"How could I, a young lady, collapse in a place like this?"

Lia knelt on the ground, staring blankly up at the huge snake head.

The rock serpent spewed a strong, fishy stench from its gaping maw. Its fangs were as thick as a person's forearm; one bite and the person would likely lose their life instantly.

Lia had imagined many possible endings for her adventures: falling to the claws of a dragon, failing in her battle against a demon from the abyss, and even engaging in a one-on-one duel with a demon adventurer on a grand stage, narrowly losing but earning the respect of all, her name forever etched in history...

But I never expected this.

You will die in the mouth of a tiny, level 30, purple rare rock snake.

Just like that legendary adventurer who slew the golden dragon—he died, killed by a goblin of level 10 or so. He had used up all his strength to slay the dragon, and was finished off by the goblin.

Lia felt a similar sense of desolation.

Scenes flashed before her eyes: growing up in the slums, being taken in by the Mandala family, running away from home, and establishing the Snow Goose Adventure Team.

The group goes on adventures together, enjoys the spoils, eats, plays, argues, goes their separate ways, and then becomes friends again, attending the Winter Solstice fireworks display together...

"How could I possibly fall here!"

Lia shouted, her eyes filled with tears of resentment, her right hand burning with fiery red battle aura as she punched the rock serpent that lunged at her!

"hiss!"

The rock serpent opened its massive jaws, intending to devour the adventurer before it.

But the next moment, as if it were not "long enough", it stopped when it was about ten centimeters away from Leah.

No matter how much effort they put in, they couldn't touch the adventurer.

Lia's punch missed its mark, and she lost control of her strength, falling to the ground with a thud, bumping her forehead.

Um?

Lia clutched her aching head and looked at the rock snake in confusion.

Why has this monster suddenly stopped moving?

Could it be a kind monster that understands human nature and won't harm adventurers?

Leah quickly noticed something was amiss.

The rock serpent was bound by a wooden dragon formed from vines, unable to move at all. It was made of vines as thick as a thumb, intertwined to form a lifelike wooden dragon.

The strong bindings shattered the rock serpent's scales, causing it to bleed profusely; it was as if the adventurer had all his bones broken.

The rock serpent's triangular pupils showed pain, and its mouth opened, emitting a sharp hissing sound.

The wooden dragon formed from vines carried a hint of dragon aura, which exerted a strong suppressive force on the rock serpent.

If a druid were present, they would probably be able to distinguish the hissing of the rock serpent as a plea for mercy.