Chapter 57: Adultery (Not)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 57: Adultery (Not)
【Ball Python LV14】
【Status】
「Playing Dead」「Tense」
【Ball Python】
A type of python that grows up to 180cm in length, with a thick body.
When frightened, it has a characteristic of coiling its body into a ball to protect itself.
It is non-venomous and its teeth are not very sharp.
When you say python, you usually think of a massive snake.
The larger species are comparable to anacondas—no, some are even larger than anacondas.
This snake, on the other hand, was hardly worthy of the name python.
It was plump, but short.
Still, its level was high enough that it seemed to be over two meters long, but considering a snake’s trait of investing everything into length, you couldn’t call it long.
Small, non-venomous, and with weak teeth.
What was the point of this snake's existence?
…That its face was cute?
It’s a bit weird to say this, but it was actually quite cute.
There was a chance my standards had gotten weird from turning into a lizard or hanging out with spiders, but I think even my human self would have found it cute.
For a snake, that is.
The snakes I’d seen so far were vicious creatures like the Titanoboa, but this one was different.
Should I say its snout looked like a puppy's? It was so round and looked very gentle.
And its eyes, too. If you looked closely, you could see the vertical pupils typical of reptiles, but they were a bit faint. In other words, its eyes were round, too.
“Gek-ge-ge-gek.”
As if reading my mind, its tail began to move slightly.
It was wagging it gently, like a puppy seeing its owner.
Yep.
You’ve survived this long because you’re cute, haven’t you.
Since it looks cute, it probably tastes pretty good too.
Unlike other snakes, it probably doesn’t have many small bones.
And its flesh is plump, so there’ll be a lot of it.
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
“Hieeek!”
Seeing the drool dripping from my mouth, the snake leaped up.
Can snakes jump?
Its tail muscles must be incredible.
To think it could bend its tail like a spring to jump.
It’s definitely a delicacy.
“Shhhk…”
Realizing its ‘playing dead’ act was exposed, it started to change its posture.
That was…
An unbelievable posture.
It coiled its body, taking on the shape of a ball.
I could see its determination to block all of an enemy's attacks.
Does it really think it can block anything with that?
【Ball Python LV14】
【Status】
「Relieved」
Why are you relieved?
Don't tell me it thinks I can't eat it like that?
All I can think is that I could swallow it in one bite.
Its level is 14, too.
That means it's survived here for quite a while. How on earth did it manage that?
This jungle, just by looking at it, seems tougher than the lower swamp.
There was the Terror Bird that greeted me, and the Human-faced Bird that shoots destruction beams from its mouth.
This is definitely not a place easy enough for a snake like this to survive that way.
Did it really survive just by being cute?
Still, I have to do what I have to do.
If I don't eat it, I'll be in danger.
I opened my mouth wide.
Waaang.
“Hieeeeek…”
The snake's posture broke.
The Ball Python's body trembled.
Even if you look at me like that, it can't be helped.
…
Looking at it, why am I reminded of Tus and Pus?
Forget it.
Eating that wouldn't even be a decent snack.
Instead of eating some non-nutritious snake meat for no reason, it would be more advantageous to just find other prey.
It was the moment I turned my head to go elsewhere.
“Hiek…”
The Ball Python peeked its head out.
It tilted its head, watching my reaction.
Soon, as if realizing I had no intention of harming it, it stealthily crawled toward me.
…Aren’t you letting your guard down too much?
The Ball Python, which had been slinking over, opened its mouth slightly.
Wondering what on earth it was doing, I watched it quietly.
Is it trying to eat me?
There's no way those tiny teeth could pierce my scales.
Waaang.
Opening its mouth as wide as it could, the Ball Python bit my foreleg.
I let it off once, and now this.
So you're determined to end up in my stomach after all.
Just as I was about to open my mouth in return…
[A small amount of HP is recovered.]
Huh?
*
They say putting saliva on a wound heals it.
There’s a saying like that.
It actually has some sterilizing effect and can help wounds heal, but since the chance of infection is also not low, it wasn't a recommended treatment method.
But what on earth was this snake?
It was a healer snake, proven by the status window.
Of course, the effect wasn't outstanding.
It only recovered about 10 HP at most.
But the pain definitely subsided.
…Is this some kind of anesthetic?
Could this cunning snake be trying to numb my pain before eating me?
I had that thought, but after checking its information again, I could see that wasn't the case.
【Ball Python LV14】
【Status】
「Reliant」「Starving」
Starving.
It looked that way.
Although it had a plump body, it looked weak somehow.
It seemed like it hadn't eaten in a long time.
Reliant.
That was the problem.
“Hiek…”
The Ball Python was coiled tightly around my leg.
I don't know why, but it seems to want to stick to me.
Why is it relying on me?
It should know that I was just trying to eat it.
I racked my smart lizard brain.
First of all, the Ball Python's level is a whopping 14.
I raised Tus and Pus, but even they didn't get past level 10.
