The Snake God with SSS Rank Evolution System

Isolde’s knees buckled. She dropped to the ground, her chest heaving, her breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. The black petals around her flickered, their edges growing faint as the strain of the Black Rose Eternity mode finally caught up with her.

”Hahh... hah... feel that... you muscle-brained fool...”

Reith’s eyes were wide, his voice barely a whisper as he stared at the vortex consuming Deiora’s form.

”Is it... is it over...?”

The demon soldiers stood frozen, their faces pale with disbelief. Their chants had died in their throats, replaced by a stunned, horrified silence.

Celine’s voice cracked, her composure finally shattering.

”Impossible... Lord Deiora...”

Lilith straightened slowly, brushing dust from her sleeve. Her crimson eyes swept over the frozen demon soldiers, a cold, satisfied smile curling her lips.

”In the end, he was all talk.” Her gaze settled on Celine. ”And the rest of you should surrender. I’ve been curious how long a demon can scream.” She tilted her head, her voice dropping to a silken murmur. ”Would you like to help me find out?”

The demon soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. Their formation wavered, the certainty that had carried them through the battle beginning to crumble.

Celine’s hands clenched at her sides, her eyes blazing with defiance. But even she could not hide the tremor in her voice.

”You... you think this is over?”

Lilith’s smile widened, her threads already stirring around her fingers.

”Oh, I know it is.”

Then, from the heart of the vortex, a low, guttural laugh echoed.

The petals scattered.

Deiora’s massive form emerged from the fading vortex, his body wreathed in flickering remnants of crimson and shadow. His aura was dimmed, his movements slower, but he was still standing.

”Heh... hehehe... HAHAHAHA!” Deiora’s laugh boomed across the clearing. ”That was magnificent! I haven’t felt a rush like that in centuries!”

Lilith’s smile flickered. Her threads tightened around her fingers.

”...Tch! He’s still alive.”

Isolde’s head lifted, her eyes widening as she stared at Deiora’s battered but unbowed form.

’Impossible... I was sure that attack would finish him...’

Bianca’s hands glowed with soft golden light as she worked to stabilize Franc’s broken body. Her voice was strained, disbelief coloring every word.

”How... how is he still standing after that attack?”

Deiora walked forward with casual ease, his aura rising like a tide as he advanced.

”You’re confused about why I’m still alive, aren’t you?” He spread his massive arms wide, his grin sharp and triumphant. ”You’ve shown me a magnificent fight—so I’ll tell you.”

He stopped, his cold gaze sweeping over them.

”It’s because I have [Celestial Breaker].”

The name hung in the air like a challenge.

”It grants me immunity to any single attack, no matter how powerful. Once per day, I can simply... ignore it.” His grin widened, his voice dropping to a mocking murmur. ”That’s why I survived your little flower trick. Your strongest attack and I shrugged it off like it was nothing.”

A wide grin split Deiora’s face as laughter rumbled from his throat.

”HAHAHAHA! Do you see now? You threw everything you had at me, and I’m still standing!”

Isolde’s legs trembled as she tried to push herself upright. Her body screamed in protest, the strain of the Black Rose Eternity mode draining her reserves faster than she could replenish them. Her knees buckled, and she caught herself on one hand, gasping.

’He’s gotten stronger since the last time I faced him...’

Deiora cast a glance toward his troops, his voice calm yet carrying a presence that made every soldier straighten their backs.

”Listen. Take the women, they’re too weak to resist.” His gaze shifted to the Melium soldiers. ”And the humans... kill them. Don’t leave a single one breathing.”

A cold, victorious smile spread across Celine’s face. She took a step forward, her hand already wrapped around her sword’s hilt.

”As you command, Lord Deiora.”

The demon soldiers surged forward, their formation tightening as they closed in on the battered group.

Lilith’s threads stirred around her fingers as she spoke.

”You really think we’re just going to stand here and let you take us?”

Deiora’s laugh boomed across the battlefield, rich with confidence and cruel amusement.

”Heh! Admit it, you’re running on empty. How much longer can you keep protecting that man behind you with your barrier? You’re pouring your energy into a losing cause.”

He took a step forward, his massive form casting a long shadow across the clearing. His aura flickered, dimmer than before but still dense, still pressing against them like a physical weight.

”Your arrogance is the only thing keeping you standing.”

Deiora lunged forward, his fist aimed directly at the barrier protecting Adam’s unconscious form.

Isolde’s blood surged, but it was slow. The barrier flickered, barely holding as Deiora’s fist slammed into it.

CRACK! SHATTER!

The barrier buckled, cracks spreading across its surface like fractured glass. Isolde gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of remaining strength into maintaining it, but she was fading. Her legs trembled beneath her, and her vision swam in a blur of exhaustion.

’I can’t... hold him...!’

Lilith moved to intercept, her threads snapping toward Deiora’s exposed flank, but Celine was already there. Her blade carved through the threads with a single, clean arc, severing them mid-flight.

”This is payback.” Celine said.

The demon soldiers closed in around them, their weapons gleaming with renewed confidence.

”Surround them! Don’t let a single one escape!”

”Kill the humans! Wipe them out!”

Bianca’s barrier flared to life around Reith, Franc, and the still-unconscious Kloss. The golden light flickered as demon blades crashed against it, each impact sending ripples across its surface. Her hands trembled, sweat beading on her forehead, but she held firm.

”Kill! Kill! KILL!”

