WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle

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◈ I Became the Ophidian of the Apocalypse ◈

Chapter 43: Lightning

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Dashnan, the Shadow Fairy.

Epithet: Zoo Keeper.

A first-class wanted criminal across the continent.

Yet it had already been a hundred years since the warrant had been issued for him.

Despite the enormous bounty on his head, he had yet to be captured. He continued committing the acts that had made him wanted in the dark corners of the Great Forest.

Dashnan was a researcher of monsters.

Even Heaven-Defier Pelerian had acknowledged his ability to raise and tame dangerous monsters.

Once Dashnan became certain Pelerian was dead, he began searching for Pelerian's Dungeon.

Then one day, he discovered a Dungeon that was extremely difficult to excavate.

His plan to use Goblins to excavate it had truly been ingenious.

Things had gone slightly off course, but it was not all bad.

He had captured a new Hop Goblin King.

There was a wound on Dashnan's cheek.

Blood trickled from it, and he licked it away with his tongue.

To think that a Goblin who had only just evolved had managed to wound him.

What a ridiculous thing.

Dashnan laughed so hard that the wound on his chest throbbed.

His condition was terrible right now.

The problem was that he had been bitten by a monster he had been raising. That monster's molars had been as large as his forearm, leaving five holes of similar size in his body.

Much of his Magical Armament had also been damaged and was being repaired.

Could he even use a quarter of his usual power?

Still, he could use Blood Magic, his specialty.

The Twelve Blood Snakes, which moved on their own as though alive, could even be used for defense.

The Goblin called Nanaruk had crushed every one of those snakes and wounded Dashnan's cheek.

"The more I look at you, the more I like you."

Yet even Nanaruk now hung limply from Dashnan's grip around her throat.

One of the Blood Snakes was digging through the wound in Nanaruk's abdomen.

"Strong, beautiful, and even mentally resilient."

Dashnan decided to capture Nanaruk.

Then he would throw her into his Zoo.

"Why won't you talk? Is it really because this snake god exists?"

He had heard there was a snake called Ululullulu inside the Dungeon.

Was that really the only reason? Nanaruk refused to reveal the Dungeon entrance until the very end.

It was an entrance he would find as soon as he searched the area anyway.

To Dashnan, it only looked like pointless struggling.

He conveyed his will to the Blood Snake.

The Blood Snake embedded in Nanaruk's wound wriggled.

"Aaaaah!"

"You. You tell me instead. About that snake."

The one he pointed at was a young shaman.

She watched his expression, then spoke hesitantly.

"Ululullulu is..."

Even after hearing the explanation, Dashnan frowned as if dissatisfied.

"A monster? A kind of snake? Why call it a god?"

"T-they understand human speech, use magic, and lead us Goblins."

"So that snake killed Krok. And you worship that snake monster as a god. Very Goblin-like behavior. Just like monsters who believe they're people..."

Dashnan was a Shadow Fairy who had lived for quite some time.

His knowledge was both deep and broad.

Based on the shaman's explanation, he reviewed what he knew.

"When did this monster appear before you? How large was it? What did it look like?"

The shaman stumbled through an explanation.

Dashnan found it amusing how serious the Goblins became whenever the snake was mentioned.

"Yes, I see. It's nothing special."

His interest soon faded.

Dashnan knew a great deal about snake-type monsters and Goblins.

Even the legends surrounding them.

"A derivative myth with an original form."

Myths had original forms.

Just as there were many myths about the sun.

Just as there were many myths about its sister, the moon.

There were also countless myths about snakes.

Especially snake gods worshipped by Goblins.

"Goblins are scattered throughout many regions of the world, and there are many cases where they worship snakes as gods. The names and details all differ."

Like a professor lecturing students, he waved his fingers through the air.

"Snakes with horns. Snakes that speak. Snakes large enough to coil around mountains. Feathered snakes. Snakes that pose riddles. Snakes that die and return to life. Among those, there is one myth closest to the original form. Ululullulu? There is at least some resemblance."

The name of the snake god had likely changed over time among the Runga Tribe that settled here.

"Urooros."

That was surely the original name of the ancient snake god.

"Urooros of the Apocalypse. Names often become distorted. Urkios, Ulrboros, Uroboros. But Ululullulu is the most ridiculous name I've heard yet. Ha ha."

Dashnan mocked the Goblins.

The pale Goblins repeated the word Urooros.

For some reason, it felt like a word with power.

Ancient power.

Simply saying it made them feel crushed beneath the weight of the name.

"And it isn't a black snake either. The original Urooros is a white snake."

A tremendously huge white snake.

Then someone chuckled.

"You idiot."

It was Nanaruk, blood running from the corner of her mouth.

She glared at Dashnan.

"The snake was originally white."

Dashnan narrowed his eyes unpleasantly.

