NOVEL WEB Chapter 60
“Looks like raptors.”
While crossing the wasteland, creatures with sharp claws surrounded us in numbers. What I could see was just the beginning. A lot more were lurking, hiding in the rocky crevices of the wasteland, watching us closely.
‘… There are a lot of them.’
What could they be eating to survive in this wasteland? Just as I was contemplating this, the raptors tightened their encirclement.
“What are we going to do?”
Instead of answering, I signaled the Fairy Dragon to go to the White Deer. While I confirmed their numbers through insight, the raptors tilted their heads in confusion.
‘About the same level as Gabtorong.’
Running Raptor. They aren’t particularly strong, about the same level as the ones I had seen in the forest dungeon. The odd thing is that they all seemed to have a sprint skill.
‘Now I understand why they’re called Running Raptors.’
Running all day must be their way of life. As I charged in, the startled raptors opened their mouths in shock, revealing their sharp claws and threatening movements. The wild instincts were still intact.
‘Still.’
It didn’t matter. The gap in levels was already too wide. It was harder for me to believe I was actually being overwhelmed by them. I pierced the jumping raptor with my tentacle. Heart and neck. A sure kill.
‘One down.’
I lifted it up and tossed it at the ones charging from the left. On the opposite side, a raptor ran in without stopping, its hide tearing in the gust of wind.
“Kyaaak!”
Just before their teeth could touch me, black flames erupted. I couldn’t use fire freely in the dungeon at Hyun-woo Park for fear of spreading flames, but here in the Dragon’s Wasteland, I didn’t have to worry about that.
‘I can use as much as I want.’
The raptors dashed in panic at the sight of the flames. As two engulfed in fire were burned to ashes, their formation crumbled. Without missing a beat, I snapped up a raptor by the nape, the cold blood spilling into my mouth.
‘Tastes fishy.’
I spat out the flesh and blood. I seriously thought about erasing my sense of taste. Dodging the claws of a raptor that approached from behind, I slammed its head down with my front paw. The one that was pinned to the ground was rendered a living sacrifice, hanging limp. Seeing this, the remaining raptors must have felt hopeless, for they began to flee.
“Should we chase?”
Looking back, I noticed several raptors lying dead under the feet of the White Deer.
“No.”
As soon as we lure the Earth Serpent, they’ll get caught up in it anyway, so there’s no need to chase. I had already given up worrying about experience points the moment I laid eyes on monsters like Coatl and Wyvern.
‘I can definitely reach level 30.’
It was true that the dungeon was at a higher level, but the number of monsters was even greater.
“So, how was it?”
In response to the White Deer’s question, I recalled the battle from earlier.
“…”
It felt like I had the insight even without using the skill. It was almost as if it was visible to my eyes. Like a game, once you get accustomed, you can predict how the opponent will move. It wasn’t just a skill but an enhancement of senses. The three days of dodging practice had sharpened and honed my instincts.
[You have consumed a Running Raptor. Experience and satiation have increased.]
Once I devoured all the dead raptors, the experience left to level up was minimal; I regretted not eating just one more. After running through the wasteland, I spotted a massive creature wrapped around a rocky mountain. Up close, it was much larger and imposing than from afar.
[Tyrant (Earth Serpent)]
[Length 80.4m] [Height 7.16m] [Weight 429t]
[Strength 662] [Agility 513] [Endurance 582] [Magic Power 416]
[Skills Held]
[Rock Hide B] [Damage Reduction D] [Acceleration D] [Resistance E] [Swimming F]
‘I expected as much, but…’
The stats were insane. Even the lowest magic power was 416. It was a monster holding a B-tier skill.
‘No matter how much of a boss it is.’
Was it uncomfortable? The creature wriggled as it coiled around the rocky mountain. Just that alone made the ground shake.
‘This is absurd.’
The shaking felt more like an earthquake than mere vibrations. The weight of over 400t for the Earth Serpent was a weapon beyond comprehension. Just being crushed by it would mean death. I glanced at the White Deer, who nodded as if it were no problem.
“Don’t worry. It has fled once before.”
“Really?”
“I shot magic at it from afar, and it got angry and chased me.”
