NOVEL NEXT WORLD EP.70
What would Baek Yeon-young have done?
If he had asked for his life to be saved, he would have simply ignored him.
Her principle was not to save the unfortunate unconditionally.
But what the author sought was not his own safety.
There was someone facing death because of him.
He kneeled and begged to save that person.
This man was the one who had fled upon seeing me, the King Crocodile Lizard.
His current appearance must be more fearsome than before; it surely isn’t any less.
Yet, despite that, he suppressed his fear and wished for another’s safety.
Even though he thought of me as merely a beast that could devour him.
He doesn’t understand what it means to be a protagonist.
He might be a villain, though.
But that judgment can wait.
First, I need to find some way to save the petrified.
“Grrrrr…”
It’s uncertain whether defeating the Cockatrice will lift the petrification, but I must do what I can.
The distance between us steadily closed.
I had often pondered what the Kokatriss might look like.
It wouldn’t be greatly different from what the Snake Queen described, but it wasn’t exactly the same either.
I imagined it would resemble a chicken at most, but all I heard were its cries.
I thought that the Cockatrice must be closer to a bird, but upon seeing it, it truly resembled a snake.
There was a snake on its tail, and its head looked like that of a snake with a beak.
What kind of difference is there between it and me?
For now, I can see its level, so it probably isn’t as far off as the Snake Queen or the King of Birds.
If that’s the case, I can certainly win.
“Grrahhh…”
I let out a low growl to intimidate it.
The reason I revealed myself was simple.
Petrification is a power that cannot be used continuously.
Even if it can be used, it’s impossible to produce enough output to affect someone like me, who has resistance.
If I waste time, it will recover.
I must strike hard and fast before that happens.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
The Cockatrice had another weapon besides petrification.
That was poison.
It can unleash a potent venom comparable to petrification.
But I have endured the poison from a Dilophosaurus already.
It will be hard for that poison to deliver a fatal blow to me.
Being a creature that handles poison, its venom would probably be ineffectual against mine.
The only method to harm each other would be through close combat.
The Cockatrice is larger than a frightful bird.
In terms of mere size, I am at a disadvantage.
In a straightforward battle, I would likely lose.
Of course, if that’s all there is to it, there wouldn’t be any reason for me to confront it.
“Grrr…”
There’s one weapon I possess that it doesn’t.
That is information.
There’s a gap in knowledge between me and it.
I know what its abilities are and what I can counter.
If I exploit that, victory would become much easier.
“Kieee!”
The Cockatrice began to spew out a poisonous mist.
It was a clever move.
By blocking my approach, it aimed to deal damage unilaterally.
If I took too long here, the petrifying beam would come at me.
Of course, the good move I referred to was only when facing an ordinary lizard.
Thud!
I leapt towards it, stepping on the grass using the skill “Soaring Dragon’s Ascension.”
The concentration of poison in the mist was thick.
Perhaps it thought I wouldn’t dare to penetrate this, flapping its wings in panic.
That’s the gap in knowledge.
I knew it would use poison, but it didn’t anticipate my resistance to it.
[Using “Reverse Scale lv1.”]
[Temporarily acquiring “Reverse Blast Rising.”]
Kugooowww…
My profound energy pressed down on it.
Strength can uproot mountains, and willpower can cover the world.
“Reverse Blast Rising” isn’t simply about overpowering the opponent with resolve.
Creeeak.
My energy concentrated into a single point.
Zzzwoooom!
My forward paw, imbued with the essence of the Dragon’s Flow, struck its head with tremendous force.
Its head nearly turned halfway around.
There was no way it could recover its senses.
Swoosh!
With my opposite paw, I fiercely sliced through the membranes of its wing.
“Kieeeek!”
The Cockatrice screamed in pain.
Ideally, seizing this momentum to finish it off would be best, but the situation likely wouldn’t allow for that.
The rapid barrage I just delivered exploited the advantage of information.
Before it regains consciousness, I must strike once more!
Kyaaaang!
It blocked the attack with the hand on its opposite wing that hadn’t been injured.
