Chapter 76: The Fourth Evolution
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76: The Fourth Evolution
I was released from the coils of the Snake Queen and Swish-Swish.
Though, to be honest, it was a bit ambiguous to say I was "released."
They were still a short distance away, staring at me and flicking their tongues.
"Heuk..."
They seemed to be telling me not to mind them, but that was easier said than done.
For now, I decided to pretend they weren't there as best I could.
I was now in a state equivalent to having consumed three elixirs.
One supreme-grade inner core.
And the Thousand-Year Hwari and Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine.
I'd think about the inner core later.
While it was my first time with a supreme-grade one, I had committed the bizarre act, which even I couldn't comprehend, of storing inner cores in my stomach to digest when needed on several occasions. When it came to inner cores, no one knew more than me.
These two elixirs, on the other hand, were different.
[You have consumed a supreme elixir.]
It was a most welcome message.
【Thousand-Year Hwari】
Though it does not match the Ten-Thousand-Year Hwari, the Thousand-Year Hwari is also considered a supreme elixir.
It contains a powerful concentration of yang energy. Consuming it recklessly may cause your body to explode and die.
If consumed after taking the proper measures, you will be able to handle the fire energy of the Thousand-Year Hwari.
Effect: Grants a special effect to 【Dragon Scales LV5】
【Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine】
Though it does not match the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine, the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine is also considered a supreme elixir.
It contains a powerful concentration of yin energy. Consuming it recklessly may cause your body to freeze to death.
If consumed after taking the proper measures, you will be able to handle the cold energy of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.
Effect: Grants a special effect to 【Dragon Scales LV5】
This was a jackpot.
Even if they couldn't compare to their ten-thousand-year counterparts, they were items worthy of being called supreme elixirs.
If I had only one of these precious elixirs, it would have been meaningless. Consuming just one would have been more like poison. If I were lucky, it would have been like eating a healthy meal. If I were unlucky, I would have died on the spot.
But my case was different.
Thanks to the Snake Queen's "proper measures," I had eaten the Thousand-Year Hwari, prepared with a brilliant recipe, along with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine.
The yin and yang energies canceled each other out, allowing me to absorb their power completely without any of the side effects mentioned in the descriptions.
「Dragon Scales LV5」
The scales of a dragon cover your body.
Can be transformed into various forms.
Thousand-Year Hwari: Dragon Scales gain a strong resistance to fire energy.
Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine: Dragon Scales gain a strong resistance to cold energy.
This was the result.
The description for Dragon Scales had become much richer.
Strong resistance to fire and cold energy.
A truly excellent effect.
I hadn't yet met an enemy that used fire or cold, but considering there were spirit beasts that could shoot destruction rays, I had to assume I would eventually face one.
What was the reason I defeated the Cockatrice this time?
Resistance to petrification.
And acting as if the enemy didn't know I had it.
It meant I could catch an enemy who wielded fire or cold off guard in the same way.
Moreover, the description about being able to transform its form had also subtly changed.
Various forms.
It meant that instead of just my current all-in-on-offense form, I could take on other forms appropriate for the situation.
I'd have to experiment to know for sure, but increasing the number of cards in my hand was always good news.
"Gekgegegek!"
I let out a roar of joy.
Of course, one might think this was a somewhat underwhelming change for having consumed a Thousand-Year Hwari and Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Wine.
It would have been perfect if I had gained the power to wield fire and cold, as befitting the elixirs' descriptions.
But I wasn't disappointed.
Based on my past experiences, I knew that the fire and cold energy hadn't just vanished.
It was obvious that new evolution options had been added.
【Gomodo LV30(+)】
HP: 2110/2110
MP: 670/670
【Status】
「Mark of the Snake Queen」
「Mark of the Snake Princess」
...Something seems to have been added?
I'll ignore it for now.
My current level was 30.
The symbol at the end meant I could evolve at any time.
I had done everything I could.
I was more prepared than ever before.
I had maximized my potential with the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit and consumed a supreme-grade inner core. On top of that, I had eaten two more elixirs symbolizing yin and yang energy.
Could I have prepared any better than this?
It would be impossible unless someone of Baek Yeon-yeong's caliber decided to back me with all their might.
I glanced cautiously at the Snake Queen.
"Do not worry. I will be here to protect you."
She seemed to know I was about to evolve.
