I Became an Evolving Lizard in a Martial Arts Chapter 118

**Swoosh.**

*Pop.*

With a cute little sound, I was able to pop out of the gourd.

I’d thought I’d have to walk back, but thankfully, it brought right back to where I had been.

Still, I can’t afford to let my guard down.

While the Snake Queen would never lose, the enemy could easily take the gourd and run off. I might need to fight the mont I step out.

“Krek!”

An enormous mountain lood in front of , blocking my view.

"…Astounding," I muttered.

The Snake Queen, as usual, stood there proudly with her impressive core pouch on full display.

And I realized I was nestled right up against her.

"Krek-krek."

This is a misunderstanding.

I quickly rolled away to escape and stood up naturally to assess the situation.

Since she was still in human form, it looked like she’d already dealt with Pilbang and the Nagal Tzo.

Seeing no corpses around suggested they might have fled.

…Judging by the stone wings lying around, though, it doesn’t seem they made it out in one piece.

Maybe they’re inside the Snake Queen’s belly by now.

The Snake Queen simply stared at .

“You defeated the Biyi Bird?”

“Krek-krek.”

I nodded slightly, and the Snake Queen’s expression shifted.

Of course, a kidnapped little lizard returning after taking down the Biyi Bird was bound to be surprising.

What’s more, I’d completely recovered thanks to leveling up, so I returned without a scratch.

“You’ve done well,” she said, closing her eyes.

Then, as if dealing with a headache, she massaged her temples gently.

“Krek?”

Was she hurt?

I moved to support her with my tail out of concern, but she waved it off with a calm smile.

“No need. This isn’t due to the battle.”

Does she have anemia?

She glanced briefly at my now plump—no, larger—belly, then said, “It seems you consud quite a bit of divine energy.”

Kekec’s faith is impressive, yes, but its followers aren’t that nurous.

It seems there’s still a long way to go to match the powers Nephila demonstrated.

Even so, I’m guessing her display was only possible because of the Snake Queen’s help.

"Krek-krek."

I bowed my head in gratitude, and the Snake Queen raised an eyebrow, much like Nephila Jurassica would.

“What is it you’re wearing around your neck?”

What else would it be?

The token you gave …

“Krek…”

I watched her carefully, wondering if this would be like adding another ring on top of an engagent ring.

“What an amusing design. I’ll have to et her in person one day.”

Truly, the Snake Queen’s generosity is as vast as her core pouch.

It seed she didn’t mind much.

“I suppose it’s best to keep it hidden,” she said, subtly flipping the necklace around so the lizard image didn’t show.

…Doesn’t that an she *does* mind?

“This outco is more than I expected. The henchn of Ketsalgahautl all attacked together, yet you managed to take down the Biyi Bird. Just like during the battle with the Gadorisu… it feels like I’m always in your debt.”

Oh, no, it’s not like I’m just helping you out.

“Krek-krek.”

It’s mutual. This has been a great experience for , too.

After all, facing off against two flying Ditrodons flapping their crests and soaring around together isn’t sothing you experience every day.

“…That was what the Snake Queen had to say.”

“Krek?”

Thud.

The Snake Queen’s hand grabbed the back of my neck.

Even though I’d leveled up and grown larger, for so reason, I felt weak in her grip.

“Kreeek…”

Why is she doing this all of a sudden?

Won’s feelings are hard to understand sotis.

I looked up at her warily.

“And now I speak, not as the Snake Queen, but from another perspective.”

There was a hint of anger in her tone, and I couldn’t quite grasp why.

After all, hadn’t I fended off Ketsalgahautl’s attack?

I’d even achieved the trendous feat of hunting down the Biyi Bird.

I’m not one to brag, but isn’t this sothing to be proud of?

I let out a frustrated *krek*.

“Do you truly trust that little?”

I was at a loss for words.

I knew exactly what she ant.

“Why would you do sothing you weren’t asked to do?”

“Krek…”

This trap wasn’t ant for the Snake Queen in the first place.

In other words, the attack from Nagal Tzo was unlikely to harm her.

I’d thought I’d risked my life to help her, but I was mistaken.

“You think I’d fall to such a minor attack?”

Why help if she hadn’t asked for it?

She might sound as if she’d want to give a smack on the head, but that wasn’t her intention.

“If you had died, did you consider how those left behind would feel?”

Those left behind.

This wasn’t only about the Snake Queen and Shikshik.

She ant everyone I was connected to.

If I threw my life away aninglessly and died like that…

“They would refuse to believe it, shed tears, and then rage.”

They would grieve, feel sorrow, and burn with anger all at once.

“Like children, they would cry all day, wasting away in aningless despair.”

They’d lose their sense of purpose, wandering aimlessly.

The Snake Queen’s hand trembled slightly.

Would my absence truly an that much?

Maybe I’m overestimating myself.

But I couldn’t dismiss her words lightly.

If I died, there were indeed those who would react that way.

That’s exactly what the Snake Queen was telling .

I am the pillar of Kekec’s faith.

If I disappear, those tied to would suffer.

Their lives may well be intertwined with mine.

In other words, she was telling to cherish myself more.

That’s what she ant.

The Snake Queen’s face was calm and expressionless, but I knew she felt deeply.

I’d seen her smile warmly over a simple dumpling.

This wasn’t just the Snake Queen speaking; it was soone who carried mories of the past.

Perhaps this was tied to her history.

Ketsalgahautl had killed every last disciple of Honhui, betraying them all.

The bottled-up emotions she’d felt then… she was sharing them with now.

Her hand stopped trembling.

“Forgive . I seem to have thrown a small fit.”

Her voice carried a mix of emotions.

