Zaryusu Shasha gripped the Frost Pain tightly in his right hand. His black-scaled, hardened head jutted forward, and his serpentine eyes remained fixed on the eerily silent Dragon Tusk Tribe.
Even though several days had passed, the memory of blood still lingered in the air—an illusion, perhaps, but vivid nonetheless.
He could almost hear the agonized screams and dying wails of the fallen warriors from the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
Behind him, over a hundred lizardfolk warriors lay low to the ground, their breath shallow, their movements silent.
Their mission was clear—prevent the human from escaping at all costs.
A lizardman warrior, casting a fleeting glance at Frost Pain, spoke in a low voice:
"Zaryusu, when do we make our move?"
The warrior's voice carried a hint of longing—not for the battle, but for the weapon in Zaryusu Shasha's grip.
After all, Frost Pain was a sacred treasure of their kind, and for any lizardman, wielding it was the greatest honor.
Yet, only Zaryusu Shasha, the one who held this legendary weapon, had the strength to command the warriors of the three great tribes.
"Wait."
Zaryusu Shasha's response was calm, measured.
Their force was not the main assault—they were the contingency, the safety net.
With nearly 500 lizardmen gathered from the three great tribes, it might have seemed excessive to deal with a single human.
At least, to the average lizardman.
But Zaryusu Shasha and the others knew better.
This human had already annihilated two major tribes. No amount of caution could be considered too much.
If they let him escape, it would be a disaster for all lizardmen.
This wasn't a mere skirmish.
It was a battle for survival.
Up ahead, the main force of over 300 lizardmen warriors, led by the three tribe patriarchs, steadily advanced toward the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
They moved cautiously, keeping their marching speed slow and deliberate.
Every so often, a priest would cast detection magic, scanning the terrain for hidden traps or spells.
After all—
Their opponent was a Magic Caster.
And no one could predict what kind of sorcery he might have prepared.
However—
As they drew closer to the Dragon Tusk Tribe, no traps were found.
Not a single one.
This strange silence sent an unsettling feeling through the three patriarchs leading the charge.
Something was wrong.
When the warriors reached within a hundred meters of the Dragon Tusk Tribe, Shasuryu Shasha raised his muscular, black-scaled arm, signaling a halt.
His golden slit eyes turned to Crusch Lulu, who remained wrapped in her peculiar straw covering.
"Patriarch Red Eye, I'll leave it to you."
A soft but confident voice emerged from beneath the straw:
"Third-Order Natural Beast Summoning—Giant Hand of the Wetlands."
RUMBLE!
A brilliant blue magic array materialized on the ground, pulsating with surging magical energy.
And then—
A massive crab-like creatureerupted from the summoning circle.
Standing at a towering five meters tall, its thick, chitinous limbs radiated an imposing sense of security for the lizardmen present.
It was a beast of raw power—strength incarnate.
At Crusch Lulu's command, the giant crabcharged forward, its massive pincers raised, scuttling toward the Dragon Tusk Tribe's gates.
Clearly, the three lizardman patriarchs intended to use this third-order summoning magic to both probe the tribe's defenses and display their power in one move.
To be honest—
If not for this unexpected alliance, the Razor Tail and Dragon Tusk patriarchs would have never guessed that the Red Eye Tribe had undergone a change in leadership.
And that their new patriarch was a priest capable of third-order magic.
It was precisely because of Crusch Lulu's presence that they felt confident they could eliminate the human intruder.
The giant crab lunged toward the Dragon Tusk Tribe's gate, its sheer size and momentum intending to smash through it effortlessly.
Then—
Swoosh!
A streak of white light shot out from within the Dragon Tusk Tribe, moving with blinding speed.
Before any lizardman could react—
It collided with the giant crab.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled outward as the giant crab roared in defiance, lifting its massive pincers and slamming them down in an attempt to crush the assailant.
However—
CRACK!
A sharp "click" echoed through the battlefield—
One of the crab's enormous pincerssplit cleanly in half.
The severed limb crashed to the ground, sending mud and debris flying.
"WOOO—!"
The giant crab shrieked, writhing in agony, its remaining pincer flailing wildly in desperation.
But the white streak—moving too fast to track—effortlessly dodged the attack.
Then, in a flash—
A crimson flame ignited.
A burning blade cut straight through the giant crab's thick carapace, shattering its hardened exoskeleton in an instant.
SPLURCH!
A gush of thick, yellow-brown fluid burst from the crab's severed head, splattering across the battlefield.
BOOM!
And then—
The giant crab vanished into white smoke.
Completely obliterated.
"!!"
A stunned silence fell over the battlefield.
Crusch Lulu took a small step back.
Even though her entire body was still hidden beneath straw, Shasuryu Shasha, standing beside her, could easily imagine her expression at that moment.
Pure disbelief!
All eyes locked onto the streak of white light.
