The Christ Lizard

Chapter 0001: The Jesus Lizard

Buzzing... buzzing... buzzing incessantly, an insect resembling a mosquito zigzagged through the dense leaves. All of a sudden, a earthy-hued lizard darted out from the soil with a speed that only a high-speed camera could have caught. Its mouth agape, tongue lashing out, it snatched the insect into its maw and then swiftly retreated back into the earth, its camouflage coloration merging with the dirt, lying in wait for its next meal.

The lizard smacked its lips, swallowing the food it had just ensnared and savoring the taste and the satiating fullness in its belly with an almost human-like sigh of contentment.

This lizard was called Drake, a corporate drone who had graduated from the prestigious Shangjing City University just two years prior, yet had inexplicably woken from a slumber to find himself transformed into a lizard.

Drake didn't feel too much regret about his transformation. After all, he was an orphan with no parents to speak of. If he had vanished or died suddenly, nobody would've cared.

Thus, he accepted his new existence with equanimity. Continuing life as a human would have meant laboring as just another screw in the societal machine until he turned to rust, aged, and faded into dust unknown and unremembered.

"The adaptability of humans is really something," he thought to himself, "to think I've come to accept eating insects."

Having eaten his fill, Drake allowed himself to be buried in the earth, his eyes closed to slits as he rested, conserving his movements—a trick he had learned since becoming a lizard. It reduced his energy consumption and helped avoid the attention of predators, making good use of his protective coloration.

Initially, Drake could accept everything about his new form except the idea of eating insects for sustenance. His human consciousness found the notion revolting. However, as hunger gnawed at him, his craving for insects grew stronger, and eventually, he couldn't resist catching his first insect to eat.

It was then that he discovered—perhaps due to his new lizard body having a completely different sense of taste from humans—that he actually found the insects delicious. From that moment, he embraced his life as a lizard.

Armed with the abilities of a lizard and the mind of a human, he had an agreeable time in the rainforest. Life had been easy in the month since his transformation.

Drake didn't even know where this rainforest was, much less if he was still on Earth. Being a lizard, he couldn't use external temperatures to gauge humidity and heat, but the ubiquity of tropical plants led him to guess that he was near the equator.

"Oh, if only I could be a lion or tiger," he mused, "then I could reign supreme in the savannas or forests. Even being a panda wouldn't be bad—I could be adorably lazy and live a happy life."

Lost in thought, his mind wandered aimlessly. Right now, he was a lizard, a very small one at that, and even when he found a water source to drink from, his instincts recognized his own species.

The Jesus Lizard, also known as the Christ Lizard, was a species with a rather grand name. Yet, it held no remarkable power, only slightly higher up in the food chain than insects. It earned its name because it could run across the surface of the water on two legs, mimicking Christ's ability to walk on water as recorded in the Bible. Drake knew of this lizard because, before becoming one, he had been idly watching a documentary about them.

Realizing his species' running ability by the water was what confirmed his identity to him.

But even so, Drake felt it was all quite useless. Other than running on water to escape predators, what else could such a skill signify? Could other creatures bow down to him, calling him 'God'?

"My body is too small, and with so many predators, survival here is tough. What should I do next?"

Drake's brow furrowed—if he still had one.

The novelty of being a lizard had worn off over the past month, and now, faced with the constant dangers of the tropical jungle, he felt like he was living on the doorstep to hell where demons awaited to snatch his life away. As a creature at the bottom of the food chain, living freely was difficult—he had to be cautious to avoid losing his life.

Worse still, Drake now faced a fear specific to being a lizard:

How long can a Jesus Lizard live?

The animal kingdom didn't seem to address this, and judging by the size of this particular lizard, Drake doubted he had a long life ahead. It would have been fine if he were truly just a lizard, incapable of pondering its own identity and lifespan. But tragically, his consciousness was that of a real human.

Modern medical technology allowed humans to live six to seven decades with ease. As a man in his twenties, Drake felt he should have at least forty or fifty years ahead of him. But now, as a lizard, he doubted he could survive that long, especially within the rainforest's harsh environment where dying of old age seemed unlikely.

The terror of death loomed over him, his heart becoming increasingly restless. But as a lizard, he genuinely did not know what to do or how to proceed.

Suddenly, his lizard instincts alerted him to danger. His elongated vertical pupils instantly focused in the direction of the threat.

Lizards are not known for their vision, but they are keenly aware of moving creatures. And through his blurry sight, Drake perceived the source of his peril.

On a nearby branch, a snake was coiled, flicking its tongue, its cruel gaze fixed on Drake.

"Damn, it's a snake!"

Drake's pupils contracted. His lizard form was prime prey for the serpent, and with his human-sized physique, he stood no chance in a fight.

Flight was the only option Drake could think of to escape his current predicament.

...

With the mind and soul of a human but the instincts of a lizard, Drake had wisely chosen to stay near a water source, fearing that if danger arose, he needed to flee at a moment's notice.

