry amusement.

"She has a point. This won’t be an easy search. And if it’s as difficult as she says, it could waste valuable time." She paused, tilting her head. "Why did you throw it away in the first place, Adam?"

Isolde’s voice cut in, sharp and incredulous, her pale blue eyes wide with disbelief.

"She’s right! How could you just throw away a valuable artifact like that? Do you have any idea what it might have been worth?!"

Adam’s voice was unbothered, carrying a note of casual dismissal as he continued flying.

"I didn’t think I’d need it anymore. And I’ve never really been fond of using daggers anyway. They’re just not my style."

Azrynn’s voice was thoughtful, her yellow eyes fixed on the horizon as she considered the options.

"What if we search for a short while? If we don’t find it within a reasonable time, we can move on. At least we’ll have tried."

Lilith let out a soft, measured sigh, her crimson eyes fixed on Adam with a mixture of exasperation and fondness. Her voice carried a note of careful reasoning.

"Going to Kaelthar isn’t the problem—it’s on the way. The issue is the time we’d waste searching through rubble for a pair of daggers that might not even be there anymore. We could be spending that time reaching demon territory and finding you a proper artifact, Alice."

Adam’s draconic head dipped slightly, a low, apologetic rumble escaping his chest. His voice carried a note of genuine regret.

"You’re right. I’m sorry for throwing things away carelessly. But please—give me a chance to retrieve it. I know where I dropped it. It won’t take long."

His gaze shifted to Alice, a note of plaintive frustration creeping into his voice.

"Besides, this is for you, Alice. Why aren’t you defending me?"

Alice’s tail lashed, her dark violet eyes flat and unimpressed. Her voice carried a sharp, dismissive edge.

"You’re the one who threw it away in the first place. That’s your own fault. I’m not going to defend a stupid decision."