From the sky, a figure slowly descended—a creature clad in radiant silver armor, its wings partially encased in the same gleaming metal. In its grasp burned a flaming sword, its glow flickering against the steel plates of its armor.
"Is that… an angel?"
Chief Kyuku Zuzu stares upward, his voice tinged with disbelief, his words barely forming.
Even without a direct confrontation, the mere presence of this celestial being weighed on them all—a pressure that pressed into their chests, tightening their breath.
"How is this possible?"
Shasuryu Shasha tightened his grip on his heavy sword, his sharp claws digging into the hilt. It didn't make sense.
He, too, possessed priestly abilities and understood the nature of summoned creatures. In theory, this angel—being a third-order summon—should have been on par with the giant crab they had just unleashed.
And yet—
The battle was utterly one-sided!
A terrible thought flickered in Shasuryu Shasha's mind, sending an uneasy tremor down his arm. He didn't want to believe it.
"Could it be…?"
Before he could finish his thought, Crusch Lulu spoke from beneath her straw-covered robes:
"That was the fluctuation of third-order magic."
Hearing this, Shasuryu Shasha exhaled, relieved.
"Then that means… the human isn't stronger than expected."
"Not necessarily."
Chief Kyuku Zuzu narrowed his reptilian eyes.
Crusch Lulu elaborated, though her voice wavered slightly, betraying her shaken confidence.
"The power of a summoned creature is tied to the summoner's strength. According to the reports from the Small Fang and Dragon Tusk Tribes—"
"This human can summon two angels."
"He specializes in summoning magic."
"It makes sense that his summons are this strong."
Her words were logical, but deep down, she couldn't shake the unsettling truth—
The giant crab she had summoned had been obliterated in a single strike.
Which meant—
The summoner behind the angel was even stronger than her.
No wonder the Small Fang and Dragon Tusk tribes had been wiped out.
A summoned creature of this caliber, capable of flight, was nearly unstoppable without overwhelming numbers or—
Eliminating the summoner first.
"It's coming!"
Shasuryu Shasha's voice cut through the tense silence.
All eyes turned toward the gates of the Dragon Tusk Tribe.
From within—
Three figures emerged.
At the front, a thin figure in a white robe walked with unhurried steps.
A human.
For many lizardfolk, this was their first time seeing one.
Compared to their broad, muscular forms, the human's slender frame looked fragile.
A murmur rippled through the lizardman ranks, disbelief mixing with contempt.
Was this really the being they feared?
But then—
Behind the human, a lizardman and a wolf-like beast followed.
Most notably—
A second lizardman, unconscious, lay slumped across the wolf's back.
Shasuryu Shasha's pupils contracted sharply. His expression twisted into something dark.
"That lizardman… why is he with a human?"
Nothing was more infuriating than a traitor.
Betrayal burned hotter than hatred.
Sakeer took in the scene before him—the sea of lizardmen, their weapons drawn, their gaze filled with hostility.
Even though they numbered only a little over 300, their broad frames and battle-hardened aura made them an intimidating force.
His sharp eyes flicked over the three leading figures.
"The wielder of Frost Pain isn't here?"
A flicker of light crossed his gaze as he studied them.
Then—
Before anyone could react, one of the lizardmen suddenly rushed forward.
The figure, wrapped in straw, stopped just a short distance from Sakeer, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Why would you do this?!"
"Lizardfolk have no enmity with humans!"
"The Small Fang Tribe already paid the price for their actions—why must the other tribes be dragged into this?!"
The sudden outburst stunned both sides into momentary silence.
Even Shasuryu Shasha, who had been fuming moments ago, hesitated.
Sakeer tilted his head slightly, gazing up at the clear sky.
Then, stretching his arms, he casually adjusted the loose priest's robe draped over him.
"It's a beautiful day, don't you think?"
His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
Then, as if an afterthought, he added—
"It might rain later."
Crusch Lulu's breath hitched.
That was it?
"As for the reason?"
Sakeer's eyes flicked downward, meeting the gazes of the assembled lizardfolk.
"There isn't one."
Then, as if indulging their curiosity, he gave a slight, amused smile.
"If you truly need a reason… then let's say—"
"It's for myself."
"And for the world."
He lowered his arms, his calm expression unwavering, as he took in the faces of the lizardmen—anger, confusion, and fear all mixed within them.
"It's okay if you don't understand."
Then, in a tone devoid of hesitation—
"You have two choices."
"You all die here."
"Or you drive me away."
I will not use power beyond your understanding.
Of course—
He didn't say it.
Some things were better left unsaid.
If they knew just how much power he truly held—
Then his other plans would be meaningless.
Sakeer's greatest weapon was not just his strength—but the illusion of uncertainty.
It wasn't just about these lizardmen.
It was about the forces beyond them.
This is not only to prevent the coming of the Great Tomb in the future, but also to prevent people from other worlds. After all, there are too many weird magics and abilities in this world.