Even as I shook my head back and forth, the image was unmistakably that of a person.

There was no way it was a drawing of a chimpanzee wearing clothes.

So, humans did exist in this world.

The round food I had just eaten must have been made by a person too.

Which meant that someone had visited this cave at some point.

How careless they were to drop such valuable food in a place like this.

For a moment, I worried that they might be searching for it, but I figured too much time had passed for that.

I had gulped down something that didn’t belong to anyone anymore.

Those rice cakes should be happy that they became part of my nutrients.

If they had been left alone, they would’ve ended up being eaten by some strange centipede or something.

It was a far more honorable fate to be eaten by a refined lizard like me.

Lost in these strange thoughts, I focused back on the mural.

The curved and straight lines flowed together in a strange but beautiful harmony.

Traces of martial arts. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to call them sword marks.

Honestly, to my eyes, it just looked like a series of lines. But still, I could feel a faint sense of beauty from it. There was no doubt that the mural held the profound secrets of martial arts.

But that was it.

I couldn’t glean anything more.

The only thing I could use as a reference was the adjacent mural.

If the sword marks were for advanced users, this mural seemed designed for beginners.

I slowly examined the beginner's section.

The first thing that caught my eye was a drawing of a person wielding a sword.

Slashing horizontally.

Slashing vertically.

Thrusting.

Hmm, the Samjae Sword Technique.

The Samjae Sword Technique was the most basic of the basic swordsmanship.

It was a form of swordsmanship that contained the essence of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, the most foundational and crucial aspect of any sword technique.

If I were learning from scratch, I would certainly have to start with the Samjae Sword Technique.

Of course, that’s assuming I were human.

Unfortunately, my body was that of a lizard with nothing but a long tail.

I tried sharpening my claws as much as I could, but they were nowhere near being a substitute for a sword.

Perhaps if I evolved further, it might be possible, but with the claws of a Green Basilisk, it was out of the question.

Sadly, I had to pass on swordsmanship.

After skipping over the Samjae Sword Technique, I looked at the next drawing.

It depicted someone launching a fierce attack with their palm wide open.

It looked more like Palm Techniques, or perhaps Hand Techniques.

There were quite a few moves, and it seemed like a very useful martial art if one mastered it.

But again, I had to pass.

Why?

Because the person in the drawing was bald.

All the other murals had people with hair, but only this one was devoid of hair.

I couldn’t possibly learn martial arts used by a bald person.

It’s not that I have anything against bald people.

I respect them.

In fact, I think they’re cool.

But martial arts are strange in that some of them have adverse effects on their users.

Some might render you impotent, make you live as a virgin for life, or even turn you into an absolutely stunning beauty.

…Well, maybe that last one isn’t really a bad effect?

In any case, it could be a martial art that causes all your hair to fall out.

Sure, if I could become stronger, I could sacrifice my hair.

But I don’t have hair.

I’m a lizard, after all.

If anything, scales might be the equivalent to hair for me.

If my scales were to fall out, I’d become extremely vulnerable.

So, the reason I’m passing on this martial art isn’t due to personal prejudice; it’s a highly rational decision.

“Gehk, gehk.”

I kept inspecting the murals, but nothing seemed suitable for me to learn.

I ruled out any martial arts involving weapons like swords or spears, and the hand techniques didn’t suit my claws.

My legs were strong, so learning some Leg Techniques didn’t seem like a bad idea, but it didn’t really resonate with me.

Sigh.

That bald guy’s martial art actually seemed pretty decent...

No, there must be something better.

Ssssss...

As I was lost in thoughts about martial arts, I heard something approaching.

A sound like something sliding across the floor.

Sssssk.

I immediately went into alert mode.

“Hissss!”

A white snake appeared, adopting an aggressive stance.

【Titanoboa LV1】
【Status】
「Hostility」「Juvenile」

【Titanoboa】

The largest species of snake, growing up to 15 meters long and weighing as much as 1.2 tons.
The thickest part of its body can exceed 1 meter in diameter, and its head alone can measure more than 70 centimeters.
Its diet consists primarily of fish over 2 meters long and small crocodiles.

A Titanoboa!

It was a fearsome creature, even just by description.

Well, that’s what the description said.

“Hissss!”

Come on, you’re sullying the name of Titanoboa.

At most, you look like a pit viper.

The snake in front of me was far too small to be a Titanoboa.

It looked like something I could defeat in a fight with a single piranha.

This thing was no match for me.

“Gehk, gehk, gehk!”

The thought of snake meat made my mouth water.

Sure, my belly was full, but meat was a different story.

I lunged at the snake without hesitation.

Titanoboas were terrifying due to their sheer size, but I knew they didn’t have venom.

Which meant that a small Titanoboa like this was just a source of protein for me.

This would be an easy victory.

Slaaap.

Thwack!

A sharp sensation brushed past my cheek.

It was the snake’s white tail, snapping like a whip.

It had coiled its body like a bow, using the recoil to lash out with its tail.

…Did Titanoboas hunt like this?

No, that couldn’t be.

