Chapter: 425
What on earth should I do about this?
This is the thought that crossed my mind as I gazed at the snake staring intently at me.
Aside from the yellow eyes, just looking at its red scales makes it obvious.
This guy…
‘It seems to be the same one I killed earlier.’
No matter how I looked at it, that seemed to be the case.
Of course, this isn’t exactly strange.
The red monster that emerged from the river is known as a Red Water Snake.
The enemy is a monster that appears regardless of whether it’s in a river or the sea.
It was quite large, even among the red monsters, but it wasn’t a difficult monster to deal with since it moved slowly for its size.
The only problem is that its habitat is water.
And…
‘As far as I know, it seemed like it used poison.’
The fangs in its mouth contained a deadly toxin. Even without that, I remembered it as a monster that spewed poison from its mouth.
However, I didn’t get that feeling when facing this guy.
Sure, there might be some that don’t use it…
‘How strange.’
It also called me something great while looking at me.
It felt as if it was intentionally trying not to attack me.
But why?
Why me?
It’s already odd enough that a monster spoke to me. The biggest mystery was that it showed me kindness.
‘This guy, too.’
Shifting my gaze to my hand, I found a small Red Water Snake staring blankly at me.
Right now, this one was the biggest headache.
What is this?
Frowning as I made eye contact with the little snake.
‘I almost died because of this little brat.’
Right after extracting the magic stone from the monster’s body.
I sensed something strange and examined the magic stone.
Upon inspecting it, I instinctively realized something.
I felt an unknown fetal movement coming from it.
A birth from a magic stone? What the hell is this? It’s not like I ordered this out of nowhere!
I was so surprised that I almost gulped down the river water.
What’s even more astounding is…
When I discovered it, I instinctively knew how to hatch it.
Hatching.
Yes, I could hatch this magic stone.
If that happens, I have no idea what might pop out, but this much was certain.
Then what should I do?
There wasn’t time for indecision. Long before I could even contemplate, I was already ‘pouring’ my energy into it as if entranced.
‘This is…’
The method for hatching was simple.
Instead of absorbing the magic energy from the magic stone through Demonic Absorption, I was rather infusing my own energy into it.
Just as one would inject magic into others to corrupt them.
The same principle was applied to the magic stone.
If you ask how I knew, it felt as if someone had whispered to me how to do it.
There’s just one problem…
‘Why is it consuming so much?!’
The magic stone was voraciously devouring my energy.
I thought, “It’ll probably take a bit,” but this was just excessive.
Thanks to the martial arts and energy I had consumed, my energy capacity was already larger than normal for someone at my level.
Even in that situation, it was consuming this much?
‘I feel like it’s already eaten half!’
I thought it would be enough since I hadn’t used it much in battle.
This consumption was unusual.
What’s more, I couldn’t even stop the flow.
‘This crazy little thing…?’
Initially, I was the one injecting my energy.
However, at some point, the magic stone had reached the threshold where it started absorbing my energy.
Normally, something like that would end if you cut it off, but this time was different.
It could be felt by the way it absorbed energy.
If I forcibly interrupted, my blood flow might go haywire and lead to internal injury.
Given that I was in water, struggling to break free was challenging, and having my energy siphoned made it feel like I was at death’s door.
If I let it drain me completely, I really might die.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, I jolted back to reality.
I couldn’t possibly die in a place like this.
Though I wanted to act, solutions were elusive.
My energy was rapidly dwindling.
‘Damn it.’
If I kept this up, I felt like all the energy I had would be drained away.
What now?
I was genuinely spiraling into a crisis and felt I had to do something.
Thud!
Finally, the energy drain came to a halt.
‘…Hah.’
At that sensation, I immediately checked my body.
All of my energy had been siphoned away, leaving only a tiny bit behind.
If it had taken just a moment longer, I would’ve been finished.
A surge of relief crept in as I celebrated not being dead.
Snap!
From the magic stone in my hand, I felt a change.
There was a crack forming in the magic stone.
And then suddenly, I felt something in my grip.
Frowning, I checked my hand and found a red snake coiling around my arm.
I should have widened my eyes at it, but for now, getting out of the water was the priority.
As the pressure fell, I was beginning to feel breathless.
I needed to survive first, so I swiftly escaped to the surface, snake and all.
The time has passed since then, and now…
“What are you?”
I found myself face-to-face with the snake that had jumped out of the magic stone.
A monster had burst forth from the magic stone.
‘…Is this how it’s supposed to be?’
That seems unlikely.
I had never heard of a monster emerging from a magic stone.
I had never seen it in my life.
