The Forest Queen
The Queen of the Forest, whom Wise Scale had called.
The ruler from the 14th to the 27th floors.
The sole master of the vast Forest Zone.
The area boss.
And the biological mother of my current body.
The queen appeared before me without a sound or presence, shortly after I entered the 27th floor.
As if she'd been there from the very beginning, perfectly natural.
Her bright yellow eyes met mine again, and my entire body trembled in conditioned reflex.
The trauma I'd thought I'd overcome wasn't truly conquered after all.
I'd merely grown numb to it, forgotten it.
Forgotten that terror and despair from that day.
-Shiii───
My biological mother gazed at me silently.
Those bright yellow eyes slowly scanned my body.
It felt like every scale on me was bristling.
'Back then, I thought she was just a Venom Viper, but no way.'
No matter how you looked at it, she was a superior species of Venom Viper.
At least B-rank... no, A-rank or higher.
Even if I'd grown to C-rank, even if I'd gained upper C-rank stats on the way here, she was an opponent I couldn't even dream of resisting.
I wanted to run right then, but it was impossible.
My body, like a mouse before a cat, no longer obeyed my will.
Besides, even if it did, the queen wouldn't just stand by and watch.
'Why did she show up in front of me? How did she know I came? Mana connection, did she sense that?'
She couldn't have figured out that I took over her egg, right? Am I going to die like this?
In that brief moment, as my thoughts spiraled to the worst, my body shuddered again.
Naturally, memories of the past resurfaced.
I don't want to die.
The instant I repeated that to myself, the queen's mouth slowly opened as she examined me.
-Shi───
[Baby.]
A gentle voice, utterly detached from the fear I'd felt moments ago, reached me.
It was the thought communication I'd grown used to.
I snapped my head up.
-Shii───
[Why are you here?]
The source of that kind voice was none other than the massive snake before me. The queen.
I forgot to respond and just stared up at her blankly.
-Shiii….
[…Come to think of it, this is our first meeting. Did I startle you?]
Her tone was gentle, contrasting her ferocious appearance, and she asked with concern.
Those bright yellow eyes looking at me held no hostility.
Instead, they brimmed with boundless goodwill and infinite affection.
My mouth fell open in awe.
“…Shiii—.”
[…Mother?]
-Shaaa───
Hesitating for a split second on what to call her, the word slipped out, and the queen let out a joyful cry.
Her fierce visage softened in that moment.
'Di, did it work? She didn't notice?'
The moment I judged that, my rigid body relaxed.
The suffocating tension melted away.
[So, baby. Why are you here?]
It was a true brush with death.
Before I could even rejoice in my survival, the queen asked again.
I opened my mouth with an "ah."
[…I was heading down.]
[Down?]
Hesitating again on what to say, I revealed the truth plainly, and the queen echoed back in puzzlement.
I nodded slowly.
[Why down?]
I couldn't answer her sudden question right away.
Her attitude toward me was still utterly kind, but that very kindness made me hesitate to speak rashly.
How did she interpret my demeanor?
Gazing at me for a moment, the queen continued with worry.
[Baby. Down below is dangerous. It's too much for you to handle.]
Rather than asking why I wanted to go down, the queen expressed concern for me.
Her worry permeated the thought that rang in my mind.
'…She's more motherly than a real mother.'
Every word dripped with affection and concern for me.
I never felt maternal love as a human, but to experience it now as a monster? Unthinkable.
For some reason, it made words even harder to find.
[…Think it over carefully. Below is beyond Mother's reach—a dangerous place. No matter what you've faced so far, worse awaits you. What can a fragile thing like you do against dangers you've never seen?]
She spoke in a soft, soothing voice, like admonishing a rebellious teen.
Glancing up at her, she continued.
[Just stay here safely. You can do anything here. Without watching anyone's eyes, whatever you want.]
Since it was thought communication, her emotions saturated the gentle tone.
She truly didn't want me going below.
Silent amid her feelings, I finally spoke.
“Shiii—.”
[I want to go down.]
A threatening "Shaa──!!" leaked from the queen's mouth at my firm declaration.
It would've made me shrink before, but now it held no menace.
I felt a mother's love worrying for her young within that threat.
[…What reason do you have to go down so badly?]
[I want to get stronger.]
-Sh───
The queen fell silent at my calm, honest truth. She merely stared with those signature yellow eyes.
Those eyes, etched like trauma, no longer scared me.
-Shiii────.
[…Can't you grow stronger here? Stay safe by Mother's side. Step by step. Mother will help you.]
Her soft persuasion tempted me for a moment, but I shook my head.
If the area boss queen helped my growth, I'd surely strengthen safely—but that clashed with how I'd lived so far.
