Chapter 337: Emperor Snake beast.

She walked over, crouched down, and gently scooped the little monkey into her arms. For a tiny creature, he felt surprisingly heavy, his whole body tense and trembling. Red Sun kept his head lowered, hot tears falling from his eyes onto her sleeve.

"It’s... it’s all my fault," Red Sun squeaked out, his tiny shoulders shaking. "If I had been faster, Taylor wouldn’t be hurt..."

"Hey," Zyra said gently, rubbing his soft fur. "Taylor is going to be just fine. Listen to me, stop blaming yourself. You were still in the beast pocket when he was hurt. Moreover, you killed the bastard that hurt Taylor. You are hero, Red Sun. When he wakes up, I am sure Taylor will say the same thing. I am a soul maiden, and I am very powerful. If I say Taylor is going to be okay, then he is going to be okay."

Red Sun sniffled loudly and gave a weak nod. "Tell him not to put me the beast pocket when we are going into a fight, next time."

Zyra laughed. "Come on," She smiled, lifting him up. "Get on my back."

She hoisted the crying monkey onto her back, wrapping his arms around her neck and piggybacking him like a toddler.

The moment they walked out into the central pavilion, the other beasts took one look at the ferocious, feared flame-monkey being carried like a spoiled human baby, and the teasing immediately began.

"Aww, look at the big scary monkey!" an armored bear chortled. "Needs his auntie to carry him!"

"Is the wittle baby gonna get a pacifier next?" a raven squawked, clapping its wings.

"Don’t drop your baby bottle wittle Twaylor." Squirrel sniggered.

Red Sun’s ears flushed bright red. "Shut up, you overgrown feather duster! I’ll singe your tail off!" he yelled, burying his face in Zyra’s shoulder to hide his embarrassed grin. The heavy sadness in the room melted away into boisterous laughter.

Zyra shook her head with a smile and carried him over to Spice’s abode.

She set Red Sun down on a ledge and approached the enclosure. Spice glided forward. Zyra carefully inspected the creature for changes. The snake’s neck area had bulged significantly, pulsing with dark, toxic energy.

[Beast Evolution Update: The beast has expanded poison sacs, the fangs are now curved and needle-sharp, and the tongue has split into three thin forks. It can change size depending on its needs or yours.]

"Not bad, buddy," Zyra nodded approvingly. She pulled out an evolution pill. "Time to take it up another notch." She held out her open hand, the Evolution Pill resting in her palm. "Down the hatch, Spice."

Spice didn’t hesitate. It flicked its three-pronged tongue, lunged forward, and swallowed the pill whole.

For two seconds, nothing happened. Then, Spice’s eyes snapped open, glowing a blinding red color. The snake began to violently writhe and wiggle across the stone floor. Dark purple mist erupted from its scales as the sheer volume of energy forced its body through rapid metamorphosis.

[Ding! Level 3... Level 4... Level 5!]

Skin peeled off in rapid succession, tearing away to reveal thicker, darker steel like skin beneath. Spice thrashed, its tail slamming into the ground with explosive thuds. The dark mist condensed into a swirling vortex, entirely enveloping the snake in a cocoon of swirling poison and shadow.

With a deafening boom, the shadow energy burst outward, blowing back the hair on Zyra’s face.

All the beasts lowered their heads, as if they were already afraid.

When the dust settled, the transformation was complete. Spice had evolved into a beast no one had seen before.

[Evolution complete. The snake beast has evolved to emperor level.]

It was no longer just a snake; it was a creature of terrifying majesty. Spice had expanded to the size of a mutated reticulated python, its silver-greenish scales lined with veins of glowing, purple poison. Spanning its thick hood were bony, crown-like spikes that flared out like a dark monarch’s crest. Its three-forked tongue flicked out, leaving small trails of sizzling, acid-purple smoke in the air, while its slit pupils burned red like they were on hell fire.

It hovered slightly off the ground, bathed in an aura of absolute dominance.

Zyra stared up at her newly evolved beast, her mouth slightly agape.

Spice bowed its big, head down until it was level with her chest, letting out a soft, deep rumble that vibrated through the tiles. "Mommy, I think I over ate."

"Well," Zyra chuckled, reaching out to pat the massive obsidian scales. "Safe to say nobody’s going to mess with us anymore."

"Mommy, I can beat Tyrant now." Spice hissed.

Zyra blinked, crossing her arms as she looked up at her giant pet. "Alright, mighty Spice, don’t just stand there flexing. What can you actually do now besides look terrifying?"

[Emperor Snake Beast Skills Unlocked:

It possess toxic venom capable of damaging the body and soul. It has strength that suppresses beasts including emperor beasts. Has ability of regeneration. Incredibly durable scales that protect it from harm. Capable of paralyzing or hypnotizing enemies with just a little mist from its veins.]

Zyra’s jaw slowly dropped as she finished reading the additional information on the skill panel.

"A single drop of its poison corrodes a whole river for a hundred years?!" she gasped, taking a step back and eyeing Spice’s glowing purple fangs with newfound terror.

Red Sun, still perched on a ledge nearby, leaned forward to stare at the giant snake. "Hey, Spice! Show off a bit! Blow some smoke!"

"No_ no blowing of any smoke." Zyra screamed.

Just then, Hunter walked into the pavilion, wiping his hands on a towel after finishing his bathroom cleanup duty. "Hey Zyra, I finally cleaned up all the dye_" He froze mid-sentence, his eyes darting from the dusty floor, to the giant, terrifying emperor snake hovering in the center of the room, and finally to Zyra.

Hunter took one slow step backward toward the exit. "Is this our Spice or something else entirely! Mother of...." the words trailed off as he moved around looking at the snake. "Do you know that people think that green common snakes do not go beyond low level? What level is this? Even I am a little rattled in my bones. Something in me is telling me to fight or flee."

Zyra burst out laughing, "Don’t worry, it’s the same old Spice. Let us deal with squirrel now." Zyra suggested. The sooner her beasts evolved, the better.