EP.30
【King Crocodile Lizard LV11】
HP: 398/398
MP: 100/100
【Titles】
「Loved by Spiders」
「Master of Silver Dragon Cave」
My level has instantly risen by 6.
The level I achieved is none other than 11.
Surpassing level 10 means my maximum level has increased.
Creatures like the Cayman and Titanoboa can only evolve after exceeding level 10. I have also grown significantly, so my required level has increased like them.
This is a positive sign.
Rapid evolution may be challenging, but it also means I’ve become stronger.
Now, I have the strength to hold my head high.
Moreover, this enticing message before my eyes:
[You have acquired 「Master of the Lower Swamp」.]
「Master of the Lower Swamp」
You have conquered the lower swamp area. While near water, you receive speed bonuses and gradually regain health.
Oh.
The effect seems quite useful.
Does it mean I can recover health by soaking in water?
This is indeed a good ability.
It hasn’t been long since I became the master of Silver Dragon Cave, and I’ve already secured a new home.
But what does “Lower” mean?
[You have acquired 「Master of the Swamp」.]
It wasn’t meant to imply anything.
Lower. Does this mean I am recognized as the master of only a certain part of this swamp, not the entire area?
That implies there’s another master above me?
Since there’s a Cayman here, that master must be stronger than the Cayman?
Ugh. That’s not good news.
Should I go pay my respects?
No. If I live only in the lower area, I probably won’t run into them.
Why would I venture to another area?
I’ll just focus on catching fish and tormenting the toad and turtle that have been bothering me, finding small joys in my life.
“Gek gek gek….”
Alright. Now for the spoils of victory, alligator meat… before I eat it.
Let’s see some familiar faces.
【Antracomartus LV3】
【Status】
「Worshiping」「Hungry」
【Artercopus LV4】
【Status】
「Worshiping」「Delighted」
“Kiieeeng…!”
“Kiieeek!”
Ah, how have you been?
“Kiieeeeeek!”
Tus and Pus rush towards me.
They keep rubbing their fluffy bodies against me.
Looking at them like this, they really do resemble puppies.
If you look closely, you can tell they’re spiders, but from a distance, they look like furry beasts.
You all look cute if viewed from a distance.
【The faith of 【Antracomartus】 greatly increases.】
【The faith of 【Artercopus】 greatly increases.】
Right, I almost forgot about this.
These creatures are indeed worshiping me.
It’s hard not to worship a marvelous lizard that can easily catch water bugs or piranhas.
Moreover, that lizard has become even stronger after defeating its nemesis, the Cayman.
If they could write, they’d probably have published a book by now.
[Your divinity is slightly stirring.]
…Hmm?
Didn’t it say last time that a weak divinity would reside in me?
This time, it says it’s stirring?
What exactly is divinity?
And why is it weak again?
No information has popped up.
Well, it wouldn’t change anything if these two spiders are involved.
By the way, you two.
Could you stop rubbing up against me?
“Grr!”
You’re cute for a spider, but still, it’s a bit much.
“Keheeeng!”
They took a step back with disgruntled expressions.
They seem to think I wouldn’t notice them grabbing my tail with their little paws.
That’s nothing. I’m generous enough to let it slide.
Now, it’s time for what I’ve been waiting for.
The rights of the victor.
A feast of alligator meat.
I used my claws to skin the alligator.
Preserving its shape as much as possible so it can serve as a floor covering.
As soon as I stripped the hide, I took a small piece of meat.
It was from the part that was furthest from where I attacked.
This Cayman died from poison.
Naturally, the meat would also contain poison.
Of course, I can handle the poison, but these little spiders cannot.
I took extra care to select the safest part for them as well.
“Grr!”
You’re lucky to be small.
You can fill your stomach with this amount.
The little ones hurriedly took the alligator meat.
You should consider yourself lucky to have met me.
Which spider gets to eat alligator meat?
Now, it’s my turn.
I sliced the delectable alligator meat into appropriate sizes.
At times like this, I should take my time eating.
I can’t keep living like a beast.
I have to think about maintaining my dignity.
Chomp.
Nom.
Swallow.
…Huh?
The carefully cut meat vanished in an instant.
Did I really just do that?
No way.
Next time, I need to eat more slowly.
I still have a lot of alligator meat left.
Chomp.
Swallow.
It’s delicious!
In fact, it’s extremely tasty.
The meat is full of muscle, yet as soon as it touches my tongue, it melts away.
It seems like my poison has tenderized it perfectly.
Compared to the bugs I’ve eaten in Silver Dragon Cave, it feels almost a shame to compare them.
Is this what it feels like for a monk who has trained in the mountains all his life to step into the secular world and taste meat?
Chomp.
Swallow.
What did this creature eat to grow so delicious?
Alright. From now on, I’ll hunt every Cayman I see.
Don’t take it personally; it’s your original sin.
I finished the alligator dish in no time.
It’s a bit regrettable, but it was still tasty.
Now that I’ve finished the meat, it’s time to eat the main dish.
The main dish is none other than Low Qi.
A piece of the high-grade Low Qi that I swallowed. Its origin.
A black sphere tinged with green.
Swallow.
I gulped it down immediately.
I felt something hot inside my belly.
Is my body particularly receptive to Low Qi?
It goes down smoothly.
I don’t feel any immediate increase in my inner power.
I feel like I might have to use this Low Qi differently…
But keeping it in my stomach should be useful somehow.
Having now become the master of the swamp and filled my belly,
Should I go meet my turtles and toads?
If I have some time left, maybe I’ll practice Qi Manipulation and Breathing.
