I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 41

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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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[041] How to Tame a Colossal Beast
[Eloquence]
「Antagon is a master of rhetoric, wielding his tongue with the fluid grace of a serpent. When conversing with the inhabitants of Belheim, the probability of achieving your desired outcome increases slightly.」
‘This is activating now…?’
Until now, the [Eloquence] skill had only triggered once—aboard the Pirate Ship when I led a swarm of Skeletons to confront the Death Knight Orgillian.
Every other time—when meeting Malton, persuading Radi to join my party, negotiating with the Merchants or haggling over goods—there had been nothing but silence.
Which meant….
‘Could “inhabitants of Belheim” possibly refer to monsters…?!’
I swallowed my shock and forced my mind to work rapidly.
There had been warning signs, actually.
While performing Quests in Belheim, I’d occasionally encountered items with peculiar undertones.
I’d burned down a Goblin colony thinking I was saving the town residents, only to have the Quest fail instead.
I’d slain young Lizards on the way to rescue children trapped in a cave, only to receive a severe debuff for an extended period.
‘If the true inhabitants of Belheim weren’t human but monsters….’
What did that mean?
But such contemplations could wait.
Now was the time to actively exploit the activated [Eloquence] skill.
As the serpent thrust its face inches from mine, Radi trembled like a mouse before a predator, gripping her crossbow with quivering hands as she spoke.
“W-what do we do…? It looks completely hopeless… If we shoot out its eyes and run, maybe there’s a chance we could…!”
“No, wait! Can you hear me?!”
─Ssshhh?
「The Wetland Serpent Abos finds interest in your words.」
「Abos tilts her head curiously and retreats.」
「Your [Eloquence] skill level is still too low to converse in the language of monsters.」
「Distance remaining before being devoured: 0.09m >>> 1m」
‘Damn… nothing ever comes easy.’
Yet the emergence of a chance to negotiate was welcome news indeed.
I swallowed hard and stepped forward before the raft, spreading my arms wide.
After capturing the serpent’s attention, I brought both arms to my mouth and undulated them like a flicking tongue. Radi stared at me as though I’d lost my mind.
“W-what are you doing right now…? Dancing…? Don’t tell me fear has driven you mad….”
“Just be quiet.”
「The Wetland Serpent senses a faint kinship in your actions!」
「The Serpent flicks her tongue, sampling the scent of her prey.」
「Through scent, the Serpent discerns you harbor no malice. She also detects reverence and fear, mingled with subtle madness.」
「Distance remaining before being devoured: 1m >>> 3m」
‘Good, this is working…!’
The first principle of bonding with animals and building rapport: mirror the other’s behavior.
As the serpent withdrew her head slightly, I ceased my hand movements and slowly stamped my feet upon the raft.
Before this terrifying boss monster, my threatening display alarmed Radi, yet I persisted undeterred.
Thump, thump— as rhythmic vibrations rippled across the water’s surface, the Serpent submerged her head and gazed upward with evident fascination.
「The Hyunsah watching you senses vibrations acutely through her jawbone.」
「Some serpents communicate through vibrations. Though your movements are clumsy as a babe’s, the Hyunsah grasps your intent! Her wariness eases slightly.」
「Distance until being devoured: 3m >>> 7m」
“Oh…! The snake is wagging its tail!”
At this point, Radi also caught on to my intention, her eyes widening in surprise.
She frantically glanced around for something to contribute, then snatched up a mangrove leaf that had drifted across the water’s surface.
Soon, Radi began playing a grass-leaf whistle with practiced ease.
「The Hyunsah is pleased by the harmonious melody.」
「She has withdrawn [Hyunsah’s Hostility]. Her eyes narrow with joy as she wags her tail happily.」
「She harbors interest in you and Radi! Whether this is curiosity about new friends or interest in prey remains unknown!」
「Distance until being devoured: 7m >>> 15m」
“Gasp…!”
As the serpent withdrew the venom from her gaze, the crushing pressure that had weighed heavily on my lungs eased.
Each time her tower-like tail swayed gently, the raft rocked precariously, but Radi and I desperately maintained our balance and held firm.
“Well done! Keep playing!”
I entrusted Radi with drawing the serpent’s attention, then quickly racked my brain.
‘What should I do?’
How could I win her favor and put her to full use?
It was fine that I’d devised a plan to break through the merfolk horde using the Layer Lord’s power, but to drag her out of this swamp, I needed one decisive move.
The moment that thought struck me, I was already flailing my arms and shouting.
“Food, great serpent!! Look here!”
─….
“We have no intention of opposing you! Do you understand?! F-friendship might be too much, but… but you can think of us as s-subordinates!!”
