Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Seawater Subdomain
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Choi Seong-un burst into reflexive laughter.
"Ah, so that's how it was."
Even if the Two-Headed Abomination was low-level for an early-game boss, and even if Seong-un had weakened it with disease as much as possible, it was still a god with a subdomain.
Even at level 1, it could create or manipulate matter corresponding to that subdomain, wielding some divine power.
"The downside of random generation, huh."
But the Two-Headed Abomination was in a lake, not the sea.
"Serpents can spawn anywhere there's water. Does the real world follow almost the same rules as the game Lost World? Or did this abomination once live by the seaside and somehow end up here? ...Or is that the lore?"
In any case, it had made dealing with the Two-Headed Abomination much easier.
"The problem is that the Subdomain: Seawater isn't something I need right now..."
Manipulating water was an incredibly valuable ability.
That's why, at the subdomain stage rather than major domain, water was divided into various subdomains.
Among them, the most valuable were seawater and rivers.
"But a river subdomain would have been better. It's tied to flood control. The Lizardmen are set on nomadism for now, but the next race should be a riverside tribe for balance..."
On the other hand, to make full use of the Subdomain: Seawater, several conditions were required.
"Go to the sea to use this subdomain...? We're completely inland right now. Not a very meaningful strategy."
So while obtaining the subdomain was good, there wasn't much to celebrate.
"It's fine. It's not useless. It'll come in handy someday."
After pondering future strategies for a moment, Seong-un realized Slatis was still there.
Unlike "Possession," where the god directly inhabits a body, Slatis didn't cost much to maintain.
Plus, he could be summoned when needed and unsummoned back to stasis anytime, so in the future, for exerting physical force, Seong-un would mostly summon Slatis over using Possession.
"Of course, factoring in my divinity level, Possession is stronger, and I could use both if necessary."
Having set Slatis with a combat-advantage personality, Seong-un felt he came off a bit fanatical or solemn.
But there was no need to worry.
If it followed Lost World's system, Slatis was an eternal ally who would never betray Seong-un.
"If I leave them like this, the Lizardmen will keep at it all night."
Seong-un gave a wry smile as he looked at the Lizardmen across the lake, then approached Slatis.
Seong-un was fundamentally imperceptible to all beings on the planet, but Slatis, of course, could recognize his creator.
As Seong-un walked through the air, Slatis's voice resonated in his mind.
'Creator, have I acted according to your will?'
The speech felt a bit weighty, but it suited his appearance, so Seong-un decided to leave it.
'Well done. Rest until next time.'
'When the time comes, I shall serve the Creator's will once more.'
As Seong-un unsummoned him, Slatis dissolved into shadow and vanished.
"Created Being: Slatis" was added to Seong-un's inventory.
"The Lizardmen have quieted down now too. ...Rakrak, you're not the type to just sit still like this, are you?"
Seong-un gazed across the lake.
Rakrak saw Slatis depart and rallied the warriors.
"Today, we claim perfect victory. We've confirmed the island is empty, so we'll swim across. We need someone to guide us to the Froglins' upper village. Any volunteers?"
At his words, grayish-brown-skinned Lizardmen stepped forward one by one.
Owen, covered in soot with his face bloodied, raised his head.
"I'll go."
"You look like you need rest."
"To see my son anyway, I have to go to the island. I'm not tired yet."
Rakrak looked down silently, then nodded.
"Then you lead the way."
At that, one grayish-brown-skinned Lizardman approached Rakrak.
"Forgive my rudeness, black-scaled Lizardman."
"Call me Rakrak."
"My apologies. Rakrak, Tribal Chief."
"What is it?"
"Please, let us help you too. I beg you."
Rakrak looked down at the Lizardman who had spoken.
It was an old, injured Lizardman.
"You're no warrior. You can't fight properly in that state."
"I was a warrior once. Not anymore. But warriors aren't the only ones who can kill Froglins."
"Non-warriors will kill non-warrior Froglins."
"...I've already done that."
Rakrak eyed the club in the old, injured Lizardman's hand.
Blood dripped from it thickly—not Lizardman blood, by the looks of its viscosity.
The grayish-brown-skinned Lizardman spoke.
"I know it's not honorable. You can call me cowardly for starting this now that the chance arose, or say a non-warrior overstepped... But seeing you fight ignited something in my chest. And this burning in my heart didn't start today—it's been smoldering since the day these Froglins made me a slave, long ago."
"Indignation, huh."
"...Indignation."
"An utterly unjust rage."
"Yes. This is indignation. I have to unleash it."
"Not at someone else's bidding, but a torch rising from your own heart."
"Yes. I must burn the Froglins with this torch."
The Lizardman wept.
"This rage for losing my mate, my children, my grandchildren. I must repay it somehow."
Rakrak turned to the lined-up grayish-brown-skinned Lizardmen.
By his standards, few held proper weapons.
They weren't even healthy—sickly, starved to skin and bones, covered in unhealed whip scars.
"They'll struggle to fight properly. The enemy still has forces and bows and arrows. I don't want these exhausted and injured ones dying or getting hurt anymore. If we fight, some will surely fall. Our warriors alone might fight more safely. But..."
Rakrak said,
"You're right. You have just cause, and I have no right to stop you."
