A gravely injured clan lord poisoned by the Obsidian Turtle is urged by an attendant to drink a century-old bloodroot cure and absorb a beast core to purge the venom. While he recovers, an assassin from the same clan ambushes him, wielding fire and accusing him of devouring a Wolf Clan beast core. The attack accelerates the venom when the lord struggles, but the accused suddenly evolves—transforming into a Serpent, gaining thousands of evolution points as he devours a remnant Wolf Clan core. The sudden evolution stops the assassin in his tracks; third evolution begins, leaving the outcome unresolved.