Chapter 62 Sleeping Together
“Whoa!”
Bokdung-i, who was happily hugging my tail like a child, exclaimed.
Seeing you happy makes me happy too.
But, Bokdung-i.
[The Snake Queen is watching you.]
Can you do something about this?
I think there’s a misunderstanding.
We aren’t that close yet, right?
What’s so special about my tail that you’re giving your body and soul?
I understand it looks delicious enough to drool over, but it’s just a tail.
No matter how lacking you are in social skills, you shouldn’t fall for something like this.
“Hissss….”
The python, who had been flicking its tongue and staring at my tail for a long time, opened its mouth wide.
The sight of its mouth opening so wide, almost intimidatingly, slowly beginning to swallow the cut-off tail was a bit scary.
I had given it to be eaten, but now that I saw it, I felt a bit strange.
Seeing that cute face open its mouth so wide was a bit creepy. It was slightly scary.
Still, what does it matter what the appearance is? She’s the princess who will offer me precious elixir.
The python had already swallowed my entire tail.
Her belly swelled up in the shape of my tail before quickly settling down.
She probably had some digestive ability too.
“Hissss….”
Bokdung-i flicked her tongue.
Alright, are you satisfied now?
She wagged her tail at me.
[The faith of 【Ball Python lv14】 has increased further.]
Alright.
You’ve eaten, so now it’s time to get to work.
I gave the python a subtle look.
Bokdung-i understood the meaning of my gaze and began to wriggle her chubby body.
The python headed toward a corner of the room.
To be exact, it was a small hole in the wall, like a mouse hole.
The hole was too small for even one of my hands to fit through.
But a thin and long snake could get through it.
I believed in you, python.
Bokdung-i started passing through the hole proudly.
Good job.
Bring the hidden elixir from there.
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, I heard a surprised sound.
Curious about what had happened, I looked closely.
[【Ball Python lv14】 is in trouble.]
She had gotten stuck in the wall.
She had become a snake stuck in the wall.
“Hiss….”
It seemed like she hadn’t expected to get stuck.
No matter how quickly her belly settled, she had just eaten my tail, so of course, she got stuck.
…Or maybe she had gained weight?
“Hisssss!”
Bokdung-i made a sound that was probably meant to be scary, but it wasn’t scary at all.
The only scary thing was not getting my precious elixir.
Just a bit more effort.
If I pushed this part of the tail slightly, wouldn’t she be able to get in?
As I pushed the upper part of the tail lightly,
“Hieeek!”
[【Ball Python lv14】 feels very embarrassed.]
What did I touch?
[【Ball Python lv14】 shudders at a sensation felt for the first time.]
I didn’t mean it, whatever it was.
[【Arthropleura lv9】 is gnashing its teeth.]
Why are you like that?
But it seemed like there was progress.
As I continued pushing her bottom, Ball Python finally managed to get through the wall.
“Whew….”
Not long after wriggling in, Bokdung-i’s cute face appeared from the hole, holding a golden tree fruit in her mouth.
Yeah, that’s the elixir.
Unlike before, the python easily came out.
Had she lost weight in the meantime?
“Hisss….”
Bokdung-i placed the tree fruit in front of me.
Good job.
After patting her head a few times, I looked closely at the fruit.
【Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit】
__________________________
【Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit】
A fruit from the Golden Spirit Tree, which only grows in places untouched by humans. It’s said to grow once in ten thousand years, making it an extremely rare fruit, rivaling the Azure Sky Immortal Dew in its supreme elixir properties. It greatly aids in driving out inner demons from the heart.
Effect: Greatly enhances potential by expelling impure energy from the body. Additionally, it enhances the performance of a random skill.
__________________________
It was a jackpot among jackpots.
When compared to the Black Azure Sky Immortal Dew, its performance might be slightly lower.
The Azure Sky Immortal Dew greatly enhances skill performance, whereas the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit enhances skill performance.
Since the word ‘greatly’ was missing, it might be a lower-tier counterpart in this aspect.
However, the preceding statement was crucial.
Greatly enhances potential.
Having increased potential might not mean much right now.
But it would show its true worth when I grew more in the future.
I could even become a Golden Mecha Tyranno brimming with potential.
I looked around.
This place was spacious, but no one else was here besides me and the python.
In other words, it was safe.
Alright, let’s eat it.
I swallowed the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit.
Sweet juice burst in my mouth.
[You have consumed a supreme elixir.]
The same message as with the Azure Sky Immortal Dew appeared.
Last time, Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity evolved into Immune to All Poisons.
As a byproduct, I was able to obtain Poison Fang.
Thanks to those, I eventually evolved into a Gomodo Dragon.
At the time, I was disappointed, but in hindsight, it was a good outcome.
So, what skill will change this time?
The one I wanted the most was Reverse Scale, followed by other martial arts.
I didn’t mind if a completely different skill was enhanced.
Because I knew that, like with Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity, it would somehow be beneficial to me.
[The level of 「Eyes of the Wild LV2」 has increased by 3.]
…Well.
I guess I should be satisfied with the skill level increase since it wasn’t a great enhancement.
If it were the Azure Sky Immortal Dew, Eyes of the Wild would have evolved.
Probably into Dragon Eyes.
