She Is Not a Witch

“You fool! Didn’t I tell you to seize the chance to escape?”

A staff struck Kanda from behind, waking him up. The old rabbit shouted in exasperation, snapping him back to his senses. He quickly pulled the old rabbit back to retreat.

Under the poison mist, some rabbits immediately lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground, while others clutched their throats and lay convulsing violently. The scene was chaotic, with cries for help, screams, and weeping coming from all directions.

Kanda organized the youths and adults who hadn’t been poisoned yet, preparing to evacuate the women and children through the mountain path behind the village.

Unfortunately, the giant snake also discovered the group of rabbits preparing to flee. A group of rabbits gathered together created too obvious a heat signature. In the snake’s perception, it was as conspicuous as a red patch suddenly appearing in a blue pattern.

Very quickly, the giant snake circled around from the hillside, then charged down, knocking over several large trees before plunging into the retreating rabbit crowd. It split the group in two, with a small portion outside and the majority trapped in the village, unable to advance or retreat.

Kanda and several other rabbits charged forward, using various tactics to try and lure the giant snake away so the children and women trapped in the village could escape.

However, the giant snake paid no heed, easily sweeping these rabbits aside with its tail, flinging them against nearby trees and rocks. Several ribs were broken, leaving them unable to move.

Kanda clutched his chest, spitting blood. He watched in agony as the giant snake swallowed rabbits one by one. He howled in grief, struggling to stand up, but his spine had been slammed against a rock earlier, and he had lost feeling in his lower body.

“Sigh…”

The silver-haired girl, watching this human tragedy, jumped down from the tree branch.

Suddenly, gusts of wind swept through the forest. Lush branches and leaves swayed in the wind, making rustling sounds.

Then a whirlwind swept up layers of leaves, enveloping the silver-ringed giant snake, disrupting its hunting and vision.

The giant snake thrashed about irritably, trying to escape these annoying leaves, but it couldn’t break free from the leaf whirlwind. Finally, it had to slither away, plunging into the dense forest to block the troublesome whirlwind.

After entering the forest, although the whirlwind gradually dissipated, invisible wind scythes occasionally slashed from all directions, constantly lifting the snake’s scales and cutting gashes, exposing red flesh.

The giant snake angrily opened its golden snake eyes wide, looking around. Its bright red tongue constantly flicked in and out, searching for who was attacking it.

Unfortunately, the silver-haired girl’s perception far surpassed its own. She was too far away, essentially launching beyond-visual-range attacks. The giant snake’s movements were futile.

Wind blades continually slashed the giant snake’s body. Though not fatal, they made it increasingly agitated. Unable to find its enemy, it could only thrash about randomly, using trees in the forest as cover from attacks.

While the giant snake rampaged through the mountain forest, gusts of wind also dispersed the poison mist in the village, saving many rabbits.

The old rabbit from earlier knelt on the open ground in the village, hands on the ground, loudly expressing gratitude:

“Merciful great being, thank you for saving our weak tribe. Whatever you need, our tribe will do our utmost to satisfy you. Please, save us. We are willing to follow you.”

His voice choked with tears, his tone extremely sincere. Under his lead, other rabbits also began to prostrate themselves and plead.

Although they didn’t know who had saved them, what did it matter? Whoever it was, the outcome couldn’t be worse than their current situation.

Rapidly flying wind blades whizzed through the forest, precisely avoiding branches and other shrubs, slashing the giant snake’s body. The giant snake was no longer as composed as before. It was covered in blood, with many scales stripped away, silently roaring in rage.

As if finally realizing something, the giant snake stopped running aimlessly through the forest and returned to the small village.

Its not-so-bright brain finally figured out that this might have something to do with the rabbits in this village.

Its slithering body crushed trees and rubble, immediately knocking down the wooden walls around the village. It glared viciously at the remaining rabbits inside, completely disregarding its constantly lifting scales and increasing wounds. Its huge mouth opened, spewing dense poison mist that began to spread through the village again.

Loranhil watched the giant snake return to the village from afar, feeling somewhat troubled. Originally, she had planned to wear it down slowly, but if this continued for too long, the rabbits in the village would likely all die. Killing the giant snake would then be meaningless.

“Wind, come!”

Mountain gales swept in from all directions, carrying countless leaves, grass, and soil. They swirled around the giant snake, dispersing its poison mist and obscuring its vision and perception.

The Silver-ringed King Snake itself had some ability to manipulate air currents, but facing Loranhil, a born wind controller, it was completely outmatched and suppressed. It rolled about anxiously in the village, searching for the hidden presence attacking it.

Seeing many houses in the village crushed, some rabbits ran about crying and screaming. Among them, a mother hugged her child, curled up in a corner, her body trembling slightly as she tried to cover the child’s mouth to avoid attracting the giant snake’s attention.

The giant snake indeed didn’t notice this insignificant figure, its bright red tongue flicking as it slithered past her. But as its tail swept by unintentionally, it was about to smash the mother and child into a pulp.

Suddenly, a violent air bullet whistled past the mother, striking the snake’s tail and deflecting it, preventing this tragedy.

But this also drew the giant snake’s attention. Its ferocious head immediately turned back, attempting to continue attacking this pitiful mother and daughter.

A spear flew through the air rapidly, striking the giant snake’s huge head, immediately drawing its attention away.

Loranhil floated in the air, her silver hair dancing in the wind. Colorless air currents swirled around her, as if declaring to this giant snake that she was its true opponent and had been attacking it all along.

The Silver-ringed King Snake let out a long hiss, rapidly slithering over. It flicked its tongue excitedly, as if trying to memorize the scent of this enemy before it.

The silver-haired girl waved her hand, and a long spear flew out from the village ruins, carried by air currents to her hand. She gripped the spear with both hands, testing its weight briefly. It felt suitable.

Then she paused, holding the spear with one hand, and flew rapidly towards the venomous snake.

The Silver-ringed King Snake was many times larger than Loranhil. If it opened its mouth, it could probably swallow the girl whole. Yet it didn’t underestimate this slender figure before it, but regarded her as an equal opponent. An adversary that could make it so miserable, nearly forcing it to flee, was extremely rare even in its long life.

Lethal venom sprayed from its fangs. The girl’s form constantly dodged, her flight path rising and falling, tracing winding arcs in the air as she attacked the snake’s eyes, seemingly aiming to blind those golden orbs.

The Silver-ringed King Snake constantly shook its head, avoiding the sharp spear tip, occasionally spewing poison mist to interfere with Loranhil’s approach and flight. Several times, Loranhil couldn’t dodge in time, and her white dress skirt was corroded with several gaps and holes by the venom.