With a lingering sense of concern, I checked my domain one last time.

Not only was I heading out to meet Cho-do, but I’d also be learning what I could and taking back whatever was necessary, meaning it would take some time.

I couldn’t help but wonder—what if my followers missed me while I was gone?

Especially Tus and Pus. They worried me the most.

"Keeng?"

Not gone yet?

Tus and Pus waved their legs at me with expressions that seemed to ask why I was still here. Since evolving, their personalities seemed to have changed somewhat.

Could it be a rebellious phase?

Tus and Pus had grown incredibly strong.

From being mere cute little spiders, they had transformed into creatures capable of burying a first-rate martial artist with ease. Their sheer size alone, now larger than most humans, made that evident.

With their newfound abilities—Tus excelling in venom and Pus specializing in webs, both augmented by their mastery of cold energy—they were formidable. Added to that was their capacity to mimic my abilities. They could now traverse the lower reaches of the swamp unimpeded, thriving as they explored their new power.

To be precise, they were now capable of embarking on a gourmet journey, devouring the very predators that once tormented them.

With Baekrang tasked with their training, they would surely grow even stronger. After all, Baekrang was a cold energy specialist.

Come to think of it, I had essentially acquired the power of the snowy mountain’s Dragon Gate, yet I rarely utilized cold energy myself.

At best, I’d tap into the latent strength of Snow Ginseng contained within Dragon Blood.

Once I returned, I’d need to learn how to properly harness cold energy from Baekrang and Cheoldooryong. Right now, the extent of my mastery was using my blood to coat myself in a frosty aura and headbutt things.

The Snake Queen had gone back to her temple, and Argantavis had returned to his nest. Cheoldooryong had set off for the snowy mountains, while Jeokryong was en route to the Hwasan Sect.

While this left my forces somewhat depleted, I wasn’t worried in the slightest.

The war had exponentially strengthened my followers.

Although the higher-ranked spiritual beasts had seen less significant growth, the wolves and spiders had undergone transformations so dramatic they bordered on the miraculous.

Tus and Pus had literally experienced rebirth.

Moreover, with Ilgaksu now stationed near the nest, I felt reassured.

"Hehehe… tied down…." "Heh… ten wives…." "Il… Ilbooong…. One spouse…."

Of course, I was still dodging the incessant advances of the Igaksu, who kept trying to grope me, but when push came to shove, Ilgaksu was as reliable as they came.

Particularly when its eyes began to glow blue and it brandished its horn. In those moments, even I couldn’t help but feel a shiver of dread.

Something about that horn made me feel like just touching it would cleanse me entirely.

"Ge-geck!"

After a final round of inspections around the nest, I pressed my face lightly against the pouches of my internal energy reserves and set off on my journey.

*

Walking toward the place where Cho-do resided, I contemplated hunting along the way. However, unlike before, no beasts dared to challenge me.

Near the Dragon Gate, many of the creatures had lost their instincts, making them easy prey. But here, things were different.

I spotted animals catching a whiff of my scent and immediately fleeing.

Sure, I could catch them if I wanted to, but there was no need. Once I arrived where Cho-do lived, there would be plenty of opportunities for hunting.

Resigning myself to the situation, I reached for the dried meat my followers had hung around my neck. Just as I was about to bite into it—

Vrrrm!

The fox marble, which had comfortably perched itself on my back as if it owned the place, began trembling.

Vrrrm!

The trembling grew more intense, and suddenly—

“Keuk!”

A familiar voice echoed out.

It was Gongbok, who had remained silent all this time. His voice was frailer than I remembered, slightly weakened.

“Phew… I thought this was a treasure bead, but it’s truly formidable…”

It seemed he had finally regained consciousness.

I had spent a great deal of time pondering how to wake him. At one point, I even considered putting the fox marble into my mouth. But I had refrained, worried that Gongbok’s corpse might come flying out, causing an absolute catastrophe.

I’d thought he wouldn’t awaken unless we met an immensely powerful celestial fox, but here he was, waking up much sooner than I expected.

“Geck-geck.”

Hello, Gongbok.

“Father… No, descendant of the ancient death with a tail.”

Ah, classic Gongbok.

He had barely woken up, yet his first words were these.

