Snakebite Fist
“Able to destroy my voodoo dolls… This empire is much stronger than the kingdoms on the surface of the Magus World…”
Leylin nodded his head from Xavier’s old home in Thousand Bears City. His voodoo dolls were as strong as peak Breaking Dawn Magi, at the limits of rank 6. On the surface world this could afford one a throne, yet that strength was now obliterated by the special forces of a single empire.
Put in other words, the Monarch of the Skies, the Blazing Flames Monarch and the like would not meet with a good end if they came to this world.
‘I haven’t discovered the Mistress of the Night yet either. She could track my dolls down using the central neural net and the Weave, forcing one out into the open. Such swift and decisive action…’ Leylin evaluated indifferently, at the same time not harbouring much more hopes for the other two dolls. With the powers of this empire, discovering the other two was just a matter of time.
However, the goals of acquiring intelligence, data, and even stalling for time had been achieved, so it was already enough.
……
Leylin stayed in Thousand Bears City for some time, watching Xavier train recklessly in the Snakebite Fist. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he’d bought a large quantity of medicinal herbs and training dummies for practice.
Another of the dolls was discovered during this time. However, several important cities had suffered collateral damage to destroy it, and the destruction and viruses spread by the doll reached millions. The government had started a donation drive for the victims of this tragedy, and Xavier’s sister Jill herself donated part of her pocket money.
As for the last surviving voodoo doll, it was currently hiding in the vast ocean. However, it was only a matter of time before it was discovered.
Leylin didn’t mind that, having it gather as much data as it could before being tracked down. Past that he didn’t bother with it. In any case, he was confident in infiltrating this world even without the help of the voodoo dolls, and could avoid the surveillance of the Shadow Weave himself…
Within an underground basement. Xavier had already moved most things out of this place making an empty space the size of half a basketball court. The area was littered with sandbags and dummies.
Xavier did not have his shirt on, and he’d wrapped his fists with cloth as he began practicing the technique written in the Snakebite Fist Manual.
*Sssii!* Every punch of his seemed to soften his bones, letting them twist and contort in different ways. A hiss sounded with each fist thrown, as if it was a venomous snake that was striking.
“Huff… Snakebite Fist! Ruthless, insidious, and the trick lies in it being unexpected, striking at an angle that the opponent will not anticipate! Hence, I have to soak both my arms inside a special concoction broth in the beginning stages, to soften the bones…” Xavier muttered.
After practicing one stage of the technique, he went to the nearby water tank and picked up a white towel and dabbed into it. He then applied the black substance on the towel onto his hands, not missing a single pore.
The blackish liquid seemed to burn his skin upon contact, and bored its way through the pores into the bones, as if wanting the melt the entire arm.
“Argh… Damn… It hurts so fucking bad…” This pain caused Xavier to curse. He stuffed another towel he had prepared into his mouth as his expression turned malevolent, and faintly let out the hissing roar of a beast.
This pain lasted for over half an hour before it subsided, leaving Xavier with cold sweat.
*Pu!* He spat out the towel in his mouth and looked at his own hand. Once the residue of the concoction was washed off it revealed fair, whitish skin with a glossy sheen.
“This…” He touched his own hand, and felt that the skin had gotten thicker.
“No… It’s totally adding on another layer of outer skin…” Xavier looked at it for a while longer before he took out a needle and pierced his own skin.
Resilient and smooth, just like hide…
He needed about half his strength to finally pierce through the skin, and even that only made him feel a pinch.
“Both of my arms have an increased piercing effect, and even my bones have turned softer, arriving at the minimum requirement of the Snakebite Fist…” Xavier nodded his head, and suddenly felt his heart ache a little, “The ingredients for the concoction is too expensive, and this pain…”
His heartbeat grew fast as he looked at the manual, “Just the elementary stage cost me all my savings. I even need to put my hands in poison in the later stages, giving my strikes a toxic effect. No matter what it doesn’t look like an orthodox skill, more demonic…”
In fact, Xavier’s guess was rather accurate. Back in the past, the Snakebite Fist was was a manual used by the servants, so it was not anything great. However, it granted great power in a short period of time.
