Chapter 87: I'm Back
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87: I'm Back
Megatherium.
Think of it as a very large ground sloth.
And a ground sloth is basically a sloth that lives on the ground.
In other words, this thing is an enormous, ground-dwelling sloth.
With a violent streak.
“Kweoooargh!”
Just listen to that roar.
It might sound ridiculous at first, but hearing it in person was nothing short of terrifying.
And its size…
It was comparable to my true form. No.
It was even larger.
Its weight, in particular, was easily more than double that of my main body.
It could even be four times as much.
Why would such a massive creature attack a gathering of lizards?
Even if it ate every lizard here, it wouldn't even be an appetizer.
Besides, the creature was a herbivore.
Of course, being a herbivore doesn't mean it's incapable of eating meat.
This couldn't be a simple attack.
I focused my eyes.
【Megatherium LV40】
【Traits】
「Poison Resistance」「Petrification Resistance」
【Status】
「Brainwashed」
Poison Resistance and Petrification Resistance.
Just seeing that gave me a good idea of what was going on.
And on top of that, its status was 'Brainwashed'.
My suspicion turned into certainty.
This attack was connected to the King of Birds.
Did he just grab a passing Megatherium and brainwash it?
No, that didn't seem right.
The brainwashing didn't seem that strong. It was a light conditioning that left some of its consciousness intact.
This Megatherium must have been cooperating with the King of Birds from the start.
Just like the Snake Queen and the Sword Dragons around her temple.
It was probably some kind of hired muscle for jobs the birds couldn't handle. After all, it would be hard to find a bird with a build like that.
Why it came here, and why it attacked just as I arrived…
I was curious, but it didn't matter.
“Gek-ge-ge-gek!”
My course of action remained the same.
I let out a loud cry to draw its attention.
“Kwoooar!”
The Megatherium immediately turned its head and stared at me.
The brainwashing definitely wasn't very strong.
“Kwoh!”
With a shout, it charged toward me.
Thud.
Thud.
To fall for the taunt of a tiny lizard…
It was the outcome I wanted, but something felt off.
I had a slight sense of unease, but I'd think about that later.
It's coming!
THUD!
The ground trembled with each of its steps.
My smaller size might have made the vibrations feel even more intense.
Could I win against that behemoth in this body?
No matter how I thought about it, the answer was clear: a head-on fight was impossible.
Right.
A direct confrontation would be difficult.
Pabat!
I kicked off the ground and dashed to the right.
I needed to create a variable.
And that variable was the stream where I had sparred with Honhwi.
Thump.
Thump.
Fortunately, the beast was completely fixated on me.
Chwaaak!
Seeing me dive into the water, it followed without a moment's hesitation.
KWAAAAA!
As its body entered the stream, the water naturally overflowed.
The Megatherium and I were now both in the same stream.
“Gek-ge-gek!”
And that meant the variable had been introduced.
The water was shallow for it, but it would still hinder its movements.
For me, on the other hand, the water was a familiar space.
Pabat!
Using the principles of the Ascending Dragon Steps, I kicked off the water's surface and shot into the air.
“Kwooar!”
I could see the surprise on its face.
It must be wondering how a tiny lizard could leap to its eye level.
Dragon Scale Transformation.
Chajajajang!
I made my scales razor-sharp.
A form focused on speed and attack power. Right now, I was no different from a living blade.
Swiiiiiish!
With ferocious momentum, I slashed at its right leg.
Pibit!
But the sensation of cutting wasn't good.
Its hide was as thick as its body was large.
In my original body, I would have severed its torso no matter how thick its hide was. Was I expecting too much from a body the size of its finger?
“Kwoooooargh!”
Enraged at being wounded by a tiny lizard, it let out a roar.
KWAAAAANG!
KWAAAAAANG!
The Megatherium pounded furiously with both hands, as if trying to shatter the earth like a gorilla.
Puwaaaaaak!
Since it was striking the water's surface instead of the ground, a massive spray of water erupted.
If one attack isn't enough, I just have to keep attacking.
Chwaaaak!
I considered my options.
Poison would have little effect. My smaller body meant less venom, and the beast had resistance anyway.
Attacking with Dragon's Claws or the Nine Yin White Bone Claw would also be difficult. Even if I used the Nine Yin White Bone Claw a hundred times with these tiny feet, I wouldn't be able to deal significant damage.