I’m not sure if all summoned beasts are like this or just the White Deer, but…
‘That’s crazy.’
Regardless, it was saying this much, so it should be fine. Even I thought there was little chance the White Deer would get caught.
‘… The issue is the acceleration.’
That was the skill possessed by the Earth Serpent.
Since the White Deer hadn’t mentioned it before, it was likely a recently acquired skill. Considering how long the Dragon’s Wasteland had been left untouched, it wouldn’t be odd for it to gain a new skill—upon mentioning this, the White Deer nodded in agreement.
“Acceleration shouldn’t be a problem. More importantly, did it have a higher emotion than that?”
With that boast, my anxiety eased a bit. Still, with agility at 513, I couldn’t let my guard down, as it was still above the White Deer in pure stats.
“Is that enough?”
“Just a little more.”
I wanted to be cautious. I hoped to get as close as possible before it noticed and trigger the transformation at maximum.
‘If that size hits the ground, the fire might go out.’
“Is this enough?”
It nodded. I stepped back, and the White Deer distanced itself. Using stealth, I slowly crawled onto the Earth Serpent’s back. The Rock Hide skill dulls its senses, as it seemed unaware of my presence.
‘Being rock-like makes it hard to catch fire.’
If I were greedy, I’d want to pierce through its scales and perform the transformation from within. Suddenly, it twitched, throwing me off balance. A section of the rocky mountain crumbled, sending debris tumbling down.
That rock wasn’t light; even a falling fragment could weigh tons, but it seemed to be part of its everyday life, as it showed no reaction.
‘This is insane.’
Avoiding the falling rocks wasn’t difficult. I waited until it calmed down and attempted to trigger the transformation but shook my head.
‘I really can’t do this easily.’
Contrary to my initial thoughts, I doubted I could ignite it with flames. Inside its body— unless there were spots without scales, the transformation would fizzle out uselessly. Even if there were, I couldn’t tear scales away. Even a dull creature would definitely notice such an action.
‘I need a strategy…’
Suddenly, an idea struck me, so I pressed my sense of smell into action. Bingo. I found it. Meanwhile, a Coatl flapping in the sky was making a loud commotion.
‘Damn it.’
If the Earth Serpent woke up, all would be for naught. I wanted to pass quietly, but I had no choice but to use intimidation. As its title effect kicked in, the creature jumped back in shock and tried to flee as the earth trembled beneath us.
‘……!’
Before the Earth Serpent’s tail moved, I dashed to the opposite side, barely dodging its tail before making a narrow escape.
“Kie?!
The Coatl flapping in the air was snatched up in an instant, as if it were just a pesky mosquito. The blood of the crushed Coatl and its feathers exploded all around.
‘Is this 662?’
And 513 agility. The Coatl wasn’t a weak monster by any means, but it was no match. Even airborne, it couldn’t escape. Holding my breath and activating stealth, the Earth Serpent relaxed once more, unaware of my presence.
‘… Alright.’
And finally, I spotted an opening. A significant amount of gas could be seen seeping out even with the naked eye. I disabled my sense of smell and steeled myself.
‘Huff.’
It’s time to begin.
The transformation—having reached C level beyond the blazing embers. The black flames that had even engulfed Agail’s black magic.
‘I’ve never drawn it out this far before.’
Back when I fought Agail, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. It was a fight where a moment’s mistake would lead to death, leaving no leeway. I drew the flickering black flames to their maximum capacity. Slowly twisting, forming a shape. Within the burning flames, a fleeting vision appeared— ultimately, the transformation created a silhouette fitting for its name.
‘If it’s this…!’
The atmosphere thickened rapidly. The Earth Serpent seemed to sense it as it started to squirm.
‘Transformation!’
Time was of the essence. I pushed the fully formed ghostly figure of transformation into the only un-scaled hole.
‘Now all that’s left is to escape!’
No time to hesitate. The transformation ignited within it. The Earth Serpent writhed in pain. Its movements were more intense than before. The rocky mountain shook precariously.
‘It’s coming!’
There was no need to sense it; the immense force feeling pushed me back. And then, cutting through that force, the Earth Serpent’s tail lashed out at a horrifying speed.
