Setting the Path

The Crimson Teeth Giant Centipede.

A higher species of the Red Teeth King Centipede.

Although it has the modifier "red teeth", strictly speaking, they are not "venomous fangs" but "venomous claws".

If you get stabbed by the red venomous claws that look like teeth, you'll feel extreme pain.

The venom of ordinary centipedes is just painful and not deadly poisonous, but this dangerous monster is different.

If you get injected with a lot of that acidic venom, your body will melt into a puddle.

The tamer Melchi once saw the giant centipede melt and eat an entire elephant.

"Hahaha!"

Melchi laughed loudly.

"Those cowards."

The warriors of the Lunga tribe turned pale when they faced the giant centipede.

It's understandable.

Originally, taming monsters is an extremely difficult task.

Even raising wolves or ostriches isn't easy, and about once a month, a goblin would die from being bitten by a wolf.

Attempting to tame a more dangerous monster is tantamount to suicide.

And Melchi survived such a suicide attempt.

He managed to tame one of the most dangerous monsters in this Palamu rainforest, the giant centipede.

A year ago, when he returned to the Croc tribe with a docile giant centipede, everyone was shocked.

That day was the best day of his goblin life.

Melchi, who was too skinny to become a warrior.

Melchi, who was ugly and unpopular.

But when he became able to control the giant centipede like his own limbs, he became an executive of the Croc tribe.

He also gained the title of 'Tamer'.

How could Melchi tame that giant centipede?

The centipede only listened to Melchi's words. It was a fact that was realized only after several goblins became centipede food.

Everyone wanted to know Melchi's taming method.

If that taming method was easy and universal, Melchi's value would disappear again.

Knowing this, Melchi desperately kept his mouth shut.

He didn't answer even when he was beaten by Croc.

Even now, a year later, Melchi was still the only tamer of the giant centipede.

'I don't know how long this will last, but.'

The coat he hadn't taken off even when sleeping since a year ago.

He had always been careful not to let the oversized coat, which didn't suit his skinny build, come off.

Melchi shouted in a shrill voice.

"Centipede!"

The giant centipede reacted to his voice.

"Kill all those Lunga goblins!"

The giant centipede didn't immediately follow the order and remained still.

Melchi clicked his tongue. The centipede, unlike its appearance, is not a very aggressive monster.

"Right now!"

When he shouted again with authority, the giant centipede finally started to move.

Body length 9m, weight 500kg.

The hard carapace only gets scratched even when struck with an iron axe.

42 pairs of legs. 84 in total.

Each pointed leg is like a dagger.

In other words, it's a form with 84 weapons attached.

Even without using its venomous fangs, its physical attacks alone are deadly.

The Lunga goblins scattered in an instant.

"Spread out! Spread out far! Don't bunch up!"

Nanaluk shouted her commands loudly.

If they bunch up and get run over, it's over.

Hobgoblin warrior or not, they'll be crushed.

"Aaaaah!"

"Waaah!"

Even the brave warriors jumped up in shock.

The centipede's charge raised a massive cloud of dust.

Perhaps due to continuously breaking rocks and digging the ground.

The dust was so thick it was hard to breathe.

Visibility was poor.

Nanaluk's sister, Kadiram, came into her view.

And over Kadiram, the black shadow of the centipede loomed.

"Kadiram!"

Nanaluk pushed Kadiram away and jumped out.

The giant head of the centipede approached swiftly.

Along with those bright red venomous claws.

Clank!

The venomous claws bit the air right in front of Nanaluk's face.

Nanaluk barely saved her life by throwing her head back.

She swung the axe in her hand.

Kang!

When she struck the centipede's carapace, sparks flew.

Nanaluk looked at her axe with a dumbfounded expression.

The blade was gone. On the other hand, the centipede's carapace was intact.

This meant that even Nanaluk would need to strike precisely at the joints to inflict damage on the centipede.

But how could one do that against a living, moving centipede?

"Fight defensively."

Nanaluk received such a request.

The one who made the request was none other than the snake. It should be trustworthy.

"Hm?"

In this life-or-death situation, Nanaluk tilted her head.

How did she understand the snake's request?

Only Nanaluk seemed to understand her snake friend's words well.

But lately, it seemed to have gotten more intense.

She could understand its meaning just by a few tail movements.

It was the same this time.

Don't fight too hard against the centipede, retreat and fight defensively.

In the meantime, I'll try to do something.

Nanaluk could immediately understand such a request.

How?

Somehow, it felt like her mind was tingling.

[Hobgoblin Nanaluk lv30]

Nanaluk, the best warrior of the Lunga tribe.

It had been a year since her level stopped increasing.

Something had started to sprout in her body and mind, which had reached the limit of what could be achieved as a Hobgoblin at a young age.

But she herself wasn't properly aware of such changes.

