Chapter 125: Training Even If I Die and Come Back
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 125: Training Even If I Die and Come Back
The Heart Demon was over, just like that.
I could feel the Jian Bird's inner core settling firmly in my dantian.
I don't know if it's the right analogy, but its energy felt like steel feathers.
A power as hard as steel, yet as light as a feather.
While a normal inner core would simply grant me the internal energy it held, this one was different.
Should I say it was more like the Snow Ginseng or Hwari I'd eaten before?
I decided to put aside assimilating the power that had entered me for now.
My priority was to explain myself to the Snake Queen, who was covering her eyes as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have.
"Gek-gek-gek..."
Of course, there was no way I could explain myself with just gek-ing cries.
But couldn't I at least convey how wronged I felt?
"It's alright. I understand."
"Gek."
It's not understanding, it's a misunderstanding!
"Hmm... I had an inkling when I saw how much you liked these useless lumps of fat, but your tastes are truly peculiar."
"Gek!"
...Was it that obvious?
But it was truly an irresistible impulse.
As someone who had lived the life of a human—a mammal—how could I see something so magnificent and remain still?
From the Snake Queen's perspective, she might think of those internal energy pouches as useless organs.
After all, reptiles aren't creatures that breastfeed.
...Then why does she take that form?
Could it be because I like them?
That couldn't be the reason. She was in that form when we first met, too.
The reason the Snake Queen had those large things was probably because of her master.
She was quite something herself.
"Did you like that attire so much?"
"Gek-gek!"
I shook my head vigorously.
To be honest, there probably isn't a man alive who dislikes it.
Nevertheless, the reason I didn't nod was because of the thing that came out wearing it.
I don't know why, but the Snake Queen didn't seem to separate the clothes from the wearer.
Since my Heart Demon appeared in that form, she seemed to think she should also appear in a similar form.
Meaning, in her Basilisk form.
"Gek-gek-gek-gek-gek!"
I was strongly against it.
If there were such a thing as a mental strength stat, it would probably hit rock bottom.
I gek-ed and gek-ed to show my opposition.
"I just can't figure you out."
You'll get hurt if you find out!
"I do have a few sets of clothes, but if that's how you feel, I suppose I'll leave it be."
Clothes?
You had clothes?
Let me describe the Snake Queen's appearance.
I'll skip the detailed description of her face.
If I had to make a comparison, I could say her face rivaled that of Baek Yeon-yeong.
They actually looked similar.
But that's not what's important.
First, the Snake Queen's lower body.
It's what anyone would imagine when they think of a Lamia.
Though it doesn't really catch the eye, since one's gaze naturally drifts to her upper body.
And her upper body.
As if she knows she has a great figure, she dresses in a very provocative manner.
No. "Dresses" is a bit of a strange word for it.
All she did was cover certain parts with some kind of unknown skin-like tissue.
Of course, when she went out, she sometimes moved in her Basilisk body, and when she had to show her humanoid form, like with Argentavis, the proportion of skin she covered was much higher.
But fundamentally, she lived a life far removed from the concept of clothing.
"...Why are you looking at me like that? Did you think I'd have alcohol but not a single piece of clothing?"
"Gek-gek."
Then why haven't you been wearing clothes all this time?
I gestured frantically to convey my meaning.
"Do you think I often walk around in human form? Taking this form even once a year could be considered a lot. Why would someone like me care about clothes? It's a highly inefficient thing to do."
Haven't you been in your human form this whole time?
When you were eating, when you were splashing in the lake, and when you were sleeping in the nest.
In fact, it was rarer to see you in your Basilisk form.
The Snake Queen's point was that even though she had clothes, she never took her human form, so she just left them lying around somewhere.
But the Snake Queen I'd seen had always been in her human form.
I stared intently at the Snake Queen.
I flicked my tongue, tasting the air.
This scent.
And this taste.
It was the taste of a lie.
I didn't say anything, but the Snake Queen must have realized something, as she turned her head slightly.
