I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 314

“Why did you suddenly freeze up?”

“Gek...”

No matter how you looked at it, I really did seem to be the culprit.

Let’s say there’s a kind of law of spiritual energy preservation.

Even if I hunted down a spirit beast and took its core, that power would enter my body while the rest of the internal energy would be returned to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

If there was 100 internal energy, I’d absorb 50, and the remaining 50 would go back.

In that case, the spiritual energy in this mountain range wouldn’t change much.

But what about me?

When I defeat an enemy, I receive a resource called experience points.

And as those experience points accumulate, my level rises and I grow stronger.

So if I defeat a beast with 100 worth of energy, a total of 120 energy gets circulated.

A literal spiritual energy duplication bug that only I can pull off.

But... so what?

Isn’t it a good thing if spiritual energy increases?

I really don’t get it.

“If things are left alone, nothing will probably happen. Spirit beasts are influenced by spiritual energy, but for the most part the effects are positive.”

“Gek gek.”

See?

I didn’t do anything wrong.

No—if anything, I should be praised.

I hunted spirit beasts and paid my taxes to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains like a good citizen.

“But the atmosphere’s been off lately, hasn’t it? It’s a really low probability, but... if someone were to take advantage of this overflowing energy and make a move on the mountains, something truly awful could happen.”

“Gek...”

“Just theoretically, if someone were to absorb all the energy of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, an enemy even your master couldn’t stop might appear.”

If someone really did absorb all the power of the mountains, it could give birth to an opponent even Master couldn’t handle.

But that’s all just theoretical.

As long as the beasts of the Dog Bastard Sect belong to this region, no one can just take all the mountain’s energy.

And how could one individual possibly control that kind of power?

No one should possess greater strength than Master.

“There have been bastards who’ve done it, though. Ones who sucked up all the spiritual energy from a whole territory.”

“Gek?”

There were guys like that?

“Namman Beast Palace.”

Hoya glanced around warily before quickly adding—

“Oh, and when you meet them, don’t say ‘Namman,’ okay? It’s like calling these guys demon cultists.”

So it’s like calling members of the Heavenly Demon Cult part of an evil sect?

That I can understand.

Even I would be sun-dried lizard jerky if I said something like that.

“Though their palace lord has kind of a weird personality... no, just dumb, so they might not take it the wrong way.”

As expected of the Namman Beast Palace.

Their palace lords always had that sort of image.

And the palace lord’s daughter was always the tanned skin, lightly dressed warrior-heroine type from a hot region. That’s just an unchangeable law of nature.

“Not sure what you’re thinking, but he’s got four sons.”

...So all those tanned, barely clothed warriors are dudes?

“GEEEEEEEHHHHH!”

Namman Beast Palace.

I can never forgive you.

“Wait—why the sudden mood swing? ...Anyway, shut up and keep listening.”

“Gek gek.”

“...To be honest, the reason I ended up here was because they took over my territory.”

Hoya continued cautiously.

At her level—comparable to the pre-awakened Red Dragon—she lost?

“Ahem! To be precise, it’s not that I lost in a fight.”

So she did lose.

“No, I said listen!”

Fine. I’ll listen.

“Suddenly, all the spiritual energy in my territory disappeared. No matter how much I value my home, a territory without energy is meaningless. I’m not gonna fight to the death to protect a dead zone.”

She really knows how to talk.

“I couldn’t help it. Not only did the energy vanish, but my strength was steadily draining too. I couldn’t exactly rush in and attack them.”

So basically, she got scared and ran away.

“Kyaak! That’s not what happened!”

But one thing I couldn’t understand—

Why did it have to be the Namman Beast Palace?

I mean, no offense, but “Namman” literally refers to barbarians, doesn’t it?

“Gekgeeeekgekggek.”

Feels like their tech level should be low.

And without a heroine, it’d just feel like a crowd of extras.

I get the feeling they’d get captured and released by a strategist from the Zhuge Clan seven times in a row.

Just screams low-budget.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Gek?”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous the Beast Palace is?”

The Namman Beast Palace is dangerous?

“Their power is kept hidden, but... it’s definitely not a group to underestimate. Compared to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, there’s less energy, but the number of beasts and spirit creatures per area is much higher.”

“Gek gek.”

“So every day is a battle for survival. The average quality might be lower than here, but do you know how brutal the survivors are?”

Okay... that kind of makes sense.

They fought over limited resources, and the ones that survived gained even stronger power.

This isn’t the Namman Beast Palace I thought I knew.

In a world crawling with spirit creatures, it makes sense their strength would rise by taming them.

“Fur-covered beasts like me got driven out. The spots are being taken over by scaled pseudo-dragons. If I could fight them off one at a time, maybe I’d stand a chance, but they teamed up with human Beast Palace warriors, so we furries just couldn’t hold our ground.”

Scaled pseudo-dragons.

I know what that means.

Dinosaurs.

The Namman Beast Palace here uses dinosaurs to drive out beasts like tigers.

...This might actually be more dangerous than I expected.

Not riding leopards, but Deinonychus.

Not a rhino squad, but a Triceratops unit.

