But it seems Crown of Steal had effects beyond my expectations.
「This skill can be stolen.」
For a moment I pondered what that meant.
Crown of Steal is a skill evolved from Billy’s Horn.
‘Borrowing’ and ‘stealing’ are clearly different…
I wondered why such an ominous modifier was attached, but…
I could steal the opponent’s Rolling.
「Stealing ‘Rolling lv20’.」
「Temporarily gained ‘Rolling lv10’.」
Up to here was the same as the original “Billy’s Horn” mechanism.
No, considering I borrowed it at level 10 immediately even though it’s a lower skill, has the efficiency improved?
Anyway, the true utility of ‘Crown of Steal’ happened next.
「Temporarily target’s ‘Rolling lv20’ becomes ‘Rolling lv13’.」
Ohh!
This is literally stealing.
Though temporary, it was a skill that inflicted a powerful debuff on the opponent.
I didn’t know it was such a good skill.
However, it seems using Crown of Steal secretly was impossible.
“Turuk.”
Making a strange cry.
It turned its head toward me.
That’s when I could tell it was a ‘head’.
Several black eyes were embedded among the tentacles and hair that stuck out messily like kimbap filling.
“Tururururuk!”
It was clear that it was enraged.
Because it started rolling toward me right away.
But that rolling was different from what I expected.
It wasn’t limited to rolling sideways.
It could also roll forward like a wheel by curling its body into a hoop.
And its speed was beyond my imagination.
A racing car was coming.
If I hadn’t ‘rolled’ sideways, it would have been hard to dodge.
Blood Scales crashed into the wall behind me.
Bang!
I trembled feeling my own speed just now.
‘That was incredibly fast!’
It was speed comparable to Heart-eating Leap.
Well, rotation can be surprisingly useful for long creatures like me.
“Dodge!”
Blood Scales came flying using ‘Bouncing’.
But I have Heart-eating Leap, a higher skill.
Dodging was easy.
However, even that seemed to be expected.
This is an indoor space with walls all around.
With the combination of Rolling and Bouncing, it bounced off in unpredictable trajectories every time it hit a wall.
It must feel like throwing a rugby ball hard inside a room.
That mass moves like crazy.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump-!
Getting crushed would mean at least death by compression.
Moreover, it also has the Poison Scales skill.
Seems to be its own efficient combat style, poisoning opponents with each collision.
Even I who had been quickly dodging eventually got grazed by it.
Hiss-
Of course, I have Crystal Scales + Black Scales.
Can’t compare with its half-formed scales.
Rather, it was the one that got wounded.
Whoosh!
It stopped in a corner.
Seems it plans to crush me all at once.
Curling up like a caterpillar must be to gather momentum.
I stared at it without dodging.
From accumulated experience, I could tell.
When it would spring up.
…Right now.
Whoosh!
The moment it rushed at me.
I didn’t move right away.
I just jumped up after waiting until right before impact.
So it couldn’t turn its body.
So it would impale itself on the longsword I had hidden behind me.
The Celestium longsword was sufficiently sharp.
And Blood Scales’ flying speed was sufficient too.
Thunk!
It was pierced from its snout.
Dawn’s blade was buried so deep it couldn’t be seen.
Flop, flop flop!
After flopping its body a few times.
That was its last moment.
Though it was an easy hunt if you could call it easy.
The magical energy left by the chimera exceeded my expectations.
「Your level has increased!」
「Your level has increased!」
Two level ups at once.
Considering that the amount of magical energy needed for leveling up increases as levels get higher, this is an extremely generous reward.
I feel an thrilling excitement.
Let me check my current situation.
──────────────
[Crystal Crown Python lv45]
[Titles] Ouroboros, Heart-eating Snake
[Traits]
[Indomitable], [Perseverance], [Crown]
──────────────
CCP, level 45 achieved.
Assuming evolution is possible at level 50, the peak is really right ahead now.
Will I be able to evolve into a Serpent now?
──────────────
[Skills]
▸ Crown
[Steal lv4]: Rolling lv10, [Overcome lv2], [Dominate lv1]
──────────────
This time I learned the potential of ‘Crown of Steal’.
I thought borrowing good skills was best, but I should learn minor skills too.
First, shouldn’t I be able to make Rolling my own easily?
──────────────
▸ Magic
[Basic Elements]: Fire lv8, Earth lv7, Water lv5, Wind lv6
[Invisible Hand lv14], [Lightweight lv5]
──────────────
As a mage I haven’t been neglecting training…
Recently my elemental magic skills have improved quite a bit, and Invisible Hand and Lightweight naturally grew from practicing swordsmanship so much.
▸ Techniques
[Gigantification lv2], [Iron Lion Style Swordsmanship lv2], [Ferang School Dagger Technique lv4], [Beam lv3], [Heavenly Thunder Spirit lv2], [Heart-eating Leap lv4], [Deadly Poison: Neurotoxin lv5], [Poison Scales lv2], [Tail Whip lv3], [Slash lv5], [Devouring lv7], [Magic Detection lv3], [Acceleration lv7]
──────────────
▸ Survival
[Resistance]: Poison lv7, Bleeding lv3, Pain lv8, Heat lv12, Cold lv1, Petrification lv1, Electric lv1, Impact lv2
[Survival Instinct lv7], [Black Scales lv3], [Swimming lv1], [Breath Holding lv10], [Stealth lv10]…
──────────────
There were quite a few other skills too but.
Compared to having many types of skills, I haven’t raised their individual levels much.
Something to reflect on.
Maybe I’ve been running forward too earnestly.
I might need time to train steadily and become stronger.
“As I said before. If you just properly honed magic, the world would be yours.”
Though Pelerian said that, that’s really by elven standards.
It would probably take about 100 years to properly hone it.
──────────────
[Achievements]
[Guard Captain Slayer], [Friend of Centipedes], [Friend of Goblins], [Monster Leader],
[Monster Wave Stopper], [Demon Slayer]…
──────────────
My brilliant achievements have grown a lot too.
Now if I just evolve into a Serpent I couldn’t ask for more.
Tick tick.
While I was still, Isil tapped me with his leaves.
Isil had shriveled up yellow.
He must have strained himself using hellfire. Plus he must be hungry too.
‘Alright! Let’s go back and eat!’
The menu is…drumroll…
Chimera kimbap.
I dragged the dead chimera back to the control room.