It was a bit disappointing but not too bad.
Eyes of the Wild was a skill that was hard to level up anyway.
Skill enhancement was secondary; enhancing potential was the main effect.
Alright, come to me.
A golden aura began to flow from my body.
At the same time, a wave of fatigue hit me.
Instinctively, I knew what I had to do.
When you consume an elixir, you must make that energy yours.
While I could easily handle a core, I couldn’t take something as powerful as the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit lightly.
I immediately sat in the lotus position.
“Hissss!”
The python circled around me.
Was she standing guard for me?
Well, that was reassuring.
I closed my eyes and began practicing the energy cultivation technique.
Minor Heavenly Circuit.
Although I had done this breathing exercise multiple times, it still felt unfamiliar.
Every time I evolved, my body’s structure changed, so naturally, the position and configuration of my energy meridians also changed.
If Baek Yeonyeong hadn’t helped me with my posture, I might not have been able to perform the Minor Heavenly Circuit in my Gomodo Dragon form.
However, I had trained with Baek Yeonyeong for a week.
The internal energy that started from my dantian circulated throughout my body.
As my mind relaxed, a mental image began to fill my vision.
A dark space, as if painted with ink.
This was my mental image.
Drip.
A drop of water fell.
It made the vast lake ripple with just a single drop.
Drip, drip.
A few more drops fell.
However, despite the ripples, the lake never overflowed.
“Roar!”
A thunderous roar echoed.
Expelling impure energy meant defeating my inner demons.
The sound just now was my inner demon.
My adversary.
An evil fate entangled with me since my past life.
Spinosaurus.
Defeating a Spinosaurus with my current body was impossible.
But this was my mental image.
Here, my will was my body.
Crack.
My body grew immensely.
An overwhelmingly massive size befitting the king of dinosaurs.
Yes.
In the space of my mental image, I could become a Tyrannosaurus.
Come at me, my inner demon.
As I raised my head to face the inner demon,
Red-tinged skin.
A size comparable to mine.
Thin, long teeth that seemed optimized for catching fish.
And a flowing robe that perfectly blended black and white.
…A robe?
I was momentarily paralyzed by the shocking sight.
The Spinosaurus, which had been roaring, now had an awkward smile.
Why are you wearing clothes?
And a maid outfit at that?
I asked this question.
And immediately regretted it.
This inner demon was truly a wicked creature.
It interpreted my question maliciously, resulting in a horrific outcome.
Swish.
The Spinosaurus’ clothes began to disappear.
Ahhh!
[「%! 자■□ LV2」 has activated.]
[「%! 자■□ LV2」 has activated.]
[「%! 자■□ LV2」 has activated.]
[「%! 자■□ LV2」 has activated.]
Crack!
Crash!
[You have escaped from the inner demon!]
[You have fully absorbed the energy of the 【Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit】.]
Gasp….
Phew….
That was truly a terrifying inner demon.
Thank you, unknown cutter.
Even though I managed to drive it out this time, who knows what will happen next time.
I must avoid falling into the inner demon as much as possible.
I returned to reality.
The python looked at me with worried eyes.
“Hiss….”
It’s okay, it’s all over.
I could feel the energy of the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit throughout my body.
The inner demon was truly terrifying, but the power was worth it.
However, a wave of fatigue kept washing over me.
Normally, I should expel this fatigue through the energy cultivation technique, but for now, sleeping was more comfortable for me as a lizard.
Since it was safe and I had achieved my goal, I thought I might sleep for just a bit.
Yeah.
It’s better than pushing myself and passing out in the middle.
I curled up my body.
Resting was also part of the strategy.
When a large amount of energy suddenly entered, resting, including energy cultivation, was the most important thing.
Sleeping was one of the best forms of rest.
I’ll sleep just a little bit and wake up.
*
“Snore… Huh?”
I was startled awake by my own snoring.
It had gotten dark all around.
The amount of light leaking from the ceiling had decreased significantly.
What I thought was a short nap turned out to be longer than expected.
“Gegegek.”
Where was the python?
“Hyoloong….”
She was coiled up in my arms, making strange noises.
You were tired too.
I could feel the cool temperature of her body.
There’s no reason to be so close.
But she was sleeping soundly, so I decided not to wake her.
[???, 【Nephila Jurassica lv30】 is furious.]
…No, you should get some sleep too.
I yawned and stretched.
It seemed like today had passed quite well.
I almost died meeting the Bird-Faced Crow, but I had strategically retreated and met Bokdung-i.
I had consumed not only a core but also a supreme elixir like the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit.
This was an extremely profitable venture.
Now, I just needed to safely escape this place and avoid meeting the Bird King and the Snake Queen.
Yeah.
I had won.
What could the Snake Queen do if she marked me?
I had already achieved my goal.
[The Snake Queen is watching you.]
No, how could the Snake Queen even read my thoughts?
And what could you do about it?
If I took Bokdung-i and escaped, you….
[The Snake Queen is watching you.]
…There’s no way even the Snake Queen could read my thoughts.
So far, that message only appeared when I did something to the python.
Now that I had woken up, if the message kept appearing….
[The Snake Queen is watching you.]
【Basilisk lv???】
Mother-in-law.
I’ll explain everything.
I’m a Basilisk too.