Prior Visit

“That’s a really enormous worm, isn’t it?”

That was the first female village chief’s reaction upon seeing me.

“…Indeed, one lives and learns.”

That was the second male village chief’s reaction upon seeing me.

“I had something I wanted to say right when we met, but I’ve forgotten…”

That was the third male village chief’s reaction upon seeing me.

“Ah, hahahahaha! Welcome, everyone! It’s been a while, my friends! Kuhahahahaha! Kuhahahahaha!”

Hakan maintained his absolutely unchanging ultra-positive mode.

[Welcome, everyone.]

I welcomed the visitors to the village.

Almira, chief of Rakasha Village.

Dayuf, chief of Dirnaba Village.

Kadajir, chief of Nadwa Village.

Hakan, chief of Akran Village.

The four village chiefs gathered in this place.

A modest area was prepared in the open space in front of Akran Village.

These were chiefs of other Samara tribe villages who, feeling deep interest in me, had requested a prior visit before the scheduled tribal council meeting.

This was possible because they were the closest villages to Akran.

“Keeeeee… huoh.”

A tail-wrapping monkey wearing a hat and vest perched on Almira’s shoulder stared at me with a blank face, its mouth agape, before shrinking back in intimidation.

So monkeys existed in this other world after all…

Soon, waitresses emerged.

“Enjoy your meal! Hoohoo!”

“Goodness! Such precious dishes!?”

“Huooooot~!?”

Almira and the monkey on her shoulder were simultaneously surprised.

“Hoohoo! Thanks to the White Sovereign, the village finances have explosively expanded recently! Also, cooking skills are one of the necessary techniques for assassins! I’ve displayed my full capabilities!”

“So in that sense, you’re planning to assassinate us with overeating today?”

“Aha! Of course not! How could I, merely a Warrior Captain, target village chiefs with fighting prowess comparable to Great Warrior Captains! I’d need at least 10 more years of training to have even the slightest chance!?”

“Constant vigilance is essential even among fellow assassins. In a moment of carelessness, you might get a refreshing taste of poison needles.”

“Kyah! Even as a joke! I should retrieve the lightning crossbow I stashed in the warehouse and the iron cart I hid behind the mountain!”

Rama, Nadia’s Warrior Captain, covered her mouth with her hand and laughed shyly at Almira’s joke.

With her blue ponytail and somewhat lighter skin tone than typical Arubians, she was considerably beautiful, second only to Nadia herself.

Additionally, other well-dressed and visually striking female assassins from Akran were setting up a feast for the village chiefs.

Serving meals to important guests seemed to be universal across worlds and dimensions.

Especially since desert people had a long tradition of hospitality toward strangers.

“White Sovereign, here’s your meal.”

[Alright.]

Wrrrrrr-

Nadia piled up food in front of me using a cart.

Mountains of wild camels and Camelodons hunted by the assassins were heaped in a pile.

It had been about a week, so my feeding cycle had come around again.

“Then, we’ll wait inside until you call for us.”

Nadia and the female assassins returned to the village after serving.

Only I and the village chiefs remained at the scene.

“Well then, let’s eat! White Sovereign, enjoy your meal too! Cheers! Uhahahahaha! Kuhahahahaha!”

Hakan roared with laughter as he raised a golden cup filled with date palm wine.

“To us.”

“Cheers.”

“Rashka.”

Clink-

The chiefs’ cups met, and the meal began.

I immediately buried my head in the food.

Crunch, crunch.

I crushed and swallowed the camels and Camelodons with my circular teeth.

It’s just a regular meal now, nothing special anymore.

Literally an act for sustaining life.

Clang, click-

The chiefs also began eating, working their utensils.

Although it was called a feast, the current distance between us was over 50 meters.

That’s because a catastrophe could occur if I moved my 50-meter body carelessly.

“Ookeekee~!”

The monkey sitting on Almira’s shoulder hunched down and frantically stuffed food from the table into its mouth.

