The Snake and Him

Ruger's ears snapped upright, the notched ear beneath his hood twitching.

Spell knowledge? Catching the big snake?

Both matters interested him. For one, he did not want the big snake returning to the kobold territory to cause more trouble. For another, he had long craved exchanges with wizard apprentices and the acquisition of spell knowledge. Naturally, the premise was that there could be no danger. If the other side had been two first-level wizard apprentices under circumstances like these, he would have swaggered over long ago, plopped himself down, and called them brothers within three sentences. He might even have fabricated some tear-soaked tale of enduring humiliation after being transformed from a handsome man into a kobold.

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Unfortunately, these were two fifth-level wizard apprentices who had appeared here with a clear purpose. Still, if they were willing to communicate, the unequal status would merely turn an exchange into a request for instruction. That was not a bad option either.

"One chance to ask a question, and one zero-ring spell. But the condition is that you act as bait—and don't screw it up."

Baangte's voice sounded from behind him.

After a brief moment of thought, Ruger understood. Some of the fire man's words had actually been meant for him as well. This man had already anticipated things and given him some of the information he needed to make his decision. For instance, Baangte had pursued that snake more than once. Baangte was powerful enough to kill it. From that, it seemed that the reason it had escaped several times was precisely because he did not wish to kill it. That clever snake had clearly seen through this too, and every time it fled with the posture of gambling its life.

At a time like this, bait was needed.

Ruger turned around. "It is my honor to be of help to you two. A little danger is nothing."

Since the big guy is so strong, he should be able to protect me, right? he thought.

One spell and one opportunity to ask a question. There were naturally many things he wanted to ask, but after some hesitation, he decided to first settle the matter of his bonded magical pet, which had been left unresolved for so long. If he needed some corresponding spell, he could conveniently solve everything at once and get the spell as well.

"Looks like you were an educated noble before you were sold to Black Calamity Tower." The fire man fiddled with the campfire without even looking up.

Ruger very much wanted to say that everyone in his homeland could receive an education, but after thinking it over, he kept quiet for fear of causing trouble. If they asked where he came from, he would surely be full of holes and unable to answer at all.

He looked toward the roasted beast leg of which the three had eaten, leaving less than half behind.

"My lord, pardon my boldness, but may I take it with me?"

He suddenly thought of Aisijin. If his wish was to become a powerful wizard, or something even more complicated, then Aisijin's wish was much simpler. To eat delicious food and have her fill at every meal—that was her greatest wish. Perhaps some changes were quietly taking place now, but that wish undoubtedly still occupied an important place in her heart.

Roasted meat cooked to just the right tenderness, refined with all sorts of spices she had never seen before—given the kobold girl's love for new things and good food, she would definitely be delighted.

"That is praise for me."

With a wave of the man's hand, the roasted beast leg flew over. Smiling, Ruger directly placed it in his storage bag.

"Follow me."

Baangte put away the crystal-like sphere.

Ruger had barely taken a step when, with a bang, Baangte pushed off the ground and shot away like a cannonball.

He looked at his short little legs, cast Strength of the Savage Bull on himself, gritted his teeth, and chased after him with all his might.

Very soon, the glow of the campfire vanished behind him. At first, he could still see Baangte's back, but gradually, all he could do was hear the monstrous thuds of his feet striking the ground. In the end, he realized even those faint sounds were about to disappear.

He felt as though his new spell and bonded magical pet were waving goodbye to him.

Baangte's method was not the cool and handsome way of traveling that he wanted, but Ruger had to admit that this astonishingly imposing yet plain and unadorned approach truly left others eating dust. And it was certainly simpler and more reliable than those flashy methods.

BOOM!

"You're too slow."

Baangte turned in midair and landed beside him without stopping, grabbing him by the shoulder and carrying him onward.

Ruger's weight naturally had no effect on Baangte at all, and he got to experience what it felt like to race like the wind and fly like lightning. It only strengthened his resolve to acquire some powerful travel spell or method. But soon, the quality of that experience plummeted. He discovered that Baangte's leaping, sprinting method of travel was extremely unfriendly to the stomach he had stuffed full of roasted meat.

The two leaped out through an inconspicuous exit from the small-cavern area.

After racing all the way, they reached a place of complex terrain. At a glance, there were at least twenty holes in the ground, as though enormous rats had built a collective nest here. That was only what his limited view could reveal; judging from the situation, there were definitely many more beyond his line of sight.

Baangte finally set him down and took out the sphere, examining it again and again.

"It has found a way to counter tracking."

Baangte suddenly put away the sphere and looked at him with blazing eyes.

"Take this. Remember what I'm about to say." Baangte shoved something into Ruger's hand. "Don't put it into your storage bag. Don't concern yourself with anything else. These holes should be connected. Pick any one and wander around inside. I'll give you one day. I will—"

A thunderous explosion cut off Baangte's words.

The massive snake body burst from one of the holes, directly collapsing part of the entrance. For a moment, dust billowed and shattered rocks flew everywhere.

Baangte could no longer spare any attention for him. He immediately charged forward with fists swinging, chasing the big snake's fleeing figure into the distance.

Ruger looked at the object in his hand, then at the figures running farther and farther away.

What should I do?

And what is this?

In his hand lay something clearly wrapped in a piece of cloth that had been casually torn off, wound layer upon layer into a small bundle. He suspected the cloth might previously have been a sleeve from some garment.

Recalling Baangte's words, he turned and entered the nearest hole.

I won't be joining such a fierce battle. My short little legs can't catch up anyway, he thought.

I'm carrying out the task you assigned me too, he thought, his steps growing firmer.

This was the only thing he could do now. Other than this, all that remained was to follow the route back from memory and quietly run home.

He gripped the object in his left hand, guessing at its purpose while also feeling somewhat worried, afraid it might be some strange bait capable of luring underground beasts. Of course, he had absolutely no intention of opening it to take a look. Ask less, look less—this had always been his principle when dealing with the strong.

Taking out his crystal lamp for a glance, he had already made up his mind: if Baangte had not returned after one day, then he would have done what he was supposed to do. He would leave this place and return by the route he remembered.

A pair of snake eyes silently emerged from the darkness.

"You'd better put that away."

The great serpent's voice twisted into a thread as thin as a mosquito's hum and drilled into his ear.

He spun around and scanned the surroundings. Something flashed through the darkness—a grayish-white long snake that had shrunk to at least a tenth of its former size.

"Stay away from him—" The tiny Gray Longneck Saint Lord's mosquito-thin voice had barely reached his ears again when it abruptly cut off.

"Hahaha! Let's see where you can run!"

Baangte suddenly leaped out, blasting like a cannonball into a patch of shadow in the distance.

Ruger stowed the crystal lamp and the item in his hand into his storage bag, then hurried after him in long strides.

His payment had yet to be delivered!