NOVEL WEB Chapter 34 - Who Dared to Touch My Land?
< Chapter 34: Who Dared to Touch My Land? >
“Shhaaahhh!!”
The Giant King Cobras living deep within the Verdant Grove were apex predators with almost no natural enemies.
With a maximum body length of 6 meters and weighing over 100 kilograms, they could rear up to 4 meters high to intimidate their prey.
Their thick bodies wielded deadly venom capable of instantaneously killing most monsters and could crush them with powerful constriction.
In fact, there were only two types of monsters within the deep forest, excluding the inner mountains, that could challenge a Giant King Cobra: the Sawtooth Spined Alligator and the Deathhorn Surgebeast.
In other words, the current deep forest was divided into three territories, including the King Cobra’s, thanks to the absence of Teravore.
“Shhaa!!”
So, the Giant King Cobras merely snorted at the sudden declaration of war they heard from afar.
‘The Master of the Underground Mine?’
Wasn’t Teravore already dead?
Didn’t he foolishly venture outside his territory and meet a tragic end?
After the news of Teravore’s death spread, most monsters in the deep forest thought this way.
‘Teravore must have been killed by humans.’
In the small forest basin, massive flames had erupted along with a poisonous haze.
It was laughable that Teravore left his territory without even digging a tunnel, but the fact that flames erupted in the small forest at that exact time was even more unnatural.
Moreover, the immense energy that emanated in his final moments was not something an ordinary monster could produce. It was a level of power that only those deep within the mountains possessed.
Such beings wouldn’t just suddenly fall from the sky, would they?
There was only one conclusion.
‘Humans. Knights or magicians must have been involved.’
It must have been those filthy humans. Setting fires and digging traps were their specialties.
With this thought, it was natural to underestimate the ‘new owner’ who had luckily taken over the mine.
Seeing as this new master hadn’t shown themselves in the deep forest after taking the throne, it was clear they were insignificant.
But war?
“Sha! Hahaha!!”
The King Cobras weren’t afraid of some lowly monster hiding in the small forest, too scared to cross over.
Among the Giant King Cobras, one particularly large cobra roared fiercely.
“Shhaaahhh!”
Her name was Queen Venom Cobras. The queen of the King Cobras flicked her tongue and asked,
“Who is this Master of the Underground Mine?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! It is said to be a subspecies of Nightpanther.”
Of course, they didn’t actually speak fluent language.
To others, it would simply sound like a series of ‘Shhaaah!!’ accompanied by tongue flicking.
“Hah! Nightpanther?”
“Shahah! Yes, Your Majesty!”
Giant King Cobras were inherently vicious creatures that even preyed on other snakes, so they didn’t enjoy living in groups.
The fact that she commanded four of these creatures as her subordinates indicated just how strong she was.
Queen Venom Cobras flicked her tongue and gave a peculiar smile.
“Does he really think he’s the master of the mine?”
“Perhaps he has consumed Teravore’s inner core?”
“Shahahaha! What difference would it make if that wretch ate it?”
The adviser, who served the queen, quickly nodded.
Queen Venom herself had also evolved by consuming the previous leader.
No matter what, there was no way this new creature could be stronger than Queen Venom.
Yes, he wasn’t really an adviser but a flatterer. Knowing the queen’s temper, he never spoke words she wouldn’t want to hear.
‘The inner core of a centipede is a shortcut to evolution.’
It was a well-known saying, but would the queen plan any strategy upon hearing it now?
She would more likely attack, saying, “Then I should eat you to become stronger!”
“Anyway, since he has declared war, what shall we do? Should I go and check it out?”
The King Cobra, who wanted to be away from the queen even for a moment, devised a plan, but it didn’t go as he wished.
“Shhaaahhh!”
“Your Majesty! It’s him! That creature is coming this way!”
“What?”
The King Cobra gaped at the approaching monster from afar.
‘Is he still a cub?’
If so, why didn’t he just stay quietly hidden in the small forest? What kind of madness was this?
He shook his head.
Some crazy one has come to die.
That was what he thought.
Even the strongest Deathhorn creatures wouldn’t dare to challenge Queen Venom alone.
Moreover, this was the territory of the Giant King Cobra.
‘Tsk tsk, the young one has no experience in the world.’
“Shhaaah!”
Thinking that, he smacked his lips.
He had no idea what was about to happen that day.
* * *
**Tup, tup.**
“Shaha, phuhuhu.”