It ate so greedily and ravenously, as if possessed by a hungry ghost.

Suddenly, a strange atmosphere circulated among the village chiefs.

“……”

The village chiefs were staring at me fixedly, as if time had stopped.

They suddenly began to voyeuristically watch me from 50 meters away.

Eventually, I had no choice but to stop eating.

There were many things in the world that I truly hated.

Among them, one I ranked in the top three was being watched while eating.

The discomfort and disgust were amplified in a situation where numerous gazes were fixed on me.

How could food go down my throat when I felt like a monkey in a zoo?

In that sense, I never understood mukbang streamers before my previous life.

…But now I found myself in that exact situation.

As a 50-meter monster worm doing a mukbang show.

Am I essentially a zoo worm?

[…Is this the first time you’ve seen a worm eating?]

Eventually, I couldn’t hold back and sent a telepathic message to everyone.

“Ha…! It’s really fascinating! So this is how a Death Worm feeds. It’s my first time seeing it…”

“It chews with that mouth structure… Hmm, interesting.”

“It’s nice to see you eating so heartily.”

Almira, Dayuf, and Kadajir each offered their observations.

For a moment, I almost exploded with the monster mode extreme anger I thought I had suppressed.

[Just ignore me and eat the meal in front of you. Before I end up vomiting sand in your direction because my stomach is churning.]

“Kuhahahahaha! Kuhahahahaha!”

Amid Hakan’s inappropriately boisterous laughter, everyone resumed their respective feasts.

To think I couldn’t even eat in peace.

It was truly, really infuriating.

And so the disorderly meal ended.

I moved toward their table.

“…Wow! I’ve never had such delicious and refreshing water before. Honestly, it’s even more surprising than the dishes! What exactly is the principle behind it…!?”

Almira marveled as she downed her seventh straight glass of the elixir that was Akran Village’s special product.

[It’s purified water with the purification technique ‘Purify’ applied through my magic power. It also contains slight whitening effects and healing properties.]

“Oh! Truly amazing!”

Almira, chief of Rakasha Village.

A woman with thick, curly black hair like seaweed wrapped in a bandana, and heavy smoky eye makeup.

She was the only woman present.

“The Great Cataclysm that occurred around the village is still fascinating to me… Was it really you, White Sovereign, and your worms who brought about this change?”

[There’s no point hiding it anymore. Yes, it was my worms that accomplished it.]

Dayuf, chief of Dirnaba Village.

Blonde windswept hair, desert-dweller tanned skin, and horn-rimmed glasses.

He exuded an indescribable scholarly aura, with his typical intellectual-looking golden sun appearance.

The combination of intellectual impression and assassin seemed somewhat bizarre.

“You could sit on a pile of money just by selling the water flowing around this village… Are you saying you’ll share this precious resource with us Rashka?”

[That’s the conception of my plan.]

Kadajir, chief of Nadwa Village.

A massive man with a closely shaved skinhead and impressive sunken eyes.

Rather than the image of a nimble assassin, he had the build of a guard who might wear luxurious armor and eat his fill in some khan’s or sultan’s palace.

Though Hakan was also large in stature.

“Say, could you tell us more about this plan of yours? By the way, I can’t believe I’m actually talking with the White Sovereign, one of the Four Great Lords! It’s truly unbelievable.”

Almira stared at me intently, her eyes shining.

Naturally, none of the three showed particular deference to me or treated me with excessive respect.

Hakan didn’t force them to do so either.

They hadn’t yet pledged their loyalty.

[…My connection with the Rashka of Akran was coincidental. I thought that mingling moderately with humans would create a comfortable environment for me and my worms. So I settled here. However, I learned that the Rashka are currently divided. That’s why I want to gather you all here.]

“Could I know the reason why? Honestly, we’ve been living just fine while separated until now.”

[United we stand, divided we fall. Concentration brings strength. That’s all there is to it.]

