Chapter 183: The Strongest Snake (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 183: The Strongest Snake (1)
A MacGuffin. A term for a plot device that drives a story forward but lacks any real background or explanation.
Such MacGuffins exist in Miracle Blessing M as well.
Or rather, to be precise, more than half of the game could be considered a MacGuffin. It was only natural that they were scattered everywhere due to the developers' convenience.
The Unclean Snake, the Basilisk. It was a magical beast that functioned solely as a quest boss, its background shrouded in mystery.
...Well, that was usually the case for S-rank Magical Beasts.
I had only learned the cruel truth behind Lich King Draugr after coming here, and there wasn't much information on the ferocious Manticore either.
But among them all, the Basilisk probably had the most mysteries surrounding it.
That was because the beast's race was a "snake."
In Miracle Blessing M, snakes unconditionally belonged to the Demons. The Jörmungandr from before was a Demon, and Dragons were also broadly considered a higher class of snake.
In that sense, the Basilisk was a contradiction in itself. Its very epithet was the "Unclean Snake." Yet, it was classified as a magical beast, not a Demon.
Users debated this endlessly, but no definitive theory ever emerged. The conclusion they eventually reached was that it was the aforementioned MacGuffin.
Regardless, fitting its snake setting, it was an S-rank Magical Beast comparable to—or even stronger than—the Demons. People assumed some error during development had turned its lore into a MacGuffin. I had thought the same.
"Dragons aren't dragons from the moment they hatch from their eggs. When they are born, they are called 'Imoogi.' Only after centuries of abstinence and cultivation do they form a Yeouiju inside their bodies, and only then can they transform into a Dragon."
I listened intently to Hon's explanation, letting out a silent sigh of realization.
I recalled a legend about an Imoogi that failed to become a dragon and turned into a man-eating monster.
To think that legend was the motif for Dragons.
In any case, to briefly summarize Hon's explanation:
No matter how much of an Imoogi they were, those who hadn't fully evolved weren't even considered part of the 'same' Demon race.
Hon continued speaking. She spoke in Korean rather than the Demonic Language so that Choi Seol-ah could understand as well.
"Actually, the Basilisk was chosen as the next Dragon Lord back when he was still an Imoogi. No other dragon in our clan could match his innate pool of mana."
The reason Dragons were treated as special even among the Demons was their absurd amount of mana. It was due to their racial trait, which accumulated mana in their bodies just by breathing.
Yet, even among those Dragons, the Basilisk was the absolute best. Hon cautiously voiced her opinion that if he had grown to full maturity, he might have become the strongest Dragon Lord in history.
"...I'm not just saying this because he's my younger brother, but his talent was truly extraordinary."
"Huh? If he was that amazing, why didn't he ascend into a Dragon? That makes no sense."
At Choi Seol-ah's sarcastic question, Hon let out a soft sigh. Her expression clearly said, Did you even listen to what I just explained?
For the sake of "Instructor" Choi Seol-ah, Hon patiently broke down the core concept again like a schoolteacher.
"Strength is not what's important when transforming into a Dragon. Once an Imoogi reaches a certain age, they must shut themselves away in a place called the 'Snake Cave' and live a life of complete abstinence for a hundred years. During that time, they can only eat mugwort and garlic. By completely abstaining from meat, they temper their wild nature. Once the toxins are purged from their bodies by those two herbs, their pure mana condenses into a sphere. That is what we call a Yeouiju."
"……."
"Even after becoming a Dragon, one must be extremely careful with their actions. Committing an unclean act will crack the Yeouiju. For example, indiscriminate slaughter... like wiping out an entire race."
In other words, all that hard work to become a Dragon could go down the drain in a single moment of folly. This explained why Dragons avoided killing.
"...But despite being so strong, the Basilisk couldn't endure the life of abstinence. Is that it?"
Hon nodded at my words.
"Yes, exactly. My younger brother was as arrogant as the expectations placed upon him. It was impossible for someone like him to give up meat and endure a hundred years on mugwort and garlic. Yet, he still wanted to become a Dragon—and the strongest one at that. So, he sought a different way to ascend."
"There was another way?"
Hon shook her head with a dark expression.
"If there were, we wouldn't have had to waste a hundred years. But my brother believed he could obtain pure energy from the outside rather than from within. Instead of purifying himself, he thought he could do it by consuming humans who possessed pure energy..."
Hon cut herself off and squeezed her eyes shut. After a brief silence, she managed to speak again.
"That is how my brother ended up in the Human Realm. To consume higher-quality essence, he coiled himself here and began luring humans in. But our clan simply stood by and watched... terrified that their own Yeouiju might be contaminated if they resorted to killing. But as his family, I couldn't just leave him be."
Those last words carried Hon's genuine feelings. I could see her resolve—she wouldn't stand idly by, even if it meant cracking her own Yeouiju.
Perhaps the Sword Emperor had looked at Draugr with the same feelings? Then and now, twisted family histories seemed to repeat themselves.
However, Abel's father, Orion Nibelung, had never wished to become Draugr. On the other hand, what about the Basilisk?
He was a monster consumed entirely by the greed of becoming a Dragon through corrupt means.
Furthermore, the Basilisk was an S-rank Magical Beast. The Association had branded him as one of the worst magical beasts to plague humanity.
"……."
The conversation paused, and silence filled the room. Surprisingly, it was Choi Seol-ah who broke the heavy quiet.
"But if he's such a strong magical beast, can a pointy-ears like you really subjugate him alone? I highly doubt it."
