I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 248

The difference in size between Docheol and me was staggering.

Docheol had reverted to her human form, while I was still in my gigantic state.

It looked like a battle between a giant and a human.

But the reality?

It was the opposite.

CRUNCH.

Docheol's elbow shifted back a single step, the movement subtle yet deliberate.

If one were to compare a human's step to my current size, it would barely match the scale of one of my scales.

But Docheol wielded that short distance with devastating precision.

Her stance, with one elbow drawn back, resembled a bow being drawn.

And a bow, of course, meant an arrow.

WHOOOSH!

Her fist, faster than any arrow, shot toward me.

BOOOOM!

I barely managed to block it with my shoulder, but the shockwave reverberated through my entire body, leaving my head spinning.

“You’re as solid as ever!” she said, her voice tinged with admiration.

But seriously, why was she hitting harder now than before?

It didn’t make any sense.

And to make matters worse, I wasn’t accustomed to fighting enemies like her.

Sure, I’d faced martial arts experts like Akbulhwi before, but those were fleeting encounters.

And back then, I wasn’t in my current size—our physical differences weren’t as pronounced.

BOOOM!

“Stop blocking and prove yourself!”

Docheol unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, her red eyes glowing more intensely with each strike.

I’d thought such brute force would leave her vulnerable to counterattacks, but there were no openings.

While my speed still gave me an edge, her smaller form had significantly narrowed that gap.

“What are you doing? Do you think being large and looking the part makes you a real male? With that face, that body—do you think that’s enough to call yourself one?”

CRACK!

Of course, it wasn’t as though I was defenseless.

Though I hadn’t fought many humans, I’d battled plenty of smaller, stronger opponents.

WHOOSH!

I planted both feet firmly on the ground and leapt into the air.

I remembered my fight with that old Gomodo geezer.

While I’d managed to land a meaningful blow, it was only because I used the Snake Queen’s emblem as bait, preventing him from dodging.

But that trick wouldn’t work here.

This necklace held no meaning for Docheol.

So were those memories useless?

Not at all.

Just as I’d forced Gomodo to stay in place, I could do the same to her.

[「Reverse Scale lv10」 activated.]

[「Mancheon Hwa-u」 temporarily acquired.]

“This technique...”

Mancheon Hwa-u was a Tang Clan skill, scattering poison and hidden weapons in every direction.

I didn’t have traditional weapons, but I didn’t need them.

I had something far better—my fur, thin and easily plucked, sharper than any blade.

SHRRRAAAK!

I coated the fur with poison and launched it toward Docheol.

A rain of poison needles filled the air like a blooming flower.

Even with her speed, evading them all would be impossible.

“So, you’re compensating for your lack of speed by relying on this, huh?”

CRACK!

Docheol stomped the ground hard.

Dodging thousands of poison needles was impossible, but I was curious to see how she would handle it.

WHOOSH!

Just before the needles reached her, Docheol lifted her foot.

BOOOOM!

She tore up the fractured ground, using it as a shield.

CRACKLE!

Despite her efforts, poison needles pierced through gaps in the earth shield.

Even in her human form, she couldn’t entirely avoid damage.

Her stamina was already dwindling, so she couldn’t afford to take too many hits.

“Your attack is exhilarating,” she admitted with a grin.

“If the situation were different, I’d have taken it head-on, but alas.”

Rather than dodging, she had chosen to block—using the ground as a barrier.

Her sharp instincts were astounding.

“If your weapons had been sharper or your technique more refined, I might not have been able to stop it. How disappointing,” she added, almost wistfully.

Her assessment wasn’t wrong. My makeshift needles lacked the potency to deal a decisive blow.

“This time, it’s my turn—”

[「Reverse Scale lv10」 activated.]

But I wasn’t about to give her the chance.

[「Mancheon Hwa-u」 temporarily acquired.]

SHRRRAAAAK!

“Again with the same trick? Give it up. Your precious fur won’t even scratch my scales!”

BOOOOM!

Once again, Docheol stomped hard, preparing to block.

