Chapter 18: Fortuitous Encounter
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 18: Fortuitous Encounter
No matter how I shook my head, there was no denying it: that was a drawing of a person.
It wasn't like they'd drawn a chimpanzee wearing clothes.
So, humans really did exist in this world.
The round food I just ate must have been made by a person, too.
That meant someone had visited this place.
What a clumsy person, dropping precious food in a cave like this.
I worried they might be desperately looking for it, but I figured a long time had already passed.
I was just gobbling up an ownerless item.
Those dango would probably be happy to become my nutrients.
If they'd been left alone, some weird myriapod would have eaten them.
Compared to that, being eaten by such a gentlemanly lizard is a blessing.
After indulging in these strange thoughts, I focused on the mural again.
Curves and straight lines connected in a way that was both bizarre and beautiful.
Traces of martial arts. Perhaps they should be called sword marks.
Honestly, to my eyes, they were just lines. Even so, I could feel a hint of their beauty. They had to contain the profound principles of martial arts.
But that was all. I couldn't decipher anything more.
The only thing I could reference was the mural next to it.
If the sword marks were for advanced practitioners, this section seemed to be for beginners.
I slowly examined the beginner's corner.
The first thing that caught my eye was a drawing of a person swinging a sword.
A horizontal slash.
A vertical slash.
A thrust.
Yep, the Three Talents Sword Art.
The Three Talents Sword Art was the most basic of the basics.
It was a sword style containing the principles of Heaven, Earth, and Man—the most fundamental, yet most important, of all sword arts.
If one were to learn from the basics, they would have to start with the Three Talents Sword Art.
Assuming I was human, of course.
Unfortunately, this body was just a lizard with a long tail.
I tried sharpening my claws as much as I could, but they were no substitute for a sword.
Maybe if I evolved further, but with the claws of a Green Basilisk, it was impossible.
A shame, but I'd have to pass on sword arts.
Moving past the Three Talents Sword Art, I examined the other drawings.
I saw a drawing of someone spreading their hands wide and unleashing a fierce attack.
A palm art. No, it was a martial art that could be called a hand technique.
It had quite a few movements, a martial art that seemed like it would be very useful if mastered.
But I had to pass on this one, too.
Why?
Because the person drawn was bald.
The other drawings had hair, but this mural alone depicted someone without any.
I couldn't learn a martial art used by a bald man.
It's not that I have a phobia of bald people.
I respect them.
I even think they look cool.
But martial arts were strange things; some types had adverse effects on the user.
Using them could make you impotent, force you to live as a virgin for life, or turn you into a peerlessly beautiful girl.
…Is that last one really an adverse effect?
Anyway, it could be a martial art that makes all your hair fall out.
Of course, if it meant getting stronger, I could sacrifice my hair.
But I don't have any hair.
I'm in a lizard's body.
The equivalent of hair might be my scales.
If my scales fell out, my survival would be seriously compromised.
Therefore, my reason for avoiding that martial art wasn't due to personal feelings, but for an extremely rational reason.
“Gekgek.”
I kept studying the mural, but there didn't seem to be any martial arts suitable for me.
I completely ruled out anything using weapons like swords or spears, and fist arts didn't suit my hands.
My legs were strong, so learning a leg art didn't seem like a bad idea, but it didn't really click with me.
Tsk.
That bald man's martial art seemed the most promising...
No, something else will turn up.
Sssk.
Just as I was pondering which martial art to learn, I heard something approaching.
It was the sound of something slithering across the floor.
Sssslither.
I immediately went on alert.
“Ssshaak!”
The creature revealed itself.
A pure white snake had taken an aggressive stance.
【Titanoboa LV1】
【Status】
「Hostility」「Juvenile」
【Titanoboa】
The largest of all snakes, it can grow up to 15m in length and weigh up to 1.2 tons.
The thickest part of its body exceeds 1m, and its head alone is over 70cm.
Its main diet consists of fish over 2m long or small crocodiles.
A Titanoboa!
The description alone made it sound terrifying.
Of course, that was just the description.
“Ssshaak!”
Kid. You're making the Titanoboa name weep.
At best, it looked like a garter snake.
The creature before me was far too small to be a Titanoboa.
It looked like it would have to fight a life-or-death battle with a single piranha.
It was no match for me.
“Gegegek!”
My mouth watered at the thought of snake meat.
My stomach was full, but meat was another story.
I charged toward the snake.
Titanoboas are feared for their size; I knew they didn't have abilities like poison.
In other words, a small Titanoboa was nothing but protein for me.
An easy win.
Chwaak.
Whap!
A chilling sensation grazed my cheek.
It was the snake's tail, like a white whip.
It had bent its body like a bow and used the tension to snap its tail.
…Did Titanoboas hunt like this?
No, that couldn't be right. This one was just weird.
“Ssshaaaak.”
The white snake retracted its tail and flicked its tongue.
