Chapter 132

‘Because it would be troublesome if I provoked it to use it more.’

He figured that if he praised it for no reason, it might get cocky and try to use black magic at any given time.

Although it would look like holy magic thanks to the False Divinity, it would still be best to minimize external exposure.

And it might bring bad luck for no reason.

…If he said such things and the Heavenly Sword Peacock King ended up using black magic as well, that would be a real disaster.

“You’re my firstborn, after all.”

[Hehe. That’s right.]

Fortunately, upon hearing this, the Abyss Dragon seemed to cheer up instantly, fluttering its wings and wagging its tail.

In truth, Roan meant it.

No matter how many other divine beasts he obtained, Bell was a dragon Roan had never even seen in “God and Devil,” a legendary Abyss Dragon, and on top of that, they were bound by the Gathering of Allies.

Of course, he would try to treat everyone fairly, but a natural attachment was unavoidable.

“Oh, Roan is out!”

Roan emerged, and soon all the freshmen received one egg each.

Fortunately, all the eggs were painted golden, so Roan didn’t attract any special attention.

“But doesn’t Roan’s egg look a bit sparkly?”

“……What are you talking about?”

“Demona! Don’t bother Roan and quiet down!”

Although Demona looked a bit suspicious, the friends scolded her to stop bothering Roan, allowing him to slip past.

“Please let Roan’s be an Ember Sparrow… just an Ember Sparrow…”

‘A bird will hatch, indeed.’

…Well, since he was in a good mood, he decided to let Hector’s cursing slide as a mere cute attempt.

Since everyone had received an egg, it was now time to move on to the next step.

“Denver!”

“Yes, Professor!”

At Vulcan’s call, Denver and a large holy beast appeared, each pulling a cart suited to their size.

Those carts were loaded with various devices.

‘The highest-grade rapid incubator.’

Roan recognized the device.

Unlike simple incubators that were custom-built to fit the size of the egg, this one was quite large.

Vulcan spoke.

“This is the highest-grade rapid incubator. We will distribute one to each of you, so hatch the eggs you received today.”

The highest-grade rapid incubator was a tremendous item that hatched divine and holy beast eggs instantly.

…In reality, it made no sense, but since gods existed in this world, such a thing was plausible enough.

─ Waaaa!

─ This is what Acherandir is about!

The students naturally went wild.

Not only did they receive holy beast eggs, but they were also given rapid incubators?

At this very moment, if the students were asked to choose between their parents and Vulcan, they would surely hesitate for a second.

That was how pathetic they looked to anyone sane.

“Of course, those who are caught by the two-beast limit may also take one if they have an unhatched egg.”

“Waaaa! Long live Professor Vulcan!”

Hector, who had been depressed until now, immediately joined the crowd of students and began jumping up and down.

“Quiet! Quiet! Anyone making noise will have to return it!”

─ …….

The students shut their mouths instantly, fearing Vulcan would take back the rapid incubators.

However, Vulcan’s business was slightly different.

Vulcan clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and began to babble, quite uncharacteristically.

“This highest-grade rapid incubator is sponsored by the Richmond family, featuring up to 38% superior stability compared to other companies’ products, and…”

“Professor, it’s 41%. 38% is the output.”

“Dammit, what do I care about that? Just use it. In any case, it’s 41%. And…”

It was a direct advertisement for the Richmond family!

Even for Acherandir, purchasing those expensive incubators for all students was financially impractical, so they imported them using this method.

Furthermore, the Richmond family was the largest sponsor of Acherandir’s Holy War Club.

The students murmured.

─ Is even Professor Vulcan helpless before money?

─ Well, the highest-grade incubator makes it hard to resist.

Although they were slightly taken aback, it was a beautiful sight where everyone still understood Vulcan.

After the advertisement script finished.

Only then did Vulcan shout as if he could finally breathe.

“Do you want strong holy beasts?!”

─ We do!

The students answered by raising one hand.

“Shut up!”

─ …….

And they put their hands right down.

Lightning crackled around Vulcan’s mouth.

“Throw away the weak thought that you can only win if you have a strong holy beast! The ones who make the holy beasts strong are none other than you all!”

─ Ohhh…!

“No matter what kind of holy beast is born, do not be disappointed and train them! Whip yourselves as well! If victory is to be sweet, the process must be bitter above all else!”

─ Uwaaaa!

─ Vulcan! Vulcan! Vulcan!

The students chanted Vulcan’s name.

…At times like this, Roan and Sion always slipped away to the back.

‘I can’t relate to this at all, what can I do.’

Just then, Hector shouted.

“Even forbidden divine beasts will win someday if we train them hard!”

“…….”

Vulcan fell silent.

─ …….

The students fell silent as well.

“…….”

Hector, who had shouted unable to contain his excitement, also quietly fell silent.

‘That’s not it.’

Everyone thought the same, but the atmosphere felt like Hector would cry if anyone spoke up, so they all held back.

“……At any rate, everyone take one and hatch them.”

Vulcan smacked his lips as if the mood was ruined, and pointed at the carts.

The students all excitedly carried off the incubators.

Roan and his friends also sat in a circle with the eggs placed in the incubators.

“No matter how rapid the incubator is, they will hatch with time differences depending on when the egg was produced. Probably Hector’s and Demona’s will hatch first.”

“As expected…!”

The friends nodded and watched the two’s incubators with interest.