‘……!’
I knew it, hence I managed to dodge by a hair’s breadth. Over 500 agility wasn’t for show. Just as I barely avoided it, everything went dark before my eyes.
‘I knew this would happen.’
Following the tail would be the head. Living up to its name, the giant serpent’s jaws, opened wide, blocked my vision. Just as its flickering red tongue was about to wrap around me, I stepped on a fallen rock and jumped with all my strength. By the time the serpent’s jaws clamped down, it had only swallowed a rock.
‘What’s next?’
I detected the location of every falling rock and shard, conceptualizing their descent. I needed to predict the falling path and visualize the optimal escape route.
‘7 o’clock direction!’
The tail and head were hot on my trail. The creature that had coiled around the rocky mountain was now fully raised and pursuing furiously. Considering its agility, escaping would be a challenge, even using all its skills.
“White Deer!”
Off in the distance, the White Deer was sprinting towards me. The Earth Serpent that had just gobbled a rock suddenly sped up.
‘… Acceleration!’
The skill it possessed. As I stood dumbfounded, I continued to extend my tentacles.
[Tentacle Burst (E) Level 8 has reached max proficiency. Tentacle Burst (E) Level 8 → Tentacle Burst (E) Level 9]
Using the extended tentacle, I pulled a heavy rock, and before I knew it, I was being dragged along.
‘This is good.’
It wasn’t just the Earth Serpent I had to be cautious of. I had to dodge the falling rocks as I sought a path to live. Where could I run? I couldn’t help but keep dodging while continuously extending my tentacles. The gusts whipped up dust and obscured my vision.
‘Over there!’
An empty space with no fragments around. There was nothing to grab onto or step on. In the end, the serpent was still faster, and it was only a matter of time until I was caught. Just as I thought I could no longer escape—
“Kyuuwu!”
—The moment I heard the cry, I found myself on the back of the White Deer.
“That was close. Are you alright?”
My heart raced. I wondered if I acted too brashly, but there was a reason for my actions.
“Yeah.”
I replied shortly and caught my breath. The only weakness of the snake covered in rock-like scales—the sole hole leading into its body. Transformation was attacking it from its rear.
‘… Putting it out won’t be easy.’
Even now, the transformation was burning, slowly creeping inside it. If the flames spread outside, it could fan them out cleanly, but internal flames couldn’t be extinguished in that manner.
‘It was worth the risk.’
It was risky, but the gamble had paid off. The Earth Serpent, writhing in pain, eventually realized it had no way to extinguish the flames and began to chase us with its red eyes. Nevertheless, it couldn’t catch the White Deer. No matter how much it used its D-tier acceleration, it couldn’t reach the B-tier teleportation capability of the White Deer.
‘But it’s still unsettling.’
Every time it used acceleration, the distance between us shrunk ominously. It left scratches on the wasteland as it dragged itself, as if carving out a canyon. Especially with every use of acceleration, those marks deepened.
“White Deer!”
As a sudden canyon emerged from the endless wasteland, the White Deer leaped high into the air. Using the momentum from all the running so far made me feel like I was flying.
“Kyuuwu!”
The Fairy Dragon cheered joyfully. Meanwhile, I felt an inexplicable chill down my spine.
[Weak Intuition (E) Level 2 has reached max proficiency. Weak Intuition (E) Level 2 → Weak Intuition (E) Level 3]
Even after jumping several meters into the air, the Earth Serpent’s long body, over 80m, could still reach us. Although it couldn’t extend entirely, it could easily catch up within dozens of meters. As expected, just like before, it leaped from the canyon’s edge. Its massive frame rapidly closed the gap.
As I floated in the air, I jumped as high as I could, springboarding off the White Deer’s back.
“You!”
The startled White Deer had my tentacles wrapped around its waist. With all the spring strength combined, I barely lifted us up, just enough to avoid the range of the Earth Serpent. Its jaws snapped at the air.
“Th-thank you.”
As I tried to express my gratitude, I had to grit my teeth. Not yet. It wasn’t over.
The Earth Serpent still hadn’t descended.
‘It still has acceleration…!’