Flick.
It raised its tail in a strange posture and wiggled the tip.
…You're not a snake, are you?
No matter how I looked at it, that was clearly a taunt.
That hissing sound must have meant, 'Come at me.'
I won't fall for such a low-level provocation.
I'm not some wild lizard; I'm a dignified lizard with intelligence.
I'm on a different level from some cave-dweller.
Flick, flick.
“Gegegek!”
I used the Ascending Dragon Steps to close the distance between us.
Thwang!
But its spring-loaded tail blocked my approach, and it used the recoil to create distance again.
A snake indeed.
It was worthy of being called a master of Snake Fist.
When I tried to close the distance, it would back away, and from that range, it could launch one-sided attacks.
It was a type of enemy I had never faced before.
It didn't have overwhelming size, poison, or tough defenses.
And yet, it was tricky to fight. It was hard to even get close.
At this rate, I was going to lose to this tiny snake, as absurd as that sounded.
Thwang!
Its tail flew toward me.
I had no way of beating it.
That is, the me from before.
I sharpened my claws and swung them at its incoming, whip-like tail.
Kwagak! Kkuuuk.
I caught the snake's tail.
I could feel the white snake's panic.
It must have thought I was just an ordinary lizard.
This is the martial art of that nameless bald man.
I could feel the tail I was holding thrash wildly.
As expected of a creature that attacked with its tail, its muscle mass was incredible.
But it wasn't the only one with a tail.
Whap!
I smacked the snake's head with my long tail.
Its tail was neutralized.
Only I could attack now.
Hey, snake that attacked me, how are you feeling now?
Whap!
My tail was pretty powerful, too.
After all, I used it like a third leg.
As I struck its head with my tail, my claws dug into its flesh.
“Kieeeek!”
It struggled violently.
But once my claws sank in, they weren't coming out.
Whap!
The indiscriminate tail bombardment continued.
While it was dazed from the concussion, I lunged for its neck.
Kwaduk!
[You have leveled up.]
A master of Snake Fist.
An enemy, but a magnificent one.
“Gekgek!”
I roared, standing over the enemy that had now become snake meat.
As a sign of respect, I'll put your meat to good use.
Chomp.
Crunch.
Was it because it had a lot of muscle? It was a bit tough.
Still, it wasn't inedible.
The many small bones were a drawback, but it had its own flavor.
Hoo, nice.
This place is finally starting to feel like a home for humans—no, for lizards.
With food other than bugs and a mural that could be called a fortuitous encounter, I had nothing to envy.
By the way, didn't I perform rather splendidly in that last battle?
I think I used something like a martial art, and I even copied the enemy's attack.
Shouldn't I get something for that?
I glanced at my status window.
An attack skill.
Give me an attack skill.
I glared at the status window, but nothing changed.
I guess it won't give me a martial art that easily.
…Well, I have nothing but time. If I study that mural intensely, something is bound to come out of it.
I've eaten the caiman's inner core, so maybe I should try circulating my qi.
I might even attain enlightenment about a martial art.
After covering my eyes with a piece of snakeskin, I sat in the lotus position.
The internal energy starting from my lower dantian began to circulate throughout my body.
My mind grew clear.
I felt as if the inner core I'd eaten and my recent experience were becoming entirely my own.
A warm energy spread through my body.
It was a comforting warmth, as if something was enveloping me.
A pleasantly soft texture. And with it, the faint scent of flowers.
Have I surpassed the Great Heavenly Cycle and reached the state of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit?
My growth is terrifyingly fast.
My body was slowly beginning to float.
I'd heard about this. When a master with profound internal energy circulates their qi, their body levitates.
“How truly fascinating.”
On top of that, I heard a voice like jade beads rolling on a silver tray.
It must be the voice of a celestial maiden.
Five Qi Returning to Origin.
I've already surpassed the Three Flowers and reached the state of Five Qi.
“I've never seen a lizard sit in the lotus position before.”
Now, I'm ascending to immortality.
“My body is feeling weak. I was just thinking of getting something to boost my health. This is perfect.”
I'll cast off this lizard body and become a new...
Boost your health?
That doesn't sound like something a celestial maiden would say.
Using my front paw, I peeked out from under the piece of leather covering my eyes.
I saw something apricot-colored wrapped around my body.
It had a color and shape that looked incredibly soft and chewy.
Waaang.
Chomp.
I instinctively bit down on the soft flesh.
My hard teeth couldn't break through.
It was definitely soft.
And yet, it was hard.
What was this contradictory situation?
I gnawed on it, but nothing changed.
Whose finger has a texture like this?
Wait, a finger?
Why did I think of this as a finger?
Still biting the finger, I slowly shifted my gaze.
I saw a pair of blue eyes.
Their owner was watching me silently.
Finally, as if noticing I was looking at her, she spoke in a sultry voice.
“…So, is this lady's finger that delicious?”