He spoke as if he couldn’t wait to impart information to me—a walking library desperate to share his knowledge.

Referring to me as “Father” was likely his way of acknowledging my resemblance to a true dragon.

By calling me the descendant of ancient death with a tail, he confirmed the existence of Komodo dragons in this world—entities even Gongbok knew of.

“Geck-geck.”

“…Your cry is rather peculiar, but your form undeniably marks you as a descendant of Gomodo dragons.”

What’s wrong with my cry?

“Surprising that such a descendant exists. However, I suspect you’re not a direct offspring. You’re too young to have been taught by them, and… well, your cry is quite strange.”

Why did he keep harping on about my cry?

Bonk!

“Keuk!”

Lucky for him, he was inside the fox marble, or I would have hit him harder.

But the idea of being a successor to Gomodo dragons…

Could it be that, despite being born as a gecko, my parents were somehow linked to Gomodo dragons?

No, that didn’t make sense. If that were true, then the Oviraptor that used to gobble up my kin would have been branded a Gomodo Slayer.

The truth was that my current evolution toward becoming a Gomodo dragon was a choice I’d made consciously, not something passed down by blood.

“Geck-geck.”

I conveyed this meaning through my peculiar cries.

“I see…”

To my surprise, Gongbok seemed to understand, even though he wasn’t one of my followers.

“Still, I will tell you what I know about the Gomodo dragons. Whether you are their direct descendant or not, it’s clear you’re walking the path of a true dragon.”

Good. I was always eager for new information, especially when it was this intriguing.

“My father was a true dragon. The pinnacle of all dragons, revered as the holiest of divine beasts… at least, that’s the legend.”

I recalled Gongbok’s words before his death.

Kill the true dragon. He had said that unless the true dragon was stopped, greater destruction would follow.

Clearly, there was more to this story than the legends let on.

“In contrast, the Gomodo dragon was known as the embodiment of death. A fiendish beast notorious for slaughtering countless spiritual creatures. That’s how they were perceived.”

The name itself—“ancient death with a tail”—left little room for interpretation.

Still, it didn’t quite match how I’d been treated. Even the likes of Jang Bong had begged for his life in front of me, and the Tang Clan outright revered Komodo dragons.

Although… considering the Tang Clan’s reputation, that reverence was a bit unsettling.

Weren’t they infamous for using poisons and covert weapons? A secretive clan riddled with schemes and betrayals?

On second thought, perhaps the Gomodo dragon’s reputation as a fiend wasn’t entirely undeserved.

“But the truth is different. The Komodo dragon was branded as a bringer of death because it sided with humans, not spiritual creatures.”

What?

Siding with humans?

Surely it hadn’t declared, “I’m going to live with humans starting today!”

More likely, it had opposed someone who sought to kill humans.

“That someone was none other than my father, the true dragon.”

The true dragon—the divine being revered and worshiped—had sought humanity’s extinction.

“Countless wars were waged. Every spiritual creature that sided with the true dragon feared the Gomodo dragon.”

And so, the Gomodo dragon, viewed as a fiend, stood against them.

A true dragon that sought to annihilate humanity versus a Gomodo dragon fighting to protect them.

Yet humans revered the true dragon as divine and branded the Gomodo dragon as a monster.

The outcome of those wars was obvious.

“The white-scaled dragon of the heavens clashed with the black-scaled dragon of the earth. The Gomodo dragon, wielding unmatched ferocity, killed countless spiritual beings and inflicted an unhealable scar upon the true dragon.”

Of course, this wasn’t a firsthand account from Gongbok. He likely heard it from his mother.

“But even the Gomodo dragon couldn’t win against them all.”

I could already guess the ending.

If the Gomodo dragon had won, the true dragon would have been forgotten, and the Gomodo dragon would be hailed as a divine beast.

“In the end, it retreated. After severing the heads of thousands of spiritual beings.”

…Retreated?

It wasn’t killed?

Not only did it slay countless spiritual beings, but it also fought the true dragon—and survived?

The Gomodo dragon was incredible!

“Having exhausted a great deal of energy, my father abandoned his plans for humanity’s extinction. Instead, he manipulated the narrative, making himself a protector who shielded humans from the Gomodo dragon’s rampage.”

A common tale—the victor rewriting history to suit their agenda.