It would be more efficient to just keep ramming it with my whole body like I was doing.
The Gekgek Death Beam might have some effect. Its range was smaller, but its power was unchanged.
However, even if I used all my MP on a Gekgek Death Beam, I doubted I could deal a finishing blow.
I had to admit it.
My usual fighting style wouldn't work against this thing.
I had to remember.
How did I hunt when my body was small?
‘Sprint.’
The Aura of Wind enveloped my entire body.
And how did Honhwi fight Gomodo-Lania?
Pabat!
I kicked off the water's surface and shot into the air again.
The Megatherium's giant hand swung as if it had been waiting. It was a sharp blow that predicted my trajectory.
Of course, it was an obvious trajectory.
Paat!
I leaped higher again in mid-air.
“Kwoh!”
Vwoooom!
Its thick arm hit nothing.
Moving like this in the air should be impossible.
There was no way it could have predicted this.
That I had leaped off the very water droplets it had splashed.
Normally, it would have been impossible.
But with my body now extremely small, my feet were tiny enough to step on those droplets.
I succeeded in getting behind it.
Since I'd seized the opportunity with the Ascending Dragon Steps, I should attack with the same.
Shwaaak!
The scattered water droplets gathered at a single point.
An image like a dragon overlaid my body.
I kept stepping on the droplets, pushing my speed to its absolute limit.
What I had was overwhelming speed.
And on top of that, a sharpness as if my entire body had become a blade.
KWAAAANG!
The Ascending Dragon Strike exploded against its waist.
“Kwoooooargh!”
The beast screamed as its massive body was helplessly knocked back.
That might not work a second time.
It couldn't help the naturally occurring droplets, but it wouldn't create a huge splash on purpose like before.
“Graaaaaah!”
From now on, each of its attacks would be a calm, swift, killing blow.
Its fast, heavy claws swung out. It was extremely controlled, splashing very few droplets.
That meant I couldn't use the same erratic movements as before.
Even if I managed to dodge for now, I'd eventually get hit.
Pabat!
The beast seemed to be indulging in such futile delusions.
I leaped into the air again, stepping on water droplets.
Its calm movements didn't create a splash. The few droplets that fell were too sparse for me to use.
So how on earth was I able to leap?
The answer was simple.
Shwaaaaaa.
It had been raining since long before this fight began.
The first time is the hardest; the second is easy.
Paat!
Moreover, these raindrops were falling simultaneously, striking the stream everywhere at once.
In other words, the entire stream was no different from my domain.
Paat.
Pat!
The Megatherium's stupid eyes darted around, trying to track my movements as I leaped from raindrop to raindrop.
Vwoooom!
Its claws swung once more.
I didn't miss the opening.
Tadadat!
Jjeooooong!
Ascending Dragon Strike.
Jjeong!
Double Strike.
Its giant body staggered.
Of course, the damage I'd dealt wasn't that great.
My speed and sharpness were enough to inflict damage, but my small size was still a problem.
My conclusion was that I couldn't defeat it by attacking like this.
But that was fine.
My goal wasn't to defeat it.
It was to draw its attention and buy time for the other lizards to escape.
“Grrr….”
The beast let out a low growl, then tensed its legs and leaped powerfully.
Paaaaat!
What was that move?
It was completely useless in this fight.
“Ghehehek….”
…No.
I made a mistake.
It must have decided it couldn't catch me as I leaped on the raindrops, so it gave up trying.
It might have been the logical choice.
I should have moved just out of its reach to keep its attention.
Did I get too carried away?
Thud.
Thump.
It ran not toward me, but toward the other lizards.
Still, it was raining outside the stream too.
I could use it just like before.
Pabat!
I kicked off the ground and charged at it.
Trying to be as annoying as possible to get its attention.
The Megatherium, as if determined to ignore me completely, staggered but continued moving silently in one direction.
This was bad.
At this rate, the fleeing lizards would be caught.
I had to draw more of its attention.
Even if it meant a dangerous gamble.
“Gek-ge-gek!”
With a valiant cry, I continued to attack it.
“Gek!”
I aimed for its ear.
Even if it tried to ignore me, it couldn't help but be bothered by something buzzing in its ear.
It might even get angry and decide to kill me first.
Of course, attacking near its head was risky for me too.
But there was no other way to get its attention.
Paat!
“Gek-ge-ge-gek!”
