A Serpent in the Water
Although he was slightly annoyed that the birdbrain hadn't warned him beforehand, what was the point of complaining now that they had already come this far? Jekyeong calmed his mind and strained his eyes, but he still couldn't pierce through the thick fog.
"Can't you lure it out?"
"No way! No way! If I get close, I'll be eaten right up!"
If there were other beasts around, he could have tried driving them into the fog, but unfortunately, the surrounding area was completely barren. Even if wild beasts lacked the intellect to think, they still possessed instincts and senses to detect danger. They likely sensed the bizarre and perilous nature of this place and stayed far away.
Nothing else for it, Jekyeong thought, lowering his body.
"You go in first. Don't get too close to it, but keep your distance and make as much noise as possible. Draw its attention."
"Got it! Got it! But how will you find me?"
"I'll just follow the sound of your voice."
"Ah!"
Cheongo flew into the fog. Jekyeong waited a few seconds for the sound of the flapping wings to fade into the distance before he began to move. Out of instinct and habit, he tried to silence his movements, but he quickly realized it was pointless. If the creature would sense him the moment he entered the fog anyway, there was no need to sneak around. Advancing without hesitation, it wasn't long before Jekyeong caught a faint sound.
"Bad frog! Bad frog!"
Cheongo's angry shouts echoed, followed by a croak from the frog as if in response. Jekyeong had wondered if he might be able to communicate with this 'bad frog' as well, but he had his answer now. While the frog could clearly communicate with Cheongo, Jekyeong could not understand the frog at all. As expected, Cheongo's ability to communicate was a unique trait exclusive to the bird. In any case, thanks to the racket the two were making, he could easily pinpoint their direction. Jekyeong surged forward at his maximum speed.
As he drew closer to the noise, the fog grew thicker, and the stench intensified. Amidst the mounting unpleasantness, Jekyeong finally spotted Cheongo screeching noisily, and beneath the bird, the 'bad frog' croaking away.
So that's the bastard.
'Bad frog' was an understatement. 'Ugly frog' was far more accurate. That was Jekyeong's immediate thought upon seeing it. He also instantly identified the source of the foul stench. The frog's body was covered in pustules. These boils swelled up gradually until they couldn't grow any larger, bursting with a wet pop and releasing puffs of thick green smoke. Indeed, the dense fog blanketing the area was entirely composed of the pus-like vapor erupting from the creature's boils.
It's huge.
Aside from its hideous and repulsive appearance, its sheer size caught his attention. For a frog, it was—with a bit of exaggeration—about the size of a bull. Of course, he was referring to the bulls from his past life, as he had yet to see one in this world. In fact, he wondered if cows even existed here.
It's not a Demon Beast. It feels completely different from those birds.
Jekyeong felt a wave of relief. Anyone could tell at a glance that this frog was extraordinary, but it lacked the overwhelming pressure he had felt from those two spiritual birds.
"Grrrk."
The moment Jekyeong appeared, the frog's attention snapped to him. While it had looked merely annoyed by Cheongo, the gaze it directed at Jekyeong was filled with hostility and wariness. It seemed to have instinctively realized that Jekyeong was a formidable opponent.
It's massive, but its jumping ability seems poor. Otherwise, it would have leaped up and snatched Cheongo out of the air. Its tongue doesn't seem abnormally long either.
As the creature stared at Jekyeong, Jekyeong stared back, analyzing his opponent.
Even if its jumping power is subpar, it's probably still much faster than me. Can I close the distance?
Cheongo had mentioned that the creature possessed a bizarre ability. Surprisingly, it was spitting. When he first heard it, he thought the bird was joking, but as he listened further, he realized this spitting was a highly potent attack. According to Cheongo, the ugly frog's spit carried immense physical force, and the saliva itself was laced with a unique toxin. A single hit was said to instantly weaken any living thing.
It's best to avoid a game of tag.
The ugly frog was highly likely to be faster than him. Furthermore, unlike Jekyeong, who had to rely on brute force and physical collision, the frog possessed a powerful ranged weapon. To defeat it in a straightforward chase, he would have to endure its attacks until its stamina ran out—a foolish strategy, regardless of whether it was possible. Thus, within ten seconds of facing the creature, Jekyeong decided to stick to his original plan.
"Croak!"
The plan was not to chase the beast, but to make the beast chase him. Anyone would react when their weakness was targeted, and this frog had a glaring, easily exploitable vulnerability.
Just as I thought.
Through the thick fog, the outline of the Pond came into view. The moment Jekyeong dashed toward the water, the frog reacted instantly. Letting out a frantic, high-pitched croak, it spat a rapid succession of saliva projectiles.
They're like water bombs.
Each glob was the size of a human head, flying at an incredibly high speed that left no doubt about their destructive power. However, the distance between Jekyeong and the frog was substantial. Moreover, Jekyeong was moving at his absolute limit. The frantically spat projectiles narrowly missed, slamming into the ground right where his tail had been a split second before.
