I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[040] The Wetland Serpent of the Mangrove Wetland
As I rowed forward through the waterway with a clearer mind, Radi pointed toward the rear of the raft and spoke.
“So what are all these things?”
Where her gaze fell, smoked meat lay piled like a mountain—plundered from the Guild Members’ backpacks.
Beyond that were various dried fruits, hardened bread, cheese and nuts, Cococura eggs, and more….
When Radi showed interest in the Cococura eggs, I spoke casually.
“Want to try one? I hear they’re quite popular among gourmands.”
“I don’t know… I’ve never gotten along well with seafood, and besides, frog monster eggs are just gross.”
Radi seemed reluctant, but curiosity got the better of her—she picked up one of the Cococura eggs and tasted it.
Of course, she immediately contorted her face and spat it out.
“Ugh, what is this?! It’s incredibly salty and fishy…! This is really famous among gourmands?”
“Yeah.”
Though I didn’t mention that those gourmands weren’t human.
Radi, gagging repeatedly and rinsing her mouth with water, shot me a look as she spoke.
“Blegh, so fishy… So then, why did you pack all these provisions and come out here? Are you planning to lure monsters into a fight between the Cococura Horde and something else?”
“Hmm… something like that. Ever heard of a Layer Lord?”
“A Layer Lord?”
“Yeah. …You know how each layer of this dungeon is like its own independent ecosystem, right?”
And a Layer Lord refers to a being that has perfectly adapted to that environment and reached the apex of the food chain.
In other words, the supreme predator of that layer’s ecosystem—the boss monster, so to speak.
But because they’re far too powerful to be called merely a boss monster, we use the title “Lord” out of respect.
“The fact that you’re bringing this up now… does that mean there’s a Layer Lord in this place…?”
“Actually, I don’t really know either.”
“What? How can you not know?! If you don’t know, Doran, what are we supposed to do?!”
“Don’t ask me… I genuinely don’t know.”
Players—myself, that is—experienced Belheim roughly two to three years after this dungeon was discovered.
By that time, Layer 1 had already been fully explored.
I’d thoroughly combed through the memoirs of the Advance Party who led the dungeon’s conquest, but nowhere did I find any record of Layer 1’s Layer Lord being defeated.
‘But it definitely has to exist….’
That meant either it was hiding in some hideaway no one could find, or it had a docile temperament that disliked conflict and migrated to another layer in the meantime.
And if a Layer Lord exists now, I was certain it would be somewhere in this place.
Unlike other areas that had already been thoroughly mapped out, this swamp was difficult to access due to being in the middle of a wetland, and the fog and mangroves made aerial reconnaissance by the new-born beastfolk unsuitable.
In every way, it was an optimized location for a boss monster to establish its nest.
Most decisively….
「According to rumors, there have been numerous sightings of a massive serpent within the swamp.」
The log message that came to mind when we reached the Misty Swamp Wetland.
‘I really hope the adventurers weren’t just mistaking a Green Anaconda for something else….’
As I earnestly prayed, Radi opened her mouth with a worried expression.
“But… if what you’re saying is true, it doesn’t matter if there’s a Layer Lord here, right? Since it’s fundamentally a monster, communication would be impossible, and no matter how much food we prepare, it wouldn’t be favorable toward humans invading its territory….”
“That’s right.”
“…That’s basically suicide, isn’t it?”
“Well, that’s why I told you to be prepared. If you want to turn back, I can give you the raft right now.”
“Sigh… Never mind. In this situation, we have to try anything. …I’ll let you know immediately if I sense the boss monster’s presence.”
“That’s exactly what I need.”
I let out a dry laugh and steered the raft forward without hesitation.
Based on the Layer Lord’s preference for secluded places, the most likely location for it to dwell would be the deepest part of this swamp.
After wandering through the waterways for an hour or two, the atmosphere of the island shifted dramatically.
The translucent water color deepened into a murky olive hue, and the stench of decay began to rise.
