Metamorphosis: The Story of a Butterfly

Caelum wriggled lazily along the forest floor, a sense of lightness and peace filling his tiny body as he enjoyed the warmth of the rising sunlight filtering through the canopy. It had been days since his last major confrontation, and he had finally leveled up to 14. Life had been relatively quiet, allowing him to focus on gathering food, practicing his elemental magic, and wandering freely around the forest without worry.

"Maybe I can learn water magic soon," he muttered to himself, absent-mindedly chewing on a large, broad leaf. He hadn’t fully cracked the process of controlling water, but given his progress with fire and wind magic, he was confident it was just a matter of time before it clicked.

The quiet life felt like a well-earned respite after so many brushes with death. There was something satisfying about simply moving through the forest, eating to his heart's content, and enjoying the solitude. It had been a while since he had felt so carefree, and he let his mind wander, thinking about how far he had come since those terrifying early days.

A bird chirped overhead, a distant reminder of the dangers lurking in the forest, but Caelum barely registered it. He'd survived bigger threats than that now. Surely, he could handle whatever this world threw at him, right?

But the forest was always full of surprises, and danger never stayed away for long.

As he wriggled through a patch of tall grass, something sharp prickled at his instincts. His body froze, every sense on high alert. The air was still. Too still. The usual chorus of insects, birds, and rustling leaves had faded into an eerie silence. A feeling of unease settled into the pit of his stomach.

What’s going on? he thought, his body stiffening with caution.

A faint noise reached his ears. A sound so soft, so subtle, that if he hadn’t been paying attention, he might have missed it entirely—a soft hiss.

No… His blood ran cold.

He recognized that sound. A familiar terror surged through him, memories from his earliest days in the forest coming back in a flash. The snake. The same snake that had nearly killed him when he had first awoken in this world.

Without thinking, Caelum's many eyes darted across the forest floor, scanning the area frantically for any sign of movement. His heart began to pound in his chest as the realization hit him: the snake had found him again.

The underbrush shifted just a few feet ahead of him, and the familiar snake slithered into view. Only this time, the snake was far larger than it had been before. It had grown, just like him—its dark, glistening scales now stretched over an enormous, sinuous body that easily dwarfed Caelum's small, larval form. Its cold, predatory eyes locked onto him with an intensity that made his stomach churn.

[Appraisal Activated]

Name: Venomous Forest Serpent

Species: Greater Venom Serpent

Level: 18/25

Rank: D

HP: 90/90

MP: 30/30

Stamina: 80/80

Echo Skills: [Venomous Bite Lv. 10] [Constrict Lv. 7] [Stealth Lv. 5]

Resonance Skills: [Predator’s Instinct Lv. 4]

Resistance Skills: [Fire Resistance Lv. 3] [Poison Resistance Lv. 7]

Titles: [Territorial Beast]

Status Effects: None

How is it this big already? Panic flooded his mind as he realized the snake had grown at an alarming rate. Its body moved with deadly precision, its tongue flicking in and out as it tasted the air.

Caelum’s instincts screamed at him to move, but his body refused to obey. He was frozen in place, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the predator looming before him. His limbs twitched as he tried to back away, but it was too late.

The snake struck without warning, its body a blur of motion. Caelum barely had time to react before he felt a searing pain explode along his side. The snake's fangs had sunk deep into his soft, vulnerable body, and a burning sensation spread through him almost instantly.

HP: 35/40

Poison! His mind raced as the venom coursed through his veins, filling him with a terrifying, white-hot pain. His movements became sluggish, his body unresponsive as the poison quickly took hold. He could feel his health draining rapidly, the venom sapping his strength.

No, no, no… Caelum’s heart pounded in his chest as panic set in. I can’t die like this!

He tried to summon his magic, but his concentration faltered as the pain intensified. His vision blurred, and the world around him seemed to tilt and sway. He forced his mind to focus, willing a small spark of Fire Magic into existence, but the flame sputtered weakly in front of him, barely enough to singe the air.

HP: 30/40

Stamina: 35/40

The snake hissed in frustration, recoiling slightly as the flame flickered in the air between them. But its massive body twisted and coiled, slithering around him with terrifying speed. It wasn’t just bigger—it was faster, stronger, deadlier.

Caelum stumbled backward, his legs feeling heavy, his body uncooperative. The poison had spread too quickly. Every movement sent waves of pain through him, and he could feel his health draining by the second. He needed to act fast, but his body was failing him.

I have to run… I have to get away!

But the snake wasn’t giving him a chance. It lashed out again, its body wrapping around him in a constricting coil. Caelum gasped as the pressure built around him, squeezing the air from his lungs. The snake's cold, smooth scales pressed against his soft form, tightening with each passing moment.

I’m going to die here…

The world around him spun, his vision narrowing as the snake’s crushing grip continued to tighten. The poison burned through his veins, leaving him weak and disoriented. He tried to summon another burst of Fire Magic, but his mind was too clouded, too consumed by the pain to focus.

HP: 26/40

Stamina: 32/40

Why didn’t I see it sooner? Caelum cursed himself as he struggled to breathe. He had been so careless, so distracted. He had let his guard down, and now he was paying the price.

The snake’s fangs glistened as it opened its mouth wide, preparing for the final strike. Caelum could only watch in horror as the predator’s jaws loomed closer, its breath hot and foul against his skin.

This is it… Caelum thought, his heart pounding in his chest. I’m done for.

But then, just as the snake lunged forward, a blur of movement caught Caelum’s eye. A small, familiar shape darted through the trees, moving with surprising speed.

Aurelia?

Caelum blinked, his vision blurring as the poison took hold. He could barely make out her tiny form as she rushed toward him, her movements quick and precise. She was heading straight for the snake.

No, Aurelia… don’t… Caelum thought weakly. He wanted to call out to her, to tell her to stay back, but his voice wouldn’t come. His body was too weak, too poisoned.

Aurelia, however, didn’t hesitate. She darted toward the snake with surprising bravery, her small body weaving between the coils as she launched herself at the snake’s tail. She rammed into the snake with all her strength, her tiny form barely making a dent, but it was enough to startle the snake.

The serpent hissed in irritation, its body uncoiling slightly as it turned its attention toward Aurelia. Caelum gasped for air, his lungs burning as he struggled to catch his breath.

She’s… buying me time…

Aurelia darted around the snake, trying to draw its attention away from Caelum. Her small form zipped in and out of the snake’s range, stinging it with quick strikes, though they barely seemed to penetrate its thick scales.

I have to help her… Caelum thought, his mind struggling to focus. But his body wouldn’t obey. The poison had taken too much out of him, and his strength was rapidly fading. He could only watch as Aurelia bravely kept the snake at bay, her movements becoming more frantic as the snake grew angrier.

With a final surge of strength, Caelum forced himself to lift his head, trying to summon one last burst of Fire Magic. A small flicker of flame appeared in his mandibles, but it wasn’t nearly enough to stop the snake. Still, it distracted the predator long enough for Aurelia to dart out of its reach.

MP: 55/65

Come on… just a little more…

But before Caelum could muster another spell, the snake lashed out, its body coiling around Aurelia. She was going to be trapped.