"Don't misunderstand. It's just that this form is more convenient for moving around the temple. It's not like I'm deliberately doing it because I think you like this form."
Sure.
"Gek-gek."
"How on earth do you make that expression? ...It looks somewhat sly, and also strange. Your expressions are truly varied."
What did I do?
I just looked at you.
The Snake Queen avoided my gaze.
It was quite a refreshing reaction.
If I had my way, I'd enjoy this reaction a bit more, but my scales probably wouldn't survive.
"Enough. Ah, right. Did you see the princess off safely?"
The Snake Queen hastily changed the subject.
I wanted to hear her say something like, 'Fine, it's true I stayed in the form you like,' but I decided to leave that fun for my future self.
I couldn't keep teasing the Snake Queen forever, and it was true that we needed to talk about Swish-Swish.
I nodded my head as she intended.
"Gek-gek."
"Right. She wouldn't be crying just because I'm not there... She's a tough kid. Though she might be sad about not having a companion."
She might be sad for now, but it won't last long.
This is just my thought, but she's probably sorting out the pecking order with the other lizards right about now.
She used to glare disapprovingly at the lizards that clung to me.
I wonder if she's already swallowed them?
"...Is Little Dragon doing well?"
I made that expression the Snake Queen had mentioned.
Just say you're worried about your dad.
Why beat around the bush? What's there to be embarrassed about?
"Gek-gek-gek."
I moved my body energetically to convey Little Dragon's condition.
It basically meant he was full of life.
"Hmph. He's got a long life ahead of him."
She said that, but her expression showed she was relieved.
The Snake Queen told me a few more stories related to Little Dragon.
Now that she'd shown me her past through the Heart Demon, it seemed there were no more barriers between us.
I gek-ed along, responding appropriately to her words.
The conversation flowed and eventually got to the main point.
The main point being the upcoming battle.
"...Yes. As you may have noticed, Little Dragon will not be participating in this battle."
Old man Compy was sitting out of the fight. Instead, he'd be protecting Swish-Swish. According to the Snake Queen, Argentavis might also entrust Chirpy to him.
He was basically a babysitter.
"Their forces have been greatly reduced, but Little Dragon's absence leaves a big hole. Therefore, your role has become crucial."
Ahem.
I lifted my head proudly.
Gomodo-Lania, who has consumed the Jian Bird's inner core.
Can't I take down someone like Bifang all by myself?
"Until the former King of Birds' treatment is complete, we must raise your power as much as possible."
Her words meant one thing.
Training.
And more training.
Now that I've consumed the Jian Bird's inner core, I have to make its power completely my own.
For the remaining time, I have to train as if my life depends on it.
It's five days at most.
The time for lazing around is over.
"You are to focus only on your training."
The Snake Queen reminding me of this must mean that we should each do our best in our respective roles.
I'll build my strength, the Snake Queen will create a weapon to defeat the King of Birds, and she'll also gather the remaining forces.
It won't be a long time, but it'll be hard to see the Snake Queen's face.
Swish-Swish is also in Little Dragon's territory.
This means I'll have to be all alone in this vast temple.
...It seems I'll have to spend time alone for the first time in a long while.
It might be a little lonely, but it's not that long.
It might be a little cold when I sleep, I'll have to eat alone, and I'll have to gek by myself, but I can endure that much.
...Swish-Swish, I miss you already.
The Snake Queen stared at me.
"My companion. Whose inner core did you say you consumed?"
Why was she suddenly asking such a question?
It was the Jian Bird's, of course.
The Snake Queen's expression was strange.
"It belongs to the Jian Bird. You and I have each consumed half of it."
Should I say it was like the expression a stoic cat makes before it pounces playfully?
Lying still before suddenly leaping...
Pounce!
The Snake Queen suddenly threw herself at me.
Crash!
I was knocked over by the surprise attack.
The result was the Snake Queen pinning me down.
