So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

It is the instinct of magical beasts to become stronger.

This is probably the most prioritized instinct after survival.

That's what distinguishes beasts from magical beasts.

Stronger, harder, faster.

And bigger.

To achieve this, magical beasts constantly repeat their evolution.

The Silverback Chimpanzee Akims must have given up on size during the evolution process.

Something big can't climb trees, nor can it speak easily. Even its throat and vocal cords would become huge, losing the advantage of vocalization.

Also, a gigantic body consumes a lot of food as much as it is strong.

The resources of the forest are limited.

Instead, he must have wished to be fast and strong.

Riokku is different.

Was it because it was a 'bug' that was naturally small?

Was it because it was a species where weight class was clearly strength?

Or was it because it ate anything well, and also grew up in a swamp with abundant vegetation?

It must have evolved with an obsession with 'size' above all else.

Its terrible hunger must also be to maintain that body size.

Then what about father?

How did father evolve into such a gigantic magical beast?

I've thought about it before.

Probably to survive, most likely.

There's little a small snake can do in a large forest.

He must have grown his body to hunt prey bigger than himself.

Or it might have been for 'courtship'.

Unlike me, father must have had the instinct to be attracted to similar snakes.

Maybe mother, being a Medusa Serpent, was older.

It's common for large and powerful males to be popular, so father might have evolved to be big after falling for mother...

I've let my imagination run wild like that.

'Gigantification.'

Why couldn't I imagine that?

There were several clues.

Even excluding that chronic lack of magical power.

Father who often suddenly disappeared.

It wasn't teleportation, but the fact that he disappeared without a trace from his spot might have actually been the deactivation of the gigantification skill.

It was like that when we first met too.

He was sleeping between rocks.

How could he have done that? It's impossible to squeeze that huge body between rocks.

If he was originally small, and thus went to sleep between rocks and then used gigantification, it's possible.

Was that why he was so startled when I tried to peek at his status window?

'Why did you do such a thing?'

He could have just used gigantification only when fighting.

But I couldn't blame father who had collapsed after saving me.

It wasn't a rational decision for him to maintain gigantification even as it ate away at his body.

Well, he must have had his personal reasons.

My body's growth has stopped.

Now I look down even on Riokku.

I'm smaller than father, but I've grown enormously.

I feel nauseous from lack of magical power.

Above all, my body is terribly heavy.

'Is this father's weight!'

I realize it now.

Always carrying such a heavy burden and sense of responsibility...

"That's not the weight of a father, it's your body weight. It's natural since your strength is running out."

Pelerian broke the mood.

The ring he's inhabiting has now grown as big as a hula hoop due to the size adjustment magic, but Pelerian's size remained the same.

"Your bulk has increased, but your essence remains the same."

'I can't hear you because the person speaking is too tiny.'

"What."

Yeah, I understand father in some ways now.

Now that I've become gigantic, I'm no longer afraid of Riokku.

There's also a desire to save father, but somehow it seems doable.

I charged at it.

Grrrr-

The corpses of magical beasts that would have been in the way are crushed under my weight.

It was burdensome, as if moving in water, but I ran, drawing out all the strength in my body.

"Kwiiiiiek!"

Riokku roared back in confrontation.

You filthy bug!

Somehow, since I've gigantified, it felt like I should shout that.

'Look at me-!'

With a thunderous roar, I leaped.

Secret technique.

Gigantification leap.

「You use Heart-eating Leap lv2.」

'Uaaah!'

"It flew!"

I flew.

About 10cm above the ground.

If I were my original size, I would have flown like an arrow, but this was the limit now.

I didn't reach Riokku.

Instead, I landed with a thunderous sound right in front of its nose.

Kwaang!

Dust billowed up.

The result wasn't bad.

Due to the terribly increased mass, the inertia was also enormous.

I collided with it along with the dust.

Kuung!

And the hell of a brawl began.

I wrapped around its body.

Avoiding between its two remaining legs, I wrapped around and squeezed that fat belly.

And I sank my venomous fangs into its head.

Uaak!

Something weird and wriggling entered my mouth.

My spine chilled, and I immediately spat it out and disinfected my mouth with flames.

I give up on biting it to death.

Instead, I put strength into my body.

Wadrdrdrdeuk!

At least it's muscle strength strong enough to move this body.

Riokku spread its wings and flailed its two remaining legs, but it was useless.

It too had been greatly injured while fighting father.

"Kwiiiiiek!"

Hearing it up close, it's an even more X-like cry.

Die!

Udeuk, ppajik-

Cracks started to form in its carapace.

There were vicious protrusions on its body, but my scales had thickened just as much. They were also strengthened by the Black Scales skill.

It feels like gigantification will wear off soon.

How much magical power did father have to be able to maintain gigantification for so long?

'Uaaah!'

Ppajik!

Its thin neck snapped, and its head fell off with a thud.

Nevertheless, the body moved on its own, but that was only a matter of time.

Like squeezing a blackened, overripe banana tightly.

Kwajajak!

It was crushed, bursting its contents spectacularly.

I got it.

Even if it was tired and injured, it was clearly a named magical beast.

「Your level has increased.」

「Your level has increased.」

「Your level has increased.」

...

A feast of level-ups unfolded.

'Huh, huk.'

I was tired, but I couldn't stay still.

"Hey, roll!"

'Uaaah!'

I followed Pelerian's advice.

From the body of the dead Riokku, parasites as thick as human forearms were crawling out, wriggling.

I quickly rolled to prevent them from attaching to my body.

Peoperpeoperpeok-

Let's not listen to the sound, I might throw up.

Fortunately, maybe they can't survive when exposed to air.

The parasites soon stiffened and died.

I quickly stood up.

There's something I need to take care of now that my body has become gigantic.

It's dirty and unpleasant, but.

「You use Slash lv3.」

I somehow sliced its body with my tail. It was somewhat manageable as it was half-crushed.

Heart, there should be a heart.

Sure enough.

As befitting a named magical beast, it had a magic stone.

I should disinfect it just in case.

「You use Basic Elemental Magic: Fire lv3.」

Hwararreureuk!

I enveloped the magic stone with flames.

The disgusting residues burned, emitting black smoke.

I hurriedly put it into my subspace.

Let's quickly go back to check father's condition.

「Gigantification is deactivated.」

And finally, gigantification ended.

When the body became gigantic, it took some time, but the deactivation of the skill was instantaneous.

In an instant, my body returned to its original size.

Ow, it's light.

If it's light, I can run harder.

「You use Acceleration lv6.」

Squeezing out what little magical power I had left, I returned to where father was.