Nis 4

Heroes or paladins…

Humans like them always flock here.

They’re toys that are fun to pass the time with, but even that has gotten boring now.

“The source of the evil energy is here! Nis is over there!”

One of the knights pointed at me.

His voice was quite bold.

He seemed to be no ordinary knight, especially since he was with the hero.

“Hello there, humans~”

I waved at them.

They didn’t let their guard down.

Their armor was splendid, and I could see several rare magic items.

“Leave this cursed land! Stop creating more victims!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

How quaint human righteousness is!

“This isn’t a curse; it’s just my preference. And these are just for ambiance.”

I waved my hand, and the ghouls and skeletons around me collapsed.

They returned to their lifeless state.

Then, with a snap of my fingers, the ground cracked, and real undead rose.

Death Knights, Liches, Banshees, and Bone Colossi surrounded the knights.

“W-what is this!”

A man who appeared to be a mage cried out in shock.

“So, leave. I’ll spare your lives~”

But they kept approaching.

How bold of them.

“We can’t let a demon like you rule this land!”

The hero, holding a sword, stepped forward.

It was a shining holy sword.

Quite an impressive item.

“Judgment from the sun awaits you!”

“Oh, how cliché. Can’t you come up with something more creative?”

The battle between humans and undead began.

But the humans were not pushovers.

The hero burned the undead with his holy sword, and the mages cast powerful spells.

The fight lasted longer than expected.

‘This is so tiresome.’

Why do they only come to me?

They don’t even approach Frostia.

Could it be… that I’m the easier target?

“Ugh… I don’t like this form anyway…”

‘Polymorph.’

The dress began to fade away, and my skin cracked, revealing black scales.

Molten red light seeped through the cracks, but the sight was eerily beautiful, like a crimson jewel glowing in the dark.

My body rippled and grew, each movement unpredictable yet rhythmic.

My face transformed violently yet intricately.

My jaw stretched menacingly, revealing sharp fangs, but the pattern resembled the spikes of an ancient crown.

My eyes grew larger, the crimson pupils elongating vertically, filled with an abyssal depth.

“What… what’s happening?”

The humans retreated in fear.

Someone dropped their sword, another urinated in place, and a mage tried to cast a spell but choked on his words.

My body continued to grow.

First, I reached twice the height of a human, then the size of a house, and soon I towered high enough to scrape the sky.

Each scale grew as large as a shield, and darkness seeped through the gaps, shrouding the area in shadow.

I shed my human form and transformed into a serpent.

Not just any serpent, but the World Serpent, Jormungandr, capable of devouring all.

This was my true form.

Thud, thud-thud…

My vibrations shook the ground.

My body grew large enough to engulf the city.

Black scales absorbed even the moonlight, and my crimson eyes glowed like twin moons.

“Aaaaaah!”

The knights screamed.

How pathetic their strength was.

One swipe of my tail obliterated everything.

The forest was crushed, and the earth split open.

The hero and knights were pulverized by my tail.

“This can’t be… the Hero of the Sun…”

A surviving mage despaired.

Go and spread the word. Let them know what I am.

If they dare approach me again, believing me to be weaker than Frostia, they’ll meet the same end as the hero!

. . .

Weeks passed.

Perhaps the news spread, but no humans came near.

I waited, but there was no word of Rico.

“This is taking so long…”

I sighed, sipping tea at a newly built red table.

This table was made from the hero’s holy sword.

I thought it was a decent piece of craftsmanship.

Then, a strange noise echoed from afar.

The sound of people kneeling and chanting.

“Hm?”

I looked up and saw dozens of people on a hill below, shouting something.

They all wore black robes adorned with the Ouroboros symbol.

“Oh, what’s this?”

Curious, I rose from my throne and approached them.

They knelt more fervently upon seeing me, beginning to pray.

“Great Ouroboros, Lord Nis! Accept our worship!”

The black-robed figures bowed to me.

Huh?

Ouroboros?

That foolish serpent that eats its own tail?

What a ridiculous misunderstanding!

Just as I was about to turn them into undead prey, the leader of the group shared an interesting tale.

“Great Ouroboros, we’ve finally realized you are the envoy of Abraxas! We will dedicate everything to you!”

Preposterous.

They thought me to be the envoy of the Evil God because I took the form of Jormungandr.

“Hmm, what exactly will you offer?”

I asked, fanning myself with a black fan.

They immediately began laying out their offerings.

Food, treasures, even sacrifices.

Delicious dishes and desserts, dazzling jewels…

How delightful!

“Ouroboros, we were creating a passage according to Abraxas’ teachings. But now that you’re here, we’ll recreate it for you!”

“A passage, you say? Explain it to me.”

The leader bowed and replied.

“Great Ouroboros, Abraxas has been working to reconnect the human and demon realms since they were severed five thousand years ago. The magic circle is finally complete, and we were here to aid the ritual.”

‘Fools…’

A sinister plan formed in my mind.

A passage between the human and demon realms…

Through it, Evil Gods would cross…

“Very well, build the passage!”

They began drawing a complex magic circle on the ground, their faces filled with joy.

The circle grew larger, emitting an ominous aura.

While they worked, I enjoyed the food and desserts they brought.

The savory dishes and sweet treats were exquisite, perfectly suited to my taste.

“Heh heh heh…”

A small laugh escaped me.

These foolish followers sought to summon an Evil God, unaware of my past.

Long ago, I was just an ordinary serpent.

But I became the ruler of the Great Labyrinth because I devoured Evil Gods.

At first, it was by chance-eating the corpse of an Evil God. The second time, I encountered a wounded one. From the third onward, I hunted them myself.

So far, I’ve consumed five Evil Gods, and their power was exquisite.

Each time I ate an Evil God, I grew stronger, my abilities greatly enhanced.

If the passage opens and multiple Evil Gods spill out, those that come to this realm will only have half their usual power.

But me?

I now possess the strength to overwhelm two Evil Gods at once. If needed, I can always ask Frostia for help.

‘It’s been ages since I’ve had a proper feast…’

The thought alone thrilled me.

“Ouroboros, we’ve marked the location for the magic circle. May we begin the ritual?”

One of the followers asked respectfully, bowing deeply.

His posture was endearing.

“Of course, proceed.”

I gestured elegantly.

The followers began the ritual, standing in a circle around the magic circle and chanting.

The circle glowed red.

As I watched the ritual, I thought…

‘I wish Rico could join us for this feast.’

Soon, Rico will hear the news and come.

Together, we’ll welcome the Evil Gods from the demon realm.

Naturally, they’ll become our meal.

‘Frostia will be delighted, no doubt.’

How fortunate that Jormungandr and Ouroboros resemble each other.

These fools mistake me for the envoy of their god, but in truth, I am the one who devours their deities.

“Great Ouroboros, the ritual we’ve prepared for months will take three more months to complete. But thanks to your presence, we can finish it in just ten days with the materials we’ve gathered! Abraxas sent you as a great blessing!”

‘Ten days… plenty of time.’

That should give Rico enough time to arrive.

Like blooming flowers and flying birds, my precious, dear Rico will soon come.

Sipping tea at the holy sword table, I munched on a macaron.

What would Rico think of this sight?

Probably shocked at first, but soon delighted.

After all, Evil Gods taste unimaginably good.

‘What will Rico be like?’

The mere thought filled my heart with joy.

How lovely her human form must be, how stunning she must appear.

“I’ll wait for you, Rico. Frostia is eagerly waiting too.”