Truthfully, my worms, the Rashka, and I are in a mutually beneficial state.

But I was convinced that I was gaining more benefits.

After all, the Rashka of Akran had thoroughly become my subordinates.

They are my mirror, reflecting me into this civilized society.

They were also the last traces of my humanity.

That’s why I wanted all the Rashka.

“Hmm… So in that sense, you want to provide this water, the most precious resource in the desert, to us Rashka for free. And offering water to travelers and caravans is also part of your plan to recruit them.”

Almira swirled her cup of magical water and fell into thought.

She was surprisingly quick to understand and had read several moves ahead.

“Hmm.”

Hakan chose to cross his arms and listen attentively as soon as the meeting began.

In fact, this was also my instruction.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. The idea of a nation solely for us Rashka. After all, we’ve all lived separately for thousands of years. Sometimes wandering about.”

“But wouldn’t uniting increase our survival rate? Just as this once lonely White Sovereign became a completely different being after creating a collective, as it were.”

“Dayuf, that’s not what I meant. If that’s the case, we need to consider other factors too.”

“Ah… could it be?”

Dayuf pushed up his glasses and his eyes became sharp.

“Hey, White Sovereign? Do you know about the history of us Rashka?”

[I know from what Nadia and Hakan have told me.]

“Then do you also know that currently many Rashka have disappeared for various reasons?”

[I know that as well.]

“Besides trivial reasons like plagues that even the Rashka couldn’t avoid, or purges resulting from choosing the wrong side in wars… do you know the most special reason?”

Almira asked as she downed the water in her cup.

I remained silent, not knowing the answer to that question.

“It’s integration battles. For some reason, one clan or village incorporates another clan and village under their command. Some Rashka haven’t actually disappeared. They’ve come under other Rashka. What you’re planning will require implementing this for all Rashka going forward.”

[What do you mean?]

“We are a warrior tribe who grasp weapons from our first birthday celebrations. If you want to bring other compatriots under your command for whatever reason, naturally, you need a demonstration of power. A test to see if you truly have the ability to embrace them.”

“Nngh…”

Hakan made a grumbling sound and scratched his turban.

He seemed troubled as information I was hearing for the first time emerged.

[…What is this demonstration of power?]

“It’s simple. Befitting a warrior tribe, each side puts forward their strongest warrior to compete in skill and strength. If you win, you subjugate the opponent. Conversely, if you lose, it means you get absorbed by the opponent. This is an ancient tradition that cannot be defied. The Rashka must follow the precepts.”

Now I get the gist of it.

They’re saying to have representatives face off against each other.

But there’s an obvious question here.

In Akran Village, I am clearly the strongest.

Are they saying I should fight against the Great Warriors of other villages and tribes?

[Are you telling me to compete with other Great Warriors?]

“Of course not! That would just be a one-sided massacre, wouldn’t it? Since you’re not a Rashka, you must field a Great Warrior to execute your will. That would be the most outstanding warrior of Akran, or someone who meets the appropriate conditions.”

Almira, with her arms crossed, shrugged her shoulders and smiled lightly.

The Rashka, the most peculiar tribe among the many peoples of the Arubian West Continent.

I’ve learned a truly unexpected piece of information.

[Must this be carried out? Isn’t bestowing water enough?]

Almira closed her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

“It can’t be helped. That’s the tribe’s tradition. Sometimes, old walls stand taller and stronger than new houses.”

“Almira is right. If you want to win over us Rashka, you must demonstrate your strength.”

The taciturn man Kadajir, who had maintained silence throughout, chimed in briefly.

“That’s right. Honestly, with your power, White Sovereign, you could forcibly subjugate us by taking away our will… but that’s not the picture you want, is it? You want our genuine loyalty? Then there’s no other way.”

Almira was very quickly catching onto my intentions.

“Oh, and for reference, we village chiefs can’t fight. We’re already the strongest in our villages. Obviously, someone other than the chief must substitute.”

