“Just the name will do.”
“... I am Zaryusu Shasha, and this is Crusch Lulu.”
“That person cannot be… a plant monster? However, since you already bring a hydra here, bringing along a monster to be its food shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.”
“... That is not the case.”
Towards Crusch who was about to shed her weed costume, the strange looking lizardman once again waved his hand to indicate that it was not necessary.
“Don’t treat my joke for real, how troublesome.”
“— !”
Feeling uninterested, the strange looking lizardman gave a brief glance at the bundle of weed which was Crusch before once again turning his gaze towards Zaryusu.
“Then, why have you come?”
“Before that, would you please give us your name?”
“Ah. I am the tribe chief of the Dragon Tusk Tribe, Zenberu Gugu. Feel free to call me Zenberu.”
Zenberu revealed his teeth as he smiled. Although it was within expectations, the fact that a traveller was also the tribe chief still came across as startling news.
But then on the contrary, this was also the most acceptable answer. It was impossible that such a powerful male lizardman was merely a traveller. In truth, at the moment he had appeared, the surrounding hostile intent had immediately dispersed like smoke. This male lizardman possessed such large authority as well as having extraordinary combat prowess and cohesiveness.
“You may also call me simply as Zaryusu. Then, Zenberu, please let us know if there has been any unnatural monster which has visited your village recently.”
“Un, that Supreme One person.”
“Since the opponent has been here, the matter to discuss becomes much simpler—”
Zenberu raised his hand, interrupting Zaryusu’s speech.
“I can roughly guess what you plan to say. However, we only believe in strength. Unsheathe your sword.”
The burly lizardman standing before Zaryusu — the Dragon Tusk tribe chief, Zenberu Gugu — smiled revealing a mouth full of teeth.
“What!”
Only Crusch exclaimed. Zaryusu and the surrounding warriors all showed expressions of agreement.
“... This method is simple, Dragon Tusk Tribe Chief. It keeps the judgment brief, and wastes no time at all.”
“You truly are an outstanding emissary. No, since you are the master of Frost Pain, that should be a given, right?”
¦ ¦ ¦
Selecting the strongest as the tribe chief— for lizardmen this was a natural and ordinary matter.
However, for a problem where the subsistence of the tribe was at stake, was such a simple method of determining an answer appropriate? Shouldn’t this be a matter to be discussed and evaluated by everybody, taking detailed analyses from different approaches before arriving at a conclusion?
Crush thought as such, then realised how coming up with this idea was incredulous.
In reality, all of the surrounding observing warriors, regardless if they were male or female, all agreed with the tribe chief’s judgment. If it were before, she herself would also feel that this decision was one of the options.
Zaryusu and Zenberu.
The two of them standing together looked like a child versus an adult.
Of course, body physique did not determine everything, and as a magic caster she understood this point fully. However after seeing the difference in body build which was like that of heaven and earth, she could not help internally screaming out at herself that she did not wish for it to be like this.
—
There was only one answer which was obvious.
Crusch let out a slight smile. It was both a wry smile and also a self-mocking smile.
Simply put, that was the matter.
In this kind of battle, only rarely would it end with the death of one party. However the meaning of ‘rare’ meant that there was still a possibility of it happening. If the fight escalated to one which involved a loss of reasoning, a life could be easily taken away. Born as a female lizardman, she did not wish that her partner would lose his life because of his participation in this battle.
This also meant to say that in fact, subconsciously, Crusch had long already accepted Zaryusu’s pledge of love.
Honestly accepting her feelings, Crusch walked to the side of Zaryusu who was preparing for battle, and gently tapped his shoulder.
“Are you missing anything in your preparations?”
“Nothing. There are no problems at all.”
Once again Crusch tapped his shoulder.
His powerfully built shoulders.
From a young age, she had walked the path of a druid, and had come into physical contact with male lizardmen’s bodies during prayers, anointment of medicine, and when casting magic. However it seemed like this time spent touching Zaryusu’s body was even longer than those previous times aggregated.
“... What is it?”
Since Crusch had still had not let go, Zaryusu momentarily felt that this was strange.
“—Eh? Ah, that… this is a druid’s blessing.”
“This… will your ancestral spirits still assist me even though I am of a different tribe than Crusch?”
“My tribe’s ancestors are not so narrow-minded. Good luck.”
Crusch withdrew her hands from Zaryusu’s shoulders, and prayed in her heart for her ancestors’ forgiveness. This was because she had lied in order to wish for the man of her heart’s victory.
At the same time, Zenberu was undergoing similar preparations. In his right wrist he held an enormous spear— a metal spear with a length close to three meters, one which ordinary lizardmen would need both arms in order to use.
Then he casually gave it a wave.
