Tanjin’s estimated rank was ‘Gamma+++’ or ‘Beta-’.
This wasn’t a standard ranking system, but rather a makeshift classification—essentially slang—created by the administrators of the Tree, who struggled to precisely gauge combat power due to the wide range of ranks.
In other words, in terms of pure combat ability, Tanjin was at the top among Gamma-tier entities but fell slightly short of Beta-tier ones.
Of course, since this wasn’t a rank derived through meticulous evaluation and classification, but rather based on the administrators’ accumulated experience and data, there was some margin of error.
Since personal judgment played a significant role, difference were inevitable. However, for higher-ranked administrators, this system still proved useful.
After all, having more data points to understand an entity’s characteristics was always beneficial.
Taeseong’s evaluation was: ‘Even among Beta-tier entities, this one is on the weaker side.’
Bottom-tier Beta.
Converted into slang, it would be ‘Beta—’.
His only noteworthy trait was his insane regenerative ability—nothing else stood out.
Of course, this was simply because Taeseong was harsh in his assessments; according to the Tree’s official ranking system, Tanjin was undoubtedly Beta-tier.
The Tree’s ranking system didn’t solely consider combat power, but regardless, Tanjin posed a significant enough threat to be classified as Beta.
—
“They say snakes prefer humid places, don’t they?”
At Taeseong’s signal, the floating blue flames scattered in all directions, creating a scene similar to fireworks.
The fire began spreading rapidly, igniting the trees and grass around them.
Seizing the opportunity, Wairang, who had just been leisurely chewing on Nure’s severed head, kicked off the ground and lunged forward, fully prepared to feast.
[Grrrraaaah!]
The sight of him charging into the panicked serpent-men was satisfying to behold. Since Wairang, a being of shadowy smoke, couldn’t be killed through physical means, there was nothing to worry about.
“Eat well.”
[Woof woof!]
Perhaps it was affection growing, but Taeseong found himself wishing for Wairang to eat plenty and grow strong. Was this what it felt like to be a parent?
[A wolf! A wolf has appeared! Kill the wolf! Kill it now, you fools!]
[Fire! Fire! I hate fire! It’s terrifying! We need to put it out! Where’s the village chief?]
[Priest! The fire is spreading! Mother, please save us! Save us from this disaster!]
Pure Chaos.
The serpent-men, who had lived in peace for decades, were thrown into chaos by this sudden catastrophe.
They were unsure whether they should prioritize putting out the fire, assisting their priest, finding their village chief, or killing the wolf.
“Grow big and strong.”
Kwaang!
Tanjin’s tail slammed into the ground. Of course, Taeseong easily dodged it.
[You bastard… How dare you destroy my village… my followers…]
“What do you mean, ‘your followers’? They belong to the snake god you serve, not you. All of you keep spouting ‘Mother’ and ‘God’ as if you’re devoted, but deep down, you’ve deluded yourselves into thinking you’re the true gods.”
[Silence! You dare act as if you know anything! I am… Wait, Mother? What do you mean, Mother?! Of course, I consider it an honor to become part of her…]
Why was it that every single snake-worshiping bastard was so damn talkative?
Swoosh!
As Taeseong swung his sword, Tanjin’s severed head should have immediately started regenerating… But before that could happen, the blue flames devoured the exposed flesh.
[Kraaaaagh! What did you do to me?!]
Regardless of his cries, the flames burned even fiercer, suppressing his regeneration.
Where two new heads should have emerged, nothing appeared.
“So this is the answer.”
Taeseong’s muscles tensed, his power surging explosively. His sword, now coursing with brilliant blue energy, carved through the air, unleashing a crescent-shaped slash that cut down everything in its path—colossal trees, the air itself, boulders, and even Tanjin’s six tails.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
[Kkeueeek!]
Once again, the blue flames consumed the severed tails, preventing their regeneration. What should have been twelve new tails simply sizzled, emitting a mouthwatering aroma of cooked meat.
“Smells delicious.”
[How… How can a mere human possess such overwhelming strength…? What are you? I received Mother’s blessing… How could a human…]
“Shut up.”
It was a bad matchup. More precisely, a bad matchup for Tanjin. But whatever, let’s just say it was mutual.
As Taeseong advanced, Tanjin’s heads trembled violently and let out panicked screams.
[Stay away! Don’t come near me! I’m warning you—stay back! I warned you! Aaaagh! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! No, no, don’t come any closer, you monster! You damn monster! Why are you tormenting me when I’ve done nothing wrong?!]
A twisted smirk curled on Taeseong’s lips.
How shameless.
They hadn’t hesitated to sacrifice helpless humans to their so-called Mother, but the moment their own lives were in danger, they started whining and spewing nonsense.
Utterly disgusting.
A cloud of venomous mist spewed from Tanjin’s mouths, its potency strong enough to dissolve anything it touched.