Although calling the true dragon a victor was debatable, the result was clear:

The true dragon became a divine beast, and the Gomodo dragon, a fiend.

“If the Gomodo dragon doesn’t reappear, my father will move forward with his ambitions once again. Even if it does, today’s martial artists will undoubtedly side with the true dragon.”

Even figures like Jeokryong, the Snake Queen, and my master seemed unaware of the full truth about the true dragon and the Komodo dragon.

They merely remarked that I might someday reach the true dragon’s level if I grew strong enough.

The number of problems kept piling up.

“Ge-geck…”

Where could I possibly find that elusive Gomodo?

“…Are you joking with me?”

Vrooom.

The Fox Marble trembled in its spot on my back, emitting a faint vibration.

Vrooooom.

It shuddered a few more times before a familiar voice rang out.

“Gahk!”

It was the voice of Gongbok, unexpectedly reawakened.

Finally, after being dormant for so long, Gongbok's voice carried a faint yet firm tone.

“Hah… I had thought this was some divine orb, but it’s exceedingly harsh…”

So, he was finally back.

I had been wracking my brains trying to figure out how to wake him up.

At one point, I even considered biting the Fox Marble to shock it awake, but the risk of Gongbok's body suddenly emerging and causing a catastrophe held me back.

I never expected he’d awaken this soon, even without the help of a mighty celestial fox.

“Gek.”

Welcome back, Gongbok.

“My lord—no, successor to the tailed ancient death.”

Ah.

The voice dripping with reverence for sharing information filled me with satisfaction.

Calling me “my lord” likely referred to the ancient Gomodo. Given that he addressed me as a descendant, it suggested Gomodo wasn’t just a myth. Gongbok seemed certain of its existence.

“Gekgek.”

“Yes, your cry is a little strange, but there’s no doubt—you’re a descendant of Gomodo.”

What’s wrong with my cry?

“It’s surprising to see a descendant. However… you don’t seem to have inherited their bloodline. You’re far too young to have been taught directly by them, and… there’s something odd about your cry.”

Stop harping on about my cry.

Thunk!

“Gahk!”

It was only a light bump. Consider it mercy.

A true descendant of Gomodo, huh?

…But I was born as a gecko.

Was it possible my parents, ordinary lizards, carried Gomodo's bloodline?

No, that seemed unlikely. If so, my sibling—the oviraptor I devoured—would’ve inherited it too and risen to become a slaughterer of Gomodos.

Besides, my evolution into Gomodo was a choice I made. I wasn’t born into it.

“Gekgek.”

I cried, conveying my understanding.

“I see…”

Shockingly, Gongbok seemed to grasp my meaning.

How could he understand me without being one of my followers?

“Well, I’ll share what I know about Gomodo. No matter what you are, it’s clear you’re progressing toward becoming a true dragon.”

Exactly what I wanted to hear—new information, and interesting at that.

“My father is the true dragon, the pinnacle of all dragons and the most sacred divine beast… Or so they say.”

That reminded me of what Gongbok mentioned before his defeat.

“Kill the true dragon,” he’d said. “If you don’t, greater ruin will come.”

Clearly, the reality of the true dragon differed from the myths.

“On the other hand, Gomodo is known as the symbol of death, a beast feared for mercilessly killing spiritual creatures. That’s its general perception.”

The name itself, "the tailed ancient death," didn’t help its reputation.

But contrary to that, wasn’t Gomodo revered in some circles?

Even that guy Jang Bong pleaded for me to spare his life, and the Tang Clan seemed to worship Gomodo as a sacred being.

Although… now that I think about it, the Tang Clan wasn’t exactly known for its noble image.

They specialized in poison, hidden weapons, and ruthless schemes.

Sure, So-Young didn’t fit that mold, but the fact that her own family wanted to eliminate her said a lot.

…Yeah, Gomodo’s reputation wasn’t entirely unearned.

“But the truth is different. Gomodo was called death not because it opposed humanity but because it stood with them.”

With humanity?

I found that hard to believe.

It wasn’t like Gomodo suddenly announced, “I’ll live with humans starting today!”

It must’ve opposed someone trying to destroy humanity.

“My father, revered as the sacred dragon by humanity, sought to annihilate them.”

And that someone was the true dragon.

