WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle
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◈ I Became the Ophidian of the Apocalypse ◈
Chapter 111: One Takes on Three
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The Mountain Range was harsh terrain.
Not that there was any Demonic Realm that wasn't harsh, but the Mountain Range was difficult for a slightly different reason.
It wasn't an extreme environment where vegetation itself struggled to survive, like a desert or glacier.
It was because of its physical shape.
Jagged stone mountains covered the land, while blade-like stone pillars rose everywhere. The tallest peaks were capped with eternal snow that never melted.
Even tough monsters found it nearly impossible to move freely through the Mountain Range.
Since the terrain was harsh even for monsters, it was only natural that flying monsters held power there.
Wyverns were not as rare as dragons, but were far stronger than birds.
As time passed, wyverns had effectively become the masters of the Mountain Range.
More than several thousand wyverns lived throughout that vast Demonic Realm.
Of course, all those monsters didn't move as one organized force. They were divided into dozens, even hundreds, of separate flocks.
Female wyverns grew larger than males. Once males reached a certain age, they tended to leave the flock, while females tended to protect their own flock.
That was why the leader of a wyvern flock was called a Queen.
Given how wildly individual wyverns differed in combat strength, the same was true for Queens.
Some were no different from ordinary wyverns.
Others evolved long horns like dragons and developed breath attacks.
If someone searched every corner of the vast Demonic Realm, they might even find a two-headed wyvern.
Unlike ordinary wyverns, a Queen lived an exceptionally long time.
As long as she didn't die fighting another flock, she repeatedly evolved and grew stronger.
Satorunu Wyvern Queen Chugota was one such being.
She was an ancient wyvern that had survived for hundreds of years. After evolving dozens of times, she had lost her shining scales and gained damp, pale skin.
She possessed several hidden strengths that couldn't be seen from the outside.
By the time she had earned the name Chugota, she had already become the ruler of the eastern Mountain Range.
Most white-scaled wyverns had joined her ranks.
Wyverns instinctively flocked together according to the color of their bodies. More than eighty percent were achromatic, black, white, or gray, and white and black flocks were the most common.
At some point, or perhaps three months ago, she began trying to conquer the Demonic Realm known as the Mountain Range.
No one knew how a desire for conquest, something human tyrants might possess, had taken root in a monster's tiny brain.
Was it the result of evolution? Or had she been struck by lightning while flying one day, filling that tiny brain with wicked thoughts?
Either way, it was only natural that her gaze eventually turned toward the south of the Mountain Range's Demonic Realm, and Seleta, its ruler.
A White Sword Wyvern, one of Chugota's trusted subordinates, glided through the sky.
Its snout was longer than those of other wyverns, sharp on both sides and shaped like a sword blade.
“Grruk.”
Just moments ago, Chugota had fired a Judgment of Light from the sky.
It had been an attack on Seleta's nest while she was away, practically a declaration of war.
The White Sword Wyvern's task was to bite any surviving hatchlings to death.
Two were nowhere to be seen, but one flapped desperately as it glided away.
It looked like it had only recently hatched, yet its growth speed was incredible.
Still, escaping an adult wyvern was impossible.
The Sword Wyvern folded its wings and dropped.
It was fast.
Just before hitting the ground, it spread its wings wide. The enormous wind resistance altered its flight path.
“Chuiiiit!”
The startled hatchling screamed.
It would soon be torn to pieces.
Drool dripped from the Sword Wyvern's mouth.
Then something strange entered its view.
A white snake dangled from a stone pillar.
It was biting the pillar to hold itself up, supporting one hatchling with its tail and another with a vine growing from its back.
That bizarre sight caught the wyvern's attention.
Then a long blade suddenly shot out of thin air.
It was a weapon used by humans or dwarves.
It flew straight at the Sword Wyvern.
The wyvern snorted and swung its snout.
No matter how sharp that blade was, it couldn't be tougher than its snout.
Crack!
The sharp sword sliced through the wyvern's lower jaw in an instant.
Blood splattered everywhere.
* * *
Anyone who's raised a Shiba would know.
They were especially dramatic, even compared to other dogs.