This one’s just strange.

“Hissss.”

The white snake flicked its tongue after retracting its tail.

Flick.

It assumed a strange posture, raising its tail and moving the tip slightly.

…You’re not really a snake, are you?

That posture looked more like a taunt than anything else.

That hissing sound? Definitely meant “come at me.”

I wasn’t going to fall for such low-level provocation.

I wasn’t just some wild lizard. I was a sophisticated lizard with intellect.

I wasn’t on the same level as some cave dweller.

Flick, flick.

“Gehk, gehk, gehk!”

I used my Soaring Dragon Ascension Step to close the distance between us.

Bang!

But the snake’s tail, which had gained momentum, stopped my approach, and it used the rebound to create distance again.

As expected from a snake.

It was practically a master of the Snake Fist.

Every time I tried to close in, it pulled away, and when I kept my distance, it launched an attack.

It was a type of opponent I had never encountered before.

No overwhelming size, no venom, no impenetrable defenses.

And yet, it was a tricky opponent.

It was difficult even to get close.

At this rate, I’d end up losing to this tiny snake in a ridiculous fashion.

Bang!

Its tail flew at me again.

At this point, I didn’t have a way to defeat it.

At least, not the old me.

I sharpened my claws.

I swung at the snake’s tail as it whipped toward me.

Crunch!

Squeeeeze.

I caught the snake’s tail.

I could feel the white snake’s panic.

It must have thought I was just an ordinary lizard.

But this was the martial art I had learned from that mysterious bald mural.

The snake’s tail squirmed wildly in my grip.

It had a tremendous amount of muscle, as expected from a creature that relied on its tail for attacks.

But the snake wasn’t the only one with a tail.

Slaaap!

I whipped the snake’s head with my long tail.

With its tail immobilized, only I could attack now.

Hey, snake, how does it feel to be on the receiving end?

Slaaap!

My tail packed quite a punch.

After all, I used it like a third leg.

As I struck its head with my tail, my claws dug into its flesh.

“Screeeech!”

The snake struggled violently.

But once my claws sank in, they weren’t coming out.

Slaaap!

I followed up with relentless tail strikes.

The snake was dazed, unable to regain its senses from the repeated blows to its head.

I lunged at its neck.

Crunch!

【Level Up!】

A master of the Snake Fist.

Even as an enemy, I had to admit it was impressive.

“Gehk, gehk!”

I roared triumphantly, standing atop the snake, now reduced to mere meat.

In honor of your strength, I’ll make good use of your meat.

Chomp.

Crunch.

Maybe it had too much muscle? The meat was a bit tough.

Still, it wasn’t bad.

The only downside was the amount of tiny bones, but it was a decent meal overall.

Ah, this is nice.

Now, it’s starting to feel like a proper home. No, a proper lizard’s home.

There’s food other than bugs, and even this mural, which could be considered a stroke of luck. I had no complaints.

Come to think of it, didn’t I do pretty well in that fight?

I even used some martial arts and mimicked the snake’s moves.

Shouldn’t I get something for that?

I glanced at my status screen.

An attack skill.

Give me an attack skill.

Even after glaring at the status screen, nothing changed.

I guess they’re not handing out martial arts easily.

…Well, I’ve got plenty of time, so I can study the mural again and see if anything clicks.

Having eaten the Titanoboa’s energy core, maybe I should meditate and try to channel my energy.

I might unlock some martial arts.

Using a piece of snake skin to cover my eyes, I sat in the lotus position.

The internal energy in my lower abdomen began circulating throughout my body.

I felt my mind clearing.

It felt as though the energy core I had consumed and the experience from earlier were becoming part of me.

Warmth spread throughout my body.

It was like something was gently enveloping me.

The sensation was soft, almost squishy.

And there was a faint scent of flowers.

Could it be? Have I surpassed the Great Circulation and reached the level of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown?

My growth is terrifying.

My body began to rise slowly.

I had heard of this before.

When a master with deep internal energy meditates, their body begins to levitate.

“How curious.”

Moreover, I heard a voice, as clear and melodious as a jade marble rolling on a silver plate.

It must be the voice of a celestial being.

I’ve already surpassed the Three Flowers Gathering and reached the level of Five Qi Toward the Source.

“A lizard in lotus position, huh? That’s new.”

Now, I was ascending to immortality.

“Your body looks weak, and I was just thinking about nourishing myself... this worked out well.”

Nourishing? Wait, that doesn’t sound right...

Using my front claws, I gently removed the piece of snake skin covering my eyes.

I saw something pale peach-colored wrapped around my body.

It looked soft, almost chewy.

Instinctively, I bit into the tender flesh.

My sharp teeth didn’t sink in.

It was soft, yet firm.

What was this contradiction?

No matter how hard I bit, nothing changed.

Whose finger could possibly have such a texture?

Wait, finger?

Why did I think this was a finger?

I slowly turned my gaze while still biting down.

Blue eyes were watching me closely.

And then, realizing I was looking at them, the owner of the eyes spoke in a teasing voice.

“…So, how does my finger taste?”