**** (POV)

What is that human doing? More importantly what is a human even doing here? And coming from the inner forest at that.

Guess he is extremely skillful at hiding…. or not.

Let's revise that hypothesis.

This human is probably extremely lucky.

No way he could have made it that far otherwise.

He is slowly crawling toward me while making a ruckus.

How does one even manages to produce such sounds while crawling is beyond me.

The twigs are cracking.

The bushes are rustling.

Critters are reacting to his presence.

There are even rocks getting pushed away sonorously.

There is something really wrong here.

Is this some kind of bait? Are there hunters in the area?

Doesn't seem like it.

Peculiar.

Is he perhaps blind? He's coming toward me slowly…extremely slowly.

No. He's definitely eyeing me. What gives him the confidence?

There are humans that can hunt me on this continent.

However, none can contest against the representative directly.

Not here anyway.

She reigns supreme in this area.

Any of the bigshots would know better than to throw their lives away.

That means he is a fool.

A fool that somehow made it this far without getting eaten.

But his story ends here.

He will make for a tasty snack before I proceed to rest some more.

I prepare myself to attack. Building force in my entire body. Getting ready to lunge at him and devour.

He stops, slowly gets up….and rushes at me!

What?! What is he doing?

He spent all that time trying to sneak his way here (badly).

Yet now he's rushing at me. Is he braindead perhaps?

Maybe he's affected by a madness curse? Should I still eat him?

Should be fine. I am called the white scaled devourer after all.

Consuming is my specialty. Well, that and body reinforcement.

I wait until he comes into my range.

Wait …wait …now!

In but an instant it is over.

I swallow him whole.

Meanwhile, he just stands there cluelessly.

A surprised expression painted on his face.

Indeed he was only a fool.

A fool now in my stomach.

****

There is someone in my territory.

I somehow know. My instinct warning me.

I cannot feel any killing intent. Not an enemy.

Let me see. I lazily open my eyes.

Oh? What brings him here.

A friend of mine.

The shadow fox king. One fearsome individual.

I am immune to his attacks thanks to my sturdy magic reinforced scales.

However, so is he to my own attacks.

He can disappear into the darkness like …well a shadow.

Dealing with him is impossible without access to especially potent elemental magic.

Even then good luck actually catching him!

He is the one I respect the most in this forest after the representative.

Even the old tree ancestor is worth less in my opinion.

While this archaic monster has incredible power, I dislike his character.

If it were only up to him, we would remain in this forest until our demise.

Dying worthless natural deaths.

This fox is different. He has boundless knowledge and smarts.

I remember something he once told me. It shook me to my very core.

I remember it word for word:

(I have a dream that one day every valley shall be covered in the endless forest's blessing, every hill and mountain shall turn into our domain, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of our king shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together and tremble!)

He is a dreamer. But a realist dreamer. With his darkness magic acting as his eyes he speaks of the outside world. Of plans to conquer it. Sadly out there are many hidden tigers and crouching dragons. While we are extremely strong our representative is not yet at full power

And we need a king to lead us. The representative awaits her fated one. She knows divination magic after all.

Problem is, such things are extremely obscure and confusing even to the masters.

There is no telling how long it will take.

Will we even be alive when the time comes?

As such my friend came up with a plan. A daring plan.

He would wait …for now.

But when he feels his end coming, he will go out fighting.

Shining like the brightest star there is in his last moments.

I will accompany him. Wage war upon mankind and hopefully come out victorious.

But for now, we await.

I wonder what brings him here today.

"There is news. The representative has chosen a king."

"What?! Seriously?! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I can't wait to meet him! How strong is he! What race is he? What …."

(★ω★)/

"Relax! One thing at a time. She will convoke everyone for a meeting. I am simply telling you first."

"When?! I can't wait to …."

＼（＾○＾）／

"That's weird, didn't you already meet him? I'm pretty sure he went toward your territory this morning."

(・・ ) ? (・・;)ゞ

"No way! I wish! I can't wait till I …." *(✪‿✪)*

"Alright haha. Oh right, I should probably tell you that but don't even try to challenge him. There is no winning against him. Only pain and suffering."

"There is no way I would!" (ᗒᗣᗕ)

"Of course, I know how long you have been waiting for him to arrive. Oh right, I should probably tell you what he looks like. Here, look at my shadow sculpture skill! One day I shall become a legendary moonlight sculptor! *proud* But that is another story."

In front of my very eyes, the nearby shadows elongate and slowly amalgamate into a shape. It seems a bit too small for a beast king. And too humanoid looking. Oh, right rank 5 can shapeshift can't they. Makes sense that our king is one Hella strong leader!

Let me gaze upon the divine features of our new ...

WHAT THE FUCK.

THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!

NOOOOOO!!! *Anguish* (>д

The sculpture has very familiar features.

I FUCKING ATE OUR KING!!!

"What's up with you?" σ(￣,￣〃)

"I FUCKING ATE THE KING !!!!!!!!"

(￢_￢) (╥﹏╥)