Chapter 63: Brooding of a Defeated Warrior

In a place dark as the abyss dwells a girl, wondering what she was doing in such a place seemingly reached by no light, yet strangely enough, she can see her flesh, her skin that should be covered with her silver scales.

_Just a moment ago, I was defeated wasn't I?_

Bakunawa thought, but immediately shook her head, her silver hair seemed to sympathize with her as it did not even sway and looked like weights were attached to them.

_Actually, it's "I was defeated weeks ago."_

Bakunawa cannot help but sigh, in her little knowledge about elementary spells, one elementary spell is directly proportional to the power of the user. Meaning that one can enslave stronger individuals as long as she is stronger or as strong as that individual. Furthermore, if the enslaver and the enslaved are of equal power, then the enslaved can fight back, her eyes lit up for a moment but she just covered her eyes.

Tears cannot even form anymore and only her self-disappointment can be felt, surely she will not succeed even if she attempts to escape because, by this time, Sophia most probably will continue with her hero's test that just got its greatest thorn eliminated... or enslaved.

_According to fa... my lord, in about thirty or so minutes, chains will bound my soul..._

Bakunawa wondered what she do while waiting for her official loss of freedom, but she unconsciously went back to her habit, a habit she developed in her lonesome that would seemingly last for an eternity, technically not, because she would surely be "treated" properly by Sophia considering that her existence is what Sophia is most worried about.

"I hope I can go back to that day..."

...That day, when the weak frail water serpent met the savior of her pitiful life.

_____

The third layer of the Five-Pronged forest might be considered as a place that no one wants to rule, simply because no one can be recognized as the god of the undead to be the protector of such a glistening river of his forest. Arachne is considered the protector of the first layer because of the strength of information, and Wokung the second layer as the leader of the most intelligent community-type monsters of the undead's land.

The bat queen is the protector of the fourth layer because of the high quality of their power and of course, the prophet of the god of the undead is who governs the fifth layer for obvious reasons. That was the first step to being recognized as a hero prospect, one needed to be recognized as the protector of a god's territory first.

That step was partaken by Urduja and Bakunawa and even Sophia, though the strange thing is that she received such recognition without even half a year after her conception. Going back, the Oni at that time wanted to be recognized, after they were the only race that could produce metal weapons other than the monkeys, but the problem was that, the Oni was no good in the thinking department, the god of streams, the one appointed by the god of undead to look for the rightful protector of the third layer will always ignore his prayers to be a protector.

But one serpent, a water serpent and the last of her kind will captivate this god's fancy, the serpent was more determined despite her size just as long as Sophia's complete height when she was a newborn.

First, she built a house under the biggest rock her feeble body could lift, the rock was used as a roof to a small circular structure, and the species' only magic attack "pulse" would be used against anyone who dared to attack her, not that it killed them but the rocks she is ejecting is already big enough to blind an alligator's eyes, making the alligator go away momentarily and also giving the water serpent a chance to escape.

The god of streams cannot help but stare intently into this little one and compare it to the Oni, his race's campsite is not even properly walled nor concealed, they were not in a cave and just a parchment of giant leaves was visible, the only rock structure on his dwelling is the storehouse of iron weapon and the little factory they had.

If one cannot protect himself, he cannot protect anything, their dwelling was already attacked several times, but the Oni did not even innovate rock house, his stupidity is evident before or even when he was leading the combined mantis and ogre army, he was led by the nose without him noticing the oddity of the sudden disappearance of the prideful wolves, or even when he made conspiracy theory to cause unwanted trouble.

_How the hell did this person become an Oni? His father should have ejaculated in the sheets.

Compared to the little one who can utilize what her meager strength gives her, the Oni looks like an idiotic lord poorly managing a land full of pearls (the river as the forest's water source is considered one). As the god of streams was thinking of that, a lightbulb went into his head as he sneered. Suddenly a notification appeared in the head of the serpent.

Notice [God of Streams:??? has taken interest in you, making you the protector of the third layer.]

The serpent was stunned as she suddenly gained intelligence, her once meager size became like that of an anaconda with blue and silver linings all over her body, she didn't know who this god of streams was, but one thing was certain, he had given her strength and it will never let it go to waste, thus protector is her job, then protector she will be.

Starting that day, all of the overpopulated monsters of the third layer as well as monsters that are strong enough to get away from the god of the undead's restraints are destroyed by the serpent who will do anything in her power to repay her debt.

"HAHAHAHAHA! SEE I TOLD YOU I WAS RIGHT!"

The god of streams cannot help but laugh when he saw the astonished expressions of his fellow gods and goddesses, never in their lives did they think that a serpent in name only would become such a devoted protector in no time, the god of streams was dedicated on making her a prospect, better yet he even thought of the serpent as his child.

At that moment while she is slaughtering another overpopulated race, she receives another notification.

Notice [God of Streams: ??? Have bestowed you his blessing by giving you the name [ Bakunawa]]

[You are now an official mortal child of a god.]

