That monster.
Bang, crash!
For a snake, it was covered in tree bark.
For a tree, it moved too vividly.
When it swung its tail, a badger monster that got hit spun around and flew away.
“Grooooar!”
The roar didn’t sound like a snake at all.
If I had to compare it, it was like the sound of wind blowing out of a huge cave.
Should I say volume? Or lung capacity?
Anyway, it was so impressive that a gust of wind blew.
It even reached Rania Greyrim, who was watching from behind the bars of the carriage window.
As it was wind from a creature’s mouth, it naturally carried its breath.
And that smell was…
‘Fragrant.’
Rania suddenly thought.
The wind blowing from the forest. The fresh wind smell of a great forest.
Of course, there was a slight bloody scent mixed in at the end.
Something strange entered Rania’s eyes.
On the neck of that huge tree snake, another head was sprouting.
A small white snake wearing a crown.
Rania wasn’t the only one captivated by the white snake.
Oliver and Knight Zain also stared at the white snake with surprised eyes.
The white snake fired beams at the ground continuously.
It was said to be a beam, but its power was no different from shooting arrows.
It was incomprehensible why it was shooting at the empty ground.
Then, an amazing thing happened.
The giant tree snake started spinning around following those beams.
Its speed gradually accelerated.
Whiiiiiirl
“Grooooar!”
The tree snake’s spinning speed increased so much that it looked like a whirlpool.
For a moment, even the monsters couldn’t approach. The monster wave clearly slowed down.
After a while, Oliver shouted frivolously.
“It, it stopped!”
So it did.
When the beam suddenly cut off, the tree snake tilted its head in confusion.
And as if its head was spinning, it planted its face on the ground with a thud.
Perhaps because the leader had stopped.
Some particularly strong-looking monsters started to settle down and rest.
The monsters around them also lay down on their bellies one by one.
In other words, the monster wave had stopped locally.
Everyone present knew.
That this feat was accomplished by that small snake sprouting like a mushroom.
When the Chimera snake lay down, the small snake stood up straight.
Its appearance was quite majestic.
And Nanaluk the Hobgoblin jumped onto the tree snake without hesitation.
“To see you again like this!”
They seemed to be close friends.
They hugged each other in a frenzy.
Could a goblin be on good terms with a snake monster?
That Hobgoblin was equally mysterious. It was the first time seeing such a tall and strong goblin.
Moreover…
“Saak, saaak.”
“Oh, you want some leftover potions? Of course. How many should I give you? Ten bottles?”
“Shishit shiiit.”
“Hahaha, really? Puhahaha. You’re always so funny.”
“Shishishit.”
“Stop it, stop, hahaha!”
Zain thought.
‘Isn’t he just pretending to understand when he actually doesn’t?’
What kind of joke did he hear to laugh like that?
No, come to think of it, it was strange.
‘How can he communicate with that goblin!’
Realizing this fact, Zain’s spine tingled.
Perhaps because it didn’t like Nanaluk climbing on its body.
The Chimera slightly raised its head and growled.
At that moment, the small snake shouted.
“Saaaak!”
“Guuu…”
The Chimera dropped its head again with a thud.
It was clearly in a superior position to the Chimera.
‘That small snake might actually be the main body!’
It wasn’t unreasonable for Zain to think so.
==
Whew, that startled me.
The Chimera snake almost ate Nanaluk.
I did shout at it, but I didn’t expect it to lie down again so obediently.
The Crown of Domination clearly didn’t work.
Maybe it’s starting to listen to me a bit after spending so much time together.
Nanaluk, not realizing she nearly died, stroked my back vigorously.
I stood up even more proudly.
I felt really good.
‘Success! It’s a success!’
“What is?”
‘Nothing! It’s nothing!’
I mean, I succeeded in completely stopping the snake.
I’ve succeeded in stopping it momentarily a few times before.
But this is the first time I’ve made it rest like this.
Even a monster wave needed resting time.
Although the Chimera, perhaps because it was made of wood, didn’t rest well, it occasionally lay down and slept for about three or four hours.
Looking at its closed eyes now (unlike a snake, it had eyelids), it was clearly trying to sleep.
This is certainly a great achievement.
“You’re really praising yourself.”
Pelerian mocked, but that must be because of his twisted personality.
After all…
「You have achieved the achievement ‘Stopper of the Monster Wave’.」
What did you say?
I quickly checked.
──────────────
[Stopper of the Monster Wave]
You have temporarily stopped the monster wave.
Your roar gains more authority.
──────────────
…Is this even counted as an achievement?
No, it’s true that I stopped the monster wave, even if briefly.
Then I should be even prouder.
Moreover, I gained a practical benefit.
We gained three or four hours of leisure.
I can catch up with Nanaluk for a while.
‘Hey, Hegemon.’
“What, Ouroboros?”
Nanaluk grinned.
It feels like we should bump fists, but it’s a shame we can’t.
‘How did you subjugate the great forest in such a short time?’
Even though the Lunga tribe was powerful, their numbers were limited.
Only Nanaluk could handle multiple Hobgoblins alone.
“I have a secret.”
Nanaluk shouted, and Hobgoblin warriors came running.
“Look. Familiar faces, right?”
‘Ah, that’s your brother!’
Among the Hobgoblins was Nanaluk’s brother who nearly died at the hands of Deshnan.
But somehow, he had grown much bigger. Moreover, he was muscular, unlike a goblin.
I focused my eyes to examine them.
──────────────
[Hobgoblin Warrior Kadiram lv4]
…
──────────────
Oh, the name had changed.
That’s right.
The Hobgoblins had evolved once again.
How did this happen?
“After a few battles with me, they all evolved.”
That was Nanaluk’s explanation.
As she, who had evolved into a Hobgoblin King, led the warriors in battle herself, a few of them evolved into Hobgoblin Warriors.
As expected of a ‘king’.
If her father was a unique species, Nanaluk was a monster belonging to a ‘special species’.
I felt a bit intimidated in front of her.
‘You’re more amazing than me…’
Of course, I fought hard too, but…
“What are you talking about?”
But Nanaluk laughed as if it was absurd.
“Aren’t you leading this monster wave?”
‘…What?’
That can’t be.
The one commanding these monsters sweeping across the world is none other than this Chimera.
‘I’ve been kidnapped.’
“Huh?”
What do you mean, ‘huh’?
“I thought you were controlling it, of course.”
‘Why did you think that?’
“Well, this tree snake listens to you. And above all… you’re wearing a crown.”
Is she talking about this luscious crown?
Nanaluk said so as if it was obvious.
I realized an important fact.
Could it be that Gunter and those mages think of me as the mastermind of the monster wave?
“You might become the continent’s public enemy.”
As this was said by Pelerian, who had already been designated as a martial arts public enemy, it seemed more credible.
I trembled in fear.