So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

The day when the rabbit first met the wyvern.

Though it was a long time ago, several years now, the rabbit could vividly recall that day.

Back then, the rabbit was thrown into the zoo after being captured while injured.

He was still young then.

Having lost his entire family and being injured on top of that, the rabbit was devastated.

The rabbit, a monster who had lost all will to live, but was still powerful.

He was easy prey for other monsters to target.

Surviving was a grueling task.

Dozens of monsters rushed in trying to catch one rabbit.

Most of them were white monsters.

At first, he thought there wouldn't be any problems as they approached in a friendly manner, but they suddenly attacked and wounded the rabbit.

However, the rabbit was strong.

Even though one eyeball was burst and one ear was torn off.

He alone killed more than half of the dozens of monsters.

He felt instinctively that his level had risen and evolution was possible.

But the rabbit's limit also approached.

At that moment when he couldn't move a single step from losing too much blood.

"Keoreorok!"

A large roar rang out.

It was a cry like the sound of a bell.

That was the moment when the white monsters who had been driven by evil fled.

A common occurrence when an apex predator appears.

And there it was.

A huge white wyvern.

The sunlight was so strong that he couldn't see what kind of face the wyvern was making.

Looking at the wyvern's face shadowed by the backlight, the rabbit said.

"...Kill me."

Since he had no strength left to fight back.

He thought this was how he would die as a mouthful of food.

Even now, he still couldn't understand why Raota acted that way then.

She didn't kill the rabbit.

She just lowered her body, laid down a spot, and rested.

Even after a long while, she showed no signs of eating the rabbit.

The rabbit didn't even have the energy to run away.

So he fell asleep there, and evolved.

When he opened his eyes, the wyvern was holding the rabbit.

What kind of act was this...

Yes, that was how their relationship started.

Though he never thought it would flow this far.

Rumble!

Thunder strikes.

Heavy rain falls.

His usually fluffy fur was soaked by the downpour and heavy.

Still, had there ever been a time when a storm was as welcome as today.

"Don't worry, Raota."

The rabbit said that while holding up the iron bar.

"I'll bear the burden of the lightning."

He firmly inserted the end of the iron bar into a gap in the restraints.

Even if lightning could strike like this and break the restraints, it was still dangerous.

Because it happened before.

Raota, who was struck by lightning while flying, crashed right down.

If she had flown away right then, she might have succeeded in escaping, but she wasted too much time trying to find the rabbit to leave together.

This time will be different.

The rabbit deliberately held the iron bar to the restraints.

And inserted both feet into the gaps under the restraints.

Then waited for lightning to strike.

One, two, three, four...

If lightning doesn't strike, all their plans will turn to bubbles.

Their desperate wishes must have reached the heavens.

Because lightning did strike.

Flash-

Even for a rabbit, he had never been struck by lightning at such close range before.

It was truly a powerful shock.

First was a flash so bright it felt like his eyes were burning.

He couldn't see anything at all.

The ear-splitting noise and shockwave followed.

Zzzzzap!

Pain like his skin was being torn struck.

But he couldn't lose consciousness.

Because he had to use the skills he had honed.

First, 'Empathy'.

The skill that allowed mental love with the wyvern who couldn't speak.

For an instant, the rabbit and wyvern's minds connected.

Next was 'Pain Sharing', a skill born from the rabbit's heart aching at seeing the wyvern suffering from the restraints.

Sparks flew in his head from the intense pain.

A pain overload.

Raota's volume was hundreds of times that of the rabbit. Naturally, the pain load on her body would be higher too.

The rabbit's nerves felt like they were burning as they accepted it all.

Crunch.

His clenched teeth cracked and blood flowed from his mouth.

Still, he couldn't stop.

He had to endure to prevent Raota from falling.

Finally.

The rabbit managed to endure without losing consciousness.
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Burned fur stuck to various parts of his body leaving burns.

His body trembled, and the fur and skin of his front paws had melted and stuck to the iron bars.

But, he endured.

"...F-fly."

The rabbit said once more.

"Fly, Raota...!"

"Keoreorereorok!"

Flight that she hadn't properly done even once since entering the zoo.

Raota beat her wings powerfully.

It was the moment when the white queen of the sky was about to be born.

Until the rabbit discovered something strange through his blurry vision.

"Huh."

The green light indicating the restraints' operation.

It was still perfectly, faintly lit.

==

Kadam lowered the telescope.

His eyes were wide and mouth slightly open like someone who had seen something unbelievable.

"Amazing."

Then he looked through the telescope again.

It was a high-quality telescope diligently made by the empire's opticians.

A perfect item for observing monsters from far away.

Though he had left the handling of the white and black monsters to the gorilla and snake.

That didn't mean Kadam intended to just sit back.

Of course he was observing the progress.

And he saw something incredible.

"To think they were this clever. No, are they stupid?"

The rabbit was trying to induce lightning by inserting an iron bar into the restraints.

Not only was such a strategy surprising, but even more amazing was their relationship.

To think the opposing black and white monsters would cooperate. Moreover, seeing them nuzzle faces, their affection was clearly no ordinary thing.

"Let me see too, sir!"

Someone shouted from behind Kadam.

It was a scholar with stern features, thoroughly soaked by rain and shivering.

A scholar with black beard and hair and dark skin, only his eyes were hazel colored.

It was Abratal Geduin who had been ordered by the emperor to stay with Kadam.

"No."

But Kadam snorted.