Chapter 71: Upper Snake (2)

I turned to look at my father.

He looked down at me with eyes that were hard to read.

I nodded.

My father also nodded back.

Alright, this should do.

'Advisor.'

"Yes, boss..."

'March!'

Mrs. Gorilla acts as my trumpeter.

With her full, resonant voice.

"March!"

She shouts thunderously.

And the beasts of the zoo begin to move.

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[Monster Leader]

You have tamed over 100 monsters.

Your dominance over monsters is strengthened.

A natural majesty flows from you.

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The number in my group finally exceeded 100.

Though our forces still fall short of the insect army or primate group, much has changed.

Now even those two factions can't dare to ignore us.

The attacks from the monkeys and insects have stopped.

We've managed to survive safely until today.

The division of power into three has taken hold.

And finally, the day has come for the radiant fruit to form on the root that sprouted in the central area.

All groups are gathering around the massive central root.

The monkey group and insect groups can be seen.

'There are so many it's sickening.'

I was surprised and amazed.

It was because of the overwhelming numbers of the insect army.

Were there really that many insect monsters hiding in the swamp area? There must be at least tens of thousands.

Ah, I can see the giant centipede over there too.

From the looks of it, the chimpanzee seems a bit stronger than Grand Riokku.

On the other hand, the insect army likely has the advantage in overall force due to sheer numbers.

Thorny bushes had grown around the massive root in the center.

Though they seem to be blocking access, they're a barrier that would quickly be smashed if the monsters tried to cross.

The monkeys and insects surrounded the area.

They growl at each other as if preparing to clash.

Those two groups are bound to collide.

How alluring must the scent of that radiant fruit be?

Grand Riokku and the silver monkey were glaring at each other.

As if wanting to settle their unfinished battle from before.

'Stop.'

"Halt!"

We didn't get between them.

We stopped our group a bit further back.

The ones who had been terrified showed signs of relief.

Adequate strength. A group that isn't feared, but can't be ignored either. That's us.

Once again, I'll stubbornly aim for the fisherman's profit.

「The radiant fruit will form soon.」

Once more, a message rang out.

I had fed my father plenty of mana potions too.

My usually taciturn father opened his mouth.

「We must obtain the fruit, no matter what.」

I wonder why the one who seemed completely uninterested and was sleeping under a rock suddenly changed his mind.

It doesn't matter. I intend to get that fruit no matter what too.

'Mole.'

The tunneling mole who had the honor of riding on the gorilla's shoulder with me.

'Go.'

He followed my order and dug into the ground.

He's a genius when it comes to digging.

I pondered how to snatch the fruit ahead of the other two groups.

They were bound to clash eventually.

To get the fisherman's profit, I'd need to take out at least one of the two that would survive the fight.

Pelerian and I put our heads together to think.

Out of hundreds of possibilities, what method could lead to our victory? S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

And we came up with one strategy.

'Do you think it will work?'

"It depends on how you execute it."

That's true.

There was a background to coming up with this strategy.

'It seems which group one belongs to isn't a matter of taming.'

I was mistaken at first.

I thought you had to successfully tame to be incorporated into a group.

But at some point I realized.

Bowingie, Big Head, and Big Eyes, who I clearly tamed, were not part of my group.

I never received shared experience from them.

It's not like the kids haven't hunted because they're still young.

On the other hand, my father, who I failed to tame, is part of my group.

Thanks to the experience shared from my father, I've already surpassed level 20 by far.

Then we can make an inference.

What about the insect army?

Did that mindless Grand Riokku tame all the other insects?

Were that human-faced spider and giant centipede tamed by Grand Riokku?

It didn't seem likely.

That spider even seemed to look at Grand Riokku with contempt, calling him a monster.

Being part of one group is likely a matter of 'being under that monster's control'.

One is incorporated into the group by following the leader's orders and command.

Just as my father follows my command.

In that case, I...

"Boss."

The gorilla called out to me.

Looking where she was pointing, I saw the mole poking his head out.

He had returned.

'Did you find it? Can we go?'

The mole nodded.

Just to be sure, I do a cross-check.

A purple parrot was fluttering in the sky above.

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[One-eyed Purple Parrot lv12]

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It's a new scouting monster I recruited after the owl died.

Its purple feathers make it less noticeable when flying.

It squawked in response.

"It's there! It's there!"

If that's the case, it might be worth taking a gamble.

I earnestly instructed the gorilla and my father.

To guard this position. To conserve their strength.

I can easily return with emergency return.

「Be careful.」

I received my father's send-off.

I crawled into the tunnel following the mole.

It's narrow but spacious enough to crawl through.

After going for quite a while, the mole suddenly stopped.

He pointed upwards, then slipped into a space to the side.

'You go back.'

The mole quickly nodded and started to run away.

Now I have to proceed on my own.

I went up, to the surface.

And what was waiting for me there was:

A countless number of insects.

Kigik, tadak, tak. Tik, kik. Jijik, babak. Chik. Dagak, dogagak, gak, kigik, tadak, tak. Tik, kik.

Jijik, babak. Chik. Dagak, dogagak, gak, kigik, tadak, tak. Tik, kik. Jijik, babak. Chik.

Dagak, dogagak, gak, kigik, tadak, tak. Tik, kik. Jijik, babak. Chik. Dagak, dogagak, gak

This was right in the middle of the insect army's right wing formation.

The insect monsters all turned to look at me at once.

Would they see an alien reptile like me as food?

I didn't leap in to grapple with the insects.

That's because:

"Kee!"

The startled giant centipede mother was there.

The centipede quickly bit the surrounding insects.

The insects here did seem to be under the centipede mother's control.

That's fortunate.

I stood up straight in front of her.

'Ms. Giant Centipede.'

I used to address her respectfully as Lady Giant Centipede.

But now I'm also a leader commanding a group.

I needed to maintain dignity.

The giant centipede also wiggled her venomous claws with a surprised look.

'I've come to make a proposal.'

Bowingie, Big Head, and Big Eyes greet me happily.

I deliberately ignored them.

Right, I can't fight you guys.

And I definitely can't let you die.

"Keke..."

I slightly extended my tail to the visibly tense centipede mother.

'Come into my group.'

That was my plan - to recruit the Giant Centipede and her group.

「Using Taming lv9.」

This time, I will speak firmly.

'I'll make you happy.'

Ah, is this not right?

Oh, whatever!

'Come to me.'

The centipede's heart wavers as she shakes her antennae.

For some reason, the three siblings clapped their venomous claws, cheering for the centipede.

And her answer was...