Chapter 327: Chapter 325

Arsha's evolution didn't just mean an increase in power. It was an 'advancement' of species. And with that, she somehow gained the ability to traverse the dimensional gap. It was unprecedented, only beings with powers comparable to Monarchs, or races specialized in magic like the Demonic Spirits, could freely enter and exit Gates. But Arsha had now become the queen of insects, freely moving through dimensional gaps with thousands, no... tens of thousands of worker bees. Of course, this didn't mean she suddenly became stronger. Even if the Void Insects clung to Nidhögg and attacked with all their might, they couldn't inflict any damage. However, the continuous offensive of their near-infinite numbers was enough to exhaust Nidhögg even without suffering any injuries,

Whoosh!

The sight of tens of thousands of Void Insects soaring towards the World Tree at Arsha's command was as magnificent as watching the Milky Way. A spectacle of sparkling starlight flowing against the abyss of the universe. Even the Ice Elves, witnessing this beautiful spectacle, momentarily paused their battle and looked up. Nidhögg, also perplexed by the situation, looked around and opened its mouth. However, the Void Insects were so small that there was no way to deal with them individually.

Krrraaaaang!

An ominous energy erupted from Nidhögg's mouth. The powerful attack tore a hole in the sparkling lightshow of the Void Insects. But that was all, hundreds of Void Insects were instantly annihilated. So what? there were many, many more.

Bzzzzzzz!

And as if nothing had happened the remaining Void Insects split into dozens of streams, quickly passing by Nidhögg's side, then they merged again, heading straight for the branches of the World Tree.

[Try to stop me if you can. There are plenty of worker bees.] Amidst them, Arsha gave Nidhögg an alluring smile. And with a flick of her finger, she directed the Void Insects that had passed Nidhögg.

[This seems like a good spot for the hive.]

Thanks to the Ice Elves, it was confirmed that Nidhögg, much like his appearance suggested, was not that different from a snake in its basic habits, a cold-blooded animal that couldn't maintain its body temperature on its own. The location of the hive was set among the branches where the most frost had accumulated, a place Nidhögg would dislike approaching.

Bzzzzzzzz!

As soon as Arsha designated a suitable location, the Void Insects swarmed there and began to secrete mucus from their mouths.

'Beeswax.'

It is the primary material for beehives, originally produced by bees after consuming honey. They manipulate beeswax into hexagonal structure to create cells for the hive, which then hardens into a solid structure upon contact with air. However, the beeswax that the Void Insects, evolved from worker bees, started to spew was a bit more special. It was a very special substance produced in their bodies from the pollen of Elvenwood, gathered all over the world, the pollen of the World Tree, collected from around it, and the sap sucked from the World Tree. The moment that beeswax came into contact with the deathly air of the Sea of Afterlife...

[Pet: 'Arsha' is creating '??'.]

Something even the system couldn't identify began to be made at an incredible speed.

Crunch! Crunch!

Given the number of worker bees, the production speed was tremendous, so the hive was growing rapidly, larger, and larger and larger.

[Pet: 'Arsha's' level has increased.]

[Pet: 'Arsha's' level has increased.]

[Pet: 'Arsha's' level has increased.]

[...]

Arsha, having started at level 1, was leveling up at a rapid pace.

Whoosh!

But as she leaped into the air towards the hive being built for her. Nidhögg could no longer just watch...

Kuwaaaaang!

It opened its mouth and spewed poisonous breath at her, thankfully Suho's hand blocked the attack just in time.

[Skill: 'Breath of Destruction' is used.]

Bang!

Suho's Breath of Destruction and Nidhögg's poisonous attack collided in midair resulting in a massive explosion.

"Forget about them, come play with me."

Growl!

Nidhögg gnashed his teeth and attacked Suho. But it didn't have just one head... The other ones turned towards Arsha, aiming at her from various directions.

"We'll take care of this side!"

Shriek!

With Sirka's shout, the ice arrows resumed their barrage, hindering Nidhögg's movements from all sides. The attack was effective, as shown by the system message in front of Suho.

[Debuff: 'Frigid Cold' slows Nidhögg's movement speed.]

[Debuff: 'Frigid Cold' slows Nidhögg's attack speed.]

Countless attacks poured down on the slowed Nidhögg. Strikes from numerous Demons, led by Esil, the Demon King, the Monarch of Gluttony, as well as shots from the magic cannons of the Shadow Dwarves. And slashes from... Gray.

[Growl!]

Gray, from the moment Suho appeared, no longer held back. A hunting dog that had reunited with his master was more valiant than ever.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

He ran along Nidhögg's long body, tearing into it with his teeth wherever he could reach.

Clang!

Sparks flew as Gray's fangs and Nidhögg's hard scales clashed.

[The King of Beasts, the Monarch of Fangs, bares his teeth and laughs!]

Gray, having traveled to the Sea of Afterlife, had become much larger than humans. Yet, compared to Nidhögg, it was still a small creature. But...

[Growl!]

A born hunter doesn't back down because of the size of his prey. The bigger the kill, the greater the glory when the hunt succeeds!

[The King of Beasts, the Monarch of Fangs, shouts to bite the neck!]

Crunch!

