As the tidal wave of lizards engulfed me, a few other lizards stood in the way, protecting me from the onslaught.

It was a heartwarming gesture, to say the least.

However, there was one thing that bothered me immensely: their appearance.

"Ge-gegek!"
"Gek!"

The cries were indistinguishable, a blur of overlapping voices.

Those large, rounded eyes.

Their adorable, slender legs.

No matter how I looked at them, these were Geckos.

Despite their small numbers, these Geckos seemed to hold a certain status within the group. The other lizards hesitated and slowly withdrew.

"Ge-gegek!"

Then came a mighty roar, befitting of a lizard leader.

In this world, lizards were a rare sight.

At least in the Ten Thousand Mountains, where I found myself.

With dinosaurs constantly rampaging and insects growing to ridiculous sizes, it was no surprise that lizards had little place to survive.

It was a harsh environment for lizards.

In fact, before I arrived here, I hadn’t encountered a single one.

Geckos were likely even rarer than the other lizards.

Other creatures had their own strengths—hard scales, poisonous tongues, or incredible speed.

But what did Geckos have?

As someone who had lived as a Green Gecko, I understood all too well the struggles of being a Gecko.

Excluding the basic skills I gained from my past life, like tail-cutting and wall-climbing, the species had little going for it. At most, we could let out a Gegek sound.

The harsh environment meant that Geckos naturally dwindled in number.

Which led me to wonder about my connection with these Geckos standing before me.

It felt like the sensation of meeting someone with a rare family name.

What could my relationship with these Geckos be?

Could one of them be my parent?

Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.

[Crested Gecko LV32]
[Crested Gecko LV22]
[Crested Gecko LV38]

[Crested Gecko]
A small lizard with a body length of about 15–25 cm and a weight of around 60 grams. It has a crest on its head, giving it the name "Crested Gecko." Fine filaments on its feet and tail allow it to cling easily to walls or ceilings.

These Geckos were Crested Geckos.

I, however, had been a simple Green Gecko.

In other words, we were different species altogether.

"Ge-gegek!"
"Ge-gegek!"

Yet, why did I feel this warmth?

This sense of familial connection?

It seemed the Geckos shared a similar feeling.

Though I had originally come from the Gecko species, I no longer bore their characteristics.

My size had shrunk, but my species hadn’t changed.

I was still a miniature version of Komodo-lania.

Even so, they had come rushing to my aid when I was in danger.

They must have sensed something they couldn’t quite explain.

"Gegek..."
"Gek!"

Do they know something?

Perhaps they know what happened to my family, even if they aren’t my direct kin.

"Ge-gegek!"

Before that old geezer returns, I should get closer to these Geckos.

The more information I gather, the better.

And, I must admit, it’s been a long time since I felt this warmth of family.

Hunhui marched forward at a rapid pace.

Though his steps were odd, with his hands clasped behind his back and his body moving in a peculiar way, no one would dare comment on it.

It was the ultimate form of the Soaring Dragon Step.

His speed was unmatched.

The old lizard's mind was racing.

It was all because of that enormous lizard that had suddenly appeared.

It wasn’t the lizard’s strength that concerned him.

Even though the creature’s power was undeniable, the old lizard had long ceased to worry about such things.

So why, then, was his mind in turmoil?

The answer was simple.

The pendant around that young lizard’s neck.

Hunhui knew better than anyone what it was.

It was the Serpent Queen’s token.

Wearing it meant that lizard was her partner.

The revelation left Hunhui in a state of shock.

He knew the Serpent Queen better than anyone.

Even if she took on a princess, the idea of her taking a mate had never crossed his mind.

She was the Serpent Queen, a cold, lofty being with a snake’s heart.

That was who the Serpent Queen, the Basilisk, was.

And yet, what was this situation?

A lizard not even three months old had become the Serpent Queen’s partner.

Was the problem with the Serpent Queen, or with this strange lizard? Hunhui couldn’t tell.

Although, when he looked at the lizard’s face, he could understand a bit.

A dragon-like face and a sturdy physique.

What reptile could refuse such a specimen?

The only issue was that this lizard was still so young, not yet fully matured.

The Serpent Queen had changed, indeed.

A small smile crept onto the old lizard’s face as he reflected on the past.

The days before the Serpent Queen had become the queen.

Before the Bird King had a human-like face.

And before he himself had mastered miniaturization.

They were precious memories now.

But as he thought back, his smile gradually faded.

Because those memories were just that—memories. They were the past, never to return.

Hunhui pressed forward, putting more strength into his small steps.

The past was gone; it was time to focus on the present.

And in the present, that lizard was what he had to deal with.

He had to help, as the lizard had come bearing the Serpent Queen’s token.

But for some reason, the miniaturization wouldn’t undo itself.

And despite this being the lizard’s first attempt at miniaturization, it had achieved far greater results than any lizard Hunhui had taught.

