"Shut it."
I put on my scariest face. I flicked out my purple tongue and bared my fangs. Saaak. Come to think of it, hissing like that seemed more like something a cat would do than a snake. But most monsters cowered when I threatened them like this.
—N-No way.
It seemed to work on Pellelian too. He looked utterly dazed.
—It could fail, or the effect might wear off quickly. But for it to have zero effect... No, maybe he wasn't scared of me.
I scolded him sternly. "You should start with an apology, Pellelian."
—What went wrong? What kind of freak mutation is this! It doesn't make sense.
I tried breathing fire at the ring. Fwoosh! I was curious if he'd scream "Hot!" or something.
—No, you're even using magic now! Unbelievable!
Not quite. If anything, he seemed thrilled that I could use magic, practically falling over backward in excitement. To him, I must've looked like some rare specimen.
I banged the ring around, dunked it in a puddle—nothing worked. All the while, Pellelian just kept marveling at how special I was.
No choice, then. Time to try the method I'd thought up.
"State your second wish. From now on, answer all my questions honestly."
—Hmm... fine. ...Got it.
Pellelian nodded reluctantly. That was it? Even in this situation, he'd grant my wish? He'd said a mage's oath couldn't be broken, but believing that outright would make me a fool. I wasn't a stupid snake.
First question: "Is there a way for me to harm you?"
—The soul dwelling in this ring... it could be destroyed.
"A way to cause you pain?"
—Tch. Inject mana into the ring, and you could hurt me. Hard to teach, though. Needs precise mana control.
Really? I'd know if he was lying once I tested it. I laid my tail over the ring and, like when I used magic, pumped in some mana. Scream in pain for me, Pellelian.
—Urghik!
But Pellelian twisted with a weird noise. He didn't look pained—just ticklish. Guess even without a body, he had senses. But tickling turns to agony if it goes on long enough. Soon he was making choking sounds.
—Stop, aaak!
Fiddling with the flow and intensity of mana, I finally got him to scream.
—Stop it! Damn, you learn fast.
If that was just acting, he should've been an actor, not a mage. So he was telling the truth.
"What's your greatest fear?"
—...
"Answer me."
—Dying. Being cast into darkness. And more than anything...
The chatty old man had gone quiet. Now his face was dry as old driftwood, parched from too many years.
—Before that inevitable death comes, rotting away having accomplished nothing.
A chill laced his dry voice. Didn't sound like a lie. Perfect, then. I picked up the ring with my tail.
"Then I've got just the thing."
—What are you... doing.
I caught a frog hopping by the puddle. Slid the ring onto its limp body. Wrapped my tail around the floppy frog and pushed through the underbrush.
Pellelian kept asking anxiously what I was up to. I ignored him. Deeper in the forest, I spotted a wild boar rooting around, eating grubs. Not a monster—just a regular pig. It squealed when it noticed me, scared stiff.
—Answer me! What are you doing!
"You should've just quietly granted my wish. Being stuck in this ring and abandoned beats traveling with me, right?"
—...
Yeah, no comeback for that. It was true.
"Farewell!"
"Turn into pig shit!"
—Wait nooo!
I chucked the ringed frog into the squealing boar's mouth. It gulped in surprise, instinctively swallowing. Then it just stared blankly. When I backed off without attacking, it went back to snuffling the dirt.
What a dumb beast. And Pellelian had been swallowed by that dumb beast. One day it'd come out as shit, left to rot abandoned. Exactly the end he feared most.
How likely was it someone who understood Elvish would show up in the middle of this rainforest to save him? He'd used Domination on me after saying "with my last handful of mana." I'd watched for escape attempts—none. Seems he couldn't project his illusion from inside a belly. Or maybe not anymore.
Live a good life next time, Pellelian. Don't get born as some nasty fairy race. Be a kind animal, like a snake. Goodbye.
— Some time ago —Pellelian the Reverse Heaven Archmage. He hadn't always borne that grandiose epithet of Reverse Heaven.
From childhood, he'd been tagged with a different descriptor: the Hideous Pellelian.
Ah, the hideous Pellelian. Born into the beautiful fairy race, yet his looks were grotesque. No smooth, heavenly-blessed skin, no wrinkle-free face, no long, graceful limbs. From youth, he resembled a shriveled old human. Short stature, stubby legs, hunched back. A curse from the heavens.
His parents were flawless fairies. But looks didn't matter. Pellelian compensated with magical talent and intellect surpassing any fairy.
The true ugliness lay elsewhere.
—Damn it all!
In his heart. In his soul. He knew it best himself—the ugliness buried deep within.
