The Lizardman Chief
The moment sword and club collided.
"You bastard...!"
An overwhelming shockwave traveled from my fingertips. As expected of a chief, his raw strength was no joke. In terms of pure power, he was stronger than me!
"Shwaaaaaaaak!"
The chief let out a roar and surged forward.
—Thud!
Because I was pushed back in terms of force, the foot I had naturally planted was shoved backward again. I thought I’d be fine since I’ve grown quite a bit, but it seems I’m still not quite at the level of a chief!
"Ugh!"
The moment I was pushed back!
"Now! Attack as planned!"
I ordered the operation to begin!
"Sha?"
"What? A plan?"
From the start, we were in a position to gang up on the chief. There were four of us, and the chief had mindlessly charged in alone, so he was just one target.
Simply put, it meant we could beat him from all four directions!
If we executed the plan to gang up on him, we could secure a perfect victory!
"Beat him to a pulp! Just don't kill him!"
"Well... understood!"
Vanessa, who had moved to the chief's side the moment I clashed with him, shouted:
"Haaaaap!"
She slammed a side kick directly into the chief!
—Kwang!
"Shwaaaaaaaak!"
Because of that, the chief, who had been locked in a power struggle with me, went flying sideways. No matter how strong you are, if you get ambushed during a power struggle, you’re going to fly. And if you don't fly after taking a direct hit to the flank, you're a spy!
"Shaaaaa!"
—Thud!
At the same time, Sharan leaped in and struck the chief’s wrist with a soccer kick, sending the club he was holding flying away.
"Shwaaaak!"
"Grab him!"
The one who followed up with an attack was me! I threw my body forward and used my entire frame to pin the fallen chief down!
"Shwaaaaaaaak!"
No matter how strong you are, there's no helping it when you're being ganged up on! The captured chief struggled, but between the hit to his flank and his awkward position, he couldn't muster any strength.
"Beat him up!"
The moment I gave the order, the women swarmed in and trampled the chief like crazy.
"Hold him tight! If you let go, you might get stepped on yourself!"
"Sha! Master, don't step on me!"
"U-uh? O-okay! I won't step on you!"
—Thump!
—Kwang!
—Thud!
With Vanessa, Sharan, and even Reika happily kicking him like they were stomping on laundry, the once-valiant chief was reduced to a bloody mess in an instant, vomiting blood.
"Hooray! The attack was a huge success!"
As expected, there is no match for a gang-up. A Demon King must know how to utilize a gang-up. The greatest commanders in history also won because they used the fundamental tactic of ganging up in the right place at the right time.
Actually, calling it a "gang-up" sounds cheap, but if you call it "Lanchester's Laws," it sounds incredibly sophisticated.
And what are Lanchester's Laws? It's the law that says if you gang up, you win.
"Shwaaaaaaaak...! Shwaak!"
Anyway, as I let the chief go, the guy slumped to the ground, vomiting blood and groaning.
He looked like he’d been beaten to a pulp.
"Shwaaaaaaaak...!"
"Shwaaaak!"
At the same time, the Lizardmen who had been relentlessly striking the shields of the Goblin Phalanx’s first row stopped their attack and began to back away slowly.
Did they lose their will to fight after realizing their chief was defeated?
Then, cease fire!
"Buril! Halt! Do not attack until they do!"
"Keruk! Understood!"
—Clack!
The Goblins immediately stopped their attack, and the Imps in the back surrounded the Lizardmen on both sides. Looking at it, the Lizardmen had suffered quite a few casualties. I need them alive to use them as soldiers, but that’s just how conquest goes.
"Shwaaaak...!"
The chief was still vomiting blood.
—Thump.
"Shwaaaak...!"
Soon, all the Lizardmen knelt.
They had given up since their leader wouldn't get up.
"Did they give up because the leader was captured?"
Reika, who had sheathed her sword, said.
"It seems so. Vanessa, please tie up the chief."
"Make the others do the menial labor—"
"Vanessa, hurry. Are you really going to disobey a commander's order during battle?"
"Kuh! A demon like you talking about discipline...!"
"Hurry."
"Understood...!"
Vanessa, having received the rope from the Kobolds, tied the arms and legs of the chief, who was panting heavily while lying prone.
"Shwaaaak... Shwaaaak...!"
The chief was completely neutralized.
He shouted something, but I couldn't understand it.
"Hooray! We won!"
"We captured the chief!"
"Now the Lizardmen are nothing!"
At the same time, the Pixies cheered and jumped around. This time, we didn't even need to use the Pixies' firepower. It was a perfect, overwhelming victory. With this, I knew for sure: if it's a monster tribe with this level of strength, I can subjugate them without much damage.
If I subjugate all the forest tribes like a conqueror, swallowing the human world won't just be a dream.
"Good! We have won! But don't let your guard down! Goblins, maintain the formation, and Imps, bind the Lizardmen's hands and feet!"
"Keruk!"
"Grrrrrrr!"
"Serineu! Pixies, keep a close watch so they don't try anything funny!"
"What should I do if they try something funny?"
"Shoot them immediately!"
"Got it!"
Now, let's finish up the cleanup.