How high could it leap? Could it avoid us this time? But contrary to my expectations, the Serpent did not pursue me with acceleration. Instead, it chose to accelerate downwards.
‘……?!’
This was madness. No matter how strong a monster, crashing down with over 400t would be suicidal. Even holding a B-tier skill…?!
‘Does it have some sort of assurance?!’
The Earth Serpent did not hesitate. The moment it collided with the ground, I recalled why the dinosaurs had perished. An asteroid collision. Dust rose and enveloped the earth. The deafening roar stunned all the winged creatures, causing them to flap their wings in panic. The fleeing raptors and the horror birds screamed, swept away by the shattered rocks. —The White Deer was no exception.
“Kugh!”
No matter how much the teleportation skill could mitigate, it couldn’t stop the projectile debris crashing down on the White Deer.
“Kyaaak!”
Even the flying monsters weren’t spared, falling prey to the shockwaves of the impact and the rubble that soared into the air. Naturally, the White Deer was not unharmed either. At least it managed to shield itself from the dust, but the fall itself was unavoidable. Its size was a terrifying weapon in itself.
‘Damn it.’
Just before the collision, the Fairy Dragon used a blink skill, allowing me to land safely.
“… Horrible.”
The ground I landed on was a battlefield of chaos. The flying monsters crashing down were nothing compared to the total devastation from the collision. The shockwaves rippled across the ground, overturning it.
‘Insane.’
The monsters that touched the ground lay in unimaginable shapes as corpses. None of the living beings in the vicinity survived. My imagination faltered. An enraged Earth Serpent was a calamity in itself.
‘This wretched world backdrop.’
Nowhere near the disaster-like creatures, such as the purple black tiger or the sea calamity, just a single Earth Serpent caused this. It was astonishing that humanity had not perished thus far.
‘What about it now?’
No detection at all.
“White Deer! Run!”
Finally regaining my footing, the White Deer limped off. The Earth Serpent— had it died from the impact, I would have found its corpse. The fact that I hadn’t meant it was still alive. The ground underneath us trembled as proof.
‘Don’t tell me.’
The moment I swallowed, the ground beneath us shook. A massive jaw erupted from the wasteland, about to swallow us whole. The next moment, we found ourselves ejected from its maw.
“Kyuuwu…!”
The Fairy Dragon, squeezing out its final magic, seemed utterly drained, fading into unconsciousness.
‘Even with magic regeneration.’
This meant it felt fatigue beyond what it could bear. It was miraculous it lasted this long with only 82 magic.
“Can we escape?”
“… It’ll be tough.”
The White Deer muttered grimly. Looking closely, I noticed its back leg was strangely bent. The impact had taken its toll on the Earth Serpent, leaving it in a rough state, but…
‘It’s just a little scale coming off.’
That’s all it was. To be alive after such a massive blow was hard to believe. I couldn’t comprehend entirely.
‘What the hell.’
With all damage reduction and rock hide— the skills seemed tailored for defense—it was an underestimation. When the dust settled and visibility cleared, the Earth Serpent had already wrapped its long body around us.
‘Is it wet?’
I frowned and looked back at it. Its body was soaked—? How did it happen? No, more importantly, we needed to escape.
“White Deer. Can you run?”
The transformation was setting it ablaze from the inside. Despite its mind-boggling size and endurance, it wouldn’t die easily, but if we could just buy a bit more time—
“… I’ll do my best.”
It began to move slowly. I could hear the sound of bones hitting each other, or maybe the ground scraping against the scales. The White Deer, using its back legs, filled with magic, managed to leap despite its injuries. Though not as high as before, it was good enough. I leaped off its back using the momentum. My tentacles wrapped around the White Deer to give it more bounce—?!
‘Damn.’
I underestimated it. The tension in my tentacles felt as though they were about to snap at any moment. This was different from before. Simply lifting it would require the hardening skill, but using elasticity to toss the White Deer was tougher without it.
‘Serpent!’
The monster leaped. I erupted my magic with all my might just to throw the White Deer forward, but just as I caught a glimpse of the horrified expression on the White Deer, the tentacles that barely held on snapped.
‘Damn it.’
Thus, the wolf was— swallowed by the giant serpent’s mouth.