Of course, I had never bothered to research or show interest in monster mating or childbirth.
At least, I knew that monsters didn’t come out of magic stones.
‘Then what the hell is this?’
This just made things weirder.
Suddenly, a monster appears from a magic stone and starts absorbing my energy?
The monster’s behavior was strange too.
Slurp…
The little snake flicked its tongue and licked my finger.
Just by looking at it, I could tell that it wasn’t acting hostile.
This was ridiculous!
Monsters are inherently creatures that don’t express affection towards humans, so why is this one acting like this?
How big of a deal is this?
For centuries, the Murim Alliance has sought to tame monsters, only to ultimately give up, concluded it was impossible.
Monsters are ferocious beasts driven only by greed and appetite.
They can never be tamed and must be hunted to maintain peace.
This is the conclusion drawn from the Murim Alliance’s extensive experiences.
‘What a strange little guy.’
As if showing kindness, the little Red Water Snake kept licking my arm.
I had to stare at it in disbelief.
“Speak up. What are you?”
I kept trying to get it to talk, but the little snake remained silent.
It was absurd to think a monster would respond.
Yet, when I reflected on earlier, it wasn’t entirely unbelievable.
It had definitely spoken to me before.
“Are you a different one from that earlier guy?”
Is this little Red Water Snake a different one from the one I killed? That’s what I was asking, but it only blankly stared and stuck out its tongue.
“Hey, you answered me fine earlier, so why the silence now? Speak up!”
Huh?
The snake tilted its head as if confused.
“Sigh…”
Starting to get annoyed, I felt my patience boiling.
Now I find myself having a late-night conversation with a snake!
I’m already at my wits’ end… This is getting on my nerves.
CRACK!
RIP!
In a fit of frustration, I grabbed the snake by the neck.
“You’ve absorbed so much of my energy, it better not be wasted like this!”
Wriggle…! Wriggle…!
The captured little snake squirmed as it struggled to breathe.
“What are you? If you don’t answer, I’ll kill you. Speak clearly!”
This couldn’t be a significant drawback.
Not only did I sacrifice a low-grade magic stone to get this one, but I also poured in my precious energy, too.
Considering how tight my energy situation already was, it was infuriating.
Haa…
With whatever little strength I had left, I kept squeezing the little snake.
“You must have a magic stone; being red implies that, right?”
It seemed weak, and its body was as small as a rat’s droppings, so I didn’t expect it to contain much.
I had to swallow this at least.
That way, I could feel less aggrieved.
With that thought in mind, I glared at the little snake and tightened my grip.
Slurp…
Even now, it remained silent, thrashing about without any noteworthy reaction.
If anything, it kept licking my hand as if to express its affection.
What on earth is this monster’s intention towards me?
The sudden appearance of the Red Water Snake, and the air of it wanting something from me was incredibly frustrating.
In a situation where it could have bitten me, it’s now desperately seeking my affection. What a pathetic sight!
It felt uncomfortably reminiscent of how I had been in my past life.
I found my mood souring significantly.
“…This is ridiculous.”
I frowned, loosening my grip.
The next moment, the little snake dropped to the ground with a thud.
Thud.
Hiss…
As soon as it hit the ground, it quickly climbed back onto my body, crawling right back up to my hands.
What in the world is this about?
Do you think of me as your parent?
‘Parent of a monster? What nonsense is that?’
Thinking that just because it saw me for the first time, it must consider me a parent.
It’s a tale told multiple times, but it’s nonsense when it comes to monsters.
What that implies is…
This little Red Water Snake is different from normal monsters.
‘I guess that could mean something has changed in me.’
Even during my travels, I had been ambushed by monsters several times. Each time, I hunted them, but nothing like this occurred.
‘What could it be?’
The emergence of red monsters, the fact that a baby monster jumped out of the magic stone.
It’s already complicated with one addition; having two appear at once is unreal.
Hah…
All I could manage was a sigh at that moment.
Hiss?
The little snake, hearing my sigh, poked its head out as if asking what was wrong.
I frowned slightly and said, “I’m going out, so get back inside.”
As if it understood my words, the little snake sneakily tucked back into my sleeve and vanished from view.
This little guy seems to comprehend what I say…?
‘Could he really be different?’
That was still up in the air.
I couldn’t be certain if this was the offspring of the creature I had killed or if it was the very same one.
In such a case, the easiest solution would be to kill it off and be done.
For whatever reason, though, I felt a sense of reluctance, which made me halt.
‘For now, I’ll just keep watching.’
Considering that it appeared to listen and didn’t seem to inflict any harm.
