Once upon a time there was a greedy snake

As for why they didn't directly attack the holy mountain and do it openly and honestly...

Of course, it's because the harvest festival still needs to be celebrated as usual.

The worship of the serpent god has been deeply rooted since the nineteenth Holy King, which means that the annual harvest festival is a considerable source of income. In the name of the serpent god, magicians can enjoy a large number of offerings.

And those sacrifices would eventually transform into their power, making their bellies grow larger and their magic stronger.

"The flames that fly from our palms burn the fat on our bodies."

These are the words of wisdom left behind by the thirty-third leader of Ignivas, the Sun Eater.

All magicians regard it as the essence of magic.

The leader of the thirty-sixth generation of Ignivas, David Day, known as the "Dawn of the New Life," was the best among them. He was the most muscular and the most powerful of all the mages.

Similarly, he consumed the most honey.

There were a full thirty-six large bowls of honey. If it were any of the other mages present, they would probably have been stuffed to death before they could even finish half of it. But this New Dawn ate all thirty-six bowls of honey without changing her expression.

Looking at her exposed belly, you couldn't even see any undulations.

A large appetite and strong digestive ability mean equally strong strength.

That is precisely why he became king.

Now, David Day, the king, has pushed the plan to its final stage. One mammoth after another is being driven out by the magicians—according to the records of the Ignivas family, this is the serpent god's favorite food, and now, they will become bait to lure the serpent god.

There was nothing left in the mountains that could be considered prey. Now that the serpent god had awakened, driven by hunger, it would surely follow the scent of the mammoth and walk into their ambush.

Yes, it is it, not Him.

As core members of the Ignivas family, the magicians present, including David Day himself, no longer worshipped the serpent god.

"Since it has not brought us abundance, then we will take what we want ourselves."

With a command, the gathered mages scattered and disappeared into the forest.

Judging by their position, they had already formed a circle in front of the mammoths.

Out of caution, they would not give the serpent god any chance to eat. They would kill the serpent god when it was at its weakest to ensure that nothing went wrong.

With nearly a hundred high-ranking mages joining forces, even mountains would be incinerated in the raging flames. But the most powerful among them was David Day himself. As the mage who could eat the most and was also the most powerful in combat, he was in charge of the main attack and could destroy a mountain by himself.

And now, he stands at the forefront of the team.

To demonstrate his strength, he was going to have a head-on confrontation with the serpent god.

"After all, that way I can be the one who eats the most."

David Day thought so.

Having other high-ranking mages come to provide support would ensure everything goes smoothly, but it also meant he had to share the flesh and blood of the serpent god—that was the flesh and blood of a god, and who knew how strong it would make someone after eating it.

If the other mages were to eat even more than him, would he still be able to sit securely on his throne?

Therefore, he must eat the most, and only he can eat the most, in order to maintain his status as king.

No, and not just as a king.

Rather, as God.

To gain power comparable to that of gods with a human body, and become a god among men in the present world.

He didn't want to be just a mere thirty-sixth generation king.

He will become the eternal Holy King of the Ignis.

"If someone tries to take more after the hunt ends... then we'll have no choice but to accept it."

Thinking about what might happen after hunting down the gods, he was already prepared to fight back, even to the point of killing them.

No one can stop him from becoming a god, not even his own family members.

"I hope that after you witness my strength, you will understand the gap between us."

With that thought in mind, David Day took a deep breath.

His large hands were already raised high, a posture of preparation for attack for the mages. At this moment, he could hear the sound of trees falling in the distance.

Trees fell one after another, the sound of the serpent god advancing. The sound grew ever closer, and the serpent god was charging toward him!

"Then I'll show you my strength!"

With a clap of his hands, towering flames suddenly ignited out of thin air!

The raging flames swept over everything in sight, instantly turning grass and trees into charcoal, and even burning rocks to ashes. The intense flames ignited everything in an instant, and the blinding light was like a second sun rising from the ground.

And that is the origin of his name.

There are only wrong names, never wrong nicknames. He who can be called "the first ray of dawn" already possesses the power comparable to the second sun!

However, just as the second sunrise was beginning to rise...

The once clear sky suddenly turned gloomy.

"Is it going to rain?"

David Day instinctively looked up.

"But it doesn't matter. With my magical flames, even if rain falls, it won't... um?"

His gaze suddenly froze.

Simply because what appeared in sight was not some leaden gray cloud at all.

Instead, they were large, fine... snake scales?

"boom--"

In an instant, the second sun was crushed into silence.

Along with the nearly one hundred mages and David Day, they were all crushed into the earth.

"Huh? Did I just bump into something?"

It was at this moment that the enormous snake lowered its head slightly and surveyed the surrounding ground.

"I don't think I saw it... Never mind."

Now is not the time to worry about such trivial matters.

Having been starving for a long time, Du Yi could only see the plump mammoths so close at hand.

Chapter 19 Things Language Cannot Do

David Day was awakened by the aroma of meat.

