Outside, in the vast ocean, Selena's body finally went still after moments of agonizing thrashing. The sea grew eerily calm. And then—
A voice echoed inside Daniel's mind:
"Serpent God Selena has been slain. You have successfully defeated a mythical beast."
Several hours later, Daniel regained consciousness. He was lying still, drenched in dry, crusted blood. In front of his eyes, glowing notifications hovered in the air:
---
[You have gained 1 trillion EXP points]
[New Title Acquired: God Eater]
---
New Passive Trait Unlocked:
Serpent God Will
Serpent God Heart
[Error?]
---
New Skills Acquired:
Poison Saliva
Poison Resistance
Absolute Digestion
Dash
Daniel stared at the floating text, his heart pounding with the thrill of transformation—and the unknown weight of what he'd just become.
Daniel's mind was echoing with the lingering words of the system, but right now, he was fixated on one thing—where the hell did Selena's core go? He searched every inch of the area where her heart had once pulsed, but the glowing core was nowhere in sight. The blood had stopped flowing. The massive organ now looked lifeless.
For half an hour, Daniel combed through the remains, growing increasingly anxious. Frustrated, he muttered under his breath,
"Where could it have gone? Don't tell me... did Selena hide it before dying?"
Scratching his head, his worry grew deeper.
"If she comes back to reclaim it... she might resurrect. That core could help her return. And if that happens..."
He trailed off, biting his lip in unease.
With a helpless shrug, he slumped down against a jagged wall of the inner chamber.
"I killed her, sure... but how the hell am I supposed to get out of this place?"
His eyes scanned the now-empty space.
"There's no water flooding in right now, so this thing's acting like a grounded submarine. But I can't stay here forever. It's going to start stinking soon, and if I try to swim up, can I even hold my breath that long?"
He sighed again.
"At least I got a ton of EXP and some skills out of it. Let's check what I actually gained."
He took a deep breath and softly said,
"Status window."
And instantly, a glowing blue panel appeared in the air before him:
---
User: Daniel Johnson
**[Title]:God Slayer
[Class]: N/A
[Level]: 1
---
[Stats]:
Rating: E-
Strength: G
Agility: E
Stamina: E-
Magic Power: E+
Luck: G–S (Conditional)
Intelligence: G+
Charm: G+
---
[Traits]:
Passive: Serpent God Will [2 / ?]
→ Serpent God Heart: Your willpower is enhanced
→ Error?
---
[Skills]:
Poison Saliva
Poison Resistance
Absolute Digestion
Dash
---
Daniel's brows furrowed as he studied the panel.
"Level 1...? Even after getting a trillion EXP?"
He tilted his head, clearly confused.
"And what the hell is this Error?... Why is that even listed as a trait?"
His eyes settled on "Serpent God Heart," and a sudden realization struck him.
Wait... did I… eat the core?
The thought made his stomach churn—and then settle.
He remembered the moment: the heat, the glowing energy... the thing that slid into him when he was too distracted by hunger.
"Shit… I really did eat it."
But that also meant... he didn't just slay a god. He had become something else entirely.
Daniel's eyes lit up.
The moment he glanced at his updated status, it felt as if time had come to a standstill. He had received multiple new abilities, skills—and most importantly—a title that made his lips curve into a grin.
[Title: God Slayer]
The one who can even kill Gods.
Looking at the title, Daniel chuckled. "Well, this must have been the weakest god among them… but a god nonetheless. Killing it definitely earned me this title. I've always wondered—what comes after this? There are creatures in this world, mythical and divine beasts that have existed for centuries. Some are even immortal—said to be impossible to kill. But with this title... maybe they aren't so impossible anymore."
He let out a light laugh. "If I become powerful enough, of course."
His gaze shifted to the EXP section—1 trillion EXP. It was more than enough to increase his level a hundred times over. But he knew jumping too many levels at once would break his body apart. Even the system seemed to understand that, as it hadn't immediately leveled him up. Instead, it offered him a choice—something that shocked Daniel. After all, normal systems didn't grant favors like this. Only the protagonist, Justin, had a private AI system that catered to him, gave him missions, and basically handed him power on a silver platter.
Daniel's system, on the other hand, was a common one. It merely displayed stats. No AI. No special missions. Just cold, hard data.
