Sakeer stepped out of the wooden house, greeted by a clear sky and the crisp, damp air of the wetlands. He took a deep breath, letting the cool moisture clear his drowsy mind.
The magical knowledge passed down by the Lizardmen primarily revolved around faith-based magic.
While some of these spells piqued Sakeer's interest, most were too rudimentary, their practicality limited. There existed stronger, more refined versions of similar magic, making these lesser spells obsolete in comparison.
However, the theoretical foundations and technical knowledge behind them were valuable.
Sakeer had been in this world for too short a time to have received a formal education in magic.
Right now, he was making up for lost ground.
"The Greenclaw Tribe, the Razor Tail Tribe, and the Red Eye Tribe… soon, I'll be facing the combined forces of all three."
Leaning against the doorframe, Sakeer gazed out at the Dragon Tusk Tribe—silent, still, and eerily deserted.
Step.
A Lizardman priest emerged from the wooden house, his expression vacant as he approached.
Without a word, he handed over a map—a rough, hand-drawn sketch detailing the locations of the three remaining Lizardman tribes relative to the Dragon Tusk Tribe, all drawn from memory.
Sakeer unfolded it.
The closest tribe was Greenclaw.
"As long as they don't act foolishly, the destruction of two entire tribes should have already forced them into an alliance by now."
He let out a soft chuckle, tracing his fingers over the map.
It wasn't that he was underestimating them.
On the contrary—he took matters of survival very seriously.
The enemy leaders were no pushovers:
Zaryusu Shasha, wielder of the Frost Pain
KyuKyuku Zuzu, clad in the White Dragon Bone Armor
Crusch Lulu, a Third-Tier Faith Magic User
And that wasn't all.
Even without considering these three powerful warriors, the sheer military strength of the combined Lizardman forces rivaled that of an elite human battalion.
There were also Lizardman shamans among them—magic users capable of casting spells in battle.
If Sakeer were just an ordinary third-tier magic caster, he wouldn't have hesitated.
He would've turned around and left.
But instead of fear, his eyes gleamed with something else.
Excitement.
Not only were there two Lizardman treasures up for grabs…
One of the Lizardman leaders had also caught his attention.
Crusch Lulu—the white-scaled Lizardman shaman—was of particular interest.
Not only was she an "Ancient Awakening Breed", a rare evolutionary path for Lizardmen, but she also possessed multiple specialized professions:
Summoner
Psychic Shaman
…and one profession Sakeer couldn't quite identify.
Due to inconsistencies in translation, this mysterious class had appeared under different names:
"Dragon Trainer"
"Dragon Apostle"
"Dragon Adept"
No matter what it was called, one fact remained clear—
Crusch Lulu's final profession was linked to dragons.
And judging by her bloodline, it wasn't a class she simply chose—it was inherent.
If this class turned out to be a learnable profession, whether at a basic or advanced level, then Sakeer was determined to find a way to acquire it.
He also wanted to test whether bloodline-exclusive professions could be transferred or learned through other means.
Whoosh!
A white streak of light cut across the sky, heading straight for the wooden house.
Sakeer's expression hardened.
The Archangel Flame had returned.
Which meant—
The Lizardman tribes were on the move.
Outside the Dragon Tusk Tribe
Half a kilometer away, three Lizardmen stood at the forefront of an assembled force, their gazes fixed on the silent ruins of the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
Behind them, a force of 300 Lizardman warriors stood ready, flanked by several Lizardman shamans adorned in ceremonial garb.
Each of the three leaders possessed a distinctive presence:
Shasuryu Shasha, the Greenclaw Patriarch, gripped a heavy sword nearly two meters long.
KyuKyuku Zuzu, the Razor Tail Chieftain, was clad in a bone-forged armor that shimmered with a metallic luster.
Crusch Lulu, the Red Eye Shaman, was completely covered in straw, concealing her entire form.
The only notable absence was Zaryusu Shasha, wielder of the Frost Pain.