I lifted my head, wondering what was happening.
"So, if we are to train, shouldn't we stay like this?"
Thump.
Thump.
The sound of the Snake Queen's heart transmitted through my skin.
Training?
I can do this all day.
*
Guooo...
The nest of Gaechalgoatal.
The King of Birds looked down at the Rakshasa Bird and Bifang with cold eyes.
"You mean to say... you failed the mission."
"Th-that's!"
It's unfair. I did my best.
She was about to say so.
Kuuu...
A profound internal energy pressed down on the Rakshasa Bird and Bifang.
"K-keuk...!"
Bifang managed to endure it somehow, but the Rakshasa Bird couldn't and fell to her knees.
It was partly because her wing was severed and she was in poor condition, but also because Gaechalgoatal's power was far stronger than the Rakshasa Bird had anticipated.
She could feel an energy that surpassed the Snake Queen's.
"I-I'm sorry..."
The Rakshasa Bird had no choice but to shut her mouth.
She had been plotting to backstab Gaechalgoatal and take his place. But in her current state, she wouldn't even be able to resist him.
The force pressing down on the Rakshasa Bird vanished.
"Keoheok..."
She barely managed to pull herself together.
"The Jian Bird... was defeated... by that thing..."
The Jian Bird is a powerful spirit beast.
Seen alone, it's nothing more than an insignificant beast.
But when the two combine their strength, they become a spirit beast capable of power surpassing the Rakshasa Bird's.
For a mere lizard to have defeated the Jian Bird made no sense.
Moreover, it wasn't a normal battle.
Wary of its abnormal abilities, they had devised a perfect plan.
Isolate it from the Snake Queen, then have the Jian Bird deal with it directly.
And in the process, deploy countless minions to drain its stamina, while also suppressing that unknown power of its.
There were no variables.
It should have been a lizard at the First-Rate level, at best.
Even if, by some one-in-a-million chance, it had reached the Peak Realm in that time, it shouldn't have been a major problem.
There was no way it could defeat the Jian Bird having barely reached the entry level of the Peak Realm.
This was the lizard that had barely managed to defeat even Gogadurisu.
How could such a creature have defeated the Jian Bird?
Could it be that he himself had made that lizard stronger?
No. It couldn't have won on its own.
It was more likely that it held out as long as it could, and then the Snake Queen came to its rescue and killed the Jian Bird. That had to be it.
The King of Birds groaned inwardly.
This operation was one he had invested in to an almost excessive degree.
Although only one spirit beast was doing the actual fighting, Bifang and the Rakshasa Bird had been the ones to buy time for that battle.
And yet, they still couldn't kill that lizard.
And with the Jian Bird's death, they had once again accelerated that lizard's growth.
On top of that, the former King of Birds and the Snake Queen had formed an alliance.
He had lost one spirit beast and countless other creatures in this battle.
The Snake Queen's forces would only grow with time.
Paradoxically, Gaechalgoatal's best move was to strike the Snake Queen right now, while he was at a disadvantage.
It was obvious that his position would only worsen with time.
"Keuheheut..."
Gaechalgoatal gave a grotesque smile.
"Yes... that would be more interesting."
The same smile he had shown the Snake Queen when his feathers first grew.
"It has to be at least this much... for me to be able to break your spirit."
The King of Birds spread his massive wings.
Chwaaaak...
An unsettling black mist seeped into the Rakshasa Bird's shoulder.
"K-keuk!"
The Rakshasa Bird let out a pained groan.
Paaat!
Her wing, which had turned to stone and shattered, grew anew.
"Heok... heok..."
She gasped for breath, examining her condition.
The wounds inflicted by the Snake Queen were all gone.
Not only that, she could feel a power even stronger than before.
"W-with this, I can take the Snake Queen right now...!"
"No."
The King of Birds shook his head.
"We wait..."
Gaechalgoatal's eyes were colored with greed.
"Until she comes to find me on her own..."