I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel

"Eek!"

A small creature clung to my tail, delighted like a child.

Seeing you so happy makes me happy, too.

But hey, little one...

[The Queen of Snakes is watching you.]

Can you do something about this?

I think there's been some misunderstanding.

We're not that close yet, are we?

What’s so special about my tail that you'd give your body and soul for it?

I understand it might look tasty enough to drool over, but it's just a tail.

No matter how socially awkward you are as a snake, you shouldn't fall for something like this.

“Hisss…”

The python flicked its tongue while staring at my tail for a long time, then opened its mouth wide.

Its mouth opened so wide it was a bit scary, and it slowly began to swallow the severed tail.

I gave it to you to eat, but now that I see it, I feel a bit strange.

That cute face of yours, opening your mouth that wide... it’s a bit creepy, honestly. Slightly scary, even.

But who cares what the outside looks like? This little princess is going to give me some precious elixir, after all.

At some point, the python had swallowed my entire tail.

Its belly puffed up in the shape of my tail, but soon it deflated again.

This little one must have some ability related to digestion.

“Hisss…”

The python flicked its tongue again.

Alright, are you satisfied now?

It wagged its tail happily at me.

[The faith of 【Ball Python lv14】 has deepened.]

Alright then.

You've eaten enough, now it's time to get to work.

I gave the python a meaningful look.

Understanding my gaze, the chubby little one began wriggling its body.

The python headed towards the corner of the room.

To be exact, it moved toward a small gap in the wall, like a mouse hole.

The hole was too small for even my hand to fit through.

But a slim and long snake might just make it in.

I trusted you, Python.

The little one confidently began slipping through the gap.

Good job.

Go ahead, retrieve the hidden elixir for me.

“…Eek?”

Suddenly, I heard a startled sound.

What’s happening? I leaned in to take a closer look.

[The 【Ball Python lv14】 is in a dilemma.]

It got stuck.

The snake was stuck in the wall.

"Eek…."

It didn’t seem like it expected to get stuck.

Well, you did just eat my tail, so of course you'd get stuck.

…Or maybe you've just gained weight?

“Hisss!”

The python let out what it thought was a fierce sound, but it wasn't scary at all.

The only scary thing is not getting my precious elixir.

Come on, you can do it.

Maybe if I give a little push, it can make it through?

Just as I lightly pushed its upper body with my tail…

"Eeeek!"

[The 【Ball Python lv14】 is extremely embarrassed.]

What did I even touch?

[The 【Ball Python lv14】 shudders at a sensation it’s feeling for the first time.]

Whatever it was, that wasn’t my intention.

[The 【Atercopus lv9】 clicks its fangs together.]

What’s wrong with you?

Still, it seems to be making progress.

As I continued to push its rear, the Ball Python finally made it through the wall.

“Eek…”

After wriggling through for a while, the python’s cute face finally emerged from the hole.

It had a golden fruit in its mouth.

Ah, so that's the elixir.

This time, the python slipped back out with ease.

Did it lose weight in the process?

“Eeeek…”

The python placed the golden fruit before me.

Good job.

I patted its head a few times and examined the fruit closely.

【Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit】

A rare fruit of the Golden Spirit Tree that grows only in places untouched by humans. It is said to grow once every ten thousand years and is considered an elixir rivaling the Pure Heavenly Elixir. It is highly effective in expelling inner demons from the heart.

Effect: Greatly enhances potential by purging impure energy from the body. Additionally, it increases the performance of a random skill.

This is huge.

While it may not be as potent as the Pure Heavenly Elixir, which massively boosts skill performance, the Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit still increases skill performance.

It may be a lesser version, but what's more important is the line before that.

Greatly enhances potential.

Enhancing potential might not mean much right now, but in the future, when I’ve grown more, it will show its true value.

I might even become the ultimate Golden Mecha Tyranno.

I glanced around.

The space was wide, but there was no one here but me and the python.

In other words, it was safe.

Alright, let’s eat it.

I swallowed the Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit.

A sweet juice burst in my mouth.

[You have consumed a supreme elixir.]

The same message as when I consumed the Pure Heavenly Elixir appeared.

Last time, my Poison Immunity evolved into Absolute Poison Immunity.

As a bonus, I also gained venomous fangs.

Thanks to those, I was eventually able to evolve into a Komodo Dragon.

I was disappointed at first, but looking back, it turned out to be a good result.

So what skill will change this time?

What I want most is Reverse Scale, but other martial skills would be great too.

Even if it's something else, it doesn’t matter.

The Poison Immunity evolution ended up helping me, so any change should be beneficial.

[The level of 「Wild Eyes LV2」 has increased by 3.]

…Well.

I guess I should be satisfied with just leveling up a skill, given it’s not a massive boost.

If it had been Pure Heavenly Elixir, Wild Eyes might have evolved completely.

Perhaps into something like Dragon Eyes.

It’s a little disappointing, but still not bad.

Wild Eyes is hard to level up anyway.