Besides, considering that the criteria for leveling up differ by species, it must have been harder for this snake to level up than for Tus and Pus.
If Tus and Pus are geckos, then this snake would be like a Green Basilisk or a monitor lizard.
And yet, it reached level 14.
In this harsh jungle, no less.
There's one thing I can surmise.
This snake grew up under someone's protection.
Seeing its still-fragile state, it was probably like that until recently.
Then, by some chance, it got separated from its guardian.
It was like being raised as a princess and then suddenly being thrown into the wild.
And in that situation, it met me.
That would explain the current situation.
It thought I was going to eat it, but when I just left, it's clinging to me out of a sliver of hope.
A snake's guardian would likely be another snake, so it might have felt a sense of kinship with me, a similarly shaped lizard.
…Still, though. I was trying to eat you.
“Hieeek…”
It's still scared, but it won't let go of me.
No matter how cold-blooded a reptile is, how could I eat a snake in this state?
If this were a strategy, it would be a terrifying creature, but it doesn't seem like it.
So, what should I do?
I can spare its life, but moving around with it is another story.
It hasn't been that long since I stopped being Tus and Pus's guardian, and now I'm taking on another one.
They at least became my believers, but this snake…
Wait.
Right, believers.
I have the Gaegaek Faith.
【Gaegaek Faith】
Gecko-level faith.
A faith followed by those who worship the legendary spirit beast, Gomodo.
It is still too early to be called a religion, but it is a faith with very high potential for growth.
The members' faith is very high.
Members
First Believer: 【Attercopus LV9】
Second Believer: 【Anthracomartus LV8】
Third Believer: 【Tang Soyeong】
The name is a bit weird, but the Gaegaek Faith was a pretty good faith.
Currently, this faith has two effects.
One is that the stats of the believers of the Gaegaek Faith increase slightly.
And the other is that when a believer of the Gaegaek Faith acquires experience points, a certain portion of it comes to me.
In other words, auto-hunting.
The more believers I have, the more experience points I receive.
Besides, it's just my guess, but there's a high chance this snake is a "golden spoon" snake.
What if I take it with me, make it worship me, and then later return it to the snake I presume is its parent?
It will eat the food its parent gives it, grow up big and strong, and offer up experience points to me.
This is an experience point duplication bug.
If this snake has friends, I could take them under my wing too.
Hey, snake.
You've hit the jackpot, you little punk.
“Gek-ge-gek!”
“Hieeek!”
Is it imitating my cry?
Maybe we get along better than I thought.
Still, there's one urgent matter.
Finding something to eat first.
This one must have been starving too, so it's unlikely to have any food, but it might know where to find some suitable prey.
I used my tail and hands to ask it a question.
I roughly patted my stomach and opened my mouth wide to convey that I was hungry.
“Shhhk!”
The snake nodded its head repeatedly.
Alright.
It knows this jungle better than I do, so I should be able to trust it.
The snake wrapped its body around my neck and held its head up straight, pointing the way.
…I feel like I'm suffocating a little, but it's probably just a coincidence, right?
Alright, snake.
Let's try to get along.
If you join the Gaegaek Faith now, you can become number four in the hierarchy, just so you know.
Just as I started walking in the direction the snake pointed…
[The level of 「Crisis Detection LV9」 has increased.]
Huh? Why is this skill's level suddenly rising?
The only way a skill's level rises is when its proficiency increases through repeated use. That means Crisis Detection must have been activating continuously…
I don't know. All my senses were denying it.
The real crisis was when I met the Human-faced Bird earlier.
Is the proficiency I gained back then just being applied now?
[You have acquired 「Killing Intent Detection LV1」.]
Killing Intent Detection?
Is this a reward for getting Crisis Detection to level 10?
I'm grateful, but something feels off.
The moment I received Killing Intent Detection, I felt a chill.
A feeling that, from very far away, a whirlwind of emotions was directed at me.
[First Believer, 【Attercopus LV9】, is displeased.]
[Second Believer, 【Anthracomartus LV9】, is tense.]
[Third Believer, 【Tang Soyeong】, is cautiously observing the situation.]
It's suddenly showing me the status of my believers.
Tang Soyeong is probably being cautious because she's entered the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
But why are Tus and Pus acting like that?
I hope nothing's wrong.
Anyway, this is strange.
The timing makes it seem like they're the ones sending the killing intent.
[??, 【Nephila Jurassica LV30】 is greatly enraged by the appearance of a love rival.]
What's with you?
You're not even a believer. What's with the question marks in front?
And what's this about a love rival appearing?
Are you talking about this snake?
And how do you guys even know about this!
I lowered my head at the unidentifiable killing intent sent by the four sisters of the Tang Clan.
[??, 【Nephila Jurassica LV30】 is furious at your shameless act.]
“Geeeek…”
That's not what I meant to do.
I can explain everything.
……Wait, why do I have to explain myself?
Maybe my thought process is getting weird because my HP is low.
“Gek-ge-gek!”
I need to fill my stomach, fast.