“Countless wars broke out. All the spiritual creatures allied with the true dragon feared Gomodo.”

So the sacred dragon of the heavens clashed with the tailed death of the earth.

Humanity stood between them.

“In the end, Gomodo couldn’t defeat them all.”

I could guess the outcome.

If Gomodo had won, the true dragon would’ve been forgotten, and Gomodo revered as a divine protector.

“In the end, Gomodo withdrew. But not before severing thousands of spiritual beasts and leaving the true dragon with an unforgettable scar.”

…Withdrew?

Not perished?

And it wasn’t just the beasts—it had fought the true dragon itself?

Gomodo was incredible!

“My father, weakened by expending vast spiritual energy, abandoned his plans for humanity’s extinction. Instead, he ensured they worshipped him, framing Gomodo’s frenzy as a divine act of protection.”

It’s a common tale.

The victors rewrite history to suit themselves.

Even if the true dragon wasn’t the clear winner, the narrative was bent to its will.

True dragon: sacred protector.

Gomodo: vile destroyer.

If Gomodo reappeared now, the perception gap between it and the true dragon would only grow.

“After centuries without Gomodo’s presence, my father will surely act on his ambitions again. While I don’t particularly care if humanity perishes, I won’t sit idly by as my father’s plans unfold.”

So, if Gomodo didn’t resurface, the true dragon’s plans would advance unimpeded.

But even if it did, humanity would still side with the true dragon.

Neither my master, Red Dragon, nor the Serpent Queen seemed aware of the true history of these entities.

They spoke of me growing stronger, possibly rivaling the true dragon, but nothing more.

This problem wasn’t just big—it was colossal.

“Geeeek…”

Where was I supposed to find Gomodo if it had vanished?

“…Are you joking with me?”

Vroom.

The Fox Marble quivered violently.

Though unseen, I could feel Gongbok’s gray eyes fixated on me.

“Isn’t Gomodo’s successor already here?”

“Geeeek!”

Who, me?

The tailed ancient death, Gomodo?

Complete with dragon prowess?

While it might be fun to embrace that title, this wasn’t the time.

Acknowledging my identity as Gomodo meant inevitably confronting the true dragon.

What, seriously? Fight that thing?

It didn’t seem like the forgiving type…

And that would likely be my last fight.

“My father likely knows there’s someone resembling Gomodo here. That Namgung-Yeon must’ve schemed something.”

Namgung-Yeon.

Once I find him, I’ll shove a Death Beam right into his mouth.

“That’s enough to delay him. He won’t act rashly, knowing Gomodo’s presence. But once he identifies the successor, you’ll be his first target.”

Should I be relieved or not?

I was the reason the true dragon’s plans were stalled.

But if my identity was uncovered, I’d be the first to die.

“Don’t think too negatively. You bear Gomodo’s undeniable power and could one day match my father.”

Thanks, Gongbok.

“Though that might take decades, maybe centuries…”

Yeah, no thanks for that one.

Another layer of stress piled on.

From the aftermath of annihilating the Hwasan Sect and the looming unification of the martial alliance to Namgung-Yeon’s schemes and the new tale of the true dragon and Gomodo…

“Geeeeek…”

Especially the true dragon—that would be the gravest challenge.

While other problems seemed solvable, the true dragon’s power was unimaginable.

Could it surpass the malicious deity Taese or even the celestial fox I once encountered?

“That’s why you must seek Cho-Do. As my father’s child and a master of wood’s power like you, she can aid your growth.”

Alright.

I had no choice but to proceed.

Finding Cho-Do wasn’t just about strength—it was a necessity to combat all these threats.

She might even provide insight into the true dragon’s power and weaknesses.

Wait, would she willingly help me?

“Gekgek.”

“Don’t worry. Show her my insignia, and she’ll comply. Even in this relic, my will remains present.”

Of course.

I shouldn’t have doubted.

“Though I must admit, she’s quite an adorable one. My little sister would do anything for her dear brother.”

…So, Cho-Do is female.

Not that it matters.

Receiving her teachings is the priority.

“What’s with that look? Don’t tell me you’re…”

I have standards, you know.

“Gerororong.”

A plant-carrying turtle isn’t my type.

“You—You dare utter such vulgar cries!”

Huh?