"Is that human still in the Dragon Tusk Tribe?"
Crusch Lulu's voice was soft, almost whisper-like, as if her words could dissolve into the wind at any moment.
"Our hunting squad has been tracking him. He hasn't left."
Shasuryu Shasha's tone remained calm, yet there was a heavy weight behind his words.
"So… the situation remains… uncertain?"
KyuKyuku Zuzu's speech was slightly slurred, his thick jaw stiffened by the unnatural properties of the White Dragon Bone Armor.
Both Shasuryu Shasha and Crusch Lulu exchanged a brief glance.
They understood his hesitation.
"For now, it's best to proceed with caution."
Crusch Lulu murmured, her tone unreadable.
Shasuryu Shasha and KyuKyuku Zuzu both nodded.
Crusch Lulu raised her arms, her body pulsing with surging magic power.
A glowing magic array materialized in front of her, intricate runes shimmering within its design.
"First Order of Natural Beast Summoning—Goshawk of the Sky."
Bang!
As the white smoke dissipated from the summoning circle, a goshawk, nearly as tall as a human, emerged before them.
Without hesitation, the massive bird flapped its wings and shot into the sky.
In just a few breaths, it had reached the skies above the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
Its razor-sharp eyes scanned the landscape below, swiftly locking onto several figures.
Then, without delay—
The goshawk turned and swiftly retreated.
On a flat road within the Dragon Tusk Tribe, Sakeer walked forward calmly, accompanied by the Barghest and the Lizardman priest.
His footsteps remained steady as he made his way toward the tribe's gate.
Then, as if sensing something, he lifted his gaze.
Above—
A goshawk streaked across the sky, already retreating into the distance.
Sakeer's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A summoned creature?"
His thoughts flickered to the first time he had used "Wild Transformation"—ironically, the very first form he had taken had been that of a goshawk.
He knew this type of beast well.
Piecing together what he understood of the Lizardmen's magic, the answer became obvious.
"Natural Beast Summoning," he muttered to himself, his tone laced with indifference.
Summoning magic, in its broadest sense, could be classified into six primary categories:
Angel Summoning
Undead Summoning
Demon Summoning
Elemental Summoning
Natural Beast Summoning
Dependent Summoning
Each category had its own unique advantages, but in terms of pure strength, the Natural Beast Summoning system was unquestionably the weakest of them all.
Of course, its greatest strength lay in its sheer variety and versatility.
Despite its low power ceiling, Natural Beast Summoning offered a wide range of creatures with highly practical uses.
Ever since Sakeer discovered that summoning magic could be enhanced over time without the need for skill points, he had been eager to master a second type of summoning magic.
He recalled something—
The Lizardmen possessed a form of Elemental Summoning magic.
If he could obtain that, it might prove far more useful.
Outside the Dragon Tusk Tribe, Crusch Lulu relayed the goshawk's report to the assembled Lizardmen warriors.
With that confirmation, any lingering doubts were dispelled.
Their greatest fear had been that the human would flee or hide, making their assembled forces useless.
But now—
He was still there.
A sharp gleam flashed in Shasuryu Shasha's reptilian eyes.
He reached over his shoulder, gripping the hilt of his massive greatsword before letting out a low sneer.
"That human is far too confident."
Beside him, Kyuku Zuzu, clad in his eerie bone-forged armor, let out a low, distorted chuckle as he rubbed his hands over his armor.
"Then... let him... regret it."
Shasuryu Shasha raised his arm.
"Advance!"
With that command, the entire Lizardman force—over three hundred warriors—began their march toward the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
Unbeknownst to those within the Dragon Tusk Tribe—
Another force was already in position.
At some point, a second unit of more than a hundred Lizardmen had silently maneuvered behind the tribe, cutting off any possible escape route.
And leading this stealthy force—
Was none other than Zaryusu Shasha, wielder of the "Frost Pain."
The trap was set.
The battle was inevitable.