Well, that must have been why she gave me the elixirs.
After expressing my gratitude to the Snake Queen, I moved to a corner of the temple.
[A spiritual energy envelops your body.]
[The spiritual energy reaches its peak.]
Something was different.
The very atmosphere was different from my previous evolutions.
A golden light began to radiate from my body.
[Evolution is possible.]
This... this isn't an ordinary evolution.
Yes.
This is what I've been waiting for.
[Would you like to evolve?]
Of course!
【Gomodo】 can evolve into
1\. 【Saltwater Crocodile】
2\. 【Titanoboa】
3\. 【Stupendemys】
These weren't the options I wanted, but let's take a look anyway.
【Saltwater Crocodile】
A giant crocodile exceeding 6 meters in length and weighing over 1 ton.
It is a powerful predator that crushes its prey, bones and all, with an immense bite force of 3.5 tons.
With intelligence surpassing that of a monitor lizard, it is a massive reptile that lacks nothing to reign at the apex of the ecosystem.
Saltwater Crocodile.
A very decent option.
The largest extant crocodile species.
Of course, if you go back to previous eras, you'd find creatures larger than the Saltwater Crocodile left and right.
A large body with high attack power.
And intelligence greater than a monitor lizard.
A very powerful species.
But how should I put it?
I felt it was a little disappointing.
Pass for now.
【Titanoboa】
The largest snake, exceeding 15 meters in length and weighing over 1 ton.
Due to its exceptionally heavy body, it is presumed to have lived mostly in water.
While its main diet consisted of fish, even powerful species like crocodiles were reluctant to antagonize the Titanoboa.
Titanoboa.
First of all, this one is a snake.
No matter how great its combat power, the lack of legs was a fatal drawback.
Normally, I would have skipped right past it, but the Titanoboa was different.
Because I had seen its higher-tier form in the Silver Dragon Cave.
If I became a Titanoboa, I could evolve into a multi-headed Hydra.
I could literally become a mythical being.
It was tempting.
But I also felt a sense of unease.
For some reason, I had a feeling that if I chose this, my large body would quickly shrink.
Was it just my imagination, or could I picture a horrifying future where my body withers away day by day while the snake mother and daughter's skin grows ever smoother?
Let's move on.
【Stupendemys】
The largest freshwater turtle in history, with a shell reaching 3 meters in size alone.
Though docile in nature, its immense weight of 1.1 tons and massive shell made other predators reluctant to bother it.
It used its wide-opening mouth to easily prey on creatures protected by hard shells.
Stupendemys.
The name was unfamiliar, but I could just think of it as a giant turtle.
The fact that its shell alone was 3 meters long showed it was in a league of its own.
If the Saltwater Crocodile was specialized in offense, should I say this one was specialized in defense?
It wasn't bad, but I had no reason to focus on defense now.
I had Dragon Scales, after all.
I had reviewed all three of the basic options.
I double-checked just in case, but as expected, there were no options that truly captivated me.
So just because a Gomodo is a spirit beast doesn't mean its evolutions will be similar.
Still, these weren't the only choices.
I calmly waited for the status window's next words.
The achievements I had accumulated.
And the incredible amount of elixirs I had consumed.
It would be stranger if a special evolution didn't appear.
Come on, show me!
[The conditions for a special evolution have been met.]
That's it.
[Your divine power is above a certain level.]
[【Gaegaek Faith】 and 【Gaegaek Cult】 will influence the evolution.]
Huh?
I didn't expect this.
Still, it can't be a bad thing, right?
【Gomodo】 can evolve into
1\. 【Saltwater Crocodile】 (Faith, Religion disappear)
2\. 【Titanoboa】 (Faith, Religion disappear)
3\. 【Stupendemys】 (Faith, Religion disappear)
4\. 【Salamander】 (Faith, Religion disappear), (Consumed Thousand-Year Hwari, Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, Supreme-grade Inner Core (Yellow))
5\. 【Gomodo-Lania】 (Faith, Religion maintained), (Consumed 「Gaegaek Death Beam」, Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Spirit Fruit, Supreme-grade Inner Core (Yellow))
My eyes widened.
Salamander!
Isn't that the lizard from mythology that wields flames?
It was an extremely tempting option, but...
It seemed I would have to think about this very carefully.
Not that I ever didn't, but this felt like it could be my major turning point.