So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

"Monster, you have intelligence."

'Obviously.'

"Do you have a grudge against me?"

The elderly man Oban VanKloss.

He asked me with a puzzled expression.

'I do.'

I have a grudge.

'Those bombs are mine.'

"So you're the original owner of the bombs?"

Oban VanKloss answered shamelessly.

"I thought there might be an original owner since they were from the black market, but I couldn't imagine they belonged to a snake."

'You were freely killing people with my belongings.'

"I apologize. But thanks to those explosives, my plan progressed much more smoothly. I'm grateful for that."

'Oh, no need to mention it...'

When he honestly thanked me, I unconsciously wagged my tail.

Then I suddenly remembered. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

'And you're my friend's enemy!'

"Friend?"

'Do you know Oliver, I mean Noksu?'

Though it's unfortunate for Oliver.

"I don't know that name."

Oban VanKloss didn't even know Oliver's name.

'Oliver's wife and guild members died because of you. They were caught in your terrorist attack.'

"...That."

I thought Oban would snort dismissively or ignore it.

But he didn't.

"I'm sorry about that. I can't make any excuses."

But Oban VanKloss showed emotion for the first time.

It was clearly 'regret'.

"However, what I want to say for certain is that I didn't commit those acts out of personal gain or vengeance. I'm just struggling to prevent more deaths."

'Ugh...'

He's saying troublesome things.

'I am the enemy of the Emperor. I've devoted everything to that. It's impossible to apologize to the lost lives, but my corpse has been abandoned here in the sewers, so the bereaved families can tear it into ten thousand pieces and burn it if they wish... Perhaps that might ease their anger a little.'

"You're talking crap. That kind of..."

The one who interrupted was none other than Oliver.

He appeared behind me.

"Ssaak!"

Oliver! Where did one of your feet go?

Moreover, the Sword Saint had appeared beside Oliver.

That's when I heard Oban VanKloss's voice in my head.

'Strange monster.'

As he was a spirit form, he could communicate mentally like Pelerian.

'You seem to be a special monster, so I'll tell you.'

And he told me something I hadn't asked.

'The Emperor is the worst human in history. That's for certain.'

And what am I supposed to do about that?

I quickly crawled to Oliver.

The Sword Saint stepped forward.

"Oban VanKloss!"

"Sword Saint Garnerius."

"His Imperial Majesty has ordered your execution."

The appearance of the elderly swordsman that looked like an immortal was completely out of place in these sewers.

Oban VanKloss glared at the Sword Saint and said.

"Still living as the Emperor's dog. Even though you should know everything..."

"I shall now execute the order."

"Aren't you ashamed..."

Oban VanKloss couldn't finish his words.

Because the Sword Saint moved his sword.

And I could understand why Pelerian evaluated Sword Saint Garnerius as the 'Continent's First Sword'.

How could one do such things with a sword?

In the air, exactly where Oban VanKloss was, countless slashes 'occurred'.

Ping ping ping ping ping ping!

A single slash compressed and cut the air.

Oban VanKloss's form was split into hundreds of pieces.

I couldn't help but admire it.

"Ssaa..."

What I knew wasn't true 'nothingness'.

Kadam and Gunter were strong too, but this was the first time I'd seen such beautiful, perfect swordsmanship.

「You have witnessed the pinnacle of swordsmanship.」

「Your swordsmanship horizon has broadened.」

An unknown message rang, but I couldn't pay attention to it.

But no matter how excellent a sword is, could it not cut a formless spirit?

Oban VanKloss wriggled and regenerated his form again.

"It's futile. I am already dead..."

The Sword Saint swung his sword once more.

This time, thousands of slashes occurred in an instant.

Swish-

A gale blew through.

But even this time, Oban VanKloss regenerated.

"...Still as ignorant as ever, thinking to cut a spirit with a sword."

"You think I can't cut it?"

This time, the Sword Saint gripped his sword with both hands.

A chilling silence settled.

The aura emanating from the Sword Saint was gradually being gathered.

This time something really big is coming.

One big hit is coming!

As a warrior walking the path of the sword, I was full of anticipation.

Suddenly, the Sword Saint stopped abruptly.

Then, as if he couldn't believe it, he raised his head to look up.

Though all he would see is the ceiling.

Oban VanKloss smiled for the first time.

The Sword Saint gritted his teeth and asked.

"You dare to... His Majesty..."

"Now you understand? You're quite late."

Oban made a shocking declaration.

"The Emperor will die. No, he might already be dead."

"Did you plan all this to lure me here?"

The Sword Saint, who had never questioned before, asked for the first time.

That's how dangerous the situation must be.

"Yes."

Oban VanKloss's answer was short, and.

I felt something crawling up from below.

Whoop! Spirit beasts emerged from the ground all around.

Each one had an adhesive bomb in its mouth.

'Oliver!'

I strongly commanded Oliver.

To stick close to the Sword Saint.

Oliver did so. He rushed to the Sword Saint as if throwing his body.

The ancient bombs exploded again.

Bang bang bang bang!

He's using my bombs however he pleases.

Since there were multiple powerful bombs, it was enough to cause an earth-shaking mega-explosion.

But surprisingly, we were fine.

Other than our eyes being a bit dazzled and our ears ringing, we were okay.

"With mere bombs like these..."

It was thanks to the Sword Saint.

"...did you think you could do something to me?"

Amazingly, the Sword Saint blocked the explosion by hiding behind a single sword.

There wasn't even a trace of the explosion within about 2 meters radius around him.

We survived because we were inside that radius.

Oban VanKloss, whose form had again been scattered by the explosion, was regenerating once more.

"No, I didn't think that."

I see, I thought you were trying to kill us.

"But I can at least bind you here for a while as I kill the Emperor."

He must have detonated bombs elsewhere too.

Except for this cavern by the underground lake, the cave was completely destroyed.

There was no way out at all.

Now I could understand Oban VanKloss's purpose.

Everything was to separate the Sword Saint from the Emperor.

For that, he had gambled with his own life.

Burning countless people like fuel...

"That bastard...!"

And the Sword Saint didn't hesitate at all.

Instead of getting angry and throwing a fit, he simply charged at the dead end with a single sword.

He was a man who demonstrated the miracle of blocking an explosion with a single sword.

With that sword, he drilled a hole in the collapsed wall.

And threw his body into it.

Boom- Boom- Boom-

He was using his sword like an excavator to break through the walls.

Neither I nor Oliver even thought of following.

The wall that the Sword Saint had pierced collapsed instantly, and all we could hear was the thumping sound getting farther away.

"Heh, hehe..."

Oliver slumped down.

I was so dumbfounded that I felt like laughing too.

But Oliver didn't seem to be laughing because he felt good.

Tears streamed down his eyes.

"It was wrong from the start for a mouse to try to get revenge on an elephant."

Oliver was tasting despair.

"Just destined to die under their feet anyway..."

Instead of comforting him, I corrected the fact.

'Oliver.'

"...Yes."

'I'm not a mouse but a snake.'

Oliver turned and stared at me.

I told him a fact he didn't know.

'And snakes eat elephants in one bite.'

"...What?"

You need to read some books.