It seemed reasonable at first, but it didn’t hold water.
Zaryusu stood far from the lizardmen, watching the gathering lizardmen warriors.
Everyone had warpaint representing their ancestors on them, their face showed will as tough as steel. They seemed to think they wouldn’t lose.
The lizardmen around them cheered the warriors on. In that group, expressions of unease could be seen clearly.
To keep the anxiety in his heart from showing, Zaryusu worked hard to show a poker face in front of the other lizardmen, keeping them away from the truth of this fight being a sacrificial offering to the Overlord of Death.
This was a battle where the Overlord of Death was going to display his might to the lizardmen, to completely crush the lizardmen’s will to resist. They had no chance of winning from the very start. Shasuryu’s words from earlier actually entailed the wish to keep the sacrifice to the minimum.
Zaryusu averted his eyes from the lizardmen and glared at the enemy territory with sharp eyes.
The skeleton army was rooted in the same spot, not moving an inch. The figure of a monster by the name of Cocytus could not be seen around them. It couldn’t be a skeleton, he is someone the Overlord of Death trusted, there is no way he is a minion level monster. He must be someone whose will is so obviously strong that you can even feel it to the tip of your tail with just one look.
The sound of a large creature moving in the wetlands could be heard from behind the anxious Zaryusu—
“— Hey, Zaryusu.”
— Zenberu greeted nonchalantly as usual. Even though they were heading towards death, Zenberu was his usual self.
“Our morale seems to be at its peak.”
“Yes it is, it will be great if it keeps at this level in the face of the powerful enemy, Cocytus…”
“Yeah. Oh? It’s time?”
Shasuryu appeared at the main gate, and all eyes fell on him and the two wetland fairies beside him.
Crusch was absent because she exhausted all her mana to summon the wetland fairies. After having cast several long time defensive buffs and summoned the fairies, the intense mana toll made her immobile. When the two of them left the room, Crusch already told Zaryusu she will lose consciousness from overusing mana, and that this will be the last time they see each other.
Zaryusu who didn’t have his mate besides him cast a lonesome gaze in Crusch’s direction. Her face when she bid farewell broke Zaryusu’s heart.
“Warriors, advance!”
Shasuryu’s uplifting command raised the morale of the lizardmen to new height.
He had to change his mindset to that of a warrior. Zaryusu gathered his thoughts.
Under the lead of Shasuryu and the two wetland fairies, the lizardmen marched forth slowly.
They moved away from the village to avoid collateral damage to it.
Zaryusu and Zenberu were the rear guard.
Zaryusu looked back at the village suddenly. The tattered mud walls, the worried group of lizardmen seeing them off, and—
Zaryusu sighed and shook his worries away and took large stride forward. He didn’t utter the name of the female lizardman that was right at his lips.
The lizardmen traversed the wetlands, forming up between the enemy skeleton army and the village.
There was no particular formation, the lizardmen simply gathered randomly as they waited for the upcoming battle. The only clear arrangement was that the various tribe chiefs, Zaryusu and the two wetland fairies were standing in front.
The skeleton army was probably waiting for Zaryusu and the others to come. The skeletons banged on their shields and marched forward.
If the timing was even slightly off, it would just sound like random noise from a marching army, but their movements were in sync and the sound was as one. In a different setting, this performance would be worthy of applause and praise.
While the sound drew the attention of the lizardmen, to the rear of the skeletons— several trees in the forest fell.
There was only one reason why the thick large trees fell. Someone cut them down.
This caused a commotion among the lizardmen.
As they couldn’t see how it was done, it might be possible that this was a handiwork of several beings. However, the timing between the felling of each tree was too tidy. After seeing the synchronized movement of the skeletons, it might be possible for several beings working together to achieve that, but not a single lizardmen thought this was the case here.
A strange premonition lingered in their hearts, the feeling that this was the work of just one being.
This was because there was no sound of blade cutting into the trees before they fell. Which meant that it might be improbable, but it was done by a very strong being in one stroke.
What kind of strength and weapon could cut a large tree in one strike?
The thuds of falling trees together with the banging of shields came closer to the lizardmen.
Anxious feelings welled up. This was expected, how could anyone keep calm in such a situation. Even Zenberu who had the resolve to die, or Zaryusu and Shasuryu were shaken even though they hid it well.
Moments later, the one opening a path in the forest revealed itself. At the same time, the banging of the shields stopped.
In the eerily silent space, a smooth blue circle appeared before them. If not for the thick clouds, there was no telling how bright his reflection would be.
That large body of 250cm in height looked like an insect standing on two legs. The appearance was like that of an ant or mantis, a hybrid born of a twisted devil.
Its hard exoskeleton had a frosty air about it, sparkling like diamond dust.
It had a spiked tail that was twice its height and powerful jaws that looked powerful enough to chew off a human arm in one bite.
He had four clawed arms with shiny gauntlets gracing each one. A round golden necklace was worn around its neck and silver bangles adorned its legs.
The powerful being on par with the Overlord of Death— made its appearance.
So this is Cocytus?
Zaryusu’s heart raced and his breathing became ragged.
None of the lizardmen spoke. Their eyes were drawn to the monster that showed itself, unable to shift their gaze away. Even though they were afraid, they were too scared to look away.
The group backed away unconsciously. Be it the lizardmen who came with rousing fighting spirits or Zaryusu and the others who came here with the resolve to die, all of them were stunned in the face of dominating power.