He sighed. "Of course he gets the royal treatment. He is the protagonist, after all…"
Shaking off the thought, Daniel's eyes scanned over to his traits. "Looks like my eyesight has been enhanced," he murmured. He stood up, eyes searching for the serpent god's core. Everything looked crystal clear, yet the core was nowhere to be found. With a disappointed sigh, he reverted his eyesight to normal. "Where the hell did that core go?"
His gaze moved again, this time landing on a different trait.
"My willpower has improved too," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
Curious, he opened the skill tab.
[Poison Saliva]
I can now turn my saliva into poison when I want. Not bad… although it probably won't affect stronger opponents.
[Poison Resistance]
Poison can't harm me anymore.
[Absolute Digestion]
No matter what or how much I eat, I can instantly digest it.
[Dash]
Move 10 meters at the speed of light without spending mana.
Reading through the skills, Daniel couldn't help but smile. His fingers twitched in anticipation. "Let's test Dash first."
He activated the skill.
Nothing happened.
He was still standing in the same spot.
Daniel frowned. "Huh? Guess I really do have to run."
He sprinted forward, and suddenly the world slowed down. Time itself bent around him. For Daniel, everything moved like molasses as he dashed through the 10 meters. But when he stopped, he realized he hadn't made the full distance. Still, the effect was noticeable.
"It's not that I can dash ten meters," he mused, "it's that I get a window of slowed time long enough to move ten meters... if I can."
He let out another amused chuckle. "Nice."
Then his eyes drifted to the dead serpent's body.
"Absolute Digestion," he muttered. "Should I... eat it?"
For a moment, he recoiled at the thought. "No, no—come on, I can't eat that thing."
But then his inner voice argued, It's full of nutrients, Daniel. It could help you level up faster. Maybe even reveal the core...
Reluctantly, he gave in. "Fine."
He clasped his hands in prayer. "Thank you for the meal," he said, and began eating.
Six hours later, half the serpent was gone.
Twelve hours later, he had devoured it entirely.
Letting out a massive burp, Daniel patted his belly. "I still can't believe I just ate that."
He looked down at himself—his body had completely transformed. His fat had vanished, his muscles had tightened, and his long-lost six-pack was back in full form. Flexing his arms, he smirked. "This… this is what I missed."
[Congratulations! You have gained a new trait: God Eater]
You can now consume gods and absorb their powers.
Daniel's eyes lit up. "God Slayer… and now God Eater. These are going to be useful when we face the real gods later. Guess I'm lucky I got them early."
Looking around, Daniel realized he was still deep beneath the ocean—but he was breathing effortlessly, like a creature born of the sea. "Must be one of my new traits or the title's effect," he guessed.
Then he saw something near the serpent god's remains. Its skeleton had collapsed—but no sign of the core. What did catch his attention, however, was a small egg, slightly larger than a chicken's, resting beside the bones.
Daniel stared. "Should I eat this too…?"
He hesitated. "If this egg contains the next serpent god and it hatches, it might come for revenge. But… I could also raise it. It's easier to tame something while it's still in the egg."
He started pacing, debating with himself.
Not a single sea creature was in sight.
They must've fled after sensing the presence of the god's killer, Daniel realized.
Even the ocean fears me now.
Finally, he made up his mind.
"I'll keep it."
He picked up the egg and scanned the area. Nearby, clusters of mana crystals shimmered—each of high value on the market. He pocketed a few and began swimming toward the surface.
Far in the distance, he saw an island.
It had to be SERA Hero Academy.
"I can see that far…? Must be the enhanced eyesight again," he muttered.
Without wasting time, Daniel swam. For hours, he moved relentlessly until finally—[Level Up! You are now at Level 2]—rang in his head. His stamina had dropped, but he didn't feel even a trace of fatigue.
Reaching the shore, he found a large tree and hid the mana crystals in a hollow at its base.
Then he whispered, "Status Window."
---
User: Daniel Johnson
[Titles: God Slayer, God Eater]
[Class: N/A]
[Level: 2]
[Stats]
-> Rating: E-
-> Strength: E
-> Agility: E
-> Stamina: E
-> Magic Power: D-
-> Luck: G-S (Conditional)
-> Intelligence: G+
-> Charm: G+
[Traits]
-> Passive: Serpent God's Will [2 / ?]
- Serpent God's Heart: Your willpower is enhanced
- Error?
[Skills]
-> Active:
- Poison Saliva
- Poison Resistance
- Absolute Digestion
- Dash