章 36: I Will Return and Lead You
"Crimson Tarantula King," they say.
Not Red, but Crimson.
Just like Dark is cooler than Black, and Ultra Marine is cooler than Blue.
Crimson is cooler than Red.
And in my experience, monsters with cooler modifiers tend to be stronger.
The title "King" is like that too.
It's the king. The Spider King.
It must be an incredibly strong monster.
I want to become something like a Python King someday.
"The goblins caught the Crimson Tarantula King..."
Pelerian seemed to know about this monster.
I asked him about it.
It definitely wasn't because I was interested in the Inner Dan.
"I wanted to fuse the Crimson Tarantula when I created Fafnir. But that specimen was so rare that I had to settle for a Grey Tarantula."
'What about the King?'
"Among the Crimson Tarantulas, those that survive and grow for a long time evolve into Kings."
Anyway, it's said to be a strong monster.
Even if the goblins were numerous, they must have suffered many casualties.
Nanaluk's grandfather caught it at the risk of his life and left it for his descendants.
So, I can't just gobble it up.
Take it back.
I pushed the box containing the Inner Dan back again.
"I've never seen a case where a Crimson Tarantula made an Inner Dan. I wonder how incredible its effects would be!"
'...'
That wicked old man keeps trying to plant temptation in my heart.
I can't hear it. I don't have ears, so I can't block it either.
But Nanaluk pushed the box towards me once more.
"I can't eat it. You eat it."
You're in an emotional state right now.
You might regret it tomorrow.
But Nanaluk had her reasons too.
"I can't eat this. I kept the existence of the Inner Dan a secret from my father."
There was a backstory.
It seems Nanaluk's mother didn't like her husband very much.
The chieftain, who vaguely knew about the existence of the Inner Dan, tried his best to take it away.
But his ex-wife desperately hid the Inner Dan and passed it on to her daughter.
Nanaluk had been keeping it a secret all this time.
"This Inner Dan has poison mixed in it. I think it got mixed in when it was harvested. My poison resistance isn't very high, so I'd definitely get poisoned if I ate it. And it would surely show after eating..."
You mean it would show because you'd get stronger?
Why is that a problem?
"My father wouldn't forgive me. He already hates me."
Nanaluk.
You foolish, soft-hearted Nanaluk.
What does it matter if that pathetic father of yours hates you or not?
From my perspective, you'd be better off as the chieftain.
"There's no one else to eat it anyway. And it's so old, the effects might not even remain."
I see.
"Even if you don't become Ullullullu, I won't resent you."
If you say so, it would be right for me to eat it.
To be honest, my mouth was watering.
I tried not to show it and ate the Inner Dan as solemnly as possible.
Wow, it tastes bitter.
It was true that there was poison in it.
「You have been poisoned.」
「Your Poison Resistance skill proficiency is rising rapidly.」
Ugh, I feel dizzy.
My insides are bubbling, I need to be careful not to make a mistake.
"You, your body is getting hot."
Nanaluk worried about me.
It's okay. I have high poison resistance.
「Poison Resistance lv6 has become Poison Resistance lv7.」
The skill level even went up.
Thanks to that, my stomach felt a bit better.
And the effects of the Inner Dan spread through my body.
The heat I feel in my body.
This wasn't because of the poison from the beginning.
My body is hot.
It felt like I had swallowed a fireball.
It's completely different from when I ate the kind centipede couple's Inner Dan.
It hurts and it's painful.
I writhed in silent screams.
But the pain didn't subside.
"Oh no...!"
Nanaluk made a fuss.
Why, what is it?
"Your skin is peeling off."
Oh no. It's true.
My skin was stuck to Nanaluk's palm.
White skin with clear apricot-colored patterns.
「Your body is growing rapidly.」
「Molting has begun.」
Ah, so it was molting. That's a relief.
I stared straight at the panicking Nanaluk.
Only then did she calm down.
「Your scales become tougher.」
「Trait, Scales has been created.」
「Your pattern becomes clearer.」
「Magical properties imbue your pattern.」
The effects of the Inner Dan were amazing.
It was like a comprehensive gift set.
I felt like my body had clearly grown larger.
Molting is usually quite a struggle, but it ended surprisingly quickly.
Of course, it hurt like hell.
If I had sweat glands, I would have been drenched in cold sweat.
It couldn't be helped.
My body grew so much.
I had clearly changed.
First, my body became thicker and longer.
I used to be about 2m long, but now I'm definitely longer than that.
My body has also thickened, so I can no longer be called a small snake.
More than anything else, the clear change was in my scales and pattern.
The light apricot-colored pattern became more vivid.
The scales became thicker and glossy.
It said a trait called Scales was created, right?
──────────────
[White Double Horn Python lv5]
[Traits]
[Indomitable], [Perseverance], [Horn], [Pattern], [Scales]
──────────────
It was true.
──────────────
[Scales]
You have tough scales.
──────────────
It seems to be a trait that increases overall defense.
I wonder if it will have a synergy effect with Pattern.
