Chapter 248: Posture of Submission
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 248: Posture of Submission
The size difference between her and me was overwhelming.
Taotie had transformed into a human, while I was currently using Gigantification.
You could call it a fight between a human and a giant.
Of course, the reality of the situation was the exact opposite.
Grrrrnd.
Taotie’s elbow drew back.
A human’s step was barely the size of one of my scales right now.
But Taotie applied that short distance with destructive force.
The stance, with one elbow pulled back, resembled a drawn bow at first glance.
And a bow is meant to shoot an arrow.
Swiiiiish!
Faster than an arrow, Taotie’s fist flew at me.
Kra-booooom!
I hastily blocked it with my shoulder, but the impact reverberated through my entire body, making my head spin.
“As expected, you’re tough!”
No, how is she even stronger than before?
It didn't make physical sense.
Besides, I wasn't very used to fighting this type of opponent.
Of course, I’d fought masters like Ak Bulhwi, but that was only for a brief moment.
And that was before I used Gigantification, when I was still small.
In other words, the size difference was much smaller then.
Kra-booooom!
“Don’t just block! Prove yourself!”
Taotie attacked relentlessly.
Her eyes grew redder with every passing moment.
I thought such brutish attacks would surely leave an opening, but there were none.
I had the advantage in raw speed, but now that she’d shrunk, I’d lost that edge.
“What are you doing! Is a masculine appearance all that matters? With a face like that, a body like that, do you dare call yourself a male?!”
Krrrrunch!
Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't fight back.
I may not have fought many humans, but I had plenty of experience fighting smaller, stronger opponents.
Whoosh!
I pushed off the ground with both feet and leaped into the air.
I remembered how much of a beating I took from Old Man Compy.
The only time I landed a clean hit on him was with a rather cowardly trick.
I used the Snake Queen’s token as bait to keep him from dodging.
But I couldn't use that method now.
This necklace would mean nothing to her.
So, was that memory useless?
No.
Just as I used the necklace as bait to stop Old Man Compy from dodging, I just had to make it so this one couldn't dodge either.
How?
[Using Reverse Scale LV10.]
Like this.
[Temporarily acquiring Sky-Filling Flower Rain.]
“This technique is...!”
Sky-Filling Flower Rain is a Tang Clan technique that scatters poison and hidden weapons.
I didn't have any hidden weapons, but that didn't mean I couldn't use it.
Because I had slender projectiles I could pull out even more easily than my scales.
Fshhhhhhh!
I coated my fur in poison and launched it at Taotie.
The sky filled with a rain of flowers.
No matter how fast she was, she wouldn't be able to dodge all of this.
“So you resort to this because you can’t keep up with my speed?”
K-thooom!
Taotie stomped hard on the ground.
Logically, it's impossible to dodge thousands of poison needles.
I wondered how she'd respond.
Swiiiiish!
Just before the poison needles reached Taotie, she lifted her foot.
K-wham!
To be precise, she lifted a cracked slab of the ground.
Th-th-th-thud!
In a human body, she was bound to be harmed by my poison.
It might be different if she were at full strength, but with her stamina already drained, she'd be reluctant to take a direct hit.
“A fine attack, enough to make my blood boil. I wish I could take it with my body, but it’s a shame the situation doesn’t allow for it.”
She chose to block instead of dodge.
Not with her body, but with the earth.
I thought she just liked to fight, but her instincts were on another level.
To react like that in such a short time.
“If your hidden weapons were sharper, I wouldn't have been able to block them. Or if your proficiency was a little higher. That's what makes it a pity.”
If the poison needles could have pierced that defense, it would have been fine, but my makeshift projectiles couldn't deal any damage.
“This time, it's my turn to—”
[Using Reverse Scale LV10.]
But I had no intention of giving her a turn.
[Temporarily acquiring Sky-Filling Flower Rain.]
Fshhhhhhh!
“The same trick again? Stop it. No matter how much of that fine fur you pull out, you won’t be able to touch the tip of one of my scales.”
K-thooom!
Taotie stomped hard again.
She must have been planning to block the attack the same way as before.
Since I was using the same move, that would be the standard response.
Wooooong.
