Base of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

The leader had returned.

The elders were reporting to Baek Yeon-Yeong.

The content was nothing out of the ordinary.

They reported on any intruders, the happenings among the believers, and the current political situation.

No one seemed aware that she had been away, except for her closest confidants.

She maintained her usual expressionless face as she listened to their words.

It was nothing but boring talk.

Before long, her attention shifted to the patterns on the ceiling.

Elaborate designs that seemed to embroider countless dragons.

That one’s crooked.

Baek Yeon-Yeong noticed a misaligned part, which inexplicably reminded her of the lizard she had seen earlier, putting her in a good mood.

“We conclude our report.”

The elders finished their briefing.

“Very well.”

Once the elders had all left, the personal reports from the protectors followed.

Apart from the Left Protector’s subtle glances, there was nothing unusual.

For some reason, even the protectors quickly excused themselves.

That suited her just fine.

Now Baek Yeon-Yeong finally had some time to herself.

She yawned briefly and stretched.

“Hmm…”

As she stretched, she noticed a pair of eyes staring at her that looked eerily similar to her own.

“…You’re startled. If you have something to say, why didn’t you say it earlier? Why are you still here?”

Baek Seol-Hwa, the priestess of the Heavenly Demon Cult, was staring intently at Baek Yeon-Yeong.

“How could I possibly say something unpleasant to the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult?”

Baek Yeon-Yeong had never said anything about unpleasant words.

She realized instinctively—this priestess had come to deliver some unpleasant news.

Baek Yeon-Yeong thought deeply.

Unpleasant words… what could it be?

Could it be that she had been caught sneaking a bite of the Gunshi last time? Or maybe she was found out for taking the Bingtang Holo secretly?

She had done so many things that she couldn’t even guess anymore.

“I see. Then be on your way. I’d like to rest now.”

“If the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult commands it, I have no choice but to obey.”

The priestess bowed gracefully.

And with her head still bowed, she raised her gaze.

Her eyes were blazing.

“The priestess is not speaking to the leader, but Seol-Hwa has something she wishes to say to Yeon-Yeong. Will you listen?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Will you listen?”

“I said I don’t want to.”

The flames in Seol-Hwa’s eyes flared up even more.

“Leader, Seol-Hwa says that if you don’t listen now, she’ll be twice as angry later.”

“Is that so?”

“May Seol-Hwa speak to Yeon-Yeong?”

Realizing there was no way to send her away easily, Baek Yeon-Yeong nodded.

“Go ahead.”

Ssss…

Baek Seol-Hwa took a deep breath.

Her already ample chest expanded even more.

“You crazy bastard!”

Bang!

It was a voice far louder than one would expect from the usually serene priestess.

Apart from the protectors and the leader, Baek Seol-Hwa had always displayed impeccable behavior befitting a priestess. Gentle, kind, always soft-spoken.

But now, she was like a general on the battlefield, raging like an angry beast.

“I told you to let me know if you were going somewhere, didn’t I?!”

All this fuss over something so trivial.

“I’m sure I mentioned it.”

Baek Yeon-Yeong responded nonchalantly.

“What’s the point of telling the Left and Right Protectors when they try to hide it from me because they’re worried about you?”

“If the priestess’s conduct were flawless, they wouldn’t have to hide anything. They’re both admirable.”

“You… you…”

The legendary martial art, Lion’s Roar, long thought to be lost, was now being recreated through Baek Seol-Hwa’s voice.

Her nagging echoed like a booming sound attack.

She continued with her lecture, listing 101 reasons why the leader shouldn’t leave her post, along with all the things she had done wrong. And, of course, how difficult it had been to obtain the Jade Beehive Honey.

“Hah… huh…”

Even Baek Yeon-Yeong, who had long surpassed the pinnacle of martial arts, found Baek Seol-Hwa’s verbal barrage quite irritating.

“…Are you finished?”

All this over a jar of honey.

Honey.

Baek Yeon-Yeong thought back to the little lizard devouring the Wall-Breaking Pill and the honey. She smiled faintly. It had been a brief moment, but there was no way she could take it back.

It was eating so earnestly. How could I have interrupted it?

“You find this funny? …Ugh, forget it. I’m done.”

Baek Seol-Hwa shook her head.

“Leader.”

Her tone had shifted once again.

What peculiar behavior will she show this time?

Baek Yeon-Yeong raised her head and looked at the priestess.

“There’s something I didn’t report during the meeting.”

“Speak.”

“We’ve noticed some strange activity around the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.”

“Strange activity?”

“They’ve heard rumors of mystical creatures in the area, and it seems someone is attempting to infiltrate secretly.”

Why mention this now?

If she asked, she was sure she would get a ‘because the leader wasn’t around for me to tell personally, right?’ followed by another blast of the Lion’s Roar.

“They’re sneaking in, so it’s not a full-scale invasion.”

“For now. The Five Great Families and Nine Great Sects wouldn’t attack without cause, so they won’t use their names. But they aren’t ignoring it completely, either.”

In short, a subjugation force was being formed with the Ten Thousand Great Mountains as its target.

The leader was unknown. The righteous sects, pretending to be uninterested, had secretly sent small contingents. They were planning to invade soon.

To be precise, their goal was the mystical creatures on the plains.

Baek Yeon-Yeong nodded.

“Let them come.”

“Pardon?”