The verdant aquatic plants and water lilies had vanished without a trace, and the banks were lined with ancient trees stripped bare as if something had ravaged them, their skeletal branches jutting out like bones.
‘It seems we’re approaching the deepest part of the island….’
Had I found the right place?
Radi, sensing the ominous atmosphere, spoke while brushing her shoulder.
“This place feels rather sinister… The sunlight barely reaches here, and it’s quite cold.”
“I know… The vegetation is different too.”
“These ancient trees—or rather, are these the roots of a massive tree…? What is this? It’s completely pale white and lying on its side….”
“Better not touch it. Plants that grow in places like this could harbor any number of dangers.”
“Hmm….”
After passing through grotesquely twisted ancient trees and venturing deeper, we reached a dead end in the waterway.
A small circular swamp formed by vegetation bent as if fleeing from sunlight, with peculiarly patterned trees coiling around the perimeter like serpents.
The moment I sensed this was the optimal location, I positioned the raft in the center of the swamp.
“Good… This should be perfect.”
“Should we attempt it here?”
“Yes. The space is wide, the thicket is dense and comfortable… Doesn’t this seem like exactly the kind of place a boss monster would favor?”
“It certainly does. Just in case some creature emerges, I’ll prepare the paralytic toxin bolts.”
While Radi loaded special bolts into her crossbow, I retrieved the Naga’s heart from my backpack.
‘I really hope this brings it out….’
I soaked a large chunk of the severed heart in blood and dropped it into the swamp. The log window updated immediately.
｢[Naga’s Heart] has been consumed by half.｣
｢Caution! The sweet magical essence contained in the item is drawing a powerful entity!｣
‘Huh…? Drawing a powerful entity?’
The message felt different from what appeared the last time I used it.
Whether it was my imagination or not, the noise from creatures that had been chirping loudly until moments ago suddenly ceased.
It felt as though even the wind itself was holding its breath.
“Did it activate properly? Actually, that’s good… Wait, what…?”
“Hold on… Doran, something’s wrong…!”
Radi’s cry quickly transformed into a gasp of horror.
A violent tremor struck the raft as if the entire swamp were flipping over.
Boom boom boom boom…!!
“Ugh…! Hold on tight!!”
As I gripped the mast to steady myself, the water’s surface began to roil and bubble, spraying in all directions.
Each time a bubble burst, an indescribable stench vibrated through the air, and the olive-tinted water darkened to an ominous black in mere moments.
But that was merely the beginning.
The swamp itself pulsed like a colossal living organism, thrashing with violent convulsions.
The water level beneath the raft plummeted in an instant, and as the muddy bottom revealed its grotesque flesh, the opposite shore rose in a sickening upheaval.
While my entire body absorbed the seismic shift of terrain tilting like a seesaw, I witnessed something unmistakable.
The peculiar white-marked trees encircling the wetland writhed and began to move.
‘Wait… could those ancient tree trunks I thought I saw actually be the monster’s body…?!’
The moment that realization struck me, I understood the magnitude of my misconception.
This pond wasn’t its lair….
“The entire Mangrove Island… was its nest?”
“…!!”
The water converged into a single point as if being sucked inward, and a colossal head erupted through the surface.
A white serpent.
A snake whose flickering tongue, pitting organs, and crown scales covering its brow were all dyed a brilliant white so vivid it burned the eyes.
As the sealed eyelids slowly lifted, vertically slit pupils within gazed directly at me.
Cruel intellect gleaming like rubies set in those blood-red eyes, flickering with predatory hunger.
The moment our gazes met, I felt the bone-deep realization that I was no longer human—merely a morsel of food within striking distance.
As I gazed upward in a daze, notifications flooded the log window with unprecedented speed.
