WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Ophidian of the Apocalypse ◈
Chapter 60: Pandemonium
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060.
It might sound unfortunate to some people.
Especially to the three siblings, who might be excited at the thought of getting a new dad.
But I was not asking Centipede Mom out on a date.
I had absolutely no intention of becoming her new husband!
Wasn't that obvious?
I'm a snake, and she's a centipede.
We're different species.
It was true that Centipede Mom was a kind-hearted, gentle older woman with a firm side that made her charming. She was also incredibly strong.
But honestly, her appearance was not my type...
I liked the type with slender, long limbs and smooth skin.
No, Centipede Mom's limbs were slender compared to her body, that was true.
And while she did not have skin, her carapace was smooth.
...At the very least, she could not have venomous claws or antennae. That much I could not compromise on.
This was a recruitment offer.
An offer to the enemy commander, the Giant Centipede, to bring her subordinates and join the Beasts of the Zoo.
If this offer succeeded, the balance of power would change.
It would complete a true three-way division of the realm.
Our Shu Kingdom, no, our group would possess strength equal to the other groups.
-Still no answer?
Unfortunately, the result of whether Taming had succeeded or failed did not appear immediately.
Centipede Mom remained frozen, only twitching her antennae. She seemed to be thinking.
For some reason, I was getting anxious.
Why won't she answer me?
Centipede Mom looked around cautiously.
Pelerian warned me.
-A spider!
Damn it.
I had definitely checked that there were no spiders nearby.
I wondered where it had come from, only to discover that countless spiders were crawling out of the tunnel I had used.
Tiny black spiders, each about the size of a chestnut, poured out in huge numbers.
Centipede Mom snarled.
“Kehet!”
*「You have failed to tame ‘Crimson Teeth Giant Centipede Lv. 60.’」
Damn it!
Anger welled up at the spiders for ruining my big moment.
I had not even considered the possibility that my persuasion would fail!
It must have been my baseless confidence.
Still, things did not become awkward between Centipede Mom and me.
She stepped forward as though to protect me.
It did not seem like she was afraid of those little spiders.
Skitter.
The spiders began gathering in one place.
As if by magic, the swarm of spiders became one giant spider.
Demon Face Tarantula.
The ominous spider I had seen from afar.
That monster, which seemed to be the Giant Centipede's rival, had appeared.
The Giant Centipede twitched her antennae threateningly.
For that spider to suddenly appear here meant...
“You were, making an interesting, plan, Snake.”
The lips set in the spider's abdomen wriggled.
Damn it, had they heard everything?
“As expected of a group leader.”
Their speech was halting, but their manner was gentlemanly.
Did this spider not realize that the polite way they spoke made them seem even more villainous?
Right. Since my plan had been exposed, I would kill that spider here.
If I could not kill them, I would run immediately.
I slightly coiled my body.
Centipede Mom seemed to share my intention to take out the spider here.
The insects under the Giant Centipede's command slowly gathered around us.
The same was true for the other side.
Perhaps the tunnel connected elsewhere already, because spiders crawled out of the hole like mad.
It was a tense standoff.
As I wondered where their heart might be and prepared Heart-Eating Leap...
“You misunderstand. I have no intention, of doing anything, to you.”
The face on the spider's abdomen made a comical expression.
“It is an excellent, idea. We did not get along well anyway, did we?”
“Keheke.”
Centipede Mom nodded as well.
I stepped forward slightly.
'So what, you're just going to pretend you didn't see it?'
“That is, correct.”
Surprisingly, conversation with them went rather smoothly.
Call it 0.9 Nanaruk.
But on the dislike scale, it was 1.2 silver chimpanzees.
-You know it is suspicious beyond belief, right?
How could I not?
Still, I was curious about their intentions.
So I asked them outright.
'Why? You're going to overlook a companion's betrayal just because you don't get along?'
“Companion?”
The spider's eyes widened.
I see, the centipedes were not their companions.
“Betrayal?”
And to them, it was not betrayal either.
“Neither. We are a swarm. I do not need, that centipede or those insects.”
That made sense.
From the spider's perspective, Centipede Mom was probably an eyesore that shared the experience points Riokk distributed.
Besides, it seemed common knowledge in this world that spiders and centipedes did not get along.
“So it would be good, if they left of their own accord.”
'But Riokk won't feel the same way.'
“You mean the Swamp Monster.”
As expected, there was not a trace of respect or affection when they mentioned their leader.
Having a face made their expression easy to read.
In truth, I had mentioned Riokk to test them.
Just how intelligent was Riokk?
