Predator Boa

Some skills that had grown independently were visible, while others weren't.

The overall stats had risen considerably as well.

Evolution was always a joy.

'Two, three months since then?'

I hadn't been keeping track of the days since entering the Desert Zone, so I couldn't pinpoint the exact time, but it felt about right.

Roughly eight or nine months since becoming a snake.

This pace felt pretty fast for an evolution.

'That Cha Ye-ji who called herself a super rookie said she reached B-rank in half a year?'

Hunter and monster benchmarks differed, so direct comparison wasn't fair, but this was still super rookie speed in the monster world.

It made me oddly proud.

Checking the detailed view after a long time, I quietly closed the status window.

The words "cruel" and "merciless" stuck with me a bit.

Didn't quite fit me.

How compassionate and sensitive a snake I was...

Yeah, I had no conscience.

Anyway, the evolution had gone splendidly.

I'd gotten the long-desired Poison Magic, plus a bonus Mana Resistance skill.

Haven't tested them yet, so I didn't know their power, but having the magic skill I'd craved filled me with leisure.

Still, it was obviously insufficient against my newly acknowledged rival.

Time to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠adapt to the new body and focus on magic practice for a while.

Thanks to the new Poison Magic skill, I could now use magic.

During the day, I trained intensively against undead; at night, against Races.

Only basic poison orbs for now, but unlike just spitting venom, it felt properly magical, so I was thrilled.

Time to raise the rank diligently.

Manipulating mana by feel differed vastly from casting spells.

Mana was intuitive, but magic demanded precise calculations and cool judgment.

Explained why flustered hunters botched their spells.

Needed to train until magic fired reflexively.

The Thought Acceleration skill was a huge help.

Never thought I'd do complex math as a monster, but it made calculations manageable.

A bit more training, and it'd be combat-ready.

Time to ask the undead and Races for a few more days of cooperation.

In the past few days, my mana stat had surged the most.

Avoiding close combat and relying solely on Poison Magic had grown it to match my formerly top durability.

The perennial underdog stat's growth was dazzling.

Thrilling.

As mana rose, so did Poison Magic, now at E-rank.

More spell varieties unlocked.

New ones popped into my head with each rank-up—surprising.

Grateful to the many monsters who'd been my training partners.

A decent number of hunters had arrived.

Here to subjugate my new rival (the scorpion).

More numerous and stronger overall than the last group.

I'd expected them eventually, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not so soon.

Growing impatient.

Hoping my rival won.

Taking it down was my job.

Could it handle that many hunters?

Even as layer lord with stat bonuses, that number seemed excessive.

Too worrying to watch idly.

I moved quietly.

Before reaching the oasis where my rival held position, the hunters scouted the surroundings.

Pretty cautious?

Eliminating variables before tackling the layer lord.

After observing, plenty of B-ranks, but no A-ranks—thankfully.

Maybe some hid their presence well enough to fool me, so check harder.

Unexpected variables could endanger me too.

They'd split into teams for scouting, but I didn't strike individually.

Risk of exposing myself.

I loathed anything threatening me.

Play it safe.

So, the chosen method: this.

Like in the Forest Zone, use others around me.

No Surprise Birds in the Desert Zone, so undead overflow instead.

Already hating the living, no need for much—just gather scattered ones and lead them.

As hunters charged the oasis to subjugate my rival, I struck too.

With a horde of undead, ambushing from behind as battle began.

"Sh-shit! What the hell is that?!"

"U-undead?! Why are they swarming like that all of a sudden?! No signs before…!"

"Did some higher entity spawn in the meantime?"

"To gather that many, it'd have to be layer lord level…! Does that mean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two layer lords?!"

"Crazy! No way!"

Hunters freaked at the sudden rear undead.

Front: hypersensitive layer lord from their assault.

Rear: possible layer lord-level undead horde.

True dilemma for the hunters.

Watching from afar, I glanced at my rival.

Unaware of me, it mercilessly crushed hunters.

Just wait a bit.

I'll grow strong soon and come for you.

Don't fall to anyone until then.

I'll devour you.

The fight ended predictably in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my rival's victory.

Undead ranks mediocre overall, but C-ranks mixed in made it tough.

Couldn't focus with the rampaging layer lord ahead.

Eventually, pincered, they were annihilated helplessly.

A few escaped, but didn't leave the desert alive.

My ambush from afar ensured that.

Hope they didn't feel too hard done by.

They'd killed freely before; now their turn.

They knew coming to kill meant risking death.

The subjugation team failed, but it wouldn't end here.

Second failure after first meant a stronger third wave.

Possibly with multiple A-ranks.

Made me endlessly urgent.

Time was short.

Endless struggle.

Fight, kill, devour.

Monsters, hunters—no discrimination.

Just recently clinging to minimal humanity, now this felt off, but whatever.

No conscience.

No means or methods spared for my goal.

I must grow strong.

This matched the description perfectly; a chuckle escaped.

I was already a perfect monster.

How much could I grow before more hunters?

Hard to calculate precisely.

Just effort.

Endless effort toward my goal.

Cut sleep, no rest—fight all day.

When had I pushed this hard before?

Blank slate porter days?

Right after becoming a snake?

I'd strived daily, but this topped it.

Even if late and rival already subjugated, no regrets.

Lost track of time, immersed utterly.

Night or day, anywhere, anyone—fought relentlessly.

My rival remained unsubjugated.

Checked status once.

Not fully satisfying, but astonishing for short term.

Paltry next to endgame B-rank rival, but it had no time.

This gave minimal qualifications.

Today, I challenge my rival (layer lord).

No other futures today.

One imagination.

One desire.

Devour it.