The effect was so extreme, the lizard had shrunk to the size of a gecko.

He needed to restore the lizard to its original size.

Otherwise, the Serpent Queen might come charging in.

After all, the lizard was her partner.

Her partner.

The more he repeated the word in his head, the more ridiculous it sounded.

Yet, Hunhui couldn’t help but feel a little greedy.

The Serpent Queen’s mate had to be extraordinarily gifted, for her to act so unusually.

His external skills were impressive enough.

But his internal energy was something else. Even Hunhui couldn’t gauge its full extent.

The lizard was still young, meaning he had infinite potential.

Such a lizard appeared out of nowhere, so it was only natural for Hunhui to want to take him in as a disciple.

And on top of that, the lizard had already demonstrated his knowledge of the Soaring Dragon Step.

Even if the Serpent Queen punished him, Hunhui would still try to take the lizard as his disciple.

That was why they had sparred.

Though Hunhui had held back, the result had been completely unexpected.

The lizard had successfully landed a hit by using the Serpent Queen’s token as leverage.

Hunhui, of all people, had fallen for such a simple trick.

Anyone who knew the Serpent Queen’s wrath would never dare use her token as a shield.

But this lizard was different.

He had waved the token around without hesitation.

It was only natural that Hunhui fell for it.

“Kek…”

That damn lizard.

Hunhui muttered to himself as he quickened his pace.

Soon, he would gather the necessary ingredients to restore the lizard to his original form.

As he hurried along…

Krrr...

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered overhead.

Something ominous was approaching.

"Uwoooo..."

A distant cry echoed.

Hunhui’s face hardened, and he came to a stop.

There was no point in continuing.

No matter how fast he was, he couldn’t outrun a flying creature.

Kuuuuu...

Something massive blocked out the sky.

"It’s been a long time, Hunhui."

The figure that cast the shadow was none other than the Bird King.

Hunhui swallowed hard.

He had encountered the Bird King several times before.

Even after they became enemies, their paths would still occasionally cross.

But neither had ever sought to harm the other.

The Bird King never actively attacked him, and Hunhui would leave before any confrontation.

But this time was different.

The Bird King had initiated the conversation.

His voice wasn’t awkward or halting; it was calm and composed.

It was the voice Hunhui remembered from long ago.

"The honey infused with dragon scales—it has entered your territory, hasn’t it?"

Hunhui instantly knew that the Bird King was referring to that troublesome lizard.

"For you to be out here now, something must have happened."

How does he know this so well?

Hunhui realized he had made a mistake.

The lizard had brought down a Terror Bird.

That’s how the Bird King had tracked him.

As far as Hunhui knew, the Bird King didn’t have that kind of ability.

Which meant the Bird King had grown stronger than he once was.

"You don’t have to answer. I already know everything."

The Bird King flapped his enormous wings.

"Hand him over to me."

His pale face bore down on Hunhui.

Hunhui sighed.

There was no easy way out of this situation.

It would take a lot of time to shake the Bird King off.

"Don’t think running will solve anything. Of course, I can’t enter your territory."

The winged ones belonged to the Bird King.

The wingless ones belonged to the Serpent Queen.

And the small ones belonged to the Small Dragon.

Neither the Serpent Queen nor the Bird King could enter Hunhui’s domain.

It was a law that could not be broken.

"But if I kill you, your domain will lose its protection."

The Bird King grinned menacingly.

"Not that I want to kill you. Even after all this time, killing the one who taught me doesn’t sit well with me."

Hunhui listened quietly.

Everything about this situation felt off.

If the Bird King was targeting him, it meant he was prepared to face off against the Serpent Queen as well.

"But just because I can’t enter, doesn’t mean my subordinates can’t."

The old lizard locked eyes with the Bird King.

While Hunhui had been outside, the Bird King must have sent his minions to kill the small creatures within the domain.

"You wouldn’t want that, would you? The solution is simple. Just hand him over."

The Bird King slowly flapped his wings, delivering his final ultimatum.

What was that lizard, to have become the Serpent Queen’s partner?

What was that lizard, for the Bird King to be so obsessed?

The old lizard stared up at the sky.

The Bird King’s minions were headed for his domain, and the Bird King himself was blocking his path.

It was a desperate situation, but there was still a way out.

The lizard was small now, weak and easy to capture.

If he handed him over, both he and the smaller creatures would survive.

But Hunhui had never lived his life that way.

When the Serpent Queen was just a hatchling.

When the Bird King had just sprouted his first feathers.

He had been their teacher.

His whole life had been dedicated to protecting the small.

"Krrrr..."

Crack, crack.

The old lizard’s body began to grow.

The Bird King narrowed his eyes.

Hunhui—meaning Dark and Bright.

A contradictory name.

But no other word could better describe him.

For he, who stood for the small, was larger than anyone else.

"Krraaaaarrrrk!"

The largest Small Dragon revealed itself.