Like Pattern for magic defense, Scales for physical defense.
As expected, the effects of the Inner Dan are excellent.
Spiders, like centipedes, are regulars in martial arts novels as spiritual beasts.
If the centipede couple's Inner Dan brightened my eyes, the tarantula's Inner Dan was a comprehensive gift set in itself.
But, it was a bit early to rejoice.
「You have consumed an Inner Dan imbued with the resentful spirit of the Crimson Tarantula.」
Oh no.
It's not even something I hunted myself.
「The Crimson Tarantula was brutally killed by goblins.」
「You will gain an inexplicable hostility from spider-type monsters.」
Just like with the chimera, it seems I'm forming bad relationships with spiders.
But an unexpected benefit also came.
「Your friendliness with centipede-type monsters increases.」
「The probability of centipede-type monsters showing you favor increases.」
Are spiders and centipedes not on good terms or something?
That's even better. I like centipedes.
Just in case, I checked my title once more.
──────────────
[Title] Heart-eating Snake
──────────────
My title was still just Heart-eating Snake.
Even though so many goblins call me Ullullullu, it didn't become a new title.
Is it because I can't spit lightning?
I'm still a White Double Horn Python.
I'm not Ullullullu or anything like that.
I didn't grow wings, and far from being a black snake, I'm a white snake.
Sorry, Nanaluk.
She was staring at me blankly.
Her face seemed a bit sad.
"Ahaha, as expected, you weren't..."
I told you I wasn't.
"Let's sleep now, sorry for making you go through this because of me."
Nanaluk blew out the candle.
Then she roughly hugged her blanket and lay down.
She seems to be trying to sleep.
It looks like dawn will break soon.
I coiled up next to her and lay down too.
It seems I won't be able to fall asleep easily tonight.
==
Oh, how refreshing.
Honestly, I slept very well.
I must have been tired, I fell asleep right away.
I feel like a new person, no, a new snake.
It must be thanks to my first molting last night.
It could also be because I ate that nutritious Inner Dan.
I was alone.
That means I left the Lunga village.
The farewell was more bland than I expected.
It's because I sneaked out at dawn, avoiding the people who call me Ullullullu.
Nanaluk must not have slept.
When I tried to sneak out, she immediately got up and saw me off.
I chewed and swallowed the jerky she gave me as a gift.
It's delicious.
I looked back.
The village of the Lunga tribe, where I had stayed for a while, could be seen down below.
I don't know if I'll see them again, but stay healthy, everyone.
In the end, a snake's life is about struggling through alone.
Pelerian was sleeping too.
When he's awake, he chatters all day long, but he can't always be awake.
He says it's because of lack of magical power.
It seems he can absorb some magical power from the air, just like humans can breathe.
However, he said that's barely enough to maintain his form and keep his consciousness awake, let alone use magic.
I checked, and it wasn't a lie.
My goal is beyond that mountain peak shining in the morning sun.
I was alone, but the forest was not quiet.
All sorts of bird sounds and insect noises.
The sound of rustling undergrowth was everywhere.
There was no sound at all from me as I crawled over the damp moss.
Small animals fled at the sight of me.
Squirrels ran away, crickets jumped far away.
Dozens of butterflies that were clinging to a strong-smelling flower all flew up at once.
This makes me feel that I'm definitely no longer that little snake from before.
The forest's predator is passing through.
I crawled along majestically for a while.
Kuung!
Oh my!
Reflexively, I crawled under a tree root.
I thought it might be too undignified, but it was the right decision.
An elephant appeared.
Not an ordinary elephant, but a monster elephant.
There was something like a mace attached to the end of its long trunk.
──────────────
[Morningstar Elephant lv9]
──────────────
Oh, how scary.
Its level is only 9, but I can't see its detailed status window.
It's definitely stronger than me.
I might be able to see it intermittently if I concentrate my mind like I did with Gunter, but why bother?
Let's just hide under this tree root for a moment.
Crunch.
Ku-oooo-
The Morningstar Elephant passed by in front of me.
It seemed to have some complaint as it swung its trunk.
Bang, and an innocent tree broke.
The deep forest is scary.
Looking at the retreating elephant, I could see that it had a wound on its backside and was bleeding.
Is it running away after a fight?
To drive away an elephant like that, you'd have to be very strong or have large numbers.
I carefully advanced again.
I hope to reach the rocky peak by the end of today.
Then I should be able to reach Elephant Rock tomorrow.
However, my advance was not very smooth.
Thud thud thud thud-
Not long after, I heard footsteps again.
This time it wasn't just one.
There were no crevices in rocks or tree roots nearby to hide in.
It's all because I've grown too big.
I rolled in the muddy water pooled in the black soil.
My body was covered as if I had applied camouflage cream.
White is beautiful, but it has the disadvantage of being conspicuous, so it can't be helped.
I crouched under the shadow of a tree, and the owners of the footsteps appeared.
It was a flock of ostriches.
Ostriches with horns on their heads noisily passed through the forest.
There seem to be about five of them. They're probably not easy opponents either.
