With newfound confidence from his first evolution, Kai continued his journey deeper into the Verdant Depths. The river led him to an area filled with colossal aquatic plants and the pungent smell of stagnant mud.
You have entered the 'Lizard Mire - Outer Layer' area.
Area Danger Level: High!
Swamp? High danger level? Excellent! Instead of panic, Kai felt exhilaration. This was where he could truly unleash his Aquatic Dragon power. He glided effortlessly across the water's surface, his small fins working in rhythm, making his movement much faster than on land. The "Wave Glide" skill was a huge advantage.
Kai moved while observing his surroundings. This place was vastly different from the dry forest before. Shallow swamps, water reaching an adult's ankles, alternated with dry mounds of earth and tangled mangrove roots. The foul stench of mud and decay permeated the air.
Suddenly, a loud "SPLASH!" echoed. A colossal toad with bulging eyes and warty, rough skin unexpectedly leaped from the water, shooting its long, sticky tongue straight at a water butterfly perched on a tree trunk.
Monster: Spiked Mire Toad Level 5
HP: 60/60
Spiked Mire Toad! Level 5! Kai thought to himself. He needed experience to continue evolving. This was a suitable target. Kai decided to test his new skills.
He swam around, hiding beneath thick clumps of water hyacinths. As the Mire Toad was busy devouring its prey, Kai unexpectedly fired a small but potent jet of water.
"SPUT!"
Kai's "Aqua Shot" skill didn't deal much direct damage, but it startled the Mire Toad. It spun around, its large, bulging eyes scanning its surroundings.
"CROAK!" The Mire Toad roared, then opened its mouth, spitting out a thick, greenish liquid.
The Spiked Mire Toad has used the skill 'Corrosive Spit'!
Kai quickly dived underwater. The corrosive liquid skimmed over his head, dissolving into the water with a gruesome "sizzle." The "Wave Glide" skill performed at its peak underwater, allowing Kai to move with incredible agility.
An Aquatic Dragon! This is my playground!
Kai continuously used a "hit and run" tactic. He surfaced, unleashed a burst of "Aqua Shot" or a "Rending Bite" on the toad's leg, then dived back down. Sometimes, he would even use "Poisonous Leaf Spit" from the bank to deal extra damage and apply a slow effect. "Thorned Counter" also occasionally absorbed some damage when the toad tried to crush Kai with its massive body.
The Mire Toad roared in frustration, constantly trying to snatch Kai with clumsy lunges, but Kai was too fast. It was too heavy on land and too slow underwater to catch the agile young dragon.
The battle lasted for a while. Kai's HP remained fairly stable thanks to his clever tactics, while the Mire Toad's HP slowly dwindled. Finally, a strong bite to the neck, combined with accumulated toxins, caused the Mire Toad to collapse into the mud.
You have defeated Spiked Mire Toad Level 5!
Received 50 experience points!
Experience Points: 160/100 (Level 16).
Congratulations! You have reached Level 17! All attributes slightly increased.
You have absorbed skill 'Tongue Whip' (Level 1) from Spiked Mire Toad!
You have absorbed skill 'Leap' (Level 1) from Spiked Mire Toad!
"I won!" Kai panted, his young dragon body exhausted but filled with exhilaration. Two new skills! "Tongue Whip" allowed him to attack with a tongue (though dragons don't have long tongues like toads, the system could adapt it into a powerful tail whip or a horn thrust), and "Leap" would help him move faster on land.
This proved Kai's theory: he truly could absorb any skill!
He felt a surge of new power coursing through his veins, the sensation of his dragon body becoming tougher, his scales shinier. Kai knew this was just the beginning. This swamp held many more discoveries, and subsequent hunts would yield even more unique skills.
A sudden thought flashed through Kai's mind. If he could absorb skills from the reptiles and amphibians in the swamp, could he find a new skill to improve his land movement? Or perhaps, a skill to help him hide better in this damp environment?
A hunger stronger than physical hunger drove Kai deeper into the Lizard Mire, where new mysteries and life-or-death battles awaited a future Dragon Emperor.