The Giant King Cobras couldn’t hold back their laughter as they watched the new ‘Master of the Underground Mine’ toddle towards them.
“Grng?”
“Shaha?”
One of the cobras, catching his eye, trembled and panted as if something was wrong, despite its prideful stance.
“…Shaha?”
“Shirilit?”
The surrounding King Cobras, observing, looked at the baby master with a newfound curiosity, wondering, ‘Is he really that cute?’
They thought, perhaps, if he’s this cute, he might win the queen’s favor.
“Shahahaha!”
“Grng!”
“Fer!!”
Finally, the Queen of the King Cobras, the baby master, and the fairy faced each other.
Although the King Cobras were inherently vicious, there was something oddly pitiful about the kitten-like creature looking up at the queen.
However, the queen was as notoriously wicked as they came.
Upon seeing the tiny baby, she inflated her body and raised her massive frame.
“Shaaaahhh!!!”
With her mouth wide open, it was clear she intended to swallow him whole. The position of Master of the Underground Mine was at stake; she wouldn’t show mercy just because he was a baby.
“Grng.”
Yet, the small master of the underground mine didn’t show any sign of disturbance.
Even though it was a threat that made the other King Cobras wary, the little one nonchalantly picked his nose and snorted. He then steadied himself on his short legs and began to raise his upper body impressively.
“Shahahaha!”
“Shiritsirit!”
The surrounding King Cobras burst into laughter at the sight.
How big could he get, even if he tried to stand on his hind legs? Not that… big…?
“Sha, Shaha?!”
Boom!
In an instant, the small mine master’s shadow warped and swelled.
His body became enveloped in a dark aura, and massive legs broke through the graphite.
Thump.
A black shadow quickly enveloped the area.
The King Cobras witnessed a gigantic being casting a shadow over the queen’s frame.
Standing proudly on two legs, the towering figure loomed over them like a mountain, causing the King Cobras to shudder in fear.
“Grnnng…!”
From within the dark shadow, a pair of blazing red eyes emerged.
“Sha, Shaaah!”
“Shirit, Shiriit!”
The shoulders, spread wide like a mountain, seemed twice as large as the queen’s, and the fangs, grown menacingly, radiated an aura of fear just by their sight.
And then something that overwhelmed the entire group…
Boom! It landed.
“Shak, Shahahak!”
The King Cobras involuntarily bowed their heads under the overwhelming aura of the Conqueror.
They finally realized.
What kind of being the new master of the underground mine was.
What the being that came to them intended to do.
“Sha, Shaaah…!”
The King Cobra strategist, lying on the floor, trembled as it muttered.
A disaster has arrived.
.
.
.
“Growl!”
I looked down at the Queen who dared to compare her size with mine.
【Queen Venom Cobras Lv.45】
– Characteristics: [Venom], [Cannibalism], [Special]
– Skills: [Venom Lv.4], [Constrict Lv.4], [Bite Lv.3]
– Condition: [Crude Tattoo of Strength], [Crude Tattoo of Endurance], [Crude Tattoo of Agility]
It was a higher-level entity than I expected.
Moreover, it was named.
It even possessed the ‘Special’ characteristic I had obtained.
But now I understood why this creature avoided Teravore.
‘It doesn’t have the Leader characteristic.’
This was valuable information.
Simply leading its kind was not enough to become a leader.
If it couldn’t subdue all the monsters in an area, the possibility of being a leader would never open.
I realized once again.
‘Status window is overpowered.’
If they had a status window, they would have advanced from being the leader of a small forest to here.
‘However…’
Queen Venom Cobras had another characteristic besides that.
‘Tattoos?’
I felt a strange power emanating from the patterns on the Queen Cobra.
It seemed to be tattoos that enhanced physical abilities, but oddly enough, Queen Venom Cobras didn’t have any characteristics or skills related to tattoos.
“Growl.”
I looked around and understood why.
【Old Giant King Cobra Lv.42】
– Characteristics: [Shamanism], [Flattery], [Survival Instinct], [Venom]
– Skills: [Tattoo Lv.4], [Venom Lv.2], [Constrict Lv.2]
– Condition: [Fear]
What? There’s a treasure here?
I nodded and then looked back at Queen Venom Cobras.
“Growl!”
“Fer!”
“The ‘Exiled Prince’ asks if you are the Queen here!”
At my question, the Queen Cobra recoiled and let out a screech.