Almira said as she crossed her legs.

I discreetly sent a telepathic message only to Hakan.

[…In this case, does that mean Nadia is the only option?]

Hakan nodded vigorously with a stern expression.

I have a distant relationship with the other Great Warriors, Bajid and Kasim.

I wasn’t confident in my ability to guide them well.

[So, I’ll be working with Nadia again…]

Hakan, who received my secret telepathy, nodded and spoke.

“That’s probably what you’ll have to do. Please lead her well.”

Nadia and I were already completely entangled, but I felt like I was working with her in many different areas.

I need to command her to defeat the strong ones from other villages and tribes who possess unknown powers.

That’s the condition for earning the Rashka’s genuine loyalty.

[This is something I hadn’t thought of…]

“Nadia might come out from Akran, but I should add something disappointing—there are Great Warriors in other tribes who are stronger than her.”

[There are Great Warriors stronger than Nadia?]

“While the Great Warriors of our Samara tribe might be equal in strength, other tribes are different. There are many who can rival the village chiefs in skill. This means… integration battles might be difficult unless she rapidly becomes stronger and hones her techniques in a short period.”

But even if it’s something completely unexpected, I must face it.

That’s what it means to be the White Sovereign who reigns over all creation.

I was about to accept the conditions willingly.

[No problem. Then naturally, with Nadia as my Great Warrior in the tribal integration battle—]

Shuuuu…

Just as I was about to speak.

Suddenly, the atmosphere subtly intensified.

My relaxed tension immediately heightened.

The monster’s senses reacted before the human mind.

“Kyu, whaaaaaaak-!”

I lifted my body, roaring thunderously, and immediately exerted my magic power.

Chaaaaang-!

Instantly, a vast hemispherical curtain formed, covering the table where the village chiefs and I were positioned, and extending to the village.

Densely interlocked hexagonal panels were deployed on its deep blue surface.

It was a protective barrier cast by a barrier magician.

Tuwoooong─────!

Just a second too late, an enormous explosion resonated from the surface of my barrier.

Huwoooong! Kwagagagaga─────!

Tremendous winds blew like aftershocks.

Gravel fields around the village were scattered noisily.

The impact was so immense it felt as if the entire area was being flipped over.

For a moment, it created an illusion that a missile had been fired.

“Kyah! W-what is this!?”

“Kuh! What is it!? White Sovereign!”

“Th-that just now…?”

“What the hell is going on!”

The village chiefs who had been dining with me were suddenly shocked.

Had I been slightly slower, the village chiefs would have died, though I might have survived.

The speed was such that even the village chiefs, comparable to A-rank Hunters, couldn’t react.

“Grrrrrk…!”

In an instant, my vision turned crimson red.

This was clearly a sniper shot aimed at me.

There’s a sniper somewhere in the situation.

“Kyi, hyaaaak────!”

Kurrrrrrng-!

I roared thunderously and immediately plunged my entire body into the ground.

Then I rushed toward the direction from which the shot had come.

Kwaaaaa-!

A stone wind scattered around me as I moved, engulfed in rage.

The distant horizon where sand and gravel mixed.

Rushing there took only an instant.

A roar of anger burst from my mouth.

“Kyururururuk─────!”

Soon, a tiny figure came into view.

It was the silhouette of a human holding something.

A beautiful voice echoed.

“Just as legends say, truly a large and enormous monster worm.”

A snow-white turban adorned with peacock feathers.

A being wearing a luxurious kaftan braided with gold and silver threads, holding a composite bow made of jade and pure gold.

Eyebrows as if drawn with a brush, skin unusually fair for a desert dweller, flowing straight black hair.

He was a male archer so beautiful he could be mistaken for a woman.

His voice echoed again.

“White Sovereign, I’ve come to hold you accountable for the blood price of my soldiers you sacrificed. In other words…”

The archer’s blood-red lips curved into a smile.

“I challenge you, White Sovereign.”