My life had been constant struggle.
I'd prioritized safety for survival before, but not anymore.
If I'd kept that up, I wouldn't be here.
I'd have stayed low-rank, culled or hunted by monsters or hunters.
To grow, you need commensurate risk.
The one truth I'd learned in half a year as a monster.
So I had no intention of living comfortably in the queen's safe embrace now.
I wanted to grow even more.
Did she sense my resolve in my gaze?
The queen said nothing more after that.
She met my eyes briefly, then nodded in assent.
[…Very well. If that's your choice, supporting it is Mother's role too.]
-Shi───.
A slightly deflated voice came quietly. My body twitched involuntarily.
This was my first direct encounter with the queen... well, not quite.
But the first as her proper child, and I undeniably felt fondness toward her.
Unlike the lizardmen, whose fear underlay everything.
Pure affection and love, untainted by other emotions.
A clean feeling I'd never known as a human drew me to her irresistibly.
'This must be family love.'
Thinking that, I gazed at her for a while.
Now I could properly take in the queen's form.
Lazily appraising her, she was overwhelming majesty itself.
No wonder she was the area boss.
'…But with such overflowing maternity, why did she leave me alone all this time?'
The sudden question swelled within me.
From what I'd felt briefly, her maternal instinct made my near-abandonment make no sense.
'Is there some reason?'
I couldn't hold back and asked.
[The culled ones aren't my 'babies'.]
"…Sss─?"
[…What do you mean?]
[Exactly that. If you can't even stand alone at minimum, you have no value in surviving.]
“…….”
[In that sense, 'baby', you're my perfect offspring. You came to Mother alone—flawless.]
-Of course, you still need more growth.
Her still-gentle addition confirmed it.
Monsters are monsters.
'…Snakes don't lay just one egg, after all.'
Even as monsters, it wasn't much different.
The swelling family love cooled a bit.
Realizing the cruel monster instincts hidden behind warm maternity? That kept further talk short.
The queen seemed uninterested in more conversation anyway, or felt no need to fuss over a departing child, and let me go easily.
Of course, her maternity wasn't fake—she didn't just send me off empty-handed.
As I turned to leave, she stopped me.
-Shiii───
[Below is beyond Mother's reach. I wonder how long you can last as you are. So, take this.]
With that, like Wise Scale before, she handed me a mana stone.
I snapped it up as it floated through the air.
A strange mana filled my mouth.
Denser than what Wise Scale gave.
[Mother doesn't need it, but you do.]
The queen slowly turned her body.
[Come back safe, baby.]
-Shiii───
With a small cry, the queen vanished in an instant, just as she'd appeared.
I stared at the spot she'd left for a moment, then turned away.
-Shiii───
-Yes, Mother.
Hoping my small cry reached her safely, I left the 27th floor.
Destination: 28th floor.
Not the Forest Zone anymore—a new zone.
An endless sea of sand under a blazing sun and vast desert.
My goal: the Desert Zone.
Day 180 ended.
Day 181 of survival.
Simply moving between floors differs greatly from crossing zones.
Even crossing floors in the same zone shows little change, but entering a new zone means massive shifts.
Monster types change, of course, but atmospheric mana density does too.
Distinctly felt even across one floor.
The biggest hallmark of zone changes is climate.
The Upper Zone's dim cave mazes.
The Forest Zone's woods and swamps.
These are relatively mild compared to others.
The Upper Zone is indoors, and the Forest Zone's eternally blue skies feel like paradise.
The Desert Zone brings scorching daytime heat alternating with freezing nights.
Sandstorms rage day and night, making weather a bigger issue for hunters than monster levels.
Crossing zones doesn't drastically up monster levels.
Types change, but not hugely from prior zones.
Thus, for first-time Desert Zone hunters, the labyrinth's climate—not monsters—was the true foe.
And I, just arriving in the Desert Zone, was no different.
Physical abilities reduced due to intense heat.
Your body is too hot. Seek a cool place to rest.
The calm alerts confirmed it.
Snakes are ectothermic.
Harsh environmental shifts are bad.
I craved struggle, but the Desert Zone restored my original resolve.
Survival first, before fights.
A moment realizing how powerless man—or snake—is before nature.
Time to learn humility.
Can I handle it?
Less than a day in, I yearned for Mother's warm embrace.
Though I'd never been held there.
Mother, you were right.
I'm so powerless.
Heat Resistance
Feels a bit survivable now….
Just catching my breath, night fell.
Too cold.
Feels like dying again soon.
To perish before meeting new monsters or hunters.
Cold Resistance
World's still worth living in.
Hang in there.
Day 181 ended.