Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Froglin Scouts
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"Froglins?"
Rakrak was well acquainted with frogs.
Slimy swimmers that hopped about, some even poisonous.
'Though after the god's blessing, even the poisonous ones became edible.'
There were plenty in the ponds, and toward the end of harsh winters when food grew scarce, they dug their way out of the earth and made for easy eating.
The footprints looked similar, but the size was off.
"Froglins. The kind that walk on two legs."
"Do they speak?"
"As well as we do."
Froglins stuck to riverbanks and lakes, making encounters rare even for lizardmen with their wide-ranging territories.
Rakrak flipped through the underbrush, counting the prints.
"Not just one. Quite a few. Five?"
"Looks like they're scouting us too."
"Hostile?"
"They might be, since they settled here first. But not necessarily. They're like other two-legged folk—some bad, some good."
Having finished scouting, Rakrak and Star Reader returned to their makeshift village for a council.
It included Jaol, who handled internal affairs, and Yur, the top warrior.
"It seems a Froglin tribe has taken root nearby. We can't be sure of their numbers, and they're avoiding us for now, so we don't know if they're good or bad. But their wariness alone means we can't assume the best. Share your thoughts on what to do."
Yur spoke first.
"I'll follow the Tribal Chief's lead."
Jaol sighed.
"Yur, no one matches your hunting skills, but you need more wisdom."
"What do you mean, Jaol?"
"We'll follow the Chief anyway. But his word isn't always perfect, right?"
Yur nodded.
"When tying up the cattle, my knots were better than the Chief's. And he started using mine after."
Rakrak snorted.
Jaol smiled faintly.
"We respect the Chief's view, so if he speaks first, we won't argue. That's why he's giving us the chance to speak first—to hear more ideas."
Star Reader nodded in agreement, and Yur let out a small gasp of realization.
"Ah, got it. Actually, I had something to say."
"What?"
"You haven't said much, so I held back, but we need a clearer picture of their strength. What if I lead a scouting party deeper?"
Jaol pondered carefully before replying.
"I'm against it."
"Why?"
"This land is bountiful, if dangerous."
Yur looked puzzled, but Rakrak and Star Reader nodded.
"If they're like us, thriving here means they're strong too. Our tribe exceeds three hundred, but theirs could be larger. We must assume much bigger. Whether hostile or not, that's the risk."
Yur half-accepted it.
"But don't we have our god with us? If their power matches ours, our Bone Warriors will prevail."
"Can't guarantee that. Even if stronger, more numbers tip the scales against us."
Rakrak agreed with Jaol.
"Warriors guard the tribe first. But we can't stay blind. Instead of deep scouts, send them wide. Learn their territory, check for others or threats, without leaving us exposed. Don't send too many or too far at once. Yur, meet with the warriors and plan scouting by tomorrow, then report to me."
"Understood, Tribal Chief."
The Bone Warriors numbered around forty now—not just the originals, but also Blue Skins blessed directly by Seong-un.
Few for the tribe's size, but roles weren't rigid, making it fluid. Handing it to Yur, who knew them all, made sense to Seong-un.
Next, Jaol spoke.
"Tribal Chief, we must consider them watching us too."
"Good point, Jaol. Ideas?"
Jaol nodded.
"Unclear intentions mean prepare for the worst. If they see us as small and weak, they might attack."
"True."
"So exaggerate our numbers visually. Plenty of wood here for fires. Keep extra watch fires burning at night—even useless ones. They'll think our tribe twice as big. Good for vigilance too, and accounts for scouting parties."
The others agreed.
More guards meant tired dayshifts, but the gain outweighed it.
"Do it. But rotate fairly, no complaints."
"Yes."
Finally, Star Reader.
"Nothing major."
"Speak freely."
"Change how we build houses."
Currently, they dug pits, framed with wood, then thatched with branches, leaves, and reeds against rain.
Digging aided insulation, a holdover from Blue Skin days.
