I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 335

I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Novel-Chapter 335

The five-headed monster bared its burning fangs and let out a grotesque, chilling roar.
Hydra.
Truly, a formidable opponent.
Each of the five heads, shimmering with multicolored hues, could be considered an independent spiritual creature.
Since they were born as one body, it was like a group of masters who had trained together for countless years were launching a combined attack. Being attached to one body wasn’t a disadvantage. Their flowing, continuous strikes were excellent at carrying momentum once it was seized.
There might be slight differences in skill between the heads, but to think of it simply, it was like fighting five Flower Realms at once.
Now I understand why the elders of Odukmun dared to betray.
Among beings of the same level, almost none could defeat a Hydra.
Though they said “same level,” in reality, it was five against one.
Not three against one, but five against one.
How could anyone win against that?
On top of that, their poison could dissolve bone on mere contact, and even if you managed to cut off a head by piercing through the poison, it would just regenerate immediately.
A powerful spiritual beast capable of facing an army alone.
Of course, it’s no match for me now.
Kwaaaaaang!
Once again, my large forepaw swung out, and two of its heads were smashed in an instant.
"Kk... Kkueuuuup!"
Stay still for a moment.
Let’s try blowing all five off at once.
"How... how could you do this to me...!"
Each of the five heads seemed to have its own consciousness, but during battle, the largest head in the center appeared to be taking the lead.
Even before it finished speaking, the two burst heads rapidly regenerated.
Their regeneration ability was really something else.
Among all the foes I had seen so far, this one’s was probably the best.
It was almost unsettling.
Normally, when a creature loses its head, it dies immediately.
Of course, if all the heads were cut off at once, it wouldn't be able to regenerate and would die — that much I was sure of.
But saying it and doing it were two very different things.
If I could land a solid hit, I could burst them easily enough, but since each head had its own will, at least one or two would inevitably dodge.
Plus, the creature’s sheer size made it harder.
"Don’t you dare look down on meeee!"
Ggudeudeudeuk!
A storm filled with venom rose up.
It looked similar to the one Dan Hwa-Yeon had shown before, but with five heads, the scale was massively larger.
"Look at this venom! Even if you're fast, can you possibly dodge a storm like this?!"
Kwaagagagak!
Certainly, that kind of attack was tricky.
Even with So-Yeong and Dan Hwa-Yeon here, it would be hard for them to neutralize such a vast amount of poison instantly.
If I ignored it and went straight for the heads, my followers would end up taking serious damage.
Uung.
The fox orb quivered lightly.
At the same time, Hydra’s eyes also trembled.
"Th-That object...!"
You don’t even have eyelids — what’s with the surprised expression?
"So you... you’re no ordinary lizard!"
Hm?
Now you’re realizing that? Bit slow, aren’t you?
No matter how you looked at me, I clearly wasn't an ordinary lizard.
Ordinary lizards didn’t have horns or fur, you know.
Should I thank you for seeing me without prejudice?
"Yes... it was you! The one that he was so wary of...!"
Left alone, he might blab something important, but first, I needed to deal with that storm of poison.
To block a storm, you need another storm.
Kwaagagagagagak!
The fox orb amplified my power, and a massive typhoon rose up, swallowing the storm that Hydra had created.
Hydra stared at the typhoon with a hollow expression.
"A Yeouiju! You're wielding the dragon’s treasure...! Are you saying you're a dragon now?!"
Uung.
The fox orb quivered lightly again.
It’s not a Yeouiju, it’s a fox orb, but I wasn’t obligated to explain that.
Even if I told him, he probably wouldn't believe it anyway.
"That really is a Yeouiju! To summon a storm and move freely...!"
As I approached, he spoke in terror.
He didn’t even try to move.
Maybe it was because he was a lesser dragon species — he couldn’t handle two things at once.
You’ve got five heads and you can’t even manage something this simple.
Well, whatever.
His storm was completely suppressed by my typhoon, and he was immobilized.
Pababak!
I kicked off the ground and shot forward at full speed.
A blue sword energy gathered in my hand, and then split into multiple strands.
The strands merged again, forming a sword aura that contained the brilliance of starlight.
It was truly Sword Qi.
"Block him! While I’m holding his typhoon, do something!"
At Hydra’s shout, the other spiritual beasts hiding by the gate rushed toward me all at once.
They must know it too.
If the strongest, Hydra, fell to me, there would be no one left in Odukmun to resist me.
So they threw themselves at me.
Or perhaps they thought something else.
With me busy raising a storm and enveloping my sword in Sword Qi, they figured I wouldn’t have much strength left to fend them off.
Kugugugugu...
Dark clouds gathered.
The typhoon that had swallowed the poisonous storm pulled in clouds darker than night itself.
Uuuuuung.
The fox orb trembled slightly, almost mocking the enemies rushing at me.
The power I wielded was the power of the neck.
And the power of the neck was divided into thunder and storm.
