NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 381
The Lizardmen can be said to be a race born for battle.
With a toughness that can’t even be compared to other races, they have sharp senses, quick reflexes, and an aggressive nature, often surpassing even the Beastmen.
If we were to compare them to buildings, other races might be ordinary houses or wooden shacks, while the dwarves might have sturdy homes carved from solid caves. The Lizardmen, however, are like a castle built on a solid foundation, so strong it would be no surprise.
Plus, they’ve got protective scales, sharp claws, and impressive endurance. It’s as if the Goddess of Life labored over creating these beings specifically for combat.
But even these tough Lizardmen have their weaknesses. For starters, they are heavily affected by their environment, and the whole race tends to lean towards goodness.
In strict terms, the fact that the whole race has good tendencies isn’t exactly a weakness… but if the Lizardmen’s hearts were not pure, they might have conquered this world by now. Considering that, one could argue it’s a weakness.
…
First off, let’s talk about their most notable weakness: environmental weakness. Humidity.
Lizardmen originally thrive near water and can’t function properly without adequate hydration. It’s almost their only physical shortcoming in a race that seems devoid of flaws.
However, this drawback can be somewhat mitigated through magic using water spirits… so nowadays, it isn’t a massive issue anymore.
…
Considering the strength of the Lizardmen, it’s almost unheard of for them to cause problems, largely due to their strict adherence to goodness.
Their nature is that of warriors and hunters, and they live as practitioners and scholars, with their leaders being priests and mages.
They have deep faith in their tribal god, the Creator Dragon God, and live with that teaching embedded in their hearts, which probably allows them to carry such benign intentions.
…
But there’s another trait of the Lizardmen that can’t be hidden by their goodwill—aggressiveness.
Their nature, which reveres and yearns for strength, mixes with their robust physiques and warrior qualities, giving rise to an unmistakable aggressiveness.
Usually, they hone their strength through training and competing with other strong individuals, but occasionally, when a wandering monster or an invader enters Lizardmen territory… these Lizardmen unleash their aggression without reservation.
The usually composed and serious Lizardmen vanish, revealing their raw strength as they repel foes, a sight that often frightens onlookers with its brutality and violence.
However, that violence is only directed towards the enemies of the Lizardmen. Ordinary people have no need to fear them.
But if someone possesses enough strength to be acknowledged by the Lizardmen… well, sadly, they won’t be able to avoid their attention.
In such cases, competing in strength with them will likely ease many concerns.
Isn’t there a saying? If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.
– A Guide for Adventurers Exploring the World. Volume on the Lizardmen.
¹) The Goddess of Life is the creator of all life in this world, but the Lizardmen deny this fact due to their unique beliefs.
The dragon god known as the Creator Dragon God awakened from a massive egg and created this world, flowing magical power to give birth to countless natural phenomena, crafting every living being in this world—from slimes to dragons—according to the Lizardmen’s faith.
It is believed that some aspects of this dragon god’s actions overlap with the Goddess of Life, resulting in an ancient belief in the Goddess of Life flowing into Lizardmen, which led to the creation of faith in a dragon god that resembles them, the Creator Dragon God.
²) This Creator Dragon God possesses an aspect not seen in other beliefs, known as the Destruction Dragon God.
This is a belief in the end of the world, extremely rare in other faiths. It is said that the Creator Dragon God, having grown disillusioned with the world, transforms into the Destruction Dragon God—deity of destruction who annihilates everything.
However, this is a belief passed solely among the Lizardmen and, in recent times, has fallen to the background in their belief system.
The prevailing view has become that the Creator Dragon God and the Goddess of Life are fundamentally the same being, manifesting in forms resembling those who believe in them, giving birth to other faiths.
This hypothesis has gained traction due to the overlapping actions of the Goddess of Life and the Creator Dragon God, the fact that her representative has a dragon horn, and her being referred to as the Dragon Priestess.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Let’s get to the point.
“If you partner with us, you’ll be able to fight against those strong monsters like the Golden Goblin.”
The Great Warrior of the Lizardman, Quatzel-Gar, said with a firm voice.
“Furthermore, I’ve heard that those known as the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King are even stronger than the Golden Goblin… if you join us, you might just be able to take them on as well.”
“No, but…”
“Although I may not have a high reputation for being inactive externally, I believe I am lacking in skill. I’m confident I can match even the renowned hero who defeated the Demon King and the Dragon Priestess.”
Quatzel-Gar’s gaze was directed sharply at Eric and Alice.
As if he knew their true identities.
How he figured it out… who knows? Maybe it was through sharp intuition or deducing from the fact that the Golden Goblin was chasing them.
Anyway, it wasn’t something worth worrying about, so let’s move on.
“Hold on, I think I need to consult with my party.”
Eric replied calmly to Quatzel-Gar, who nodded slightly.
“Hmm… then please wait a moment, Great Warrior.”
“Just call me Quatz. I still think the title of ‘Great Warrior’ is too much for me.”
“Alright, I understand. Quatz.”
And so the hero’s party began discussing the potential new member.
“Having the Great Warrior of the Lizardmen means there’s no reason to reject him. The strength of the Lizardmen is well-known even among the Elves, and having the strongest warrior among them is just a bonus.”
Lily said. Consensus reached.
“I don’t think it’s a decision we can make on a whim. Although I don’t have the right to speak, having him join would require more careful consideration.”
Yurica stated. Pending discussion.
“There’s no reason to refuse, right? He’s even capable of slicing off an arm of a Golden Goblin! Plus, he’s a warrior! The burden on the front line will be reduced!”
Finna exclaimed. Consensus reached.
“I’ll leave it to Eric.”
Alice said, leaving the decision up to Eric.
And finally, Eric spoke.
“I think it’s right to accept him.”
Eric stated. Consensus achieved.
Of course, there wasn’t a single person opposing the idea.
It made sense since he had shown overwhelming fighting skills against the Golden Goblin. Who would refuse when such a powerhouse volunteered to join their party?
Unless there was some hidden agenda… but thoughts of that nature vanished under the guise of the Lizardmen.
Lizardmen simply aren’t the type to have sneaky schemes.
Probably, Quatzel-Gar just purely desires to test his mettle against strong foes.
“Since there’s no dissent, let’s accept him. It’s hard to find a warrior of such skill.”
“Ah, but about the issue of the Lizardmen not leaving their territory?”
At Finna’s words, everyone else fell silent.
It was a well-known fact that Lizardmen weaken sharply if they can’t maintain sufficient moisture.
Truth be told, the countermeasures for that flaw were somewhat known among the Lizardmen, but for other races, it would be hard to grasp.
So…
“She says it’s fine.”
“Huh? Alice?”
“She says there’s a way. No need to worry.”
It was obvious who passed that message to Alice without having to say it.
As the Dragon Priestess acting on behalf of the Goddess of Life, if someone was relaying her voice, it could only be the Goddess of Life herself.
“Then… that’s reassuring!”
While the others couldn’t easily speak up under the weight of the Goddess’s words, only Finna smiled brightly.
What can I say… she’s certainly an extraordinary dwarf girl.
Thus, the Great Warrior of the Lizardman, Quatzel-Gar, was set to join the Hero’s party.
“First, I’ll guide you to the largest village of the Lizardmen. I’ve driven out the other Lizardmen, so they won’t bother you anymore.”
For the hero’s party, it was the most welcome news they’d heard.