“Once blocked, I withdrew without hesitation.
Continuing with close combat wasn’t a wise choice.
“Kieee!”
It began to rage.
Despite being struck directly by the Dragon’s Flow, its thick neck remained unbroken and steadfast.
It was more resilient than I had anticipated.
“Kirrarlarak!”
It certainly seemed to have a lot of stamina.
The creature charged at me with fierce momentum.
Given its twitching feet, it likely intended to stab me with those sharp claws.
If I were to be struck by those feet, no matter my own resilience, I would be shattered.
Equal techniques meet with equal techniques.
BAM!
As I took a step forward, the ground shook.
My internal energy surged through the ground, rapidly closing the distance toward the Cockatrice.
Pow!
“Kkeeeek!”
Its stance was broken.
This was the chance.
As I swiftly approached it and prepared to utilize the Dragon’s Flow, I suddenly noticed something.
“Kigik.”
One of the Cockatrice’s eyes began to glow.
It bore a sly grin.
The petrification gaze.
It was either that it could finally reuse it, or it had been hiding its strength all along, I couldn’t tell.
What mattered now was that in this state, I would be directly exposed to that gaze.
Had it pretended to be furious and recklessly charged in for this reason?
This bird-brained creature wasn’t as dull as I thought.
It had saved its cards until the very end.
A good judgment indeed.
However, if it intended to save its power, it should have conserved it a bit longer.
I activated the Dash skill.
The reason for activating this skill now was to introduce some variability.
Of course, simply dashing would not allow me to escape that gaze.
The technique I learned from Baek Yeon-young, the Great Dragon Technique.
The Great Dragon Technique is a style that isn’t limited to mere angles.
The Illusionary Dragon Flow is a technique infused with the essence of angles.
It ensures that the opponent cannot predict nimbly, making it impossible for them to respond with either feints or solid moves.
Swish!
With the amplified speed of the Illusionary Dragon Flow, I successfully grabbed the Cockatrice by its back in an instant.
Its eyes were now looking into the void.
BAM!
The Dragon’s Flow, imbued with internal energy, mercilessly struck its head.
“Kieeeek!”
Thud.
I could hear the sound of its neck fracturing.
Yet, despite the cracks in the bone, its extraordinary muscles forced it to maintain functionality.
I must not create distance now.
I had to stay as close as possible and restrain its gaze.
With my left hand, I gripped its neck firmly.
“Grrrraar!”
The thrashing Cockatrice struggled.
What may appear as mere thrashing was actually beginning to cause minor injuries to me due to its massive size.
Crack!
Its sharp claws dug into my skin.
Blood began to pour down.
But its injuries would surely be worse.
Crack!
I bit down on its neck.
Chomp!
I bit down hard enough to shatter my own teeth.
Its thick neck made it difficult to penetrate, but its body was already in a compromised state. If I continued to inflict damage, that thick neck would break eventually.
Utilizing the Reverse Scale to execute the “Sound of the Obscured” might deal even greater damage, but in this position, I couldn’t manage the angle. Such a significant movement could lead to getting caught by its petrifying gaze.
“Kieeeek!”
It let out an ear-splitting shriek.
The sound was so horrific that blood trickled from my ears.
For it to reveal such an attack now indicated that it was starting to show its true colors.
“Grrr…”
I could see the possibility of victory.
If I maintained this state and drained its stamina, I could soon break its neck.
Crack!
Suddenly, a sharp pain assaulted me, causing my senses to sway.
The source of the pain was my right ankle.
And the one who attacked there was another head of the Cockatrice.
This creature originally had two heads.
The snake’s head on its tail was no mere decoration.
BAM!
Seizing the opportunity as my grip loosened, the Cockatrice successfully broke free from my hold.
“Kieeeek!”
With a rage-fueled scream, the Cockatrice charged at me.
Naturally, this action was accompanied by its petrifying gaze.
In my injured state, I had no chance to evade it.
Crack!
My body began to transform into stone.
