Whispers of the Devouring Serpent
Hunting had been surprisingly easy.
Lauden shook his head in disbelief.
"Two hundred..."
Insane.
The sheer number of monsters was insane.
And that forest no doubt hid countless tricks within.
"What's the difference between this and just telling us to drop dead!"
"It's a slaughter. This is a goddamn slaughter!"
The apprentice lords, having followed Arthur's advice only to confront harsh reality, unleashed a torrent of curses.
Just what is that guy's true identity...?
Lauden recalled Arthur, who had mentioned needing to take another path for something and promised they'd meet again soon.
He had led his ten squad members and set off somewhere.
Pffft!
The spear Arthur swung pierced the gnoll's throat.
Gnolls were bipedal canine monsters, far stronger than goblins.
They were likely the strongest monsters to emerge from this subjugation.
"Arrows!"
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Arthur led from the front while the soldiers loosed arrows from behind.
"I-Incredible..."
"Whoa..."
Their squad leader was a demon of the battlefield.
Even more astonishing was that he was healing himself mid-fight.
As he took down gnolls from the vanguard, the wounds on his body rapidly mended.
It was thanks to the serpent, which restored 4% of his wounds per kill.
Krunch!
Leaping high, Arthur smashed a gnoll's throat with his shin and exhaled sharply.
"Hah!"
Before long, the soldiers followed Arthur without a word of complaint.
Arthur scanned his surroundings.
It's clearing up. A bit further in, and we'll reach the prisoners.
Prisoners.
They were a Hidden Piece, concealed away.
Special existences that could only be encountered if the full extermination subjugation force mobilized.
But most never found them.
Because they didn't know the path.
Arthur, however, did.
The reason Arthur aimed to rescue the prisoners was simple.
Freeing them granted access to various special powers, even if only temporarily.
Hiss...
Hiss...
Suddenly, an eerie sound slithered into Arthur's ears.
This feels like...
A snake?
Arthur's gaze naturally drifted to the bracelet of Uroboros's Juvenile Devouring Serpent.
This bracelet grew stronger.
Had it already claimed the lives of nearly a hundred already?
A chilling sensation crawled up from his toes, making Arthur shudder.
Glancing down, a small serpent with glowing yellow eyes flicked its tongue, slithering up his body.
An icy chill that raised goosebumps.
Aila Pradis.
Snake tongue?
Arthur furrowed his brow.
It was snake speech, yet it rang clear in his mind.
Aila Pradis.
Do you desire my power?
The serpent climbed higher up his body.
Its weight pressed down heavily.
As if it could coil around him at any moment and crush every bone.
Claktnu Ixletri.
A whelp like you will be devoured by me.
Brektinu Kontor!
Give up, frail human!
Hiss...
The serpent's body began to slowly constrict around Arthur.
Soon, its head extended right before his face.
It whispered directly into his ear.
Kantarenu Ronad.
If you don't wish to die, abandon me.
Uroboros.
The serpent said to coil around the universe, devouring its own tail.
In ancient lore, it symbolized infinity.
Infinity.
Perhaps this bracelet held power far beyond what Arthur had imagined.
Snap.
Arthur seized the serpent's neck with both hands.
"Obey me. How dare a mere snake test me."
Gripping its neck, Arthur squeezed hard.
The serpent stared at him, flicked its tongue, and seemed to laugh.
Katiras Ledermas.
Amusing human. Offer me the blood of one even stronger.
Kurmas Konteda.
Then I shall grow strong for you.
Hiiiiss!
In an instant, the serpent shrank and slithered back into the bracelet of Uroboros's Juvenile Devouring Serpent.
The Bracelet of Uroboros's Juvenile Devouring Serpent has grown.
Arthur checked it immediately.
Fantastic Rare Grade
Growth-Type
Durability: 10,000/10,000
Special Ability:
⦁ Heals 8% of wounds per corpse. Can apply to allies within 10m radius.
Description: For lifeforms killed by the wearer within 10 minutes, Uroboros's Devouring Serpent absorbs the remaining blood from the corpse to heal the wearer's wounds. This is a growth-type item. It evolves upon absorbing blood from 500 lives, or if it absorbs blood from beings stronger than the current wearer.
Allies too...
Arthur gazed at the bracelet, now renamed Uroboros's Devouring Serpent and upgraded to Fantastic Rare.
Allies within 10m would have their wounds healed as well.
An artifact essential for any lord!
And it might evolve even from foes stronger than me...
Arthur chuckled softly.
Uroboros, symbol of infinity.
He looked forward to just how far it could grow.