Envy, rage, resentment, hatred, twistedness. An ugly soul demanded an outward mask. But even that was hideous. What to do?
Pellelian immersed himself in his race. His obsession with monster evolution was natural. Blood stained the path. No regrets—necessary sacrifices for his race's evolution.
But now, inside a boar's belly, he wasn't proud.
Guilt for tricking the snake? For refusing the wish and trying to dominate instead? No.
He couldn't answer the snake's questions. No memories.
He'd affirmed he was Pellelian, but without conviction. He remembered his soul being torn and sealed in the ring. But how? Why? Blank.
Last he recalled, he'd neared evolution's secret. A clue to evolve his entire race to high elves. Victory in sight—why was his soul ripped?
The ring's spirit was his original body's "insurance," like a lich's phylactery. What happened to the body?
He knew nothing. No mana left, either. Just bound to the ring. No escape.
Doomed to become shit. Buried, forgotten in eternal silence. Endless torment until ego collapsed after eons.
Terror gripped him. In pitch darkness, the great archmage trembled mentally. Facing his worst death.
—I should've just granted the wish...!
Too late.
—Anyone! Pellelian is trapped here!
But he only sloshed in stomach acid. He could see, hear, smell—no pain, but the stench was vile. Worse in the intestines.
Three hours in the stomach.
—Please...
Four in the small intestine.
—Sniff... sob...
Pellelian, who hadn't lost venom under knightly torture, finally wept. Sorrow worse than pain. He was dying of grief.
Then, into the colon, buried in shit—
Kweeek! A scream. The boar's death cry.
The world flipped. Pellelian tumbled in the guts.
Light poured in. Someone slit the belly.
And it was...
"Hey."
The snake. He thought himself scary-looking—nope. Pythons just had dopey faces, black round eyes unlike vipers or cobras. Staring like that.
First time a snake's face felt welcoming.
The snake didn't pull him out—just stared. Pellelian knew what to say.
No hesitation.
—Sorry!
"Hm."
—I apologize. Sorry for tricking you. I'll grant your wish. No mana now, so not sure what I can do, but anything possible...!
The snake made the Reverse Heaven archmage apologize. Remarkable, considering he'd never apologized since childhood. The snake wouldn't know.
"Wasn't gonna save you. Just had questions, then feed you to another animal."
—Don't! I'll be good, really... I'll do well...
So humble. Once pride bent, the rest was easy.
"Fine? Then for the third wish, promise this."
—Anything!
"Never harm me, directly or indirectly."
—I swear. On my soul as Pellelian, Reverse Heaven Archmage.
"And obey my words. Do as I say, nicely."
—That's two wishes...
"Don't like it?"
—Fine, I swear!
Pellelian made an unbreakable oath. The snake grinned—or seemed to.
"Good. Oh, and can you teach me magic? Only got beginner earth and fire elemental."
Wishes used up, yet so brazen.
—Before you stands the Reverse Heaven Archmage. Child's play.
Such words slipped out naturally. Then it hit him. He'd sworn never to take a disciple. Was this one?
"Thanks, but don't expect master treatment. Not that."
—Good. A relief, then.
Pellelian relaxed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇My talent is exceptional. Not bragging—the power that reincarnated me acknowledged it. Potential 20, after all. No issues learning magic.
Pellelian was much meeker after nearly becoming shit. Cleaning the ring was a chore. I'd threatened to turn him into a turd again if he slipped up, but I didn't want to wear a stinky ring forever.
As long as he didn't betray me, it was essential. Needed a bag until sub-space magic. Potions inside, too.
—Borrowing Horn... Never heard of it.
"Don't horned monsters have it?"
—Joking? Even horn-type monsters mostly just stab with them. Stealing a human skill that strong? Impossible.
"Not stealing—borrowing."
Corrected him.
—And Leaping Horn or whatever is equally absurd. High monster unique skill level.
I straightened proudly. Couldn't hide the smugness.
Unaware, Pellelian explained.
—Borrowed golem magic, huh. Explains awakening two beginner elementals. Mystery solved.
"Yep."
—But learning via shortcuts doesn't count as true entry to magic.
Pellelian grew cocky teaching.
—I, progenitor of magic arts!
His eyes gleamed.
—Now, the remaining two elements. Water and wind magic.
🌿 SKILL EVOLUTION 🌿Beginner Elemental Magic├─ Earth: Awakened ✓
├─ Fire: Awakened ✓
├─ Water: Learned ✓
└─ Wind: Learned ✓
The path of the true Magic Snake began. I learned the two magics.
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Read 176 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/i-became-the-serpent-of-the-apocalypse
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