novelraw Chapter 59 : The Rock-Scaled Forest Anaconda
Chapter 59 : The Rock-Scaled Forest Anaconda
A strange new skill had appeared.
It wasn’t odd for snake-type monsters to have it. After all, snakes’ way of eating really was just “swallowing whole.”
Still…
It looked weird.
What would a slime need with that kind of skill?
“Mr. Slime, did you get the 【Symbiosis】 skill?”
Rozelite asked.
“No.”
Russell shook his head.
【Symbiosis】 was a very rare skill. It sounded simple, but in reality, it was uncommon and usually only appeared on labyrinth-floor boss monsters.
Though, some special monsters—like amphibians—might have it too.
But that was only speculation.
“In any case, let’s keep moving. Getting new skills is important, but don’t forget, making money is also part of our goal,” Russell said.
“Mm, true enough.”
Rozelite tightened her grip on her sword and pressed deeper.
The further they went, the harder the path became.
The mud clung like greedy mouths, sucking at her boots with each step. Pulling her foot free dragged up heavy clumps of muck. The air was thick as soaked cotton, the heat steadily rising. The stench of rotting plants mixed with a sickly sweetness and iron tang so dense it felt like a weight on her chest.
At least the special boots they bought earlier helped. Without them, she’d be stuck.
Rustle, rustle, rustle—
A sudden chorus of scraping noises rose, even denser than before—as though the entire ground was writhing.
Rozelite froze, 【Eagle Eye】 scanning the leaf-littered mud, her sword point raised.
“Oh? Quite a few this time.”
Russell perked up.
“Be careful.”
Before he finished, gray shadows shot toward her!
Thicker than the previous black snakes, these mud-brown bodies slid slick with slime, nearly blending into the swamp. They didn’t lunge straight on, but skimmed across the muck at high speed, leaving twisting wet trails as they darted for her legs.
Rozelite swung—not at the shadows, but at the ground itself.
Slash, slash, slash!
Her blade scattered mud and leaves, clearing the cover.
And there they were—snakes revealed in the glow of 【Light Magic】.
Splurt!
One reared its jaws wide, spewing a jet of foul mud like an arrow!
Rozelite rolled aside, the sludge grazing her shoulder and splattering across mossy walls.
Her sword flashed, severing another snake mid-lunge in a single blow.
A short hiss, then it flopped still.
The rest went berserk, spitting mud and snapping wildly, trying to bog her down. She fought as she retreated, double enhancement fueling her strikes, scattering mud and blood as her blade hacked through shadows.
The footing was treacherous, but brute strength made up for lost finesse.
Soon, the last mud snake was cleaved apart.
“Huff… huff…”
Rozelite wanted to wipe her sweat, but her hands were caked with slime and mud—her face probably too.
A tentacle slipped from her collar, licking across her cheek like a giant tongue, wiping her clean.
“Fighting in mud is the worst!”
Rozelite grumbled.
The slippery ground sapped her footing, and no matter how much she dodged, the sheer number of spit attacks left her filthy, stinking of rot.
She sniffed her clothes—her little face crumpled instantly.
Meanwhile, Russell was busy devouring the corpses.
There were over a dozen of them—weak, but plentiful.
【Insatiable ∞】
He shared some raw stats with Rozelite, keeping the skills for himself.
【Mimicry lv5 → lv5↑】
【Venom lv1 → lv2↑】
“Hmph. Still nothing useful.”
【Mimicry】 had gained experience, but still far from leveling up. 【Venom】… well, he couldn’t imagine needing poison anytime soon.
“Whatever. Let’s move on.”
“Um, Mr. Slime,” Rozelite asked timidly, “before we go… could you wash me off first?”
“…Sure.”
【Water Magic lv7】
…
They pushed further along.
The monsters were getting stronger, more numerous, and Rozelite began to struggle. Strictly speaking, labyrinth exploration was meant for teams of adventurers. Soloing—even in just a C-rank labyrinth—was grueling.
Thankfully, nothing too dangerous had appeared yet. This floor’s monsters seemed limited in variety, and Russell happily devoured every one Rozelite downed, boosting his skills steadily.
But gradually, the monster encounters slowed.
The air thickened with humidity, a faintly colored miasma seeping through the swamp. The stench was suffocating.
Rozelite’s expression soured.
Russell checked her status panel.
【Status: Poisoned】
If it were anyone else, that would be fatal without prompt treatment. HP would plummet fast. But Rozelite seemed fine—pale, but moving unhindered.
“So, the miasma is poisonous.”
“Rozelite, time to drink one of the antidotes we bought,” Russell advised.
“Okay.”
She reached for her pack—but froze as the ground trembled.
A massive weight was moving beneath the swamp.
Then came the gut-twisting sound of something huge dragging itself through the sludge.
A colossal shadow loomed through the thick miasma, slowly emerging.
“Enemy incoming. Fast,” Russell muttered.
Rozelite forgot the potion and gripped her sword, 【Eagle Eye】 barely piercing the haze.
It was a snake.
A massive one.
Just the part of its body above ground was as thick as an ancient tree trunk. Jagged, rock-hard scales covered its body. Between them oozed pus-colored sludge, stinking of decay, radiating an oppressive aura like a crushing wave.
Rozelite’s blood froze.
That size…
Could her sword even pierce it?
【Name: Rock-Scaled Forest Anaconda】
【Species: Serpent】
【Level: 25】
【Status: None】
【HP: 688 / 688】
【MP: 500 / 500】
【Skills: Earth Magic lv4, Constriction lv5, Venom Resistance lv4, Hardening lv3, Underwater Breathing lv2, Charge lv4, Swallow Whole lv3, Symbiosis lv2, Thermal Vision lv3】
“…Looks like we’ve hit the boss.”
Every labyrinth floor had a boss monster, far stronger than regular mobs. Usually, it took teamwork and coordination to bring one down.
That said…
It was just another monster.
“This one’s too tough for you. A one-handed sword won’t scratch those scales. Leave it to me,” Russell said.
“B-but…”
“No point being reckless. Hand your body over.”
“…Fine.”
The massive serpent slid closer, its lantern-sized eyes gleaming with menace. Rozelite had no idea where to even start.
She surrendered control to Russell.
“So, Mr. Slime… how do you plan to fight it?” she asked.
“Like this.”
Russell raised a finger and pointed at the serpent.
【Mana Cannon lv8】
BOOM!
A thunderous blast shook the swamp.
The anaconda stopped moving.
【HP: 0 / 688】
Victory.