Whether she was stunned by the harsh truth or offended by the slur, Hon didn't reply. Whatever the case, she seemed lost in thought.
Choi Seol-ah began to chatter on in her usual cheeky, annoying tone.
"And despite coming here with such grand resolve, you ended up getting kidnapped by humans. There's no way you can defeat your brother like that. An S-rank Magical Beast isn't some neighborhood dog's name."
"……."
"I'm an Academy instructor, so I've heard a thing or two. I know exactly how monstrous the Basilisk is. He's so powerful that the Association had to form a massive subjugation force just to deal with him."
"B-But!"
Before Hon could argue back, Choi Seol-ah turned to look at me.
"Master, can't we just send her back to her hometown quickly?"
I stared blankly at Choi Seol-ah. Looking at her clueless expression, I occasionally felt the urge to flick her forehead. But this time, I decided to let it slide.
She was merely beating around the bush, suggesting we help Hon.
Choi Seol-ah was showing altruism. A former villain, of all people. This was a first. Was she finally becoming a decent human being, like an Imoogi shedding its skin to ascend into a dragon?
However, Choi Seol-ah's next words instantly blew away any tiny shred of admiration I had felt.
"Because if we stay with her for a few more weeks, my bank account is seriously going to run dry. Hehe."
"...Of course. I'm the idiot for expecting anything from you."
I rubbed my tired eyes, organizing my thoughts.
An opportunity to obtain both the Fourth Fragment and a magic stone in one go. This wasn't a matter of weighing pros and cons. It wasn't a choice; it was a necessity.
I opened my eyes. Staring intently at Hon, I spoke.
"Let's go together."
To catch a snake.
* * *
With a three-day deadline, Hon, Choi Seol-ah, and I made our preparations.
Originally, I had intended to bring the club members along. But after a few minutes of consideration, I shook my head.
Our goal was the subjugation of the Basilisk. As Choi Seol-ah had said, it was an S-rank Magical Beast that even the Association had to form a whole unit to hunt. Taking club members who were still in their teens on such a journey was far too irresponsible.
Not that I had any intention of deceiving them. I simply wanted to prevent any worst-case scenarios. Risking Choi Seol-ah's life was more than enough.
As the promised day drew near, Choi Seol-ah threw a tantrum, flatly refusing to go. Given how desperately she clung to life, she must have gotten cold feet when the time actually came.
So, I gave her a choice: die before we go, or die after we get there. Choi Seol-ah chose the latter.
After wrapping up the chaotic preparation process, the fifth day finally arrived today.
At the appointed time, we met in front of the Academy's warp gate. For the record, we would be traveling via warp for this journey. This was only possible because of Choi Seol-ah's status as an instructor.
Before stepping into the warp, I checked the status of my party members. Choi Seol-ah looked haggard, as if she hadn't slept a wink. Since I had expected as much, I shifted my gaze. Hon. Her eyes, the very catalyst for this journey, burned with unwavering resolve.
"Let's go."
I took the first step into the warp, and Hon and Choi Seol-ah followed close behind.
The moment my foot crossed the threshold of the warp, a terrifying pressure weighed down on my entire body.
Swoooosh.
A sensation of being violently sucked in, as if a distant white vanishing point was pulling my body toward it. Just as my consciousness began to fade, my body snapped upright.
I opened my tightly shut eyes. For a moment, I stood dazed by the landscape unfolding before me.
In the middle of a vast, empty plain rose a dome-like terrain resembling a volcano. A pungent smell of sulfur stung the tip of my nose. All around, crimson lava bubbled and hissed. It was a scorching environment, a stark contrast to the eerie, chilling atmosphere of the Undead Dungeon.
We're here.
We had arrived at the Broken Island, the place where the Basilisk had coiled itself in the Human Realm.
A moment later, the space behind me warped and spat out Hon and Choi Seol-ah. Thud! Having been thrown to the ground, the two barely managed to regain their balance and stand.
A beat later, they too stared blankly at the dungeon. They seemed utterly speechless, overwhelmed by the sheer intimidation of the landscape.
Soon, Hon snapped out of it and pointed in a direction.
"I feel a familiar mana from over there."
A passage shaped like a snake's gaping maw came into view. It was unmistakably the entrance to the dungeon.
"So that's..."
A complicated mix of emotions was written all over Hon's face. After staring in that direction in silence for a long moment, she took the lead.
Her footsteps left deep, seal-like impressions on the semi-liquid ground. Choi Seol-ah and I silently followed.
* * *
Inside the dungeon.
Upon entering, a quiet, cavernous chamber welcomed us.
It was far larger than I had anticipated. The path wound and twisted like a snake, making it a geography where one could easily get lost.
Yet, we advanced without a hitch. This was thanks to Hon, who took charge of guiding us from the front by tracking the trace of mana.
Like Choi Seol-ah, she's surprisingly good at performing her assigned role.
Then what was my role? Subjugating the Basilisk, of course.
However, the Basilisk's unique "trait" that Hon had mentioned bothered me. If what she said was true, he was an enemy with whom I had poor compatibility.
In terms of compatibility alone, he might be even trickier to deal with than the Corps Commanders.
It was just as I was clicking my tongue and scratching my head.
Suddenly, Choi Seol-ah, who was walking beside me, let out a curse.
"Holy shit..."
I looked in the same direction. Stone statues densely packed the entire area. It was a chilling sight just to look at.
Because Choi Seol-ah and I knew exactly what those statues were.
Every single one of those statues was a hero who had fallen victim to the Basilisk's Evil Eye.