Chapter 38: Wormtant Serpent
**Name: Silas Griswold.**
**Race: Half-breed.**
**Level: 30.**
**Health: 100/100.**
**Soul points: 100/100.**
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### **Attribute Panel:**
**Strength: 25.**
**Speed: 15.**
**Reflex: 10.**
**Agility: 15.**
**Intelligence: 20.**
**Available attribute points to distribute: 45.**
---
### **Skill Panel:**
**Lightning Dash LVL 2:** Increases speed for two seconds. Costs 10 soul points.
**Soul Claws LVL 2:** Allows the user to shoot a unique claw from the tips of their fingers. Costs 1 soul point.
---
### **Arsenal:**
**Chest piece armor (Grade 2).**
**Leg piece armor (Grade 2).**
**Scythe (Grade 2).**
---
The blood-red desert stretched endlessly before Silas, each step sinking into the warm, shifting sands. He walked with a purpose, his gaze fixed intently on the translucent interface that floated in front of him. After the exhausting ranking matches, he hadn't anticipated his system rewarding him so generously, but the extra attribute points filled him with an invigorating sense of power.
"I never expected to earn this many points," he mused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned his stats. "Forty-five attribute points... it's more than enough to turn me into a powerhouse. Looks like the system is in a generous mood today, probably trying to fast-track my growth."
Silas's mind whirred as he weighed his options. The opportunity to distribute so many points at once wasn't something to be taken lightly. Every decision here would impact his future battles.
"Balance... or focus?" He paused mid-step, the wind whipping strands of his hair across his forehead. "No. Strength. Strength is the key. Everything else comes second."
Determined, he began the process.
**[25 points have been added to your Strength.]**
**[Strength is now a total of 50.]**
Almost immediately, a surge of raw energy flooded his veins. It was different from the subtle boosts he had experienced before. This was palpable, almost like his body itself was evolving in real-time. His muscles twitched, his skin felt tighter over the enhanced muscle mass, and his senses seemed to sharpen all at once.
He clenched his fist, a smirk curling at the edge of his lips. "That's more like it."
Yet something strange caught his attention. His intelligence stat had changed, and not by his doing. It was 10 earlier today, but now it read 20. He frowned, confused.
"What the hell?" he muttered under his breath. Curiosity getting the better of him, Silas attempted to allocate points to his intelligence stat, just to test things out. But as soon as he tried, a flashing error message blinked into view.
**[Error: Unable to allocate points.]**
Silas let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Looks like I can't make myself any smarter through this system." He rubbed the back of his head with a small chuckle before focusing back on the task at hand.
"Right, then. Ten points to Agility. Five to Speed. Five to Reflex."
**[10 points have been added to your Agility.]**
**[Agility is now a total of 25.]**
**[5 points have been added to your Speed.]**
**[Speed is now a total of 20.]**
**[5 points have been added to your Reflex.]**
**[Reflex is now a total of 15.]**
Satisfied with the distribution, Silas dismissed the interface with a wave of his hand and continued on his way. The air around him was eerily quiet, save for the faint whistle of wind. The sand dunes rolled like waves in every direction, the harsh sun casting long shadows across the barren wasteland.
Then, without warning—
**SPWOOOSSHH!!**
The sand behind Silas erupted, the ground splitting as an enormous mutant shot out from beneath the surface, its massive body surging toward him at breakneck speed. Silas, moving on instinct alone, dove to the side, narrowly avoiding being devoured.
"Shit!" Silas cursed, quickly recovering his stance as he leaped several meters backward to assess the situation.
Before him loomed a grotesque creature, its body resembling a gargantuan worm, though much larger—easily the size of a school bus. Its metallic scales glistened in the sunlight, a harsh contrast to the deep shadows cast by its writhing form. Hundreds of razor-sharp fangs lined its gaping maw, and a long, serpent-like green tongue flickered out as if tasting the air.
The creature's eyes, small and beady, gleamed with menacing intent.
**[Name: Wormtant Serpent.]**
**[Grade: 3.]**
**[HP: 500/500.]**
The notification above the mutant didn't faze Silas. "A Grade 3, huh?" he muttered, his fear fading as his confidence swelled. "This shouldn't be too hard."
The Wormtant glared at him, its beady eyes narrowing as it sank back into the ground, disappearing beneath the sand. Silas's eyes widened in confusion.
"What the hell? Where did it go?"
He tensed, scanning his surroundings. The desert floor trembled beneath his feet, vibrating with the movement of something massive.
**SPWWOOSSHH!!**
The creature shot out again, its gaping maw wide open, aiming to swallow Silas whole. But Silas was already prepared. Anticipating the attack, he spun on his heel, his fist clenched tightly, and swung with all his might.
**BAM!**
The blow connected with the mutant's metallic scales, sending a shockwave through the air. The impact was powerful enough to push the Wormtant back, but not enough to kill it. It quickly burrowed back into the sand before Silas could launch a follow-up attack.
"Damn it!" Silas growled, frustration evident in his voice. "How am I supposed to kill this thing if it keeps hiding?"
He clenched his fists, his gaze darkening. "I need to finish it in one strike... but my fists alone won't do the job. That thing's scales are too tough."
His hand drifted toward the scythe strapped to his back. "Looks like it's time to bring out the big guns."
With a flourish, Silas summoned his scythe. The weapon appeared in his hand as if materializing from thin air, blue energy swirling around it before solidifying into its true form. The scythe's blade gleamed a deadly red, its length tall and menacing. It looked like something straight out of a nightmare, its curved blade glinting like a malevolent eye.
Strange symbols were etched into the blade, ancient markings that Silas had never been able to decipher. No matter how much he tried to read them, the language remained a mystery. But that didn't matter. He didn't need to understand it to wield it.
Silas gripped the scythe tightly, positioning himself in a battle-ready stance. His eyes scanned the desert around him, waiting for the telltale rumble of the Wormtant beneath the surface.
It didn't take long.
The ground shook violently as the mutant approached, traveling quickly beneath the sand. Silas tensed, muscles coiled like a spring. He leapt backward just as the sand exploded beneath him, and the Wormtant lunged forward, its maw wide open, ready to devour him.
But this time, Silas wasn't about to let it escape.
He landed a few meters away, then charged forward with blinding speed, his scythe raised high. In a single fluid motion, he swung the blade down.
**SLASH!**
The scythe cleaved through the Wormtant with terrifying ease, cutting the mutant in half. Dark purple blood splattered across the desert, soaking the sands as the creature's two halves fell with a sickening thud.
**[Congratulations, you have slain a Grade 3 Wormtant Serpent.]**
Silas exhaled heavily, his chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly faded from his system. But before he could catch his breath, a new movement in the sand caught his eye. His heart sank.
Three more Wormtant Serpents burst from the ground, their massive forms hurtling toward him.