I drew my sword slowly, holding it in front of me in a defensive position. My senses were on high alert, scanning for movement or any signs that might indicate danger.
The cave itself was exactly as described in the novel.
A narrow opening partially concealed by hanging moss and fallen leaves, with weird writings carved into the stone archway above the entrance.
But the absolute silence was deafening. No rustling leaves, not even the sound of wind moving through the trees. It was as if the entire area was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen.
My nose was picking up something else, too. It was metallic, like old blood, but mixed with something else I couldn't identify.
Whatever had driven the wolves away might very well be waiting for me inside that cave. But the Crimson Moon Pendant was too valuable to abandon now, especially when I'd come this far and taken these risks.
I thought about returning to the manor to familiarise myself with my strength, get more training in, and get more comfortable, but I couldn't do it. If I couldn't even survive with such powerful traits, how could I possibly survive what's coming next?
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what might come, and stepped carefully through the gap between the moss-covered stones.
The moment I crossed the threshold, the temperature dropped noticeably. My eyes that gave me night vision adjusted immediately, revealing a narrow tunnel that descended deeper into the earth than the novel had described.
I continued, my sword still in front of me. I walked slowly, holding my breath.
If there was anything inside this cave, I didn't want to alert it to my presence.
The vial of blood was on my waist, ready to be used at a moment's notice. I had collected the blood so that I could use it as a weapon if needed - my Blood Control trait should work on external blood sources as well as what was flowing through living creatures.
Soon, I arrived at where the background character had found the pendant. I remembered the location really well because of how distinctive the area was.
The pendant was resting between two rocks near a small underground pond inside the cave, exactly as described in the novel. The water reflected the ceiling, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere.
But there was an issue. My instincts had indeed been right. There was a beast in front of me. An Elite-ranked beast, too.
The beast was a serpent, a silver serpent with scales so translucent that I could see the water's reflection. Its body had a beauty that only made it more terrifying.
I gulped inaudibly.
Thankfully, the serpent was sleeping, coiled near the water's edge with a large bulge in its midsection, clearly digesting one of its recent prey.
The serpent was about three meters long, which wasn't small by any measure. An Elite-ranked magical beast was an entire tier above my current Noble rank, meaning it would be a considerable challenge considering my current experience. I might get seriously injured or die in the process if I had to fight it.
I took a moment to assess my options. The pendant was a considerable distance away from the serpent's resting position. In theory, I could grab the pendant and leave without confronting the beast at all.
But that all depended on how sensitive the serpent's senses were while sleeping.
I decided to take the lower-risk approach, attempting to retrieve the pendant without awakening the creature.
I began moving toward the two rocks, each step slow and silent. I made sure to not trip on rocks, break twigs or make any random sound that would awaken the serpent.
The serpent was about ten meters away from my current position. It wasn't too far, but not dangerously close either. Its breathing was slow and controlled, suggesting it was in deep sleep.
As I carefully manoeuvred between the two rocks where the pendant lay, the space proved tighter than I had anticipated. The Crimson Moon Pendant was wedged firmly between the stones, and despite my best efforts to extract it silently, it scraped against both rocks with a clink.
The sound echoed through the cave like a death knell.
The serpent's eyes bolted open immediately, twin orbs of silver that fixed on me.
HISS!
Its massive head rose from its coiled position, and I could see its forked tongue flicking out to taste the air, analysing my scent and threat level.
For a frozen moment, we stared at each other across the cave. Then the serpent's body began to uncoil and rise, as it inspected me.
I gripped my sword tightly and reached for the vial of blood at my waist.
With the Crimson Moon Pendant now in my hand, I was no longer worried. With such a powerful item that enhances my regeneration and allows me to convert blood into usable life force, I no longer feared the serpent.
Despite my new confidence, I didn't let that get to my head. I knew overconfidence could still get me killed.
I placed the pendant around my neck and smiled at the serpent that was slowly slithering towards me. It thinks I'm weak prey, I could tell from the gleam in its silver eyes, the way it moved with confidence rather than caution.
Not today.
I opened the vial in my hand. The crimson liquid rose from the container in a flowing stream and was absorbed into my pendant. I had done that because the pendant allowed me to convert blood into pure life force that would enhance my combat power.
I activated the pendant's power, and immediately the blood within it evaporated and transformed into raw energy that flooded through my body. Suddenly, I felt much more powerful, my muscles felt denser, my reflexes sharper, and my overall power significantly boosted.
Without wasting time, I activated my Blood Control trait with a new strategy in mind.