Chapter 158: Magnosaurus
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158: Magnosaurus
Magnosaurus.
A monster whose body was covered in lava and fire.
It was beyond the category of a normal dinosaur.
In fact, even the Tang Clan's Dilophosaurus had long since deviated from being a typical dinosaur.
Rather than a real dinosaur, it possessed abilities you'd expect to see in a fantasy novel.
Of course, it also had the overwhelming physique of a dinosaur.
In other words, it was a ridiculously overpowered character.
Though, of course, I was no pushover myself.
I focused my eyes.
My Wild Eyes had two main functions.
One was to check an opponent's level and name, and the other was to check their status and traits.
I used the former often since it put almost no strain on my body, but checking statuses was hard on my eyes.
It wasn't permanent damage, more like my eyes would just ache.
It was just enough to make me not want to use it unless I absolutely had to.
But now, it was worth enduring the pain.
For one, since it was a single opponent and not several, the strain would be less.
【Magnosaurus LV65】
【Traits】
「Flame Skin」「Fire Resistance」「Extreme Yang Body」
【Status】
「Anger」「Fear」「Confusion」
Aside from the Extreme Yang Body, the traits were more or less what I expected.
What I needed to focus on was its status.
Anger, Fear, Confusion.
I could tell it was angry without even looking.
But fear and confusion?
That was a bit suspicious.
What on earth was it afraid of, and what was it confused about?
KWAAAAANG!
The Magnosaurus took down the furry beasts that were fighting each other in a single blow.
It stomped them with its massive hind leg, and that was the end of it.
It then incinerated its hunted prey with the flames spewing from its mouth.
I didn't get a detailed look at its fighting style, but I got the gist of it.
“Gekgegek!”
I kicked off the ground and rushed toward the beast at high speed.
“Krrk?”
The Magnosaurus immediately turned its head.
Its mouth opened.
“You idiot! You should have kept quiet!”
Baek Rang's shout and the blast of fire from the Magnosaurus's mouth happened at almost the same time.
And then.
Jjeojeojeojeok!
A massive wall of ice formed right in front of me.
It seemed to be Baek Rang's ability.
She talks tough, but she's quick to help.
If I teamed up with Baek Rang, we could probably take it down safely.
But that's not my style.
I'd rather just do it my way and smash it up close.
It would be faster that way.
Even if I get injured, taking down a beast of this caliber is sure to raise my level, so I don't need to worry about it.
It's enough for Baek Rang to just support me with her cold energy from a distance like she's doing now.
Tadadat!
Applying the principles of the Little Dragon's Heaven-Ascending Steps, I rapidly closed the distance.
Without wasting any of that momentum, I immediately followed up with the Dragon's Claws.
My foreleg swung with lightning speed.
“Kraaaak!”
Swaaaak!
But the Magnosaurus immediately swung its bladed tail to block my attack.
Kagagak!
The impact was strong enough to make my wrist tingle.
Seeing its considerable tail muscles, its main weapon must be its tail.
I just need to watch out for that.
“Krrrk.”
Chwaak!
The tail lashed out once more.
It flew in a flexible arc, like the crack of a whip.
I immediately ducked to avoid its attack, but as if it had predicted my move, the blade swung downward.
Kagagak!
I barely managed to block its attack by crossing my forelegs.
…I hate to admit it, but this thing was using swordsmanship.
To borrow Baek Rang's words, this must be the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art.
No, it's just the name.
I can't smell any plum blossoms.
The Magnosaurus moved its tail as if it were wielding a blade.
Attacks came from angles impossible for a normal sword.
The assault was dizzying.
But I couldn't just sit back and take it.
I needed an attack to block its sword path and steal its momentum.
Eagle-Snake Life-Death Struggle.
The principles of the snake in my right hand.
The principles of the bird in my left.
Kwagagak! Jjeok!
I parried every strike of the incoming Plum Blossom Sword Art.
The eagle's talons pierced through the plum blossoms made of lava, and a venomous snake slithered up the lava branches.
Ssssp.
Hwak!
A sudden blast of fire.
Jjeoooong!
The ice wall blocked its attack.
I counter the Plum Blossom Sword Art with the Eagle-Snake Life-Death Struggle, and Baek Rang blocks the flame attacks.
It must be frustrated.
All of its methods of attack have been shut down.
“Krrr...”
Of course, I wouldn't get anywhere just by staying in a stalemate either.
I had to choose between using a big technique or slowly accumulating damage.
It's definitely hiding some tricks, so I'll take the long way around.
Ssssp.
Swaaah...
I spewed a large amount of poison from my mouth.
The Gomodo was originally a creature that wielded poison.
After all, I evolved by eating a Dilopho's inner core.
Using my poison generation and gathering abilities, I spread a poison mist in all directions.
I couldn't use this poison properly in the jungle.
Since the Snake Queen had poison, the Bird King's side had prepared countermeasures against it.
But it's different now.
The Magnosaurus has no immunity to poison.
Which means there's no reason not to use the Gomodo's greatest weapon: poison.
“Kweeeek!”
The effect was immediate.
It's too big to be finished off by this, but it will definitely be a nuisance.
Puhwaaak!
The Magnosaurus immediately spewed flames, trying to burn away the poison mist.
I wasn't about to just stand by and watch.
Jjeoooook!
I immediately smashed its head with my Dragon's Claws.
“Kraaaaaak!”
Ttuduk.
Its neck was so thick that it withstood the attack.
But with the continuous poison and the wound from my last attack, it was clear that it would only get weaker as time went on.
“Krrk, Krrrrraaaak!”
The Magnosaurus let out a roar.
