WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle
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◈ I Became the Ophidian of the Apocalypse ◈
Chapter 52: Visitor on a Rainy Night
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How did the fruit smell?
Incredible.
Was this what ambrosia and nectar, the food of the heavens, smelled like?
My mouth watered on its own. I mainly ate meat, yet this thing gave off such an irresistible scent.
It was a good thing I had stored it in Subspace.
Thinking back, I had sensed a pleasant smell when I encountered the monkeys too.
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【World Tree's Unripe Root Fruit】
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Since it had the modifier “unripe,” it probably was not as effective as a fully ripened fruit.
Naturally, its scent should be weaker too. Even so, it was practically magical.
I had to eat it. Now.
*「Due to the trait ‘Indomitable,’ you are immune to mental attacks.」
It was as though someone had poured cold water over me, and my mind instantly cleared.
A mental attack? The scent of this fruit definitely had the power to draw monsters in.
-As expected of the World Tree.
Pelerian sounded impressed.
-To think I would be able to witness the Festival with my own eyes.
‘Isn’t the World Tree supposed to be some kind of sacred tree?’
I asked, dumbfounded.
‘It seems strange for a sacred tree to lure monsters in with mental attacks.’
-Sacred is sacred, but sacred does not mean good. Even evil gods are gods. If everything sacred were good, vice would not exist in this world.
Pelerian had thrown out a theological topic.
That was none of my business, but it did make me realize that there was no reason for the World Tree to be good.
‘Well, the fairies are supposed to have been born from the World Tree too.’
-What?
The fruit was right in front of me.
There was no reason to delay any longer.
Crunch.
I bit into it and swallowed it in one mouthful.
Ah, it did not just smell good.
How could this possibly be an unripe fruit?
The pleasantly firm flesh crunched like an apple, and fresh, sweet juice spread through my mouth.
It was a fruit from heaven.
*「Your body stiffens.」
Had they said eating the fruit would make you stop?
It really did. My body would not move.
I should eat it somewhere safe next time.
The fruit’s effects gradually emerged.
*「The World Tree's Unripe Root Fruit burns away the impurities in your body.」
My insides bubbled like they were boiling.
It felt like secretly taking a swig of the cheap whiskey from Father’s cabinet.
A burning heat rose within me, then...
“Guhp.”
Something pitch-black escaped through my mouth.
-Dirty bastard.
Surprisingly, I felt completely refreshed inside.
*「Your inefficient bodily structure improves.」
The true effect of the World Tree’s root fruit came after that.
An inefficient structure.
No living creature could evolve into perfect efficiency.
Even though humans had an average lifespan of over seventy years, teeth only naturally lasted around forty. Their windpipe and esophagus were needlessly connected, so they could even choke to death while eating rice cakes.
I, a Crystal Double-Horn Python, was no different. I had an inefficient body too.
Even though I could use Poison Scales, my venom glands were only inside my head. That limited how much venom I could secrete.
And what about my teeth? Unlike other snakes, I could bite and tear, but that meant my teeth could break.
Once they broke, I had to wait until my next evolution for them to be restored.
*「Broken teeth now fall out and regrow.」
That inefficiency had been corrected.
My gums tingled.
Apparently, sharks grew new teeth from below whenever one broke. I had become the same way.
*「Because the fruit is unripe, its effect is reduced.」
This was the reduced effect?
I was amazed. When I explained what had just happened to Pelerian, he was impressed as well.
-A discovery, a great discovery. Is this why the monsters that survive the Festival become so powerful?
‘Just as I thought!’
-To improve an inefficient bodily structure... The World Tree’s grace is truly astonishing.
The World Tree seemed kind of shady, but it was undeniably amazing.
For now, my teeth would simply grow back. But what if I ate a real fruit instead of an unripe one?
What if this improvement in efficiency was truly powerful?
For example, what if every single scale developed a tiny venom gland...
Then I would not be able to hug anyone or make friends. That would be a problem.
-But this is certainly different from what I knew. Perhaps the World Tree’s fruit has effects beyond this one. Or perhaps each fruit has a different effect.
Then collecting fruits would be fun too.
I looked at the remaining fruit.
I could simply gulp it down, but it seemed like it had another use.
‘We could use this to tame monsters.’
-It gives off a scent so tempting... It may even be addictive.
It was a fruit with an actual charm ability.
With a few more of these, I might be able to completely subdue the monsters in the Indoor Zoo.
Still, it felt wasteful to share it with them.
‘This is when a strategist comes in.’
-A strategist? What kind of strategy?
*「You use Slash Lv. 2.」
Crack.
I split the fruit in half with my tail.
I would eat one half and use the other to tame monsters.
A truly Snake Zhuge Liang-like move.
-So you were just talking nonsense.
I quickly swallowed one half of the fruit.
* * *
Taming monsters with half an unripe fruit.
If I had to describe the result in one word...
A complete success.
The three elements of taming methodology Pelerian had explained were affection, respect, and fear.
But I had succeeded in improving that outdated theory.
It should not be three elements, but four. Desire had to be added.
“Pant, pant, pant, pant, pant.”
A monster panted harshly with its tongue hanging out, then exposed its belly to show submission.
That loyal fellow was not Spot.
Spot had already eaten one-third of the half fruit, or one-sixth of a whole fruit, and was proudly carrying me around.
Spot’s tongue always stuck out from the side of their mouth, with drool streaming down.
Still, one-sixth of the fruit seemed to have raised their intelligence a little.
Their tongue was still hanging out, but their eyes had grown sharper.
Or maybe Spot was just putting on airs because their rank had risen.
