Deshnan, the shadow fairy.
His title is ‘Zookeeper’
A first-class wanted criminal on the continent.
However, it’s been a hundred years since the first-class arrest warrant was issued for him.
Despite the enormous bounty, he still hasn’t been caught and continues to repeat the actions that made him a wanted criminal in the dark parts of the great forest.
Deshnan was an explorer of magical beasts.
His ability to raise and tame dangerous magical beasts was recognized even by Heaven Defier Pelerian.
After becoming certain that Pelerian was dead, Deshnan went around searching for his dungeon.
One day, he discovered a dungeon that was extremely difficult to excavate.
The plan to use goblins to excavate that dungeon was truly ingenious.
Even though the plan had gone slightly awry now, it wasn’t bad.
He had captured a new Hobgoblin King alive.
There was a wound on Deshnan’s cheek.
He licked the blood that was trickling from that wound with his tongue.
Who would have thought that a goblin that had just evolved would be able to wound him?
It’s an absurd thing.
Deshnan laughed so hard that the wound on his chest throbbed.
His current condition was terrible.
The problem was that he had been bitten by the magical beast he was trying to raise. Given that the beast’s fangs were as big as an arm, there were five holes of that size in his body.
His magic armor was also badly damaged and mostly under repair.
Maybe about a quarter of his usual strength.
But even so, Deshnan could still use his specialty, blood magic.
The ‘Twelve Blood Snakes’ that moved on their own as if alive could also be used for defense.
Nanaluk, a goblin, had crushed all those snakes and wounded Deshnan’s cheek.
“The more I look at it, the more I like this specimen.”
But even such a Nanaluk was now limp, her neck caught by Deshnan.
One of the blood snakes was digging into Nanaluk’s abdomen.
“Strong, beautiful, and even excellent mental strength.”
Deshnan decided to capture Nanaluk.
And he would throw her into his ‘zoo’.
“Why aren’t you talking? Is that snake god really there?”
He had heard there was a snake called Ullullullu in the dungeon.
Was it just for such a trivial reason? Nanaluk refused to reveal the entrance to the dungeon until the end.
It was an entrance that could be found immediately if this place was searched anyway.
To Deshnan’s eyes, it looked like useless struggling.
He transmitted his will to the blood snake.
The blood snake embedded in Nanaluk’s wound writhed.
“Aaaargh!”
“You, you speak instead. About that snake.”
The one pointed at was a young shaman.
She looked around nervously, then stuttered:
“Ullullullu is…”
But even after hearing the explanation, Deshnan frowned, seemingly unsatisfied.
“Is it a magical beast? A type of snake? Why do you call it a god?”
“That, that one understands human speech, uses magic, and led us goblins.”
“I see it was that snake that killed Croc. And you goblins worship that snake magical beast as a god. Truly goblin-like behavior. Like magical beasts believing they’re human…”
Deshnan was a shadow fairy who had lived for quite a long time.
The knowledge he possessed was deep and broad.
He retraced that knowledge based on the shaman’s explanation.
“When did that magical beast appear to you? What’s its size? What does it look like?”
The shaman explained, stuttering.
Deshnan found it amusing how the goblins’ expressions became serious whenever the snake was mentioned.
“I see, I see. It was nothing special.”
Soon, his interest waned.
Deshnan knew in detail about snake-type magical beasts and goblins.
Even the legends associated with them.
“A derived mythology group with a separate prototype.”
Myths have prototypes.
Just as there are various myths about the sun.
Just as there are various myths about its sister, the moon.
There are also various myths about snakes.
Especially a snake god worshipped by goblins.
“Goblins are scattered in various regions of the world, and there are also various cases where these goblins worship snakes as gods. The names and details are all different.”
He waved his fingers in the air like a professor giving a lecture to students.
“From horned snakes, to talking snakes, snakes big enough to coil around mountains, feathered snakes, snakes that pose riddles. Snakes that die and come back to life. And among those, there’s a myth closest to the prototype. Ullullullu? There’s something similar.”
Probably, over time, the name of the snake god changed in the Lunga tribe that settled here.
“It’s Ouroboros.”
The original name of the ancient snake god was clearly that.
“Ur-Ouroboros of the end. Names often get modified. Urkios, Ulroboros, Ouroboros. But this is the first time I’ve heard such a ridiculous name as Ullullullu. Haha.”
Deshnan mocked the goblins.
The pale goblins repeated the word Ouroboros.
Somehow, it felt like a word with power.
An ancient power.
It felt like they were being crushed just by the weight of pronouncing that word.
“And it’s not a black snake. The original Ouroboros is a white snake.”
A very huge white snake, that is.
At that moment, there was a chuckling laugh.
“You idiot.”
It was Nanaluk, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth.
She glared at Deshnan and said:
“It was originally white.”
Deshnan frowned unpleasantly.
The red snake that had burrowed into her stomach writhed.
