By the quiet swamp, the wind gently stirred the moist air. Hidden in a crevice, Apophis cautiously observed his surroundings when a massive shadow emerged in the distance.

As the figure approached, Apophis saw it clearly—a gigantic black rhinoceros, at least eight or nine meters long and standing four to five meters tall. A single horn gleamed ominously on its forehead, exuding an eerie glow.

Fear welled up inside Apophis. The sheer presence of the beast rendered him incapable of resistance, as though all he could do was submit.

“Is that... a demon rhino?” Apophis gasped internally. In his previous life, he had seen rhinos on television, but none could compare to the behemoth before him. Recalling the strangeness of this world, Apophis was certain this creature was not only a beast but a demon—a powerful one at that.

The black rhino ignored Apophis, not sparing him a glance. It fixated on the two lifeless bodies on the ground. The horn on its forehead emitted a faint black glow, which enveloped the corpses of Ethan and Liam.

With a low rumble, the two corpses began to rise, their forms gradually materializing into figures identical to Ethan and Liam. Apophis could hardly believe his eyes.

The black rhino examined the two figures carefully, and after a moment, it waved its massive hoof. Ethan’s figure dissipated into thin air, while Liam’s remained. With a toss of its head, the rhino absorbed Liam’s ghostly form into its horn, along with the swirling black light.

Then, without another sound, the massive beast turned and galloped off into the distance, leaving the swamp in eerie silence.

It wasn’t until long after that Apophis felt control return to his body. He exhaled in relief, muttering to himself, “That rhino... it must’ve turned Liam into its ghost servant. But why did it reject Ethan?”

Apophis didn’t fully understand what had just transpired but figured it might be due to Liam’s lingering resentment, something demons were often drawn to. His mind flashed back to stories from his previous life where ghosts and demons were fueled by strong emotions.

Wait... he thought to himself, am I not slowly becoming a demon too? Wouldn’t that mean I could be a target one day?

He quickly dismissed the thought. Dwelling too much on such things would only make living in this world harder.

With that, Apophis swam over to Ethan’s body, rummaging through his belongings until he found a small pouch. From inside, he pulled out a bright red plant. It was about the size of his palm, with blood-red leaves emitting a strange, fragrant scent.

The moment Apophis smelled the plant, he felt a soothing warmth spread through his body. “So this is the Redleaf Grass that Liam was so desperate for,” he thought. No wonder Liam had insisted on getting close to Ethan earlier—it hadn’t just been an excuse for an ambush.

Apophis swallowed the Redleaf Grass but didn’t dare to digest it right away. The swamp was still too dangerous, and he didn’t know what effects the plant might have. If he passed out, he could easily become prey for other creatures drawn to the fresh corpses nearby.

Having already memorized the direction of the nearby river, Apophis quickly swam upstream and found a hidden spot about ten kilometers away from the swamp. He didn’t want to stay too close, especially with the threat of the giant crocodile and Fiora looming. After scouting the area, he crawled into a crevice between the rocks.

Once everything was prepared, Apophis finally allowed himself to swallow the Redleaf Grass fully. Not long after, he felt a growing warmth in his belly.

Apophis coiled his body and focused on the changes. The warmth spread throughout his body, but soon his limbs felt weak, and the pleasant sensation quickly turned to pain.

“Is this... is this Redleaf Grass actually poisonous?” Apophis panicked as his body began to swell. The pain intensified, reaching down to his very bones. He could hear the faint sound of his bones cracking, each fracture sending waves of agony through him.

The pain was unbearable, even for a creature with Apophis’ endurance. After half an hour, the world around him faded into darkness as he slipped into unconsciousness. His last thought before losing consciousness was absurd: “Of all the ways to go, I can’t believe a snake like me is going to be killed by a plant.”

Five days later, the sharp pang of hunger jolted Apophis awake. He groggily uncoiled from the rock crevice, his body stiff from the long slumber. A wild rabbit happened to scurry by, and Apophis, driven by instinct, launched himself at it, swallowing the rabbit whole in one swift motion.

He paused, stunned. Did I just eat an entire rabbit in one bite?

His mind struggled to keep up. In his memory, he was still a six-meter-long snake, capable of eating small fish or small mammals at best. But the rabbit he just swallowed was much larger.

Pushing aside his confusion, Apophis began to digest the rabbit and turned his attention to his body. Sure enough, he had grown—significantly. His body was now thicker and longer.

Summoning the green screen in his mind, he was stunned by the new information displayed.

[Host: Apophis]

[Species: Python (Adult)]

[Status: Demon Transformation (35/100)]

[Lifespan: 3/60]

[Length: 9 meters (Upgradable)]

[Racial Skill: Constricting Force Lv2 (Upgradable)]

[Basic Scientific Knowledge Lv1]

[Technique: Demon Tribe Qi Absorption (Basic)]

[Basic Strength Enhancement Lv1]

[Potential Points: 1]

“So, the Redleaf Grass not only increased my length to 9 meters but also sped up my demon transformation by over 20 points. It even upgraded my strength enhancement skill. My strength has increased drastically, allowing me to execute more powerful attacks in a shorter time.”

Apophis was amazed by how much the Redleaf Grass had improved his abilities. Before, it took him hours of daily training under the morning sun just to gain a single point of progress. Now, in one go, he had advanced dramatically.

No wonder so many stories in his previous life told of animals gaining incredible power after consuming a rare herb.

What was even more surprising was that he had gained a potential point. Apophis considered using it to further enhance his “Constricting Force,” but after some thought, he decided to hold off. His current strength was more than enough to deal with ordinary beasts. Instead, he was more intrigued by the progress of his “Scientific Knowledge,” which was nearing its limit.

Over the next few days, Apophis stuck to a routine. Each morning, he would head to a secluded spot near the swamp to practice the “Demon Tribe Qi Absorption” technique. His rapid transformation made him uneasy—he didn’t know if the giant crocodile could sense his progress, and the last thing he wanted was to be discovered.

But he couldn’t venture too far either. After witnessing the terrifying power of the demon rhino, Apophis understood that the mountains around him were filled with dangers far beyond his current abilities. Ironically, the presence of the giant crocodile had turned this swamp into a relatively safe haven for a low-level demon like him.

Every afternoon, after returning from his training, Apophis would retreat to his rocky hideout to review his scientific knowledge and then wander around the surrounding area. With his growing body and enhanced strength, he no longer feared the ordinary predators of the forest. As long as he avoided the more powerful demons, he was safe for now.