"Geck geck."

I lay there quietly with my mouth wide open.

"Keyoong!"

The spiders busily brought me snacks.

Although I didn’t particularly like it, I accepted the food from Dang So-young’s arms.

"Hehe."

Dang So-young, who had been whining a moment ago, was now smiling happily because I was sitting still.

I’m only here to maintain my body temperature; that’s all.

"If the Great Master doesn’t mind, anytime…"

"Geck."

That’s a bit much.

It’s too hard.

"It’s not hard at all! I’m doing my best! …Why am I even explaining myself?"

Dang What’s-her-name, who seemed to be spacing out.

After giving her some alone time, I put the food the spiders brought into my mouth.

"Gegeck."

It was dried meat seasoned with spices.

The flavor was intense and stimulating, but I actually liked it.

The only seasoning I’d had since coming here was the salt Dang So-young sprinkled on meat.

The forgotten skill, Gourmet, was about to activate.

Waaah.

"Keyoong!"

As I devoured the food, the spiders waved their legs joyfully.

"Geck geck."

So, you guys were eating this kind of food behind my back, huh?

"Keyeong…"

Tus and Pus glanced at me, clearly worried.

No wonder their levels have been rising so fast.

"Keyoong…"

While I was savoring the salty jerky, the door suddenly creaked open.

"Kyah!"

Dang So-young let out a shriek.

The one who entered, of course, was my master, Baek Yeon-young.

"What are you doing here?"

"Th-that… well…"

Dang So-young couldn’t hide her embarrassment.

The scene was indeed strange: Dang So-young was holding a lizard in her arms, and the spiders were taking turns feeding it.

It was undoubtedly an odd sight, and fortunately, Dang So-young was aware of it.

"Is this the treatment?"

"Ah, yes! This is the treatment!"

Baek Yeon-young stared blankly at her.

"I-I mean… eating well and resting… is the treatment…"

Dang So-young replied in a small, meek voice.

"So, eating well is the treatment…"

Thank you for everything, Dang What’s-her-name.

But since Master is merciful, you’ll probably keep your head.

"It’s just as well."

Luckily, it seemed my master wasn’t in a bloodthirsty mood today.

"Seong-hee, come here."

Baek Yeon-young held out her hand to me.

Scurrying over, I settled comfortably.

"…I didn’t call you to sit there."

She said that but didn’t push me away.

"W-why is she smiling like that…?"

A bright face, you say.

It’s just because the lighting is bright here.

Dang So-young and the spiders looked at their own chests, then glanced at Baek Yeon-young.

"Keyoong…"

The spiders, gripped by an unexplainable sense of defeat.

"Today, I’ll be taking care of Seong-hee."

Baek Yeon-young’s declaration.

No one dared object.

"Keyoong!"

"Keyeeng!"

The spiders bowed their heads as if to say, of course.

Dang So-young just stared blankly at Baek Yeon-young’s mana pouch.

"B-but he bit my hand so hard…"

"Geck geck."

Dang So-young.

I didn’t want to bite you, either.

But pain is necessary for growth.

"Gegeck."

I shared a rather profound saying, unsure if she’d understand it.

"Why do you keep burrowing in?"

Finally, I felt like I was back home.

Baek Yeon-young started walking to another building.

The loyal disciple, clinging to her master, had no choice but to burrow in deeper to avoid being seen by others.

After some time, we arrived at another building.

"You can get down now."

"Gegegeck."

A splendid room appeared before us.

The only difference from the previous room was that the furniture looked a bit older.

The overall atmosphere wasn’t bad.

Even my aesthetic sense approved with a nod.

From my guess, this seemed to be Baek Yeon-young’s bedroom.

The bed over there and the scent of Baek Yeon-young wafting from various places.

"Right. I see you licking your tongue; you must be hungry."

"Geck?"

I was only licking my tongue to smell, but I didn’t bother to correct her.

I was breathing in my master’s scent in this room.

I couldn’t respond in a way that sounded perverse.

Not that my words would reach her anyway.

"Geck geck."

Since I was genuinely hungry, I nodded.

Given my usual size, it would take a significant amount of food to make me full.

"Seong-hee."

"Geck."

"Do you know what I’ve prepared?"

Oh! Master prepared food!

What kind of food could it be?

Maybe Dongpo pork?

Dumplings would be nice.

Even plain noodles would be satisfying.

Whatever it was, it would be human-made food.

Gulp.

I could feel myself salivating.

"You’re that excited?"

Baek Yeon-young took something out of the drawer.

"I heard this is a lizard’s favorite food."

Any food would be fine.

What did Baek Yeon-young choose?

[Deathworm lv1]

"…Geck?"

I looked up at Baek Yeon-young.

"Is it that good?"

You want me to eat that?

It says Deathworm.

Sure, it’s a low level and looks young, but it’s still bigger than me.

I glared at the Deathworm.

"Keyeeek!"

My whole body shivered.

I clung tightly to Baek Yeon-young’s leg.

"Gegegeck!"

What is that thing?

It’s wriggling all over the place.

"What’s wrong?"

It has teeth, too.

"Keyaak!"

"Seong-hee, why aren’t you eating?"

How am I supposed to eat that?

"Gegeek! Geck!"