Having taken this much damage, it must have realized it couldn't afford to hold back anymore.
Chwaaak!
Its Plum Blossom Sword Art flew fiercely.
And then.
Hwaaaak!
A rain of fire poured from the sky.
It was its secret technique, Sky-Filling Flower Rain.
A volcanic dinosaur using Sky-Filling Flower Rain... honestly, I didn't quite get it at first.
But that was definitely Sky-Filling Flower Rain.
Flames beautifully embroidered across the sky.
It was both fire (火) and flower (花).
I couldn't just stand there and watch in a daze.
Just because the attack looked beautiful didn't mean I was fool enough to stand still and take it.
[Using 「Reverse Scale LV5」.]
You have to fight a fake with a fake.
[Temporarily acquiring 「Sky-Filling Flower Rain」.]
I shaped the scattered poison into thin hidden weapons.
Chwajajajak!
The poison hidden weapons flew at high speed.
The rain of fire and the poison hidden weapons clashed.
Chwaaak!
The flames had more force, but they expended their power just breaking through the poison.
In other words, flames of that level posed no threat at all.
“Krrrk?”
The Magnosaurus showed clear signs of panic.
It must have been a kind of signature ultimate technique.
I could see that its morale was shaken and its body was exhausted.
Ssssp.
[Using 「Reverse Scale LV5」.]
Now, it was time to finish this.
[Temporarily acquiring 「Gaegaek Death Beam LV5」.]
Jjeooooong!
An intense blue beam bored a large hole in its neck.
“Kweeeeeek!”
This was a little surprising.
To think it was still breathing.
Hwarereuk!
The Magnosaurus's entire body became a ball of fire.
It must be a technique similar to the Poison Human form the Dilopho showed me.
The only differences were that this one was in a more critical state, and it was stronger.
Whether it was aiming for mutual destruction, the Magnosaurus charged wildly toward me.
“Awoooo!”
But its attack never reached me.
Kwadeudeudeuk!
Because Baek Rang's fierce cold energy cooled its body.
And now that the force of its flames had weakened...
Jjeoooook!
I swung my Dragon's Claws forcefully, striking its neck.
Woodeudeuk!
With a crisp sound, the Magnosaurus's neck bone snapped.
[Your level has increased.]
Seeing my level go up, it seemed to be well and truly dead.
“Gekgegek!”
I let out a valiant roar to celebrate my victory.
In truth, taking it down wasn't that difficult.
If I had just kept Reverse Scale active and hammered it with big techniques, it would have fallen without being able to resist.
I'm not skilled at it yet, but if I had coated my hands in qi, I might have been able to break its neck in a single exchange.
But there were two main reasons I didn't do that.
First, an opponent of this level isn't exactly common.
That's why I also made use of my poison arts, which I hadn't used much for a while.
...Of course, I also wanted to teach a lesson to that thing calling its attack Sky-Filling Flower Rain.
Second, this creature wasn't the end.
My target is the Guardian.
This one is just a subordinate.
It's not a good idea to show all my cards.
I might not mind when I'm fighting the Guardian, but if I show my other techniques now, it might prepare countermeasures.
That's why I only showed the Gaegaek Death Beam and my poison arts.
Since I've shown two techniques of completely different types, it would be hard for it to think I have more cards up my sleeve.
“Gekgekgek...”
When it comes up with countermeasures for poison and beams, if I use Reverse Scale to unleash a technique it's never seen before, it'll be reduced to a mere mouse.
I was letting out the laugh of a valiant lizard when...
“You did great!”
Baek Rang came running over, out of breath.
I have some fire resistance, but without her support, I would have definitely taken some damage.
The reason I could take it down faster than expected was also because I left dealing with the flame attacks to Baek Rang.
As a spiritual beast that wields cold energy, she probably chose to support rather than fight directly, but we were a great match.
I wonder if I can take her with me when I fight the Fire Rat.
“Ooh, you're so clever.”
Lick.
...Huh?
Baek Rang was licking my body all over.
“Look how hot your body got.”
Every time Baek Rang's tongue touched me, my heated body slowly cooled down.
I'm grateful, but do you even realize what you're doing right now?
“Gekgek.”
“...Huh?”
Baek Rang's eyes met mine.
She jumped in place, just like a cat.
“Hyaak! W-what is it!”
What do you mean, 'what is it'? I'm the one who wants to ask.
“N-no. It's just...”
She was flustered.
“When my younger siblings succeed in a hunt... I do this...”
Baek Rang tried her best to make an excuse.
“It's a habit...”
So, you're saying you congratulated your younger siblings like this when they succeeded in a hunt?
And it became a habit, so you licked me without realizing it?
Hmmm...
I stared at Baek Rang's face with the eyes of a truth-seeing lizard.
Baek Rang, who had been furtively shifting her eyes, suddenly smacked my shoulder with her forepaw.
“I don't know!”
Then she trotted away in the opposite direction.
Hey, she's the one who did it, so why is she the one getting angry?
And why is she wagging her tail like crazy while running away?
Is it because we're different species? It's hard to understand.
Does she not like me?
“Hehe... poly-hehe... gamy...”
Aish, you scared me.
I don't know where they popped out from, but the bicorns were staring at me with sly eyes.
“Gekgek!”
I mean, the unicorns, and now these guys too.
Are these things really beasts?
They're a bit too strange to even be called spiritual beasts.
There's something about them I can't quite put into words.
...Let's not worry about it for now.
First, I should probably go catch Baek Rang, who's running away over there.
I'm not sure, but we'll probably need to use the byproducts from the Magnosaurus.
And only Baek Rang knows how.
“Gekgegek!”
I diligently chased after Baek Rang.