Gray's claws dug into the gaps between the writhing scales and using his forelegs as support, he sunk his teeth into Nidhögg's neck, just as the Monarch of Fangs commanded. Of course, it was just a tickle to the serpent but after much effort, Gray's 'fangs' had definitely pierced its body.

[Gray uses Skill: 'Fatal Wound'.]

[Gray uses Skill: 'Paralysis'.]

[Gray uses Skill: 'Bleed'.]

...?!

Nidhögg, who had been trying to shake off Gray, clinging to him, showed signs of panic for the first time.

"How is it, Rakan? I told you it was a good idea to put in those dentures?" Suho, facing Nidhögg on the other side, chuckled.

The effects of the Item: 'Rakan's Fang' and Item: 'Kasaka's Venom Fang,' which he had equipped Gray with in the past, were working properly. Of course, the debuffs didn't activate every time, but after such relentless biting, they were bound to trigger eventually. And no matter how many heads it had, it was still one body. Gray's skills seemed to have affected Nidhögg's main body, as all of its mouths simultaneously let out groaning sounds. And as a result...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...!

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

A scream erupted from Nidhögg's mouth, which had been still until now. It was the head into which Ammut had jumped. And suddenly...

Thud!

...?!

Ammut's fist, enveloped in a black aura, suddenly pierced Nidhögg's eye and protruded from inside.

"Ammut!"

[Don't interfere, High Priest!] Ammut's urgent voice, recognizing Suho instantly, rang out from inside.

[This one is mine!]

Thwack!

The fist that had pierced through Nidhögg's eye went back inside and tremendous explosions erupted from within. Nidhögg's head bulged as if it were about to burst.

Thwack!

Boom!

Crack! Bang!

No one knew what kind of battle was unfolding inside, but Ammut was panting. Nevertheless, what emanated from him was unbridled joy.

[I've always wondered! Huff...]

[Tarnak! Huff...]

[What kind of power is the Primordial Darkness you obtained! Huff...]

Ammut was giving it his all. He didn't want any help from the High Priest. The one fighting him in that pitch-black abyss was Tarnak. No... the Primordial Darkness, which allowed him to exist as the King of Monstrous Humanoids and the Monarch of the Iron Body. It was facing him in the form Ammut desired. That's why he was more delighted than ever.

[I've always envied you! Why is growth a privilege only given to the weak! Huff...]

Ammut, voluntarily or involuntarily, had been training the weak for a very long time. In that process, some grew as he intended and became strong. Some, unable to endure, died like vermin. But no matter what anyone said, Ammut was the most radical and perfect teacher for those numerous weaklings. However, there was one thing he had overlooked.

[But do you know this, Tarnak!] Ammut laughed as he punched the Tarnak-like Primordial Darkness.

[...The teacher learns much more than the student!]

...!

At first, it was completely unimaginable. Continuing to teach the weak unexpectedly meant that the teacher, who repeated all those exercises, gained much more than experience. In other words, he experienced growth. Ammut, the strongest of the monstrous humanoids who was born strong and thought growth was something reminiscent of dying of old age, had now...

'Grown.'

[The current me! Is stronger than the past me!] Ammut burst into laughter, violently grabbing and tearing apart the Tarnak in front of him.

Rip!

And.

Tear!

His hands tore the Primordial Darkness. Nidhögg's head, which had swallowed Ammut, exploded.

[A new monarch inherits The 'Primordial Darkness'.]

Whoosh!

Absorbing the torn Primordial Darkness, enveloped in the black of the abyss, Ammut chuckled and glared.

[Hahaha! Did you see that! I wanted to show you this, you who are already dead!]

Towards the King of the Monstrous Humanoids and the Monarch of the Iron Body, who had died helplessly in the war.

[The fact that I, too, can grow like you!]

Thus, he delivered his final lesson to his weak disciple, Tarnak.

[...So you too could have become stronger than that.]

But why? Despite absorbing the Primordial Darkness, Ammut's lips were tinged with bitterness. A trace of lingering attachment to his disciple who had died too soon.

[So Tarnak, you... you died because you were weak. You should have trained more.]

Flash!

[The King of Monstrous Humanoids, the Lord of Trials, is born.]

Thus, Ammut returned as a new monarch.

However instead of relishing the moment he unhesitatingly leaped to the side, kicking Nidhögg's jaws as they were moving towards Arsha.

Bang!

He used the recoil to leap up and tear apart the jaws of the head that was wrestling with Gray.

Rip!

Kyaaaaak!

Nidhögg screamed. And in the midst of that, Ammut picked up Gray, who was hanging below, and forcefully shoved him into Nidhögg's open mouth.

[So, 'Fang', stop wasting time and finish this quickly. If you fail and come back, you'll die by my hand.]

[Grrr?!]

[No... be sure to fail and come back. Then I'll train you until you wish you were dead.]

[...?!]

Thump!

With Ammut's meaningful smile as Gray's last sight, Nidhögg's mouth had closed once again.

[Growl...!]

Gray was helplessly sucked into Nidhögg. And witnessing that sight...

[The King of Beasts and the Monarch of Fangs, gapes with his jaw on the floor.]

"...Huh?" Suho's expression was no different from Rakan's.

Whoosh...!

The frigid cold permeated the World Tree. But everyone engaged in the fierce battle froze with the same shocked appearance.