Chapter 48

‘I’m not grateful at all.’

In the house newly built atop the cliff, I tried creating an indoor zoo.
Perhaps because the Shadow Forest is filled with damp, dark shade, biodiversity here tends to be low.
However, the forest below the Manshi Hills is full of primate-type monsters, and beyond that, in the swamp, insect-type monsters form colonies—that part is fascinating.
On the plains, at least, a variety of monsters like hyenas, wolves, and Serpents live.
That Serpent, however, seems unable to settle anywhere and keeps changing its dwelling.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the methodology of taming.
Fear, familiarity, respect—the three elements needed to gain a monster’s submission.
Fear can be instilled with the whip, and respect can be gained by establishing hierarchy and providing food.
But familiarity… that is impossible to achieve.
It must be due to the fundamental difference between monsters and the chosen races.

Unlike fairies, dwarves, and humans who are under the protection of the gods, monsters are those abandoned by them.
Their ugliness appears beautiful to me, yet monsters seem to feel an insurmountable wall toward me, a Shadow Fairy.
It is clearly different from how my beloved cat, Kalish, used to follow me devotedly.

Is that why the Medusa Serpent left its nest and fled?
I thought it was because it fought with its mate… but perhaps it was because of me.
Ah… what should I do?

This month, the only success I’ve had is taming a single hyena.
Even that one refuses to properly obey unless I use food or beat it.
Instead of rolling over to show its belly, it constantly tries to bite my hand whenever it gets the chance.

I executed two hyenas that dared to bite my hand, right in front of their leader.
It was meant to establish discipline, and it seemed to work—for a moment.
But only briefly. These savage monsters now even refuse my attempts to pet them.

Sorrow pierces deep into my heart.
「From Deshnan’s Breeding Log」

—

I acquired a new mount.

Unlike Centipede Mom, this one was covered in fluffy fur.
The fur was stiff like a broom, but the ride wasn’t bad.
It was about the size of a lion.
And its thick, sturdy neck—
with a soft mane on top—was perfect for me to coil up and rest.

‘Spotty!’
“Gyaeng!”

My pet dog—Spotty (not actually a dog, Fang Hyena Lv.31, stronger than expected)—was my new mount.
Maybe it’s because I fed it, but Spotty turned out to be surprisingly gentle.
After naming it and bonding a bit, it seemed to understand my intentions immediately.
I feel a bit sorry to Nanaruk, but Spotty understood me almost as well as she did when we first met.

It’s really strange.
Even Centipede Mom seemed to understand my words.
I asked Pelerian, but even he couldn’t give a clear answer.

I tapped Spotty’s neck three times.
That’s the signal to move.

Spotty began walking, carrying me.

After all, a true villain commands hyenas.
Just look at that scary uncle lion from The Lion King.
Riding Spotty, I proudly entered the indoor zoo.

A week had already passed since I started staying here.
In that time, I began to reign over the monsters inside.

Those who showed their fangs at me were baptized in flames.
Those who threw dung had their limbs broken.
Those who pretended to submit but attacked were turned into my next meal.

Not all the monsters here were weak.
According to the breeding log, the truly powerful ones were kept in the outdoor zoo (which is basically just outside).
But that didn’t mean the indoor ones were pushovers.

This was the deep forest, and Deshnan was a powerful Shadow Fairy.
There were monsters here that could give me experience—and others from whom I could borrow useful skills.

“Kiing, kiiing…”
“Ueeeh…”

The monsters near the entrance of the indoor zoo all submitted to me.
Each had its own way of showing surrender.
Some lay flat on their backs, exposing their bellies.
Others bowed their heads to the ground.
Some curled up to show they posed no threat.

I scattered feed for them.
They gobbled it down and looked at me with admiration.
And the more they did, the more Spotty proudly lifted its head.
Some monsters even looked envious.

• You know how to command your underlings.

Pelerian nodded in approval.

Spotty, who submitted the fastest and showed the most loyalty, received special treatment.
Unlike the others, it was allowed to stay outside the cage.

In response, Spotty tried even harder to show loyalty to me.
And the other monsters became even more obedient, hoping to become like Spotty.

Of course, not all of them were like that.

The deeper I went, the fewer monsters showed submission.
Right—these weren’t ordinary animals, but monsters.
Creatures that would bite my throat the moment they had a chance,
perhaps even drooling at the thought of the magic stone inside my heart.

Still, almost none attacked first anymore.

True to the name “zoo,” the cages were divided into sections.
Multiple species lived together, though sometimes there were solitary enclosures.

This cage ahead was like that.

