The only light illuminating the dark branches was a faint moonlight.

I felt dazed, unsure of how I had gotten here or why I was here.

I couldn’t remember anything.

Around me, there were countless corpses.

As I stared at the horrific scene, something suddenly yanked at my body.

It felt like a massive hand gripping my shoulder.

No, not just my shoulder.

Eight hands were grabbing hold of me.

I couldn’t do anything.

A sense of helplessness washed over me.

Drip.

Something cold dripped onto my back.

Chills ran through my body.

The creature’s hand gently grabbed my tail.

I had to escape.

I had to get away, no matter what.

Yes, while its hand was focused on my tail, this was my one chance.

If I cut off my tail and made a break for it...

…But my tail wouldn’t come off.

Slowly, I was dragged toward it.

I turned to look back.

What I saw was…

“Kieeeng!”

Tus and Pus were waving their hands at me from right in front of my face.

It was just a dream.

Am I feeling weak lately? It seems like I’ve been having nightmares.

I can’t recall the details, but it was definitely horrifying.

If I could sweat, I probably would have been drenched.

Just to be sure, I wiggled my tail slightly.

After looking it over from every angle, there didn’t seem to be any problems.

Now that I think about it, this tail has helped me out a lot.

It’s useful for swinging at enemies and for balancing when I stand on two legs.

Not to mention, I’ve saved my life more than once by cutting it off.

I stroked my long tail.

I’ve had to sever this tail so many times.

Some of it is probably still with Nephila Jurassica.

…Nephila Jurassica.

I wonder how she’s doing.

Seeing Tus and Pus reminded me of her suddenly.

I’ve got some time on my hands now, so maybe I should go visit her.

I’ve built up quite a tolerance to spiders after spending so much time with Tus and Pus.

Nephila Jurassica is also, in a way, a pretty charming spider.

If Tus and Pus are soft and cute, then Nephila is more of a fierce, cool type.

She’s got long legs and a face that’s a little intimidating.

She’s definitely got that “older sister” vibe.

Her appearance is like a tiger spider—blonde hair, red eyes, and she even wears flashy leopard print clothes...

Oh.

What am I even thinking?

If I keep this up, I’m going to summon another demon of my mind.

Or maybe I’m already possessed by one.

To be seriously considering the appearance of a spider…

Forget it. Forget it.

I’ll meet Nephila if fate brings us together again.

If I meet her now, I’ll probably end up with some weird title.

I shook my head vigorously.

Get out of my head!

“Kieeng?”

Tus and Pus tilted their heads at me curiously.

No, no, I wasn’t thinking about anything.

Still, it’s a good thing you two are male.

“Keeeeeng…”

…You are male, right?

Ignoring Tus nibbling on my tail and Pus subtly nudging my back, I turned my gaze toward Tang So-Yeong.

For reasons unknown, she was wrapped up tightly in spider webs.

Pus gave me a proud glance, wiggling its legs with satisfaction.

“Kieeng!”

Well, I’m sure there was a reason for it.

She must have done something weird during the night again.

Was she trying to extract my venom or something?

I was planning to give her a bit in the morning, so I don’t know why she had to make things so difficult.

Anyway, the web will eventually come off.

The three of them can figure it out on their own.

…But why isn’t she reacting?

Shouldn’t she be screaming, “Let me go!” or crying for help by now?

She’s not dead, is she?

I checked, and her small chest was rising and falling.

She’s breathing.

Doesn’t seem like she’s asleep either… Well, she’ll wake up eventually.

Tang So-Yeong.

She’s a strange woman.

I was intrigued by her claim of being from the Tang Clan, but I’m starting to regret bringing her along.

She’s loud, and when she’s around, Tus and Pus get violent.

It’s not good for their emotional development.

Still, she’s been useful in her own way.

For one, she sees me as more than just a lizard.

She talks to me all the time and tries to interpret my actions as responses.

She’s not entirely accurate, but it’s impressive that we’re able to communicate to some extent.

I’m not sure why she’s mistaken me for a Komodo dragon or something, but the fact that she’s not scared of me and can talk with me is a big advantage.

The normal reaction would be like the men who ran away from me.

In fact, some might even attack me with swords.

In that sense, Tang So-Yeong’s slightly abnormal mindset could be considered a positive.

Another benefit of her talking to me is that I’ve been able to gather some useful information.

Right now, the thing I need most is information.

I’ve secured most of the basic conditions for survival.

As long as I don’t go further into the upper areas of the swamp, I’m not in any real danger.

I’m eating well, and naturally, my curiosity about this place has grown.

A martial arts world full of dinosaurs.

And the other beasts here, aside from me, also seem to be using techniques similar to martial arts.

Without information, I could end up getting hit by a Buddha Palm from a passing Pachycephalosaurus and knocked out.

In that sense, Tang So-Yeong has definitely been helpful.

For one, I learned that the leader of the Demonic Cult is lurking around here.