“Only through trials can one grow.”

Baek Yeon-Yeong looked at her fingertips.

There were no marks, but she still remembered the sensation of someone biting down.

“Of course, I’ll prune some of the branches first.”

Baek Yeon-Yeong said something enigmatic as she stood up.

The swarm this time was made up of centipedes.

Their grotesque appearance made me feel disgusted.

But that was a sign that I still had a human mindset, which I was grateful for.

Only five of them saw me as an enemy, and the rest slithered off elsewhere.

Even with just five, they still outnumbered me.

The old me would have run away.

But now, I’m different.

I activated Sprint.

Speed was my specialty.

I would make full use of that.

I added footwork to my already swift speed, making it impossible for them to catch up.

Slash!

Then came the Dragon Claw Hand.

Dragon Claw Hand was a martial art where one’s hands became as deadly as dragon’s claws, capable of tearing enemies apart.

My claws touched the centipede’s body.

And in that instant—

Snap.

Its body was split in two.

To ensure it was finished, I crossed my hands and sliced again.

Crack.

The centipede’s body quivered.

…So cool.

Is this really me?

Killing such a hideous creature in one move?

I must be getting closer to Baek Yeon-Yeong’s level.

Of course, there was a reason for this.

Not only did I use my overwhelming speed and lethal Dragon Claw Hand, but there was also another factor.

It was thanks to my title.

【Title】 「Beloved by Spiders」 You won’t be attacked first by animals of the spider order. Your strength and speed receive a boost when fighting insects.

When fighting insects, I got a boost to strength and speed.

Although centipedes are technically arthropods, it seemed to apply.

Thank you, Nephila Jurassica.

You were a generous one.

After killing one, the remaining four centipedes seemed confused.

“Hissss!”

I bet they were conversing.

How could a small lizard have such power?

Or something like that.

They hesitated.

Normally, they would have attacked immediately, but now they seemed wary of my strength.

Instead, they approached cautiously.

The four centipedes formed a defensive formation, standing together.

Whether intentional or not, it was now a trickier situation for me.

Even if I took out two of them with both hands, the others could still attack me.

There’s a method for times like this.

I flicked my long tail.

Flick.

A technique learned from a master of Sa Kwon (Snake Fist).

Flick, flick.

You guys are weak.

“Hissss!”

One of the centipedes, enraged, charged at me.

“Screeeech!”

Simple-minded.

I grabbed its body with my right hand.

The Green Basilisk’s Dragon Claw Hand, Third Form.

Shrrriiip!

Split in half.

Literally cut in two.

Now there were only three left.

Their formation had already been broken long ago.

It was time for me to perfect my Dragon Claw Hand’s Fourth and Fifth Forms.

“Skreeeeech!”

I roared like a green dragon and charged toward them.

【Green Basilisk LV8】 HP: 80/80
MP: 30/30
【Title】
「Beloved by Spiders」

I hunted down the enemies that came at me, steadily growing stronger. In my free time, I climbed up onto the murals and practiced energy circulation, examining the martial arts techniques I hadn’t yet learned.

None of the techniques particularly drew me in, but it wasn’t a bad idea to at least observe them.

After all, there was no guarantee that only I could use martial arts.

It wasn’t impossible that a non-human creature could also use martial arts.

After all, didn’t the young Titanoboa use a strange attack, even though its parent didn’t?

Despite thoroughly studying the martial arts, there was still one thing that puzzled me.

The marks next to the murals.

Should I call them sword marks?

They seemed related to martial arts, judging by the context.

Part of me wanted to stay there practicing energy circulation until I figured out what they meant, but that wasn’t possible.

In the course of hunting centipedes and spiders, I realized a few things.

This Silver Dragon Cave was an artificially created place, filled with all kinds of beasts and insects.

Their leader had been the Titanoboa that Baek Yeon-Yeong had slain.

Once the leader was dead, these creatures only had one thing left to do.

Fight to determine who would claim ownership of the Silver Dragon Cave.

It was a brutal battle.

Even the usually neutral insects fought fiercely.

Lurking in the shadows and picking them off one by one was quite rewarding.

This Silver Dragon Cave, gone mad with fighting.

And here I was, just a fragile little lizard.

Of course, not everyone was hostile.

I saw a centipede pass by beneath me.

“Hissss.”

It deliberately made a sound, as if to greet me.

“Gek, gek.”

Hello, Mr. Centipede.

“Hiss.”

“Gek, gek.”

Having a productive day?

I tapped my thin belly.

The centipede tilted its head from a distance before coming closer and dropping a small cricket onto the ground before me.

“Gek, gek!”

Such kindness!

This centipede was, how should I put it… rather friendly.

From the first time we met, it hadn’t attacked me.

Maybe it was scared because I was covered in centipede fluids, but as long as it didn’t attack, that was good enough for me.

No matter how many centipedes I killed, I could never bring myself to eat them.

Eating a centipede crossed the final boundary of my humanity.

Because I couldn’t eat them, I had shared with this centipede, and we had developed this relationship.

A cricket? That’s practically gourmet food.

“Gek, gek!”

Thank you, Mr. Centipede.

I was about to take a bite of the cricket when—

Boom!

“Hissss!”

The centipede vanished.

A giant millipede that had erupted from the ground devoured my friendly neighbor.

“Gek, gek gek gek!”

Mr. Centipede!