Chapter 755: Shade, The Chroma Serpent
On the surface of the ocean, Zarek watched the rippling water with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Do you think they’re alright down there? It’s been six days now," the captain of the ship said with a serious expression.
The faces of the crew were etched with concern as they watched Zarek, waiting for his reply, but the vampire remained strangely quiet, his expression unreadable.
He didn’t take his gaze off the waters—it felt as if he were trying to search for something. A few members of the crew had tried diving earlier, but they didn’t find anything. None dared to go deeper, afraid of encountering the Sea Devotees.
After what felt like an eternity, Zarek’s lips parted as he spoke in a soft, low voice.
"They’re still alive."
A collective sigh of relief rippled across the deck when they heard his confident words—but then it struck them.
"Wait... how do you know? You can’t see them from here! I’m sure of that!"
Zarek only smiled faintly. "I trust my instincts... besides, young master Nox isn’t someone who could be gotten rid of so easily."
When they heard this, all the crew members collectively facepalmed. Zarek had only given them baseless assurance—nothing had really changed!
---
Meanwhile, under the water in the abyssal kelp forest, Nox swam through the towering trees.
The reason he had come here was because he wanted to tame a sea monster. The only pet in his arsenal useful in this environment was Australx.
But the jellyfish wasn’t familiar with this terrain to begin with. Nox needed something more fierce and aggressive.
After searching the outer areas of the forest for some time, he finally caught sight of a beast that interested him—or rather, the beast found him.
A sudden pressure change was his only warning. He spun around as a creature shot out from a dense thicket of kelp. It was long and serpentine, covered in iridescent scales that shifted color to match its surroundings. Its head was sleek, with large black eyes and a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth. It moved with terrifying speed, coiling around him before he could fully react.
It was a Chroma Serpent, known for its camouflage and dangerous venom. The creature circled around him, observing in silence. It didn’t attack outright—just stared curiously.
[Why do I sense my kind on you?] the serpent hissed.
Nox quickly understood who it was referring to. It was none other than Solora, the baby blue serpent.
"I’m not your enemy," Nox said calmly.
"I can feel that," it replied.
The serpent circled him warily, its scales glinting faintly as it moved. Nox could tell it was strong—its aura radiated pressure.
He kept his hands open, letting his mana flow gently to show no hostility.
"I’m not your enemy," he repeated. "I can give you something no one else can—strength."
One of the boons of Nox’s [Beast Monarch] class was that it made it easier for him to convince and relate with monsters, compelling them to form bonds.
[Strength?] it hissed. [You speak like one of the Devotees, but I can feel you’re not like them.]
"I’m nothing like them," Nox said evenly. "They enslave. I form bonds. You’ll be free—but stronger under me."
As if to prove his point, he summoned Solora from the taming space. The serpent wasn’t a sea python, but she could hold her breath underwater for at least thirty minutes.
The Chroma Serpent wasn’t surprised; it had already sensed the smaller one earlier. Nox briefly explained the situation to Solora, and she bobbed her snake head confidently. "Leave it to me."
She then approached the larger serpent. She was currently in her smaller form, only using her massive form when necessary.
Nox watched from the sidelines as the two communicated.
After several minutes of silence, the Chroma Serpent hissed again.
[Alright. I trust you not to harm me.]
"Of course," Nox nodded with a grin. He placed a hand on the serpent’s shimmering body, and his beast mark insignia began to form. He showed it images—not of domination, but of partnership. Of hunting together. Of strength combined.
Some time later, the taming mark appeared fully. Nox reached out a hand slowly. The serpent watched him for a long moment, then finally nudged his palm with its snout.
He felt their senses merge with his own. When he activated [Astral Control], he could feel the subtle vibrations in the water for miles—sense the body heat of hidden creatures—see the world through its eyes: a landscape of heat, movement, and minute pressure changes. It was the perfect scout, the perfect partner for the upcoming Royal Hunt.
"I will name you Shade," Nox declared.
---
When he returned to the palace with the Chroma Serpent gliding silently beside him, the reaction was immediate.
Dorran stared, jaw slack. "You went out and got... that?"
"It’s a scout," Nox said simply. "Its senses are far better than ours down here. It can see things we can’t."
Lyra and Coralia approached, their expressions a mix of astonishment and concern.
"A Chroma Serpent?" Lyra gasped. "They’re unpredictable—and rare. To tame one so quickly, are you sure it’s safe?"
"It is," he nodded confidently. "My beasts can be stubborn, but they can’t break the taming connection. Now that I’ve become a Beast Monarch, the bond is even stronger."
Coralia circled Shade, studying it. The serpent watched her, its head following her movements, but it made no aggressive gestures.
"Its camouflage is near-perfect. If it can be controlled, it’s a significant advantage," she commented.
For the next couple of hours before the final day, they integrated Shade into their drills. The difference was immediate. Long before they could see or hear anything, Nox would get a pulse of information from Shade—a warning of a lurking predator, the distant movement of another training team, even the subtle shift of a dangerous current.
During a mock ambush, Shade detected the "enemy"—a group of royal guards acting as opponents—a full minute before they arrived, allowing Nox and Dorran to set up a perfect counterattack.
"Okay," Dorran admitted afterward, patting his shark’s side. "I’ll admit it. That thing is useful."
Nox simply smirked, feeling a swirl of pride.
Soon, the final day was upon them—the day of the Royal Hunt!