Where did Zelir get so much strength?

The lopsided outcome didn’t just stun Gray. Even Marcus Valles and Gak, who had been watching from the sidelines, grew intrigued.

"I didn’t see that coming, Zelir... You’re that strong?" Gak’s voice boomed.

"No, no... That didn’t count! Let’s go again!"

Gray flexed his wrist and, with a serious expression, issued another Challenge to Zelir.

’Losing to a Mage is just too humiliating.’

’I will defend the honor of all Warriors!’

"Alright. Let’s see what you can do when you’re really trying," Zelir readily accepted.

This time, Gray didn’t hold back.

The moment they began, he summoned all the Power in his body. The muscles in his forearm bulged as he tried to slam Zelir’s hand down instantly.

But Zelir was not to be outdone.

With a low grunt, they both pushed at the same time. The table let out a "CREAK... CREAK..." as if groaning under the strain.

This time, Zelir couldn’t pin Gray as easily as before. The two were locked in a fierce stalemate.

Gray’s face flushed bright red, the veins on his forehead bulging.

Zelir wasn’t having an easy time either. He gritted his teeth, fighting against Gray’s Power.

’What are they doing...?’

Eira, behind the counter, curiously stood on her tiptoes and peeked over.

Once she saw what was happening, a strange expression appeared on her face.

’They’re grown men... Why are they acting like children?’

"Alright, alright, that’s enough. Stop."

Marcus stepped forward to intervene. "Save your strength. You don’t want to end up breaking an arm."

His Power was clearly far greater than Zelir’s or Gray’s. He grabbed each of their wrists and easily pulled them apart.

"HUFF... HUFF..."

Gray rubbed his sore, tingling wrist, wincing. "Zelir, where did you get all that strength?"

"Did you forget? I used to plow fields," Zelir said, also panting.

’Alright, so it seems my current physical condition is just about on par with a Junior Warrior.’

’That should be enough for now.’

Marcus put an end to the little farce and drew everyone’s attention back to the quest board.

Their eyes skipped over the lower tiers, and they began searching for a quest at the very top, where the highest Difficulty missions were posted.

Soon, one particular request caught their eye.

[Extermination Quest: Black-Scaled Python of the Deep Swamp]

The Black-Scaled Python in the depths of the swamp has recently entered its breeding season. Large numbers of common Water Pythons, drawn by its pheromones, have gathered, causing a severe snake infestation.

Several Hunters have already gone missing in the area, posing a great threat to the safety of nearby villages.

Quest Level: Junior Three Stars

Quest Objective:

Kill the Black-Scaled Python, then eliminate as many of the remaining common Water Pythons as possible.

Reward:

Killing the Black-Scaled Python will earn a reward of Ten Gold Coins.

Additionally, for every common Water Python killed, a further reward of Ten Silver Coins will be given.

Association Note:

A Black-Scaled Python in its breeding season can typically attract dozens of common Water Pythons. The numbers are extremely high, so please be extremely careful.

"They must have gotten the rating on this quest wrong, right?"

Gray was a little confused.

"A single Black-Scaled Python with a Difficulty Rating, plus a bunch of Water Pythons that aren’t even Demons—how does that warrant a Junior Three Stars Level?"

"The rating’s not wrong. Of all the Demons with a Difficulty Rating, the Black-Scaled Python is arguably one of the toughest to handle."

Marcus said, "What do you think? Should we take this quest?"

"Sounds good." No one objected.

After confirming the quest, they each went their separate ways to prepare.

...

「West of Gray Wood Forest.」

After following a mountain path for some distance, the Marcus Squad saw the large swampy wetland that was the location of their quest.

The air was hot and humid, thick with the smell of silt. The ground underfoot was soft and sodden, and it was easy to sink with a wrong step.

Fortunately, everyone had followed Marcus’s advice and changed into knee-high waterproof boots before setting out. This saved them from the misery of trudging along with shoes full of muck.

"I’ll never understand... why would snakes want to breed in a godforsaken place like this?"

Valles complained with disgust as he stepped into a murky, bubbling puddle.

"Because this environment is perfect for them."

Gray carefully picked his way across firmer patches of ground. "It’s damp, concealed, and full of food."

"Food?"

Zelir looked around; all he saw was rotting deadwood and black silt.

"What’s here besides mud and muck?"

"See that? Underneath is all soft, quicksand-like mud."

Gray moved closer to Zelir, pointing at a muddy pool in the distance.

"Doesn’t matter if you’re a man, a deer, or a bear. Once you step in there, you’re not getting out. The more you struggle, the faster you sink. The forest never runs out of unlucky suckers like that."

"But pythons can move through this kind of terrain without any problems, so this place is basically their all-you-can-eat buffet."

After hearing Gray’s explanation, Zelir instinctively drew back, keeping a safe distance from any suspicious-looking pools.

The group trudged onward, their steps sinking unevenly into the sludge.

As they ventured deeper into the swamp, a faint mist began to rise, and the choking stench grew more intense.

"Look at this..."

Valles suddenly spoke up, pointing to the dense, crisscrossing tracks of something slithering on the ground.

The moisture in the tracks hadn’t evaporated yet; they were clearly recent.

"They’re close..."

Marcus looked around. "Everyone, be on your guard!"

After carefully parting a curtain of hanging vines, the sight that met their eyes was one they would never forget.

Before them lay an open expanse of swamp. In the center of a pool, a giant sphere writhed and coiled.

Only upon closer inspection did they realize it was a breeding ball, formed by at least thirty or forty male Water Pythons tangled together. It was at least five meters in diameter.

Those male Water Pythons were wrapped together like twisted cables, squeezing each other.

The slick scales churned in the water, their friction producing a constant "SHH... SHH..." sound, interspersed with the pythons’ excited, heavy panting.

The combination of sounds was enough to cause a visceral sense of revulsion.

All kinds of viscous fluids continuously oozed from the gaps in the snake ball, emitting a uniquely potent, rank odor.

"My... god..." Even Gak, for all his wild nature, was stunned by the sight.

The Black-Scaled Python has a very interesting characteristic: they are all female.

Their reproductive behavior is extremely violent and cruel.

On specific days, the Black-Scaled Python will spread pheromones through the water to express its need to mate.

These pheromones spread rapidly through the water, attracting every male Water Python from kilometers around to come and mate.

But the Black-Scaled Python doesn’t mate with just one or a few of the males. It forces all the pythons to compete.

During the breeding period, which lasts for more than ten days, a Black-Scaled Python can typically attract dozens of Water Pythons, sometimes even hundreds.

They all wrap themselves around the Black-Scaled Python’s body, constantly squeezing in an attempt to drive off competitors. They pile on top of each other, forming a massive breeding ball.

The purpose of this is to filter out the strongest Water Python. Only the victor earns the right to mate with the Black-Scaled Python. During the process, it’s not uncommon for weaker pythons to be squeezed to death.

After this twisted reproductive behavior is completed, the offspring born to the Black-Scaled Python will not necessarily all inherit its Demon bloodline.

Only a portion will become Black-Scaled Python hatchlings, while the rest will be common Water Pythons.