Pash had always been a fast learner — that much was true since the day he was born. It was one of the few things that came naturally to him, the same trait that had once pushed him to follow in his parents' footsteps. And right now, that same stubborn confidence was what made him believe he could recreate that strange, powerful feeling he had experienced before.
The snake struck again, its massive body cutting through the air like a whip. Pash leapt backwards, feet scraping against the broken rooftop as he created some distance between himself and the beast.
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, biting down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. The sting of pain jolted through his body — and then it happened. His right arm began to shift.
Coarse hair rose along his forearm, thick and dark like the pelt of some wild creature. His skin darkened to a shade of ashen black, veins glowing faintly purple beneath the surface. His fingers twisted and hardened into clawed talons that gleamed dangerously under the sunlight.
Unbeknownst to him, the tattoo carved into his left shoulder stirred — the markings seemed to ripple and shift as if alive, snaking slightly down his arm before settling again. But Pash didn't notice. He was too focused on the threat before him.
The snake coiled and hissed, muscles tensing like cables. Dust and debris scattered around it as it prepared to strike once more.
This time, Pash didn't run. He crouched low, pressing his clawed hands into the ground, feeling the tremor of the creature's movement through his fingertips. He waited — a hunter's patience in his eyes.
When the snake lunged forward, fangs flashing, Pash exploded upwards. His feet tore into the ground, leaving cracks where he stood. He met the creature mid-air, gripping its massive head with both transformed hands.
With a guttural growl, he drove his claws deep into the snake's skull.
This time, you're mine.
The serpent thrashed wildly, its hiss cutting through the silence like a screech of metal. But Pash didn't let go. Using every ounce of strength, he twisted his body and flung the creature downward.
Fwuuoom—BOOM!
The snake crashed into the earth with a deafening impact, the ground trembling beneath the force. Trees snapped, stones scattered, and a cloud of dust billowed up around them.
Before the creature could fully recover, Pash landed and dashed forward again, aiming straight for its throat. His claws glinted, his movements fierce and fluid — half man, half beast.
He slashed at its neck, cutting through several of its thick scales, but the serpent countered with brutal force. Its tail swung sideways in a blur.
Crack!
The blow caught Pash square in the chest, the impact launching him backwards. He skidded several metres before coming to a halt, breath ragged. A coppery taste filled his mouth as he spat blood onto the dusty ground.
"Yes... that's it," he growled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Now we're talking."
The pain coursing through his body didn't weaken him — it ignited him. It was as if every throb, every sting, awakened something deeper. His eyes glowed dark red, twin embers in the shadowed ruins. His teeth lengthened into sharp points, and the strange markings across his skin pulsed with purple light, shifting and crawling toward his chest.
Then his left arm changed too. The transformation spread, black skin and violet veins racing down his forearm as his other hand took the shape of a claw.
Pash didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward with newfound speed — so fast that the world around him blurred. Even the snake's movement seemed sluggish compared to his. The wind howled in his ears as he moved.
But his body wasn't fully used to this power yet.
"Oh, crap—!"
He zoomed past the snake entirely, unable to slow down.
BAM! He slammed into a tree.
BOOM! He crashed through another.
CRASH! The third tree finally stopped him, its bark cracking under the impact.
He staggered, shaking his head as splinters rained down. "Shit... I didn't think this through. I have to take it calmly."
Just then, the snake came at him again — an avalanche of muscle and rage. Its eyes gleamed with vengeance.
Without wasting a second, Pash turned and began climbing the massive tree behind him. His claws dug deep into the bark, allowing him to scale it with ease. The serpent slithered after him, wrapping around the trunk as it climbed.
The tree groaned from the combined weight.
When Pash reached a high enough point, he leapt to another tree, then another, bounding from one to the next like a shadow in motion. Leaves and debris rained down from his trail. The snake pursued relentlessly, its long body winding through the forest with terrifying speed.
But Pash had a plan.
Mid-leap, he turned sharply, twisting his body through the air. The snake didn't expect the sudden change in direction — it was too focused on pursuit.
In that split second, Pash shot forward, grabbing the serpent by its thick body and slamming it against the nearest trunk.
THUD!
The impact made the ground quake. Bark and leaves exploded from the strike.
With both clawed hands, Pash tore into the creature's scales, his sharp nails digging deep. The snake screamed — a deep, echoing hiss of agony. It coiled its body around him, constricting tightly, but Pash didn't flinch.
"You think that's gonna stop me?" he grunted, grinning through the pressure. "Not today."
He reached up, gripping the creature's jaws — one hand on the upper, one on the lower. Then he began to pull, muscles bulging as he tried to rip them apart.
The snake thrashed violently. Its coils tightened around him once more, and in the struggle, it managed to throw Pash off balance. They both tumbled to the ground, rolling through the dirt and debris.
Dust filled the air. Pash lost his grip, and the serpent wasted no time. It turned and fled, using the dense canopy as cover, slithering between the shattered trunks at incredible speed.
"Oh no, you don't!" Pash roared, taking off after it.
The chase tore through the forest — man and monster weaving between splintered trees and broken walls. But no matter how hard he pushed himself, the snake was always a step ahead. It twisted and turned sharply whenever he drew close.
"Ahhh! Come on!" he shouted in frustration, his claws carving lines in the dirt as he ran. The serpent's slippery movements made it impossible to catch.
Pash finally stopped, panting, his shoulders heaving. Damn it... it's getting away.
Then he noticed something strange — the tattoo markings on his body were shifting again, spreading across his chest and arms. They pulsed, glowing brighter with each heartbeat.
Pash felt something — a heat building in his right arm. Energy gathered there, wild and unstable.
"Whoa... it's hot," he muttered, looking at his claw. Sparks of blood-red energy danced around it, crackling faintly. If I don't release this now...
An idea struck him, and a wicked grin spread across his face. He turned toward the fleeing serpent, braced his feet, and drew his arm back.
"Let's see how you like this."
He swung forward with everything he had.
VROOOM—!
A burst of energy erupted from his claw, streaking through the air in the form of three blazing, crescent-shaped slashes. They ripped through trees and stone alike, cutting a clean path toward the snake.
BOOOOM!
The explosion that followed shook the entire area. Fire and dust surged outward, and a shockwave rolled through the ruined forest.
"Whoa... hahahahah! That's awesome!" Pash laughed maniacally, jumping in excitement like a child who had just been given a toy. "Please tell me I didn't blow up dinner..."
He dashed forward, weaving through the smouldering wreckage. Trees were uprooted, their trunks charred black. Smoke curled from the crater where the attack had landed.
Then he saw it — the snake's body lay in two halves, split cleanly down the middle. The edges were still smoking.
"Guess not," Pash exhaled, both impressed and a little relieved.
He crouched beside the fallen serpent, examining the devastation. Will I be able to do that again? he wondered, looking at his hands. The markings had begun retracting, fading back toward his left arm. The glow dimmed until only faint traces remained.
"Well... when the bridge comes, I'll cross it," he murmured with a smirk. "For now, I've got to bring this home."
He gripped one half of the snake's corpse and hoisted it onto his shoulder. The creature's sheer weight was immense, but his transformed body handled it with ease.
"Now... how the hell am I meant to get back?" he muttered, glancing around at the endless expanse of scorched forest. He had been so caught up in the fight that he'd lost all sense of direction.
Still, a crooked grin tugged at his lips as he adjusted the load on his shoulder.
"Tobi's gonna have a field day when he sees this," he said under his breath, starting the long trek back through the ruined woods — the half of the serpent swaying over his shoulder like a hunter's prize.