A shocking fact.
Rena did not like fighting.
For modern people who regarded war as a story from a distant country and lived steeped in peace, it was a normal preference.
Even after falling into the Great Forest’s natural wilderness, that preference did not change.
Rena did not hunt for fun.
She only took a life when her stomach was growling and did her best to avoid conflicts.
Why would anyone like fighting, anyway?
It was an uncivilized and violent act that hurt both the heart and the body.
That was why Rena treated even monsters with undeniable intelligence as nothing more than ignorant beasts.
They enjoyed fighting.
They kept dying and killing out of boredom, so they were nothing but beasts.
And the Great Forest was the cradle of such beasts.
Even Rena, who sought peace, had to fight quite often despite her wishes.
Even then, Rena barely felt any excitement.
Since the opponent struck first, there was no guilt in knocking them down as a form of karma. And with her body’s survival instinct handling the automatic combat, situations were resolved before she even blinked.
……So, was she mistaken?
This is kinda fun?
That thought occurred to her while she was counter-attacking a Python’s body ram.
Until now, Rena had never experienced a real fight.
So far, fighting to Rena was no more than a one-sided hunt.
The ordinary monsters of the Great Forest were incapable of sparking even a single strand of crisis in her.
As she leveled up along with her job proficiency, this tendency became more pronounced.
Recently, she had reached the point where she didn’t even care whether monsters existed or not as she strolled through the Great Forest.
The Python was different.
The ruler-class monster, the giant snake, withstood Rena’s monstrous strength.
Rena’s nimble movements were like the flapping of an insect’s wings to the behemoth that struck not as a point, but as a plane.
Her survival instinct sounded the alarm while her status window remained in the corner of her vision, blinking red.
For the first time, she faced an equal opponent.
Rena indulged in the joy of moving her body after so long.
During her male years, Rena didn’t even go to the gym because it was bothersome.
That didn’t mean she hated exercising; it was more like she found it bothersome.
After all, once she started, she enjoyed the refreshing sensation of her muscles loosening up and the unique freshness that her sweaty body emitted.
The feeling Rena experienced now was similar.
No matter how intensely she moved, the opponent took it all.
Would this movement work? What about trying something else next? Her heart raced with anticipation and excitement.
Humans are fundamentally animals.
Isn’t it natural to find pleasure in combat?
Rena justified herself internally.
Shhiiik!
While the Python seemed to only grow more frustrated.
The world naturally functioned this way.
One side gains while the other loses.
Since I’m having fun, can you sacrifice a little?
A smile never left Rena’s face.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
“Ugh.”
After colliding with the Python and being pushed back, Rena spat out sticky saliva.
It was good to feel the joy of moving her body after so long, but somehow progress wasn’t being made.
Even though Rena was evenly matched with the Python, it was essentially a loss for her.
Just like an ant dies when poked with a toothpick while a human only feels a mild sting, there was a difference in the severity of the damage from the collision.
The Python’s scales had peeled off in some areas.
On the other hand, Rena had torn skin and chunks of flesh being ripped off.
Even without being hit, the wind pressure alone reduced her clothing into ragged pieces.
Having chosen a direct confrontation after her kicks landed effectively, Rena regretted her decision.
If it was a matter of sheer resilience, of course, the gigantic Python would dominate the much smaller Rena.
“How could something so large be so fast?”
Rena realized that attacking only the creature’s extremities wasn’t working.
However, the problem lay in the Python’s immediate counterattack whenever Rena attempted to leap toward its head.
Should she move faster? Could she improve more?
Or should she deceive it? A trick? Maybe she could summon an Orc now and use it as bait…
While Rena’s mind raced with such thoughts, there was more than just her who was growing impatient with the drawn-out battle.
As if on cue, the impatient one turned out to be the monster, the Python.
It made its decisive move.
A buzzing sound like that of a swarm of bees was heard before a light flashed.
It felt like an incredible amount of light, similar to the sudden appearance of stars floating on the ground.
What’s that?
The Python’s tail was shining brilliantly.
Though Rena had fought countless monsters, she had never witnessed such a sight.
While she had seen the ability where a part of the body merely emitted light, it was clearly different from the Python’s ability, which resembled a flashbang.
“Survival Instinct (Lv.max) is being activated!”
Her hair on the back of her neck stood on end and the muscles in her whole body tensed.
She had the impression that this wasn’t just a flashy illusion but something entirely different from anything she had faced so far.
It should be avoided.
Escape with everything you’ve got.
Her rationality pleaded.
Her survival instinct, which had only ever given her correct answers, agreed with this opinion.
And yet… Hmm, is that really it…?
Rena’s sharp senses detected a subtle difference.
