I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 71: A Snake?!

Chapter 71: A Snake?!

Verena’s heart was racing as she bolted upright in bed, her eyes immediately locking on the snake.

It was coiled at the edge of the blanket, its slithering movement too smooth and too unsettling.

"W-What the fuck this?!" She shrieked, throwing the blanket off in a panic.

In her haste, she grabbed the nearest object, which was a pillow and hurled it at the serpent with all the force she could muster.

It zipped away with surprising speed, dodging her attack like a pro.

"Get off!" Verena yelled, grabbing her bedside lamp and tossing it next.

The snake dodged again, almost mocking her efforts as it slithered effortlessly around her makeshift projectiles.

"Why is everything dodging me?!" Verena was on the verge of an actual scream, but she fought to hold it back. "I’m not this bad at aim!"

As she flipped a nearby vase at it, her body suddenly froze. A notification flashed in front of her eyes:

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[Obsidian Relic Cracked]

[The Obsidian Relic was an Egg from the Domain of Ophiuchus—The Serpent’s Coil. A Familiar is now Imprinted.]

Wait... WHAT?!

But just as she turned her attention back to the snake, it uncoiled and... looked at her with a mix of curiosity and annoyance?

Her face dropped. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

A quiet hiss echoed from the serpent before it slithered up onto her lap, as if claiming her as its new master.

"I am not your new owner, okay?!" Verena sputtered, but the snake just flicked its tongue in response.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[Familiar Bonding Initiated]

[To fully activate the bond with your newly acquired Familiar, please touch the Serpent and infuse your energy with it. The connection will allow you to communicate and harness its abilities.]

[Warning: Failure to bond will result in an incomplete Familiar relationship.]

"Touch the snake... and infuse?" she groaned, staring at the serpent who was now lounging on her lap as though this was all part of its master plan.

Verena hesitated, but with the system’s persistent urging and the snake’s oddly smug gaze, she finally placed her hand on the serpent’s smooth scales.

If it weren’t for the system, I would choke this goddamn snake right now...

The moment her fingers brushed against it, a shock of energy coursed through her body like a lightning bolt mixed with a cool, otherworldly chill.

Her body trembled, and her vision blurred for a second as the serpent’s power infused with her own.

She felt her pupils dilate, and before she knew it, her irises turned an eerie shade of green.

Her reflection in the nearby mirror seemed to mock her with a dangerous, reptilian gleam.

The sensation didn’t stop there.

A faint green aura surrounded her like a halo of ancient power, swirling around her in wisps that smelled faintly of earth and serpents.

And just like that, a symbol began to form on her hand, an intricate, glowing Ophiuchus symbol, the serpent winding around a central star.

It was hypnotic, its serpent-like curves matching the sleek patterns of the snake’s body itself.

The lines shone with an almost liquid green, pulsating like the heartbeat of the very earth itself.

The snake disappeared.

As quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, leaving behind only a lingering sense of connection.

It felt... odd. She could almost feel the snake in her mind now, a coiled energy that was both familiar and foreign at the same time.

She glanced at the mirror, half-expecting a horror show.

What she saw was nothing short of... dangerously stunning.

Her pupils still held that predatory, serpentine gleam, and the Ophiuchus symbol on her hand had a faint pulse

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[New Ability Unlocked!]

[Power Name: Serpent’s Dominion]

[Type: Zodiacal Mimicry and Absorption]

[Description: Verena’s bond with the Snake Familiar, a mystical creature linked to the 13th Zodiac (Ophiuchus), awakens a latent power within her. Through this connection, Verena is able to absorb and temporarily steal the traits and abilities of the other Zodiacs, transforming into a being capable of wielding multiple Zodiacal traits at once.]

[How It Works: Familiar Bonding - When Verena forms a deep connection with the snake, it becomes a part of her consciousness. The familiar acts as a conduit between Verena and the Zodiacal Weave, allowing her to tap into the essence of the Zodiacs. The snake symbolizes Ophiuchus, the 13th sign that exists on the fringe of the Zodiac system, often seen as a connector and disruptor of the other signs.]

"That makes even more sense now..."

Verena muttered, shaking her head as the pieces started to click together.

When she was trying to get stronger, she had to define her traits because Ophiuchus had no known traits of its own. It was all coming together now.

The true power of Ophiuchus wasn’t about having a unique trait; it was about taking traits from others.

After all, why else would a snake be involved? Snakes were practically the poster child for betrayal.

So what in the world had really happened back then?

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[Time Out!]

[To strengthen the bond and extend its duration, the familiar requires a steady source of magic from others. You’ll need to feed it magic from external sources to help it grow stronger and ensure it lasts longer in its current state.]

Slowly, its form began to dissipate, the green aura fading until it was gone.

The connection severed, and with it, the power she had felt so intensely vanished.

The snake reappeared on the blanket. It slithered around, looking rather disgruntled.

"Ugh, you bitch!" the snake hissed, curling up and glaring at her with an expression that almost looked like it was frowning.

"The snake... can talk?! Since when?!"

"Since now!" The snake practically rolled its eyes. "I basically absorbed your knowledge when I infused with you, and now I’m one with you."

"Creepy..."

"Shut up and be thankful that I don’t have to sss sss to communicate with you!"

"Well, whatever because I have so much questions right now!"