Chapter 18: The snake girl is forty and has no misfortune

Noticing that Pupu could make sounds, Lya was even more excited than Jon, who was peeking from the side.

She let out several awkward “Ah!” noises, her lower half melting into water, moving around like she was swimming, drifting all over the place, and almost bumping into the invisible Jon nearby.

However, out of natural caution, she didn’t rush to try speaking.

As a Pupu, being able to mimic human sounds was already clever enough; if she could actually speak, wouldn’t that expose her as someone who was “born with knowledge”?

Anyway, the Hero would teach her sooner or later.

No rush.

After testing her voice, Lya began to try out the new innate skills she had gained from evolving as a Pupu.

Magic was released along a naturally constructed circuit, but just as it was about to leave her body, it turned and flowed back into the magic storage chamber.

Lya realized this was because Targeted Magic lacked an object.

[This magic is probably meant to strengthen Pupu.]

Lya had a vague premonition.

She left the tent and found a two-star Rock Pupu bathing in the rain on the training ground.

The innate magic was released again, and this time, the awakened magic infused into the two-star Rock Pupu’s body.

The round body of the Rock Pupu trembled violently, then it suddenly bounced a few times.

The next second, two round little hands, like those of Doraemon, sprouted from its sides, and rock elements gathered in its right hand and throughout its body, transforming into a Stone Spear and Stone Armor that covered its entire form.

[What the—! You can even give Pupu a class change!]

Lya’s cherry lips parted in shock.

She suddenly thought of the “Summon” skill from , where Human bases turned worker units into combat units.

The two-star Rock Pupu, now summoned as a warrior, no longer ran about aimlessly but instead circled tightly around Lya, following closely behind her.

Lya tested its stats and found it was a world apart from ordinary Pupu—finally possessing some of the traits of a magical beast, no longer able to only “stuff” enemies to death.

The frequency and distance of its “Gugi” jumps were much greater than normal Pupu, and it had a constant attack method.

Most importantly, the timid “Hardening” skill had transformed into a renewable Stone Spear and Stone Armor, no longer hindering the Rock Pupu’s movement.

Unfortunately, just as the testing got exciting, the Rock Pupu reverted back.

Lya did some calculations and discovered that the “Summon” effect was tied to the amount of magic she invested—according to her evolved magic capacity, ten percent of her magic could only summon a Pupu for one hour.

Lya sighed and thought:

[The magic consumption for “Summon” is huge too… But at least I finally have a combat skill.]

Unfortunately, the actual combat power of a summoned Pupu was unrelated to Pink Pupu, depending only on its own level before being summoned.

Pink Pupu was more like a support or a “queen” figure among insect races.

Only first-tier Pupu, after being summoned, had combat power slightly above that of normal first-tier magical beasts.

…1 + 1 = 1.1, I suppose.

Still, Lya didn’t lose heart.

Even with low efficiency, the situation was much better than before, wasn’t it?

She felt she was one step closer to avenging those traitorous demons and reclaiming the throne!

As for now.

Time to hunt!

—

Jon had been following his little pet like a creep for a while.

The moment he saw the Rock Pupu “transform,” his jaw almost dropped.

Calming down, he realized this must be a new skill Pink Pupu acquired after evolving.

Then, he watched Lya, with her “number one general,” excitedly run to the flooded banks of the Noda River tributary and release the Pupu fragrance, instantly gathering a large group of Rock Pupu.

She deliberately wandered along the turbulent riverbank.

The raging water, swollen by the storm, lashed the shores.

Even when a few Rock Pupu were occasionally swept away, they quickly bounced back out.

“Water” was naturally Pupu’s home field.

Very soon.

Jon was the first to notice that his beloved pet had caught the attention of a “Predator” lurking at the bottom of the river.

He suppressed the urge to intervene, choosing to observe quietly, wanting to uncover the secret of how Pupu hunted Rock Scale Serpents.

Rock Scale Serpents were common aquatic magical beasts that lived in the riverbed mud.

Because of their tough scales and immense strength, humans rarely provoked them.

They were the classic “too tough to mess with, too much trouble to bother with” monsters.

Every year, at the turn of summer and autumn, when floods were frequent and rivers overflowed, Rock Scale Serpents would expand their hunting grounds, sometimes even attacking human villages.

After all, “Wise Beings” were top-tier delicacies on a magical beast’s menu, second only to Magic Sources.

Pupu were also a staple for Rock Scale Serpents.

For warriors, these fierce beasts were challenging prizes.

For ordinary people, they represented a “Natural Disaster” that could destroy families at any moment.

If raising Rock Pupu could truly defend against Rock Scale Serpents, it would be invaluable knowledge for everyone living in the Flood Zone.

Jon moved more cautiously, afraid to startle his beloved pet and affect what she was about to do.

At the bottom of the river, the Rock Scale Serpent lay in wait.

On the shore, a cute pink “girl” led a group of Rock Pupu, strolling innocently by the water, seemingly defenseless.

To the Rock Scale Serpent, this was a moving, high-end buffet.

At last… a young serpent could hold back no longer.

The water erupted.

A yellowish snake head burst from the waves.

Lya seemed “frightened” and bolted, the serpent’s guard dropping as it charged after her.

The serpent’s agility was many times that of a Pupu.

Lya hadn’t run far before a gaping maw loomed over her, and her small body vanished into its jaws.

Jon’s heart clenched.

Fear, regret, pain… all kinds of emotions surged within him.

He hurriedly revealed himself, wanting to see if there was any hope left for his Pupu.

But just as he stepped forward, Jon froze.

He saw the Rock Scale Serpent suddenly thrashing wildly, its jaws stuck open by something, unable to close.

Looking closely, he realized Lya had somehow reshaped herself into an “H” shape, hardened, hooked onto the serpent’s fangs, and braced against its mouth, wedging herself firmly inside.

“Ha!”

Lya shouted gleefully.

In the next moment, all the Rock Pupu, as if obeying a military order, surged into the serpent’s throat in perfect formation, rivaling the kingdom’s most elite soldiers.

The pitiful Rock Scale Serpent felt as if it were a sack being stuffed with chocolate pudding, Pupu after Pupu forcing their way into its stomach.

Worse, a strange fragrance filled its nostrils, making its mind hazy and sapping its will to resist.

Soon, the serpent’s belly bulged.

At that moment, Lya leaped out from its jaws.

The giant serpent thrashed, trying to escape, but in the next second, its body convulsed violently—Jon guessed the Rock Pupu inside had all activated their hardening at once.

The Rock Scale Serpent could no longer move.

It struggled to crawl, but its overstuffed stomach dragged along the ground like an anchor.

Before long, its organs, crushed and torn, gave out, and the serpent collapsed, lifeless.

Jon stared at the serpent’s massive corpse, battered by the rain, a strange sense of awe rising within him.

For the first time, he felt the overwhelming power of Pupu.