NoveLight ™
I was freed from the coils of the Snake Queen and Shik Shik.
Though, saying I was "freed" might be a bit ambiguous.
They were still a little distance away, watching me and flicking their tongues.
“Hiek…”
It was like they were saying, "Don’t worry about us." But how could I not?
Alright, let’s just pretend they’re not there for now.
At this moment, it was as if I had consumed three elixirs.
One supreme-grade beast core.
And then there were the Thousand-Year Fire Root and Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine.
The beast core could be dealt with later.
Even though it was my first time consuming a supreme-grade one, I had swallowed beast cores in the past, then digested them when needed—a bizarre habit, even by my standards.
When it comes to beast cores, no one knows them better than I do.
However, these two elixirs were different.
[You have consumed the Ultimate Elixir.]
The message was delightful.
【Thousand-Year Fire Root】
Though it does not compare to the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Root, the Thousand-Year Fire Root is still considered an Ultimate Elixir. It condenses powerful yang energy, and consuming it recklessly could cause the body to explode. If the proper precautions are taken before consuming it, you will be able to control the fire energy.
Effect: Adds a special effect to 【Dragon Scales lv5】
【Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine】
Though it does not compare to the Ten-Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine, the Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine is still considered an Ultimate Elixir. It condenses powerful yin energy, and consuming it recklessly could freeze you to death. If the proper precautions are taken before consuming it, you will be able to control the frost energy.
Effect: Adds a special effect to 【Dragon Scales lv5】
This was a jackpot.
Even though they didn’t compare to the Ten-Thousand-Year varieties, these were indeed fitting to be called Ultimate Elixirs.
However, if I had only consumed one of these precious elixirs, it wouldn’t have meant much.
Eating just one would have likely been poisonous.
At best, I would’ve just had a healthy snack if I was lucky.
At worst, I’d be dead on the spot.
But my case was different.
Thanks to the Snake Queen’s careful measures, I had consumed the Thousand-Year Fire Root and the Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine together, prepared in a miraculous recipe.
The yin and yang energies neutralized each other, allowing me to fully absorb their power without the side effects described.
「Dragon Scales lv5」
Dragon scales cover your body. They can transform into various forms. Thousand-Year Fire Root: Dragon scales gain a strong resistance to fire. Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine: Dragon scales gain a strong resistance to frost.
And this was the result.
The description of my Dragon Scales had expanded.
Strong resistance to fire and frost.
An excellent effect.
I hadn’t encountered enemies that used fire or frost yet, but given that some spirit beasts could fire destructive rays, I had to assume that I would eventually face such opponents.
Why had I been able to defeat the cockatrice before?
It was due to my resistance to petrification.
And pretending as though I didn’t have that resistance, deceiving my opponent.
I could now handle enemies who used fire or frost in the same way, catching them off guard.
Moreover, the explanation about being able to transform the scales had changed subtly.
Various forms.
This meant that instead of just focusing on an offensive form, I could now adapt my shape according to the situation.
I would need to experiment to know for sure, but having more tricks up my sleeve was always good news.
“Gegegek!”
I let out a joyous roar.
Of course, considering that I had consumed both the Thousand-Year Fire Root and the Thousand-Year Frost Ginseng Wine, the changes might seem a bit underwhelming.
It would have been even better if I’d gained the ability to control fire and frost to match the elixirs’ descriptions.
But I wasn’t disappointed.
Based on my experience so far, I knew that those energies hadn’t gone elsewhere.
Clearly, new evolution options had been added.
【Komodo LV30(+)】 HP: 2110/2110 MP: 670/670 【Status】 「Mark of the Snake Queen」 「Mark of the Snake Princess」
…Something seems to have been added?
Let’s just ignore that for now.
My current level is 30.
Judging by the plus symbol, I could evolve anytime I wanted.
I had done everything I could.
I was more prepared than ever.
With the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, I had maximized my potential, and I had even consumed a supreme-grade beast core.
On top of that, I had ingested two elixirs, symbolizing both yin and yang energies.