Not heavy-armored elephants, but heavy-armored Brachiosaurs?!

“Geeeehh...”

This isn’t good.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

A force more dangerous than the Martial Alliance or even Jinryong’s faction might be rising.

Everyone knows dinosaurs beat every other animal. That’s just common sense.

The Heavenly Demon Cult and Dog Bastard Sect are in danger!

“No, I mean... it’s not that bad...?”

Thanks to Hoya, I’d just learned some damn important intel.

The real threat I need to prepare for isn’t anyone else—

It’s the Namman Beast Palace and their goddamn dinosaurs.

“I didn’t think you’d react like this... No, really! They just use normal elephant-type beasts and stuff.”

...Huh?

Ugh, come on.

So it wasn’t the Heavy Brachio Unit?

Well then, nothing to worry about.

“What the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) hell are you so obsessed with?”

“Gek-gek.”

As long as it’s not the Heavy Brachio Unit, it’s fine.

“Hmm... the dragon I mentioned is a bit different. I’m not saying that kind doesn’t exist, but the one you really need to watch out for is another one.”

Another one?

There’s something more dangerous than the Heavy Brachio?

Wait, don’t tell me it’s a Metal Allosaurus or something.

“Gigano.”

Gigano!

What the hell is that?

“They call him the Southern Lizard King. ...He’s a real tyrant. That one’s truly dangerous.”

Gigano... and Southern Lizard King.

— ...Southern Lizard King!

Jesus, that scared me.

You’re not even a Bicorn, why are you suddenly showing up?

— I have a proposition. Defeat the Southern Lizard King with your own hands.

What the hell is with this out-of-nowhere dramatics?

— Or, if you prefer, you may hand your body over to me. ...Just this once, I’ll take him down and go back quietly. frёewebnoѵēl.com

...Huh?

You're seriously making me offers now?

Of course, I’m never falling for it.

You're just gonna try to hijack my body again, like some cheap martial arts novel villain!

“His gray scales can’t be scratched by most famed swords. Even my Agang and Jogang can barely dent his hide—it’s that tough.”

— I’m serious this time.

And I’m seriously supposed to believe that?

— That ancient dragon is the one who injured my father, the Tyrant Dragon.

A family vendetta, is it?

— Even if you don’t surrender your body to me, as long as you defeat him... I’ll reward you.

A reward, huh.

Well, might as well hear it out.

I don’t know what this guy stuck inside my body could even give me, but there’s no harm in listening.

You never know.

Maybe he’ll give me a free pass to Hyeon-gyeong.

— I’ll tell you the information you’ve been so desperately craving.

Information?

Tch. Bit of a letdown, but if it’s really something I’ve been desperate to know...

...Wait, what exactly have I been desperate to know?

— Tch, isn’t it obvious? It’s about the Spinal Dragon, the creature that inspired this grotesque form I’ve taken.

KRAAAAGH!

What the hell are you talking about?

Why would I want that kind of information?

Wait a sec—Spinal Dragon?

Spinosaurus literally means “spinal lizard.”

Then that means the Southern Lizard King, Gigano, is...

A massive lizard from the South.

Or, a gigantic lizard from the southern lands.

So Gigano is actually a Giganotosaurus?

Yeah, that makes sense.

That’s how all the dinosaur names have worked around here anyway.

Which means... the Tyrant Dragon, the father of Gomodo, is...

Tyrant Lizard.

Tyrannosaurus.

“GEEEEEEEH!”

“W-What the hell! Why are you suddenly running in the air?!”

I’ve discovered the secret of this world.

Gomodo and Jinryong’s father was none other than a Tyrannosaurus.

Now it all makes sense.

Where did their overwhelming power come from?

Of course—it was inherited from the undisputed king of dinosaurs, the Tyrant.

Even Elder Hunhui was that strong in a Compsognathus body. Imagine what a martial-arts-wielding Tyrannosaurus in Hyeon-gyeong could do.

“Geh-rrrrrung.”

I don’t like my inner demon, Gomodo.

He constantly tries to steal my body and almost hurt my followers.

But... this time, I had no choice but to accept his request.

Defeat Gigano—the beast who injured the Tyrannosaurus.

What kind of man could refuse that?

And to me, the Tyrannosaurus holds even greater significance.

When my master tried to name me Heerano, I once refused because it sounded too similar to that name.

It’s ridiculous, but even in my past life, I apparently died from liver failure after getting into a fight with some idiot who insulted a Tyrannosaurus.

...Okay, maybe that wasn’t the only reason.

But if this opponent has a connection to the Tyrant Dragon, then I might be able to get some crucial information out of it.

Information about Jinryong, the Tyrant’s son.

And information about the first Heavenly Demon, who was the Tyrant’s disciple.

Both as Ko Hui the human...

...and as Ko Hui, Divine Beast of the Gae Gak Sect.

There was no reason not to take this job.

— I knew you’d love information about the Spinal Dragon. If things go smoothly, I’ll even tell you the female’s preferences.

That’s not why I agreed!

...Wait, female?

“GHEHEEEEHK!”

KRAAAAGH!

Now I’ve learned something I never wanted to know.