Chapter 113: Paired Wings and Entwined Branches
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: Paired Wings and Entwined Branches
Dimetrodon.
A massive synapsid with a sail on its back.
A typical Dimetrodon would be about my size.
But the one before me was anything but ordinary.
It should have been on all fours, but it was naturally holding one of its forelegs up. No, its entire frame was asymmetrical.
Its forelegs were mismatched in length, and the socket where one of its eyes should have been was empty.
Still, it was larger than me overall.
On top of that, its level was formidable.
Higher than the Cockatrice and the Megatherium.
Despite its grotesque appearance, I couldn't afford to underestimate it.
“Grrrr…”
The Dimetrodon stared right at me.
It was clearly confident in its own strength.
As with any battle, now was the time to conserve my resources. I couldn't retreat, and I had no way to recover my stamina.
In that respect, my strategy of using the poison cloud had been quite effective. If I had mindlessly spammed something like the Gekgek Death Beam, I wouldn't have had the energy to even use Sprint once.
I charged at the creature.
“Kuaaaah!”
It roared and swung a foreleg.
Kwang!
The creature dodged with practiced ease, pulling its body back. My claws slammed into the earth, and in that opening, other beasts charged forward.
“Khaak!”
Terror Birds, Saber-toothed Tigers, and slightly smaller Megatheriums. Dinosaurs the size of Deinonychus.
Countless enemies surged forward, aiming for my blind spot.
Just as the Cordyceps had, this creature was using its minions as disposable pawns to ensure its own safety.
And this was a tactic I had already overcome.
My body was now a living blade.
Shhhwwwik!
Boom!
With every swing of my tail, the swarming beasts exploded.
It was the combined result of my attack power and the Dimetrodon’s cunning.
Their blood splattered everywhere, staining my black scales crimson.
Beasts desperately trying to pin me down.
And the Dimetrodon, using their sacrifices to narrowly evade my attacks.
I planted my feet firmly on the ground.
I activated Sprint.
The aura of wind enveloped me.
Using the principles of the Soaring Young Dragon Steps, I leaped toward it.
No beast could possibly react to my sudden burst of speed.
My repeated evolutions had increased my size and power, but at my core, I specialized in speed.
My foreleg shot out.
Kagagak!
The Dimetrodon’s own foreleg met mine, barely blocking the blow.
Its claws were tougher than I’d expected.
Truly an opponent not to be judged by its appearance.
Kagak!
Our forelegs clashed.
We were evenly matched for a moment, but the creature had a clear limitation: its abnormally short arm.
Even if it could use the Dragon's Claws, it could only do so with one hand.
I, on the other hand, could use both.
Pabat.
Kagagak!
I pressed my advantage, crossing my claws and driving it back.
“Krrrr…”
Kagagagagak…
There was no way it could withstand my Dragon's Claws with just one arm.
Screeeech…
Overwhelmed by my strength, it was pushed back helplessly.
The tide of battle was turning in my favor.
All I had to do was press the attack and finish it with a powerful technique…
Shhhk.
Pshuk!
Suddenly, blood erupted from my body.
The beasts clinging to my legs couldn't have inflicted this much damage. The Dimetrodon’s left arm was locked with mine.
To attack, it would have had to use its malformed right arm.
And there was no way that short limb could have dealt such a wound.
Pabat.
I leaped back.
If I didn’t figure out what had happened, I’d just get hit again.
“Kikikikik…”
The Dimetrodon let out a chilling laugh.
And I saw my blood on its sail.
And then I understood.
Its sail wasn't just for show.
It was a greatsword forged from steel.
It had grabbed the sail with its short arm and swung it.
Drip.
Drip.
Blood fell to the ground.
The wound wasn’t shallow.
It wasn’t life-threatening, but the fact that my fortress-like Dragon Scales had been breached was a major problem.
Now, the beasts that had been relying on sheer numbers could actually land effective blows.
“Kikikikik!”
Despite having wounded me, the Dimetrodon didn’t press its attack.
It simply continued to command the swarming beasts.
I had to change my tactics.
With my Dragon Scales breached, I could no longer afford to simply ignore their attacks.
Kwang!
Boom!
Another Terror Bird exploded.
A shard of its bone flew into my wound.
Sizzzle…
A jolt of pain so intense shot through me that I nearly buckled.
It couldn't be poison; I have All-Poison Immunity.
The sharp fragment was simply tearing into the flesh of my wound.
“Grrrk…”
I faltered from the sudden agony.
“Khaaaak!”
My enemies didn’t miss the opening and lunged.
The massive fangs of a Saber-toothed Tiger aimed for my leg.
Those were dangerous enough to injure me even at full strength.
I had to either attack first or dodge.
But I didn't have the luxury of attacking.
Swish!
I threw myself sideways to evade, only for a Megatherium to appear as if on cue.
“Kwoooar!”
Kwang!