Could I possibly be more prepared than this?
Unless someone as powerful as Baek Yeon-Yeong decided to support me, it would be impossible.
I glanced briefly at the Snake Queen.
“Do not worry. I shall protect you.”
She seemed to know I was about to evolve.
Well, she wouldn’t have given me the elixirs otherwise.
After expressing my gratitude to the Snake Queen, I moved to a corner of the temple.
[A sacred energy surrounds your body.]
[A sacred energy reaches its peak.]
Something felt different.
This was unlike any evolution I had undergone before.
A golden light began to radiate from my body.
[Evolution is possible.]
This isn’t just an ordinary evolution.
Yes.
This was what I had been waiting for.
[Do you wish to evolve?]
Of course!
You can evolve from 【Komodo】 into:
These weren’t the options I had hoped for, but let’s take a look anyway.
【Saltwater Crocodile】
A gigantic crocodile that grows over 6 meters long and weighs more than a ton. It is a powerful predator with a bite force of 3.5 tons, capable of crushing prey to the bone. With intelligence greater than that of a Komodo dragon, it rules as the apex of the ecosystem.
The Saltwater Crocodile.
A very solid choice.
It’s the largest species of crocodile that currently exists.
Of course, in previous eras, there were even larger species than the Saltwater Crocodile.
Large size, powerful offensive abilities.
Plus, greater intelligence than a Komodo dragon.
It’s an incredibly strong species.
But for some reason, I felt a bit… underwhelmed.
Let’s pass for now.
【Titanoboa】
A colossal snake that grows over 15 meters long and weighs more than a ton. Due to its exceptional weight, it likely lived in water most of the time. Though it primarily feeds on fish, even powerful species like crocodiles avoid confrontation with the Titanoboa.
The Titanoboa.
First of all, it’s a snake.
No matter how powerful it is, not having legs is a critical disadvantage.
Normally, I would have skipped over it without a second thought, but the Titanoboa is different.
That’s because I had seen its superior version in the Silver Dragon Cave.
If I evolve into the Titanoboa, I could eventually evolve into a Hydra, a creature straight out of mythology.
The idea is tempting.
But there’s also an unsettling feeling.
For some reason, I had the suspicion that if I chose this form, my huge size would quickly shrink.
Was it just my imagination, or was I picturing a grim future where my skin became more and more sallow, just like the Snake Princess’s?
Let’s move on.
【Stupendemys】
The largest freshwater turtle in history, with a shell that spans 3 meters. Though its temperament is gentle, it weighs an enormous 1.1 tons, and its massive shell makes it so formidable that few predators dare challenge it. It uses its wide jaw to catch prey while shielding itself with its tough shell.
Stupendemys.
I wasn’t familiar with the name, but it seemed to be some kind of giant turtle.
Just looking at its 3-meter-long shell made it clear that this was a creature beyond the normal scale.
If the Saltwater Crocodile is specialized in offense, this one seems specialized in defense.
It wasn’t a bad option, but there was no reason to focus on defense at this point.
Especially since I already had my Dragon Scales.
I had reviewed the three basic options.
Just to make sure, I double-checked, but none of them really caught my eye.
Being an extraordinary creature didn’t necessarily mean that its evolutions would be equally extraordinary.
But this wasn’t the end of the line.
I waited patiently for the next message from my status screen.
With the feats I’d accomplished and the enormous amount of elixirs I’d consumed, it would have been strange if a special evolution didn’t appear.
Come on, show me!
[You have fulfilled the conditions for a special evolution.]
Yes.
[Your divinity has reached a certain level.]
[【Faith of the Dog God】 and 【Dog God Cult】 are involved in the evolution.]
Huh?
I didn’t expect this.
But it couldn’t be bad, right?
You can evolve from 【Komodo】 into:
I opened my eyes wide.
A Salamander!
This was literally a creature from myths, a lizard that controls flames.
It was an extremely tempting option… but I had a lot to consider.
Though, honestly, when was I not overthinking things? This really felt like a turning point in my journey.