"Leader! Come, there's a Fiori Python here! It's a python that knows necromancy skills. It can summon two zombie warriors. It can also absorb necromancy energy on the battlefield and attack enemies by becoming a wandering spirit!"
"Hurry, don't let it escape!"
"……"
Within a muddy thorny forest in the Thorns Swamp, a huge python over seven meters long was surrounded by a large group of demihumans. The scales covering its body were purple and triangular, and two red flesh crowns rested on its head.
Looking at the ferocious demihumans waving their weapons and charging towards it, the furious python became confused and scared instead.
Did these demihumans eat something wrong?
The demihumans were normally cowards. However, they seemed like bullies right now.
Zaza……
Sounds of branches breaking came from one direction.
Thorny trees toppled one after another as a path was being carved open.
Many huge figures appeared amongst an even larger number of demihumans.
The instant the python saw the arcane masters riding on those huge figures, it started trembling.
When Ayrin, who was riding on the Shoal Lord, saw the python, he immediately asked Belo excitedly, "Belo, how about this monster?"
Behind the five Lord monsters, there were already many monsters of various types.
They looked beaten up as bloodstains covered their bodies.
"It's one rank lower than Lord level, but it's a self-evolution type monster. Once it has fought and cultivated for a sufficient period of time, it can evolve into a Spirit Lord." Belo pushed up his spectacles and snorted, "By then, other than summoning two zombie warriors and gathering spirits, it can camouflage itself too. Only some high level detection arcane skills can see through its location."
"A monster that can evolve to Lord level?" Ayrin's eyes sparkled. He shouted towards the python, "Oi! Your fighting strength seems decent, it would be a pity to eat you. You better surrender now!"
"Surrender! Surrender now!"
"You hear our Leader? If you dare to resist, we will skin you alive!"
The demihumans swarmed towards it.
The furious python could not even begin thinking about resisting…… Over a hundred crude weapons were pressing against its body and a dozen demihumans already climbed onto it.
One demihuman standing on the python bowed towards Ayrin and called out excitedly, "Leader! Leader!"
That demihuman's ancestor might be related to goats. His face was similar to a goat except for the lack of horns. His face was rough and was full of bumps. Dried mud stuck on his face and made him look very dirty.
Compared to many other demihumans around him, he seemed rather skinny.
"What?"
Ayrin looked at that demihuman strangely, unsure of what he was trying to do.
The dirty demihuman pleaded with an anticipating expression, "My respected and elegant Leader! I am your humble slave Venu! May I ask if you can reward this Fiori Python to me as my mount?"
"Your mount?" Ayrin was surprised.
Venu continued to bow and spoke, "Yes, Leader! I am amongst the first batch of demihumans to follow Leader. I was also the first to climb onto it, I have the right of priority!"
"I'm also in the first batch!"
"I climbed onto it at the same time as you did! Why should it be rewarded to you?"
The demihumans around him began complaining.
"Shush! Because I know how to make it my mount, I can make it fight for Leader!"
Venu was respectful towards Ayrin, but turned domineering when facing the demihumans around him.
"You know how to make it listen to you and become your mount?" Ayrin, Rinloran and the others glanced at one another and felt this was somewhat interesting.
To an arcane master, there were only two ways of taming a monster into a mount. Either by being much stronger than the monster and forcefully conquering it with arcane skills, or nurturing it from birth with love and care.
The simple-minded demihumans with only better physical strength than arcane masters would not be able to control monsters with arcane skills.
"Yes, my respected Leader!"
Venu excitedly pointed at the part below the two flesh crowns of the python, "I know that spot is the weakest part of the Fiori Python. If you use a sharp weapon and stab there, it will immediately die! So, I just need to make a special collar and put it there. If it refuses to listen to me or fight for Leader, I just need to contract the collar and the sharp spike on the inner side of the collar will pierce into that spot and kill it!"
Hearing his words, the python shook and almost went berserk. However, it was too scared and held back.