It slammed its monstrously strong paws down on me again and again.
Kwaaaang!
The impact was enough to make my skull ring.
Grrrnd.
I grit my teeth.
If I wanted to, I could wipe these creatures out in an instant. All I had to do was use Reverse Scale or Dragon Blood.
But that wouldn't be a real solution.
Killing these minions wouldn't get me out of here.
I had to kill the Dimetrodon commanding them.
Otherwise, no matter how many I killed, more would just take their place.
I would only be wasting my energy, and if this kept up, I would eventually lose.
It was time to end this.
Dragging it out would do me no good.
I braced my hind legs and shielded my head with my forelegs.
I endured the Megatherium’s barrage and took a step.
Kwang!
I took a Terror Bird’s charge from the side and took another step.
Kwak!
A Saber-toothed Tiger bit into my hind leg, but I forced myself to ignore it and took another step.
I withstood the assault of the Deinonychus pack and took another step.
Blood dripped from my body.
Swish!
From its perspective, the battle was already decided.
And yet, the Dimetrodon only watched from a distance.
An enemy intelligent enough to do what was arguably the hardest thing: holding its position until victory was absolutely certain.
This was no easy opponent.
I steadied my breath.
[You have used 「Reverse Scale LV1」.]
But even holding its position was the wrong move.
The Dimetrodon stood its ground and watched.
I endured the onslaught and walked forward, one step at a time.
[You have temporarily acquired 「Uprooting Mountains and Overpowering the World」.]
I am now at the threshold of the Peak Realm.
Reaching the Peak Realm means opening the middle dantian.
The difference between a First-Rate master and one at the Peak Realm is literally the difference between heaven and earth.
That is how significant the middle dantian is.
And for me, the middle dantian held even greater significance.
The power of countless elixirs, too much for a single dantian to handle, could finally be harnessed by operating two.
Kududududuk.
An incomparable level of internal energy erupted from me in all directions.
Kwaaaaaang!
The beasts attacking me were instantly slammed into the ground.
Even the Dimetrodon couldn't escape the effects of Uprooting Mountains and Overpowering the World.
Of course, moving while maintaining this technique was incredibly difficult for me as well.
But I could manage a single attack.
Thud.
Boom.
Thud.
Boom!
Just as Baek Yeon-yeong had shown me, the very heavens and earth trembled with my every step.
The distance was now short enough.
I swung the Dragon's Claw, imbued with immense internal energy, toward the creature.
KWAAAAAAAANG!
“Kkieeeeeh!” the Dimetrodon shrieked, its body crushed.
But it would be a shame to end it there.
The Dragon's Claws, after all, is a technique for grabbing an opponent.
Kwajik.
My powerful claws seized its left arm.
Krr-chak!
My claws dug into its thick hide.
“Kkieeeeeh!”
All that was left was to pull.
Krrrrrrrip!
“Kkieeeeeeeeeeeh!”
The Dimetrodon writhed in agony.
The moment the pressure from Uprooting Mountains and Overpowering the World vanished, the other beasts swarmed me again, but it no longer mattered.
A one-armed Dimetrodon was no match for me.
It would bleed out on its own if I just left it.
Of course, I had no intention of just watching. Who knew what other tricks it had up its sleeve.
I pursued the creature as it rolled on the ground, trying to flee.
Pabat!
“Kkek, kkieeeh!”
It shrieked as it scrambled away. Shaking off the beasts clinging to me, I swung my arm for the final blow.
Clang!
My claws were deflected.
【Dimetrodon LV55】
My attack had been blocked by another Dimetrodon.
There wasn't just one, but two.
It didn't even attack with its partner from the start, choosing to show up now?
It didn't matter.
This new one was practically identical to the one whose arm I’d torn off.
One short arm, one eye. The only difference was that its deformities were on the opposite side.
The first Dimetrodon was malformed on its right side; this one was malformed on its left.
A perfect mirror image.
The existence of a second one was a surprise, but it wouldn't be a major problem.
“Kkek, kkeuk!”
“Grk, grk!”
The wounded Dimetrodon held out its right arm.
The newcomer held out its left.
Their malformed arms touched.
Click!
The two Dimetrodons locked their arms together.
What were they trying to do?
I had a bad feeling about this.
I finished off the Saber-toothed Tiger blocking my path and charged toward them.
Fwip-fwip-fwip!
The Dimetrodons’ sharp steel sails began to move, like a butterfly flapping its wings.
Whoooosh.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
Their sails moved in unison.
Joined together, their bodies looked as if they had wings.
No.
They were wings.
The Dimetrodons were flying.
I couldn't immediately process what was happening.
The sight was that shocking.
“Krrrrrrk!”
The unbelievable had happened.
This creature wasn't an ordinary Dimetrodon.
It was a spirit beast, one fabled to fly only when it finds its mate.
The Jian Bird.
“Krararak!”
That was its true identity.