Did Riokk at least try to protect subordinates, or possess some degree of possessiveness over them?
“That is, true. Riokk will be, angry.”
That was not good.
If Riokk did not care, I could have taken Centipede Mom away easily.
“So I propose, a deal, to Snake.”
The spider slyly raised a foreleg.
“I will, overlook it. Take the centipede away. But...”
'But?'
“Not now. The fight will begin, soon. Between the Swamp Monster, and the Silver Monkey. Take them after that. I will overlook it.”
That was the spider's offer.
They would overlook Centipede Mom's recruitment, so I was to wait until Riokk and the monkey fought.
At first glance, it did not seem like a bad offer.
I raised my tail to show that I would think about it.
Then I quietly discussed it with Pelerian beside Centipede Mom.
-There is no harm in hearing the offer out.
'I'm disappointed.'
-What?
'You don't understand the basics of negotiation.'
Pelerian looked offended.
-Explain.
'You cannot negotiate by being that soft.'
This was something I had learned through personal experience in my previous life.
You could not show weakness during negotiations.
'Spider.'
The Human-Faced Spider looked at me.
'That's not enough.'
“What do you, mean?”
'A deal is not just one side taking. Isn't this extortion? You suddenly show up and demand that we do what you say.'
“What is, extortion?”
'Whether Riokk gets angry or not does not matter to you anyway. So if this is a deal, there has to be an exchange.'
The spider looked puzzled.
It seemed that while their speech was gentlemanly, their intelligence was not that high.
I could tell from how flustered they became when I explained things in a complicated way.
'We'll make an offer. Once we quietly withdraw with the centipedes, you attack the monkeys first.'
“And then? When the monkeys die?”
'Then you'll have to figure it out yourself.'
“Reasonable...”
'You should offer something in return as well. Something material, or personally, I...'
I tossed the question out casually.
'Do you have something like an Inner Core you could give me?'
“...How did you know?”
'Know what?'
“That I make Inner Cores...”
The spider became wary.
How did I know?
──────────────
【Demon Face Tarantula Lv. 65】
【Traits】
[Schemer], [Craftsman]
──────────────
The Craftsman trait.
It was the trait possessed by the centipede couple I missed dearly.
Besides, was it not practically a rule in martial arts novels that Human-Faced Spiders had Inner Cores?
The spider twitched their forelegs as though considering it.
“Fine. Please wait, a moment.”
When the Human-Faced Spider turned around, small spiders covered their body.
They looked like they were hiding something.
The small spiders withdrew again, and the spider took out a black orb.
-Hoho!
The Magical Essence it contained was extraordinary. It really was an Inner Core.
Having already eaten two, I knew immediately.
'I'll take it.'
“Keep your, promise.”
I looked back at Centipede Mom once more.
'Then I'll see you shortly.'
“Keheke.”
It only looked like Centipede Mom was being shy, right?
The tunnel I had come through would be crawling with spiders now.
And it was impossible to return overland, too.
I looked at the spider one last time.
They seemed to be expecting me to enter the tunnel.
'I'll warn you. Do not get any foolish ideas.'
*「You use Emergency Return Lv. 20.」
I returned to my group.
* * *
The sky was dyed purple.
The air felt heavy because it was abnormally rich with Magical Essence.
Countless monsters swarmed across the ground.
Their howls and roars, the stench of blood from killing and eating one another.
Above all, the killing intent that pierced the sky.
The major battle had not begun because the leaders were still holding back.
But it was only a matter of time.
Even Riokk, the leader of the Insect Legion, was drooling uncontrollably.
Riokk wanted to chew up and swallow the monsters immediately.
The insect monster was cursed with endless hunger by the Parasites filling their stomach.
The Human-Faced Spider knew that Riokk usually stayed submerged in the swamp, endlessly swallowing the green marsh and defecating in the same place to satisfy their hunger.
What a miserable, ugly creature.
Riokk had become leader only because they were the largest and strongest.
The spider had ambition.
They wanted the Radiant Fruit.
And that did not seem impossible.
In truth, the Giant Centipede had been a greater concern than Riokk.
The Human-Faced Spider had already devised a plan to wipe out the Giant Centipede and her family here.
The sudden appearance of the little snake had been unexpected...
They had rushed over, only to lose an Inner Core as well.
Still, it was a loss worth enduring.
Wiping out the centipedes and that animal group too would be a cheap price to pay.
The spider smiled slyly.
How hard it had been to hold back that smile.
Those fools could not have realized the fate awaiting them.
Whoosh!
That was when the thornbushes surrounding the towering World Tree root caught fire.