That is, if I were stupid enough to use an attack that didn't work twice in a row.
My fur isn't meant for offense.
It's for defense, blocking fire energy and mitigating attacks to my neck.
In a pinch, I could coat it in poison and use it as a weapon like I was doing now, but since I could wield the Power of Wood, I could just as easily throw sharp branches.
So there was no reason to waste my precious fur.
If I were to use it, it would have to be in a situation that took advantage of the fur's unique properties.
Fwoooooosh!
As the wind blew, the poison needles, which had been shooting straight down, suddenly changed their trajectory.
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
The slab of earth Taotie lifted was blocking her from above.
So the poison needles, now curving to strike from the side...
Thwack!
...couldn't be blocked.
“Kuh!”
Pang!
In that situation, Taotie grabbed the rock she'd lifted and rolled away at high speed.
She should have been hit by at least a few dozen more, but she minimized the damage with her agile movements.
“...Right, the storm. I saw you wield the Power of Wood, yet I overlooked it.”
Despite her words, she didn't seem upset.
“Not just simple strength, but your intelligence is also formidable. Yes, you are strong. Truly strong.”
A red aura began to gather around her.
“If you can withstand this, I will acknowledge you!”
Now, pushed into a corner, Taotie was preparing her strongest attack.
[Using Reverse Scale LV10.]
“What?”
Why should I wait for her?
[Temporarily acquiring Sky-Filling Flower Rain.]
“Kugh! This time... I'll definitely...!”
As I took the stance for Sky-Filling Flower Rain, she flinched and prepared to stomp the ground.
Even if I changed the trajectory with a storm, I wouldn't be able to hit a wary Taotie.
Crackle.
So this time, I was doing it differently.
“Haha... you truly are...”
Kra-rurururumble!
Sky-Filling Flower Rain.
No, Rain of Ten Thousand Thunders.
The sky filled with flowers of lightning.
Kra-rurumble! K-rack!
Dozens of lightning bolts rained down on Taotie.
No matter how fast she was, could she dodge lightning while poisoned?
Kra-rurururumble!
“Kugh... Truly, this is driving me mad. With this much... now...”
Taotie couldn't dodge my attack.
But she could withstand it.
She was a wreck, but she hadn't fallen.
“I can see your size shrinking and your Power of Wood running out. I can’t wait for that... Let’s pit your strongest against my strongest... and see who prevails.”
Was it okay for a humanoid form to be this durable?
Isn't that cheating?
Of course, Taotie was probably thinking the same thing.
Just as she said, my Gigantification was about to wear off, and I'd used up most of my Power of Wood.
Taotie was battered, but it was clear she still had one final blow she'd been preparing.
Tu-kwaaaaaang!
A dark red aura enveloped Taotie's body.
Wooooong.
Directly above her, the image of Taotie in her spirit beast form appeared.
It probably wasn't a summoning ability.
Her power was just so immense that her internal energy became visible.
“Now, try and take this!”
Taotie thrust her fist forward, and the apparition above her swung its own hand.
Swaaaaaaaak!
I knew instinctively.
If that hit me, I would die.
Did I have a technique to counter that attack?
No, nothing like that.
Then what should I do?
[Using Reverse Scale LV10.]
[Temporarily acquiring Miniaturization LV10.]
Don't block. Dodge.
Kra-boooooooom!
A tremendous roar echoed, as if half the territory was collapsing.
If I'd taken that, I'd definitely be dead.
Fwaaaat!
Of course, she couldn't hit me after I used Miniaturization.
Taotie was defenseless.
After unleashing such a massive attack, an opening was inevitable.
Fwip-fwip!
“With that tiny body...!”
My current size was similar to a Green Basilisk.
If I had been any bigger, I would have been caught by that attack for sure.
So it was a necessary choice.
Taotie's red eyes locked onto me.
The moment her eyes found me meant a razor-sharp attack would follow in less than a second.
Of course, an exhausted Taotie couldn't launch another massive attack like before, but at my smaller size, even a simple punch would be fatal.
And I, too, had used up a lot of my resources.
I could no longer wield the Power of Wood.
And I couldn't finish her with these tiny claws.