Touch one lightly, and it would scream as if someone had stabbed it with a knife.
“Chuiiiik!”
Chui, the youngest, was exactly like that.
Chui rolled across the ground and shrieked like the world was ending.
The intruding wyvern was the one pouring blood from its severed lower jaw.
And I was the one wrestling with it on the ground!
“Chujiit!”
“Gugagagagak!”
An adult wyvern's roar was even louder.
The three siblings might sound cute now, but they'd probably roar like that once they grew up.
It was a little sad to think about, but surviving was better than dying here.
With that in mind, I tried to drive off the intruding wyvern.
When I blew off its lower jaw, I thought victory had swung my way.
But a wyvern wasn't an ordinary monster.
Even while spraying blood everywhere, it lunged at Chui, so I had no choice but to bite into its body.
Its scaled hide was absurdly tough.
Even after I barely sank my teeth in and injected venom, it didn't collapse easily.
*「You use Beginner Elemental Magic: Fire Lv. 6.」
Whoosh!
Breathing fire didn't help, either.
Its scales weren't damaged by ordinary flames.
-It's not that wyvern scales are impressive. Your flames are pathetic. How are you still stuck at Beginner Elemental Magic...?
Pelerian's criticism hit especially hard today.
To be fair, my magic was developing far more slowly than my Swordsmanship.
Just like my fire magic, Beam was ineffective too.
The only attack with enough power to end this in one blow was driving the Celestium longsword into a vital point.
That method had drawbacks, though.
It was manageable when I bit or held something with my tail, but...
*「You use Transparent Hand Lv. 13.」
Transparent Hand's durability and strength weren't that great.
If a wyvern stomped on the sword like this, there was no way to take it back.
The creature's jaws smashed down where I had been.
Boom!
Fortunately, it only swallowed dirt instead of me.
Pipi and Kei, who had landed beside me, bravely charged the Sword Wyvern.
“Piaak!”
“Chiit!”
They didn't know how to do much besides bite and claw at it.
Their combined attack didn't help at all.
Still, it bought me time.
I was planning to retrieve the longsword under its foot.
I intended to bite it myself and pull, but then Isil extended a vine and grabbed the sword hilt.
“Saaak!”
I pulled with all my strength, trying to wrench the sword free.
It was useless.
The difference in weight was too great.
Just as I took out Dawn, the dagger, to stab its foot...
*「Demon Hunter's Vine Isil Lv. 2 uses Communion Lv. 2.」
*「You use Hellfire Lv. 1.」
Ah, no!
Hellfire was hot enough to burn even me when used at close range.
It was a high-level skill, so it was a double-edged sword.
Fortunately, the flames didn't ignite Isil's body attached to me.
They ignited the vine they had extended.
More precisely, purple flames rose from the part gripping the sword hilt.
“Gueeeeeek!”
The wyvern stomping on the sword let out a horrifying scream.
Its foot caught fire in an instant.
Even when I breathed flames at it, I could only burn a few scales.
And the fire didn't stop at simply catching on.
Its foot blackened like charcoal, then cracked apart.
At last, the sword was free.
Fwoooosh!
A mad heat wave surged from the sword.
Only a few frail vines held it.
That was possible thanks to Isil's incredible evolution benefit, Flame Immunity.
-Huh.
As Pelerian gasped in admiration, I too was briefly entranced.
The Celestium longsword was raised by vines.
Both the vines and Celestium were among the few materials that could withstand Hellfire.
But what creature of flesh could remain unharmed before Hellfire?
This burning sword was a stronger weapon than Heavenly Thunder Decree.
The most powerful Poison Fang in the world, capable of burning anything to death.
-This is beyond an Aura Blade.
That was Pelerian's verdict.
It was the real thing, on an entirely different level from the time I stuck talismans on a sword to imitate Aura.
Was it thanks to Communion?
I lightly conveyed my will to Isil.
Swing it.
And Isil did.
Screeech!
A peculiar cutting sound rang out.
The blade tore through scales, crushed flesh, and instantly vaporized the blood and moisture within.
The wyvern's neck was severed.
Its cross-section charred black in an instant.
