Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: The Fugitive Lizardman
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BOOOOM!
A massive ancient tree, at least decades old, shattered into splinters and scattered everywhere.
It had silently endured the harsh weather of the Great Floodplains, but it couldn't withstand Olga's fury-filled punch.
"Grrrrk! You still haven't caught it?!"
Even after ripping the giant tree to shreds, Olga's rage showed no signs of subsiding. He rampaged wildly, leaving the trolls who had come to report too terrified to speak.
They feared facing his wrath, but more than that, they had nothing to say.
They had chased it right up to their noses, only to let it slip away at the crucial moment—how many times had this happened now?
At this point, even they couldn't claim they'd done their best.
"Grrrk, you idiots...! It's just one fleeing lizardman! You can't even handle something this simple? And you dare call yourselves subordinates of the Fourth Finger?!"
"...Grk! We're sorry, Olga. That lizardman is so cunning, our boys had no choice but to keep getting played while tracking it..."
SMACK!
The adjutant, who had tried to defend his men, clutched his forehead in agony, unable to continue.
...Thud!
The stone that struck his forehead rolled across the ground, and fresh blood trickled from the cracked skin.
"Grk, is that your excuse?! Do you think dressing up your incompetence changes anything?!"
After unleashing his fury, Olga forced himself to calm down and turned back to the adjutant, who was wiping away the blood.
"...Grk! Where was that lizardman last spotted?"
It had already been quite some time since they'd re-entered Takryu territory.
By now, the corpses of the orcs and lizardmen they'd scattered along the other tributaries had likely been discovered.
That meant a massive clash between Golden River and Takryu was imminent.
They had to wrap things up and get out of the area before that happened.
"Grk... Northeast, Olga. Judging by the direction... it's probably heading for the twenty-seventh tributary."
As the adjutant reported while wiping the blood, Olga pieced together the fleeing lizardman's intentions.
"Grrrk! Clever little bastard... It must think if it runs near human borders, we won't dare chase it and will give up."
Thump!
Olga, who had been grumbling for a while, snatched up his battle axe and rose to his feet.
"Lead the way, grrrk! From now on... I'll track it myself."
Time was not on their side.
In this unpredictable situation where Golden River and Takryu could clash anywhere at any moment, relying on these blockheads would only make things worse.
But that didn't mean he'd let this sly lizardman—who had mocked him—go free just because of a lack of time.
"Grrrgrrk! I won't let it escape. I'll catch it for sure... and make it pay for wasting my time, Olga's time."
Olga's eyes gleamed with chilling murderous intent toward the lizardman he'd never even seen.
In Western Heaven, after a brief but intense clash of auras with Regulus, Ian headed with the Latent Dragon Squad toward the small tributary known as the Twenty-Seventh.
Glacia and Bardek, who had traveled from Titan territory to Western Heaven with the squad, decided to remain there.
Even giving them the chance to deliver the mark and return to the clan had been Regulus's concession, given that Takryu had seized Western Heaven by force.
Having judged that the clan had received support through the squad's prowess, Regulus no longer permitted them to come and go freely.
Glacia and Bardek were overseers of Western Heaven.
The more value they held as hostages, the better.
Of course, even if allowed, the two would have declined anyway.
They themselves didn't want to leave Western Heaven.
"We'll trust you and the Second Young Lord. It seems we need to... tend to our clansmen who've suffered here."
Indeed.
There were too many clansmen who had endured hardships in Western Heaven during this short time for them to wander freely outside.
Rustle!
"Sylvia, is this really the right way? The foliage is getting thicker. You know we don't have time to get lost."
Ryu An Pallkion slashed through the thorny bushes blocking the path and asked.
Watching Glacia and Bardek's poignant farewell had left the squad with a heavy burden.
Their success or failure could doom Western Heaven—a key kingdom outpost they'd nurtured—and worsen relations with Takryu.
"I told you, it is! The records say the tributary is just over this hill! See?"
"If it's right, it's right. Why get snippy?"
The pressure made even small things spark bickering among the squad.
"Since Sylvia got us here right, knock it off... and put the map away."
Ian, already atop the hill, spoke up at the squabbling behind him.
"We don't need the map anymore... This is definitely the tributary."
"...?"
Stunned by Ian's words, the squad crested the hill and immediately understood.
Bubble, bubble!
"Ugh..."
The squad grimaced and groaned involuntarily at the horrific scene of the Twenty-Seventh Tributary.
"Th-this... is the Amatres River? Really?"
It was impossible to imagine this as a branch of the clear, blue-famous Amatres River.
The purple-rotted water bubbled like a witch's brew, and fish that once swam peacefully floated belly-up, white and dead.
Maggots and insects swarmed over the long-decayed corpses.
It looked like something out of a demonic realm.
"...Seeing this mess, I get why Regulus flipped out and forcibly occupied Western Heaven."
Takryu was a force led by lizardmen, centered on monsters living along the rivers.
