Chapter 24: Complete Annihilation
“Bang.”
A rock the size of a human head was lashed out by the Iron-armored Python, slicing through the air at an incredible speed toward the Serpent Saliva Fruit.
“Bang.”
Just as Zhou Ming’s heart leapt with anxiety, the Viperhorn Venom Python swiftly struck, knocking the rock away before it could hit the fruit.
Seeing the Iron-armored Python’s body riddled with wounds from venom corrosion, Zhou Ming almost cursed aloud.
If you’re not capable enough to win, do you have to destroy the Serpent Saliva Fruit? Can’t you play fair?
The Viperhorn Venom Python truly lived up to its name as the Ferocious Beast that had claimed this territory when the Serpent Saliva Fruit first appeared.
Even when faced with both the Iron-armored Python and the Scarlet-scaled King Serpent trying to seize the fruit, it had still managed to severely wound them after paying a heavy price.
Now, realizing it could not obtain the Serpent Saliva Fruit, the Iron-armored Python—its scales shattered and peeling off—had decided to destroy the fruit outright.
“Boom!”
Like a furious beast’s roar, a thunderous explosion shook Zhou Ming’s ears.
In the distance, the victorious Viperhorn Venom Python suddenly had its upper body flung backward, dragging its lower body along with it.
The scene was so visually shocking—it was as if a giant had slapped the Viperhorn Venom Python across the face.
Zhou Ming immediately turned his gaze toward a dark-skinned, gaunt man not far away.
The tree beneath the man swayed slightly—the commotion just now had been caused by the heavy sniper rifle in his hands.
“Ratatatat…”
Right after the dark-skinned man fired, the burly man with a scarred face also made his move.
Flames spewed continuously from the muzzle of his heavy machine gun, bullets sweeping toward the agile and fast-moving Scarlet-scaled King Serpent.
The rain-like barrage of bullets sealed off all its escape routes, and when the serpent was forced into a corner, the bullets tore into its body with brutal force.
Unlike the Iron-armored Python, the Scarlet-scaled King Serpent had no such defensive might.
By the time the machine gun’s ammo was spent, its body was convulsing in place—it was already dead, and only its nerves were twitching in reflex.
Meanwhile, the leader of the hunter squad, as his companions attacked, summoned a three-meter-tall Diamond Ape beside him.
The Diamond Ape, famed for its strength and defense, let out a roar and charged the severely wounded Iron-armored Python.
At the same time, the leader himself lunged straight toward the Serpent Saliva Fruit.
Because of the Iron-armored Python’s earlier actions, the hunter squad had been forced to reveal their fangs prematurely.
Yet in doing so, they quickly gained control of the battlefield.
However, what they didn’t know was that behind the “oriole” lurked another hunter.
When the hunters made their move, Zhou Ming had also begun commanding his Ironthread Snake swarm into action—he had no intention of giving them a chance to react.
Over a dozen Ironthread Snakes slithered under his control to the base of the tree where the dark-skinned man was perched.
The sniper was the first target that needed to be eliminated.
Among Apprentice Beast Tamers, the most despised and feared opponents were sharpshooters—those with deadly aim had to be taken out first.
The small Ironthread Snakes climbed silently up the trunk, their light bodies causing no noise at all.
“Cough, cough.”
“Damn, this recoil’s still too strong.”
Having completed his shot, the dark-skinned man was rubbing his shoulder and catching his breath, just about to lift his heavy sniper rifle again—
When more than a dozen Ironthread Snakes suddenly dropped from above, biting straight into his unprotected neck and the hand resting on his shoulder.
“Ah—!”
Before the scream could even finish, paralysis spread through his body, and he convulsed before falling from the tree.
“Third!”
Hearing the commotion, the scar-faced man immediately became alert, shouting out to his comrade.
But he hadn’t realized that the ground beneath him, covered in weeds and leaves, had already been surrounded by Zhou Ming’s Ironthread Snakes.
“Swish, swish—”
Dozens of Ironthread Snakes shot up, lunging for his face and hands.
As someone capable of wielding a heavy machine gun, he had formidable physical strength.
He swung his combat knife wildly, severing several Ironthread Snakes in an instant.
His heavy machine gun—now out of bullets—was tossed aside.
With only a combat knife and pistol left, his power had dropped sharply.
Eventually, one quick Ironthread Snake managed to bite him.
“Ah—!”