“Whine, whine.”
The one exposing its belly before me was a Smoke White Fox Lv. 19.
I rather liked its white fur.
It had acted so proud that it was about to become my meal, but now its attitude had completely changed.
Every monster that had survived in the Indoor Zoo was now outside its cage.
‘Fox.’
A one-twelfth piece of fruit rested on my tail.
I did not know what was so incredible about it, but the fox looked utterly desperate for it.
‘Pledge your loyalty first.’
I cast Taming again.
My mana was almost running out.
*「You use Taming Lv. 7.」
*「You have succeeded in taming Frost White Fox Lv. 19.」
*「The rank of the Accomplishment, ‘Monster Leader,’ rises.」
Oh!
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【Monster Leader】
You have tamed more than twenty monsters.
Your control over tamed monsters strengthens.
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That was right.
I had succeeded in taming all twenty or so monsters remaining in the Indoor Zoo.
I had splendidly rescued the poor monsters who had been trapped in cages and left to die.
There was no reason to mention that there had originally been around fifty of them.
I tossed the fruit piece to the white fox.
The fox snapped it up, then started doing somersaults in circles.
Smoke poured violently from the wildly excited fox’s body, blocking my view.
‘Hey, you over there.’
An owl tilted its head where I pointed.
‘Clear this smoke away.’
The owl did not understand me for a while. Only after the smoke reached it did it flap its wings frantically.
-What a mess. An absolute mess.
Pelerian was not exaggerating.
Even I could see that.
I had felt it when I first tamed the baby centipedes, but taming did not mean controlling them.
Few of them understood exactly what I said.
Spot understood a little, at least.
‘I might need an advisor too.’
There must have been a reason the Sage Orangutan guided the monkeys.
But none of the twenty monsters could speak or had any real intelligence.
Damn, they were making a mess and shitting everywhere.
I put the monsters back into their cages.
“Saaak!”
Even that took considerable time and effort.
I had thought I was like Zhuge Liang, but perhaps I was more like Cao Cao, the villain of chaotic times.
Was there not a fine advisor like Xun Yu somewhere?
* * *
“Sorry, sorry...”
The old orangutan bowed so low that their head nearly struck the ground.
The other primates gathered there did the same. None dared raise their heads and look their leader in the face.
The Sage Orangutan raised their head just enough to watch the feet of the ruler walking past.
Step, step.
The footsteps were not especially heavy.
At first glance, the leader looked somewhat like a gorilla, or perhaps a baboon.
Two things stood out. The leader walked upright like a human, and their arms were so long they nearly dragged across the ground.
The leader turned around.
Showing their back meant they permitted someone to speak.
The orangutan raised their head.
The leader was revealed.
A chimpanzee covered in silver fur.
That was why the ruler’s name was Silverback Akims.
The leader of this place.
“The insects... took them. Two fruits...”
The orangutan had seen the snake take them, but reported it that way.
The orangutan knew the leader would be enraged.
“GRAAAH!”
The roar was like thunder.
It felt as though their ears would burst, yet no one dared cover them.
“Attack the insects.”
The ruler spoke for the first time.
It was a declaration of all-out war.
“Bring that big one out of the swamp.”
There was only one monster that could match Silverback Akims.
The Swamp Monster, leader of the Insect Legion.
But how were they supposed to drag that monster out of the swamp?
It was an impossible command to carry out.
“We will do so.”
The orangutan answered that way out of fear of death.
“And the gorilla...”
The gorilla who had been taken by the Shadow Fairy.
She had returned with the snake, and that snake had stolen the fruit the orangutan had been keeping.
But because the orangutan feared the leader would grow angry upon hearing this, the fact that the gorilla had brought the snake was hidden.
“She has returned. What should we do?”
The gorilla trembled with frightened eyes.
She had tried to flee when the insects attacked.
But she had been caught again.
Silverback Akims turned and looked at her.
A bright red face.
A protruding muzzle and sharp, pointed teeth.
Maybe the leader would accept her back.
For a moment, she held that hope.
But no.
The leader lunged at her.
Thud!
The gorilla felt a blinding pain.
The leader’s mouth, having passed by her, held her right arm.
Her left arm lay on the floor.
“GRAAAAAH!”
She had lost both arms in an instant.
Blood gushed out and soaked the floor.
“Weak ones are not needed.”
Silverback Akims gave the order.
“Exile her.”
* * *
It was a rainy night.
Ooooh.
As I slept, I heard a strange sound from somewhere.
At first, I thought it was Pelerian snoring, but then I remembered he was inside the ring.
Then was it Spot?
Oooohhh.
No. The crying was coming from outside.
Which bastard was crying and making such a racket?
I shot upright.
Thump, thump, thump.
The knocking was clear too.
Spot rose from their place and growled.
It even smelled like blood.
I flung the door open, intending to drive off the intruder.
‘Aah!’
I had seen plenty of horrible things, but the nighttime visitor still startled me.
It was the gorilla lady.
She was alive!
But both her arms were gone.
“Oooohhh, snaaake...”
She was sobbing loudly.
I realized how she had knocked. She had been banging her forehead against the door.
“Oooohhh, oooh! Can I... come in...?”
A woman with nowhere to go came crying to my home on a rainy day.
It was like something from a drama.
Except she was a female gorilla.
‘Come in first.’
I let the gorilla into the room.
She was a good gorilla who had kept faith with me.
I hurriedly took out a potion and poured it over her injured arms.
At the same time, I wondered if I had found the owner of the prosthetic arm Dashnan possessed.
Footnotes:
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