The burns on his jaw and foreleg throbbed with every movement. His scales were blackened in patches, flaking off where the slime's acid had eaten too deeply. He could still smell himself cooking faintly when he exhaled.
But he was alive.
Barely.
The cave was quiet now, save for the faint drip of water echoing from somewhere unseen. The mushrooms pulsed dimly, painting the cavern walls in blue.
The lizard lay still for a long time, letting his body recover. But rest was not safety. In this dungeon, stillness was death.
His tongue flicked. The air was thick, damp, and heavy with scents—stone, fungus, mold. And…
Slime.
The bitter stench made his body tense. His eyes darted toward the dark tunnel mouth opposite the mushroom wall.
From it came the sound.
Wet sloshing. A chorus of it.
His stomach sank.
More of them. And not just one.
Three shapes slid from the darkness, glowing faintly in the mushroom light. Green bodies quivered as they pulsed forward, leaving trails of sizzling stone behind.
The lizard's claws dug into the ground instinctively.
Three. I almost died to one. Damn it… if they swarm me, I'm finished.
His tail lashed. His heart thundered.
Run? He could retreat. Hide in some crevice until they passed.
But then he saw it.
The first slime he'd killed. Or rather, what was left of it—just faint traces of its corpse. And the glowing words still burned in his memory:
[Skill awakened: Poison Resistance (Lv.1)]
That skill had already dulled the lingering burn in his throat. His wounds were knitting faster than before. His body remembered the pain.
And now, three more slimes slid closer.
If one nearly killed me but gave me a skill… what will three give me?
His hunger stirred. His instincts sharpened.
He bared his teeth.
Then let's gamble. I'll eat you all, or I'll die trying.
---
The first slime lunged.
The lizard darted sideways, tail whipping. His tail struck the slime, splattering part of its body across the cavern wall. Acid sprayed, sizzling on stone, but his scales only smoked faintly—less than before.
[Poison Resistance (Lv.1) reduces acid damage.]
The message flashed, quick, and gone.
The lizard's eyes widened. A fierce grin split his snout.
It's working. I'm tougher already.
The second slime lashed a tendril at him. He ducked low, claws scraping the stone, then pounced forward. His jaws clamped down—not on the slime's body, but on the rocky floor beneath it. He used his teeth as an anchor, flipping his whole body.
His claws slammed into the slime's upper body, tearing it in half.
The thing quivered violently, trying to reform, but the lizard was already moving. His claws scooped chunks of it toward his jaws, swallowing them despite the bitter burn.
The third slime struck his side, wrapping around his ribs. Acid seared into his scales, smoke rising. He hissed in agony, thrashing.
No—don't panic. Use it. Learn. Endure.
He smashed himself against the cavern wall again and again, each hit splattering slime across stone. The acid ate into his flesh, but he refused to stop.
With a guttural snarl, he sank his claws deep into the slime and tore it apart. Goo splattered in every direction.
Breathing raggedly, the lizard staggered back. His side burned. His legs trembled.
But around him lay the twitching remains of three slimes.
He devoured them. All of them.
Bitter slime goo coated his throat. His body screamed in protest, but his hunger was louder. He ripped chunks of their dissolving bodies and swallowed them whole, his eyes wild.
And then—
---
[You have slain Dungeon Slimes x3.]
[Exp gained.]
[Skill leveled up: Poison Resistance (Lv.2)]
[Skill awakened: Acid Spit (Lv.1)]
[Evolution threshold reached.]
---
The lizard collapsed onto the floor, his belly swollen, his scales steaming faintly. But his mind was alight.
Poison Resistance… leveled up. And Acid Spit? I can use their weapon now?
His jaws dripped faintly, a sour taste pooling at the back of his throat. He instinctively spat. A thin stream of green liquid hissed as it hit the stone, leaving behind a smoking scar.
A thrill ran through him.
Yes. Their strength is mine now.
And then the last message burned brighter than the rest.
[Evolution threshold reached.]
His body trembled. Heat surged through his veins, spreading into every scale, every bone. His vision blurred as his muscles locked.
The world tilted.
In his mind's eye, glowing words appeared:
---
[Choose Evolution Path]
1. Scaled Lizard (Strength Path) – sturdier body, hardened claws, stronger bite.
2. Venom Lizard (Toxic Path) – enhanced poison glands, improved resistance, venomous bite.
3. Burrow Lizard (Survival Path) – sharper claws for tunneling, increased stealth, faster regeneration underground.
---
The choices hovered before him, each glowing with possibility. His instincts roared with hunger, pulling toward venom. But his mind whispered caution—strength and survival had their appeal too.
Stronger claws… poisonous fangs… stealth and healing…
His breathing grew shallow. This was no dream. No illusion. This was power. His first step upward.
His tail slammed against the stone, once, hard.
I will not crawl forever. I'll climb. And climb. Until I stand above all of them. Demon Lord. Demon God. Everything starts here.
The words echoed in his skull, bright as fire.
And then… he chose.