[Multiple Blessings have been bestowed upon you]

[Unique Skill: Pagomancy Aquired]

Bakunawa was too stunned to speak, she could not even say proper greetings before, how did she become intelligent? How did she suddenly become strong? She did not know, however one thing is certain, someone recognized her feeble existence and made her into who she is today, gave her knowledge that let her know that the moment she became a mortal child of god, she also became a hero prospect and that title will give her absolute power.

At that moment she swore from the bottom of her heart, that she would become strong enough to give her savior the gift of gratitude he so much deserved, and who knows why, but despite her intelligence, her beastly nature is still intact and thus the most suitable gift for her is...

_Stealing the five-pronged forest from the god of the undead and presenting it to my father._

Thus she waited patiently, she waited in the moment in which the restriction of the god of undead would end while accumulating strength, she patiently watched the passing moment of the large yet constricted forest, days turned into months, into years, into decades, into centuries... she witnessed the hero of the sun Urduja be born, a hero she once fought and got her current human form by Urduja teaching her magic and gained knowledge of hand to hand combat. But the restriction did not end and she never felt strong enough to rebel against the god of the undead.

Maybe she can get out of the restriction, but she will surely be punished by declaring her intentions in the open, but finally her patience was rewarded on the day the restriction ended, but much to her dismay, the lifting of the restriction was for the hero test of someone named Sophia.

"WHO IS THIS CHILD THAT DARED TO INTERRUPT MY PLANS!?"

She is enraged and immediately wants to destroy her, but because there is the leader of monkeys who is also one of Urduja's equals in terms of power, she holds herself back and waits for an opportunity to come, and alas it comes, an alliance happened because of Sophia's growing power and the war between the whole forest and Sophia transpired, she directly challenged Sophia, vastly underestimating a human's power, after all Urduja and Sophia are different.

Urduja is a properly trained warrior, she is an adult who has her shit together and even has a harem of beautiful girls.

_Whatever does that mean?_

And here is Sophia, a random baby that was immediately recognized as a protector and was given a name, even Bakunawa has to wait for her race to almost go extinct to be a protector.

In short, she cannot and will never believe someone so privileged would win against hard workers such as herself, but then the result was the entire opposite, she was plotted against by the person she loathed the most, and that person ensured her crushing defeat before even the war started and ultimately will punish her from being a hinderance to her rise to power.

"I'm sorry..."

Bakunawa once again muttered, her heart ached as she thought of one thing she dreaded the most, it was not her father who conversed with her regularly in her lonesome abandoning her, she had already accepted that the moment she was enslaved, it was...

_I... Don't want to be alone..._

As she said those words, chains appeared in the dark space and latched into her neck, or the neck of her soul, but before all of them could do so, a snicker came crashing into her ears.

"I told you, child of mine, you will not win."

After a sigh, the god of streams continued.

"But don't worry, I will not leave you... though Milord will embark on quite a long journey and I was tasked to be his right-hand man, so I will not be able to converse with you for a long time... Though I doubt you will be alone, actually you will be "thoroughly accommodated" by your new "master" as far as I can read Sophia's personality, well I shall bid farewell, serve your new lady well, and do not commit another mistake."

Bakunawa was too stunned to speak and when she finally regained her bearings and about to ask what in the hell is her father talking about, her soul was bound by chains completely, making her unable to speak because of the recoil of her will and the bindings.

_I wonder what does he mean by "thoroughly accommodated"  ._

Well, let's just say Urduja's influence is not too deep for Bakunawa to understand such remarks, though one thing is for sure.

"Whatever does he mean by that, I don't think my pride can take it, being a slave I mean."

[Sophia's POV]

I looked at the humungous serpent in front of me, even now I can still see her despairing eyes as she cried and begged me to just kill her, well I plan on doing so if only not because she can be of use if she is to become mine, my general I mean.

[General only?]

Of course I am, I already have my sights on Eleanor, and will never drift to another lady.

[...As a being in your head, I highly doubt that.]

It's still my head, so I doubt you know more than me, so shut up.

[Whatever you say, master.]

In any case, I think I shall leave her here for now, but the problem is that she might escape if I did not give her any order.

However, according to Eleanor, I could have prevented any type of escape plan from a slave if I just gave an order for her to stay, which I did.

"Erm... Stay?"

As I say those words aloud, the Baybayin letters all over her body started to shine, on a side note I don't think I can explain to all of you how terrible it feels to understand a system of writing used to represent magic, but I simply ignored it as I averted my gaze away from the circulating letters as I went to dash towards the third layer, it is the smallest layer as it was just a river with just a little volume of trees.

After ten minutes or so I finally reached the river and I could not help but grin. I know all kingdom-building novels will have the mc be blessed with a forest with a fucking river splat on it, but I can only say that this is a very convenient coincidence for my plans of building a nation, you see I will have a lot of undeads meaning I do not need a supply of water. However, a nation is not a nation without an economy so I'm planning on using the living creatures as my traders, chefs, etc. and of course, they will need this river to supply their daily needs.

As I was about to step into the water to officially declare this place mine, [Guide] suddenly spoke up.

[Say...Will you really do it?]

I paused for a moment and then splashed my whole body directly into the river.

Do what?

[...You know, usurping the ownership of this forest and all.]

I looked at the notification saying that the river was officially mine as I grinned and looked up at the sky.

"But I do."