“Aaaargh!”
“You have a foul mouth. You’ll become a bit more docile after you’re branded.”
Nanaluk finally fainted, unable to bear the pain.
“If you don’t want to see this one die, guide me to the dungeon.”
Nanaluk had lost consciousness.
The goblins couldn’t resist Deshnan’s demand.
They guided Deshnan to one of several holes dug under the Elephant Rock.
Apologizing in their hearts to the good white snake.
To Ullullullu, or Ouroboros.
Deshnan calmed his excitement before entering Pelerian’s dungeon.
The security system would be no ordinary thing.
It wouldn’t be easy to break through with just this one hobgoblin.
He’d have to kill all the remaining goblins.
Just as he made up his mind.
Who would have thought a white snake would actually crawl out?
It was indeed an extraordinary magical beast.
Its size was that of an ordinary snake.
But the horns on its head, and the beautifully shining scales.
“Oh, there really is a snake.”
Deshnan exclaimed in admiration, but the snake didn’t run away and raised its head high.
It was staring at Nanaluk.
That’s when the snake’s scales turned black.
There are quite a few magical beasts that change color.
Most are for camouflage.
Is it trying to run away?
But Deshnan’s long-standing instincts warned him that it wasn’t so.
This was a battle stance.
A snake that changes the color of its scales to enter a battle stance.
He had never heard of such a thing.
Tang-!
There was a gunshot sound.
It was the sound of the snake shooting straight at Deshnan.
Its speed was no less than that of an arrow.
The sharp fangs in its open mouth were deadly.
However, he should be able to block it with just one hand.
But an inexplicable instinct brushed past Deshnan’s nape.
He faithfully followed his instinct.
He boldly threw Nanaluk aside.
And he raised one hand to cast magic.
Blood magic, a drop of blood for slowing should be enough.
Even though it had almost no physical force of its own, it was enough to slow down the opponent.
The blood drop flew and touched the snake’s body.
That was Deshnan’s first mistake.
The snake’s pattern glowed and the blood drop bounced off.
‘Magic defense?’
The possibility of such a magical beast having that kind of means was low.
Then he would respond physically.
He threw the crescent blade hidden inside his wrist.
It should cleanly cut through a snake.
That’s when it happened.
The ground shook.
The crescent blade missed ridiculously.
‘It even uses magic!’
Not anticipating that was his second mistake.
He followed the exact order of Pelerian’s exclamations when he saw the snake.
Meanwhile, the snake had approached within arm’s reach.
‘No choice.’
He recalled even the magical power he had been using for minimal defense.
The twelve snakes that had been destroyed by Nanaluk were restored.
The snake that was about to bite his heart was tightly bound by the bright red blood snakes.
‘Capture it alive, don’t kill it!’
If it wasn’t Deshnan but another shadow fairy, they wouldn’t have done that.
But Deshnan didn’t kill the snake due to his greed.
That was his final mistake.
The bound snake didn’t lose its spirit.
It just stared straight at Deshnan.
Magical power began to surge from the snake.
Deshnan’s hair began to stand on end.
Static electricity crackled from the hem of his clothes.
It was a case he had experienced only once before.
Right before a storm hit.
The cat Deshnan was raising was sitting on the roof.
The cat’s fur began to stand on end by itself and then…
“No way…”
Deshnan hurriedly tried to sever the snake’s neck.
At that moment.
Blue sparks crackled from the snake’s scales.
And lightning struck from the clear sky.
==
When I came to my senses, I was already doing it.
「You are using the skill Leaping Horn.」
「Heavenly Thunder Spirit lv0 temporarily becomes Heavenly Thunder Spirit lv1.」
Leaping Horn itself is a skill that consumes a lot of magical power.
Thanks to the magical power container that had tripled in size, I still had a lot of magical power left.
「Using Heavenly Thunder Spirit lv1.」
All that magical power was consumed at once.
‘Hold the lightning of the sky in your heart.’
That was the description of Heavenly Thunder Spirit.
The lightning of the sky fell on me.
Zzzzzap!
It seems my inner ear has been damaged.
I felt a hot heat.
With a flash, I couldn’t see anything.
The red tentacles that were gripping my body burned.
The shadow fairy must have been electrocuted.
I couldn’t see, but that was clear.
I have to finish it.
Did the lightning take away his sight too?
“He’s in front. Finish him!”
Pelerian advised.
He seems to be able to see.
Should I bite?
No, I shouldn’t bite.
I knew instinctively that that wouldn’t be enough to kill this shadow fairy.
“A little more to the right, yes, about one step forward.”
Pelerian helped me zero in.
I leapt up high.
Not to bite.
I summoned the sword from the subspace.
Even though I couldn’t see, I easily grabbed the sword’s handle with my tail.
It’s a technique I had practiced for a few days.
Pelerian scolded me for being unnecessarily showy, but look.
Isn’t it excellent?
