Descendant of the Queen
“Zzaa!”
“Zzzaaa!”
Two Lizardmen were busily scurrying around the swamp.
The long spears they each carried stood out especially.
After watching them for a moment, I realized what they were doing—they were transporting fresh prey they'd just hunted.
The monster they'd caught was a Sabre Boar.
An E-rank monster characterized by its exceptionally developed canines and molars.
It didn't appear in the forest where I lived, but it was one of the monsters that inhabited the Forest Zone as a whole.
The two Lizardmen amiably shouldered the Sabre Boar and began moving.
They were heading back to their lair.
Shall I follow them?
My goal was to pit the Lizardmen against those wolf bastards.
I still didn't have a clear sense of how to manipulate them, so observing them up close seemed like a good idea.
I quietly trailed behind them, staying hidden.
The Lizardmen's lair occupied a fairly large area of the swamp.
It was less a simple den and more like a proper village.
Tasting the air with my tongue, I sensed several strong individuals.
Especially striking were three that seemed at least on my level.
Their intense presence made my scales bristle all over for a moment.
At the same time, Instinct sent me several warnings.
Pure combat power-wise, they're stronger than the wolves.
That was my impression after circling their village once.
Their numbers were definitely fewer than the Silent Wolves, but they had individuals who more than made up for it.
Unlike the wolves, who have only one D-rank, the Lizardmen have at least three.
Even with this much power, why were they still clashing with the wolves?
Having scouted both camps, I couldn't make sense of it.
If the Lizardmen got serious, the wolves would be done for that very day.
Is getting them involved really the right move?
The Lizardmen's forces were stronger than I'd thought.
I'd planned to play both sides and reap the benefits, but with this level of power, my scheme would fall apart.
The wolves wouldn't even get a proper fight—it'd just be a one-sided massacre.
But I can't change plans now.
Like I did with the wolves earlier, maybe I should whittle down the Lizardmen's strength a bit?
If I could take out just one of the three confirmed D-rank individuals, things might proceed as planned.
While I'm at it, I should destroy some of their eggs too.
The Lizardmen gathered all their eggs in one spot in the swamp to raise them.
From their perspective, it was probably for easier, more secure protection.
But to me, it was a glaring weakness.
Of course, almost no one could breach their defenses to smash the eggs.
Even by monster standards, their guard was quite tight.
Unless you had exceptional Stealth like me, getting near the eggs would be impossible.
Shiii────
For me, who could roam their sprawling village freely under Stealth, their tight security was irrelevant.
If only I could frame the wolves like they tried with me...
Even for me, pulling that off in such a short time was nearly impossible.
Fine, then. I'll smash a few and eat a few? I haven't had a whole egg in ages...
It felt like savoring a rare delicacy after a long time.
I wondered what Lizardman eggs tasted like.
As I pondered and picked out some promising ones, Instinct suddenly blared.
I immediately hid.
“Zzaaa.”
One Lizardman was approaching my position.
Peering from my swamp hideout, I saw it wasn't an ordinary one.
At least my equal—a top-tier D-rank individual.
Looks like it hasn't spotted me. Good.
If it had, it wouldn't come alone like this.
It might bring a horde of others.
Should I take this chance to eliminate it?
I'd been thinking of reducing their D-rank numbers anyway—this could be perfect.
Such loners weren't common.
No, too risky now. Others might swarm in.
I was confident an ambush would drop it, but it was still a D-rank like me.
There'd be noise while I crushed its throat.
If the others heard and came running, that'd be trouble.
No need to risk my life for one Lizardman.
I'd focus on my original goal: destroying the eggs.
Opportunities to kill D-ranks would come later.
But there was a problem.
This Lizardman showed no sign of leaving.
It kept scanning around like it was searching for something.
I wondered if it'd spotted me after all, but there was no hostility in its actions.
It didn't act like it was hunting an intruder in its village.
What the hell is it thinking?
Its behavior made no sense to me.
Since it hadn't detected me, I'd trust Stealth and wait it out.
I'd just eaten my fill before coming here, so I wouldn't go hungry for days.
As I watched silently, waiting for it to leave—
Its behavior changed again.
“Zz—zzaaa!”
As it uttered something, a pure white glow appeared.
I stared blankly, my mouth agape without realizing.
No way... a shaman?!
A higher form evolved from certain special humanoid monsters.
A wizard-type that used magic or shamanism—since it was a Lizardman, Lizardman Shaman fit.
D-rank, but shamans change everything... dangerous.
I hadn't expected one in a mere 18th-floor Lizardman village.
Hunters always prioritized eliminating them as the top threat.
Damn. I have to kill it here, risks be damned...!
