NoveLight ™
[Your level has increased!]
Chewing on the ant that had just entered my mouth, I glanced at the message.
"So, these ants give more experience than the others, huh?"
After quickly dealing with the ant that had attacked from behind, I looked at the remaining swarm of ants, now acting strangely.
"Is this one the leader?"
The movements of the other ants had become erratic. Where before they seemed well-coordinated, now they were scattered and chaotic. Some were retreating, while others rushed forward blindly.
This was good news for us. Their forces were now divided, and without intelligence, they were just charging into each other, getting in their own way.
The spider was fighting remarkably well. After trapping the ants with its webs, it would dance across them, slaughtering them with its long legs.
I could almost hear the sound of its experience points rising.
"Yeah, siding with that spider was the right call."
I wasn’t slacking off either. I dealt with the smaller fry at a fast pace, marking the occasional stronger one for later.
[Acacia Fire Ant LV6]
Level 6.
This one was the strongest after the ant I’d already taken down. It was bigger—about twice the size of an average ant.
I steeled myself and charged.
Whoosh.
The ants around it scattered in every direction.
That was new. This one could command the other ants. Judging by the number of ants it controlled, it was probably something like a lieutenant.
Taking it out first was the right move.
Wham.
I swung my tail.
Thud!
The fire ant flew backward but didn’t die immediately, unlike the others. Still, it was definitely out of commission.
I jumped to finish it off, but at that moment, the scattered ants rushed at me all at once.
Clever, but not clever enough.
I spun my body, shredding the ants that came at me.
They weren’t like the lieutenant ant that could take a hit. These smaller ones couldn’t stop me.
Chomp!
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my leg.
The large fire ant had bitten me.
Tch.
It hurt more than I expected.
I slammed my tail down, crushing it for good.
【Green Gecko LV7】
HP: 22/27
MP: 10/12
I could handle this.
I turned toward my next target.
But then something felt off. My body wouldn’t move.
[Status Condition: Paralysis]
"Paralysis? Did it have some kind of skill because of its high level?"
It had barely touched me, yet here I was, paralyzed.
The effect wouldn’t last long, but in a chaotic battle like this, even a brief moment could be deadly.
The ants swarmed over me, sensing the opportunity.
Bite!
Crunch!
My HP was dropping fast, but I didn’t give up.
The spider had noticed my situation.
Swoosh!
White silk rained down like a storm.
[You have acquired the skill: Paralysis Resistance LV1.]
The timing couldn’t have been better.
It wasn’t immunity, but resistance was enough.
I regained enough control to move.
I went for the nearest ant that hadn’t been caught in the web and slashed it with my claws.
It wasn’t easy. I got bitten on my right leg in the process.
Crunch!
I bit down on the ant’s head, tearing it off and chewing it slowly.
Even caught in the spider’s web, the ants hadn’t lost their fighting spirit.
I had to admire their tenacity, even though they were my enemies.
Several ants leaped toward me, aiming for my back.
[Your level has increased!]
But they were only attacking my shed skin.
I had already molted, dodging their attack, and now I dealt with them one by one.
"Gegegek!"
It must be frustrating for them, watching me go from nearly dead to full of energy.
【Green Gecko LV8】
HP: 29/29
MP: 14/14
“If you’re mad about it, you should’ve been born a gecko,” I muttered.
"Sprint!"
I zipped through the now demoralized ants at incredible speed.
It felt like the sound effect should be something like Boom boom boom!
Sprint had leveled up so much that it was now at level 5. The sheer wind from my speed was enough to knock over the ants.
Smash smash.
Ants flew through the air.
I leaped after the airborne ants and launched a brutal assault.
Crack crack.
Their bodies broke apart, falling to the ground in pieces—heads, thoraxes, and abdomens scattered everywhere.
There were still plenty of ants left, but my performance had even made the mindless ones hesitate.
A gecko that was nearly dead just moments ago was now sending ants flying and slicing them into thirds before they hit the ground.
If I were an ant, I’d have run by now.
Slurp.
I licked my lips, cleaning off the bits of ant stuck to my face.
It wasn’t just to replenish my energy. It was also a psychological blow to the remaining ants.
There were still quite a few of them left, but the outcome was clear now.
What was left was a massacre.
A double XP event had just begun.
【Green Gecko LV9】
HP: 21/31
MP: 5/15
It was all over now.
I met Nephila’s gaze.
That terrifying face now seemed reassuring.
"Gegek."
The spider bowed its head slightly, perhaps thinking the same thing.
"Kieeng."
It twisted its front legs together.
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Somehow, it felt like it would hurt if I understood.
I turned my attention to the fallen ant corpses.
Most of the enemies had fallen to the ground below, but quite a few corpses remained on this branch. I opened my mouth wide and began munching on the ants.
There was a sharp, slightly tangy taste that stood out.
[Your Acid Resistance has increased to LV3.]
"Do I gain resistance by eating venomous creatures?"
I might have to experiment with that later.
As I continued munching, I stole a glance at the spider.
Thankfully, it didn’t seem interested in the dead ants.
Instead, it was stroking something round in the corner of its nest.
Had it laid eggs?
…Do spider eggs look like that?
It looked strangely fascinating.
I focused my eyes.
【Mid-Grade Inner Core】
…
"Inner core?"
Like the ones from martial arts novels?
The same kind that mystical creatures carry within them?
