I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel

Chapter 25

【Green Basilisk】 can evolve into:

【Green Iguana】【Marine Iguana】【Great Armored Lizard】【Water King Lizard】 (「Soaring Dragon Step」, fragment of a high-grade core consumed)【Crocodile King Lizard】 (「Dragon Claw Hand」, fragment of a high-grade core consumed)

I now had two clear options.

Water King Lizard and Crocodile King Lizard.

The fact that both had "king" in their names indicated that they were near the pinnacle of the lizard evolution tree.

I needed to decide.

Both had their strengths and weaknesses, but I couldn’t recall them clearly.

Wait, didn’t my Wild Eyes level increase recently?

Let’s take a look.@@@@

【Water King Lizard】

Grows to 1.5–2 meters, with a maximum length of 3.5 meters. Males can weigh up to 50 kg. These lizards are adept at swimming and can dig burrows or climb trees with their sharp claws.

Nice.

It seems like a combination of all the good traits I’ve seen in lizards so far.

There’s a reason it has “king” in its name.

That’s Water King Lizard. Now, let’s check the Crocodile King Lizard.

【Crocodile King Lizard】

Grows to 1.5–2.5 meters, with a maximum length of 4 meters, though two-thirds of its length is tail. Males can weigh up to 15 kg. It primarily lives in trees and has sharp claws and teeth reminiscent of theropods.

This one also seemed quite good. It’s longer than the Water King Lizard, but overall, it’s lighter in mass.

That extra length is mostly due to the tail, though. In terms of weight, there’s a threefold difference between the Crocodile King Lizard and the Water King Lizard.

So yes, it’s smaller in size.

But what stands out are the teeth and claws.

Especially the teeth, which are described as being like those of a theropod.

In terms of sheer attack power, it’s likely superior to the Water King Lizard.

While the Water King Lizard might win in a direct fight due to its larger size, this isn’t about placing bets on which would win in battle.

I need to choose the one that best suits me, the one that maximizes my strengths while covering my weaknesses.

Hmm... this is a tough decision.

If Komodo had been an option, there would be no debate.

If I had trained in poison techniques, I might have been able to evolve into a Komodo.

The Komodo Dragon is on another level.

Its English name is Komodo Dragon, which puts it in a different class entirely.

Compared to the Water Monitor and Crocodile Monitor, it’s leagues apart.

Monitors are named after their role as "watchers," which comes from their ability to predict the presence of crocodiles. The native people of some regions would rely on these lizards to avoid danger.

But even with that cool backstory, they don’t compare to the Komodo.

Why? Because it’s called a dragon. A Komodo Dragon.

It’s practically a real dragon, huge and powerful, and it even has venom.

Although I’m disappointed it’s not an option, these two King Lizards are still excellent choices.

It’s time to make my decision.

Should I choose the larger Water King Lizard or the more agile and dangerous Crocodile King Lizard?

My choice is clear.

‘Crocodile King Lizard.’

The reason I chose the Crocodile King Lizard was simple.

I’ve been living and fighting on two legs.

In battles and even when running quickly, I rely on my bipedal stance.

If I were to evolve into the Water King Lizard, moving on two legs might become more difficult.

Losing the balance provided by the basilisk’s long tail could be a disadvantage.

On the other hand, the Crocodile King Lizard has a body type similar to the basilisk, with some additional bulk.

This means I can keep my current fighting style.

By covering my weaknesses and maximizing my strengths, there’s no reason not to choose the Crocodile King Lizard.

Crack.

The white egg surrounded my body.

Creeeak.

It began.

It felt as though my bones were being replaced one by one, growing quickly.

Crack, crack.

Compared to when I was evolving from a gecko, this was on a completely different scale.

As my body grew larger, my bones expanded rapidly.

Creeeeak.

Next came the muscles and skin.

Finally, the scales formed, covering my body like armor.

The Crocodile King Lizard scales, which I hadn’t had as a basilisk, were as tough as armor.

Crack!

The egg shattered.

[Congratulations! The Green Basilisk has evolved into a Crocodile King Lizard.]

【Crocodile King Lizard LV1】

HP: 200/200

MP: 50/50

【Title】

「Beloved by Spiders」

I flicked my tongue and crawled out of the egg.

Power surged through my body.

It even felt like my vision had changed.

From this height, the cave seemed different.

Status window, did you forget something?

I need to get used to this body and come up with a plan before taking on the caiman.

There are a few places in this cave I haven’t explored yet.

One is where I suspect the Titanoboa’s nest is, and the other is the cave’s exit.

The former is too dangerous, and I couldn’t find the latter.

And there’s one more place.

The place where I grabbed that thread while falling.

It didn’t seem like a natural formation.

This cave is a strange place. There are martial arts murals, a ridiculously strong woman roaming around, and even an Imoogi lurking.

There has to be something at the spot where I caught that thread.

Alright, let’s check it out.

“Gek!”

...

“Kraaawr!”

Tap-tap-tap!

I scaled the wall at lightning speed.

My sharp claws dug into the rock like it was tofu.

The Gecko Wall Technique gave my feet a strange adhesive quality, making it easy to climb.

Crack.

Thump.

After climbing for a while, I saw it—the thread I had noticed earlier.

It was thread. Colorful thread.

I swiftly leaped toward it.

Thud.

There was another passage leading further into the cave.

A thick stone door blocked the entrance, making it look difficult to enter.

...And honestly, seeing this place didn’t make me want to go in anyway.

Straw dolls were scattered everywhere, colorful thread intertwined among them, and talismans were plastered all over the stone door.

Yeah... something bad would probably happen if I messed with this.

It’s giving off strong curse vibes.

Still, since I went through all the trouble to get here, I should at least take a look, right?

What could go wrong?

Despite those thoughts, I kept a safe distance.

It’s not like I’m scared or anything. I’m just being cautious.

Maintaining a safe distance is a key survival strategy.

There were inscriptions written here and there in the cave.

I couldn’t read most of them.

I could only make out the occasional word like "sky."

Maybe that one says "poison."

Alright. I’ve seen enough.

Let me be clear: I’m not retreating out of fear.

It’s just that the stone door is firmly shut, and there’s no way I...

Creak.

The stone door opened.

...What the hell?

This is creepy.

No, I have danger sense, so if it’s not alerting me, it should be fine, right?

Maybe I should take a quick look inside.

I slowly turned around and cautiously slid my tail into the room.

After a while, there was still no reaction.

Alright. I’ll go inside.

This has to be a lucky encounter.

As soon as I stepped in, I wrinkled my nose.

The cave was filled with the corpses of countless insects.

This place had been sealed for a long time.

I guess it’s fortunate. I can take whatever’s in here without needing to fight.

I wonder what awaits me.

Hopefully, some spiritual medicine or an inner core.

It’s about time I had one.

Just as I was spinning those happy thoughts, something pale caught my eye.

It was thin and spread over the backs of the dead insects.

...A mushroom?

Why are mushrooms growing on their bodies?

Creak.

Thud.

The stone door closed behind me.

And then, all at once—

“Kieeek!”

The fallen insects began to rise.