The red snake that had burrowed into her belly wriggled.

"Aaaaah!"

"Such a foul mouth. Once you receive the mark, you'll become more obedient."

Unable to endure the pain, Nanaruk finally passed out.

"If you don't want to watch this one die, guide me to the Dungeon."

Nanaruk had lost consciousness.

The Goblins could not resist Dashnan's demand.

They led him to one of the many holes beneath Elephant Rock.

Apologizing in their hearts to the kind white snake.

Apologizing to Ululullulu, or Urooros.

Before Pelerian's Dungeon, Dashnan calmed his excitement.

Its security system would not be ordinary.

Breaking through while carrying this one Hop Goblin would not be easy.

He should kill all the remaining Goblins.

The moment he decided that...

A white snake really crawled out.

The snake was an unusual monster.

The snake was about the size of an ordinary snake.

But a horn rose from the snake's head, and the scales gleamed beautifully.

"Oh, there really is a snake."

Dashnan exclaimed in admiration, but the snake did not run.

Instead, the snake raised their head high.

The snake was staring at Nanaruk.

That was when the snake's scales turned black.

Quite a few monsters could change color.

Most did so for camouflage.

Was the snake trying to escape?

But Dashnan's long-honed instincts warned him otherwise.

That was a battle stance.

A snake entering a battle stance by changing the color of those scales.

He had never even heard of such a thing.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

It was the sound of the snake launching itself straight at Dashnan.

It was no slower than an arrow.

Poison fangs gleamed sharply in the snake's open mouth.

He should have been able to stop the snake with one hand.

Yet an unknown instinct brushed the back of Dashnan's neck.

He faithfully followed that instinct.

He boldly threw Nanaruk aside.

Then he raised one hand and cast a spell.

Blood Magic, a drop of slowing blood should be enough.

It possessed almost no physical force of its own, but it was enough to slow the target.

The blood droplet flew forward and touched the snake's body.

That was Dashnan's first mistake.

The snake's Pattern glowed, and the blood droplet bounced away.

'Magic defense?'

A monster like that was unlikely to possess such a means.

Then he would deal with it physically.

He threw the crescent blade concealed along the inside of his wrist.

A snake should be cut cleanly in half.

That was when it happened.

The ground shook.

The crescent blade missed absurdly wide.

'It uses magic too!'

Failing to expect that was his second mistake.

He followed the same sequence of astonishment Pelerian had felt upon seeing the snake.

In that time, the snake had come within arm's reach.

'It can't be helped.'

He reclaimed even the mana he had been using for minimal defense.

The twelve snakes that Nanaruk had defeated were restored.

The snake that looked ready to tear out his heart was bound tightly by vivid red Blood Snakes.

'Don't kill the snake. Capture the snake!'

Any other Shadow Fairy would not have done that.

But because of his greed, Dashnan did not kill the snake.

That was his final mistake.

Even bound, the snake had not lost momentum.

The snake only stared straight at Dashnan.

Mana began to whirl from the snake.

Dashnan's hair started to rise.

Static crackled from the hem of his clothes.

He had only experienced this once.

Just before a storm swept in.

A cat Dashnan had raised was sitting on the roof.

Its fur had begun standing on end by itself...

"No way..."

Dashnan urgently tried to snap the snake's neck.

That was when it happened.

Blue sparks crackled from the snake's scales.

And lightning struck from the clear sky.

* * *

When I came to my senses, I was already doing it.

*「You use the skill Surpassing Horn.」

*「'Heavenly Thunder Decree Lv. 0' temporarily becomes 'Heavenly Thunder Decree Lv. 1.'」

Surpassing Horn itself was a skill that consumed a lot of mana.

Thanks to my mana pool tripling in size, I still had plenty left.

*「You use Heavenly Thunder Decree Lv. 1.」

All that mana was consumed at once.

'Hold the lightning of the heavens within your heart.'

That was the description of Heavenly Thunder Decree.

Lightning from the sky struck me.

Crack!

It felt like the inner ear in my head had been damaged.

I felt scorching heat.

I could not see anything through the flash.

The red tentacles wrapped around my body burned away.

The Shadow Fairy must have been electrocuted.

I could not see, but I knew it clearly.

I had to finish this.

Had the lightning taken his sight as well?

-He's in front of you. Kill him!

Pelerian advised me.

It seemed he could see.

Should I bite him?

No, biting would not do.

I instinctively knew I could not kill that Shadow Fairy that way.

-A little more to the right. Yes, about one step forward.

Pelerian adjusted my aim.

I leaped upward.

Not to bite him.

I summoned the sword from Subspace.

Even without seeing, I easily grabbed its hilt with my tail.

It was a technique I had practiced for several days.

Pelerian scolded me for being obsessed with looking cool, but look.

Wasn't it excellent?

