Isekai Lizardman Survival Log

I slowly moved forward while maintaining eye contact with the creature.

Keeping my gaze fixed on the alligator—despite having a shell and six legs, it was closest to an alligator—I quickly surveyed the surroundings.

Broken weapons were stuck in the ground like flowers, most of them being axe blades and scythe handles.

‘Looks like the orcs have been here.’

The only ones around here who mainly use axes are orcs. Being the belligerent creatures they are, they must have organized an expedition as soon as they discovered the alligator.

The strange thing was that there were no other traces visible.

While the lack of footprints could be explained by the overturned earth, the absence of even a single bloodstain was odd.

If the weapons were broken to this extent, the orcs’ weak bodies should have been crushed as well, but there wasn’t a single bloodstain on the debris.

Surely they weren’t just hit and let go? Even if that were the case, those aggressive creatures wouldn’t have simply retreated….

‘I’ll think about it later.’

Pushing the questions about the spotlessly clean debris to a corner of my mind, I extended my foot sideways.

First, I needed to divert its attention from Chik-chik and Derek.

For now, its gaze was fixed on me, but I didn’t know how long that would last, so I had to create as much distance as possible.

At the very least, I needed to buy enough time for the kids to escape and maybe call for reinforcements.

It may be late to say this, but I regret leaving the spear behind. I’m already at a disadvantage in terms of size, and now without equipment, it’s even more unfavorable.

‘Should I uproot a tree and swing it instead?’

I wish there was a suitable staff to swing, but since these were wielded by orcs, there wasn’t anything appropriate.

Swallowing my regret, I slowly moved my feet.

As I circled clockwise around the creature, its massive eyes followed me.

The enormous eyes rolled heavily as they tracked me, but the alligator remained motionless in its spot.

‘It’s only been moving its eyes since earlier. Is there some problem?’

If so, that’s fortunate. If it can’t move for whatever reason, I can just maintain this standoff and then retreat.

To confirm this, I gradually moved my feet, trying to move out of its field of vision.

As its eyes, which had turned to the edge of its field of view, realized I was trying to escape its sight, the legs that had been standing like roots began to move.

A chill ran down my spine in that instant.

I immediately jumped to the side and rolled on the ground as the earth exploded.

Bang―!

The alligator’s massive body quickly spun once, and as its long tail whipped around, there was a sound of air being torn.

With the sound, something flew through the air, overturning the ground and raising a cloud of dust.

After rolling on the ground several times, I used my tail and palms to slap the ground, using the rebound to stand up.

As the dust settled, I saw that the place where I had been standing was deeply cratered as if a meteorite had fallen.

A spine as thick as my forearm was stuck in the center of the crater. If I had stayed still, I would have become a lizard skewer.

‘It’s not like it’s a ballista or something’

A chill ran down my spine.

This was probably the most surprised I’d been since seeing deer charging in formation at wild boars with their antlers lowered.

I realized why the ground was overturned, but at the same time, I understood that I couldn’t continue this standoff.

Unlike me who was shocked, the creature stood in place as if nothing had happened.

The alligator’s golden eyes looked at me again. The emotion in them was… yes. It was exactly like looking at an ant crawling on the ground.

It was the gaze of looking at a being that couldn’t harm it at all, one it could crush to death at any moment.

When I instinctively took a step back at that emotionless gaze, it spun its body again.

Bang―!

The ground exploded as a spine landed right next to me. The dirt that flew into the air fell back down, pattering against my scales.

‘Can I run away?’

I shook my head at the question I asked myself internally.

It was barely possible to dodge even when I could see it coming. The moment I turn my back, I’d become a skewer.

Although it didn’t seem intent on attacking proactively yet, it didn’t look like it would allow me to escape either.

More precisely, it felt like it was blocking an ant from escaping with its hand, like it was playing with me.

Above all, its movements were quicker than I expected. Given the difference in our sizes, even if I tried to run, it would catch up quickly.

‘Do I have to fight after all?’

It’s too optimistic to think it won’t chase me if I don’t move from this spot.

When the situation is unfavorable, you should always assume the worst. The moment I try to escape, that thing might chase me all the way to the village.

With the village’s strength, we could probably subjugate it, but the damage would be severe.

I thought of the old man who had just recently gotten up from his sickbed. If I lead this thing there, it’s obvious he would overexert himself.

Our old man doesn’t have many days left as it is; I can’t bear to see him collapse from overexertion.

Whether I live or die, I have no choice but to fight this creature here.

I’ve sent Chik-chik and Derek away, so if I can hold out for about half a day, reinforcements should arrive.

Even if killing it is impossible, I need to hold out until reinforcements come.

While maintaining eye contact with the creature, I desperately racked my brain for a strategy.

‘First, I must absolutely avoid those spines.’

The creature spun its body once before firing the spines. It probably launches the spines from its tail using centrifugal force.

If that’s the case, I should be able to dodge by throwing myself sideways the moment it spreads its legs to spin.

Also, when I tried to back away, it fired spines in succession. I should assume that the spines can regenerate multiple times.

Given its large size, its semicircular canals must be robust, so I should keep in mind that it might be able to fire rapidly like a machine gun.

Keeping my gaze fixed on it, I grabbed a spine stuck right next to me. It felt surprisingly thick in my hand.

I applied force to my grip and pulled it out, feeling a heavier weight than expected.

‘This will do.’

Though a bit short, it was adequate if considered as a short spear.