It was a logical response, given I’d just used the same technique.

WHIRRR!

But if she thought I’d repeat a failed attack, she underestimated me.

My fur wasn’t meant for offense.

It was primarily for defense, shielding me from fire and protecting my vulnerable neck.

I had other ways to launch sharp projectiles—like splinters of wood imbued with the power of Mok.

There was no need to waste my fur.

The needles abruptly shifted midair.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Instead of raining down, they veered to the sides.

THUNK!

Docheol’s shield protected her upper body, but her flanks were exposed.

“Urgh!”

THUD!

She grabbed the stone slab, rolling quickly to minimize the damage.

She should have been riddled with dozens of needles, but her agility reduced the hits to a handful.

“So, you’re manipulating the wind...”

Her tone sounded contemplative, not bitter.

“Strength and intelligence—you’re truly formidable. Truly.”

Crimson energy gathered around her.

“If you can withstand this, I’ll acknowledge you!”

Even now, backed into a corner, Docheol prepared her strongest attack.

[「Reverse Scale lv10」 activated.]

“What?”

Why would I let her finish charging?

[「Mancheon Hwa-u」 temporarily acquired.]

“Urgh! Not again—this time... for sure!”

As I prepared my next move, Docheol hesitated.

Even if I altered the trajectory with wind, she was ready to defend again.

But I wasn’t repeating myself.

CRACKLE!

This time, it wasn’t Mancheon Hwa-u.

It was Mancheonraewoo—the Flower of Thunderstorms.

Lightning filled the sky, blooming like a field of flowers.

CRACK!

BOOOOM!

Dozens of bolts rained down on Docheol.

Even with her speed, poisoned as she was, dodging them all was impossible.

CRACKLE!

“Urgh... Truly... maddening.”

Docheol couldn’t avoid the strikes, but she endured them.

Her body was a wreck, yet she remained standing.

“I can see it,” she said, voice raspy but steady.

“Your size is diminishing, and the power of Mok is running dry. I won’t wait for the inevitable. Let’s settle this here—your strongest against mine.”

Black and crimson energy surged around her, coalescing into a formidable aura.

This stubborn resilience—how could she still stand?

It felt like cheating.

Of course, she probably thought the same about me.

Both of us were running out of time.

My Gigantification was about to wear off, and I’d expended most of my Mok energy.

Docheol, battered and bruised, was clearly preparing her final attack.

BOOOOOM!

Dark crimson energy erupted from her body, surrounding her like a storm.

It was time.

Above her body, the figure of Gomodo in its spiritual beast form loomed.

This wasn’t some summoning ability. It was likely her overwhelming power materializing her internal energy into a visible form.

“Now, let’s see you take this!”

Gomodo extended her fist, and the phantom-like figure above her mirrored the movement, throwing its own punch.

SSSHHHAAAA!

Instinctively, I knew. If I took this head-on, I’d die.

Was there a technique I could use to counter this? No, there wasn’t.

So, what should I do?

[「Reverse Scale lv10」 is activated.]

[「Miniaturization lv10」 is temporarily acquired.]

Don’t block. Dodge.

BOOOOOOOOM!

The deafening explosion that followed seemed to tear apart half the domain. If I had taken that attack, I’d definitely be dead.

FWISH!

Of course, with Miniaturization applied, she couldn’t land a hit on me.

Gomodo was left wide open. An attack like that naturally created a moment of vulnerability.

PABABAT!

“With that tiny body of yours...!”

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My current size was comparable to that of a Green Basilisk. Had I been any larger, I wouldn’t have been able to avoid that attack.

It was the only choice I had.

Gomodo’s crimson eyes locked onto me. That meant that within less than a second, a razor-sharp counterattack would come flying toward me.

Even though Gomodo’s stamina was waning, and she couldn’t unleash an attack as devastating as before, just one strike could end me in my shrunken state.

And I, too, was nearly out of resources. I couldn’t wield the full power of wood anymore. My tiny claws wouldn’t be enough to finish her.

But that didn’t matter.