"S-Squad leader?"
To the other soldiers, it looked like Arthur was muttering to thin air.
He had cupped his hands around empty space, spitting out incomprehensible words in a harsh tone.
"Don't mind it."
That was when the hawk scout sent a signal.
They had located the Dungeon Master.
Dungeon Master Carman.
He had been an A-rank prisoner in the Penal Prison, originally a lord himself.
During his time as a lord, people called him the "Crude God."
His codename was crude indeed, but he was no one to underestimate.
He had ranked among the top 101 lord candidates, after all.
Frowning at the hologram feed, he muttered,
"These bastards have read my moves."
Carman scowled as he watched the apprentice lords systematically hunt monsters after setting the forest ablaze.
Behind him stood three from different races.
All imprisoned in the Penal Prison.
One orc, one human, one dark elf.
Each possessed unique traits.
Orc Kammans wielded overwhelming might.
No current apprentice lord could stand against this orc warrior.
At 2.4 meters tall and 170kg, even with stats nerfed for the full extermination subjugation, his genius combat prowess and fearless instincts demanded respect.
Then the human.
Coil was a mage.
His stats were downgraded to only 2nd-class magic, but he was still no pushover.
And finally, the dark elf.
Born not in the noble elven lands, but in the filthy, cursed realm of depraved spirits.
They specialized in assassination, often boasting might surpassing regular elves.
These three were set to deploy from the third battle wave, under Dungeon Master Carman's orders.
"Doesn't matter anyway. Once we're in, they'll get swept away without a chance."
Orc Kammans flexed his bulging muscles and shrugged, lightly tapping his massive two-handed axe while snorting.
"That's not the point. The issue is that mere apprentice lords have read my strategy."
Carman furrowed his brow.
What could apprentice lords possibly know?
Mere greenhorns.
They hadn't even fought a territory war yet.
Yet the thought that they had seen through him gnawed at him.
"Tomorrow, they'll reach the gorge. We need to herd them straight through it. They might read us again and detour, so..."
Carman picked up a brush.
He began drawing on the hologram.
"Heh, what an amusing power. Whatever you draw takes form."
Mage Coil chuckled.
Carman pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shh. A word by day is heard by birds, by night by rats."
"You think we're idiots? We know apprentice lords have no scouting capabilities."
Coil scowled.
Carman smirked and licked his lips.
"Just being cautious."
What he drew was none other than thirty-two ogres.
"The... Crude God..."
Arthur gasped.
Watching the Dungeon Master's location via his scout hawk's hologram, Arthur was stunned.
The Crude God.
Imprisoned in the Penal Prison for violating Monarch Game rules.
Arthur had heard of him.
The Crude God could manifest forms as he drew them.
Monsters, buildings, bridges—anything.
Not just shapes.
His ability "Death Painting" was exceptional.
He drew those he had killed.
And they materialized.
Of course, the power varied by Death Painting's level, with various quirks.
But one thing was certain.
This Death Painting was versatile for tactics and strategy.
And as levels rose, his drawings gained real, potent strength.
Carman had deliberately drawn thirty-two ogres to block the detour paths, forcing the apprentice lords through the gorge.
Manifesting ogre-level power now would be absurd. They're just ogre-shaped illusions, mere phantoms. But the apprentice lords will panic and opt for the gorge instead.
That was how it served as tactical strategy.
Carman's no top 101 lord material. Even as a Dungeon Master, his complacency shows.
A true top 101 or challenger lord would at least suspect scouting.
His special ability had landed him in the top 101 candidates.
Important Information View is available.
Arthur spent 2000 cash to purchase it.
(Absolute Monarch Akan's Power)
Carman, known as the Crude God, inherited the power of Akan, one of the Absolute Monarchs called the Lord of Creation. However, Akan disapproves of him as his inheritor. He seeks a new successor for his power and recommends that you challenge him.
+ Royal Class Quest: Trial of Absolute Monarch Akan.
Arthur's eyes widened.
The ability Carman wielded was the inherited class of Absolute Monarch Akan!
And a Royal Class.
He'd never heard of it before.
Classes included standard ones, but also secret classes.
And those secret classes invariably wielded immense power.
Even the lords Arthur knew proved it.
Secret class holders dominated with overwhelming strength.
Thus, acquiring a secret class was exceedingly rare.
Among countless lords on the Asgard Continent, fewer than fifty possessed one.
Yet now, a Royal Class emerged for the first time.
From an Absolute Monarch, no less.
The moment Arthur, unable to suppress his thrill, clicked the Royal Class Quest—
He felt his body being pulled somewhere.