Calling forth the wind was the same as calling forth thunder.
Pazijik.
A flash of blue light flickered.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
A thunderous roar shook the entire battlefield.
Kwaang!
Kwaarararang!
"Kkyeeeek!"
"Kkaaaahhh!"
The dozens of spiritual beasts charging at me were literally fried by the lightning.
Kwaararararak!
The repeated lightning strikes focused into a single point left no chance for anyone to approach.
Now, only Hydra and I remained on top of the fortress wall.
Hydra tried to react in a hurry, but it was already too late.
I couldn’t do it barehanded like Master, but with Sword Qi wrapped around me, it was possible.
My five fingers pierced through the enemy’s heads.
Jjeojeojeojeong!
Guum Baekgoljo crushed all five of Hydra’s heads simultaneously.
Kuuung!
The massive creature made no further response as it slowly toppled over with a thunderous crash.
Hitting all five heads at once had been the right answer after all.
Honestly, even if I had approached differently, I could have finished it.
Maybe even faster.
But my stubbornness got the better of me.
I wanted to use the same technique Master had shown.
Even though I had to use Sword Qi because the creature was much bigger, it wasn’t an excuse — especially when I remembered how Master, with his smaller frame, had handled it barehanded.
Still, I was satisfied with the result, and realized there were areas I needed to improve.
In the end, winning with Guum Baekgoljo was satisfying, and I would have to reflect on the fact that it had taken me over ten swings to land the hits.
Even so, Hydra.
You were a worthy opponent.
You were the best practice dummy.
As I offered a short moment of silence for Hydra and lifted its corpse to announce the end of the battle—
"Kulkulkul..."
Huh?
I made a face like I had just heard some martial artist shout about transcending to the Super Flower Realm.
All five heads had exploded — how was he still talking?
"You must be wondering how I can speak, huh."
Well, yeah.
"Thanks to the blessing bestowed by that one."
The blessing?
By “that one,” he must mean Jinryong.
Sounds like Jinryong had done something to him again...
Again you, Jinryong?
Sssss...
"Kulkulkul, how unfortunate for you! Did you think taking out all five heads at once would defeat me?"
Hydra’s five heads regenerated completely.
"I don't even know how to properly thank you for making me stronger."
That line sounded oddly familiar.
Reminded me of some hundred-year virgin Confucian dragon something-or-other.
The aura felt similar to what I had sensed back in Heukunbang.
Jinryong’s elixir — the one that drastically boosts a user’s power.
Hydra had consumed that elixir.
That was why even striking all five heads at once hadn’t killed him.
"You must have exhausted all your strength in that earlier clash! The death beam, the typhoon that swallowed the storm, the thunder that scorched the earth! None of those techniques can you use now. Even if you try, you won't pierce my regeneration! Uhahat, uhahahat!"
He seemed pretty full of himself now that he thought he had overcome his weakness.
"I know you’re strong. But how will you deal with infinite strength!"
Good.
Looks like he has a lot of useful information.
I didn’t have to cling to the desire to blast all five heads off at once anymore.
I slowly walked toward him.
"Hooh! You still haven’t broken? To think I’m standing unscathed after taking all your attacks! Power alone doesn’t guarantee victory in battle! Young dragon, I shall carve this lesson into your bones!"
Sure, enemies with infinite regeneration were tricky.
No matter how many times you killed them, you could never win.
"Come then! Try striking me! Cut my neck! And despair! Feel the unbridgeable gap that mere strength cannot close!"
Now Hydra was even sticking his neck out and laughing loudly.
No matter how much he trusted his regeneration, wasn’t this going too far?
I had seen it before in Heukunbang — the elixir had serious side effects.
More precisely, it was the delusion of invincibility caused by overwhelming power.
Tuuk.
I sliced off the foremost head.
"Indeed, a sharp and swift strike... but look! Against your attack, we—"
The middle head couldn’t finish the sentence.
Because he saw it.
The black energy clinging to the severed neck.
"Wha-what is that...?"
A vile aura, similar to black flames but fundamentally different, blossomed from my left hand.
"Why... why isn’t it regenerating...?"
Black Death Demon Art — a technique created by the previous Gomodo.
A technique that those who rejected death feared most.
An ultimate demonic art that could be called death itself.
There’s no way someone like ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Hydra could withstand it.
The mighty Hydra, with its endless regeneration, could no longer regenerate its heads.
I lifted my paw and beckoned.
Come here.
"What the—"
"Gek."
Fwoosh.
Ah, I really want to smash another head with the Black Death Demon Art.
"I-I will go...!"
Tell me everything you know, and I might reconsider your fate.
"I, I..."
When I raised my claws, the remaining four heads all flinched simultaneously.
"Gekek."
Heh, want a taste of the Black Death Demon Art?
Fine.
Let’s try to handle this the nice way.
If you want a quicker death, let me know — I also have the sister art, Lesser Demon Art, ready.

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Chapter 335