“Grrr.”
Tus and Pus.
You two stay here and rest.
“Kiieeek!”
Tus and Pus crawl gently towards me.
Do they know it’s the safest next to me?
My size has increased significantly, so I should be able to spare them a scale or two without a problem.
“Meow!”
They make cute sounds while wagging their front legs.
Yes, isn’t that nice?
Yet, those two spiders are still rubbing against me.
I can excuse Tus; it seems he’s coming closer because he’s glad to see me.
But Pus is a little different.
How should I say it? Is he being proactive?
Oh, surely a spider wouldn’t act that way.
It must be my misunderstanding.
There’s probably a spider culture I’m unaware of.
…But hey, Pus.
Why are you presenting your backside towards me?
“Kiioooong….”
What’s with that shy voice?
“Kiieee….”
Tus.
Why are you licking your lips while looking at my tail?
What’s wrong with you two?
I have no interest in spiders!
At least wait until I’ve transformed back into a human before you approach me again.
“Kiieeek!”
“Kiieek!”
【The effect of 「Loved by Spiders」 is enhanced.】
…This is driving me crazy.
*
Sweat droplets glistened on Baekun’s forehead.
Could it be from climbing this treacherous mountain for several days?
No, a top-tier martial artist like him shouldn’t be struggling this much.
The reason for his sweat was the man who appeared before them.
Black hair.
A mysterious movement technique that obscured his footsteps.
His movement was akin to a shadow in motion.
Shadow Sword Demon, Woo Jinwoon.
He could probably handle this man alone.
However, the man was not alone.
A momentum that felt as smooth as flowing water but also like a powerful tidal wave was palpable.
The man with blue hair and noble eyes held a sword.
It was Dan Cheong-Ho,
the Left Dharma Protector and Right Dharma Protector of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
“I am Namgung Yeon. How….”
“…It has opened.”
And the presence of both of them here meant only one thing.
She is coming.
The Left Dharma Protector and Right Dharma Protector both knelt on one knee simultaneously.
The flowing black hair spread like a majestic ink wash waterfall, more beautiful than any landscape in the world. In stark contrast, her snow-white skin looked as if it had never seen sunlight in her entire life.
However, I couldn’t afford to be mesmerized by her beauty.
“Left Dharma Protector, Woo Jinwoon pays respects to the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult!”
“Right Dharma Protector, Dan Cheong-Ho pays respects to the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult!”
For she was the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
A top-tier master, the one seated at the uppermost seat among them.
The unparalleled woman who had long transcended the peak of martial prowess made her appearance.
“What brings you to my garden?”
Baek Yeon-Young looked coldly at Namgung Yeon’s expedition team.
Everyone trembled in fear at the emotionless expression on her face.
“If you have come here wishing to join our cult, I must inform you that you have lost your way.”
“Is that so? We, we have lost our way…”
The man who spoke could say no more.
He had noticed the narrowing of Baek Yeon-Young’s eyes.
That woman could kill him with just the flick of a hand. No, she could slay him without even moving.
“Is it our treasures that pique your interest?”
Baek Yeon-Young’s presence made Baekun sweat profusely.
This was not a foe he could handle.
How did it come to this?
He had just barely entered the foothills of Shiman Mountain, and now the leader of the Demon Cult had made her appearance in person.
Baek Yeon-Young surveyed the onlookers.
Their gazes were like snakes.
Thirteen third-tier warriors, eight second-tier, four first-tier.
One of them concealed his strength.
And there was one whose identity remained unknown.
“There’s an odd one mixed in.”
It was when Baek Yeon-Young’s gaze fell upon the Dilophosaurus trapped in a wheeled cage.
Someone’s voice reached Baekun’s ears.
[I will count to three; close your eyes and cover your ears!]
It was a telepathic message.
There was no time to ponder who sent it.
As soon as they shut their eyes simultaneously, a blinding white light erupted.
Kwang!
It was a Thunder Bomb,
a device modified to produce an immense amount of light and smoke at the cost of reducing the explosive force.
[Now! Hurry and escape!]
Baekun realized who had sent the telepathic message.
It was Namgung Yeon.
As he threw the Thunder Bomb, he sprinted in the opposite direction faster than anyone else.
In this chaos, escape was possible.
Baekun, along with the others, believed so.
They scattered in different directions.
As the smoke cleared, Baek Yeon-Young revealed herself.
Inside, she began to count.
At last, when she deemed sufficient time had passed, her lips parted.
“Left Dharma Protector, and Right Dharma Protector.”
Naturally, Baek Yeon-Young was a master who could not lose sight of them merely due to the flash and smoke.
“Pursue them.”
Yet, the reason she did not pursue them immediately was due to another objective.
Baek Yeon-Young added an additional condition.
First, focus on the third-tier martial artists.
Afterwards, corner the second-tier ones, allowing them to escape at their leisure.
As for the first-tier, injure them or make them fall deeper into the fray with some measures to delay their escape.
“Move!”
The Left and Right Dharma Protectors leaped in different directions.
For just two of them to face more than twenty enemies — not to kill but to funnel them into specific areas — was no easy task.
However, they were the Left and Right Dharma Protectors of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
For them, such tasks could be accomplished as easily as blinking.
Moreover, in Shiman Mountain, formidable creatures lurking everywhere naturally isolated the foes.
Baek Yeon-Young turned her gaze.
She looked towards the direction of Silver Dragon Cave.
As she subtly raised her right hand, her attention was drawn to her fingertips.
Recalling a small lizard nibbling on her finger, she found herself smiling just a little.
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