「The Hyunsah of the Mangrove Wetland watches you with keen interest.」
「The Hyunsah licks her lips as she gazes upon you!」
「She has awakened from a long slumber and is ravenously hungry.」
「Distance until being devoured: 15m」
“Right, you’re hungry?! If you follow me, I’ll have you eat until you’re stuffed! Eating! Do you understand?! So eating is like this…!”
「You have consumed multiple Kokokuran eggs!」
「Your stats decrease for a certain duration due to nausea and abdominal pain.」
“Ugh…!”
As I grabbed a handful of eggs scattered across the raft floor and stuffed them into my mouth, a fishy, revolting taste clawed down my throat.
Radi, who had been playing the whistle beside me, glanced over as if asking what I was doing, but I paid no mind and swallowed my tears as I continued.
“Hack… ugh… follow me!! Then, just like I’m eating now, I’ll have you eat plenty of f-food…!”
―….
As the Giant Green Anaconda blinked her enormous eyes, text appeared in the log window.
「Your [Rhetoric] skill level is insufficient to communicate with the Giant Green Anaconda!」
「The Hyunsah of the Mangrove Wetland does not understand your words.」
‘Damn… is it over…?’
Just as I was swallowing at the ominous message, a new notification updated.
「However, the Wetland Serpent possesses an innate wisdom and suspects the reason you’ve come to this place.」
「She asks whether it bothers her that humans consume Kokokuran eggs.」
「She expresses pity for your meager and lamentable intellect!」
「Blessed by the Sage Snake, your Intelligence stat temporarily increases by 30!! The stat increase applies until you leave the wetland.」
「She seems to regard you as a somewhat deficient human.」
“Uh… what?”
She raised my Intelligence by 30 with just a single gesture.
Except for Antagon’s Rune, stat increases are notoriously difficult to achieve in Belheim.
‘Moreover, the fact that she knows of humanity’s existence means… she’s a monster that has lived since the age when the ancients frequented this dungeon.’
How old could she possibly be?
My astonishment didn’t end there.
「The Giant Green Anaconda flicks her tongue once more, sampling the air.」
「She detects a familiar scent from you! She has sensed fragments of the power you possess!」
「The wise Serpent recognizes the Father of All Snakes and his followers! She harbors no more hostility. Now she will willingly aid you.」
The tension that had filled the air vanished as swiftly as a serpent’s tail disappearing into shadow.
The overwhelming pressure that had crushed my body dissipated, and I felt my suppressed stats returning to normal.
And a warm, gentle atmosphere filled the void.
The colossal serpent drew closer, gently raising her head as a gesture of familiarity.
Radi pulled her mouth away from the leaves and asked in a bewildered voice.
“W-what on earth is happening…?”
“…Even if the sky falls, there’s always a hole to crawl through.”
“S-so that strange dance and eating the egg really worked?!”
“Well, that was certainly part of it….”
A familiar scent, fragments of power, the Father of All Snakes and his followers?
This almost seemed as if….
‘Does she know about Antagon?’
As I contemplated the connection between this colossal serpent before me and Antagon, a single fact suddenly flashed through my mind.
What was the origin of Antagon in Belheim’s mythology?
‘…Loki from Norse Mythology.’
Loki was both the protagonist of Norse Mythology and the father of monsters—calamity-class creatures like Fenrir and Hel.
And one of them was….
Jörmungandr.
A colossal sea serpent so massive that it could circle the world and still have length to spare.
The undisputed sovereign of all serpent monsters.
These elements were directly applied to Belheim as well, so Antagon in the mythology is often depicted as a being close to monsters.
Another reason why Antagon is called the Evil God.
‘Could it be… that Antagon has special affinity bonuses with certain monsters?’
「You have obtained a clue to the hidden Achievement ‘Friend of the Boss Monster’!」
「It is unprecedented for a human to become friends with a Layer Lord-class boss! She still regards you as merely an intriguing outsider, but if you invest time in building rapport with her, you may establish a genuine friendship.」
「She will gladly lend her strength to this somewhat deficient and naive human intruder!」
“Kyaaaah!”
A scream erupted from beside me, and when I turned, I saw the serpent had hoisted Radi atop its head.
Radi clung desperately to the creature’s skull, trembling violently as she shrieked.
“P-put me down! I have acrophobia!!”
“What’s the difference? You’d just land in the water anyway.”
“Don’t treat this like someone else’s problem—help me!!”
“Just hold on a bit longer. If we agitate it carelessly and wound its pride, we’re finished. …Come this way!”
─Ssshhhhh!
As I gestured while steering the raft, the serpent surged through the water in pursuit.
The colossal anaconda crashed through the obstructing mangrove trees, obliterating them as it gave chase.
‘…Perfect. With this beast, I can annihilate even that army of demons.’
Just you wait.
I’ll show you exactly how I dismantle your entire scheme.
I clenched my fist toward the god watching from somewhere in the shadows.

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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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