EP.6
Basilisk.
A legendary creature with rock-like skin adorned with deadly poison and the ability to petrify like Medusa.
It was a very famous one. I imagined its cost-effectiveness, thinking it would take at least two enemies down even in death.
That’s the kind of basilisk I knew.
And now, I could evolve into one?
I wouldn’t say that was a bad thing.
In fact, it was quite good.
But I couldn’t grasp the reason behind it.
It’s hard to believe a Gecko Lizard could evolve into a chameleon or some other lizard, but I could somewhat accept that.
However, this was a different matter altogether.
If I had petrification skills or deadly poison like a basilisk, I would think it feasible.
But the special evolution condition was none other than sprinting.
I couldn’t make any connection between running fast and the basilisk.
But I wasn’t foolish enough to throw away this opportunity simply because I didn’t know the reason.
I was no fool to refuse what was given.
Evolving into a cheat-like species like a basilisk would be a jackpot.
I picked my choice.
‘Green Basilisk.’
I mean, becoming a basilisk already—would the next evolution lead to something like a dragon?
As I was lost in such thoughts, my body began to change.
Crack.
Snap.
Every single bone in my body was jolting.
It felt as if my bones were rapidly growing in size, like watching a time-lapse video.
My bones were forming a new skeleton.
A slightly larger frame. And a longer tail.
Naturally, the tissues that sat atop the bones began to change as well.
Squirm.
It felt similar to shedding skin, but somehow different.
It wasn’t merely dead cells being torn away.
New tissues were being created to fit my skeleton.
Every muscle was formed anew.
The skin and scales that covered me were so exquisitely crafted they made the Gecko Lizard’s look pitiful in comparison.
The pure white room began to shake.
Crack.
A small fissure appeared in the room.
I realized the identity of this space.
It was the egg I had seen when I first arrived in this world.
With my long claws, I widened the crack in the egg.
Boom!
Without anyone’s help, I shattered the world.
[Congratulations! The 【Green Gecko】 has evolved into a 【Green Basilisk】!]
I was no longer a Gecko Lizard.
I was now a mythical being—the Green Basilisk.
“Gekekek!”
…But why did my cry sound the same as before?
No, it must be that the synchronization hasn’t occurred yet.
I could see the name Green Basilisk instead of Green Gecko.
And there was also a spider staring at me intensely.
“Kieek!”
Right, it’s nice to see you too.
But could you move your face a bit?
It’s somewhat scary.
“Gegekk.”
I turned my head away.
The spider seemed to remember that I was that Gecko Lizard, even though I had changed. Had it been waiting for me to hatch? How considerate.
“Kioong….”
It wiggled its two front legs.
What’s wrong?
It’s unsettling because of you.
It poked me with its third leg.
I glanced over and saw a ball of thread placed right in front of me.
Upon closer inspection, it was an insect still clinging to life.
“Kioong!”
Is it telling me to eat it?
With its long legs, it nudged the ball of thread towards me.
“Gekekek.”
It would be rude to refuse a gift.
And I was quite hungry as well.
Perhaps because it was freshly caught, it wasn’t dry and burst with juice in my mouth.
Ugh.
I’ve eaten quite a few bugs, but I’m still not used to the taste.
I’m just eating because I’m hungry.
However, the more I eat, the hungrier I seem to get.
It felt as though my hunger, which I had forgotten, was awakening as the food filled my stomach.
“Kioong!”
The spider handed me some pre-prepared bugs.
I stuffed the bugs it gave me into my mouth.
Was it due to the evolution? I was incredibly hungry.
The bitter taste was on a whole different level compared to the first ones, but I just bore with it and ate.
My bones were growing, and my skin was being restructured, so it seemed like I was pouring in significant nutrients.
It was to the extent that I thought I would have starved soon if I hadn’t eaten anything.
…That thought was a bit chilling. If the spider hadn’t been waiting for me, I might have been stuck without a way to survive.
Next time I evolve, I need to make sure to stock up on food.
“Kieek!”
The spider kept handing bugs to me.
Well, at least it knows I saved its life.
I opened my mouth wide and swallowed everything it offered.
A warm sensation seemed to rise from within.
Did it give me spicy bugs?
I was now feeling somewhat full.
The most anticipated moment had arrived.
It was time to check my current status.
【Green Basilisk LV1】
HP: 50/50
MP: 20/20
Although my level was reset, my HP and MP had actually increased.
They weren’t kidding when they said evolution was a thing.
It seemed that I could evolve further once I reached level 10.
Of course, judging by the spider’s level, it didn’t necessarily mean I could evolve just because I reached level 10.