This size was the most familiar to me.

With the grace of a small dragon leaping through the air, I lightly ascended.

Gomodo’s eyes precisely tracked my movement, and a thunderous punch tore through the air toward me.

SWWIIIISH!

Time seemed to freeze, everything moving sluggishly around me.

Once airborne, I couldn’t change my trajectory. Gomodo’s punch was fired with that in mind—I had no choice but to take it.

So-ryong Deungcheonbo.

This technique, which allowed me to run on water and survive in any situation, was perhaps my ultimate lifesaving skill.

Yes, So-ryong Deungcheonbo could step on water.

A bead of sweat mixed with blood, shed from Gomodo’s forehead, drifted down.

A tiny droplet of water and blood. Hardly worth calling “water,” but it was more than enough for me.

PABABAT!

I stepped on the droplet and leapt into the air again.

SSHHHAA!

Gomodo’s punch harmlessly cut through empty space.

“Impossible...”

What lay before me now was the back of Gomodo’s head.

Twisting my body to the extreme, I poured all my momentum into my tail.

KAAANG!

The strike landed squarely on the back of Gomodo’s head.

“Urgh...!”

THUD!

Her face was planted firmly into the ground.

“Geggegek...”

It was a hair’s breadth.

Had I fought her head-on with brute strength, I would undoubtedly have lost.

As Gomodo trembled, she stopped moving.

I remained wary of a possible counterattack, but this was a clear victory for me.

...Wait.

She’s not supposed to stop moving, is she?

“Geggegek!”

“...So, I lost, didn’t I?”

Thankfully, Gomodo was still breathing.

She had merely passed out briefly and recovered just as quickly.

“That was truly remarkable. To think such a strong male existed. I’m genuinely surprised. Not only your strength but your strategies were exceptional.”

It took some time for Miniaturization to deactivate, and I worried she might attack again, but it seemed she had accepted her loss.

Still, there was no time to relax.

I wanted to make a triumphant gurgling noise, but my objective was to bring Gomodo to my side. I couldn’t afford to lower my dignity with such a sound.

“Geggegek.”

Instead, I let out a more authoritative gurgle.

“Very well, I’ll admit it. I’ve lost completely.”

Had I not learned to wield the power of wood from Cho-do, I would have lost. Still, I was relieved to gain such a dependable ally.

“Now, kill me.”

“GEK?!”

What kind of nonsense is that?

I fought so hard to win you over, and you want me to kill you?

As I waved my claws in a fluster, Gomodo chuckled softly.

“...From the beginning, I could tell there was no killing intent. Still, it’s a pity—you won’t kill me, will you?”

She knew me well.

“Speak your desire. As the victor, you have the right to claim your reward.”

Fortunately, she was reasonable.

Without hesitation, I extended a claw and pointed it at her.

You’re my follower now. Got it?

“...Oh, I see. You’re saying I’m yours now, huh?”

Huh?

“GEK?”

Gomodo wore an amused expression.

As I tilted my head in confusion, she let out a small sigh and spoke.

“Well, since you’ve claimed me, I won’t complain about how you treat me... but you might want to tone down those peculiar tastes.”

Peculiar tastes?

What the hell are you talking about?

“With that innocent look... Well, I suppose that’s just the charm of a real male.”

Gomodo lay flat on her back, pressing herself against the ground.

She bent her wrists slightly and exposed her belly.

Like a puppy showing its belly to its master.

“As I said at the beginning, this Gomodo has submitted to you.”

She said it with such boldness, in that utterly submissive pose.

“So I assume the position of submission. Is there a problem with that?”

Not that I mind, but...

“Gero... Gerororong...”

Oh no.

I quickly covered my mouth.

I couldn’t hold back the gurgle.

But the sight before me was far too provocative.

Still, I needed to clear up the misunderstanding. I didn’t want this—I just wanted her as a follower...

“Hmm... Toun Bui (兎惲夫異).”

“Hm... Ilbu Haecheo... Ilbu Yangcheo...”

What the heck? Who are you two now?