I Shall Return and Lead You

'Crimson Tarantula King,' they say. Not just red, but Crimson. Like how dark is cooler than black, or ultramarine beats plain blue. Crimson sounds way cooler than red. And from my experience, monsters with fancy modifiers are always the strong ones. 'King' too—it's a king. Spider king. Gotta be insanely powerful. Someday, I wanna be something like Python King.

—The goblins caught ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a Crimson Tarantula King... Pellelian seemed to know about it. I asked him about it. Not because I was eyeing the inner core, of course.

—The Crimson Tarantula was a monster I wanted to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fuse when making the Papnapcha. But it was so rare, I had to settle for Gray Tarantula.

'And what's with the King?'

—Among Crimson Tarantulas, the ones that survive long enough and grow evolve into Kings. Anyway, it's a strong monster. Even with a bunch of goblins, they must've taken heavy losses. Nanaruk's grandfather caught it prepared to die and left it for his descendants. So, I can't just gobble it up. Take it back.

I pushed the box containing the inner core back toward him.

—I've never seen a case made from Crimson Tarantula inner core. The effects must be tremendous!

'......'

That wicked old man keeps trying to plant demonic temptations in my heart. I can't hear it. No ears anyway, so I can block it out.

But Nanaruk pushed the box back toward me again.

"I can't eat it. You eat it."

You're in a sentimental mood right now. You might regret it tomorrow.

But Nanaruk had her reasons.

"I really can't eat this. I kept the inner core a secret from Father."

There was a backstory. Nanaruk's mother didn't like her husband much, it seemed. The chieftain, who vaguely knew about the inner core, tried desperately to take it. But his first wife hid it fiercely and passed it to her daughter. Nanaruk had kept it secret ever since.

"This inner core has poison mixed in. Must've gotten contaminated during harvest. My poison resistance isn't high, so I'd definitely get poisoned. And it'd show after eating it..."

Meaning it'd show she'd gotten stronger. But why was that a problem?

"Father wouldn't forgive me. He already hates me."

Nanaruk. Foolish, soft-hearted Nanaruk. Who cares if that pathetic father hates you? To me, you'd make a better chieftain.

"No one else to eat it anyway. And it's so old, might not even work."

Fine.

"I won't resent you even if you don't become Ulululuru."

If she said that, eating it was the polite thing. Truth be told, my mouth was watering. I ate the inner core as solemnly as possible, without showing it.

Whoa, bitter as hell. So there really was poison.

Ugh, it burns. My insides are bubbling—gotta be careful not to mess up.

"You're getting hot."

Nanaruk worried about me. It's fine. My poison resistance is high.

Skill level even went up. Felt a bit better inside. Then the inner core's effects spread through my body.

The heat rising from me. It wasn't the poison from the start.

My body burned. Like I'd swallowed a fireball. Totally different from the friendly centipede couple's core. This hurt—pure agony.

I writhed in silent screams. The pain didn't fade.

"What do I do...!"

Nanaruk panicked. Why? What?

—Your skin's peeling off.

Oh crap. For real. Nanaruk's palm had my shed skin stuck to it. Pale peach-patterned white skin.

Ah, molting. Good thing. I stared straight at the flustered Nanaruk. She calmed down then.

The inner core's effects were amazing. Like a full gift set. I felt noticeably bigger. Molting's tough usually, but this ended quicker than expected. Still hurt like hell. If I had sweat glands, I'd be drenched in cold sweat.

Makes sense. My body shot up like crazy.

I'd changed completely. Thicker, longer body. Was about 2m before—definitely longer now. No more calling me small. But the biggest change: scales and patterns. The pale peach patterns were vivid now. Scales thicker, glossy.

Trait: Scales, right.

For real.

Seems like a defense-boosting trait overall. Probably synergizes with Pattern—magic defense for patterns, physical for scales.

Inner cores are top-tier. Spiders are martial arts novel staples like centipedes. The centipede couple brightened my eyes; this tarantula core was the full package.

But it was too early to celebrate.

Aw, come on. I didn't even hunt it.

Like with the chimera. Seems I have bad blood with spiders.

But an unexpected perk came too.

Centipedes and spiders don't get along, huh? Works for me. I like centipedes.

I checked my epithet just in case.

Still just Heart-Eater Serpent. Even with goblins calling me Ulululuru, no new epithet. Can't spit lightning, I guess. Still White Double-Horn Python. Not some Ulululuru. No wings, no black aura—just white snake. Sorry, Nanaruk.

She stared at me blankly. Her face looked a bit sad.

"Ahaha, yeah, not really."

Told you.

"Time to sleep. Sorry for the trouble."

Nanaruk blew out the candle. She roughly pulled the blanket over and lay down. Trying to sleep. Dawn was breaking soon.

I coiled up beside her. Doubt I'd sleep easy tonight.

* * *

Ahh, refreshing. Slept like a rock, honestly. Must've been exhausted—passed out quick. Felt like a new snake.

Thanks to last night's first molt, probably. Or the nutritious inner core.

I was alone. Left Runga village. Farewell was low-key. I snuck out at dawn, avoiding the Ulululuru fans.