But it didn't matter.
Because I was more familiar with this size than any other.
Like a small dragon taking flight, I leaped lightly into the air.
Taotie's eyes tracked my movement perfectly, and a fist like a thunderbolt shot toward me.
Swiiish!
The world slowed down as if time had stopped.
Once in the air, I couldn't change my trajectory.
Her fist was thrown with my evasion in mind, making it an unavoidable situation.
Little Dragon's Heaven-Ascending Steps.
The technique that lets me run on water, the one that has allowed me to survive any situation—what you might call my signature move.
That's right.
Little Dragon's Heaven-Ascending Steps can tread on water.
Drip.
The sweat dripping from Taotie's brow. The blood from her wounds.
A droplet mixed with both trickled through the air.
A tiny drop of sweat and blood, barely enough to be called water.
But for me, right now, it was more than enough.
Fwip-fwip!
I stepped on the water and leaped into the air once more.
Swaaak!
Taotie's fist met only empty air.
“How...”
What I saw before me was the back of Taotie's head.
I spun my body to its limit, accelerating even faster.
All that speed, built to its absolute limit, was channeled into my tail.
Kaaaaang!
And I slammed it right into the back of Taotie's head.
“Keuk...!”
K-wham!
Taotie's face was driven straight into the ground.
“Gegegek...”
It was a close call.
She was a formidable opponent, one I surely would have lost to in a contest of pure strength.
Taotie trembled for a moment, then stopped moving.
I was preparing for a potential counterattack, but with this, it seemed I had won.
...Wait a minute.
She's not supposed to stop moving, is she?
“Gegegek!”
*
“...Have I been defeated?”
Fortunately, Taotie was still breathing.
She had only lost consciousness for a moment and recovered almost immediately.
“You were truly magnificent. To think such a strong male existed... I am a little surprised. Not only your strength, but your strategy was also excellent.”
It took some time to deactivate Miniaturization, so I was worried she might attack again, but it seemed she had accepted her defeat.
Man, I don't know where to look.
I wanted to let out a gerorong sound, but my goal was to make Taotie my ally.
To do that, I couldn't make such an undignified cry.
“Gegegek.”
An authoritative cry like this, however, was fine.
“Yes, I admit it. This is my complete defeat.”
If I hadn't learned how to wield the Power of Wood from Chodo, I would have lost.
Still, I was glad to have gained such a reliable ally.
“Now, kill me.”
“Ge-ek!”
What are you talking about?
I worked so hard to get you.
As I waved my arms around in a panic, Taotie let out a small laugh.
“...I never felt any killing intent from you, so as disappointing as it is, I suppose you won't kill me.”
Yeah, you get it.
“State your desire. As the one who defeated me, you are entitled to the spoils of victory.”
I was glad she was someone I could reason with.
Without hesitation, I extended a claw and pointed at Taotie.
You're my follower now, got it?
“...Hoh, I see. So this is what it means to be a true male.”
Huh?
“Geeeeeek?”
Taotie wore an intrigued expression.
When I tilted my head as if to ask what she was talking about, she sighed softly and spoke.
“Well, since you've already taken me, I won't say much no matter what you do... but I'd appreciate it if you'd fix that wicked hobby of yours.”
Wicked hobby? What was she talking about?
“That look of feigned ignorance... Yes, I suppose that too is the way of a male.”
With a deadpan expression, Taotie lay down on her back.
She bent her wrists slightly and struck a pose that clearly showed her stomach.
You know, like how a puppy shows its belly to its master.
“As you said from the beginning, I, Taotie, have submitted to you.”
How could she say that so confidently in that pose?
“And so, I have assumed the posture of submission. Is there a problem?”
Of course, it's not that I disliked it, but...
“Gerong... Gerorororong...”
Hup.
I quickly covered my mouth.
I couldn't believe I couldn't hold back the gerorong.
But it was an unavoidably stimulating sight.
Still, I had to clear up this misunderstanding first.
This wasn't what I wanted, I just wanted a follower...
“Hehehe... To-un-bu-i.”
“Hehe... one husband, many wives... one husband, two wives...”
Aish, you scared me.
Who are you guys?