Volume 5 - CH 50

Act 5-50: Turmoil Before Decisive Battle

Two days later, our allied force came to the wetland region to train our siege formations for the sake of defeating that azure dragon―― Cetus. This wetland region provided us with an extremely wide area required for practice.

There was a huge swamp in this wetland region. And no one but the lizardman could find the location of that swamp. And once you stepped into that swamp, not even that azure dragon―― Cetus could escape from it at the moment of notice. We would unleash an all out attack at that moment. It was a simple tactic, but also the only one with a chance to subjugate Cetus without having casualty on our side as long as we fulfilled certain conditions.

The 1st step was having Cetus to get into the swamp.

The 2nd step was our attack on Cetus.

The 3rd step was preventing Cetus from getting out of the swamp.

Fulfilling all steps aside, if even one of those conditions failed, we―― Wouldn’t be able to subjugate the dragon.

Nevertheless, we have Ruu-san for the 2nd condition, I have my plan for the 1st and the 3rd conditions. I think we might be able to manage it somehow.

When I tried to make an arrangement in the wetland――

『Why do I have to follow this human’s plan!?』

Crocodas raised an objection while pointing his two pronged spear at me.

『Crocodas-sama, this is not the time for  something trivial like this!』

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Another man with crocodile head-the subordinate apparently- tried to stop Crocodas, only to faint in agony after Crocodas struck that man’s solar plexus with the butt end of his spear.

『This great me follows no one!』

He spat at his passed out subordinate with bloodshot eyes, and then pointed his spear at me again.

Oh crap. Those bloodshot eyes. He was serious. This guy really wanted to kill me right before the decisive battle.

From the very beginning, I already had a bad feeling about this. The most vital part of our plan was cooperation. In this situation, I wouldn’t be able to participate in this plan even if Ruu-san told me to participate.

「You bastard――」

Chato, who stood beside me almost grabbed the hilt of his short sword strapped on his waist but,

「There’s fool like this wherever you go.」

Ruu-san, who stood beside Chato, stopped the latter faster than me, speaking while heaving a sigh.

『Hah!? What did ya mean!?』

Seeing Crocodas who pointed his spear at Ruu-san while glaring angrily at the latter, I realized that Chigi who usually mediates the situation at times like this had this twitched smile on his face.

「Fool…」

""

Even Bhu shook his head in disappointment while muttering those words. Maybe he meant that someone who know about Ruu-san’s strength wouldn’t do something as stupid as this Crocodas.

Crocodas’ tribe had a long history of conflict with Bhu’s tribe. That’s why though he knew how terrifying Bhu’s strength was, he had no idea about Ruu-san’s strength.

Though Ruu-san seems like a gentle and sane person at glance, that only for when he was outside of combat. He was the kind of person who showed no mercy in battle, a perfect killing instrument. In fact, only the people who ever went to battle with him know how he was slowly, and very carefully dismantling the demon race, who tortured and killed parents of cyclops right before their own child, while humming with faint smile on his face, as if enjoying the agony of the demon race from the beginning till the end.

That’s why even Cyclon, one of the leaders of the big three of combat races, is tipping his hat for Ruu-san. More like truly scared of him from the bottom of his heart.

「Oh, my bad. I love to call anyone who don’t know their place as fool.」

『You think I’m that weak!?』

「Yeah, weak indeed. There’s many others stronger than you in this world. Frankly speaking, you fall under the category of truly weak in this world. Trying to push yourself into danger is the proof of your idiocy, are you trying to kill all your comrades too?」

『This is… Not my style! I’m the kind that charges from the front. How dare a mutt like you boss me around!』

Crocodas pointed his spear at Ruu-san while shouting at the latter.

Luckily, or unluckily perhaps, he never saw Ruu-san in battle before. Anyone who ever saw Ruu-san in combat would never dare to address him as “Mutt”.

『Enough of this, Crocodas!』

Cyclon tried to stop Crocodas, clearly preventing the latter from going too far but,

『Not even you can stop me, Cyclon-san! Let me to teach this Mutt what persuasion by power really means!』

When Crocodas was about to charge at Ruu-san with his spear, Ruu-san looked at the horizon while clicking his tongue.

（They are already here huh…）

The moment I saw him muttering those words while drawing the long sword on his back, I followed his line of sight.

『How dare you――Where are you lo-!?』

Crocodas shouted angrily as he grabbed Ruu-san’s shoulder but he fell on his rear the moment he saw the being that appeared before Ruu-san.

That was only natural. The human-shaped being who stood before me with white mask covering their face released a baleful aura that distorted the air around him.

（Oh cra*p, this guy is bad news!）

The soil and the water on the ground within the influence of his aura slowly started to float in the air. Dammit, that was a piece of real bad news! They had the majesty of an overwhelming strongman which eclipsed even the slender blue-haired man who raided this village a few months ago.

How did I meet such a monster at this kind of timing? If I’m not mistaken, this guy―― Might be even more dangerous than our current subjugation target, the giant azure dragon, Cetus.

「Listen to me, you guys can’t win against that fella. I’ll be this guy’s opponent. I’ll leave Cetus to you guys.」

Ruu-san walked toward the monster that released such a baleful aura while carrying the long sword on his shoulder.

The next moment, a heavy clash of metal resounded.