Episode 183: The Strongest Snake (1)
Macguffin. A word that refers to a device that motivates the story but has no background or explanation.
There are such MacGuffins in ‘Miracle Protection M’ as well.
No, to be exact, more than half of them can be said to be MacGuffins. It is only natural that MacGuffins are scattered around due to the convenience of the game company.
The unclean snake, the Basilisk. It was a demonic beast that only functioned as a quest boss, and its background was uniquely shrouded in mystery.
… Well, that’s usually the case with S-class demons.
I only found out about the cruel nature of the Lich King Draugr when I came here. I didn’t have much information about the vicious Manticore either.
But among them, the one with the most bait is probably the Basilisk.
That was because the race of that demon was ‘snake’.
Snakes are unconditionally part of the Demon Tribe in Miracle Protection M. The Jormungand from before was also considered a Demon Tribe, and dragons are also considered to be a superior group of snakes in a broad sense.
In that sense, the Basilisk was a contradiction in itself. The name itself was the negative ‘snake’. Nevertheless, it was classified as a demon beast, not a demon.
There were many discussions among users about this, but there was no proper consensus. The conclusion that was eventually reached was that it was the aforementioned MacGuffin.
Anyway, since it was a S-class demon beast that was comparable to or even superior to the Demon Tribe, it was set up so that it became a MacGuffin due to some mistake during production. I thought the same thing.
“A dragon is not a dragon when it hatches from an egg. At birth, it is called ‘Imugi.’ After hundreds of years of asceticism and training, a Yeouiju is created within the body, and only then can it transform into a dragon.”
I listened to the soul’s explanation, and sighed inside.
I once heard a tale about a snake that couldn’t become a dragon and became a monster that eats people.
‘I never thought that tale would be the motif for the dragon.’
Anyway, to summarize the soul’s explanation briefly.
No matter how much of a snake it is, one that has not evolved enough cannot even be included in the ‘same’ demon tribe.
The spirit continued to speak. In Korean, not in magic words, so that even Seol-ah Choi could understand.
“Actually, Basilisk was a child who was designated as the next Dragon Lord since the Imoogi era. There was no dragon in the clan that could match his innate magical power.”
The reason why dragons are considered special among the demon race is because of their enormous magical power. This is due to the racial trait of accumulating magical power in their bodies simply by breathing.
But even among those dragons, Basilisk was the best. If he had grown up, wouldn’t he have become the strongest dragon lord in history? Hon cautiously expressed his opinion.
“… I’m not saying this just because he’s my younger brother, but he really had outstanding qualities.”
“Huh? If you were so great, why didn’t you ascend to the dragon level? That doesn’t make sense.”
At Choi Seol-ah’s sarcastic question, Hon let out a small sigh. His expression was something like, ‘Did you just listen to the explanation?’
For ‘Instructor’ Choi Seol-ah, Hon went over the key points one by one like a teacher.
“The important thing in transforming into a dragon is not strength. When an imoogi reaches a certain age, it must be locked in a so-called ‘snake den’ and live a life of asceticism for about a hundred years. During that time, it only eats mugwort and garlic. By not eating any meat, it shaves off its wildness, and when it expels toxins from its body with these two spices, pure magic power gathers in its body in the form of a bead, which is called a Yeouiju.”
“… … .”
“Even after becoming a dragon, you still have to be careful about your actions. If you do something wrong, the Yeouiju will crack. For example, indiscriminate massacre… like wiping out an entire species, things like that.”
It means that all your hard work to become a dragon can be ruined by a single mistake. This explains why dragons are reluctant to kill.
“… But even though the Basilisk was so strong, it couldn’t overcome the ascetic life. Right?”
Hon nodded to my words.
“Yes, that’s right. My younger brother had high expectations of himself, so he was arrogant. It would have been impossible for him to stop eating meat and survive for a hundred years on mugwort and garlic. But Basilisk wanted to become a dragon, and the strongest one at that. So he tried to ascend to the dragon in a different way.”
“Was there another way?”
Hon shook his head with a dark expression.
“If there were, there would be no reason for us to waste a hundred years. However, my younger brother thought that he could obtain pure energy from outside, not inside. Without having to become pure himself, by consuming humans with pure energy… … .”
She stopped talking and closed her eyes tightly. She stayed like that for a moment, then she barely opened her mouth.
“So my younger brother came into the world. He was coiling around people and enticing them to eat better energy. But my clan just stood by and watched… … . Because of the killing… they were afraid that their Yeouiju would be contaminated. However, they couldn’t leave me, their family, alone.”
Her last words were her true heart. Her determination that she could not just stand by and watch even if the Yeouiju was cracked was also evident.
Perhaps the swordsman didn’t see Draugr in the same light? Then and now, there is a twisted family history.
However, Abel’s father, Orion Nibelung, did not wish to become a Draugr. What about Basilisk, on the other hand?
A monster filled with nothing but greed to become a dragon through wrong means.
Moreover, Basilisk is a S-class demon. The Association has branded it as the worst demon in human history.
“… … .”
The conversation paused for a moment and silence followed. Surprisingly, it was Choi Seol-ah who broke the gloomy silence.
“But, how can a noble like you defeat such a strong demon all by yourself? I don’t think it’ll work.”