Besides, this wasn't a situation where she could pay attention to such trivial things.

The centipede lunged at her again.

Kwang!

Nanaluk jumped high.

Where she landed was none other than on top of the centipede's back.

Nanaluk started running on top of it.

As the centipede's body undulated, she inevitably bounced into the air.

Other goblins caught the airborne Nanaluk.

Nanaluk grinned as she brushed up her hair.

So far, the Lunga tribe had no casualties.

Because the giant centipede was rampaging, the warriors of the Croc tribe couldn't do anything either.

All they could do was cheer for the centipede from afar.

But, one Hobgoblin named Nanaluk was single-handedly drawing the centipede's attention.

"What is she doing..."

"Ah, so frustrating!"

Even the centipede seemed to lack motivation.

Frustrated gazes were directed at Melchi.

"Do something!"

"Why is the centipede so weak!"

Melchi was furious.

How dare they raise their voices at him, an executive, at Melchi the Tamer.

He thought, 'If I were Ayutar, would they have dared to squawk like this?'

A damp sense of inferiority and anger welled up.

"Centipede! Fight properly, or else...!"

Just as Melchi was about to threaten the giant centipede.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a whirlwind blew.

Why, when there wasn't even a breeze before?

In an environment where white dust mixed with stone particles was piled up thickly.

When the hazy wind blew, it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Melchi quickly raised his arm to cover his eyes.

"Aack!"

"Ugh!"

Such screams rang out around him.

Making such a fuss just because some sand got in their eyes.

They act tough but are so useless, damn it.

Thinking this, Melchi tried to open his eyes somehow.

When he opened his reddened eyes, he saw all the surrounding goblins fallen.

They were grabbing their own necks with both hands and coughing.

And.

Sting.

When he looked down at his feet feeling a pain, there was a snake raising its head.

It had bitten his ankle.

Could it be a venomous snake.

Something came to Melchi's mind.

'Heart-eating Snake.'

When that name first came up, he dismissed it as the nonsense of a loser, but not anymore.

Even Ayutar, who was so strong, was said to have been killed by the Heart-eating Snake.

'I have to run away...'

He tried to run away.

But his body stiffened.

Thud!

Melchi fell, hitting the back of his head on the ground.

And the snake crawled onto Melchi's body.

'Ah.'

Is this how I die, having my heart eaten?

The snake opened its mouth wide.

With that sight as his last, Melchi died from poisoning.

==

「Your level has increased.」

What, that surprised me.

Why so weak.

My deadly poison is a very efficient skill.

Against weak ones, it could show a prowess like Lü Bu.

Of course, it would be useless if I couldn't bite, and if they really had strong poison resistance, they might even shrug off my poison.

This one looked like an executive, so I thought he would endure well, but I didn't expect him to die before I could even eat his heart.

But it didn't matter. I wasn't planning to eat this skinny goblin anyway.

I opened my mouth and bit.

His coat, that is.

Unlike the large coat, a skinny body was revealed.

And, sure enough, they were there.

Small centipedes.

Hello, little ones.

Somehow, it was strange that the giant centipede with the trait of gentleness was fighting us.

Moreover, it was clearly showing signs of not wanting to fight.

The goblins didn't notice, but I, being a monster myself, immediately knew.

That it was following orders against its will.

──────────────

[Crimson Teeth Giant Centipede lv31]

[Traits]

[Gentleness], [Mother]...

──────────────

Surprisingly, it wasn't a Hobgoblin but a regular goblin who controlled the giant centipede.

I was curious about what kind of ability he had, so I focused my eyes.

That's when I saw the baby centipede peeking out from the skinny ankle.

──────────────

[King Centipede Larva lv2]

[Traits]

[Baby], [Cuteness]

──────────────

It was the status window of the baby centipede that popped up, not the goblin's.

At that moment, the puzzle was solved.

I punished this outrageous goblin kidnapper.

Come here, cute little ones.

Oh, you're tied up.

There were three centipedes in total.

They were tied with strings around their necks, connected to the goblin's body.

I chewed the strings with my teeth to cut them.

Oh, how obedient.

Perhaps because they were still larvae, they were small, with semi-transparent carapaces and a yellowish color.

The baby centipedes, just about the length of a human forearm, were truly smart.

They moved from the goblin's body to mine.

Let's go back.

To your mother.

Kwang!

The giant centipede, not knowing that I had rescued her babies.

She was causing a commotion with a thunderous roar.

Wait.

How do I stop that?

It's really a shame that I can't shout at times like this.

But it was truly fortunate.

The baby centipedes started calling for their mother.

"Kke-kke-kke-kke."

"Kkeee, kke-kke-kke."

"Kke-kke-"

My, how cutely they cry.

The giant centipede stopped abruptly.

Eyes so small compared to her massive body.