I was startled.
What was stuck in the backside of the last passing ostrich was clearly an arrow.
An arrow?
Are there hunters from the Lunga tribe around?
But somehow I had an ominous feeling.
I crawled in the direction the ostriches had come from.
Even my ears could hear clear noise.
It sounds like several goblins gathered together.
The Palamu Rainforest is densely wooded.
In a slightly sunken lowland, you can't see what's there unless you observe from a high place.
Goblins were in such a secretive location.
"Hahaha, idiot."
"Shut up, you bastard!"
They are rough goblin warriors.
They had set up a camp here.
There was a crude tent, and on the tent was a pattern similar to a knife drawn with red dye.
That pattern.
My brilliant brain immediately recalled.
The goblin from the Croc tribe who called me the Heart-eating Snake.
It was the necklace he held up when he shouted, "Retreat, ugly form!"
I had that very necklace in my subspace right now.
In other words, these are warriors of the Croc tribe!
Why are they gathered here?
There seem to be over a hundred of them.
Particularly, there seemed to be about thirty well-armed hobgoblin warriors.
Seeing that they're even wearing leather armor, it seems I won't be able to eat their hearts.
"Captain Ayutar! We've finished roasting all the ostriches!"
"Good!"
A large hobgoblin came out of the tent.
──────────────
[Hobgoblin Captain Ayutar lv30]
[Title]Skull Crusher
──────────────
So that's the captain.
He looks strong.
Moreover, he has an ominous title like Skull Crusher.
It's the first time I've seen a goblin with a title.
I wonder if he's stronger than Nanaluk.
I'm not sure how strong the Croc tribe is, but if they're just a bit better than Lunga, it seems they've gathered their elites.
These guys are planning to ambush the Lunga tribe.
Right now, the Lunga tribe can't even imagine that enemies are coming to attack them.
'Uh... what should I do.'
I shook the ring.
Wake up, old man.
Soon, Pelerian popped out of the ring.
He's a quick thinker.
Even without me explaining what I had deduced, he immediately grasped the situation.
"The heavens are helping us, helping me!"
And he immediately rejoiced.
"The Lunga tribe will be bait. Since they've pulled out their elites, the Croc bastards' main camp must be empty. Let's attack!"
Wow!
As expected of the teacher.
To be honest, I had already thought of that too.
But then the Lunga tribe will be completely destroyed, right?
"From what I've seen, that's certainly what will happen. But what does it matter? Let those goblins kill each other."
If you think like Pelerian, that would be right.
But I can't think as positively as Pelerian.
That's because, well, I'm not Pelerian.
"Why, don't you like it?"
'But come to think of it, the chieftain isn't there. The chieftain is said to be the strongest in the Croc tribe.'
"That's right."
'Then the chieftain must be at Elephant Rock, right? Seeing how they're sticking right to it, it seems they know something is there. They're probably looking for the entrance to the dungeon.'
"That's a reasonable deduction."
'What I'm saying is, even if the security has loosened a bit, wouldn't it be difficult for you alone to sneak all the way to the dungeon entrance? It's not like you have an invisibility spell or anything.'
'That's also correct.'
'Rather than that, wouldn't it make more sense to use the foolish Lunga tribe goblins to cause a commotion, and use that opportunity to find the entrance? Hmm.'
If I were wearing glasses, I would probably push them up at this point.
But despite my cold analysis, Pelerian just grinned mischievously.
"Your words aren't wrong, but it seems like you've already made a decision and are just trying to fit the situation to it."
That's true.
Well, I've already made up my mind.
"But how do you plan to convince them that these guys are going to attack? No matter how much a normal snake gestures, they won't listen."
'The normal snake is already dead.'
"Oh?"
We should use what we can use.
"From now on, I'm Ullullullu."
Even if it stems from a misunderstanding.
==
"Sis, did Whitey leave?"
Retch asked.
The boy continued to believe the snake was Ullullullu, but at some point, he started calling it Whitey like his sister did.
Nanaluk gave a bitter smile.
"Yes, he left."
"Did he really ascend to the sky?"
Those who seriously believed the snake was Ullullullu thought this when the snake disappeared.
But Nanaluk knew that the kind snake had left for Elephant Rock.
"Well, I'm not sure."
But that's all she said to her brother.
Just then, the door burst open.
"Nanaluk!"
"What is it, Jadiram?"
Jadiram's face was flushed red.
"Ullullullu, Ullullullu has returned!"
"What did you say?"
Jadiram had never called that snake Ullullullu before.
The situation seemed unusual.
Nanaluk quickly went out and followed Jadiram.
People were already gathered in crowds.
Nanaluk pushed through the crowd.
And she was shocked.
The snake had returned.
But this snake's entire body was stained black.
Strong winds were blowing in all directions.
The ground was shaking as if an earthquake had occurred.
Water spray was scattering in the dry sky.
Above all, the snake was breathing fire from its mouth.
"Ah..."
The old grand shaman at the front was shedding tears.
"Ullullullu has returned!"
She shouted the snake's name.
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