I Became a Mountain Tiger in a Fantasy World

< Chapter 33: Declaration of War >

The Nightpanther didn’t attack easily.

It must have sensed something instinctively.

It only began to cautiously approach me after I pretended to be asleep for a few minutes, exposing my weak points.

This alone made it clear that there was a significant difference in skill level.

However, this wasn’t enough. Collecting information about the enemy was crucial, but knowing my exact state was also essential for survival.

I checked my status window.

【Baekdu Mountain Tiger, Leader Lu-deus Lv.30】

– Traits: [Potential], …, [Leader], [Sturdy]

The newly acquired trait, ‘Sturdy.’

To be honest, I hadn’t expected to gain this trait.

All I did was evolve.

But could it be because my rank increased when I became a leader?

There had been instances where skills in the skill window merged into a single trait.

The result of this merger was ‘Sturdy.’

The skills that disappeared were Metallization, Steel Claws, and Steel Hide.

Can you sense it now?

The combination of these three skills into an enhanced form is what ‘Sturdy’ is.

For reference, this trait was possessed by the Undead Skeleton Warrior.

Considering the skeleton’s toughness and tenacity, ‘Sturdy’ seemed to signify more than just physical durability.

Well, it’s complicated to explain.

You’ll know for sure once you get hit.

Swoosh!

The Nightpanther roared and boldly swung its front paw.

The Nightpanther had Level 3 Razor Claws. As you know, its claws couldn’t pierce Teravore’s carapace and broke.

So, how much damage could it inflict on me, who had ‘Sturdy’ but no carapace?

Clang!

“Grr?”

I protected my vital points and took the claws head-on, and sparks flew from its claws as they bounced off.

I wore a puzzled expression, and the Nightpanther looked even more confused.

“Grk, grrk?!”

Goodness! Could it deflect an attack from a creature of the same level?

I stared at the Nightpanther’s claws with a curious face.

【Double Horned Nightpanther Lv.36】

– Traits: [Horns], [Sensitivity]

– Skills: [Razor Claws Lv.3], [Slash Lv.3], [Tear Lv.3], [Bite Lv.3]

– Status: [Fear]

It was clear that the attack was from Level 3 claws.

Moreover, it was a creature six levels higher than me.

Yet, even after taking its attack head-on, I only had a small scratch.

What would happen when I surpassed Level 40? Being a leader might be far stronger than I had imagined.

A strange sense of euphoria welled up from deep within me.

It was a feeling of pride, as if I had been reborn as a new being.

Ah, I shouldn’t get too arrogant!

Let’s just enjoy today!

I looked at the Nightpanther with a confident face.

“Grr.”

Hey, did you really hit me properly?

The creature, with its pride hurt, swung its claws more fiercely.

I calmly raised my front paw to meet the Nightpanther’s attack.

I had experienced the toughness of my hide, now it was time to check my claws.

“Grr.”

I easily extended my claws to counter its attack.

Just from that, I could tell.

My bones had become much harder and stronger weapons than my tough hide.

Crack!

“Roar!”

The Nightpanther’s claws broke upon impact with mine.

It was like hitting a solid wall with a fist; if you don’t break through, the fist will shatter.

It had put all its strength into the blow, and since it couldn’t pierce, it broke.

I lifted my paw with a satisfied expression.

Even though we looked somewhat similar, we were still distant cousins. Teasing it any further would be disrespectful.

I decided to put it to rest peacefully.

Can’t I let it live?

Sorry, but killing it is necessary to increase the subjugation of the leader.

Monsters won’t bow their heads without seeing blood.

To finish it off and test my new skill, I decided to give it a try.

“Using ‘Slash’!”

Drawing on my primal instincts, I swung my paw horizontally.

Yes, as you can tell from the simple name, this was just a brute force swing.

But don’t underestimate it.

This simple attack, combined with a tiger’s strength and primal instincts…

Splat!

Was powerful enough to rip the Nightpanther’s body to shreds.

“Yelp, yelp…”

“The ‘Nightpanther Tribe’ swears allegiance to you!”

Only after the largest one fighting me was torn to pieces did the Nightpanthers bow their heads.

See, it would have been easier if you had listened earlier.

“Grrr!”

“Yelp, yelp…”

Now I had a rough idea of how strong I had become.

A leader.

Indeed, this is why they are called leaders.

Feeling the vigor and primal instincts flowing through my body, I thought.

At this level, I might even be able to take on a fully intact Teravore one-on-one.

No, more than just hold my own…

Hmm.

It’s still too early to jump to conclusions.

I need to grow steadily before becoming overconfident.

For now, I need to secure subjugation around the underground mine.

First, let’s acquire the Nightpanther’s traits.

It possessed a trait I thought I couldn’t have.

Horns! How on earth did it get those?

“Fer…?”

“Grr?”

However, whether it was unfortunate or fortunate, I didn’t acquire the horn trait.

It was because Eryllion sensed something and looked somewhere.

What? That’s towards the underground mine?

At the same time, red letters flashed on one side of my vision.

「The residents of the underground mine have sent a distress call!」

「The ‘Exiled Prince’ warns that the earthen gate installed in the underground mine has been destroyed!」

What? What did you say?

Who broke the door to our house!

As the master of the underground mine, I naturally knew who the culprit was.

「The ‘Giant King Cobra’ has issued a challenge to you!」

“Growl?”

Indeed.

