When people think of a swamp, they often imagine stagnant, rotting water, but that's a misconception.

A swamp has its own unique environment. Mangrove trees, lotus leaves floating on the water, insects gathering to survive, small animals that prey on those insects, and larger animals that prey on the smaller ones. And then there are even bigger animals, ignoring all that, coming just to drink water.

This place, too, was its own ecosystem.

It was a gathering spot for creatures with various purposes.

For some, it was home; for others, a source of food or water.

Swoosh.

In my case, it was all three.

And right now, I was on the hunt.

The key to hunting is patience.

I calmly waited for my prey.

Beneath the water’s surface, I kept my eyes wide open, stretching my body to sense the slightest vibrations.

Tock.

A faint ripple stirred the water.

Something approached.

Judging by the size of the ripple, it wasn't very large.

Based on my experience, it might be a Microraptor.

Plop.

The creature lowered its head to the water’s edge.

An amateur hunter might have recklessly revealed themselves by now.

That would scare the prey away.

The moment an animal drinks water is when its guard is at its highest.

But it wasn’t time yet.

I waited.

Tuk-tuk.

Just as it finished drinking and was about to raise its head—

Kwakaaah!

"Kiiieeeek!"

The Microraptor screeched, flapping its front legs wildly.

But it was too late.

It couldn’t react to my speed, which was even faster than the Caiman’s.

"Kikikik! Kiiieek!"

The prey was already in my mouth.

It struggled desperately to escape, but it must have realized that resistance was futile.

Crunch!

Chomp.

Gulp.

I swallowed it whole, bones and all.

The taste was quite satisfying—far better than the bugs I usually ate.

Chewing through the bones gave it a delightful crunch.

Though the hunt had been successful, I felt a bit disappointed.

The commotion I caused scared away all the other potential prey nearby.

This would be the end of today’s hunt.

Next time, I should aim for something bigger.

The last time I hunted a Protoceratops by chance, it had been quite satisfying.

Although Microraptor tasted better, the amount of meat on a Protoceratops was on a whole different level.

After wiping the blood from my mouth, I stood up on two legs.

I needed to keep practicing moving on two feet, even after evolving.

Though hunting like a crocodile was the most effective method, I had to be careful not to adopt all its behaviors. I’d even started using the death roll instinctively.

I needed to reclaim my identity.

Tap-tap-tap!

I dashed across the water.

Despite my larger size, I barely made any unnecessary noise.

It was thanks to mastering the Small Dragon Soaring Sky Step almost perfectly.

I arrived at a large mangrove tree.

This was the new nest I had built after the Caiman had wrecked the last one.

Originally, the Crocodile Monitor wasn’t a water-dwelling creature but one that lived in trees.

So, reflecting that trait, I chose a tree with wide branches to build my lair.

A natural bed woven from spider webs and leaves.

A shade cover to block out the harsh sunlight.

And the Caiman’s skin laid out as a proud display.

Toad jerky I had prepared for a snack.

And, of course, my two little spider companions eagerly greeting me.

"Kieeeek!"

Yeah, good to see you, too.

Life here was stable.

This could be called a successful life.

Nothing was threatening me, and my hunts were consistently successful.

…At this point, it wouldn’t hurt to take a peek at the upper swamp, right?

What’s the worst that could happen?

Sure, let’s go check it out.

If it looks manageable, maybe even launching a northern expedition wouldn’t be a bad idea.

"Tus, Pus."

"I'm heading out for a bit."

"Gekgek."

"If you get hungry, feel free to snack on the toad jerky. The poison should be gone by now."

"Kieeek!"

Tus and Pus waved their little legs, seeing me off.

And so, I made my way to the upper swamp.

I had a certain level of confidence.

After all, I had already eaten a few dinosaurs.

Granted, they were smaller than me, like Microraptors or Protoceratops, but still.

I had also taken down that monstrous Caiman—what could there be to fear?

I’d grown significantly in size and was now on par with the Caiman.

Come on, bring it on, new world.

But the moment I crossed the ridge, my youthful ambition flew away.

"Kikikik!"

An eerie screech filled the air.

【Deinonychus LV9】
【Deinonychus LV4】
【Deinonychus LV6】

...

【Deinonychus】

A small carnivorous dinosaur, 3 meters long and weighing between 60 and 100 kg. Highly intelligent hunters, they hunt in packs and target larger dinosaurs. They are known for the large, sharp claw on their second toe, which they use to slice open the bellies of their prey, causing fatal blood loss.