I used the Ascending Dragon Strike to hit its ear hard.
Jjeong!
Normally I would have pulled back immediately, but I lingered for a moment.
But the beast paid me no mind.
The Megatherium moved as if to exclude me.
In a way, it looked like I had won, but for me, this was the worst-case scenario.
I had to get its attention.
“Gek-ge-ge-gek!”
In my haste, I landed an extra hit with Dragon's Claws.
A little more.
Using the Ancient Dragon Leg Art.
A little more.
Using Poison Art.
A little more.
Using my Reverse Scale, I used the Nine Yin White Bone Claw.
KWAAAAANG!
It was at that moment.
The Megatherium's mouth split open in a bizarre shape.
Before I could even be startled by the grotesque sight, our eyes met.
And its eyes flashed once.
Jjeong!
It was the Gaze of Petrification.
If it had been any other attack, I could have dodged it easily. I had attacked in a hurry, but I'd still kept a minimum distance.
But I was caught off guard, never imagining it could use petrification.
How on earth could a Megatherium use this skill?
Could it be that the eyes of a dead Cockatrice had been forcibly transplanted into it?
Its petrification was incomparably weaker than that of a Cockatrice or the Snake Queen. There was no way it could kill an enemy with this.
Moreover, it couldn't harm me with my strong resistance.
However, it was enough to immobilize me for a moment.
And that brief moment was more than enough time for its claws to come flying.
KWAAAAAAAAANG!
My body was sent flying helplessly.
CRASH!
I slammed into a nearby tree and fell to the ground.
My head was spinning.
Its sharp claws were more than enough to tear through my shrunken scales.
Blood flowed from all over my body.
My vision wouldn't focus.
“Ghe-ek….”
To deal this much damage in a single blow.
The size difference was absurd.
Thud.
Thump!
The beast quickly ran toward me.
And only then did I realize.
Its goal wasn't to kill the other lizards.
Its objective from the very beginning was to capture me.
Pretending to attack the other lizards was just a feint to make me let my guard down.
The beast grinned, its mouth splitting wide.
“Ghahahahaak!”
It must feel so good to see the gnat that had been buzzing around it now staggering like this.
With trembling hands, I pushed myself off the ground.
It wasn't over yet.
I still had enough strength to move.
Now that I knew I was the target, all I had to do was retreat.
My leg bones were shattered, but I could probably manage to escape somehow.
“Gek-ge-ge-gek!”
A familiar cry rang out.
A few geckos were standing between me and the Megatherium.
…Why on earth were they here?
They'd had more than enough time to escape.
“Gek-gek….”
A small gecko supported me with a worried expression.
Right.
They hadn't run away.
They must have been watching the battle from a distance, worried about me.
They had all rushed out to save me after I was hit.
Let's say I could escape with their help despite my injured leg.
What would happen to the geckos blocking the beast?
“Ge-ek….”
I pushed away the gecko supporting me.
How could geckos possibly stop that monster?
It would be a miracle if they lasted even ten seconds.
They had to know they were going to die.
“Gek-gek.”
One of the geckos gripped my hand tightly.
Even though we couldn't speak the same language, I understood its meaning.
Then what about you?
Why were you willing to sacrifice yourself for us?
That's what it was asking.
Who knows.
To pursue chivalry?
I won't say something so grand.
My body swayed.
I put strength into my legs.
Still, I felt like I was about to collapse.
I braced myself with my hands.
It wasn't enough.
I supported my body with my tail.
The geckos looked at me, fidgeting anxiously.
They didn't have to look at me like that.
I just coveted your faith.
If these lizards die, who will worship me?
I have to steal the divinity that's going to that damn old man.
Yes, this is purely personal greed.
“Grrrr….”
So move.
I'm the one who has to face it.
[Your divine power stirs greatly.]
Twitch.
[Status: Miniaturization has been deactivated.]
C-c-c-crack.
[Due to the effect of Miniaturization LV1, Status: Gigantification is now applied.]
The Megatherium couldn't even think of attacking the geckos in front of it; it could only stare up at me blankly.
[The effect of Dragon Blood LV1 has been activated.]
[Potent fire energy now imbues your blood.]
[Potent cold energy now imbues your blood.]
Blood trickled from between my torn scales.
The blood of a dragon, mixed with the conflicting energies of cold and fire.
“Krrrrrrrr….”
Yes.
I'm back.