Nanaruk definitely didn't sleep. Woke right up when I tried slipping away, saw me off.

I chewed her gifted jerky. Yum.

Looked back. Runga tribe village below, where I'd crashed briefly. Might see it again, might not. Stay healthy.

Snake life means going solo eventually.

Pellelian was sleeping too. Chatty all day when awake, but can't stay up forever. Mana shortage, he says.

Can absorb ambient mana like breathing, apparently. But that's the limit—no spells, just form and consciousness.

Checked: not lying.

Goal: peaks shining in morning sun beyond. Alone, but forest wasn't quiet. Birds chirping, bugs buzzing. Bushes rustling.

Me crawling on damp moss? Silent.

Small critters fled. Squirrels bolted, crickets leaped. Dozens of butterflies exploded from a strong-scented flower.

Proof I wasn't that weakling anymore. Forest predator passing by. Majestic crawl.

Thud!

Whoa! Dove under tree roots on reflex. Embarrassing? Smart move.

Elephant appeared. Monster elephant. Trunk tip had a mace-like thing.

Eek, scary. Lv9, but no full status. Definitely stronger than me. Focus like with Gunter might show bits, but why bother? Hide under roots awhile.

Crunch. Groooar—

Morningstar Elephant passed. Swung trunk annoyed. Bam!—innocent tree snapped.

Great Forest is terrifying. Fading elephant had butt wound bleeding. Fleeing a fight? Chasing that'd need strength or numbers.

Crept forward cautiously. Aim: rock peak today. Elephant Rock tomorrow.

But progress wasn't smooth.

Thud thud thud—

Soon, footsteps again. Not one. No nearby rocks or roots to hide—my size now.

Rolled in muddy puddle. Camo cream effect—body muddied. White's cool but conspicuous.

Hunched in tree shadow. Owners appeared: ostrich flock. Horned ostriches thundering through. Five at least. No pushovers.

Shocked. Last ostrich had arrow in butt. Arrow? Runga hunters?

But bad feeling. Crawled toward ostrich direction.

Clear goblin noises reached even me. Palamu Rainforest thick. Low dip invisible from high unless looking. Goblins there, hidden.

"Uahaha, loser."

"Shut up, punk!"

Rough goblin warriors. Camp here. Crude tents with red-dyed sword-like symbols.

That symbol. Sharp brain recalled: goblin from Crock tribe who called me Heart-Eater Serpent. Yelled 'Begone, ugly!' with that necklace. Still in my subspace.

Crock tribe warriors!

Why gathered? Over a hundred. Thirty hobgoblins well-armed. Leather armor—no heart-munching there.

"Ayutar boss! Ostriches all roasted!"

"Good!"

Big hobgoblin emerged from tent.

That's the boss. Strong-looking. And Skull Crusher epithet—not ordinary. First goblin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with epithet. Stronger than Nanaruk?

Crock tribe strength unknown, but if bit above Runga, these are elites. Raiding Runga.

Runga wouldn't expect it.

'Uh... what now.'

I shook the ring. Wake up, old man.

Pellelian popped out. Quick mind—grasped situation without explanation.

—Heaven helps us!

He cheered immediately.

—Runga as bait. Elites pulled, Crock base empty. Raid it!

Whoa, teacher! I thought that too. But Runga gets wrecked?

—From what I saw, yeah. So what? Let goblins kill each other.

Pellelian logic, sure. But I can't think that positive. I'm not Pellelian.

—Don't like it?

'No chieftain here. Crock's strongest is chieftain.'

—Right.

'So chieftain at Elephant Rock? Stuck there, knows something's up. Probably hunting dungeon entrance.'

—Logical.

'Even if guards lax, solo infiltration tough. No invisibility magic.'

—True.

'Better use dumb Runga goblins for distraction, sneak in meantime. Hm.'

If I had glasses, I'd push them up now. But cold analysis? Pellelian just grinned slyly.

—Not wrong, but sounds like you decided and fit facts to it.

True. Mind made up.

—How convince them of raid? Plain snake gesturing? No way.

'Plain snake's dead.'

—Huh?

Use what I can.

—From now, I'm Ulululuru. Misunderstanding or not.

* * *

"Sis, the white one's gone?"

Letch asked. Boy still believed snake Ulululuru but called it white one following sis sometimes.

Nanaruk bitter smile.

"Yeah, gone."

"Really ascended to heaven?"

True believers thought snake gone to sky. But Nanaruk knew good snake headed Elephant Rock.

"Dunno."

Just that to brother. Then door burst open.

"Nanaruk!"

"What, Jadiram."

Jadiram flushed red.

"Ulululuru, Ulululuru's back!"

"What?"

Jadiram never called snake that. Serious. Nanaruk rushed out, followed.

Crowd gathered. Nanaruk pushed through.

Stunned. Snake returned.

But black all over. Gales whipped everywhere. Ground shook like quake. Water sprayed from clear sky.

Snake breathed fire from mouth.

"Ahh..."

Old head shaman up front teared up.

"Ulululuru has returned!"

She cried the name.