“Once you place your hand on top of the incubator, the machine will absorb the soul’s energy on its own. And when it is time to hatch, the bulb next to it will light up. Just open the device then, like a simple incubator. Also…”

Roan explained the instructions in detail, looking like a sales representative sent by the rapid incubator manufacturer!

The friends nodded without raising any particular doubts.

“Understood!”

“Okay!”

Once the explanation finished, Roan placed his hand on his incubator.

[I want to do it too!]

Meow—

“My goodness…”

The Abyss Dragon also added its tiny paw to Roan’s, and Sunset Shadow sat in a loafing posture right on top of Sion’s incubator.

Sion, Lafia, and Riel watched the sight lovingly.

“Urrrgh…”

“Hnnnng…”

Meanwhile, Hector and Demona stared down with high expectations, keeping their hands on their incubators.

As if daring them to hatch already.

“……It won’t hatch that quickly.”

“Ah, really?”

Only after Roan pointed it out did the two relax their eyes and ease up.

After about ten minutes passed.

Ding—

First, the light on Hector’s incubator turned on.

“Ohhh! The light is on!”

Hector huffed heavily and shouted, thumping his chest.

Roan said in a voice that conveyed both irritation and pity.

“I told you to just open it when the light turns on. Don’t report to me every single time.”

“Ah, right.”

Hector nodded and opened the incubator’s lid.

Demona smirked and said.

“Roan said it was creepy, but how creepy can it possibly be? Can it be worse than Crybaby?”

The Purgatory Penitence Beast shed even more tears of blood upon hearing Demona’s words.

Sob, sob—

But the friends also nodded in agreement.

Since they were already used to that divine beast’s appearance, whatever came out, they would be fully adapted—

“““Kyaaaaaak!”””

Thinking they could adapt was a terrible piece of hubris.

Without waiting for one another, the female students screamed simultaneously.

Slither—

As if feeding on those screams, something slithered out from the wide-open incubator.

Everyone knew it was the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent, but they could only bring themselves to refer to it as ‘something.’

Was that creature really an existence of this world?

Rather than a wretched, alien entity squirming from somewhere outer space?

“Ugh! Wh-What on earth is thiiiiis!”

“Ro-Roan! A monster was born!”

The male students were just as dumbfounded and terrified.

Hector and Demona, who had been staring closely into the incubator, both jumped up and took several steps back without a second thought.

‘It is indeed quite something to see in person.’

Even Roan thought so.

Glistening green scales.

Slit pupils.

Actually, looking only up to this point, it was just a typical snake, which could even be considered a cute appearance to the citizens of the Empire who lived alongside various beastmen.

But.

Slither—

Holes shaped like eyes densely puncturing its entire body.

Squirm— Squirm—

A snake that oozed yellowish fluid from those holes would make even the greatest lover of holy beasts shake their head and say, ‘Wow, this is a bit much.’

─ What? What is go… uh…

─ Hey, hey, wake up!

As Roan and his friends made a fuss, some of the students who approached out of curiosity ended up fainting.

─ Professor! A magic beast, a magic beast has hatched!

─ It seems Pavilto brought an egg from the Demon Realm!

Several students ran weeping to Vulcan and shouted this.

Even if the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent looked creepy, to mistake it for a magic beast that lived alongside devils in the Demon Realm.

‘Hypocrites who only like cute holy beasts.’

Roan shook his head.

Although it looked like that, the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent was a kind holy beast that loved everyone like a puppy.

“Hector.”

“Uh, uh, uwaaaah!”

“……If you run away now, Sil-sil-ie will run away into the wild too. Meet its eyes and stay still.”

“Huuuugh.”

At Roan’s shouting, Hector exercised superhuman patience and held his ground.

Otherwise, Roan was prepared to go as far as casting a paralysis spell.

Since they had taken an egg that was safe in its nest in the deep mountains, it was only right to cherish it at the very least.

Slither—

The Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent drew closer to Hector little by little!

Hector, though frowning as much as possible, stretched out his hand toward the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent.

“S-Sil-sil-ie…?”

The students watching this clicked their tongues.

─ Pavilto must really love holy beasts…

─ Indeed, what does it matter if it can’t enter Holy Wars? It’s enough as long as it grows up loved.

This was because Hector looked like a saint who loved everyone regardless of their appearance.

‘These bastards didn’t even pretend to listen when I spoke beside them…’

Roan was just a little frustrated.

In any case, the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent carefully climbed onto Hector’s arm.

Hector, who had squeezed his eyes shut until the last moment, opened them wide at the unexpected sensation.

“It’s… warm and soft…?”

Contrary to the horrifying appearance of a snake riddled with holes, the tactile sensation of the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent possessed a warm heat and softness.

Hector, who had looked surprised for a moment, soon smiled broadly.

The memories of the egg he had cherished, cleaned, and stroked until now came flooding back!

“Sil-sil-ie! It’s you!”

Slurp—

The Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent shyly flicked its tongue.

Finally, the communion between master and holy beast was achieved.

The surrounding students also clapped, seemingly moved by the sight.

─ Hector! Hector! Hector!

─ A true holy beast lover! *Whistle!*

“Hahaha, thank you, everyone!”

Hector responded by raising the arm that the Thousand-Eyed Hole Serpent had climbed onto.

Though the students slightly averted their gazes, finding it hard to look directly at the serpent, they kept sending applause nonetheless.