“Shahaah!”
“Shi, Shirrit?!”
It seemed like an order to ‘Kill this one!’ but the Cobras receiving the command hesitated and did not dare charge at me.
Then,
*Crunch!*
“Growl?”
The crazy Queen Cobra suddenly bit and killed one of the cobras next to her.
Wow, that’s truly savage.
It was a scene that immediately explained why the cobras had such temperaments.
“Shyaaaah!”
Nevertheless, it was highly effective.
Overwhelmed by the size, the frightened ones attacked collectively.
Hmm, what to do?
To establish dominance here, I could let myself get bitten and then kill them, but…
Honestly, the venom concerned me a bit.
Even with venom resistance, I couldn’t predict what might happen if I got poisoned. There was no need to gamble out of pride.
Besides, there was something I needed to take from here.
‘Tattoo.’
To get information about the tattoo, I couldn’t kill them all.
I had to at least show that there was room for negotiation.
“Shyaaaah!”
I quickly surveyed the surroundings.
Three cobras charged at me from the front and sides with their mouths open.
The Queen had retreated and was loading her venom.
It was clear she planned to use the cobras as shields while spewing venom, but that wouldn’t work.
“Shyaaaah!”
As the three cobras got close, and the Queen Cobra spewed her thick venom, my body rapidly shrank and merged into the shadows.
「Using Shadow Leap!」
“Grrrr!”
Just because I got bigger didn’t mean I couldn’t use my old techniques.
With Shadow Leap, I instantly appeared behind the Queen Cobra, then released Miniaturization and bit down on her neck.
Crunch!
My large fangs not only choked the Queen but also crushed her bones.
I then dismantled the Queen’s head right in front of the cobras.
Crack! Thwack!
Of course, I didn’t forget to smash the head I had torn off.
It’s said that even when decapitated, a venomous snake’s nerves remain active, causing it to bite and release venom as a last act.
So, when dealing with a venomous snake, you must always sever the head and either bury it or smash it.
For me, it was for safety and to establish dominance.
Crunch!
“Sha, Sha-ha…?!”
“Shrit, Shririt!”
When I suddenly appeared behind the Queen and tore her head off, the cobras literally lost their will to fight and froze.
Following the law of the wild, I devoured the Queen as I asked.
“Grrrr!”
“Fer!”
「The ‘Exiled Young Prince’ asks if anyone else dares to challenge.」
“Shrit, Shririt!”
“Shaaa?”
The King Cobras looked at each other, then bowed their heads and lowered their bodies to the ground.
As expected, having once experienced fear politics, the effect was remarkable.
「You have won the ‘Territory War’! The territory of the King Cobra clan is now included in the ‘Underground Mine Area’!」
Hmm, very good.
This is how it should be! The leaders fight and end it cleanly.
In the wild, what could be a more definitive method than this?
However, unfortunately, I wasn’t suited to be a benevolent ruler.
Boom!
“Grrrr!”
I exploded in anger, displaying clear signs of discomfort.
「The ‘Exiled Young Prince’ asks what should be done about the sin of daring to step into my territory!」
Good job! Eryllion skillfully conveyed my intention.
After several more of Eryllion’s rebukes, that ‘Old Cobra’ hesitantly slithered out, showing caution.
“Sha, Shaaa?”
“Fer?”
Eryllion kindly relayed the Old Cobra’s words.
Roughly, it was saying that if I forgave it, it would grant whatever I desired.
“Grrr!”
Indeed, the Old Cobra could be reasoned with!
I subtly pointed to the markings on the Queen with my claw.
Then, I took a book out of the subspace and threw it in front of the Old Cobra.
“Shaha?”
It was a book about shamanism I had obtained from Skrillzhak’s hideout.
Yes.
I intended to obtain information about both the tattoo and shamanism through the Old Cobra.
But before that.
“Grrr!”
「The ‘Master of the Underground Mine’ declares the territory!」
I had to announce my victory.
With this, the monsters of the Deep Forest would clearly understand.
What happens if they carelessly trespass into my territory.
Messing with a small mole would lead to severe consequences.
.
.
.
「The ‘Residents of the Underground Mine’ roar in victory!」
「The monsters of the ‘Deep Forest’ are astonished by your emergence!」
「The obedience level of the ‘Underground Mine Area’ has increased!」
「Achievements about the leader Lu-deus are being inscribed in the ‘Deep Forest’.」