However, with the thinning of these bloodlines and the suppression from various kingdoms and empires, bloodlines had regressed over time. Manuals like the Snakebite Fist instead became treasures to be passed down.
‘If he continues to train like this, he’ll most likely deviate and go crazy. Even if he’s lucky enough to succeed, it’ll at most be some skill around the mid-grade Rapid Shadows…’ Leylin stood by the side and casually watched Xavier train. ‘Forget it… I’ve been a guest this long, it’s about time I pay some rent…’
*Po!* Leylin smiled as he reached out with his hand, and a black light entered the manual of the Snakebite Fist. As this light was too weak, Xavier who had been practicing diligently did not notice it.
However, the ancient manual trembled, before it resumed a stationary position.
In a certain page within the book that recorded the runes of the black datura flower, the lines of the runes continuing to extend and fill out as the flower bloomed. Very soon, these lines lost their powers and did not move any longer. However, the black datura flower which was originally only quarter full was now halfway done, and energy waves seemed to be spreading from the runes.
*Hiss!* Naturally, Xavier did not notice these changes. However, as he punched, the hissing of a giant serpent sounded once again, causing the rune of the black datura flower to flash. An energy radiation that the original owner, a Magus, had placed into the book was now drawn out, as it began to move towards the only bloodline descendant around the manual.
*Hiss!* *Hiss!*
The Snakebite Fist’s hissing sound grew louder and louder, as the vibration of the sound waves grew stronger. It was like a giant serpent had coiled itself around Xavier’s body.
The teenager had entered a miraculous state. His eyes grew dull as he unleashed punch after punch.The teenager now had enter a miraculous state. Black gas formed a phantom of a black snake behind him, its crimson eyes and tongue giving off a dangerous aura.
With the appearance of the phantom, the skin on Xavier’s arms began to molt. Once the old skin fell off it revealed scales underneath.
‘This energy is only to pay rent. However, it’s like a key that unsealed the radiation locked inside the manual.’ Leylin smiled as he watched the black gas engulfing Xavier whole. With his current powers, he could easily grant Xavier the strength of a Breaking Dawn. However, this did not stand in line with the principles of Magi, that trades demanded equal measures.
Moreover, such a spike of foreign power would definitely alert the Weave. Why would he do such a thing?
Hence, Leylin chose to pay his rent in equal measure. This had unsealed the energy radiation within the book, allowing Xavier’s ancestor’s intentions to be fulfilled.
‘Although your ancestor was a low ranked Magus, this is a start to having extraordinary abilities. Moving forward, it’s all up to you…’ Leylin smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation.
He did not do this because he was bored, but because wanted to confirm a few things through this boy. For instance he wanted to know whether mutant organisations existed, as well as other bloodline carriers.
After Xavier demonstrated his abilities, he would immediately turn into a magnet and attract many people who intend to use his powers. This would put the boy in a bit of a perilous situation, but that only served to give Leylin some excitement as he watched.
‘Don’t let me down, young man…’ Leylin looked at the figure that was still training in the basement. The phantom of the snake now grew larger, and Leylin’s smile grew wider...
Xavier only woke up from this unconscious state the next morning. He scratched his head and muttered, “Eh? What’s happened to me?”
*Pat!* Suddenly, a piece of wood from the table that he used to prop himself up had been ripped off, causing him to fall onto the ground again.
“What? This wooden table is really unsturdy?” The teenager exerted more force, and his eyes grew bigger as he saw that the wooden block were grinded into fine wooden chips which fell to the ground.
“This situation… It’s not that the table is weak, but I’ve gotten stronger…” Xavier stood up and looked at both his hands. Suddenly, he punched out— Piercing Strike!
*Swish!* A sharp whistle and roar filled the room, carrying the bellows of a giant serpent. A small hole was punched into the walls, causing dust and wood to fall.
‘It seems like my body has completely adapted to the movement of the Snakebite Fist… and this…’ Xavier looked at his hands, at the scales that had already grown on his skin.
“Complete mastery of the Snakebite Fist?!”