For them, their lifeline—the river—rotting like this was no small matter.
"Captain. What do we do about this?"
Ryu An scratched his head awkwardly and asked.
"We've grown stronger over the winter, sure... but this needs a specialist unit like the Heavenly Flower Squad. Investigation isn't our forte."
"Hmm..."
Ian was just as stumped by Ryu An's point.
He'd been racking his brains more than usual lately, but he still firmly believed a well-honed body made the mind's job easier.
He was far more comfortable using his body than his head.
Shredding enemies or smashing them? No problem. But tackling vague issues like this? Not his expertise.
"Ugh...!"
After pondering, Ian made a decision.
That's why the strike team had smart squad members.
If he couldn't do it, he'd let them handle it.
"First, let's scoop some water and check it out.
Swoosh!
Ian turned to the three smartest in the squad.
"Sylvia, test the water for toxins. Dane, check for magical traces. Helena, try purifying it. We need to see if holy power works before making plans."
"Hmm, never seen anything like this... but yeah, got it, Captain."
"Understood."
"Urgh..."
The three reacted differently but moved as ordered while Ian turned to the others.
"Captain, what about us?"
Ralph Kalia and Ryu An, left idle, asked. Ian tapped his weapon casually.
"What can muscle-headed weapon swingers do here? Ralph, stand guard while they investigate. Ryu An, you're with me searching the area. If this was deliberate malice, there might be clues."
"Got it."
Ryu An grabbed his sword and followed Ian.
As the two moved away from the bank, the three dove into their tasks.
Splash!
Dane poured blue reagent into a glass of water—no reaction.
"Hmm, not super acidic."
"No reaction to deadly poison either. Something slow-acting..."
Flash!
While Dane and Sylvia tested with reagents and toxins, Helena slammed holy power into the water.
"Ugh, the toxicity is blocking it... I'll need to adjust the amount. Dane! Can I borrow a few glasses?"
"Here. Ralph, watch our backs."
Dane winked at Ralph playfully.
Focused experiments made them oblivious to surroundings—crucial in the Great Floodplains, where guards were vital.
"...Don't worry."
With Ralph's assurance, the three focused fully on the tributary, backs exposed to him trustingly.
For some reason, that triggered a memory in Ralph.
Manus's words resurfaced:
-Take out a few on this mission... The more, the better reward. This is a promise in Patriarch Wilhelm Kalia's name.
And the vial from Kalia's infirmary... All-Heal.
Its potent scent still lingered in his nostrils.
'Just another warrior... or someone to etch in history.'
Ian and Ryu An were absent now.
Even improved, only Sylvia could block his ambush up close.
How much time passed?
...Shing!
Silent Ralph raised his halberd and approached the three.
Rustle!
"...Captain."
While searching the tributary area away from the squad, Ryu An cautiously spoke to Ian.
"Is Ralph... really okay?"
In the past month, Ralph had withered rapidly. He hadn't shown up for training in the last week.
Yet Ian had only spoken to him en route to Western Heaven, saying nothing before.
Ian believed Ralph would come around, so he waited—but to Ryu An, it looked like abandonment.
"Ralph seems rough, but he's sensitive deep down. Might not meet your standards, Captain... but please look out for him."
'...I see. That's how it looked to the others.'
Ian reflected on his oversight at Ryu An's careful words.
Some things didn't transmit without words.
"...Yeah. After this mission, we'll make up his skipped training together."
"...Heh heh heh! Sounds good."
Ryu An grinned, relieved by Ian's positive response.
How long had they searched while chatting?
Rustle!
"!"
"!"
At the faint noise, Ian and Ryu An whipped around.
Below the hill, by a small marsh, a deer drank from a trickling stream—more like moisture seeping from mud, undrinkable, but better than the tributary.
Ian and Ryu An exchanged nods.
Stuck with jerky and dried veggies since entering the floodplains, fresh meat dangled before them.
"I'll take it."
"I'll prep it back at camp, Captain."
Tasks divided in seconds.
Ian drew his greatsword and swung at the deer.
Shreeeng!
A blade that matched Regulus crushed the ordinary deer effortlessly.
Splat!
The greatsword pierced its head; the deer collapsed without suffering.
"Nice!"
Ryu An cheered Ian's clean kill—no wounds on the prime body thanks to headshot.
Tonight, the squad would feast on fresh venison—a hearty meal and comfort amid pressure.
As Ryu An approached joyfully, a rude intruder stole their prize.
Splash!
A lizardman burst from the marsh, snatched the carcass in its jaws, and dragged it under.
"...?"
"...?"
The two blinked, processing.
Ian snapped first.
"What are you waiting for, Ryu An? Chase it!"
Sheathing his sword, Ian rushed to the marsh.
A lone lizardman surviving the polluted tributary? Not normal.
It might know something about this.
Ryu An realized the same, sword drawn, following urgently.
Their eyes burned with resolve to solve this crisis.
...Definitely not just about the stolen venison.
Probably.