Now it was time to set aside my distractions for a moment.
With a pounding heart, I decided to use my detailed view.
I expected the abilities of the strongest lizard, far beyond that of a Gecko Lizard.
__________________________
【Green Basilisk】
Body length is about 70cm, but a large part of it is taken up by its tail. It weighs approximately 300g, which is relatively light.
Thanks to the wide scales on its feet, it can run on the surface of the water, using its long tail to maintain balance and move quickly.
Due to its ability to run on water, it is also called the Jesus Lizard.
__________________________
Wait a minute.
This is a basilisk.
What about the petrification beam?
No, there should at least be a description for the poison, right?
No way.
This isn’t a basilisk!
[The effect of Cold Blood activates.]
Phew.
Let’s calm down.
My wild instincts aren’t that reliable.
Didn’t they omit the poison and paralysis details just like the ants?
There’s a chance something’s been left out again.
Please.
__________________________
【Skills】
「Tail Cutting LV9」「Wall Climbing LV4」「Cold Blood LV2」「Predation LV1」「Wild Eye LV1」「Tail Whip LV1」「Sprint LV7」「Stealth LV2」「Paralysis Resistance LV2」「Mountain Resistance LV4」「Webbed Step LV1」
__________________________
Petrification… missing?
No.
But I also have newly added skills.
That must be the other name for petrification.
「Webbed Step LV1」
Can run on water.
That can’t be right.
…
What am I going to do with this?
What will I achieve by running on water?
If that’s the case, I would’ve been better off choosing an armadillo lizard.
What’s the difference between this and a Gecko Lizard?
I swung my tail in irritation.
Swish!
The thinned-out, plump tail made a cracking sound as I whipped it around.
Not only had it thinned out, but its length had also increased significantly.
If my body exceeds 20cm, then my tail is at least twice that length.
I was quite pleased with this.
My main weapon was, after all, my tail.
Starting with Tail Cutting, I was now swinging my tail to fend off enemies instead of using my short limbs.
The fact that the range of my primary weapon had increased severalfold was fantastic news.
At this point, I had no reason to envy petrification.
…No, I definitely felt some envy.
My taste buds were bitter.
If it had just been the name of a long-tailed lizard, I wouldn’t have been disappointed.
But why did it have to be a basilisk?
I had made dozens of plans as soon as I saw the name, and now they had all fallen through.
However, I couldn’t dwell in despair.
I had already evolved, and while it might not have met my expectations, I was undeniably stronger than before.
I needed to plan my next steps.
First of all, living up here in the tree was now over. My body had grown too large.
Even though most of my size came from my tail, it made staying in the tree uncomfortable.
If I laid my tail out, it would certainly attract the attention of passing dinosaurs.
Moreover, I had gained a skill called Webbed Step.
Considering I would be living near water, it made sense for me to be around there.
“Ggekkek.”
Nephila.
I’m leaving this place.
“Kioong….”
Does it understand what I’m saying?
It grabbed my tail with its long legs.
But it wouldn’t work.
“Kiooong….”
It was a short encounter, but I still enjoyed it.
“Ggekkek.”
Still, should I stay a little longer out of courtesy?
Even if I went down the tree, finding the water’s edge wouldn’t be immediate.
I would grow larger as my level increased, but I felt like I could hold out here for now.
Having become friendly with this spider, I wanted to stay together a bit longer.
We were at a point where we could call each other friends now.
“Kioong….”
But why are you drooling?
“Kieeeng….”
What’s with that gaze?
Spider saliva dripped down onto my tail.
It was gently tugging at my tail.
What the hell!
In one swift motion, I cut off my tail.
“Hiooong!”
It seemed annoyed at losing its prey, thumping its long legs on the ground.
Ugh. Trusting that spider was my mistake.
Forget thinking there was more to find here.
As I fled, I glanced back to see its last moment.
“Kieeek!”
It was clutching the tail I had cut off tightly.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
Had I not realized quickly, I would have been the one instead of the tail.
I almost ended up as a meal.
[Achievement Unlocked.]
Whoa.
An achievement?
What could it be this time?
Was it an achievement for having been fooled by the name basilisk?
[An Achievement to Surprise an Iguanodon!]
Wasn’t the last one about a raptor?
Could this one be an even better achievement?
I felt a flicker of expectation.
This was going to heal my tender heart that had been betrayed by the spider I trusted.
[The spider has no heart.]
Right. It doesn’t have a heart.
[You have received the love of such a spider.]
Yes. I received love.
…Huh? What did I receive?
[You have obtained the title, “Beloved by Spiders.”]
What’s this now?
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.