"...Just cause?"
"Revenge."
Rakrak addressed the grayish-brown Lizardmen.
"Those seeking revenge, follow me. Never forfeit your rights."
They all raised their weapons and cheered.
Rakrak said to Jaol,
"Jaol, protect the rest."
"Don't worry. What about the kids on the island?"
"Some will be exhausted after swimming. I'll send them back on rafts with the children."
"Got it."
The warriors entered the water first, followed by about fifty more avengers.
Eighty Lizardmen, snouts and noses above water, crossed the lake.
As Rakrak predicted, about ten who reached their limit midway rode rafts back to the lower village with the children.
Jaol directed the healthy ones to tend the injured and rest.
Rakrak loaded the remaining rafts with those too weak to swim, put Yur in charge, and sent them far around to the upper village.
Yur asked,
"Hit them from both sides?"
"Yes. They'll be guarding the lakeshore. We have enough numbers now to split."
"A feint, then. My forty can't fight properly, but appearing from the shadows will sow chaos."
"Exactly. When their attention scatters, I'll attack the lakeshore with the warriors."
"You sure?"
"They have fewer than ten real fighters left anyway. And while swimming to the island, I discovered another blessing from the god."
Yur asked in surprise,
"What is it?"
"Our scales are black. In the dark, catching moonlight, they'll shimmer like fish scales."
Rakrak's prediction was spot on.
All the battles in the upper village unfolded exactly as he planned.
Shunen saw his father Aulroy pierced by spears and killed, then bolted.
"H-how did this happen! T-Two-Headed Abomination! H-how...!"
Shunen cried out to the already-dead god.
The dismembered corpse gave no reply.
Intact Froglins had already fled the village, only the itch-diseased, breathless ones getting caught by Lizardmen.
"You idiots!"
Shunen muttered under his breath, not daring to shout.
"Even with their warriors, we outnumber them vastly. Even among the sick, some can fight. Plenty of elders can still draw bows. If we just buy time to regroup, we can counterattack..."
But Shunen realized no one could do that.
His father Aulroy had been a brave warrior in his prime.
But from some point... no, precisely since the Two-Headed Abomination awoke in the lake, he became enamored of its power.
The Two-Headed Abomination handled what Aulroy wanted in exchange for sacrifices.
Aulroy eliminated rivals, drove out hostile tribes, repelled cockatrices.
It seemed a fine deal at first.
But after entrusting everything to a god's power instead of his own, Aulroy ceased being a warrior.
Since everyone learned "warrior" qualities from Aulroy, for Froglins, being a warrior meant cunning deceit and feigned weakness over courage.
"...Everyone became cowards."
Shunen realized even about himself.
"...Me too."
But the realization came too late.
In his mind, Shunen wanted to rush out, tell the Froglins not to fear, that victory was still possible.
He imagined shooting arrows into charging Lizardmen heads, rallying Froglins to repel them.
But it was mere fantasy.
"Damn it... damn it..."
Shunen hid in a hut.
He'd seen a group of Lizardman warriors passing nearby.
The black-scaled Lizardmen were fast and agile; he couldn't outrun them.
Shunen held his breath, listening to the Froglins' final gasps as they inflated their throats, then peeked out when it quieted.
"...Gone?"
"So here you are."
Shunen whipped around in shock.
His hand went to his quiver instinctively, but he'd wasted them all.
He'd lodged a few in Lizardmen bodies, but none fatal, and the poison frog venom was useless too. Relying on poison meant he never aimed for vitals—a bad habit now.
The shadow revealed its face.
"...Ra-Rakrak."
"Shunen. Aren't you a warrior? Stand and draw your blade. I'll let you keep your last shred of honor."
"P-please spare me."
"Not fighting?"
"Please spare me. W-we've shared time together, right? No hard feelings between us."
"There were no hard feelings."
"Yes! We Froglins were coerced by the Two-Headed Abomination too."
"Hm."
As Rakrak seemed displeased, Shunen scrambled mentally.
"R-right. I'll tell you a secret. What do you say?"
"What secret?"
"How to make bows. You were curious about the bowstring material. If I tell you..."
"Tell me. What is it?"
Shunen realized he wasn't in a bargaining position.
"...Human back tendons."
"Ah."
Rakrak understood immediately.
He'd thought some animal's, but it always felt off. From two-legged walkers, it fit for Froglin-sized bows.
"So which race's back tendons for those bows?"
Shunen muttered in dismay, too late.
"...L-Lizardmen."
"I see. This bow too?"
Rakrak pointed to the one slung across his chest, taken from Owen.
Shunen nodded.
"So that's it."
Rakrak tilted his head, his face receding into shadow again.
Only his eyes gleamed; Shunen couldn't read his thoughts.
Shunen braced for death.
But Rakrak's words were unexpected.
"Fine. There's no bad blood between us. I've already won perfectly. Plus, you offered a deal, and I'll honor it. Go, Shunen."
"R-really?"
"Yes."
Rakrak stepped away from the hut entrance.
Shunen fled in panic before Rakrak could change his mind, not noticing the familiar-faced Lizardman beside him.
Owen said to Rakrak,
"Y-you're letting him go?"
"Yes."
Rakrak unslung his bow and nocked an arrow.
"I needed a moving target."