Another wave of blows rained down on the barrier. Bianca’s nose began to bleed, a thin trickle of crimson trailing down her lip.

Reith’s voice cracked with alarm. ”Hey! your nose!”

Bianca kept withstanding the assault without lowering her hands.

”I’m fine. We’re all going to live.”

Reith’s hands clenched at his sides, his voice rising with desperation.

”Bianca, stop! You’re killing yourself! Drop the barrier!”

She didn’t falter. The golden light shuddered under the assault, but she held it together with every ounce of strength she had left.

One of the demons let out a frustrated snarl.

”Fuck! She’s still not giving up.”

Another demon’s voice cut through.

”Her resolve is impressive. But she’ll break soon enough.”

A third demon stepped forward, his grin sharp and cruel.

”Hey... what if we grab that knight over there? I bet she’ll drop that barrier real fast if we start cutting pieces off her.”

Reith’s head snapped toward them, his eyes blazing.

”What...?!”

The demon’s grin widened. The soldiers moved toward Seraphina’s crumpled form, their hands already reaching for her.

”Bring her over here.”

”Stop! Don’t touch her!” Reith shouted.

The demon soldiers hefted Seraphina’s limp body, dragging her toward the barrier. One of them let out a low, mocking chuckle.

”I can’t believe she’s still alive. She’s tougher than she looks.”

Reith’s voice cracked, his hands pressed against the inside of the barrier.

”Please stop!! I’m begging you—”

The demons laughed. Their cruel, mocking laughter echoed through the clearing, drowning out his pleas. They dragged Seraphina’s body forward, their grins widening as they watched Reith’s composure shatter.

The lead demon raised his blade, its edge gleaming with cruel anticipation.

”Let’s see how long she lasts without her barrier.”

But before the blade could fall, a scream tore through the chaos.

”AAAHHHGG!!!! YOU FILTHY MONSTER!!!”

Celine hand fell to the ground with a wet, heavy thud. Her severed wrist gushed crimson, the stump sizzling where Lilith’s blade-sharp limb had carved through.

Lilith’s form had shifted. Her elegant humanoid silhouette had unraveled, replaced by the sleek, terrifying grace of her arachnid form.

”I don’t have time for you,” Lilith said with irritation.

She turned, her many legs carrying her across the battlefield with terrifying speed. Her remaining limbs lashed out, carving a path through the demon soldiers who had been pressing the attack. They scattered, their formation crumbling as she closed the distance toward Deiora.

Deiora, who had been methodically hammering against Isolde’s barrier, sensed the shift. His head snapped around, his eyes narrowing as Lilith’s arachnid form barreled toward him.

He was forced to abandon his assault, leaping back to avoid the sweeping arc of her claws. His massive form hit the ground with a heavy thud, his gaze fixed on Lilith with surprise.

”I didn’t expect you to have such a monstrous form. It’s almost... impressive.”

Lilith’s many eyes fixed on him, her voice sharp and unyielding.

”Keep your hands off him.”

Deiora let out a low, rumbling chuckle. ”You’re still bold enough to give me orders? It seems I’ll have to knock that arrogance out of you.”

He lunged forward, his fist already cocked back, golden energy gathering along his knuckles. Lilith’s limbs shot forward, fragments of Soulreaver streaking toward him from multiple angles.

Isolde’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp with warning.

”Lilith, don’t—!”

But it was too late.

Deiora’s fist met Lilith’s attack head-on, the golden aura flaring as it absorbed the impact. Then he twisted, redirecting the force back at her. The shards that had been aimed at him reversed course, tearing through Lilith’s own limbs with brutal precision.

Crimson blood sprayed as several of her legs were severed, her body lurching as she fought to maintain her balance.

Deiora straightened, rolling his shoulder with a low, satisfied hum.

”Did you really think I was all talk?” He tilted his head, his grin sharp and mocking. ”What’s with that look?”

Lilith’s gaze burned with cold fury, her remaining limbs trembling as she forced herself upright.

Deiora’s foot shot forward, catching her in the chest and sending her skidding backward across the bloodstained ground.

”Such a pity. I was hoping to bring her back to demon territory. She would have made a fine addition.”

Isolde’s voice came out weak, but still carried that familiar edge of cold defiance. She forced herself upright, her eyes fixed on Deiora’s massive form.

”Like you did with the White Demon? Make her your subordinate?”

Deiora turned slowly, his grin widening as he faced her.

”Exactly. I have a fondness for strong warriors. And you, Isolde...” He took a step toward her. ”You should return to our side as well. The Demon King would welcome you back with open arms.”

”I’ve already left that life behind,” Isolde said, her voice cold and sharp as a blade. ”I have no intention of stepping back into it.”

Deiora let out a theatrical sigh, shaking his head slowly.

”Such a shame. I was hoping to capture you gently.” His grin sharpened. ”But if you insist on resisting...”

”Capture me? That won’t happen. Because you’re going to die.”

Deiora let out a sharp, mocking laugh, his voice dripping with contempt.

”Me? Die? Isolde, you’re barely standing. Your barrier is about to—”

The barrier shattered.

Isolde’s hands had dropped. The golden light that had been protecting Adam’s unconscious form flickered, then died.

And where the barrier had stood, a figure rose.

His gaze swept the clearing, taking in the scattered bodies, the bloodstained ground, the demon soldiers frozen mid-advance.

And then he spoke.

”I see you’ve been busy while I was asleep.”