Besides, the main effect of this fruit is to boost my potential.

Alright, let’s do this.

Golden energy surged within my body.

At the same time, fatigue hit me.

Instinctively, I knew what I needed to do.

After consuming an elixir, I had to make its power my own.

With something like the Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit, I couldn’t just let it pass.

I immediately sat in the lotus position.

“Hisss!”

The python circled around me.

Is it standing guard?

Thanks, that's reassuring.

I closed my eyes and began breathing deeply.

Small Heavenly Circuit.

Even though I had done this many times before, it still felt unfamiliar.

Every time I evolved, my body’s structure changed, so the positions of the meridians and their composition changed as well.

If Baek Yeon-Yeong hadn’t helped me adjust my posture, I wouldn’t have been able to perform the Small Heavenly Circuit with the body of a Komodo Dragon.

But I had trained with her for a week.

The internal energy that started from my dantian circulated through my whole body.

As my mind grew calm, a vision began to form in my sight.

A dark space, as though drawn with ink.

This was my mental realm.

Drip.

A drop of water fell.

That single drop sent ripples across the vast lake.

Drip, drip.

A few more drops fell.

The lake rippled, but it never overflowed.

“Roooaaar!”

A powerful roar echoed.

Expelling impure energy means defeating my inner demon.

The roar I just heard belonged to my inner demon.

The adversary.

A grudge tied to my previous life.

It was the Spinosaurus.

Currently, in my current form, defeating a Spinosaurus is impossible.

But this was my mental realm.

Here, my will is my body.

Crack!

My body grew infinitely large.

An overwhelming size worthy of being called the king of dinosaurs.

Yes.

In my mental realm, I could become a Tyrannosaurus.

Come at me, my inner demon.

As I lifted my head to face the inner demon…

Red skin, a huge body comparable to mine.

Long, slender teeth, perfect for catching fish.

And clothing that combined black and white in a flowing robe.

…Wait, clothes?

For a moment, I froze in shock.

The roaring Spinosaurus had an awkward smile on its face.

Why are you wearing clothes?

And why is it a maid outfit?

I regretted asking that question instantly.

My inner demon was an incredibly malicious creature.

It twisted my question into something horrific.

Ssshh.

The Spinosaurus’s clothes began to slowly disappear.

Nooo!

[「%! ja■□ LV2」 has activated.]

Sizzle!

Clang!

[You have escaped your inner demon!]

[You have fully absorbed the power of the 【Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit】.]

Huff... huff...

What a terrifying inner demon.

Thank you, mysterious force that helped me.

I managed to drive it away this time, but who knows what will happen next time?

I need to avoid falling into my inner demon at all costs.

I returned to reality.

The python was looking at me with worried eyes.

"Eek..."

It's alright. It's over now.

I could feel the power of the Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit surging through my body.

The inner demon had been horrifying, but it was worth it for this strength.

But the fatigue kept pressing in on me.

Normally, I would meditate to shake off the exhaustion, but for now, sleeping felt like the best option for a lizard like me.

The place was safe, and I had accomplished my goal, so I might as well take a short nap.

Yes.

Better to rest now than to push myself too hard and collapse later.

I curled my body into a ball.

Resting is part of the strategy, after all.

When a huge burst of energy enters the body, resting—especially meditation—is the most important thing.

Sleeping was one of the best forms of rest.

I'll sleep just a little bit and then get up.

“Snore… Huh?”

I woke up startled by the sound of my own snoring.

The surroundings were dark.

The light filtering through the ceiling had diminished significantly.

What I thought would be a short nap had turned into a much longer sleep.

“Geegegek.”

Where’s the python?

“Hrorrong…”

It was coiled up in my embrace, making strange noises.

You were tired too, huh?

I could feel its cool body temperature against mine.

There wasn’t really a reason to stick this close, but since it’s sleeping soundly, I shouldn’t wake it.

[??, 【Nephila Jurassica lv30】 is seething.]

…Oh, come on, you should sleep too.

I yawned and stretched.

Today hadn’t been a bad day.

I almost died after encountering that bird, the Jinmyeonjoo, but then I made a tactical retreat and found this little python.

Not only did I secure my inner core, but I also ate a supreme elixir, the Ten Thousand Year Golden Spirit Fruit.

That’s quite the profit.

Now, if I can just escape this place safely and avoid the King of Birds and Queen of Snakes, I'll be fine.

Yeah.

I’ve won.

What does it matter if the Queen of Snakes marks me?

I’ve already achieved my goal.

[The Queen of Snakes is watching you.]

Wait, why do I feel like the Queen of Snakes can read my thoughts?

But what can you do, really?

Even if you—

[The Queen of Snakes is watching you.]

…No way can she actually read my mind, right?

Up until now, that message only appeared when I did something to the python.

But I just woke up, and the message keeps appearing...

[The Queen of Snakes is watching you.]

【Basilisk lv???】

Mother-in-law.

I can explain everything.

I’m a basilisk too.