Deinonychus.

Everyone is familiar with the intelligent Velociraptors from movies.

These creatures were the inspiration for those.

Even a single one of them was stronger than me.

And now, I was facing a whole pack.

"Craaaah!"

My shock didn’t end there.

I saw another dinosaur fighting against them.

【Baryonyx LV22】

【Baryonyx】

A medium-sized carnivorous dinosaur, 7-10 meters in length and weighing 1.2 to 2 tons. Its long, crocodile-like snout is filled with sharp teeth, and its 30 cm long claws are specialized for catching fish. However, it doesn’t hesitate to hunt other dinosaurs as well.

To sum it up, Baryonyx was a lesser version of Spinosaurus.

Take away the sail and reduce its size, and you get Baryonyx.

I had underestimated it.

But now, seeing it with my own eyes, I regretted that thought.

How could this thing be called a "medium-sized" carnivore?

Each of its steps caused the ground to tremble.

If the Piranha Caiman had met this creature, it would have been nothing more than a snack.

That’s how overwhelming it was.

The battle between Deinonychus and Baryonyx.

Normally, I should have run away, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

Thump.

My heart pounded.

To see a fight between dinosaurs in real life...

And not just any dinosaurs, but renowned predators.

Even though it was dangerous, I had to watch.

There would be something to learn from watching these powerful creatures fight.

But it puzzled me. Even though there were six of them, the Deinonychus pack was taking on the Baryonyx. And wasn’t this swamp the territory of the Baryonyx?

The massive forelimb of the Baryonyx swiped at the Deinonychus.

Swoosh!

The sound alone sent a shiver through my body.

The Deinonychus dodged the attack with quick movements.

"Kraaaah!"

With a roar, the Baryonyx charged at them with incredible speed.

Thud.
Thud.

Tat-tat-tat!

The Deinonychus scattered in an instant.

As soon as the leader dodged the attack, the others went for the exposed tail.

"Krrrrrk!"

Wait a minute.

Something about their movements felt off.

Hunting in packs is natural for them.

It’s their species' primary strategy.

But why did their movements feel so unnatural to me?

Then I realized what was wrong.

The positioning of their feet.

And the way they attacked and retreated at set intervals.

They were using formation tactics.

On top of that, their leader kept rotating, which resembled the carousel tactic.

These creatures must have some secret advantage to be bold enough to challenge that monster.

As time passed, the Deinonychus pack gained the upper hand.

The carousel tactic.

Like the turning of a wheel, they rotated their leader, conserving energy while draining the opponent's strength.

The Baryonyx was growing tired, while the Deinonychus remained fresh.

At this rate, it was clear the giant dinosaur would fall.

But the Deinonychus were too careless.

They had forgotten that they were fighting near water.

"Kraaaaah!"

The Baryonyx, having figured out their tactics, swung its tail with precision, predicting their next move.

Thwack!

One of the Deinonychus was hit directly by the tail.

The result was immediate death.

It was to be expected, given the size of the creature that had struck it.

"Krrrrrk..."

The Baryonyx locked eyes on its next target.

"Kikik! Kiikik!"

The Deinonychus screeched loudly.

As the Baryonyx charged at them again, the remaining Deinonychus turned and fled.

A quick decision.

They realized that with one of their own gone, they couldn’t take on that behemoth.

Rather than pursue them, the Baryonyx chose to feast on the dead Deinonychus.

Crunch.

...What did I just witness?

That fight far surpassed anything I had imagined.

I had expected a simple brawl between dinosaurs, but the level of sophistication was higher than any battle I’d ever seen.

Feints, real and false strikes. Formation tactics, carousel maneuvering. Analyzing the fight and making cold, quick decisions.

How could this be a battle between mindless beasts?

Right.

I shouldn’t go anywhere near here for a while.

There’s a reason the Caiman stayed stuck in his spot.

At least the good news is that, due to the terrain, the Deinonychus and Baryonyx don't seem interested in crossing over into my territory. If they did, the Caiman wouldn’t have been the swamp's ruler.

Whew.

I’m staying far away from that.

I’ll warn Tus and Pus too.

We don’t want to draw attention and risk those things coming over here.

...Though, I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to wander into that place on purpose.

"Huff..."