She looked at me intently.

Yes, now's the time.

I bowed my head, kukbeok.

Silence fell.

The giant centipede bowed back to me, kukbeok.

Phew.

I felt relieved.

The babies attached to my body detached.

They crawled to their mother, who was standing still, and clung tightly to her belly.

The giant centipede gently wrapped her babies with one pair of legs.

Her attitude now was that she would definitely protect them.

Ah, it's so touching that I feel like crying.

It reminded me of the late Mother Medusa too.

Though our Mother Medusa would turn disobedient children into blood pancakes.

I wonder where Father is. I'd like to see him someday.

「You have achieved the achievement 'Friend of Centipedes'.」

Oh my!

Following the Guard Captain's assassination (unfortunate accident), I've achieved my second achievement.

I immediately checked it out.

──────────────

[Friend of Centipedes]

You have formed a friendly relationship with centipedes, terrifying and cruel monsters.

Centipede-type monsters will have goodwill towards you.

──────────────

Terrifying and cruel, they say.

That must be a groundless misunderstanding.

Anyway, I want to get along well with centipedes in the future too.

As I thought, centipedes are indeed gentle creatures.

She no longer treated us as enemies.

She just roared at the sky, holding her babies in her arms.

"Kkeeeeeek!"

Cry, giant centipede.

After roaring refreshingly, the giant centipede immediately started running.

Towards the dead Melchi and the warriors of the Croc tribe.

Screams erupted.

Splat!

Melchi's corpse became an unrecognizable meat paste.

The same fate befell the Croc warriors who dared to charge instead of running away.

The giant centipede, when serious, was terrifyingly strong.

She kills by piercing with her venomous claws and crushing with her massive body.

And that meant that the Croc tribe's defensive formation was shattered.

"Hui... Ullullullu!"

Nanaluk came running.

I naturally climbed onto her shoulder.

"Let's go catch Croc! Everyone, follow the centipede!"

The situation became much easier now that Sister Centipede had scattered the enemies.

The Lunga warriors easily dispatched the fleeing Croc goblins.

Soon, we reached the excavation site.

Under the Elephant Rock.

There was a wide-open hole and traces of artificial structures.

It's a narrow passage that barely allows one or two people to pass through.

We found the hole Croc had entered among dozens of holes.

Nanaluk picked a few elite Hobgoblins to accompany her and ordered the rest to stay.

"Guard this entrance. If we don't come out after a while or if something happens, retreat from the rock!"

Meanwhile, I raised my head to look at the structure.

──────────────

[Pelerian's Secret Dungeon]

Dungeon 123, storing magic stones.

──────────────

We've finally arrived.

"The rat has already gone in. Hurry and chase after him!"

Pelerian said so.

In my mind, I muttered the line I had heard so many times in Dungeon 8.

'Monster intrusion detected.'

Activating interception snake.

==

A field of corpses was spread out.

All due to the traps set in the dungeon.

'How many traps did you install?'

"The more traps, the better."

Many traps good. I agree.

But there were really many dead goblins.

At first, most of them were old people.

They were clearly used as meat shields.

Arrows, spears, fire, falls, the causes of death were diverse.

Next were goblins with their faces covered in dust powder.

Judging by the pickaxes scattered around, they must have been the workers excavating the dungeon.

Lastly, there were bulky Hobgoblins.

They must have been the warriors who protected Croc.

Croc had sacrificed even those who protected him.

We could meet that terrible tyrant not long after.

A suspicious cavity spread out, and there was an iron door ahead.

It was clearly the real final entrance to the dungeon. Because it was a door with the same decoration.

"That, that bastard...!"

Croc was stuck to that door.

Nanaluk gritted her teeth and shouted.

"Croc!"

Croc's face was covered in blood.

I stopped Nanaluk as she tried to rush towards Croc.

Nanaluk was bewildered, and Croc licked his lips as if disappointed.

"Hehehehe, you idiots."

He laughs to himself as if half-mad.

"You came all this way because you want to die. What a shame."

I used magic detection.

The ceiling, walls, floor. Everything appeared red.

"If you had taken just one more step, you would have died."

I could clearly tell.

The security of this dungeon was overwhelmingly higher than the ones I had broken through before.

"If you want to catch me, come and try! Hahahahaha!"

How did that guy get over there?

There must be a safe path to bypass the traps.

But Nanaluk and the goblins didn't dare to cross the cavity.

Corpses turned into bloody pancakes were stuck to the walls and ceiling in the middle of the cavity.

"U- hahaha!"

I really want to stop hearing that laughter.

"Kuk..."

Nanaluk was frustrated.

Don't worry.

I'll show you how to break through directly.

'Pelvigation, guide the way.'

"Cheeky bastard."

The old monster who designed this dungeon himself is by my side.

Pelerian silently started guiding the way.