Identity V One Shots {𝓡𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓼 𝓞𝓟𝓔𝓝}

Viper!Luca x Explorer!Reader: Serpentine

Walking through the Dead Point forest, you held your map in one hand and your compass in the other. Located in the heart of the country of Oletus, this remote rainforest is inhabited by few villages, but is mainly home to thousands of species of plants, animals, and insects. Including the beautiful Rafflesia arnoldii, and the endangered Lilford's lizard.

Despite the abundance of flora and fauna, not many people dared to venture in. With dangers like venomous snakes, and lethal plants that could kill if even touched, it was no wonder why many explorers who entered the forest never returned.

Nonetheless, you found yourself walking in it anyways.

You had come here as a part of an Exploration group lead by Jose Baden, along with Martha Behamfil, Kurt Frank, and Naib Subedar. Jose had high hopes that this exploration team would be the first to find the Snake Heart.

Snake Heart... Speaking of which, what was this macguffin?

Rumour has it that the heart of the forest hides a precious gem, one that is scarlet red like blood, harder than a diamond, and most importantly, extremely valuable. Many years ago, when you were a child, your father was one of the many explorers who set out to find the gem.

He was also one of the many to never return.

Luckily, before he left for his final adventure, your father created a small 'guide for explorers', which he named "Pop's Survival Manual for Young Explorers." Inside, he had written a detailed guide on how to survive off of the land. There were even detailed descriptions of animals, plants, and insets, and even tips on how to make life more comfortable while outside.

However, Pop's Survival Manual never prepared you, or your fellow explorers for a midnight ambush at camp.

'A jungle snake', or so Jose had called it, had attacked the base camp leaving several tents damaged beyond repair. Luckily, thanks to Jose's quick thinking, he managed to ward it off with his gun.

"I guess that's why he's the first officer here huh?" With a sigh you drop your bag onto the floor to set up camp for the night. After the 'jungle snake' attack the other explorers couldn't stop telling tales about the forest and how 'she' might attack again.

These tall tales were enough to spook you. You couldn't die before finding the gem, and your father. To play it safe, you decided to relocate camp a few meters away from basecamp, just in case the snake came back.

Unfortunately, because of your relocation, Jose asked you to forage for materials in the forest during your trips to and from. He seemed skeptical about letting you go in the first place, so you didn't mind this compromise. You were able to peacefully scavenge for resources around your new campsite, and the old campsite was back to normal in no time.

...

Getting ready to retire for the night, you take one last look around your campsite. "Rule number 53 of Pop's survival manual for young explorers. Monsters lurk behind every corner be sure to double check if-" before you could complete the quote, something moves in the bushes one meter away from you.

"If... there is one nearby..." unsure if the noise was real or your imagination, you grab a stick you were going to use for the fire and carefully creep towards the sound. Keeping a fair distance between you and the bush, you gentilly poke into it with the stick. The 'bush' groans.

Wait what. Bushes don't groan.

Letting your curiosity override your instincts, you creep closer to take a look at the bush.

On the long grass, an oddly dressed man lay covered in various types of wounds and gashes. Patches of scarlet bled through the fabric of his shirt, and his face was ghostly pale. He looked as if he was about to bleed out completely.