He was extremely familiar with the aroma; it was the smell of roasted mammoth. The meat of a well-fed mammoth, cut into chunks and then roasted over a high flame, was already an exceptionally delicious dish based solely on the quality of the ingredients.

It is said that these mammoths were originally bred for meat as a sacrifice to the serpent god who symbolized a bountiful harvest. However, with the disappearance of the serpent god, these mammoths gradually became a delicacy that only royalty could afford.

But now, these mammoths are fulfilling their original purpose.

Not far away, a small black and gold hill stood before a huge bonfire, watching the mammoth resting on the flames.

Good news, the terrifying serpent god did not see him rise.

The bad news is that he doesn't even deserve to be glanced at by that snake god.

"Why? I clearly..."

David Day's mind trembled at the thought of the battle he had just fought.

Even the fiercest saber-toothed tiger wouldn't hold back when hunting rabbits, let alone when he was facing the serpent god worshipped by the Ignis people. He had made thorough preparations and even unleashed his strongest attack the moment he made his move.

But all of this is meaningless.

His attacks, which he was so proud of, were as laughable as children's flames in the face of that mountain-like body.

In just one glance, everything was ruined.

His arrangements, his preparations, and the high-ranking mages he had specially gathered to replenish his fighting strength—now these high-ranking mages have all been completely crushed into the ground, their bodies flattened like a poorly drawn painting.

Only David Day himself, with the strongest bones and the thickest layer of fat, could barely manage it, though he was severely injured and on the verge of death.

Every part of his body ached; David Day felt as if almost every bone in his body had been crushed.

However, as the most powerful mage in the Ignivas family, and the person closest to the gods, he gritted his teeth and straightened up.

He absolutely cannot stay here any longer. His attack on the serpent god has already offended the god himself. If the serpent god discovers that he is still alive, he will only face a second, merciless crushing.

He must live, he absolutely must live.

"After all, only by surviving can one have a second chance to become a god."

"After all, this time... I really grasped the key to power."

Thinking this, David Day took a deep look at the enormous snake body in the distance.

Then, with an agility completely out of character for its large size, it fled far away.

----------

Just as David Day was leaving, two figures went in the opposite direction, heading towards the huge and bright campfire.

The one leading them was none other than the young Ignis who had been nearly driven to his death earlier.

Behind him, the mage who had almost burned him to a crisp was now all smiles and bowing obsequiously.

"You must put in a good word for me before the Snake God. I have long seen through the wolfish ambitions of those royals."

The mage's face was all smiles, and his previous arrogant demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

"And these saber-toothed tigers... Is one enough? Should I go back and bring two more?"

"Ah."

The young Ignis man merely scoffed at the magician's flattery.

"Didn't you just say you were going to find royalty and get a piece of the god's flesh? I remember all of that very clearly."

"There was no other way back then... How could I know if you were a spy sent by the royal family to test my intentions?"

The mage remained serious in the face of the sneers.

"The royal family is powerful. How could I, someone who isn't even a high-ranking mage, dare to oppose them? That's why I had to say those things against my conscience. Only in this way could I survive in this city of Ignis, which is full of rebellion... But despite what I said, I have always been loyal to the Serpent God. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen to locate the ranch near the Holy Mountain."

At this point, the magician's expression became even more devout, as if he were truly worshipping the serpent god day and night with utmost reverence.

"The reason for choosing the pasture near the sacred mountain is to wait for the day when the serpent god awakens, and to offer the fattest livestock from the pasture to the serpent god as a sacrifice..."

"Ah."

The young Ignis was too lazy to pay attention to the mage; he simply strode forward.

Although with his limited strength, it would be extremely difficult for him to launch a counterattack against this mage, if he were to approach the serpent god and tell him about the mage's blasphemous act, the great serpent god could probably obliterate the mage with a single breath.

As for whether the mage dares to stop him...

He is now the serpent god's messenger, the first living person to witness the serpent god's resurrection, and he is carrying saber-toothed tiger meat that is about to be offered to the serpent god. How could this magician dare to lay a hand on him?

"You're doomed when I meet the gods."

Thinking of the desperate situation he had been forced into before, the young Ignis had already decided to act decisively and leave no room for future trouble.

Therefore, even the enormous serpentine body coiled beside the campfire, as large as a mountain, evoked an instinctive fear deep within their bodies.

He gritted his teeth and endured the fear, walking step by step forward.

"Great Serpent God! This is an offering to you!"

The young Ignis shouted at the serpent's body before him, trying to make his posture of holding the saber-toothed tiger meat more respectful.

But perhaps because the shout was too weak, the enormous snake in front of them did not move at all.

This caused the mage's expression to gradually change, and his gaze towards him became more suspicious.

Fortunately, the continuous shouting was ultimately effective. Just when the young Ignis was almost hoarse from shouting, the enormous serpent head finally emerged from mid-air.

The young Ignis also saw a hint of appreciation in those snake eyes.

As the equally massive tail reached out and rolled the saber-toothed tiger's flesh aside, the young Ignis confirmed this.

The serpent god was very fond of his offerings.

"Great Serpent God! Let me expose the evil deeds of this traitor for you!"