Trees had been planted, and rocks were stacked to form a cave.
The entire area was covered in spider webs.

From the pitch-black darkness inside the cave, red eyes glowed.

【Crimson Tarantula Lv.32】

From the moment I saw that name, I sensed bad blood.
After all, I had eaten the inner core of a Crimson Tarantula King.
Though that doesn’t mean its lower kin would necessarily resent me.

“Kkak… kak, kak…”

Every time it saw me, its eight eyes glowed red with hostility.
But unlike yesterday, it didn’t attack first.
Seems like yesterday’s beating still hurt.

I climbed down from Spotty’s back.
Spotty refused to enter the cage—and I had no intention of making it.

Clank.

I unlatched the cage door.
Then I stepped inside without hesitation.

I scattered feed in front of me.

‘Come and eat.’

This was my method of taming the monsters here.
It always started like this.
I offer food—and in return, demand submission.
It begins with calmly approaching and eating.

Having seen other monsters receive food and submit, they already understood what this meant.
The Crimson Tarantula was no different.

But it didn’t come out.

Yesterday, it had tried to attack me instead of taking the food—and got beaten for it.
So this time, it stayed hidden in the cave.

Was it finally ready to submit?

Whoosh—

A poisoned spike shot toward me.
I tilted my head and dodged it.

I had borrowed that skill from the hedgehog I met on the first day.
But I gave up using it.
I couldn’t figure out where the spikes in my mouth were coming from—and it didn’t seem like magic.
Pelerian speculated it might rapidly consume calcium from my body.
At this rate, I might end up with osteoporosis.

Instead, I was practicing another skill.

The spider, refusing to come out, kept firing poison needles.

This was getting annoying.

I stepped forward.

That’s when it happened—
webs clung to my body.

Dangerous.

The more I struggled, the more entangled I became.
The vibrations reached the creature hiding in the cave.

Would it fire another spike?
At me, bound and struggling?

The Crimson Tarantula was vicious.
It chose a far more aggressive approach.

Thud-thud-thud—

It burst out of the cave with terrifying speed.

A tarantula the size of a bull.
Crimson fangs gleaming with deadly venom.
That poison wasn’t much weaker than my neurotoxin.

It leapt.

And I had been waiting for this moment.

• [Basic Elemental Magic: Fire Lv.4 activated.]

Flames formed around my body.
The tough, wire-like webs burned instantly.
The fire spread on its own, igniting the surrounding webs.

Boom!

The tarantula slammed down where I had just been.
Dust and sparks flew.

I never intended to kill it with just that fire.

I leapt and clung onto its body—
coiling tightly around its narrow waist.

“Kyaak! Kkwe!”

Despite its massive body, the Crimson Tarantula was incredibly agile.
Meaning—it could thrash wildly while dragging me along.

Bang! Crash!

It slammed into the cage, into rocks—
trying to shake me off.

And given enough time, it probably would succeed.
I couldn’t suffocate it with constriction.
I couldn’t even bite it properly—
its thick fur, hard carapace, and constant movement made my head spin.

I tensed my entire body.

Because I had no intention of fighting it the normal way.

• [Poison Scales Lv.2 activated.]

A simple skill that secretes poison from my scales.

Before, I wouldn’t have been able to use it properly.
Serpent scales alone aren’t weapons.
At best, I’d just be an unpleasant thing to touch.

But now—

As a Crystal Doublehorn Python, evolved into something greater—

With crystal-like, razor-sharp scales that I could raise at will—

It was different.

Krrrkkk—!

My raised scales finally pierced into its body.
That meant the neurotoxin secreted from my venom glands had been injected into the Crimson Tarantula.

“Kwaa…”

The creature, which had been slowing down little by little, finally lost its life.
Its long legs curled up sharply.

• [You have defeated Crimson Tarantula Lv.32.]
• [Level has increased.]

Phew.

It had been a while since my last level-up.
I hadn’t gained levels as explosively here as I’d expected.
It seems my overall level has risen quite a bit.

Spotty looked at me and raised its head, letting out a howl.

“Awooooo!”

What are you, a wolf now? You’re not even in the canine family.
Still, if I think of it as a victory fanfare, it’s not bad.

I stroked its head with my tail.
Spotty panted happily, wagging its tail.

Alright, let’s check my status.

【Crystal Doublehorn Python Lv.10】
【Alias】 Ouroboros, Heart-Eating Serpent
【Traits】
[Indomitable], [Diligence], [Fire], [Pattern], [Scales]

Level 10.
If I hadn’t defeated Deshnan, I probably wouldn’t have leveled up this easily.
How high do I need to go for the next evolution?
Last time it was 20… so maybe around 30 this time.

