I Became the Only Reptile in the Community

Chapter 7 – Actually, I’m a strong snake? 3

—–CROW—– 

Ancient times were fundamentally rich in mana.

Therefore, it was established that all living creatures at that time possessed robust vitality and strength.

However, because they were accustomed to abundant mana, they were reluctant to approach places where mana was even denser.

I had heard that this was true not only for beasts but also for humans.

Beasts were reluctant to go due to their instincts, and humans were reluctant due to the sacrifices of their ancestors, who learned that straying into such areas could lead to death from excessive mana absorption.

Of course, there were special cases like me.

But those were extremely rare, close to a 0% probability.

Excluding special cases like myself, those who came to such places did so for two main reasons.

One was when a beast that had ascended to the rank of mythical creature sought rest.

This level of magic power wouldn’t pose a significant threat to a mythical creature.

As I just mentioned, no one approached places with dense mana, so from a mythical creature’s perspective, it was the ideal place for quiet rest.

‘And the second. Honestly, this was the most dangerous type.’

While the first came for rest, the second came out of desperation, literally cornered with their lives on the line.

Yes, just like the creature in front of me.

“Squeak! Screech! Kyaak!!”

A giant rat that didn’t look like a mythical creature, nor did it seem to have come for rest.

An uninvited guest that suddenly appeared while I was peacefully eating and relaxing.

The giant rat, with a body five times larger than mine, yet emaciated as if its skin was stretched directly over its bones, bared its teeth and glared at me.

“Sss.”

‘This won’t be easy to ignore.’

The rat’s hostility towards me was intense.

If it had even a little stamina left, if it weren’t for the venom I had sprayed earlier while practicing, we wouldn’t be in this standoff.

If even one of those conditions weren’t met, we would be in a fierce battle right now.

‘Seriously. I was sleeping and playing so well, and this happens.’

This was the first living creature I had encountered here.

I was happy to meet a living being, but it was a different story if it was hostile towards me.

Look at it.  Its eyes were bloodshot, glaring at me.

They say even a cornered rat will bite a cat.

But this opponent was larger than me and on the verge of losing its mind from hunger.

Fighting it would surely result in serious injury.

I immediately kept my eyes fixed on the rat, not daring to look away, and moved my tail to write a post.

[The situation is a little dangerous lol]

-Author: YonggariSnack

Guys I tink I’m in dangoer.  There’s a rat in front of me and it looks like it wants to fight what do I do.

It’s bigger than me but it looks really skinny like it hasn’t eaten anything.  Should I fight it? If there’s another way please tell me. I’m really scard.

-What is he saying?

-Is the Gallery Master drunk?  Those typos, are you serious?

-He must have escaped from a snake wine jar.

└You’re really something LOL.

-So, what’s he saying?

└A rat appeared in the cave where the Gallery Master lives, and they’re about to fight, so he’s asking if there’s another way besides fighting.

└Oh.

-Gallery Master, just fight it. It’s time to get moving.

└Agreed. The Gallery Master needs some combat experience.  Eating, sleeping, and playing every day. Is that a life?

└The Gallery Master isn’t a person, he’s a snake.

There were a lot of typos because I wrote it in a hurry, but I was asking for advice!

This wasn’t the time for playful jokes.

I was really desperate.

Ssssss.

I slowly moved my body, preparing for the rat to attack.

Physical condition: Good.

Mental condition: Good.

Even if I fought, I wouldn’t go down easily.

Even if I was just a snake less than a month old!

“Ssssaaa.”

There was a saying about small peppers being spicy.

I would become even spicier when I grew bigger, but even now, I was spicy enough to breathe fire.

“Keak. Screech. Squeak.”

Did the rat sense my burning passion and determination?

Stagger. Thud. Thud.

It suddenly started staggering and bumping into the walls.

It looked like it wasn’t in good shape, but I didn’t know it was struggling even to move.

‘But it’s still scary, isn’t it?’

Even if the opponent was staggering, the difference in size remained.

It still had a massive body more than five times larger than mine.

‘Look at its eyes.’

And that rat, even while bumping into the wall, it didn’t take its eyes off me.

That relentless gaze made even me, who was full of resolve, flinch momentarily.

Gulp.

“Sss!”

‘Hey! I’m requesting a dialogue!’