Not a drop of blood spilled.
*「Your level has increased!」
Wyvern hunting really was the best!
Even killing one gave me levels quickly.
The problem was that every single one was a formidable enemy...
Swish.
The sword's Hellfire went out almost immediately.
Naturally, its Mana consumption had to be enormous.
It was probably worse than Heavenly Thunder Decree.
‘Isil!’
I could tell just from looking at Isil's condition.
Tremble, tremble.
Their once healthy, plump leaves had shriveled and drooped.
They didn't seem hurt, thankfully. They just looked extremely hungry.
They would've had an even harder time if I hadn't secretly shared some of the nutrient porridge I'd eaten!
Once the terrifying Sword Wyvern had become a whole roasted wyvern, the trembling three siblings rushed at me.
“Pii!”
“Keii!”
“Chui!”
Do you finally understand how amazing your youngest big brother is?
Unlike the centipede siblings, these kids had honestly been a bit much.
All three were bigger than me.
Whether they knew it or not, they rubbed their heads against me as if I were their mother.
Each time, I staggered backward.
I was about to get angry after rolling across the ground once when...
*「You have tamed Little Black Wyvern Lv. 4.」
*「You have tamed Little Black Wyvern Lv. 5.」
*「You have tamed Little Black Wyvern Lv. 3.」
I ended up taming them.
I still wasn't giving them names!
As I tried to back away, the youngest suddenly flopped onto the ground.
‘Chui!’
The moment I helped Chui back up...
*「You have named Little Black Wyvern Lv. 3 ‘Chui.’」
Ah.
*「‘Little Black Wyvern Lv. 3 Chui’ does not like its name.」
Shock and horror.
It didn't like it?
What's wrong with Chui?!
Every kid I'd named until now had liked their name...
-That's just what you thought, isn't it?
That would be a truly shocking twist.
Still, whether Chui liked the name or not, the other two seemed upset that they alone didn't have names.
They kept pestering me, so I had no choice but to name them too.
Pipi and Kei didn't like their names either.
Then why did they ask me to name them?
Then again, their mother had a cool name like Seleta...
“Gwooooo!”
The majestic roar that suddenly rang out was unmistakably the cry of Wyvern Mom.
I didn't even need to look up to find her.
Boom!
She landed roughly in front of us.
Her body was covered in wounds.
Had wyverns ambushed her while she was out?
‘Did she see me use the Scorching Hell Sword?’
If she had, she might have realized I wasn't one of her children.
I couldn't be sure.
But she spread her wings wide and pulled us into a tight embrace.
Before I could react, she placed us on her feet and took off.
The hatchlings panicked and clung to their mother's feet.
It probably wasn't easy for wyverns without hands.
For a brief moment, I considered jumping off and running away.
‘Ugh, Isil, tie the kids down so they don't fall.’
But I gave up because they looked like they might fall.
Isil extended their vines and secured the three siblings firmly.
Wyvern Mom was nearly as huge as Medusa Mom.
There was more than enough room for all of us to cling to her feet.
Then I looked up into the sky and cried out in surprise.
“Saaak!”
I didn't know if Wyvern Mom understood my warning.
Part of the clouds lit up.
Piiing!
A Destruction Beam shot out from there.
Wyvern Mom sharply changed her flight path.
She descended so sharply it was almost a fall.
The beam pierced the place where she had been moments earlier.
Its output was incredible.
Three stone pillars behind us collapsed at once.
Even the beam that had destroyed the nest earlier had apparently been holding back its power.
Destruction Beam was a powerful skill, but I wondered how it could have such overwhelming output.
Then, beyond the scattered clouds, I saw the enemy.
The question was answered at once.
It was a shocking sight.
-...Is it a deformed monster, or the product of evolution?
‘Three heads!’
A massive wyvern with three heads floated among the clouds.
I instinctively focused my eyes.
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【Satorunu Wyvern Queen Chu Lv. ???】
【Satorunu Wyvern Queen Go Lv. ???】
【Satorunu Wyvern Queen Ta Lv. ???】
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No way.
Was this three monsters, or one?
Footnotes:
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