In that case, the indoor zoo definitely isn’t enough for farming experience.
I might have to head outside and hunt stronger monsters.

【Skills】

[Borrowing Horn Lv.4]: Poison Scales Lv.2, [Leaping Horn Lv.2]
[Heavenly Thunder Spirit Lv.0], [Basic Elemental Magic: Fire Lv.4], [Basic Elemental Magic: Sun Lv.5],
[Basic Elemental Magic: Water Lv.2], [Basic Elemental Magic: Wind Lv.2],
[Magic: Invisible Hand Lv.2], [Deadly Venom: Neurotoxin Lv.5], [Devour Lv.7],
[Leap of Predation Lv.1], [Stealth Lv.7]
[Poison Resistance Lv.7], [Bleeding Resistance Lv.3], [Pain Resistance Lv.8],
[Heat Resistance Lv.10], [Cold Resistance Lv.1], [Petrification Resistance Lv.1],
[Electric Resistance Lv.4], [Survival Instinct Lv.6], [Mana Detection Lv.3],
[Acceleration Lv.5], [Swimming Lv.1], [Breath Holding Lv.5], [Slash Lv.2],
[Scale Harden Lv.1], [Taming Lv.5], [Crude Swordsmanship Lv.1]

【Status】
[Smug]

My skill list has gotten pretty messy.
It’s about time I organized it.

What caught my attention was the achievements section.

[Guard Captain Slayer], [Friend of the Centipede], [Close Ally of Goblins], [Leader of Monsters]

I had earned the achievement “Leader of Monsters.”

【Leader of Monsters】
You have tamed five or more monsters.
Monsters will obey you more easily.

Hahaha.

So everything I did in the indoor zoo wasn’t pointless after all.

• You said before that you wanted to become a “Samuryong.” I don’t know what that is, but…

Pelerian spoke quietly.

‘It’s “Samuryeong.”’

• So what is that?

There’s no need to explain in detail some martial arts novel I read back in middle school.

A being absolutely invincible—
one that even heroes, armies, or monsters cannot deal with.
Or an intangible venomous Serpent that even a kingdom cannot touch no matter how much power it mobilizes.

In short, I just don’t want to be chased or threatened by anyone.

• You do realize that’s what every villain in the world desires. And that it’s nearly impossible to achieve.

Pelerian said he once dreamed of that state as well.
He had only wanted to research and pursue the evolution of his species, but the world wouldn’t leave him alone.

• There are two ways to reach that level.
  ‘What are they?’
• One is to obtain overwhelming power. Become the strongest mage who can overturn the heavens. Or a divine swordsman who can split the sea.

Or perhaps… a massive serpent that coils around mountains and stirs tidal waves.

• The other is to build the greatest possible force. Whether it’s a kingdom or an empire.
  “So you tried the first method?”

And most likely failed.

Pelerian nodded.

• In truth, I now think I should have pursued both.

Building a force.

What I did—taming the monsters in the indoor zoo—was half a joke.
But the “Leader” achievement was clearly recorded in my status window.

‘Well, let’s keep going deeper.’

Now that I had defeated the Crimson Tarantula, the indoor zoo was practically conquered.
Only the innermost cage remained.

I left Spotty behind and approached it.
This area had no lighting.

“Come out. I know you’re in there!”

“Sssaaak!”

I shouted.

There was definitely a monster inside.
But it refused to reveal itself.

Would it oppose me—or submit?
Either way suited me.

If it won’t come out, I’ll go in myself.

Just as I reached to open the cage—

Step.

Something walked out of the darkness.

It was fairly large.
About the same size as the Crimson Tarantula, perhaps.

Step… step.

But it looked far heavier.
I raised my scales, preparing for battle.
Something about it felt strong.
And strong monsters don’t submit easily.

What appeared… was a gorilla.

A magnificent gorilla, with armored plating growing over both arms.

I was about to hold out feed and force it to choose—

“Sn… Serpent…”

Whoa—startled, I dropped all the feed.

Shocking fact: unlike the other monsters, it spoke.

Its large eyes shimmered with tears.

“Send me… home…”

Wait. This gorilla…
I think it was mentioned in Deshnan’s breeding log.

This is your home, you gorilla.

“Then… my family… reward you…”

What kind of reward is a gorilla going to give me? Bananas?

“You have hands… hands mean same kind…”

How did it even notice my Invisible Hand?

This gorilla was a dangerously idealistic philanthropist.

“I give… love. Accept… you… as family.”

A shocking adoption proposal.

No thanks.