I'd planned to let it slide quietly due to the danger, but knowing it was a shaman changed that.
For the future, I had to end it now.
As I resolved to strike and began moving—
The shaman, quietly chanting, opened its mouth.
“Zzaaa──.”
Are you here? In this place? Offspring... of the forest queen.
My body jerked.
What came from its mouth wasn't a mere cry—it was clear, intentional speech.
What the...?
“Zz—zzaaa─.”
No hostility. I think.
I stared in confusion, but the next voice made me flinch again.
My mind blanked from shock.
“Zz─ zza─ zzaaa─.”
Show yourself. Before me. Please.
“Zz zz─zza──.”
I desire. Conversation. Offspring.
The clipped, deliberate words were unmistakably directed at me—even an idiot could tell.
I pondered amid its continuing voice.
I didn't know its goal, but one thing was clear: no hostility toward me.
On the contrary, it was handling me with extreme caution.
Instinct is quiet too. Should I meet it?
It was potentially dangerous, but I felt the need to talk.
Parts of its message intrigued me, and its cautious demeanor plus my Instinct made me willing to trust it once.
Shiii───
As I slowly revealed myself, the shaman facing me hurriedly bowed low.
The motion was so swift that even I, still wary, felt my tension melt away instantly.
“Zz─ zzaaa─.”
Glad. To meet you. Offspring of the queen.
It prostrated itself as if in deepest reverence and spoke again.
Its baffling actions forced my mind to race.
My recovering reason latched onto two key words it'd repeated: queen and offspring.
They gave me an eerie sense of familiarity.
Whatever made it react this way to me clearly tied deeply to those words.
What did it say before...? Forest? Queen's? Offspring? Then maybe...
Shiii───
I glanced at it.
Pure terror emanated from the creature still bowed before me.
But not toward me—toward something entirely different.
Should I try talking? But how do I convey my words?
I couldn't use its magic, which was inconvenient.
Still, determined to communicate, I opened my mouth...
“Shiii───.”
First, raise your head.
“Zz─zzaaa─.”
No. Unfitting. Before the great... offspring of the queen. Irreverent.
The words were still hard to parse, but I could guess the meaning.
Unfitting? Irreverent before the queen's offspring? Something like that.
As long as I got answers to my questions, its posture didn't matter.
If it was comfortable like that, we could talk that way.
“Shaa───.”
One question first. How did you know I was here?
“Zzaaa─ zz─ zzeu─.”
Offspring of queen. Excellent. Can't find. But. Special. Only me.
Queen's offspring too excellent to find. But it's special...? Sure, a shaman's special, but...
The issue was how it found me—not its specialness.
It seemed to have used magic or shamanism, given its emphasis on being unique.
Questions about that could wait; higher priorities first.
“Shaa───.”
Now, about this 'queen' you mention. What is she?
“Zz─ zzaaa─.”
Queen is. Queen. Strongest. Above all. Ruler. Of the forest.
...Yeah, this 'queen' has to be my biological mother.
The image of that massive serpent naturally surfaced.
I'd mostly shaken it off lately, but it was still embedded deep like a trauma.
Strongest in the forest... so, the floor boss?
That explained its power back then.
A D-rank hunter dispatched instantly, and three E-rank hunters fleeing without resistance.
Normal floor bosses take multiple small raid teams or a mid-sized one.
It left a bitter taste.
As human Yu Jun-young, it was rotten luck meeting a floor boss.
As snake (monster) me now, pure fortune.
Unlike before, when effort changed nothing—now, it yields results.
How could it not be luck?
Though danger comes with it.
Pfft—a short chuckle escaped me.
Misreading my reaction, perhaps? The prostrated shaman hurriedly added.
“Zz─ zzaaa─! Zzaa──!”
I. Know. Exists. Above. Below. Queen came. From below. Killed. Our king. Strong. Queen.
“……?”
I tilted my head at its rushed addition.
More words this time, so the meaning didn't click immediately.
It knows about above and below...? The layers? Queen came from below? And killed their king?
Piecing it together furrowed my brow.
I pressed urgently.
“Shii─shiii─.”
How strong was your 'king'? Compared to you now?
“Zz─zzaaa.”
Strong. Vastly. Different. Great warrior. With me. Couldn't win. Even together.
...Their king was clearly C-rank. In the Forest Zone, that's as good as a floor boss. Then... no way.
My jaw dropped wider.
Circumstantially, this layer's original floor boss was their king... and the queen who rose from below and killed it... an area boss?
My god─
Realizing my biological mother's identity left me gaping.
Was I a total chaebol this whole time...?
Looking back on my snake life, I'd been scraping by like dirt poor—but turns out I was monster-world rich.
What was all that suffering for?