103. Heir to the Perang Dagger Style
‘Dongmun? What's that?’ I played dumb.
My dagger skills came from a hunter named Oliver. It wasn't just about respecting his privacy. What if Oliver and this adventurer named Judan shared the same school? Judan might end up as my senior. I could end up calling some random human I just met "master" or "grandmaster." Unthinkable.
“No, where on earth did you learn that dagger style from······.”
I tilted my head like an innocent snake who knew nothing.
Judan chuckled dryly at me. “Truth be told, I never imagined a snake like you could actually wield a sword.”
But playing totally clueless wouldn't fully dispel his suspicions.
“No one teaches dagger arts to monsters······.” He pondered for a moment, then his eyes widened as he whispered, “By any chance, was it an old man with white hair and six fingers?”
As if such a person exists. I hesitated, then tilted my head again.
‘Maybe... or maybe not······.’
“Ah······.”
Saying it like that usually makes them assume the "maybe" part and jump to conclusions. Judan did exactly that.
“Could the legendary Choin Perang still be alive······!”
I didn't even respond. Perang seemed to be the creator of the Perang School Dagger Art.
“Shall we run through a few more forms?”
‘Sure.’
If not for my stellar memory, I'd have forgotten the dagger arts by now. Without acquiring it as a skill, I'd have lost it entirely.
I demonstrated the dagger style Oliver taught me. Flick the dagger into the air, catch it reverse-grip, and aim for the opponent's shoulder.
“Form 3, Stance 2: Low Hawk Hunt!” he whispered in admiration, low enough others wouldn't hear. “It's good overall, but stabbing straight down isn't very efficient.”
“Sasak?”
“Like this—drawing an arc as you descend is surprisingly faster.”
I couldn't say if Oliver was stronger or if Judan was. Unlike Oliver's indifferent teaching, Judan was enthusiastic.
And then something amazing happened.
Perang School Dagger Art proficiency rises sharply.
The Perang School Dagger Art proficiency shot up. Every correction Judan made triggered the effect.
Perang School Dagger Art lv1 → lv2
It even leveled up. Which just meant my dagger skills had a ton of room for improvement. Can't be helped—I rarely used swordsmanship in real fights.
But ironically, I was an excellent swordsman.
“There's no way to beat that.”
Thrown sword arts aren't the mark of a master for nothing. Imagine fighting a thrown sword user. You parry their blade somehow, thinking you've created an opening to stab or slash. That's how you seize the advantage.
But with no hand attached to the sword, there's no way to attack.
Same for me. My technique might be lacking, but Judan had no way to reach me from afar.
How's that for my swordsmanship!
- That's magic, not swordsmanship.
Pellelian nitpicked unfairly, but I ignored him.
Perang School Dagger Art proficiency rises.
Regardless of his slander, the skill proved I was a swordsman.
“Haha, that should be enough.” Judan sheathed his sword, sweating.
From our chat, the Empire wasn't exactly like the martial world—no sects or wuxia vibes.
“Do you have a munmyeong?”
‘A few.’
“If it's alright, may I suggest one for you, Snake?”
But they had that romantic flair.
“How about Demon Sword?”
‘Demon Sword!’
Classic Empire-style naming with logographs. It didn't become my epithet right away, but I loved it.
“Hehe, so, still planning to sell swords?”
‘Nope.’
I flatly refused, of course. I'd had my fun. The adventurers had set up a sloppy camp outside, so I headed back to Helmuth.
He'd washed up and was resting, pipe in mouth, gazing at the sky.
“Hoo······.”
I looked up too. A beautiful, massive moon hung there—far bigger and lovelier than Earth's.
“······Among the sword sets I've made, this one's special. Cherish it.”
‘I will.’
With his work done, Helmuth would return to Red Anvil Mine. At his age, we might never meet again.
“Heading into the mountains?”
‘Yes.’
“Very dangerous place. Even if you're strong, going alone is risky.”
Probably like the Great Forest. I wasn't fazed, so he smirked.
“Fair point—silly to warn a monster about demon realms.”
True.
“Traveling with those humans might not be bad.”
‘Could be.’
The adventurers had business deep in the mountains too. Helmuth flopped onto the flat stone, using his sturdy prosthetic as a pillow, and soon snored thunderously.
I curled up to sleep. Pellelian perched on Helmuth's hammer and spoke to me as I dozed.
- To reach Delphram, you must pass the Blade Stone Pillar Zone. Analyze the name: stone pillars sharp as blades, filling the area.
- Go with those humans. Same as Helmuth said.
I never expected Pellelian to suggest partying up. He hated his dungeon being discovered.
‘Too tough solo?’
- Yeah. Use them as bait.
Pellelian ranted about the zone's dangers.