“Cock-a-doodle-don’t!”
As if to repay the humiliations it had suffered, the Cockatrice charged at me with its massive jaws open wide.
….
Did it think I hadn’t considered its second head?
[Using “Reverse Scale lv1.”]
Crack.
The stone encasing my skin crumbled into powder.”
The basis for my belief that I could defeat it lay in the gap of information.
I knew that I could resist its petrifying gaze.
At least, against a full-powered petrification gaze, but this feeble attack that hadn’t even charged wouldn’t work against me.
[Temporarily acquiring “Sound of the Obscured.”]
The Cockatrice seemed to realize that something was wrong and attempted to change direction.
But it was already too late.
BAM!
My five fingers smashed its head to pieces.
“Grrr…”
It wasn’t dead yet.
If it had been, I would’ve leveled up immediately.
However, it was clear that it had reached a state close to death.
I had to finish it off without giving it a chance.
Its head was now mush.
Despite that, its continued breathing was likely due to the snake head on its tail.
If I could take that out, this battle would come to an end.
At that moment, I lifted my hand to strike the snake on its tail.
“Kieeeek!”
A tremendous roar echoed, and my body became immobile.
Thud.
My body was gradually turning to stone.
This attack was a different class from the petrifying glares I had faced until now.
How could it launch such an attack in that state?
My question was soon answered.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
From the wreckage of its crushed head, another head popped out.
A red comb. Snow-white feathers.
It was undeniably the head of a rooster.
… I’ve truly underestimated my opponent.
Not the snake’s head, but a complete bird’s head.
This was probably a new ability bestowed by the King of Birds.
It was a power the Snake Queen likely didn’t even know about.
What a nuisance.
I thought I had seen all its cards, yet there was one more.
…Who would have thought that the Cockatrice had three heads?
The newly emerged head hadn’t used the petrifying gaze before.
This meant that the gaze used just now was at its maximum output.
My body continued to harden.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Think.
With my arms and legs immobilized, I needed a way to break the situation.
[Using “Reverse Scale lv1.”]
The Reverse Scale is a technique that replicates skills and martial arts I have not yet mastered.
Recall.
A technique that could be employed without using arms or legs.
Yes, there was that.
The technique used by the King of Birds.
The one that had left me near death with just a brush.
The Destruction Beam.
[Insufficient comprehension.]
What?
It was the first time I saw this message.
I hadn’t considered that Reverse Scale might fail, given my previous successes.
That the Human-Faced Bird’s Destruction Beam was something I could not replicate.
Well, how could I replicate something I had only seen once?
I didn’t even know the principle behind it.
The Cockatrice was getting closer to me.
Its head had changed, but its body remained the same, so its speed was slow.
However, it would be enough to kill me, who couldn’t move.
Was this how it would end?
Turning to stone, getting smashed by that monster?
…No.
[Using “Reverse Scale lv1.”]
The Destruction Beam of the Human-Faced Bird was beyond my understanding.
But what if it was the technique used by the Snake Queen and the Ball Python?
I opened my mouth wide.
I aimed to replicate that posture I had seen so many times.
The squawking that shot beams at the Snake Queen.
The Snake Queen who unleashed the Destruction Beam to train me.
I recalled their appearances.
[The Snake Queen smiles at you.]
[Temporarily acquiring “Destruction Beam lv1.”]
Alright.
This is how it’s done.
I had to finish it with this one shot.
There wouldn’t be a second chance.
If I missed, or failed to end its life, I would perish instead.
[Your divinity is rapidly increasing.]
In the corner of my vision, I saw the man I had seen earlier.
He was bowing to me without fleeing.
[Your divinity reacts to “Destruction Beam lv1.”]
[Temporarily acquiring “Gegeok Death Beam lv1.”]
…What a name.
Hhhhhh.
I gathered all my internal energy into a single point.
The fierce internal energies roaring up from deep within my danjeon.
All my strength converged into a singularity.
I had only one action to take.
To unleash this overwhelming power.
Exhaling as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Gegeok Death Beam.