And start the 'work'.
"S-so the Demon King's power grows even stronger! This is a tragedy! You! You intend to use your reinforced forces to harass even more women!"
As I was busy restraining all the Lizardmen, Irene pointed her finger at me in horror.
"Oh my. Sister Irene, you have quite the sharp intuition, don't you?"
"What did you say?!"
"Hehehe, exactly as you said. I intend to use these forces to harass more women and grow my power."
"Oh my god...!"
Irene clutched her head. Liza, who was nearby, stuck to Irene's side and comforted her with something.
Watching that scene, Reika muttered to herself.
"That laugh is seriously fucked up."
"Excuse me, Sister Reika?"
"Stop talking shit and get back to work."
"Ah."
Then she turned and walked away.
My goodness.
"Fufufu, Reika seems to have softened up a lot lately."
"After seeing that?"
"Hasn't she? Anyway, Demon King. What are you going to do now?"
"I have to make that chief my subordinate."
I’ve figured out that their society revolves around the chief. So, if I just subjugate the chief, conquering the tribe becomes possible.
"Sharan! Bring the chief here!"
"Yes! Master!"
—Swoosh.
Sharan immediately dragged the restrained chief over.
"Shwaaaak..."
The emotion in the chief's eyes was resignation. It was natural, given that he had been defeated and was in such a wretched state. I reached out a hand toward him.
"Demon Domination."
It’s a technique I haven't used in a while. Originally, monsters that were somewhat strong or intelligent would resist this domination, but I am significantly stronger now.
—Gooooo.
Dark flames burned from my hand, and the moment I condensed them and brought them to the chief's heart.
"Shwaak?!"
He tried to jerk his body as if having a seizure.
"Sharan."
"Sha!"
But he couldn't beat my bodyguard, Sharan. As soon as she pinned him down, the chief went quiet again. I fully injected the domination technique into him.
With that.
"Sh-shwaaaak...!"
My domination technique had fully taken root in the chief!
"Success! I succeeded on a monster chief-class! Ooooooh!"
A thrill rushed through me! One shot! I succeeded in one shot against a chief-class! I’ve definitely become stronger!
But!
"Sh-shwaaaak...! W-what is this."
"What?"
Huh?
"Sha?"
"Oh my?"
"Ke-keruk?!"
At the voice I heard, I couldn't help but be stunned. Not just me, but all my subordinates nearby.
"A hot power... shwaaaak. Has entered."
"Kererrrrk?! M-master?!"
"Uh, uh?"
"You give such things to a guy who just joined?! Keruk!"
A desperate Buril grabbed my pant leg and shook it!
Naturally, it’s only fair for them to protest if a parachute hire gets such benefits!
"N-no. Buril. It’s a misunderstanding. I just made him a subordinate! Of course, I wouldn't give the power of language to a guy I just dominated...!"
"I-is that so? Keruk!"
What on earth is happening!
"Hey! Lizardman Chief! Say something!"
"Shwaaaak... You, you are..."
"Wow! He really talks!"
This bastard is actually talking!
I didn't even intend for that to happen!
"Sha! Master! What happened?!"
"The Lizardman talked?!"
Sharan and Serineu shouted in surprise. I quickly grasped the phenomenon.
"Perhaps."
This is... yeah. Is it that?
Chief-class monsters are strong. They possess such power within their bodies. In that state... as he accepted the power of me, Kimculus, who has become a significantly strong demon, perhaps the language I use was also injected.
So, because I injected the domination technique into a guy who was already strong, he might have naturally become able to speak... that might be it.
"Anyway! Everyone! It's just a guess for now, so I'll explain later!"
What's important now isn't the explanation!
It's finding out about this effect!
"Lizardman Chief!"
"Shwaak, did you call me..."
"Yes! Let's talk!"
I immediately dragged the chief to a quiet place.
"Shwaaaak. I don't know... A hot power came in, and shwaat-shwaak. I became able to talk to you... Shurarak. Like the other Lizardmen."
After interrogating him, it seemed that a language based on my knowledge had been naturally injected.
"I see. I roughly understand. Anyway, Chief. You know what situation you're in, right?"
"Shwaak-shwaak. We... were defeated. We cannot beat you."
"Yes. You cannot beat us."
"..."
At those words, the chief dropped his head.
His attitude was that of someone waiting for their disposal.
"But I will spare you."
"Sh-shwaak? Spare me...?"
"Yes. Instead, become my subordinate. You will follow my orders. You and all your tribesmen."
"Shwaaaak!"
The startled chief opened his mouth wide.
What, did I say something strange?
"You're sparing me...!"
The chief muttered.
"You spare me even though I was defeated! Thank you! Shurararak!"
"U-uh, uh?"
"I will follow your orders! Shwaak!"
Just like that?
"This guy's judgment is too fast? What's the intention behind saying that?"
"Shwaaaaaak! A being stronger than me! If you spare me, I must naturally follow!"
This bastard is unexpectedly cheerful!
Good!
I like it!
"Yes! From now on, follow my orders! And your name will be Jurassic from now on!"
"JURASSIIIIIC!!!"
The chief roared!
One colony complete!