There it is.
Reaching the edge of the Pond, Jekyeong spotted a half-bloomed lotus floating in the center. The moment he laid eyes on it, he knew it was extraordinary. If not for the racket behind him and the incoming projectiles, he would have stood there staring at it in a daze. Even in its partially bloomed state, the single lotus possessed a strange, hypnotic power that forcibly commanded the attention of anyone who looked at it. Unfortunately, he had no time for leisurely appreciation. Ignoring the frog hot on his heels, Jekyeong plunged into the Pond.
Huh?
The moment he entered the water, Jekyeong's eyes widened. An unprecedented sense of freedom washed over him, elevating his spirits. It was a sensation he had never experienced on land.
Wait... could I be...?
In that instant, a possibility he had never considered crossed his mind.
Am I a water snake?
His joy at discovering this unexpected identity was short-lived. The furious croaks of the frog echoed. *Thud! Thud!* Projectiles rained down, but Jekyeong had already submerged. Though he had dived simply to evade the frog's wrath, he immediately discovered another astonishing fact. He could breathe underwater! Was he perhaps a sea snake? Could sea snakes even breathe underwater?
Whatever, it doesn't matter.
Regardless of the scientific reality, it was highly advantageous to him right now. Besides, hadn't he resolved dozens of times not to apply the logic of his past life to this one?
"Croak!"
Unable to contain its rage any longer after spitting uselessly from the shore, the frog finally leaped into the Pond.
Perfect.
He could feel the frog closing in, but its speed underwater was not particularly impressive. This meant their speed difference in the water was far narrower than on land. Since the frog had hesitated before jumping in, Jekyeong still maintained a comfortable lead. He swam leisurely toward the lotus. The more frantic the pursuing frog became, the calmer Jekyeong felt.
Is this far enough? Or should I go a bit deeper?
Jekyeong drew closer to the lotus, but at the same time, he was gradually descending. He did so subtly, ensuring the pursuing frog wouldn't notice. Just as the pond floor came into clear view and Jekyeong was about to turn around, thinking this should be enough, a massive ripple vibrated through the entire Pond. In that instant, Jekyeong felt a wave of pure malice rushing toward him from all directions. Dozens? Hundreds? But just a moment ago, there was nothing...
Ah, right.
He had overlooked something. This Pond had native inhabitants. Creatures of unknown origin. A massive swarm of fish, large and small, was converging on him. Though they varied in shape and size, they all shared the same eyes—lifeless, glassy eyes that no living creature should possess.
Are they under some collective brainwashing?
Whether they were brainwashed or not, they had clearly lost their minds. They swarmed like a school of piranhas catching the scent of blood. They were incredibly fast. Even Jekyeong, who might be a water snake or a sea snake, couldn't shake them off. Though he could move freely in the water, these creatures moved as if they were on double or triple speed. In an instant, dozens of sharp-toothed fish latched onto Jekyeong's body. Individually, they were insignificant, but with hundreds of them biting him at once, the pain was indescribable. Fortunately, his body had become far sturdier after his recent shedding. Had he been in his pre-molted state, he wouldn't have lasted long before his scales and flesh were completely torn to shreds.
"Graaaagh!"
Driven mad by the pain, Jekyeong roared ferociously and clamped his jaws open. He thrashed his body to shake off the clinging pests, swallowing and tearing apart those that held on. A substance that was neither blood nor water filled his mouth. Even in his fury, Jekyeong felt something was off, but he didn't stop moving. *Crunch!* He continued to struggle violently, but the fish clung to him tenaciously like a swarm of mosquitoes. Jekyeong dove all the way to the bottom of the Pond. Scraping his body against the jagged floor, he crushed dozens of fish to paste.
"Croak!"
A triumphant croak from the frog seemed to echo from a distance. Jekyeong, whose reason had been clouded by anger and pain, snapped back to his senses at the sound.
That bastard seems to be in a great mood.
Well, it made sense. The situation was undeniably in its favor. Jekyeong realized that his current appearance was perfect for creating a misunderstanding. Covered in blood and covered in hundreds of biting fish, he looked to be in critical condition.
Not bad. Actually, this is perfect.
His already sturdy body had become so robust after shedding that he could hardly be classified as an ordinary creature. Though the pain of hundreds of fish biting him was sharp and clear, it was entirely manageable.
"Argh!"
Jekyeong thrashed dramatically and let out a pained roar. Roaring underwater was practically useless, but it was a performance he put his entire soul into. Underwater, the cunning frog's offensive options were severely limited. This would be especially true once these bizarre fish were wiped out. It could spit to its heart's content on land, but what could it do underwater? It would likely have to whip its tongue or approach him directly to attack.
It's a cautious one. It'll wait until my strength is completely drained.