It was a perfect sphere.
It definitely looked like the inner cores I’d heard about.
What kind of world is this?
Dinosaurs, spiders with inner cores… Is this some kind of martial arts world with dinosaurs?
As I stared at the spider, a sharp pain shot through my eyes.
Suddenly, a flood of information hit me.
[Acacia Fire Ant General LV8]
[Acacia Fire Ant Soldier LV7]
[Acacia Fire Ant Soldier LV5]
[Acacia Fire Ant Soldier LV5]
Time seemed to slow down.
I saw them clearly now—the ants hiding among the leaves, all rushing toward the spider at once.
The spider was almost out of stamina. No matter how strong it was, a sneak attack from ants of that level would be dangerous. Especially now, when it was defenseless while protecting the inner core.
"Sprint."
It was too late to deal with the ants.
I had only one option.
I had to push the spider out of the way.
"Hiyooong?"
I threw myself at the spider, pushing it aside.
The ants’ attack missed their mark.
Their sharp mandibles, now without a target, bit into me instead.
Crunch!
It hurt like hell.
[Status Condition: Paralysis]
I couldn’t move.
[Your Paralysis Resistance has increased to LV2!]
Now wasn’t the time to celebrate.
Crunch!
The ants were relentless.
They bit into my flesh and sprayed venom inside.
"Gegeek!"
[Status Condition: Poisoned]
These damn ants.
"Kieek!"
The spider, realizing what was happening, rushed over and dealt with the ants around me.
【Green Gecko LV9】
HP: 14/31
MP: 3/14
[Paralysis] [Poisoned]
Even as the spider fought, the ants didn’t stop. They kept chewing through my skin, pouring venom into the wounds.
I let out a ragged breath.
This was bad.
There was only one way out of this.
I had to level up and molt.
If I could just eat enough ants, I could level up.
Nephila crushed the ant general under its foot.
Crack!
Its tough exoskeleton shattered. Maybe it was angry about being ambushed because Nephila continued attacking it relentlessly.
"Yeah. That’s it. Keep going, spider."
The stronger the spider weakened the ant, the easier it would be for me to eat it.
As I silently cheered on the spider’s brutal assault, I started to regain feeling in my body. The paralysis was wearing off.
I locked eyes with the ant general.
It wasn’t dead yet. If I rushed over and finished it off, I’d level up for sure.
But just as I was about to move, it spread its wings.
"Wings? Ants have wings?!"
That’s cheating!
Wait a minute… wings?
Buzz.
The ant disappeared into the air.
My plan was ruined.
The biggest chunk of experience had flown away.
I had to make do with the corpses left behind.
I rushed around, stuffing as many dead ants into my mouth as I could.
They tasted awful, but I couldn’t afford to care.
【Green Gecko LV9】
HP: 6/31
MP: 3/14
[Poisoned]
[Your HP is dangerously low!]
"Yeah, no kidding."
My HP was dropping faster than I expected.
I ate all the ants, but my level still hadn’t gone up.
Nephila was nowhere to be seen.
Why did I even bother helping that spider?
…I should’ve just stolen the inner core and run.
I’m going to die as a gecko.
My vision blurred.
I felt hazy, as if I were dreaming.
Like a slideshow of memories flashing before my eyes right before death.
I closed my eyes.
…Wait. I can close my eyes?
But I’m a gecko.
I opened my eyes wide.
What I saw was a white space and a familiar message.
[Your level has increased!]
【Green Gecko LV10(+)】
HP: 33/33
MP: 15/15
I had leveled up.
What the hell just happened?
And what did that "+" sign next to my level mean?
[You have reached the maximum level.]
Maximum level?
I wasn’t dumb. I knew what that meant.
What mattered was the nature of this "maximum level."
Was it my maximum level or the Green Gecko’s maximum level?
If it were the former, it meant I had reached my limit.
[An aura of power envelops your body.]
But if it were the latter, I could still grow.
[Evolution is now possible!]
Evolution.
What a beautiful word.
[Would you like to evolve?]
Yes!
The Green Gecko can evolve into:
I carefully considered each option.
No matter how hard I stared, no additional explanations appeared.
It was up to my knowledge and instincts to decide.
First, the Bearded Dragon.
Sure, the word "dragon" was in the name, but don’t let that fool you. It wasn’t a real dragon. Just a regular lizard.
I moved on to the second option: the Pygmy Chameleon.
A chameleon, huh?
I liked the idea of being able to change colors and camouflage myself. I could hang out on trees and wait for prey to come to me. But the word "pygmy" didn’t sit well with me.
Wasn’t the pygmy chameleon the smallest species of chameleon?
I didn’t want to shrink any more than I already had. The ability was cool, but this one was a no-go.
The Armadillo Lizard.
I didn’t know much about this species, but the name alone gave me a good idea of its traits.
Armadillo and armor.
That had to mean it was tough.
If I had to choose one of the three, I’d go with the Armadillo Lizard.
It was a bit disappointing, but I couldn’t expect perfection on the first try.
[Confirming acquisition of the skill: Sprint.]
Just before I made my choice, a new message appeared.
[You have met the conditions for a special evolution!]
A special evolution?
If that was an option, why didn’t they show it sooner?
The Green Gecko can evolve into:
Basilisk?
The Basilisk I know of?
The one that shoots petrifying beams from its eyes?
Is it really okay for me to evolve into something like that?