"You actually thought of such a way?"
Ayrin and Rinloran were surprised.
"But it's much stronger than you. If it doesn't listen to your command, can you kill it before it kills you?" However, Ayrin was still a little skeptical. He looked at Venu and asked, "What if it uses an arcane skill to blast you away?"
"That won't happen. My hands will always be attached to the rope connected to the contractible inner side of the collar! My respected and elegant Leader, once I notice it has ill intentions, I will kill it without hesitation!" Venu promised.
"That does sound like it might work!" Ayrin opened his eyes wide and scratched his head. He mumbled to himself, "I just need to ask Merlin to make some equipment and the demihumans may really be able to control the monsters……"
"Then, Leader, does that mean you agree?"
Venu immediately became ecstatic. Before Ayrin officially made the decision, he already started chasing away the other demihumans that climbed onto the python, "Get off! Get lost! This is my reward!"
Ayrin's eyes sparkled. He nodded and loudly announced, "Alright! I will reward this Fiori Python to you as your mount!"
"Hear that? You dirty things, don't touch my mount!"
Venu immediately straightened his body and scolded the demihumans around the python. Then, he politely bowed to Ayrin, "Leader, since I became your first knight, shouldn't I get a title?"
"Title?" Ayrin was dumbfounded. He did not understand what it meant.
"It's a title like captain, knight leader or something." Venu spoke excitedly, "Since I became your first knight, I must be of a higher hierarchy than these dirty things."
"……"
Ayrin's group became speechless.
The peculiar personalities of these demihumans must have reached another dimension.
In battle they become cowards after encountering a powerful foe. However, they are experts at asserting dominance amongst each other.
"Fine." Ayrin scratched his head, but his eyes beamed, "Alright, I will give you the title of the First Platoon General. You can pick a hundred subordinates."
"My respected and elegant Leader, you are my god!"
Venu trembled from excitement. He jumped down from the python and kissed the muddy ground in front of Ayrin.
"Leader! I know the weakness of the Mud Doll! Please reward the Mud Doll to me as my mount!"
"Leader, I can make the Huge Rotten Beetle listen to me! Please let me be a Platoon General as well!"
Soon, the surrounding demihumans became fervent. They seemed to have entered a berserk state.
This was especially true for the demihumans near the captured monsters. They seemed to be dividing the monsters amongst themselves. Some even started a brawl.
"So peculiar……"
Rinloran, Chris and the others could not help but twitch their mouths.
"What great creativity!"
However, Ayrin seemed astonished and convinced, "These guys don't dare to fight bravely. However, they seem proficient in making others fight for them…… If each of them gets a powerful mount, even if they are cowards themselves, they would bravely make their mounts fight, right? Before the mounts die, they should remain brave, right?"
Rinloran, Chris and the others were astonished.
Ayrin's words sounded reasonable.
After their short contact with the demihumans, they knew the demihumans were experts at being domineering.
They themselves don't dare to fight…… but they can force the monsters to fight.
The monsters would be like their meat shields. As long as the monsters don't die, they will not be scared.
This combination of demihumans and monsters…… really seems to be an innovative concept?
Making the weak force the strong to fight?
"We must hurry up and capture more monsters. Luckily, there are plenty of monsters in this Thorns Swamp. The demihumans also know which monsters live where. And they seem really motivated! Haha." Ayrin scratched his head and laughed, "If the majority of these demihumans get a monster mount, wouldn't their fighting strength improve greatly?"
"……"
Rinloran and the others were speechless.
However, their hearts started beating faster.
It really seemed to be an innovative concept.
Because, even if the demihumans ran away immediately after the monsters died, until then the army should possess great fighting strength!
In addition, judging from their peculiar personalities, wouldn't those who have a mount force those who don't to fight?
With a peculiar leader like Ayrin and the innovative concept of the demihumans…… If this army really takes shape, just what will happen?
The speechless group suddenly looked forward to it.