Though her body was ready to change direction and her survival instinct was warning her, it all felt exaggerated.
She didn’t particularly feel as though her life was in danger.
If anything, it seemed worth trying.
She didn’t know if it was the dopamine soaking her brain that was causing a delusion or something else, but Rena always formed conclusions only after giving things a try, even if they seemed impossible.
It might seem reckless and pointless, but that method had proven profitable in many cases before.
Her itchy skin seemed to tell her not to suppress her instincts and to just let it happen.
Then let’s try.
Besides, it was embarrassing to flee from something like a beast.
And as soon as Rena settled into position, the star-like light floating on the ground, the Python’s tail, disintegrated.
In an instant, KA-WH-A-NG! The thunderous roar shook the heavens and earth as shattered bedrock and dust soared into the clouds beyond the sky.
…
Damn humans.
That was the wandering thought in the Python’s mad mind.
Too small to catch properly, yet possessing unbelievable strength, the creature irritated it like a mosquito that kept buzzing around.
This natural source of discomfort and irritation led to a concentrated rage within the Python.
The vast vision, which once encompassed the endless thickets of the Great Forest, shrunk and focused solely on the human girl.
That girl, I will definitely kill her.
The firm resolution stirred the dormant energy within.
Mana gathered at the Python’s tail.
If compared to a knight, it was the basic application of flowing mana into a sword to increase its strength.
Even such a fundamental application was transformed into a powerful weapon in the monster, with superior physical abilities over humans.
Especially for the Python, whose body was larger than a small mountain, it was a perfect fit.
A human probably wouldn’t be able to withstand this.
Sure enough, the Python’s tail strike displayed a power far beyond anything seen before.
With just a single attack, the terrain of the Great Forest changed.
Below the deep gouge in the earth, plants and dirt had been reduced to fine dust and now tumbled down in clumps.
The Python’s innards felt like they’d been completely exposed.
A distinct tactile sensation came from its tail.
It was the sensation of having struck the human.
Whether it was because there was no time to dodge or because recklessness led the human to face the attack head-on was irrelevant.
He would be dead by now.
The Python flicked its tongue and savored the taste.
Even without having completely recovered its strength, it had gone berserk.
Hunger strongly overwhelmed the Python.
Despite the irritation, it was indeed an impressive foe.
If I consume this thing, it will surely be enough to fully recover my strength.
The Python attempted to lift its tail.
What? Why isn’t it moving?
The Python was alarmed by its unresponsive body.
Then, a tearing sound was heard.
The Python screamed in pain, blood spouting violently from its torn body.
Shiiiiiiiik!
Torn by extreme anguish, the Python thrashed about.
It hurt. It really hurt.
The pain was intense enough to snap the Python out of its clouded mind.
Its tail had been torn off.
A lump of its flesh rolled away, tumbling across the ground.
“Ai, if it’s just the tail, why so much fuss? …Wait, don’t snakes not regrow parts? Lizards do, though, right?”
It was an absurdly out-of-place comment.
The teary eyes of the Python locked onto the human form.
That accursed human was still alive.
And didn’t seem to have taken any damage.
Looking perfectly… perfect? What was going on?
The Python noticed Rena had changed.
Scales were growing on her.
Scales more lustrous and stronger-looking than its own.
…
“The Green Dragon’s throne begins to shine!”
“The Dragon factor has been activated!”
“Instinct triggered – The path of harmony suppresses rejection!”
“The Dragon factor fully fuses!”
Rena stared at her hand as if looking at something alien.
Indeed, it was strange.
Although her skin had been baby-soft up to now, scales were sprouting!
It was both grotesque and strange, though not grotesque in the ugly sense.
“Ah, a dragon bone.”
It made sense that her skin had been itchy.
She must have been sprouting scales.
Rena accepted this nonchalantly.
After all, she had already changed genders; it wasn’t too far-fetched that her race might change next.
Of course, if this were to permanently alter her life, there might be some concerns regarding appearance.
But given the Green Dragon’s throne pulsating in her chest, this didn’t seem to be a permanent change.
It was probably akin to the spell a magician receives upon changing professions.
Anyway, this was good.
Rena liked the long, sharp nails more than the sleek, curvy scales.
As evident from her cutting off the Python’s tail, such nails could deliver a significant blow.
The survival instinct, which had been incessantly issuing warnings, now seemed to support her with a nudge.
Rena swallowed her saliva while glancing at the large, red chunk of flesh.
There’s a folk belief called homology.
If your liver feels bad, eat a cow’s liver; if your eyes feel bad, eat a fish eye.
Wouldn’t eating something with scales, now that I have scales, improve my body?
“I can probably make enough snake liquor to last a lifetime.”
Rena giggled while licking the blood off her face.