Lightning still filled my body.

I felt it travel down my tail and into the sword.

-Yes, that's his neck.

I know.

Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique.

First Form.

Neck-Cutting.

*「You activate Slash Lv. 1.」

The sword cut through something.

Even through the ringing in my ears, the sound came through clearly.

Thud, rollllll.

Ah, that was definitely the sound of a head falling.

* * *

It hurts. Waaah.

If I could cry, tears would be streaming down my face right now.

But snakes had transparent membranes over their eyes, so they could not cry.

So I had no choice but to swallow the pain of my whole body burning.

"Please endure it a little longer."

The Great Shaman grandmother's worried voice reached me.

-Stop whining.

Pelerian's blunt nagging was irritating.

Splash.

A cool liquid drenched my entire body.

It was a potion.

The wounds on my body began to heal.

The lightning from Heavenly Thunder Decree had burned even my body.

I had not been electrocuted, but there was nothing I could do about the heat.

Ah, I can see!

What about Nanaruk?

Thankfully, Nanaruk was lying down and breathing faintly.

It seemed she had not died.

Her body was also covered in potion.

Whoa! I really thought I was going to die.

'Did you see that?'

-See what?

The Heavenly Thunder Sword Technique, no, Heavenly Thunder Decree.

-I did. It was an incredible technique.

Pelerian admitted it honestly.

No, Gunter, you were hiding a skill like that?

A skill that summoned lightning. It was incredible.

Thanks to it, smoke was still rising from the Shadow Fairy's headless corpse.

-That doesn't seem to be how the skill is meant to be used...

I thought so too.

What was I supposed to do, suddenly get struck by lightning during a fight?

It could not be a skill meant to electrocute every ally fighting beside me to death.

Anyway, I had defeated the Shadow Fairy thanks to this skill.

In other words, I had gained something like a finishing move.

After going through this a few more times, I would be able to use Billy's Horn again.

But why had I not leveled up?

Could he really have been such a minor criminal?

Pelerian sighed in relief upon seeing the Shadow Fairy.

Pelerian had clearly looked down on Dashnan.

-It's not that he's a Shadow Fairy. It's fortunate that he isn't the Golden Leaf Investigator. If he's only capable of bullying Goblins in a place like this, he's probably some insignificant nobody.

Pelerian spoke casually.

Pelerian's tone discriminated against Shadow Fairies. It seemed they did not consider them fellow Fairies.

Still, I thought I would gain at least one level.

Wasn't he incredibly strong?

"Ugh."

I jumped in surprise.

The severed head had let out a groan.

"To think... I would lose... to a mere... monster..."

How could he talk when his neck had been cut off?

Even Pelerian was shocked while staring at the Shadow Fairy's head.

-W-wait. I know this guy.

What?

-Isn't this the Zoo Keeper, that insane Shadow Fairy Dashnan? The one who sold his soul to a demon!

You called him a nobody.

-Back away! Don't get close.

I obediently listened.

The moment I moved away from his head...

"Kieeeek!"

The head screamed, and its shadow stretched out pitch-black.

Soon, his head melted into the shadow.

*「You have defeated Shadow Fairy Dashnan.」

*「If the fact that you defeated Dashnan becomes known, your fame will spread across the continent.」

He was not a minor enemy at all.

*「He is one whose soul has already been mortgaged to a demon.」

*「The recovered Magical Essence is reduced to one-tenth!」

Oh no! My experience points.

That had been a chance for explosive leveling.

But it was too early to be disappointed.

*「Your level has increased.」

*「Your level has increased.」

*「Your level has increased.」

*「Your level has increased.」

*「Your level has increased.」

...Five levels at once?

At one-tenth?

If I had received all of it, I might have been able to evolve right away.

Ah, I should not be so disappointed.

Looking at it, it was practically a miracle that I had defeated him in one hit.

-Of course it was. You should assume you've used up all the luck you'll have in your life.

Hearing Pelerian say it like that was a little scary.

I would have to live carefully for a while.

'Was he stronger than you, old man?'

-Him? Ha ha.

Pelerian only laughed.

-I only remember him because he is such a strange fellow. How could he dare compare himself to me?

'Ah, right!'

When Pelerian started showing off, it usually meant they would talk for a while.

I pretended not to notice and searched through the headless corpse.

Once a hunt succeeded, it was only right to start looting.

There were quite a few strange items.

Thud.

That was when a half-burned notebook fell out.

'What's this, a diary?'

It was a record with traces of having been written by hand.

I roughly flipped through the pages and found that the writing was legible.

It contained all kinds of records about monsters, but then I came across one line.

'What's this?'

-What is it?

No way...

It said this.

「...Today, a Medusa Serpent escaped. It was one that was about to lay eggs. It was an unusually special specimen.」

Footnotes:

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