Chapter 39: The Lizard

It was a gargantuan lizard, nearly five meters in length.

Its entire body was covered in rough, rock-like, blue-gray scales, the mere sight of which signaled an incredibly formidable defense. Eight thick, muscular limbs supported its bloated and heavy frame. Brown, crystal-like bone spurs ran from the top of its skull and snout all the way down to the tip of its tail. Its deep green, slit pupils shimmered, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps against the backdrop of the forest mist.

A Basilisk.

Unlike the technology-based world of his previous life where supernatural forces were non-existent, in a world of dragons and magic, one could rarely judge the danger of a creature by its size alone. Who could say if a thumb-sized flower sprite might actually be a high-level practitioner capable of casting spells strong enough to annihilate a small town?

Therefore, to categorize these creatures of varying sizes and threat levels, a concept had been established: "Challenge Rating."

Generally speaking, a monster with a Challenge Rating of "1" could be defeated without casualties by a well-balanced party of four Level 1 adventurers, provided they were reasonably equipped, well-supplied, and properly rested.

Of course, this was merely a cold, rigid rule designed to help players gauge the strength of monsters in an ideal scenario. In reality, factors such as the monster's maturity, physical health, the surrounding environment, and its inherent behavioral patterns all significantly impacted its threat level. In some cases, for monsters with a degree of intelligence, one even had to account for their combat experience against human adventurers and the equipment they might possess.

Even so, the Challenge Rating still offered a reliable baseline for gauging a monster's strength. For instance, the rust monster the half-elf party encountered last night had a Challenge Rating of "0.5," while the bugbear that had wiped out the "Trash and Scum" party had a rating of exactly "1" (or just slightly under).

By this standard, the Basilisk currently lumbering toward Xia Nan, its belly dragging along the ground, held a Challenge Rating of "3."

It would require four Level 3 adventurers, with proper preparation, to hunt it down without sustaining losses. This massive, armored beast possessed an innate ability known as "Petrifying Gaze" from birth. Wherever its deep green eyes turned, it could unleash this power, subjecting any creature within its line of sight to the effect. Only those with immense physical resilience or an iron will could avoid the fate of becoming a statue. This lethal ability allowed them to roam their arid habitats virtually unchallenged. With a single glance, an unsuspecting prey would be transformed into an immobile stone effigy.

The naturally indolent Basilisk would then slowly crawl forward, using its powerful jaws to crush the stone statue of its prey and swallow it whole. The secretions in its stomach would eventually help revert the food to its original form, facilitating digestion.

There was no doubt about it. Regardless of the Basilisk’s current state, given Xia Nan’s current strength, to stand his ground was to die.

Thus, even though he had not yet traded blows with the monster, the sight of Larry and the other man turning to stone in the blink of an eye, coupled with the half-elf and Wood fleeing without looking back, was enough. The moment his senses returned, spurred by the deafening alarm bells of impending death ringing in his mind, he turned and sprinted.

He shoved his just-drawn greatsword back into its scabbard, the bushes on either side of him blurring as he ran. Xia Nan pumped his arms violently, his long legs driving him forward across the leaf-strewn forest floor.

"Hah... hah..."

He gasped for air, his brain slightly dizzy from the rush of blood. Occasionally, he could hear the warning hisses of snakes and insects from the thickets he brushed past, but he could spare no thought for them. He drove himself deeper into the dense forest, praying that the Basilisk would not pursue him.

However, Xia Nan had underestimated the creature's craving for fresh meat. Watching Xia Nan and the half-elf split up and flee in different directions, the Basilisk’s deep green eyes flickered with the calculating light of an intelligent being. While the other group had more prey, this one was clearly faster, and his scent was becoming faint and obscured by the dense undergrowth, making him difficult to track. Plus, there was that emerald light that had just blocked its gaze...

Driven by hunting instinct, the massive blue-green lizard made its decision in an instant. Its eight thick, pillar-like legs bent, coiling with power.

*Boom!*

Its massive, bloated body displayed an explosive force that stood in sharp contrast to its heavy frame. It moved like a tank clad in stone armor.

Tough, thorny brush and the snakes and scorpions fleeing within were crushed into pulp. The dense canopy shook violently; startled birds that had barely taken flight turned into stone statues and plummeted to the ground. Trees were toppled, and grass was pulverized. It charged recklessly, wood chips and grass seeds dancing in the air.

Xia Nan felt the ground tremble violently, a thunderous noise like a passing train roaring behind him. His heart hammered against his ribs. He didn't dare look back, only pushed himself to run faster. Yet, the sound of snapping branches grew clearer, like the footsteps of Death drawing closer.

Finally, a blue-green shadow flashed in the corner of his eye. A biting gale, carrying the stench of the monster’s saliva, surged from behind like a hurricane.

The cavernous maw, capable of crushing iron and stone, snapped shut!

*Hum!*

The only magical item on Xia Nan’s person, the "Dead-Line" ring, triggered automatically:

[Deflection Field]

Neither light nor vapor, the ambient energy in the air instantly condensed into a translucent, ochre-red barrier that encased him.

*Crunch!*

The Basilisk missed its bite as the field deflected it, its powerful jaws clamping shut on empty air. A sound that set one’s teeth on edge echoed through the clearing.

It was only a defense. The "Deflection Field" on the Dead-Line ring had a twenty-four-hour cooldown; it might have been a game-changing trump card in a fierce, evenly-matched battle. But here, facing such a massive disparity in strength, it only bought Xia Nan a few more steps.

The next second, the Basilisk’s tank-like body slammed directly into him.