Perhaps because he had been bullied, or perhaps because he was offended by being called a nerd, Hon did not respond. Whatever it was, he seemed to be thinking a lot.
Choi Seol-ah started to chatter in a teasing tone, as if she was a sly person.
“And even though you came here with such great determination, you were kidnapped by humans. You’ll never be able to subdue your younger brother like that. That S-class demon isn’t even your family’s name.”
“… … .”
“I am an academy instructor myself, so I have some knowledge. I know how monstrous a beast the Basilisk is. It is so strong that the Association has formed a large force to capture it.”
“But, but!”
Before I could ask what was wrong, it was Choi Seol-ah who looked back at me.
“Master, can’t we just send him back to his hometown?”
I stared at Choi Seol-ah. Whenever I saw that expressionless face, I sometimes felt the urge to slap her. But for now, I decided to let it go.
She was beating around the bush about helping the soul.
Choi Seol-ah showed altruism. She was a former villain. This was the first time something like this had happened. Like a snake shedding its skin and ascending to become a dragon, has she finally become human?
But the small amount of suspicion that had been rising was completely swept away by Choi Seol-ah’s subsequent words.
“If we stay together for just a few more weeks, I feel like my bank account will really be empty. Hehe.”
“… Anyway. The me who expected it is a cripple.”
I pressed my heavy eyes shut and collected my thoughts.
A chance to obtain the fourth fragment and the magic stone in one breath. It wasn’t a matter of gain or loss. It was a necessity, not a choice.
I opened my eyes that had been closed for a moment. I looked at the soul for a long time and then said.
“Let’s go together.”
To catch a snake.
* * *
After three days, Choi Seol-ah and I prepared ourselves.
Originally, I had planned to take the club members with me. However, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I shook my head.
The purpose itself was to subdue the Basilisk. As Choi Seol-ah said, it was an S-class beast that the association had to organize a unit to capture. It was an extremely irresponsible idea to take teenage members on such a journey.
However, I had no intention of deceiving them. I just wanted to prevent the worst. Choi Seol-ah was enough to take the risk.
As the promised day approached, Choi Seol-ah kept throwing a tantrum, saying she wouldn’t go. As someone who is very attached to life, she must have been scared when she actually tried to go.
So I gave him a choice: die before he goes, or die when he gets there. Choi Seol-ah chose the latter.
After completing the arduous preparation process, today is finally the fifth day.
At the appointed time, we met in front of the Academy Warp. By the way, this trip will take you to Warp. This was possible because Choi Seol-ah’s status was an instructor.
Before boarding the warp, I checked the condition of the party members. Choi Seol-ah looked haggard, as if she had not slept well. As expected, I turned my gaze to the side. Soul. Her eyes, which had started this journey, showed a firm determination.
“Let’s go.”
I walked towards the warp first, and Hon and Choi Seol-ah followed me.
As soon as my feet passed through the warp, an incredible pressure pressed down on my entire body.
Wooooow.
The feeling of being sucked in by the vanishing point, which appears to be a white dot in the distance. Just when I was about to lose my mind, my body straightened up.
I opened my tightly shut eyes. And for a moment, I was lost in thought at the scenery unfolding before my eyes.
In the middle of a vast plain, a volcanic-like volcanic terrain. The smell of sulfur was so strong that it stung your nose. Red lava was boiling all over the place. It was a hot appearance that contrasted with the dreary atmosphere of the Undead Dungeon.
‘You’re here.’
We arrived at the Broken Isles, the place where the Basilisk is coiled in the Human Realm.
After a while, the space behind them shook and vomited out Hon and Choi Seol-ah. The two people who were thrown out with a thud barely managed to keep their balance and stand.
A beat later, they also looked at the dungeon in a daze. They looked as if they were at a loss for words due to the intimidating appearance.
The soul that soon came to its senses pointed in one direction.
“I feel a familiar magic there.”
A passageway that looked like a snake’s mouth was visible. Anyone could tell that it was the entrance to a dungeon.
“Over there… … .”
Her complicated feelings were clearly expressed on Hon’s face. She looked in that direction for a while without saying a word, and then took the lead.
Footsteps that were like a seal on the semi-liquid road surface. Choi Seol-ah and I followed along silently.
* * *
Inside the dungeon.
As we entered, a static atmosphere greeted us.
It was much larger than I had expected. The road was as winding as a snake, making it very easy to get lost.
But we moved forward without a hitch. It was thanks to the spirit of the one who was tracing back the magic power that we were guided from the front.
‘Choi Seol-ah too, each of them is secretly carrying out their assigned roles well.’
So what’s my role? Of course, it’s to subdue the Basilisk.
However, the ‘trait’ of Basilisk that I heard from Hon was bothersome. If that’s true, then it’s not a good match for me.
‘If you just look at compatibility, it might be more difficult than the legion commanders.’
It was a moment when I was clicking my tongue and scratching my head.
Suddenly, Choi Seol-ah, who was walking next to me, started swearing.
“crazy…….”
I also looked at the same place. The stone statues that filled the entire area. It was an eerie sight just to look at.
Because Choi Seol-ah and I knew the true identity of those stone statues.
All of those statues are heroes who were sacrificed to the Basilisk’s evil eye.