Gripping the end of the spine like a spear in reverse grip, I stepped forward with my left foot. I extended my empty left hand, aiming at the creature.

A questioning look appeared in the huge eyes that had been watching me.

I gripped the spine tightly, almost to the point of crushing it. The spine screamed under the strength of my reptilian muscles, structurally different from humans.

Except for the turtle-like shell on its back and the spines on its tail, the creature looked exactly like an alligator.

Is that shell just for show then? Can it hide in its shell like a turtle? If so, how strong is its defense?

Using my left foot that I had stepped forward as a pivot, I twisted my body.

The flow starting from my ankle, through my waist, shoulder, elbow, and wrist, reached my fingertips and―

“Let’s see how tough you really are―!”

I threw the spine with all my might, channeling the strength of my entire body into the flow.

Swish―

As the spine tore through the air, the massive eyes filled with shock and―

-Kuooooo―!

It pierced the creature’s neck.

“Tch―.”

I had aimed for its eye, but perhaps due to the distance or because it turned its head, the spine lodged in its neck instead.

Due to its enormous size, even though the spine was deeply embedded, it didn’t seem to have much impact.

‘Still, it’s not without results.’

Although not a significant damage due to its massive size, I confirmed that with full power, I could penetrate its defenses.

The previously emotionless eyes that had looked at me like an ant now filled with anger. Yeah, you’d be pissed if an ant bit you.

But hey, you were playing with me like an ant too, weren’t you?

“Phew―.”

I saw its front legs twisting. I threw my body to the ground, dodging the spine that flew at me with killing intent.

Bang―! Bang bang―!

Apparently enraged, it moved its legs busily, spinning like a top.

Every time its tail whipped around with a sound of tearing air, a spine fell where I had been.

As I kept rolling like a ball, closing the distance with the alligator, the spines fell closer and closer.

Just as I was starting to feel dizzy from all the rolling, the creature that had been spinning like a top stopped.

‘This is my chance!’

I whipped my body up, which was staggering as if my semicircular canals were damaged, and pulled out a spine stuck nearby.

As I lunged at the creature, which seemed dizzy with its eyes unfocused, it seemed to regain its senses and extended its long neck from its shell.

It turned its elongated neck like a snapping turtle, directed its head towards me, and opened its mouth to spew out a green gas.

Hiss―

The gas, emitting a rotten smell, enveloped my entire body. The scales touched by the gas corroded, and my skin became tattered.

I covered my eyes and mouth belatedly, but some gas had already entered. Fortunately, thanks to the inner eyelid covering my eyes, I didn’t go blind, but my mouth wasn’t so lucky.

Luckily, because I had held my breath, it didn’t enter my airways, but my mouth was damaged, and blood started to pool slowly.

I had no choice but to back away and exit the gas cloud.

“Ptoo―.”

I spat out the dark red blood that had pooled in my mouth. As I raised my eyelids to assess the situation, I saw a massive tail approaching right in front of my eyes.

Whack―

“Kaha―.”

My body, bounced like a ball, rolled for a while before finally stopping when it hit a tree.

Haah―

“Shit… That fucking hurts.”

Blood sprayed out with a fit of coughing. The difficulty in breathing suggested that my ribs were broken.

Even though I had used my arm as a shield and tried to lift my body, the difference in our sizes was too great, and it seemed several bones were broken.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that unlike my broken left arm, my right arm only seems to have a fracture.

-Kieeeeek―!

“Your scream is ridiculously funny.”

I raised the corner of my mouth at the alligator’s comical scream. It was raging like someone who had stubbed their little toe on a corner.

Just before getting hit by the tail, I had managed to stick a spine into the place where spines grow on the tail tip.

It was easy to spot because it was swollen from constantly firing spines. I had stuck it directly into the hole-like structure, so it probably won’t be able to fire spines for a while.

“Let’s finish this soon.”

I stood up, my body creaking. Various parts of my body were aching, but I couldn’t just lie still.

I pulled out spines scattered around with my right hand and threw them at the raging alligator.

Thud―

-Kieeeeeeeeek―!

“Nice shot.”

The thrown spine pierced its huge eye. Given that it’s a sensitive area with concentrated nerves, the pain must be considerable as it thrashed about wildly.

“One more.”

Thud―

One shot, then another, and another. There’s plenty of ammunition. All those things stuck in the ground like pillars are ammunition.

Every time I threw a spine, my broken bones and torn muscles ached, but seeing the alligator thrash about madly gave me strength.

How many times had I repeated this? I’ve lost feeling in my fingertips. My limbs creaked as if paralyzed, and the spine in my hand was the last of those that had filled the surroundings.

They say water drops can pierce rock. The alligator, stabbed repeatedly by spines not even as strong as its own claws, was nearing its last breath.

“Let’s end this now.”

The sky had turned from red to black, and at its edge, a blue moon was rising.

I moved my legs, which now felt completely numb. Ankle, waist, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The posture I had repeated countless times flowed naturally, and I fired the spine.

Thud―

The alligator’s flickering life force was extinguished. The light faded from its eyes, which had lost their strength long ago, and its long extended neck went limp.

“Haah―.”

That was disgustingly hard. What a struggle this has been.

……Boss!
……Rex!
…Rex!

From behind, I heard voices along with faint lights.

Ah, they’ve finally arrived.

As they called out, the consciousness I had barely been holding onto faded away.