"Wait a minute everyone... Both of your tribes lost a sacrificial animal?" I asked with caution.
Lizardmen who hates the different suit of colors except for their own. A culture centered around fighting and a warrior's sense of honor and thinking leading to the usage of fists or violence in resolving conflicts. Explosive tempers sparking misunderstandings. This particular race...
Aren't they quite easy to fool or manipulate? Cause given their strength and talent for warfare, humans are greatly outmatched. Yeah if Lizardmen had more wits about them then they wouldn't have been pushed back by humans.
Reverie... This world I am now living in which in the past was just a virtual reality to me. It has real actual lore. Every race designed with their own quirks and minds. Lizardmen who liked to duke it out. Arrogant elves who would get pissed if you were as to "tarnish" their great forests.
There was once a lot of lizardmen. But due to the Magan Kingdom's great expansion. Their numbers dwindled after being pushed out of their original territories. In a way, it was miraculous. Instead of holding grudges against the whole human race they just quietly took in this new life without a single ounce of remorse. For them, life went on despite having their total population become a shadow of its former glory. Being pushed to the edges of Magan Kingdom where deadly monsters have become commonplace wasn't able to deter them from living by the way of the fist.
"We lost our Great Bear." Bioriu lamented. Shooting a hateful glare at the opposite party who raised a fist in his direction.
"The Giant Wolf disappeared from camp like a bubble." Celo sighed. He gritted his teeth. If his lizardmen buddies weren't restraining him then all hell would've broken loose and this peace talks would've long been rendered useless.
"Those two things... What are they used for?" I have to first know how important those two animal carcasses were to the tribes. Lizardmen loved their meat like it was religion. But come on. It has to be deeper than that to spark public outrage.
"Smoothskin methods are different from us scaled warriors. We need sacrificial animals to awaken our classes..." Cole started explaining to me with a bit of impatience lacing his tone.
I see... Unlike human NPC's who hire priests or classes revolving around the faith to awaken their classes. These Lizardmen have shamans versed in magic arts to awaken their own classes. They need sacrifices for that. Unlike players who could freely choose and reset their classes. NPC's only have one chance at a class and they cannot change it.
Classes... Your usual warrior, archer, rogue, or cleric. The classes were special. Any child above the age of six is able to awaken classes. And these classes decide what your identity was as it links you to the one true system. If you were a blacksmith then you are a blacksmith. No one knows how classes are bestowed to the populace. Some turned to gods for reason. Saying that classes were a god-given inborn gift. While others say they are the manifestation of a person's deepest wish.
"In awakening a class. What you get is random but the outcome can be influenced by your actions or your deepest aspirations." The village head had told me that. Before awakening your class as an NPC. If you train to be a swordsman then there are better chances of becoming a swordsman upon awakening. Some choose to awake at six. And some choose to postpone it out of fear of receiving an unwanted class.
I sighed... Things don't make too much logical or scientific sense in here. It really is a game after all.
"Then... Celo. Why were you and your group chasing Bioriu?"
"Because he was the one who stole the Giant Wolf!"
"Lies! Upon hearing about my tribe's loss I naturally snuck out of the camp to infiltrate your stinky green scale territory to check where you stored our Great Bear! It seems that your methods at hiding and deception are truly supreme. I couldn't even find your storage room!" Bioriu sneered. Pissing off Celo even more. To a Lizardman. Being praised for underhanded methods was shameful.
"You two. PIPE DOWN WILL YOU!" I had enough. I bellowed. My voice boomed throughout the forest and I was sure some leaves fell down due to it. Startled, the two lizardmen turned their attention towards me again. A little embarrassed due to quarreling and forgetting about the guy who wanted to make everything right.
"Both of you are dignified warriors but right now you are pointing fingers at each other. Quarreling like wee little children." My right eye was twitching. My teeth gritted as I made sure to emphasize wee little children with a glare. "But enough of that. Let me ask you. Are your tribes really that busy or that weak to not be able to protect those important resources of yours?" Ice seemed to come out of my mouth as the two lizardmen immediately rushed at me and hefted me up together.
"What did you say about our tribes???" They were angry. But I no longer cared anymore.
I'm just pissed. Pissed. Stress and all. I mean. I just died recently! And then I wake up in a brand new world surrounded by familiar yet non familiar things and knowledge. It's a lot. A lot too much to take in. I was happy with my life. I HAD a life! I was no desperate person who sits before their computer, wishing to die and get reincarnated. I was different.
And now this shit happens to me? I'm full of it.
I glared at Bioriu and Celo with hate and annoyance written all over my face. They let me down. Scratched the back of their heads with a sigh.
"I understand what you mean. Given our hatred for the other suit of scales. We could naturally smell their scent from a mile away and easily defend our resources." Bioriu looked at the ground. Ashamed.
"For once. The yellow shit has a point. We are lizardmen. Proud, disciplined warriors. Stealing from us would cost a lot of untrained personnel an arm or a leg. They will even fail. Only an expert could come to our camp as they wished." Celo nodded. Bioriu smiled smugly at him to which Celo just slapped the yellow Lizardman's face.
"Thank you for your words of guidance Dominic. My mistake for pursuing a not so innocent disgusting passerby and treating them as the culprit." Celo bowed.
"My bad too. I shouldn't have suspected the green scales to have the guts to try and steal from us yellow scales." Biorius snickered.
This... huh? What happened to your pettiness? What happened to you is my enemy part?
"Why are you two directly apologizing? I thought you two would quarrel even more?" This was new.
"A lizardman never lies. We aren't afraid of admitting our mistakes. Being honest is a sign of real strength. And things seem more clearer after your intervention." Celo uttered. Bioriu nodded.
I sighed in relief. Now that's over with. But no. It truly isn't over. We're just getting started.
I have my own set of suspicions and hypotheses. I hope none of them are right.
Things have become more dangerous than I thought. I quickly frowned. I turned to the nervous Ray who was timidly standing to the side. Pillow was still seated upon my head asleep.
"Ray. Bioriu. Things are a bit suspicious. Someone might be messing with the yellow scale tribesmen and the green scale tribesmen. Ray. You must go to the yellow scale camp and conduct an investigation. Ask around about stuff and don't be afraid to help others. Bioriu. Please make sure this little dimwit doesn't go around causing trouble instead." I quickly briefed Bioriu who nodded. Ray snorted at me in dissatisfaction.
"I thought you were my friend. Why are you so harsh to me with the name-calling and such?" Ray complained again.
I smiled genuinely.
"Cause Ray. You may be strong and you may be really lucky but face reality. You're bloody stupid." I giggled. It was somewhat true anyway. From the set of my memories pre-transmigration and my original earth world memories. This friend of mine, Ray follows the template of a generic Japanese male protagonist. The type to always get into accidents despite being so lucky and they are really dense too.
"Before you leave. Ray, what do you want to be again?"
"I want to be a great hero! No... I want to become the strongest Sword Emperor throughout history! You better believe it!" Ray stood up straight and patted his chest. I smiled bitterly. Whelp... You're a shonen type huh.
I'm probably the comic relief side character of your little journey...
"We'll be on our way then." Bioriu said. I nodded at him before turning to Celo and his buddies.
"I'll fulfill my end of the bargain. I'll offer my healing services for free for the lizardmen." Celo nodded in approval at me. "Then as thanks and apology for troubling your friend and giving you a headache, I shall speak with our chief to arrange a meeting with you." Celo patted my shoulder with a toothy smile. Damn. You look like an angry crocodile Celo.
And just like that, we headed towards the Green Scaled Lizardmen's village. Unaware of the future that would befall our heads.