The lateral sweeping motion generated a gust of powerful wind, such that Crusch, who was a distance away from that sweeping motion, also felt it.
“Will victo… no, is everything alright?”
“About this… I will adapt to the situation as necessary.”
Crusch originally intended to ask whether it was possible for him to win, but she did not speak out. Zaryusu knew he was facing a battle where defeat was not an option.
Then this male lizardman could not possibly lose. They had only familiarised over their half-day journey, and had only met since one day ago, but if anything Crusch understood one thing well.
This male Lizardman was worthy of being fancied by her.
“Then, are your preparations complete? Bearer of Frost Pain… ah, Zaryusu.”
“They are complete, and we can start anytime.”
Zaryusu cooly turned to have his back facing Crusch, and walked into the perimeter of the fight zone.
Crusch exhaled one breath. The reason was that she could not resist gazing at his back figure.
Crusch’s hand was in contact for a very long time — actually it was not that long — and the warmth left on his shoulder was already slowly disappearing.
The upcoming battle would be simple, similar to the one used for determining tribe chief. Because it was a one versus one fight, therefore the involvement of third parties by adding magic enhancement was a violation of the rules.
When the warmth was still on his shoulders, Zaryusu’s mind was sent into disarray. Whilst Crusch’s hands had not left his shoulders, he almost thought that she had cast some defensive magic on him, but as her tribe's acting chief surely she would not be oblivious to this rule.
Then, even when the other side had clearly not used enchantment magic, why did he currently feel so fired up inside?
Was it because he himself was a male, and wanted to put on a good performance in front of a female? Older brother once said that he was too dense… but this phrase seemed to be untrue now.
Zaryusu entered into the circle made up of lizardmen and swiftly unsheathed Frost Pain. The sword responded to Zaryusu’s command and gave off frosty white mist.
The surrounding lizardmen burst into clamour.
They knew the previous wielders of Frost Pain, and were also survivors of the Sharp Edge Tribe, therefore would have personally recognised the prowess of Frost Pain.
Seeing the ability which only the true owner of Frost Pain could bring out, Zenberu’s hideous facial expression turned into one of delight, revealing his teeth as he growled deeply, just like a wild beast would.
Towards the lizardman in front of him blatantly giving off an eagerness to fight, Zaryusu only coldly threw out a sentence:
“I wouldn’t want you to suffer serious injuries.”
This provocative speech heightened the surrounding lizardmen's antipathy to the maximum, however the subsequent water splash and sound of collision with the water surface brought about by extraordinary momentum silenced the surrounding.
That was the result of Zenberu stabbing the wetlands with his halberd.
“Oh… then let me taste defeat with satisfaction! Hear me well! If I were to die in this battle, he will be your tribe chief! There will be no objections to this!”
The surrounding warriors should have disagreed, but nobody voiced out an objection. In truth, if Zaryusu really did kill Zenberu, everybody would give their obedience even if they had to bite their lips to do so.
“Very well, bring your resolve to kill me to the fight. I should be your toughest opponent to date.”
“Indeed… understood. Then, if I were to die by your hands—”
Zaryusu’s gaze slightly shifted backwards towards Crusch.
“Of course, I will let your woman return home safely.”
“... Not ‘mine’ just yet.”
“Ho, looks like you really do wish to chase that weed monster. Is that female lizardman that good?”
“Extremely so.”
Zaryusu ignored the female Lizardman squatting with her hands covering her face.
“That I really wish to see for myself. If I win, just before I let her go, why don’t I cut her open first.”
Up until then, Zaryusu had a warrior’s willingness to fight. Now another motivation to fight had surfaced.
“... It seems like I now have a reason for me to absolutely not lose. I will not let a fellow like you see Crusch’s face.
“You really do like her to the point that no medicine can save you.”
“Yes, that is how much I like her.”
There were several female lizardmen who spoke some words to the kneeling Crusch, and she immediately gave a denying response by shaking her head to signal them that they should just ignore those two for now.
“Ha!”
Zenberu delightedly laughed out loud.
“Then defeat me! If you were to pass away, it would all amount to nothing!”
“That was my intention all along.”
Zaryusu and Zenberu’s exchange of words concluded at this point and they looked at each other.
“— I’m about to make my move.”
“— Bring it.”
Both lizardmen exchanged brief words, but neither made any movement.
Just as the surrounding observing lizardmen were starting to get restless, Zaryusu began to slowly draw closer. They were in the wetlands filled with water, yet no splashes could be heard.
Zenberu remained still as he waited.
Moments later, the moment when Zaryusu closed in— Something flashed with a loud bang before the eyes of Zaryusu as he lept to the side. That was the sound made by Zenberu’s halberd.