For the moment, I decided to wait and see.
At least for now.
Squeak.
I opened the door and stepped outside.
After climbing a few stairs, I found myself on the deck.
It was nighttime and the air was filled with the distinctive smell of the river.
As I stepped outside, a few people were already on the deck.
Most of them were on duty.
Perhaps due to the incident that occurred during the day, the atmosphere felt particularly tense.
I casually scanned the area as I walked.
There was someone I had been looking for.
Making my way to the front of the ship, I noticed an individual perched at the edge.
Approaching slowly, I observed him.
He seemed to have sensed my presence as he turned his head toward me.
Maybe it was the night, but his green eyes appeared especially bright.
After exchanging pleasantries, I asked him, “Why are you out here, Lord Tang?”
“Old Confucius.”
I faced none other than the Poison King.
“It’s late at night. You must be tired. Why are you out here?”
“…It’s a night that’s particularly hard to sleep.”
“I see.”
From his expression, it seemed he had a lot on his mind.
Well, the appearance of the red monster must be a significant concern for the clan leaders.
Being individuals holding numerous donations and fame in their hands, the burden of maintaining regional peace and safety rests heavily on them.
These figures must be the most sensitive to abrupt changes.
Especially the clan leaders known as the Four Great Aristocrats, seated in positions of influence.
‘It seems it’s not just one issue at hand.’
The atmosphere hinted at some sort of hidden problem as well.
However, that wasn’t a matter I needed to pry into. Asking wouldn’t guarantee I’d get answers anyway.
After a brief exchange, the Poison King and I found ourselves gazing at one another, with little further dialogue.
Several seconds of silence passed.
Unusually, it was the Poison King who spoke first.
“…What’s going on?”
His voice held a subtle note of caution. Why had he suddenly become wary of me?
Even though I found him unappealing, I didn’t think he’d be so cautious.
“I didn’t come to see you for any particular reason. I was just out for a walk, and since you were here…”
“I know you came with a purpose.”
“…!”
I swallowed my breath upon hearing his words.
How did this man know? We hadn’t even had a conversation yet, and he already caught on.
‘This old man is observant.’
Without a doubt, he was someone I’d describe as the most representative head among the Four Great Families.
Thinking this internally, I feigned ignorance outwardly.
“Purpose? I’m not quite sure what you mean.”
“I know that Confucius isn’t the type to approach without intention.”
“…”
Hah.
I let out a brief laugh at the Poison King’s assertion.
Trying to revert the somewhat pleasant smile I had been forcing back to my neutral expression.
Now that I was caught, there was no need for any further pretense.
Noticing the change in my expression, the Poison King spoke with narrowed eyes.
“What is it that you want?”
A straightforward inquiry devoid of need for elaboration.
It appeared that the Poison King was already aware of my underlying reason for approaching him.
By assisting with the defeat of the red monster.
In truth, there was nothing I could truly ask for.
Even without my intervention, the red monster would have been eliminated.
However, had I not intervened, there could have been more casualties due to the rampage of the enemy investigation.
It’s a matter I could simply brush aside by claiming I survived partially thanks to it.
In my current role as the head of the transport unit, it would be difficult for the Poison King, leading the Tang family, to ignore.
That’s simply how relationships function.
That was the responsibility that came with being a leader.
What’s more,
‘Even though he seems wary of me, it implies that he doesn’t intend to sever our relationship.’
The Poison King has yet to dismiss the value or potential I hold.
So, I naturally inquired about the business at hand.
Realizing this, I couldn’t help but slightly smile.
“No, I’m not really asking for anything big.”
At my words, the Poison King’s brows furrowed. Even if it’s not significant, implying that I wanted something would likely irritate him.
Remaining silent was tantamount to granting permission.
“It’s actually not that big of a deal. It’s just…”
“Before that.”
Just as I was about to make my request, the Poison King interrupted me.
What could it be?
“I have something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
He’s questioning me. I looked at the Poison King with some surprise.
He focused on me and inquired, “The weakness of enemy grade monsters. How do you know this?”
“Hmmm.”
Ah.
Only after hearing that question did I begin to understand.
The reason the Poison King had his guard up against me.
The sudden appearance of the red monster, which hadn’t been seen in over a hundred years, was astonishing.
It was even stranger that I had effortlessly hunted such a monster.
I wasn’t exactly expecting him to suspect me, but…
It was clear that he viewed me somewhat oddly now.
Hah…
‘This is absurd.’
I saved him, and now he’s questioning me?
Just look at this guy.
I understand, but regrettably, it didn’t feel good at all.