…I wasn’t scared of its appearance.

I just thought it was best to resolve the situation through conversation rather than fighting.

If I were human, conversation would be impossible, but I was a beast now.  Surely, I could communicate with it to some extent…

“Screech! Squeak!”

“Sss!”

‘Hmm! I don’t understand a word!’

Just as I couldn’t understand what it was saying, it seemed it couldn’t understand me either.

And it seemed to have misinterpreted my words, getting even more agitated and charging towards me.

I wanted to talk, but if the situation escalated like this, there was no other choice.

“Sss!!”

‘Come at me, you rat bastard!!’

Since we were going to fight anyway, I’d fight with all my might!

I lunged forward like a spring, opening my mouth towards the charging giant rat.

***

While the unnamed snake, called Gallery Master in the gallery, resolved to fight the giant rat, a heated debate was igniting in the gallery.

[I want to fight the Gallery Master.]

-Author: SixThousandSixtySix

Ugh, why am I in a different dimension and a different era from the Gallery Master?

I want to meet him and fight him.

I’m really the weakest in the academy, but I think I could easily beat the Gallery Master.

I used to live with my head down, always cautious, but I’m regaining my spirit by watching the Gallery Master.

I’m so grateful that I’ve been drinking snake wine and eating snake meat lately.

It’s surprisingly chewy.

Thank you, Gallery Master. Please stay weak like this.

-This guy is just crazy.

-Crazy bastard, crazy bastard.

-It’s just a typical troll post. Don’t feed him.

This post was the cause of the current heated discussion in the gallery.

You might wonder why.

It just seemed like a typical troll post, didn’t it?

Actually, it was. This post was written by someone in another dimension who neglected his training and loved to play around, out of jealousy towards the Gallery Master, the hot topic of the gallery.

-I can see why he’s at the bottom of the academy.  Easily beat the Gallery Master?

Normally, such a post would have been buried under newer posts and disappeared.

However, the situation changed when a user, called the Sword Saint of a certain dimension, left a comment.

└(Author): So the Gallery Master is strong?  You’d lose to a snake?

└How did this idiot even achieve an achievement?  He’ll probably hit a game over soon and become one less person in the gallery.

└(Author): Screw you.

One side clearly mocked the Gallery Master.

And the other side mocked the author in return.

└Those who insult the Gallery Master are just brainless idiots.  Just look at his daily growth rate, it’s astounding LOL.

└Agreed. Honestly, looking at the Gallery Master’s recent form, he’d be above average even in the academy.

└No, looking at the posts and pictures from yesterday, he should be ranked among the top students.

Several people, all powerhouses in their respective dimensions, chimed in, agreeing with the Sword Saint.

-Hey, why are you guys fighting? The Gallery Master is weak, right?

└Agreed. I could chop his head off with an axe in 10 seconds.

└I could do it in 5.

└LOL.

Of course, there were many who sided with the author.

And these people had one thing in common.

Those who mocked the Gallery Master and sided with the author were all ordinary individuals who hadn’t achieved anything significant in their respective dimensions.

On the other hand, those who agreed with the Sword Saint were similarly powerful individuals, belonging to the ranks of the “strong” in their respective dimensions.

And these powerful individuals were all amazed and awed by the Gallery Master’s strength.

The characteristics of ancient times.

Rational and logical judgment due to retaining human intelligence.

And lastly, the luck of being in a favorable environment.

These three factors combined resulted in the Gallery Master showing a growth rate incomparable to others.

“Click. Scree, screech.”

“Ssssaaaack.”

‘Just die already.’

Even if the opponent was more than five times his size.

Thud.

The fight between the Gallery Master and the giant rat didn’t last long.

He effortlessly dodged the giant rat’s initial charge and bit its ankle, injecting venom.

And then, he quickly climbed up its leg, biting its thigh, hip, waist, belly, and so on.

He dodged the giant rat’s movements and diligently bit it, injecting venom into its body.

Crunch.

An ordinary snake would have held on after biting, constricting the opponent with its body to control its movements.

But the Gallery Master possessed intelligence that didn’t rely solely on instinct.

Ssssss.

He willingly abandoned the snake’s signature fighting style if it meant a safer and more certain victory.

‘I can’t die here.’

And so, the Gallery Master made his first kill since being born as a snake.

—–CROW—–