“This isn’t sothing to be upset about. I’m sure you had your reasons.”

A bit of anger at my reckless leap into danger.

“And your feat was so great that even repeated thanks wouldn’t be enough.”

Gratitude for my return after defeating the Biyi Bird.

“But next ti, please think of those who would be left behind.”

And the regret stirred up by mories of the past.

“…That’s all.”

The torrent of her emotions concluded with those words.

*Drip.*

*Drip.*

Warm droplets fell.

Could it be… was the Snake Queen crying?

I quickly looked up to check.

“Peeek…”

Staring at with teary eyes was a cute little snake.

Not the Snake Queen’s tears—Shikshik’s.

“Well, since you’ve caused such mischief, I suppose you should at least calm my daughter down,” said the Snake Queen playfully.

It seed she’d already processed everything we’d just discussed.

Now, my only task was to soothe this round and adorable snake.

“Peeeeek…”

Shikshik slid off the Snake Queen’s shoulder and clung tightly to , rubbing her face against .

“Peeek…”

It must have been a shock for Shikshik.

Not only was the sudden attack terrifying, but she also saw disappear into the gourd in an instant.

And with the Snake Queen protecting her, the battle dragged on without her using her core abilities. She probably thought I’d been captured because of her.

“Peeeeek…”

Shikshik sobbed, clinging to my front leg.

…Can snakes even cry?

Setting that thought aside, I focused on calming her down.

…But how?

“Peeeek…”

It’s not like I’ve ever comforted a crying child, let alone a crying snake.

Should I cut off a piece of my tail as a gesture?

But considering how large my tail is, she probably couldn’t even swallow it in this state.

…Right.

I pulled out an inner core I had tucked under my left arm.

“Hiss?”

Shikshik tilted her head, curious.

With trembling hands, I offered it to her.

“Krek-krek.”

She sniffed at it—well, flicked her tongue to taste the air.

Yes, sll it carefully.

I’m giving it to you out of generosity.

After all the elixirs I’ve received, giving one of the two inner cores isn’t too much.

…And this victory is also due to the followers’ dedication to leveling up.

Think of it as an investnt.

Yes, an investnt.

Not a hint of regret.

“Hiss? Hiiiss?”

Shikshik’s eyes sparkled, as if wondering if this was truly ant for her.

Her tail wagged furiously.

Not a hint of regret, but I gritted my teeth as I nodded.

“Peeeeek!”

Shikshik squealed with joy, rubbing her face against my chest.

Though she didn’t seem particularly interested in inner cores or elixirs, she seed delighted just because it was from .

*Chomp!*

…I’d barely let go, but she snatched it quickly. Guess she’s not entirely without greed.

Curling up tightly, Shikshik nestled the core against herself.

Such a peculiar sight.

Is it because she’s a ball python? She looked almost mystical.

For a mont, I even felt like shrinking down and crawling into that cozy spot myself.

“…Krek!”

There I go with strange thoughts again.

Could there be sothing wrong with my ntal technique?

Maybe I need to examine it more closely once I have ti.

I’m fine, so it must be the technique that’s flawed.

“So you think you can fix everything with a gift, hmm? And to think my daughter forgives so easily. I wonder where she got that from.”

The Snake Queen fixed with a piercing look.

It seed everything had worked out.

In the end, we’d fended off the Biyi Bird without any major losses.

The Snake Queen gave a proper warning.

I gained a sense of caution.

And Shikshik, having stopped crying, could beco stronger.

No one suffered—not a single reptile lost anything.

“To be forgiven with a single gift from her partner. Hmm…”

The Snake Queen mumbled to herself, almost as if talking to .

“To be forgiven with a single gift personally given by her partner…”

After all, it was the inner core of the Biyi Bird.

And for Shikshik, her greatest wish is to beco strong enough not to be a burden.

“For her to forgive her partner’s shalessness with just one gift, despite him leaving marks on the token I gave him…”

…Are you even breathing while you’re saying all this?

I glanced at the Snake Queen.

Her expression was the sa as usual, yet there was sothing different.

If I ever gain the skill *Divine Insight*, I’m sure I’d see “expectation” written sowhere on her status.

“Kreek…?”

I gave Shikshik a gift.

But I hadn’t given the Snake Queen anything.

Was this her way of asking for one?

Just in case, I offered her my remaining core.

Feigning indifference, she glanced at it, a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.

“You’re giving it to ?”

You asked for it, didn’t you?

“Krek.”

“It’s fine. While a Biyi Bird core is indeed valuable, it doesn’t hold much significance for .”

…What?

Then why the silent pressure?

The Snake Queen seed unusually cheerful.

…Even though we’ve known each other for a while, I still can’t always understand her thoughts.

Is it because she’s a divine creature, or just because she’s female?

Understanding a woman’s heart truly is a challenge.

“Krek-krek.”

Slightly flustered, I realized the matter was truly settled.

I’d kept the core, cald Shikshik, and left the Snake Queen seemingly satisfied.

Now, we could either chase down the escaping birds or return to the temple for rest and recovery.

Since she seems in no rush to pursue them, I guess we’re heading back to the temple.

Once Argentavis fully recovers, the Snake Queen’s side will gain a significant advantage from having hunted down the Biyi Bird.

So I should be able to absorb the Biyi Bird’s core and strengthen myself while he’s recuperating.

“I’ll assist with your core absorption.”

“Krek-krek!”

I can trust the Snake Queen with this.

“In exchange, you’ll give another gift.”

The Snake Queen left that cryptic remark hanging.

Woooon.

An alarm sounded in my head.

The core!

Take the core instead!

“KEEEEEEEK!”