Serpent Curse : Rise Of the Strongest

“Ugh! Argh! I’m still alive? But... oh my God!” A man in tattered clothes scrambled back, narrowly avoiding a snake that had nearly bitten him just as he regained consciousness. No one really knew how long it had been since Fred, a freelancer who had only recently been hired as the personal chauffeur for a wealthy businessman in his city-had been stranded in this remote wilderness. It was both terrifying and strangely miraculous that he had survived after the plane accident that sent him plunging off a cliff. But calling it “luck” felt like a stretch, especially after seeing the forest where he’d landed. “Where is everyone? If I ended up here... the others can't be too far off,” Fred murmured, glancing around. As he tried to take a step, a sharp sting shot through his calf. He looking down, then he found what looked like two puncture marks. That's snake bites. His face turned pale. It wasn’t the pain that scared him, but the thought of venom spreading through his body. Fred leaned against a tree trunk, taking a moment to think. He couldn’t die here, he don't wanna die like this. His eyes landed on a strange-looking fruit dangling from a low branch. As if by coincidence, it dropped, rolled toward him, and somehow ended up in his hands. “What kind of fruit is this? Looks like a coconut... but not quite,” he muttered, puzzled. He sniffed the liquid dripping from a crack in its shell — it smelled a lot like coconut water. Fred took it as a sign, a small miracle. Thanks to the basic survival skills he picked up during his mandatory military service, he used the fruit as a makeshift IV and treated the snakebite, extracting as much venom as he could. “Let’s hope that got most of it out,” he mumbled. Fred began walking again, even though his body was bruised and battered. He had no idea how long he’d been unconscious. The dried mud on his skin, the fading bruises, and partially healed wounds suggested he’d been lying there for more than a day. “I hope the others are okay...” “Ugh... help me!” Fred froze. A woman’s voice? Ignoring his own pain, he rushed toward the sound. Not far away, he found a girl trapped beneath a large fallen branch. There was no way she could’ve freed herself alone. “Oh God! Miss Sisca!” He quickly moved the branch and knelt beside her, checking her condition. He was worried she might be seriously hurt. “Miss Sisca, I’m so glad you’re okay—” “Okay?! You call this okay?!” Instead of a thank-you, Fred was met with a hard slap across the face. The girl glared at him with eyes full of resentment and shoved him away. “You i***t! Wasn’t it your job to keep me and the others safe?! And now look at us! we stuck in this hellhole because of you! Useless trash!” Fred was stunned. Her words cut deeper than the slap. He’d ignored his own condition, desperately searching the forest not for his own escape, but for hers just to make sure she was safe. And this was how she repaid him. Sisca Vanjoulle, daughter of one of the most powerful company owners on the Esla Continent, who was admired by many. With incredible wealth and flawless beauty, she was a goddess in the eyes of the world. “I did everything I could—” “Everything? Don’t make me laugh. You’re just a burden! I have no idea why my father ever hired you to be my driver when you’re this pathetic. Do something useful for once and get me home, or you’re fired. I swear it.” Fred exhaled sharply, still trying to process everything. His phone had no signal, and strangely, even the time and calendar were acting up. “I’ve lost my bearings... My phone isn’t working—” “Like I care, you moron! You’re still responsible! I’m not going to forgive you. I’d rather listen to Justin fire you than explain anything to my father!” “That name again,” Fred muttered under his breath, hiding his annoyance. Justin Murphonez, a potential candidate to marry Lord Dragenogi Viarre’s daughter. Born into the wealthy Murphonez family, he was infamous for his arrogance and cruelty, especially toward Fred, though Fred never understood why. But if there was one thing Fred was sure of, it was that Justin hated seeing him anywhere near Sisca. Not that it mattered. Fred knew his place. He is just a poor man from the outskirts. Sisca wouldn’t even glance at him if she had the choice. “Miss, where are you going?” Fred called out as Sisca walked off. She didn’t even look back. “Stay away from me. You’re completely useless,” she snapped. Fred didn't yell back to Sisca, he just kept quiet and looked down. Fred stood still for a moment, then they followed until something stopped both of them. They heard it. There was someone who shouted for help. “Help me! Over here! Near the cliff!” The voice of a man’s, came from a ravine not far from where they were. About half a mile away. “Oh no! Justin, hang on!” Sisca cried. “What are you waiting for?! Help Justin!” Fred rushed over and saw Justin clinging to the edge of the cliff, his face twisted in pain. “Almost there... just a little more,” Justin gritted out. Fred grabbed his arm, pushing aside every memory of how Justin had treated him. Sisca’s plea still echoed in his mind, and he couldn’t ignore it. With great effort, Fred pulled Justin up to safety. Sisca beamed with joy and ran over to them. Fred exhaled in relief. “Thank God we’re both safe—AARGH!” Justin’s smile twisted into a smirk. “We? Who said anything about we? Goodbye, Fred. That ravine’s a perfect place to bury trash like you.” Without warning, Justin shoved Fred backward. Fred plummeted down the steep ravine, helpless. Sisca gasped and shocked, but her concern quickly shifted back to Justin. Deep down, she seemed relieved that Fred was no longer in her life.