Lightning was still dwelling in my body.
I felt that lightning spreading to the sword through my tail.
“Yes, that’s his neck.”
I got it.
Lightning Sword Technique.
First Form.
Neck Cutting.
「Activating Slash lv1.」
The sword cut through something and passed.
The sound rang clearly through the ringing in my ears.
Thud, roll roll roll.
Ah, that’s indeed the sound of a head falling.
==
It hurts, boo-hoo.
If I could cry, I would be shedding tears right now.
But snakes have a transparent membrane over their eyes, so I can’t cry.
So I had to swallow the pain of my whole body burning.
“Please endure a little longer.”
I heard the worried voice of the Grand Shaman grandmother.
“Stop whining.”
Pelerian’s curt nagging is annoying.
Splash.
A cool liquid soaked my entire body.
It was a potion.
The wounds on my body began to heal.
The lightning of Heavenly Thunder Spirit even burned my own body.
Although I didn’t get electrocuted, it seems I couldn’t avoid that heat.
Ah, I can see!
What about Nanaluk?
Fortunately, Nanaluk was lying down, breathing heavily.
It seems she didn’t die.
Her body was also covered in potion.
Wow! I really thought I was going to die.
‘Did you see?’
“What?”
The Lightning Sword Technique, no, the Heavenly Thunder Spirit.
“I saw it. It was an incredible technique.”
Even Pelerian spoke honestly.
No, Gunter, were you hiding such a skill?
A skill that calls lightning. It was amazing.
Thanks to that, smoke was still rising from the headless corpse of the shadow fairy.
“It doesn’t seem like a skill to be used like that…”
I think so too.
What’s the point of suddenly getting struck by lightning in the middle of a fight?
It’s probably not a skill meant to electrocute yourself and your allies all at once.
Anyway, thanks to this skill, I took down the shadow fairy.
In other words, I gained a kind of ultimate skill.
If I suffer like this a few more times, I might be able to use Billy’s Horn again.
But why isn’t my level increasing?
Was he such a small fry?
Pelerian sighed in relief the moment he saw the shadow fairy.
His contemptuous look was clear.
“The problem isn’t that he’s a shadow fairy, it’s fortunate that he’s not a Golden Leaf Investigator. Well, if he’s just bullying goblins in a place like this, he must be a nobody.”
Pelerian spoke nonchalantly.
That’s a discriminatory tone towards shadow fairies. I guess he doesn’t treat them as fellow fairies.
Still, I thought I’d gain at least one level.
Wasn’t he incredibly strong?
“Urgh.”
I jumped in surprise.
For good reason, the severed head had let out a groan.
“To think… that I… to such a… mere magical beast…”
How can you speak with your head cut off?
Even the great Pelerian was shocked and looked at the shadow fairy’s head.
“Ah, ah, wait. I know this guy?”
What did you say?
“Isn’t this the Zookeeper, that crazy shadow fairy Deshnan! He sold his soul to a demon!”
I thought you said he was a nobody.
“Step back! Don’t get close.”
I obediently listened.
The moment I stepped back from his head.
“Kieeeek!”
The head screamed, and its shadow grew pitch black.
Soon, his head melted into the shadow.
「You have killed the shadow fairy Deshnan.」
「If the fact that you killed Deshnan becomes known, your fame will spread across the entire continent.」
He wasn’t a small fry at all.
「He was already a person whose soul was mortgaged to a demon.」
「The recovery of demonic nature is reduced to one-tenth!」
Oh no! My experience points.
It was a chance for rapid leveling.
But it was too early to be disappointed.
「Your level has increased.」
「Your level has increased.」
「Your level has increased.」
「Your level has increased.」
「Your level has increased.」
…Five at once?
Even though it’s one-tenth?
If I had received it all, I might have been able to evolve right away.
Ah, let’s not be too regretful.
Looking at it roughly, it’s miraculous that I took him down in one shot.
“Of course. You should know that you’ve used up all your luck for a lifetime.”
It’s a bit scary when you say it like that.
I guess I should live carefully for a while.
‘Is he stronger than you, old man?’
“Him? Haha.”
Pelerian just laughed.
“I just remember him because he’s such a strange guy. How could he possibly compare to me?”
‘Ah, I see!’
Seeing his boastful attitude, it seems like this pattern will lead to a long talk.
I pretended to be distracted and searched the body of the headless one.
It’s only right to start looting after a successful hunt.
There are many interesting items here.
Thud.
That’s when it happened.
A half-burned notebook fell.
‘What’s this, a diary?’
It was a record with traces of being written directly.
As I roughly flipped through the pages, I found it was in a readable script.
There were all sorts of traces about magical beasts, but I suddenly read one phrase.
‘What’s this?’
“What is it?”
No way…
It was written there like this:
「…Today, one Medusa Serpent escaped. It was just about to lay eggs. It was a particularly special specimen.」