｢Lv:??? You have encountered the Wise Serpent of the Mangrove Wetland, the Anaconda Lord Abos!!｣
｢You have awakened a dormant boss monster! The wise serpent, roused from her long slumber, is ravenously hungry! …Was this a mistake?｣
｢The ancient guardian of the Mangrove Wetland slowly opens her eyes to face you. She harbors irritation and rage at the humans who disturbed her long rest, with perhaps a touch of curiosity.｣
｢The unique effect [Wise Serpent’s Gaze] has activated, constraining your actions! Your legs grow heavy as stone!｣
｢You have been caught in the gaze of the colossal serpent! Your limbs are paralyzed, your movements sluggish!｣
｢Facing a formidable monster, your body is overwhelmed by its presence! Skill activation probability decreases, and your stats are temporarily reduced drastically….｣
A mouse before a serpent. Primal terror.
Vertigo seized me as the immense presence warped my vision like a lens.
“Ha… haha….”
My instincts screamed a warning.
This was an entity I should never encounter.
How could such a thing be roaming Layer 1, even if it was a boss monster?
‘This insane Belheim dungeon… what a nightmare.’
As the colossal serpent—massive enough to coil around a sailing ship in an instant—slid across the water’s surface toward me, every plan I had meticulously constructed crumbled to dust.
A suffocating tension that felt like it would crush all the air from my lungs paralyzed my entire body with electric dread. I bit my tongue hard to regain my senses.
｢Pain has nullified the mental corruption!｣
｢A flicker of interest appears in the eyes of the Layer Lord gazing upon you.｣
｢But this alone is insufficient to capture her full attention!｣
｢Distance remaining before being devoured: 15m >>> 7m｣
“I-I prepared for this! Please, accept these offerings and quell your wrath…!”
I frantically pulled out dried meat and fruit, holding them high.
But the colossal serpent merely regarded me with indifferent eyes, utterly unmoved, and continued closing the distance.
“The Wetland Serpent regards the food with utter indifference.”
“Why would I consume withered, desiccated flesh when fresh, succulent human meat drips with warmth and vitality before me?”
“Distance remaining until being devoured: 7m >>> 3m”
“P-please, consider this instead… it is sustenance we humans cherish!”
“You offer hardened bread, cheese, and nuts as tribute!”
“Yet the serpent remains utterly disinterested. How unfortunate!”
“Distance remaining until being devoured: 3m >>> 1m”
“Ugh…!”
The grip of death tightened around my throat with each passing moment.
The creature advanced slowly, its elongated body blocking every escape route—a predator granting no mercy.
What about this, then?
*Click—!*
The moment I uncorked the vial containing Kokokuran eggs, a pungent, briny aroma permeated the air.
These eggs were considered a delicacy among aquatic monsters.
More precisely, they were an irresistible temptation for Green Anacondas.
The “Gourmet” designation from the item description referred to the serpent itself—
*Thud!*
In an instant, an enormous tail whipped through the air, striking the vial from my grasp.
“…Huh?”
I stared blankly at the glass bottle tumbling across the raft.
Some of the eggs spilled from the vial’s opening, dispersing into the water below, yet the serpent paid them no attention whatsoever.
Radi, who had been watching the scene in a daze, suddenly snapped back to awareness, his face contorting in despair.
“W-what do we do now?! Our c-c-clan! We’re finished! The creature shows no interest in the bait whatsoever!!”
“…Damn it.”
I clenched my teeth and tore at my hair in frustration.
“Distance remaining until being devoured: 1m >>> 0.09m”
‘Curse it… was I wrong?’
No, not yet.
“W-wait! Let us settle this through dialogue!!”
As panic threatened to shatter my mind, I bit my tongue hard, forcing clarity to return.
Think. Just think.
Could I somehow retreat quietly and make this all disappear?
Or should I gamble on that 0.0001% chance, feign madness, and charge recklessly forward?
In novels, heroes dive into monsters’ gullets, tear through their innards, and escape unscathed. But if I attempted such reckless bravado now, I’d be dissolved by potent digestive acids within three seconds.
A desperate, hopeless situation.
Yet as I desperately racked my brain for any means of survival, I confronted a shocking revelation.
A skill that had rarely activated until now suddenly blazed with yellow light.
[Eloquence]
‘…What?’
Why is this activating now?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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