"Why?"
"Warmer here than before. Roots everywhere underground, damp too. And rain will come more often, though not yet."
Rakrak accepted the one-armed guide's wisdom. Star Reader's scales had darkened like his own—thanks to the god's blessing.
"Fine. Oversee building in my name."
Star Reader nodded.
A few days passed in the new home.
The cattle adapted well, content with abundant feed. Less milking freed hands for hunting and gathering.
Lizardmen steadily mapped the area.
Rakrak actively used the 'writing' he'd discovered.
When scouts returned, he always heard reports from the large flat rock in the village center.
"Headed that way: left at sunrise, hit a small river by midday."
"Flow direction?"
"From sunrise side... diagonally like this."
"Width?"
"Not wide. About this tree."
Rakrak nodded, etching the river on the rock with hammer and spear-tip.
The rock showed the village central, scaled by distance for terrain.
Evolved from hunt markers into a 'map,' infused with writing's permanence.
Practical: scouts referenced it in Rakrak's absence, refining knowledge.
It sparked tribe-wide interest in records.
Stability bred leisure.
Rakrak encouraged writing without overworking: track daily fruit hauls to spot slackers fairly.
Jaol worried.
"Won't that shame the slow ones?"
"Maybe. But that's not my point."
Actually, records spurred diligence before blame: hard workers eased up, laggards stepped up.
As Rakrak foresaw.
But he gained deeper insight.
'Memory allows compromise, breeding hidden resentments without proof. Records demand care—they endure.'
Not game-system level yet, but Seong-un spotted the seed.
Simple finds mean little.
Record culture unlocks new possibilities.
Recognizing that was step one.
'Doing better than expected.'
Truthfully, Seong-un hadn't focused much on Rakrak's tribe lately.
His only true followers, but gods in Lost World did more than manage tribes.
Seong-un commanded three massive bug swarms.
Not direct control—each a growing force.
One: western locust swarm, indirectly benefiting Rakrak by eliminating threats or variables.
Another: distant southern forest, unknown to Rakrak's tribe.
A Lost World 'subdomain farming' spot: Seong-un spawned insects, turning it into a writhing hive.
Bug subdomain hit level 4, unlocking new skills.
No nearby players to contest; his remote peninsula start kept it hidden.
'Gotta milk this player-scarce advantage.'
Near players mean civ clashes yield tech gains—like Blue Skins vs. Rakrak—but he'd just break even.
... For now.
The third swarm, also unknown to Rakrak, was close—not a hive, but newly created.
Reason Seong-un lured Rakrak here.
'The abomination surprised me.'
Ancient Scarab was an outlier, but Jaol smoothed it over.
Rakrak's recent leadership shone.
'Let me finish preps.'
The Froglin tribe awaiting Rakrak? Long-known to Seong-un.
'The one I hesitated over versus Rakrak's at the start.'
Then five hundred strong; he'd watched. Could've been second or third pick.
But it had a rare 'special event.'
'Made it tricky for backup.'
Now, event-boosted to fifteen hundred.
Reason for pitting against Rakrak's tribe.
'Growth demands tribal exchange—and collision.'
Seong-un watched their first meeting.
"Tribal Chief! Froglins approaching!"
Rakrak calmly queried the warrior from the central hut.
"Didn't I say? Report numbers, arms, speed."
"Sorry. Group of six... no, seven. All armed. Walking slowly."
"Anything else?"
"Well..."
Rakrak paused briefly but decided to judge firsthand.
'Armed but walking means talk possible. Small numbers.'
He led ten armed warriors to intercept before the village.
Ten for safety without intimidation.
The tribes met in a small forest clearing.
Scouts' info lessened the strangeness of first sight.
Slimy skin, smaller than lizardmen.
Large eyes with transparent lids, short sturdy necks typical.
'And that...
Rakrak confirmed the reported oddity.
Six Froglins—and beside them, a brown-scaled lizardman.