‘If I had the chance, I would’ve saved you during the ambush.’
If my original team had been the ones ambushing him, things would’ve gone a lot smoother without these complications.
The emergence of the red monster made everything feel a bit chaotic.
So where did the bandits hanging around go?
‘They’ve all been eaten, surely.’
Had they been lurking around the area, they would have either fled upon seeing the red monster or been devoured themselves.
“Are you doubting me? That I intentionally tried to sabotage the transport?”
“I don’t believe Confucius would have such intentions.”
“Sure?”
“What I questioned was your actions back then.”
The sight of me facing the red monster unbothered.
Danal, who had nonchalantly attacked without hesitation against an absurd scene where it absorbed energy left and right, couldn’t be comprehended by the Poison King.
“…How could that be possible? I don’t understand.”
“You don’t need to.”
“What?”
The Poison King looked displeased at my response. Did he think I was mocking him?
“You say you cannot comprehend something you should have grasped on sight. How can I explain this to you?”
I had already prepared my answer when I set out to hunt the monsters.
It wasn’t the kind of answer that required much contemplation.
It was quite a simple matter.
“I knew when I saw it. I could see its weakness. That’s why I had the children capture it.”
“…!”
The Poison King’s expression shifted dramatically at my bold assertion.
From a tight expression to one of disbelief.
What I was stating was essentially unremarkable.
I’ll understand it when I see it.
So I did it.
Is it my fault that you failed to understand?
That’s basically what it boils down to.
Had someone else said this, it would’ve been laughed at.
What do people call me?
Not only the youngest peak martial artist, but as rumors spread, they would soon know I had reached a stage of high martial artistry.
It was a fact that the Poison King was aware of, and having mastered such skills at a young age meant…
‘An outstanding genius.’
In the Central Plains, they would perceive me as a talent sent from heaven.
Initially, those words bothered and annoyed me, but I had come to accept them somewhat.
Since I had reached this level, I should leverage these rumors to my advantage.
The Poison King’s astonished expression felt particularly delightful.
“Anyway… right now…”
“If not, you don’t think I’ve faced red monsters in the past? You wouldn’t think that, would you?”
That’s right. Since my previous life, I’ve fought them.
“I meant to assist you, and yet I never thought I would be suspected. It stings a little.”
In truth, it didn’t hurt at all.
If anything, it felt somewhat rewarding to have drawn him into something.
The Poison King’s expression was in constant flux as I kept throwing out lines.
I was merely doing this because I was so apathetic. This excuse has always served me well.
If you have enough credibility or power supporting you, you can twist it however you like.
Just look at him now, the Poison King stood there speechless, his lips only moving.
“…I apologize. This matter was my mistake.”
Although suspicion still lingered in his eyes, the Poison King offered me an apology, as if resigned.
Not missing the opportunity, I ‘pretended’ to ease my expression.
“It’s alright… Thank you for your apology.”
In reality, just having this conversation was irritating.
Failure to clean up now could lead to more hassle down the road.
Since the Poison King extended an apology first, it would make it easier to broach my request.
“Lord of the Tang Clan, if you do not mind, may I ask for a favor?”
“…Speak.”
“You don’t need to be so awkward. It’s not a monumental request.”
Did he think I was about to make some outrageous demand?
Not at all.
‘From my point of view, it may seem big, but from the perspective of the Poison King, it won’t be that significant.’
I wasn’t asking for anything material.
The Poison King looked visibly nervous anticipating my request.
What I was about to say wasn’t particularly grand.
I could have asked for something extravagant like an enviously precious sword or a famed weapon that would fit the name of the Iron Clan.
What I desired was…
“I heard that there is a lake in the Tang clan.”
“Hm?”
His face reflected confusion upon the sudden mention of a lake.
“They say it’s called Toxic Lake…”
The legacy left behind by Dokjeolcheon, the hero who stopped the Blood Demon long ago and the ancestor of the Tang clan.
The water from the deep lake is entirely composed of poison, making it a hazardous site where ordinary folks would fall victim to poisoning from simple proximity.
Such toxins also served as ingredients for the poisons used by the Tang family.
Since it’s impossible to ascertain the water’s origin,
People considered it another of the legendary mysteries.
“I’ve been curious about it since childhood. Is there a chance I could see it?”
I smiled as I spoke, but the Poison King’s expression remained stoic.
His demeanor suggested he didn’t grasp why anyone would wish to see such a place.
‘Why would I want to go to such a perilous location?’
There was only one reason.
‘White Horse Stone.’
It happens to be hidden in the depths of that lake.
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