Eight third-rate martial artists were panting heavily.

"What a mess we’re in!"

They had followed Namgoong Yeon after hearing promises of striking it rich.

But instead of treasures, they had encountered the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult and were forced to scatter.

"Whew... but those damn cultists weren’t so tough after all, huh? We survived, didn’t we?"

"Heh, you’re right. Damn cultists... and now we’re stranded in the middle of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains."

They had no idea how hard the Left Protector had worked to avoid killing them.

They were third-rate martial artists, not even second-rate.

To put it simply, they were just street thugs.

Namgoong Yeon had brought them along as disposable pawns, blinded by their greed.

As they snickered among themselves, the sound of someone sniffling caught their attention.

"Uuuhh..."

It was a girl with twin buns, who had fled with them.

"Who the hell’s crying—"

"Hold on."

A red-haired man stopped another from cursing at her.

He walked up to her and stood in front of her.

"Now that I think about it, aren't you from the Tang Clan?"

"Y-yes, I am..."

The group’s mood brightened.

They had a member of the prestigious Five Great Clans among them.

They had been worried because all of them were about the same mediocre skill level, but having someone from the Tang Clan changed everything. With her, they could rely on her inner power and her clan’s expertise in deadly poisons.

What a relief.

But then they wondered—why was she crying?

"Why are you crying?"

"Dal Daehyup is missing... huhu..."

Dal Daehyup? The red-haired man thought hard.

He remembered a beast that had been caged with them.

When the flash bomb went off, the cage had broken, releasing the beast.

That must have been the Tang Clan’s creature. He had sensed a strong poisonous aura just being near it.

"Haha, don’t worry. If you keep your wits about you, you’ll meet up with him again."

The red-haired man saw this as a chance to win her favor.

Getting close to a master was never a bad idea.

Maybe after they escaped, he could form a connection with the Tang Clan.

"But..."

"But what?"

"I’m not a fighter. I was just tasked with serving Dal Daehyup..."

Oh, that’s bad.

Some of the men spat on the ground.

She looked just like a regular girl.

Even her inner power didn’t seem very impressive for someone from the Five Great Clans.

They couldn’t expect her to fight.

In other words, she was just extra baggage.

But even so, they couldn’t afford to show that openly.

After all, she was still from the Tang Clan. If they mistreated her, they might disappear without a trace once they returned.

The red-haired man saw this as an opportunity instead.

Sure, it would be hard, but if he could protect her, he would definitely secure a connection with the Tang Clan.

"Haha, don’t worry, miss. Surely you’ve heard of the nickname Blood Slayer?"

The girl with the buns, Tang Soyeong, tilted her head in confusion.

"Huh? Blood Slayer?"

The Blood Slayer silently nodded.

The money he had spent spreading his name among the beggars of the Beggars' Sect had paid off.

For someone from the Tang Clan to know his nickname...

"Do third-rate martial artists really go around giving themselves nicknames these days?"

Tang Soyeong sniffled but still managed to speak her mind.

"...Miss, what did you just say?"

"Eep! S-sorry... I said it’s ridiculous how even third-rate martial artists give themselves nicknames nowadays..."

Tang Soyeong blew her nose loudly.

For a moment, the Blood Slayer couldn’t tell if there was something wrong with his ears or his eyes.

How could someone speak so harshly while crying like that?

"Y-you little—!"

Just as the Blood Slayer was about to lose it, the other martial artists restrained him.

"Hey, calm down! If you keep this up, you won’t even get a drink of water."

Don’t mess with the Tang Clan.

That was the warning from his comrade.

If you’re going to act, make sure it’s final.

That’s what it also meant.

"Ahem. Since it seems we’ve all calmed down, how about we gather our thoughts? I am... well, just call me Zhang Bong."

Zhang Bong had been about to announce his pricey nickname but bit his tongue.

The green flash in Tang Soyeong’s eyes had stopped him.

Who knew what kind of insults she’d throw his way?

"Hmph. What is there to discuss? Since we’ve stumbled into this damn cult's garden, we should grab as many spirit medicines as possible."

"If we stick together, it’ll be easier. Even if we find spirit medicine, it might not suit our constitution. Here’s what I suggest..."

Some of the men were busy discussing, some were fuming over insults, and others were scheming plans of their own.

Their concentration was truly commendable.

They didn’t even notice the hungry Deinonychus pack approaching until it was too late.