- Know how vicious wyverns are? Most annoying flying monsters. And there're packs of them. Since ancient times, I've had bad luck with eight-legged things and winged pests.
- They dive at ferocious speeds, grab prey, soar high, and drop it. When it shatters, they gulp the pieces with those long jaws. Terrifying bastards. Flying's worse than swimming.
‘Yeah, they'd target the humans first.’
- Exactly! Classic Pellelian cunning.
But I was puzzled. ‘Wouldn't sneaking solo be better? Quietly, and Isil's super stealthy.’
I'm small, so hiding should be easy.
But he had an answer.
- The zone's floor is dangerous too. Full of burrowing white ants.
White ants? Sound harmless. And white monsters appeal to me.
- You'll see. Alone, they'll treat you like food—no brains, no fear. You'll struggle.
One of my strengths is listening well. Partying with humans seemed smarter.
But how to convince them? Judan and I got along okay, but Jerico and the others eyed me warily.
Maybe negotiate with Judan first······.
Then—knock knock.
Someone at the door. Judan? Bored, inviting me for drinks? I opened it expectantly.
But it was Jerico instead.
“Ah, um······.” He looked flustered as I opened up.
Not here for Helmuth. “Judan said you're heading deep into the mountains······.”
‘Yeah.’
“Would you travel with us? The Blade Stone Pillar Zone is extremely dangerous.”
What a turnaround. I was plotting to tag along, and they invited me first.
* * *
The snake didn't answer Jerico easily. Those sharp eyes, the shiririt of its purple tongue. And it spoke. Jerico's hands and feet trembled.
But that night, the snake accepted. A temporary alliance formed.
Jerico still wasn't sure it was wise.
“I shouldn't spill on unfinished quests, but······.”
The snake was suspicious, cleverly probing why adventurers came to Gray Mountains.
“A few adventurers entered first. They sent a support request, and we were en route to help.”
True enough.
“As support, we don't know their exact quest. But we can guess.”
Jerico lowered his voice. “Past the Blade Stone Pillar Zone lie ancient ruins. They're probably hunting artifacts.”
Artifacts still turned up there.
“Ancient relics fetch high prices. Rumors say it's for the Emperor's birthday gift. We don't know for sure.”
The snake showed interest. Jerico's logical explanation might've swayed it.
Back with the group, the adventurers asked eagerly. “Coming along?”
“Yeah.”
“Haha, great!”
Not because they were monster-friendly weirdos like Judan.
“Capture it and drag to the capital—how much ya think?”
“Magic Tower'd buy, right?”
They smelled massive coin off the snake.
“Those swords become ours too.”
“What's that vine clump on its back?”
“Dunno, looks worthless. Rip it off.”
Jerico scowled. “Hey, assholes.”
He glared. “Priorities. Quest over snake, got it?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Travel together, snag the snake when we can.”
‘Hunting ancient relics, huh.’
He'd lied to the snake. Not relics—something rarer, pricier. And if possible, snag the snake too.
They had "that."
Jerico checked his gear: oilpaper-wrapped, borrowed from the Empire Adventurer Alliance.
Unwrapped: a long metal tube, shoulder stock, trigger. The Lightning Net Gun.
Revolutionary for capturing and subduing monsters. The snake knew human tech and swords, but not this. Guns were new Empire tech—no mere monster would know.
The net gun felt reassuring.
“Don't fire recklessly, even in danger.”
“Got it.”
The adventurers snickered.
* * *
‘Whoa, they have guns here too.’
Pellelian eyed me. - Guns? What's that?
‘That long thing they're carrying. Shoots bullets with gunpowder.’
- Cannons?
Cannons are huge and inefficient. ‘Miniaturized cannons are guns, old man.’
His face said guns weren't common. No gunpowder smell—faint mana instead. Net gun, from the mesh inside the warhead one checked.
Fun toy. Stay wary. If aimed at me, instant death.
“We're entering the Blade Stone Pillar Zone now,” Judan grinned sleazily. That smirk made Jerico and crew seem friendlier.
After bidding Helmuth farewell, we arrived.
“Wyverns from the sky, white ants from here on.”
Oddly, the ground was stark white. Curious, I scraped with my tail.
‘Why's the ground white?’
- Guano buildup over ages.
‘Gua...’
Guano: fossilized bat/bird droppings. So the whole area's wyvern shit? Suddenly hated slithering.
I hopped onto an adventurer's shoulder. “Hieeek!”
Weird yelp. Laughter erupted; Judan pulled a round cage with a chicken.
“This'll locate the white ants.”
White ants again? Just ants, what's scary? He tossed the cage ahead.
Flutter! The chicken flapped, clucking wildly.
Then—holes popped open like lids, something burst out.
“Queeeek!”
White ant? Ants boar-sized?
Massive white ants erupted from the ground. Yeah, better stay on human shoulders.