Yet, Taeseong didn’t falter—he simply kept walking forward.
[…I want to live.]
And then, he swung his sword.
A single slash.
Just one.
And with that single stroke, Tanjin’s poisonous mist and all of his remaining heads were severed.
One clean cut.
[…Mo…ther…]
This was his final will.
At Taeseong’s gesture, intense blue flames erupted from Tanjin’s entire body. The flames rapidly engulfed him, burning fiercely, and soon, a savoury, roasted scent filled the air.
Gulp.
Taeseong swallowed his saliva, stepped closer, and then bit into one of the tails, chewing it thoroughly. Sizzle—the flowing juices coated his tongue, filling his mouth with flavour. A surge of energy coursed through his body.
“…Delicious. Meat should always be eaten grilled.”
Lee Taeseong, utterly absorbed in his meal, had completely forgotten that Wairang was still engaged in battle. Even as he savoured the meat’s juices, his hands continued slicing off more portions.
About ten minutes passed.
By the time he was finished, Lee Taeseong had consumed every last trace of the three-headed serpent Tanjin’s corpse. It was a sight almost impossible to believe—how had that massive creature fit entirely into his small body? It was as if his stomach contained a black hole.
“Now that was satisfying.”
For someone who had just devoured an entire Beta-ranked creature, such a remark seemed utterly absurd.
[@@!#$@#%@#%#!@]
Perhaps due to consuming Tanjin whole, a strange static noise rang inside his head. However, when he consciously ignored it, it soon faded away.
Rubbing his stomach, Taeseong began swinging his sword through the air. Though he moved effortlessly, each swing sliced through the wind with a sharp, piercing sound.
“My strength has increased significantly.”
Nodding in satisfaction, he suddenly severed his own right arm.
Swish!
The keen blade of Hoirang sliced through Taeseong’s enhanced body as if it were mere tofu.
“Oh.”
But before even a second had passed, his arm had already regenerated. To the average observer, it would have seemed as though it had never been cut in the first place.
A remarkable regeneration ability.
‘So now… can I grow a second head as well?’
Curious, but not eager enough to experiment, he dismissed the thought.
At last, Taeseong looked around. The village was engulfed in blue flames, and the ground was littered with the corpses of snakefolk. Some had been reduced to mere ashes, unrecognizable from their original forms. Others had limbs torn apart, likely Wairang’s doing.
[Huff, huff!]
From the distance, Wairang came jumping over, its belly noticeably swollen. Its tail wagged cheerfully.
Judging by its size, it had grown to at least ten meters—far beyond what Taeseong had expected. He had told it to grow well, but its rapid development was startling. The aura it emitted was significantly stronger than before.
“I need to move faster. Now that we’ve had a good meal, it’s time to earn our keep.”
[Growl?]
“Don’t give me that ‘I don’t understand’ look.”
At Taeseong’s gesture, Wairang caught on and lowered its body. Taeseong climbed onto its back, letting himself relax against its fur. It was as soft as clouds—an incredibly comfortable ride.
“You can feel it too, right? That’s where we’re heading.”
Wairang responded by wagging its tail instead of speaking.
There were no communication devices or compasses that worked in this place. Even Taeseong couldn’t determine the precise direction, so he relied on the flow of energy as his guide.
Right now, in the vicinity, he could sense a powerful clash of forces. Rather than moving aimlessly, he decided it was more efficient to follow the strongest presences.
‘Just hold on a little longer.’
At the same time.
In the southeastern part of the Jukai Forest, Lee Eunha’s group was advancing at a rapid pace. The biggest issue in this area was that neither communication devices nor compasses functioned.
The former prevented them from staying in contact with their separated comrades, while the latter made navigating this huge forest nearly impossible.
However, Lee Eunha had already mapped out the terrain in her head and devised a temporary solution. As they moved, they divided the land into sections numbered 1 to 50 and left markers at each stop.
“Sector 15…”
This system at least allowed them to tell if they were going on loop or not.
Fortunately, they were making steady progress. Signs of battle were evident everywhere.
The bloated corpses of fallen Administrators floated lifelessly. Their eye sockets were hollow. Without their specialized suits, it would have been difficult to even identify them as remains.
Scattered across the ground were severed limbs, broken bones, and intestines—enough to trip over. The sheer number of corpses made one thing clear: a lot of people had died here.
There were also various messages written in different languages. Most were expressions of hatred, desperate pleas for salvation, or cries for help.
The sight of grotesque creatures feasting on human flesh had become almost routine.
“For those bastards, it must feel like an all-you-can-eat buffet came straight to their doorstep.”
“…”
“F***. F***. F***. F***. F***. F***. F***.”
Gi-jun spewed curses under his breath, but the group was too exhausted to respond.
The only one still grinning was their team leader, Taesan.
Crunch!
With a cheerful expression, he had just pulverized a monster whose head had been replaced with a hand.
“Prepare for battle.”
