Chapter 31 After I saved it, for some reason, it became obsessed with me.
【Crocodile King Lizard LV11】
HP: 398/398
MP: 100/100
【Title】
「Loved by Spiders」
「Master of the Silver Dragon Cave」
My level had suddenly risen by 6.
The level I achieved was none other than 11.
Surpassing level 10 meant that the maximum level had increased.
Even in the cases of the Caiman or the Titanoboa, they could only evolve after surpassing level 10. Since I had grown quite a lot, it was natural that my required level had increased like theirs.
It was a positive sign.
Rapid evolution might be difficult, but it meant I had become that much stronger.
Now I could walk around with my head held high.
Moreover, this attractive message caught my eye.
[You have obtained the title 「Master of the Swamp (Lower)」.]
「Master of the Swamp (Lower)」
You have conquered the lower part of the swamp. When near water, you gain a speed boost and slowly recover health.
Oh.
The effect was quite useful.
If I soaked myself in water, I would recover health.
This was a good ability.
It hadn’t been long since I became the master of the Silver Dragon Cave, and I had already acquired a new home.
But what did ‘lower’ mean?
[You have obtained the title 「Master of the Swamp」.]
It wasn’t saying I had to stay in the lower part.
So, the lower part. It meant I was recognized as the master of a certain part of the swamp, not the entire swamp.
That meant there was another master if I went higher up?
Given that the Caiman was here, that master was stronger than the Caiman?
Damn. That was bad news.
Should I go and introduce myself?
No. If I just lived in the lower part, I wouldn’t have to encounter them.
Why would I go to another area?
I would find small happiness here by catching fish, tormenting the toads and turtles that tormented me.
“Kekekek…”
Alright. Now, before eating the victor’s spoils, the crocodile meat…
Let me see some familiar faces.
【Anthracomartus LV3】
【Status】
「Worship」「Hunger」
【Arthrocofus LV4】
【Status】
「Worship」「Joy」
“Kieeeeng…!”
“Kiiiiiik!”
Yes. Have you been well?
“Kieeeek!”
Tus and Pus ran toward me.
They rubbed their fluffy bodies against me.
Looking at them like this, they really seemed like puppies.
If you looked closely, you could tell they were spiders, but at a glance, they looked like furry animals.
You’re cute when I look at you casually.
[【Anthracomartus】’s faith greatly increases.]
[【Arthrocofus】’s faith greatly increases.]
Right, I had almost forgotten about this.
These guys were worshiping me.
There wouldn’t be a spider that wouldn’t worship this splendid lizard that easily caught water beetles and piranhas.
Moreover, this lizard had become even stronger and defeated its nemesis, the Caiman.
If they knew how to write, they would have published a book by now.
[Your faint divinity stirs.]
…What?
Last time, it said a faint divinity had imbued my body, right?
This time, it said it was stirring?
What exactly was divinity?
And why was it faint again this time?
No additional information appeared.
Well, no matter how these two spiders behaved, nothing would change.
By the way, you two.
Could you stop rubbing against me?
“Kang!”
You are cute for spiders, but still.
“Keeeng!”
They stepped back a little, looking aggrieved.
They were lightly grabbing my tail with their hands, as if they thought I wouldn’t notice.
That much was tolerable. I was generous.
Now, it was time for the long-awaited moment.
The victor’s privilege.
Crocodile meat feast.
I skinned the crocodile with my claws.
I tried to preserve the shape as much as possible so it could be used as a floor mat.
As soon as I skinned it, I took off a small piece of meat.
It was the part furthest from where I had attacked.
This Caiman had died from poison.
Naturally, the meat would have poison in it too.
Of course, I was fine with poison, but these little spiders weren’t.
To let them eat safely, I separated the safest part.
“Kang!”
You guys are lucky to be small.
This would be enough to fill your stomachs.
They eagerly took the crocodile meat.
You should consider yourself lucky to have met me.
What spider would ever eat crocodile meat?
Now it was my turn.
I cut the appetizing crocodile meat into a suitable size.
This was a moment to savor leisurely.
I couldn’t continue living like a beast.
I had to think about dignity.
Chomp.
Munch.
Gulp.
…Huh.
The meat I had carefully cut disappeared in one bite.
Did I do that?
No.
Next time, I would eat slowly.
There was still plenty of crocodile meat left.
Chomp.
Gulp.
Delicious!
It was incredibly delicious.
The meat had a lot of muscle, but as soon as it touched my tongue, it melted away.
It seemed my poison had marinated it perfectly.
Compared to the bugs I had been eating in the Silver Dragon Cave, this was so delicious it was almost a shame to compare them.
Would a monk who had trained in the mountains all his life feel this way when he came down to the secular world and ate meat?
Chomp.
Gulp.
What on earth had this thing eaten to taste so good?
Alright. From now on, I would hunt every Caiman I saw.
Don’t hold it against me. It’s your original sin.
I finished the crocodile feast in no time.
It was a bit regrettable, but still delicious.
Now that I had finished the meat, it was time for the main course.
The main course was the Core.
The fragment of a high-level Core I had swallowed. This was the source.
A black sphere tinged with green.
Gulp.
I swallowed it immediately.
I felt something hot in my stomach.
Was my body suited to absorbing Cores?
It went down so smoothly.
I didn’t feel an immediate increase in internal power.