I had left my post for a week to evolve. Then, I left again for another week to level up.

In the meantime, it seemed a guest had arrived at the underground mine.

A somewhat rough and violent guest.

「The residents of the underground mine are calling out your name!」

‘What? This bastard?’

My eyebrows furrowed in anger.

When there’s a leader, it’s customary for monsters to challenge the leader first.

How dare you ransack my house while I’m away?

“Growl!”

“Fer!”

I cast a fierce glare as I started running towards the underground mine.

This shameless monster!

Just wait! King Cobra!

“Growl.”

“Fer?”

…By the way, Eryllion, do we have any detox herbs left?

“Fer!”

Eryllion nodded confidently.

Ah, as expected!

How does he always carry detox herbs, you ask?

【Subspace of 10 Lumen】

– A subspace the size of a small warehouse.

As Eryllion grew, the size of his subspace also increased!

Isn’t it amazing? Eryllion is a living light bulb and a warehouse keeper!

A versatile fairy! For sale!

“Fer?”

Just kidding.

Eryllion is my precious friend…so, that was a joke.

“Fer!!”

“Growl!”

***

The black mole tribe wasn’t particularly intelligent.

Moreover, their bodies were weak, and their claws weren’t very strong.

So, they lived by digging in the ground.

Being beings of little greed, they were content with just a place to rest and food to eat.

However, they were innocent and good with their hands, making them perfect slaves.

Thus, strong monsters repeatedly oppressed and threatened them, using them as slaves.

“Karangkarang!”

“Shhh!!”

Even now, it was the same.

Although the new master had blocked the entrance, the giant snake easily passed through.

A young mole shivered, watching the horror unfold before its eyes.

The overseer of the mine had only tried to negotiate with the giant snake.

Since they were working slaves anyway, it meant they’d serve well until the master returned.

But then.

“Shhh!”

“Ka, Karang!”

The giant snake swallowed the overseer whole.

As if that wasn’t enough, it spewed poison and tormented the black moles.

“Karang! Karangkarang!”

“Kararang…!”

The young mole, held in its mother’s arms, wept bitterly.

「The ‘young black mole’ is asking for help from the master of the underground mine!」

“Karang!”

The adult black moles tried to stop the young mole’s actions.

It’s useless.

The masters won’t come to save them.

The black moles were just slaves.

Their situation had nothing to do with the masters.

The masters only visited when they had business to attend to.

So, the adult moles told the young mole not to provoke the intruder and to stay quiet.

‘Why?’

The young mole couldn’t understand.

How could they do nothing while their family was dying?

「The ‘young black mole’ is asking the master for help!」

The new master was said to be a hero.

The hero who had liberated the black moles from the great demon Teravore.

So, surely, surely…!

“Shhh!”

Eventually, the young mole defied the giant snake.

“Kararang!”

“Karang!”

The adult moles gathered to block the young mole.

The giant snake, unconcerned, opened its jaws wide.

The young mole, seeing the rows of sharp teeth inside, whimpered softly.

“Karang, karang.”

Please help. Please.

“Shhh!”

At that moment.

The earth rose up in front of the adult moles, blocking the snake’s attack.

“Growl!”

The being that had rushed into the mine stood before them.

The young mole saw it.

The small master’s eyes scanning the surroundings.

The small master’s pupils, as they took in the scattered blood and the moles, began to glow with a fierce red energy.

“Growl…!”

The small master bit into the giant snake’s neck with its tiny mouth.

And, astonishingly, it dragged the giant snake out of the mine.

“Karang?!”

The young mole, filled with a strange emotion, eagerly chased after.

Digging the ground with its small paws and cautiously peeking out from the mine,

Whack!

What appeared before the young mole’s eyes was the scene of the giant snake’s head being severed.

Thud, crack!

The being that smashed the snake’s head on the ground was truly enormous.

At that moment, the young mole understood.

This was the new leader of the black moles.

The hero, Lu-deus, had answered the young mole’s plea.

“Growlll!!”

The hero, who had torn apart the snake with a body that seemed twice the size of the snake, let out a roar.

The powerful voice resonated deeply, making its chest vibrate.

The young mole’s eyes welled up with tears as it felt the anger radiating from the enormous being.

A useless slave.

Its master was genuinely furious over the death of such an insignificant being.

「The ‘master of the underground mine’ has declared war on the King Cobra clan!!」

“Karang…!”

The voice that thumped in its chest made the young mole tremble.

It was different. Though it didn’t know why, this master was different.

…

Meanwhile, having killed the Giant King Cobra,

「The ‘black mole tribe’ pledges their loyalty to you!」

‘Huh?’

I was a bit flustered by their intense reaction.

What’s this? Why are they suddenly acting like this?

There were two reasons I declared war.

First, the King Cobra dared to invade the core of my territory, the underground mine, while I was away.

Second, it didn’t hunt but killed the moles for fun.

Honestly, the first reason was more significant.

Knowing the nature of monsters, I felt they would climb all over me if I just let this slide, so I outright declared war…

Of course, I also had the idea of increasing the obedience of other monsters through this incident.

But.

“Karang…!!”

“Karangkarang!!”

「The ‘black mole tribe’ worships you!」

Their overwhelming reaction made me feel a bit pressured.

Well, whatever.

Isn’t this a good thing?

Seizing the opportunity, I gave them a dignified look and immediately headed towards the King Cobra’s territory.

It was time to make my presence known in the deep forest.