In an instant, the thornbushes vanished, leaving only ash behind.
Now it would begin.
There was an even clearer sign.
“Ah, what a sweet scent.”
A hot, itching hunger in their stomach.
Sticky drool that flowed from their mouth without prompting.
A heavenly scent spread from atop that root.
The Radiant Fruit must have formed.
“Kwieeeeeee!”
Insect King Riokk roared.
“Kwooooh!”
So did Silverback Akims.
The monsters began moving.
The monkeys and insects collided. Sticky fluid splattered, and monkey limbs flew through the air.
The Human-Faced Spider barely restrained themselves.
Spiders as large as wild dogs formed a circle around them.
The Human-Faced Spider prepared the most powerful skill they possessed.
──────────────
【Curse: Break Eight Legs】
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Breaking one leg was no different from casting one spell.
Originally, it was a curse cast by breaking all of the caster's own legs.
The Human-Faced Spider substituted their subordinates as sacrifices instead.
They drove a foreleg into the head of the spider at the very front.
Crunch.
“First...”
Just as they were about to cast the curse...
Flap flap.
The sound of wings beating reached them.
Not an insect, but a bird flying.
Why was there a bird in a place like this?
They looked up and saw a purple-feathered parrot flying overhead.
“Spider, spider! Sparkle!”
The parrot could even speak.
Then the parrot shot high into the sky.
The spider felt a sense of foreboding.
Far away.
A Big and Cool Snake, large enough to stand out even from that distance, was staring directly at the spider.
How? Since when?
And why was Big and Cool Snake's mouth open?
Sparkle.
Light formed in the big snake's mouth.
The Human-Faced Spider realized far too late that it was a beam capable of turning ordinary monsters to ash.
It had been condensed without the slightest hesitation, then fired at high output.
“Ah... Snake.”
Those were the Human-Faced Spider's last words.
Destruction Beam burned the Human-Faced Spider and all the spiders around them.
* * *
*「You receive shared Magical Essence.」
*「You receive shared Magical Essence.」
*「You receive shared Magical Essence.」
*「You receive shared Magical Essence.」
*「You receive shared Magical Essence.」
...
Wow.
*「Your level has increased.」
*「Your level has increased.」
Two whole levels!
That was a profit beyond my expectations.
No, what happened? I should have only received one-fifth of it. Was that Level 63 spider really that strong?[1]
Or had their strongest subordinates been gathered together nicely nearby?
Then again, I had only scorched a narrow area for a short time to conserve Father's Mana as much as possible.
It had only been possible thanks to the parrot scout I had newly acquired.
-How did you know they would betray us?
'They're a spider.'
-Is that really an answer...?
It was not baseless spider hatred.
The moment I received the Inner Core, I became certain that I needed to strike the spider first.
──────────────
【Cursed Inner Core: Demon Face Tarantula】
──────────────
It said Cursed Inner Core.
The spider had placed a curse on it in that short time.
It was no different from sprinkling capsaicin all over food promised as payment without saying a word.
It was definitely something I had to strike first.
I suddenly took out the Inner Core again.
Huh?
──────────────
【Inner Core: Demon Face Tarantula】
──────────────
The description had changed.
Had the curse been lifted because the caster died?
That was good.
I would give it to Father later.
After putting away the Inner Core, I climbed onto Gorilla.
'Now we'll join the Giant Centipede.'
“Let's gooo!”
While Riokk and the silver chimpanzee fought, I would join forces with Centipede Mom.
That was my plan.
-Wait.
Pelerian's voice was urgent.
I turned to look at the central root Pelerian was pointing at.
The monkeys and insects were fighting viciously.
Just as I had hoped.
-Not there, above it!
Huh?
Golems called Guardians stood at intervals along the root.
A Silver Monkey was fighting one of them.
Which meant Silverback Akims was climbing the root.
Then where was Riokk?
Vwoooom!
I thought a helicopter had appeared somewhere.
It was the sound of Riokk beating their wings.
Riokk took flight.
The fact that Riokk managed to lift that heavy body even briefly seemed like a miracle.
Boom!
Then they descended as though crashing into the closest area, where the most monsters were gathered.
-Really, that monster has no intelligence whatsoever.
Not every higher species was smart.
But I had not expected that.
Driven mad by hunger, Riokk was trying to swallow every monster on the ground.
Monkeys, insects, spiders, centipedes...
Huh?
Footnotes:
[1] The Korean narration says Level 63 here, while the earlier status panel lists Demon Face Tarantula as Level 65. This source discrepancy is preserved as written.
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