I had a feeling I needed to use this Core differently….
I could figure out how to use it while it was inside my stomach.
Now that I had become the master of the swamp, filled my stomach, it was time to visit our turtle and toad friends.
And if I had some time left, I would do some meditation.
“Grrr.”
Tus, Pus.
You two stay here and rest.
“Kieeeng!”
Tus and Pus crawled slowly toward me.
Did they know that my side was the safest place?
Since my body had grown quite large, it wouldn’t hurt to share a scale or two with them.
“Hiyong!”
They made cute sounds, waving their front legs.
Yes, you like it that much.
While doing that, the two spiders kept rubbing against me.
Tus was understandable. It seemed like she was approaching me because she was happy to see me.
But Pus was different.
How should I put it? She was more assertive?
No way, why would a spider do something like that.
It must be my imagination.
There must be some spider culture I didn’t know about.
…But Pus.
Why were you sticking your butt toward me?
“Kioong….”
What was that embarrassed voice?
“Kiii….”
Tus.
Why were you looking at my tail and licking your lips?
What was wrong with you two?
I wasn’t interested in spiders!
At least come back after you turn into a human.
“Kieeng!”
“Kiiik!”
[The effect of 「Loved by Spiders」 is enhanced.]
…Unbelievable.
*
Baekwoon had beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Was it because he had climbed this rugged mountain for days on end?
No, there was no way an expert like him would struggle with just this.
The reason he was sweating was because of the man who appeared before them.
Black hair.
Steps so light they were almost invisible.
Movements as if a shadow were moving.
The Shadow Sword Demon, Woo Jinwoon.
If it had just been him alone, they could have managed somehow.
But he wasn’t alone.
His movements were like soft flowing water, yet his presence felt like a powerful tidal wave.
The man with blue hair and noble eyes was holding a sword.
The Blue Sea Wave Sword, Dan Cheongho.
They were the Left and Right Guardians of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
“N-namgoong hyung. How….”
“…It’s over.”
And their presence here meant only one thing.
She was coming.
The Left and Right Guardians simultaneously knelt on one knee.
The black hair cascading down like a majestic ink painting of a waterfall was more beautiful than any scenery in the world. Her contrasting white skin was so clean it seemed like it had never seen sunlight.
However, they couldn’t be mesmerized by her beauty.
“Left Guardian Woo Jinwoon greets the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!”
“Right Guardian Dan Cheongho greets the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!”
She was the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
One of the top ten experts, among them, she was in the highest position.
The unrivaled woman who had surpassed even the pinnacle of excellence made her appearance.
“What brings you to my garden?”
Baek Yeonyeong gazed coldly at Namgoong Yeon’s expedition.
Everyone shivered at her emotion
less expression.
“If you came here to join our cult, you’ve taken a wrong turn.”
“Is that so? We, we’ve taken the wrong….”
The man who was speaking trailed off.
He had noticed Baek Yeonyeong’s eyes narrowing.
He realized that she could kill him with a mere flick of her hand. No, she could kill him without even moving.
“Were you that eager to covet our cult’s spiritual treasures?”
Baekwoon was sweating profusely.
She was not someone he could handle.
How had things come to this?
They had just entered the outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, yet the Cult Leader herself had appeared.
Baek Yeonyeong looked around the group.
Her gaze was like that of a snake.
Thirteen third-rate fighters, eight second-rate fighters, four first-rate fighters.
One hiding their strength.
And one whose identity was unknown.
“There’s an unusual one among you.”
Baek Yeonyeong’s gaze fell on the Dilophosaurus trapped in the wheeled cage.
Baekwoon heard a voice in his ear.
[I’ll count to three, then close your eyes and cover your ears!]
It was a sound transmission.
There was no time to think about who had sent it.
As soon as they all closed their eyes, a white flash erupted.
Kwakwang!
It was a thunderbolt.
It was a device modified to create a massive flash and smoke instead of an explosive force.
[Now. Run!]
Baekwoon realized who had sent the sound transmission.
It was Namgoong Yeon.
As soon as he threw the thunderbolt, he ran in the opposite direction faster than anyone.
In this chaos, they could escape.
Baekwoon and the others thought so too.
They scattered in different directions.
When the smoke cleared, Baek Yeonyeong appeared.
She had been counting in her head.
Eventually, deciding that enough time had passed, she opened her mouth.
“Left Guardian, and Right Guardian.”
Of course, Baek Yeonyeong, being a master, wouldn’t lose them because of mere smoke and flashes.
“Hunt them down.”
However, she didn’t immediately chase after them because she had other objectives.
Baek Yeonyeong added additional conditions.
Capture the third-rate fighters first.
Drive the second-rate fighters into deeper areas, and let them find their own way out.
Wound the first-rate fighters or push them into even deeper areas, making it take longer for them to escape.
“As you command!”
The Left and Right Guardians leaped in different directions.
Taking on more than twenty opponents was no easy task. Especially not killing them but driving them into specific areas as intended.
But these were the Left and Right Guardians of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Such tasks were as easy as closing their eyes for them.
Moreover, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains were filled with powerful spiritual creatures that could naturally isolate them.
Baek Yeonyeong turned her head.
She looked in the direction of the Silver Dragon Cave.
Her gaze was fixed on her raised right hand.
As she recalled the memory of the little lizard biting her finger, she found herself smiling slightly.