He was too tired to ponder why he was detected by a snake. Nature offers no foolproof protection, and even a chameleon can be spotted. His earthy-colored appearance couldn't guarantee his safety from hunters forever. Besides, he recalled that snakes don't rely solely on sight to find their prey.

While lost in thought, Drake's instincts propelled him forward, charging towards the water source with astonishing speed. The snake, caught off-guard by the surprisingly swift escape of its would-be meal, weaved through the underbrush in pursuit, unwilling to let its supper slip away so easily.

Drake sprinted through the undergrowth, a mix of sorrow and fear flickering in his heart. This was the first time since his transformation that he had been spotted and forced to flee. Past the novelty of being a lizard, he now faced the ultimate terror of life in the jungle—falling prey to numerous predators and the slim chances of survival.

Rushing frantically, feeling the snake still in pursuit, Drake's fear intensified. As a human, he thought his heart might leap out of his throat. Neither as a lizard nor as a man did he wish to meet his end like this.

Insects buzzed around him, normally tempting prey, but now he dared not slow down, lest he become a meal for the pursuing predator.

Pushed by fear, Drake pushed his lizard body to its limits. After leaping a patch of underbrush, he spotted the flowing water ahead and hastened his pace.

Reaching the water's edge, Drake's Jesus Lizard instincts kicked in. He transitioned from running on all fours to using his hind legs, paddling in an ungainly but effective manner across the surface. He executed a lost art of water striding, quickly putting distance between himself and his pursuer.

As the snake reached the shore, it could only watch and hiss in frustration as Drake skimmed away over the water, disappearing into the distance.

Drake's heart finally eased, knowing the snake wouldn't follow. But he dared not linger, continuing to hasten across the water's surface. Though capable of swimming, his small form was more vulnerable in the water and could easily become prey for fish. He had to reach land before his energy waned.

Suddenly, a glimmer of hope shone before him—a small island sat in the middle of the river. To Drake, it was an "island," but to larger creatures, it was likely no more than a sizable rock.

For Drake, this 'island' was a perfect respite. As a small lizard, he couldn't maintain his 'water striding' for long, the technique greatly draining his stamina. With the island as a resting spot, he could recover and continue skimming across the water to dry land.

Once he reached the 'island,' he remained vigilant. The exposed rocks made easy prey for birds, and if caught, he'd have nowhere to turn.

Life at the bottom of the food chain was a cruel existence; with predators at every turn, Drake could intimidate insects, but faced with even slightly aggressive animals, he had no choice but to flee.

Scouring the 'island' with all limbs, he hoped to find a crevice or similar refuge—a relatively safe haven for his diminutive size.

But his search yielded no such sanctuary on the 'island,' though he stumbled upon a deep fissure within the rocks.

The crack was dark and seemingly bottomless, as if leading directly to hell—a daunting prospect for little Drake but likely just a trivial gap to larger animals.

Standing at the edge of the deep crevice, Drake weighed his options: to enter the unknown darkness or risk the dangers outside. He made a quick decision and dove into the crevice.

Considering the crack's dimensions, he reckoned any creatures within were likely his own size, and he could put up a fight if necessary. Staying outside, exposed to potential avian predators, would be a certain demise, even with his aquatic evasion skills.

"Uh-oh," he muttered, making his way through the narrow gap. It was tight, just a few centimeters wide and about ten centimeters high, barely sufficient for Drake to squeeze through. But as he reached the deepest part of the fissure, a light caught his eye.

"What is that?"

Light didn't generate itself, and the blinding flash he saw earlier didn't seem natural. Curiosity overcame him, and he continued to crawl forward.

After navigating another ten or so meters, his head collided with something that sounded metallic.

"Is this the end?"

He tapped the barrier with his claw, the sound suggesting a mineral metal.

"Was that flash of light this thing? Could it be some rare, exotic mineral?"

Disappointed with his find—useless to his current lizard form and of no real value to him—he prepared to retreat and rest by the crevice's entrance. Just then, the metallic object flared with light again.

This time, as Drake neared, the glow was so radiant that his vertical pupils contracted sharply, and he felt as though his vision was engulfed in the brightness.

And then, a voice he couldn't comprehend but strangely understood resonated in his mind.

"Unknown life form detected, initiating scan..."

"Scan successful: Discrepancy between soul and body, likely a product of the Tyren civilization..."

"Per the Tyren civilization's 'Law of Intelligent Life,' the highest intelligent being with a special mission is allowed to prioritize 'survival.' Now requesting genetic comparison..."

"Requesting genetic comparison..."

"Genetic comparison complete: Eighty-two point six percent compatibility. Per the survival prerogative, initiating 'God-making Plan'..."

"Request approved. Commencing species transformation..."

"Transformation target: Magical creature of Saint Soren's world—a dragon!"

As the last word echoed, Drake's consciousness slipped into darkness, his last coherent thought an incredulous, "Holy shit..."