If I hadn’t heard that, I might have waved at the first human I saw, only to end up as a grilled lizard.

The leader of the Demonic Cult, huh.

Just thinking about it makes my legs tremble.

I need to run the moment I see him.

I also learned about the existence of a Dilophosaurus that Tang So-Yeong refers to as Dalopo.

Dinosaurs? Yeah, I know they exist.

The first creature I saw when I got here was an Oviraptor.

But the idea of a human taming dinosaurs is a whole different story.

How smart can dinosaurs be, really? But the fact that there’s a person actually working with them is important.

Does that mean someone might mistake me for a dinosaur and come to capture me?

…Come to think of it, is that why Baek Yeon-Yeong taught me martial arts?

Was she planning to train me and then take me along?

Sorry, but I’m not the type of lizard that lets itself get tied down. I’ll have to politely decline.

Then again, if Baek Yeon-Yeong put a leash on me and dragged me away, there’s not much I could do. I’d just have to show my resolve with a defiant hiss.

Anyway, enough random thoughts.

The sun is up, the nest is peaceful, and I can hunt with a clear mind.

Since I’ve got one more mouth to feed, I’ll need to catch something big today.

Something feels strange.

I suddenly had the thought that someone might be watching me.

I haven’t done anything to make enemies, so could it be an assassin?

But they’re just watching me, not getting too close.

There’s no response from my danger senses, so it’s probably not a threat…

Still, it’s a little unsettling.

But if it’s not an immediate threat, I’ll just ignore it.

It could be another creature, like a second Tus or Pus, that’s too scared to approach.

【Crocodile King Lizard LV13】
HP: 422/422
MP: 111/111
【Titles】
「Beloved by Spiders」
「Master of the Silver Dragon Cave」
「Ruler of the Lower Swamp」

I had reached level 11 after defeating the Caiman, and over the past week, I had gained two more levels.

Hunting only the creatures in the swamp had slowed my level progression, but it’s better to play it safe than take unnecessary risks.

Time to look for prey.

The stronger, the better.

I’d like to catch one of those flying piranhas, but they’re too fast, so I’ll pass.

Maybe I’ll try to catch the leader of the toads or turtles.

If it’s a true mystical creature, I could level up quickly.

As I wandered through the swamp, I heard a strange cry.

A sound I couldn’t forget even if I tried.

A Deinonychus.

It was that creature.

【Deinonychus】
A small carnivorous dinosaur measuring 3 meters in length and weighing between 60 to 100 kilograms.
It is a highly intelligent predator that hunts in packs, often preying on large dinosaurs.
Its second toe is equipped with a sharp claw used to disembowel its prey, causing massive bleeding.

Moving silently, I slowly crept closer.

Normally, I wouldn’t have dared to face one of these.

Deinonychus are pack hunters.

The risk was too high.

I could handle one, but more than that, and I’d be in serious trouble.

But this time was different.

No matter how I looked, there was only one.

Perhaps it had come to drink alone, and there was no sign of its pack.

This was my chance.

If I missed this opportunity, I might never know the taste of Deinonychus meat.

Slither.

I quietly slipped into the water.

Just like a crocodile, I swam stealthily.

Slide.

As I drew closer, the Deinonychus also approached the water’s edge.

The situation was ideal.

It stood on the shore, glancing around.

It looked tired.

It must have been thirsty.

How thirsty do you have to be to leave your pack and come drink water alone?

It staggered closer to the water’s edge.

Plop.

Its snout touched the surface.

Gulp.

Now.

Now’s the time!

Koo-Kwaaa!

With a massive splash, I burst out of the water.

I aimed for the Deinonychus’s neck.

“Kiiiiiek!”

It let out a shrill scream, startled by the sudden attack, but it was too late.

Its neck was already between my jaws.

Crack!

I had to end this in one move.

Time for the Caiman’s ultimate skill.

Death Roll.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak!

Crunch!

【Deinonychus LV7】
【Status】
「Venomous」「Near Death」

Crack!

It didn’t take long for the Deinonychus to be torn apart.

[Your level has increased.]

Even a Deinonychus can’t do much when taken by surprise.

Wait, wasn’t there something strange in the status window earlier?

Yeah.

It said Venomous.

Had it eaten a toad or something?

Its sluggish movements must have been because of the poison.

Not that it would have changed the outcome.

Now, before its pack arrives, I need to carry this away.

Finally, I’ll get to taste Deinonychus meat.

…

There it is again.

That feeling that someone is watching me.

I feel like something is staring right at the back of my head.

What is this tingling sensation?

It doesn’t feel like killing intent.

Whoever it is, let’s find out.

Leaving the Deinonychus carcass behind for a moment, I stood up on two legs.

Splash!

I dashed through the water toward the direction of the gaze.

I spotted thick foliage ahead.

And for just a brief moment, I saw a pair of red eyes.

So it was you watching me.

Shraak!

I slashed through the bushes with my claws.

But the presence was gone.

Not a trace left behind.

As if it had never been there in the first place.