novelraw Chapter 210: Child of the Wilds
Chapter 210: Child of the Wilds
When Leon and his companions entered the palm grove, Leon suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed ahead.
Willy and Gus also gasped at the same time, instinctively hiding behind Leon.
In the grove lay a shriveled snake skin.
But this was no ordinary shed skin. Judging by its size, the snake that had sloughed it off was an enormous beast.
“Looks like this treasure hunt might not be as simple as we thought,” Leon remarked, tightening his grip on the Galaxy Watermelon Knife.
“How could such a big snake be on this little island? That’s ridiculous,” Gus said, swallowing hard.
“It’s the ocean. Anything can happen out here. I once heard an old captain say he saw an island where dinosaurs still lived,” Willy muttered.
“This doesn’t feel right. Maybe I should send you two back to the ship,” Leon suggested, his sense of danger spiking at the thought of such a giant python.
“I don’t think that’s wise. It’s obvious this island can’t provide enough food for a snake that size. It’s probably living off fish from the sea. If we head back to the ship and it’s waiting in the water… well, I don’t want to think about it,” Willy reasoned calmly.
“Fair point. Then stick close to me. If anything happens, hide immediately.”Leon agreed with Willy’s logic and dropped the idea of sending them back. Instead, he pressed forward with extra caution.
Gus and Willy scanned the surroundings, staying close on either side of Leon to avoid being caught alone. Like this, the three of them walked for tens of minutes until they reached the other side of the island.
Here there was no sandy beach—only a sheer cliff, though it was only five or six meters above the sea.
Gus, sharp-eyed, pointed at the water below. “Willy, is that sunken ship the Seagull belonging to Old Hans?”
“Yes. I helped repair that bow myself using Stardew Valley lumber. The figurehead’s still shaped like a seagull. That’s Old Hans’ ship,” Willy confirmed after a glance.
“Then let’s head down and take a look,” Leon suggested.
“Alright,” both Willy and Gus agreed.
They followed the cliff edge, searching for a way down. After about ten minutes, they finally reached the shore. The wreck of Old Hans’ ship was still forty to fifty meters away.
“I don’t recommend swimming. We could go back to the beach and get the kayak instead,” Leon said quickly when he saw Willy starting to undress, clearly planning to swim.
“That’s a waste of time,” Willy protested.
“Have you forgotten about that snake skin we saw?” Leon reminded him.
Willy froze mid-motion. The thought of swimming over with a giant python possibly lurking beneath the surface was enough to change his mind.
“So what do we do?” Willy asked.
“Call for backup,” Leon said. “We can get the Merfolk or the Mermaids to help.”
“Good idea. The sea is their domain,” Willy agreed immediately. He took out his shell necklace, dipped it into the seawater, and began shaking it.
Leon, meanwhile, pulled out his Mermaid Horn, ready to blow it. But before he could, the sea began to churn violently.
“Quick, get back! Something’s coming up!”
Adrenaline surged through Leon. The sudden malice and danger prickled at his skin. He called to Gus and Willy while extending his Galaxy Watermelon Knife into a two-meter-long great blade, stepping back slowly, eyes locked on the water.
Gus and Willy had already fled, knowing they’d only be a burden if they stayed. The farther they ran, the better Leon’s chances.
Then a massive snake head rose from the sea. Its pale blue scales glittered like gemstones, and its vertical pupils shone like sapphires, making its head resemble a sculpture carved from blue crystal and jewels.
But it was alive. Its forked tongue was as black as ink, and its fangs were sharp as knives, sending a chill through Leon.
To his surprise, the snake didn’t attack. Instead, it opened its jaws and spat out a human skeleton.
“Child of the Forest, are you here for his remains?”
“If he was a pirate named Old Hans, then yes,” Leon replied after a brief pause, surprised that the snake could speak.
“I don’t know his name. I only know he was the master of that sunken ship,” the snake replied, shaking its head.
“Forgive me for asking, but did you kill him?” Leon pressed, frowning. If the answer was yes, then regardless of the reason, he’d have to cut this beast down—it had eaten a man, and that was enough.
“Hahaha! How amusing. You don’t even know who I am, and you suspect I eat people? That’s rich,” the snake rumbled with a deep laugh. “Didn’t your guide into Forest Magic ever tell you that any natural creature able to speak with you is a Child of the Wilds?”
“Nope. You’re only the second talking animal I’ve met. Uh, calling you animals isn’t offensive, is it?” Leon’s grip eased slightly, though he didn’t lower his weapon.
“Of course not. We are animals. But if you don’t know about the Children of the Wilds, then we have nothing to discuss. Take this human’s remains and leave. You’re disturbing my sea bath,” the snake said, starting to slip back into the water—only for Leon to block its path.
“Hold on, brother. I’m really curious about what a Child of the Wilds is. Can you enlighten me?”
Curiosity was in Leon’s nature, especially when it came to the mysteries of the world. He wasn’t about to pass up this chance to deepen his understanding.
Still, he kept his guard up. This wasn’t Stardew Valley, and there was no Rasmodius to bail him out. He couldn’t trust this giant python the way he trusted Brother Bear.
Brother Bear only exuded pressure. This snake radiated a far sharper sense of threat.