Sure, I’d win if I fought it in a life-or-death battle.

But eat it?

I may be a lizard, but I’m not fond of bugs.

And above all, it’s just too gross.

I clung tightly to Baek Yeon-young’s leg.

"Hmm, Seol-hwa said you’d like it."

Seol-hwa?

Baek Seol-hwa?

"Gegegeck!"

So, you’re avenging the honey incident.

"That’s strange. Ah, maybe it’s because of the lighting? I heard lizards eat better in the dark."

"Gegegeeeek!"

Don’t turn off the lights!

Don’t leave me alone with that Super Great Giant Mealworm!

The skies over the Ten Thousand Mountains turned black.

The Central Plains are vast, but rumors have wings.

In an instant, word spread.

By the time Jang Bong and Baek Woon arrived at their destination, the events had already become the talk of the region.

The rumors of ominous signs in the Ten Thousand Mountains were well-known.

Some even seemed to know about the spirit, Gomodo.

"…Jang Bong, how is it that people already know about Gomodo?"

Baek Woon glared at Jang Bong.

Only he and Jang Bong knew about Gomodo.

Namgoong Yeon’s absence was suspicious, but even he shouldn’t know about Gomodo.

If he did and was behind the rumors, it meant he got the information from Baek Woon or Jang Bong.

"It wasn’t me!"

Jang Bong waved his hands in denial.

Sure, he was a ruffian, but he would never stab his benefactor in the back.

Baek Woon decided to believe him.

The rumors had already spread, and doubting Jang Bong served no purpose.

"This situation isn’t ideal. I tried to keep it quiet, but it’s no use."

So, Baek Woon changed his plan.

"Go to the marketplace and spread the word about Gomodo."

"What do you mean?"

"News about Gomodo has spread. Surely some will covet that mysterious spirit."

Only a select few knew about spirits like Gomodo.

But with the information now public, anyone could set their sights on the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"If we emphasize its benevolence, it’ll take away their justification."

Justification.

It was what the righteous factions valued most.

Even if they gathered forces to march on the Ten Thousand Mountains, they couldn’t harm a benevolent spirit like Gomodo.

"Ah, you truly are wise, Baek Woon!"

Jang Bong marveled at Baek Woon’s plan.

"I’ll do what I can, and you do what you must."

Baek Woon didn’t care for the spirit.

But a life-saving debt was a life-saving debt.

"Revenge should be sharp as a blade, while gratitude as boundless as the sea."

A phrase Baek Woon had read in a book and liked.

And so, Baek Woon and Jang Bong worked in their own ways to spread the word about Gomodo.

But despite their efforts, there were always those who would covet Gomodo.

The number of sightings of spirits had recently surged.

To be precise, recent observations of spirits had skyrocketed.

Many major factions had secretly been raising spirits as secret weapons.

The Shaolin Temple was no exception, despite its devotion to the teachings of Buddha.

"Summon the Arhats."

Arhats.

Also called Luohans, they were what made the Shaolin the most respected in the martial world.

Among the eighteen Luohans, there was one particularly unusual being.

A colossal creature that could shatter massive stone mountains.

The term “Taishan Beidou” (泰山北斗), meaning the pinnacle of martial arts, comes from “dou,” which signifies "leader," perfectly suited to describe this beast’s imposing, oval-shaped head.

Baekgigae (拍璣鎧)

Named for its habit of crashing into opponents with its armor-covered head, akin to a jeweled battering ram.

“Krwoooar!”

The head monk of the Shaolin Temple believed that Baekgigae alone would be enough to bring down Gomodo.

Interest in Gomodo and other spirits wasn't limited to the Central Plains.

There was also the distant land of Nanman.

The Nanman Beast Palace, an organization based in the dense jungle filled with countless wild animals.

“Khahaha! So Gomodo is real, after all!”

The Palace Lord of Nanman Beast Palace laughed heartily.

Beside him was a gray dragon so massive it could be mistaken for a mountain.

“Great Warrior Gi, it’s Gomodo. Interested?”

The Palace Lord addressed the beast with honorifics.

And no one dared question it.

“Fenfen Baeu… (憤奮巴憂)…”

Gi Kano (己訶怒).

An honored spirit of equal rank to the Palace Lord of the Nanman Beast Palace.

“Gargekke (可里耕客)!”

“Indeed, no need to use a bull-killing sword on a chicken hunt, hahahaha!”

Some factions seemed to be waiting for Gomodo to grow further.

Others remained hidden, their motives veiled in mystery.

“…Lord Cult Leader.”

A lake filled with blood.

“Grrrr…”

“Yes, my lord.”

Within the lake appeared a red dragon.

Blood from countless spirits’ bodies flowed into the lake.

The lake brimmed with spirit blood.

They didn’t even take the spirit cores, hunting purely for blood and madness.

“All in honor of the Blood Demon’s will.”

They, too, had recognized the existence of Gomodo.

Beyond them, countless spirits and organizations turned their gaze upon Gomodo.

Some revered Gomodo as an object of worship.

Some sought to seize Gomodo’s core.

Some, driven by the desire to fight a powerful spirit.

And some, to prove who the true dragon was.

Everyone’s eyes, for their own reasons, were now on Gomodo.