"Different?" I tilted my head to the side.
How am I different from any other human? I have the same appearance as them. I bleed the same red blood and I can still fall prey to vices. Though, I have a really strong mind so seduction can't really affect me much.
Huge badonkadonks and buttocks are nice. But you'll get more profit in investing in a significant other that has a great personality.
Ruda'ar scratched his chin. Grinned at me after circling me for a bit. "Indeed so! Different from any other human! And different from anything I've seen before."
"You are but a little six-year-old child. Yet the signs of a wise man already show from your actions. Any snot-nosed human kid would've already shat their pants seeing all this conflict. All the burly lizardmen fighting."
"But you." Ruda'ar pointed at me.
"How are you unaffected by. All of this? All this blood? All this fighting and not once did you even wince while resetting my bones. Nor had you shrank back in disgust after witnessing my decaying chest. An effect brought by the poisoned dagger. It's as if what's standing before me is an adult. Not a child." Ruda'ar scrunched up his eyebrows. Eyes dulling, entranced in wild thoughts as he tapped his crocodile snout.
Now that the shaman had mentioned it... I'm awfully too chill with everything so far.
I am not going to Lie. I am a bit stressed and I want to go back to my original world to check on my friends if they are alright. Knowing those troublesome bunch, they would've done a lot of stupid things without me.
Going to brothels... Getting into back-alley fistfights and breaking the hovercar speed limit.
My home was peaceful. But crime does indeed still exist. Albeit at a drastically reduced rate.
Those guys doing all of that fun stuff.
Without me!
Unacceptable!
"I'm only using my brain. Foolishness and shortsightedness only leads to peril."
Ruda'ar nodded in approval. "Spoken like a real adult. You're so much better than a human who only knows how to discriminate against other creatures besides them."
The shaman took his staff. Fixed his robe and headed out of the tent. I glanced to the lizard ladies off to the sides.
"Thank you for curing the backbone of our settlement. We are eternally grateful. Once our great Chief hears of endeavors then you will be handsomely rewarded human child." They all bowed. Showing respect to a little child.
A little child such as me. To be a grown lizardman yet openly show respect for a human child's actions and go so far as thanking them.
The lizardfolk really are a bunch of nice and polite folks.
Not to mention their men reek of testosterone. Muscly men not afraid of fighting.
This is my type of people! My kin! Why haven't I reincarnated as a manly lizardman instead?
I could already picture all the wrestles and drunk fistfights we could have if I was a lizardman. This human child's body is still too weak. I can take a few punches but I'll be overpowered in time. No one likes losing!
What a pity.
"I only did what saw fit to do." I smiled at them and followed the shaman.
"This little captain greats esteemed shaman!"
Celo who was leaning at the tent's opening scrambled to stand upright. Bowing at Ruda'ar who dismissively waved at him.
"No time for formalities soldier. There is a war to win. Chief is buying us precious time by keeping Tethra in check. And I doubt that old pipsqueak is in no better condition than I was moments ago." Ruda'ar started speaking crucial details as if I wasn't an outsider of Grim Guard tribe.
I could only frown to that. I have a bad feeling about it.
Ruda'ar laughed. Celo worriedly looked at me and then at the shaman. "Esteemed sir... Is it really time for that?"
"Absolutely! The time is nigh! Today, The fearless spear tribe shall perish and be trampled underneath our Grim Guard tribe's feet! It is time to end the conflict that our ancestors had started!"
Thack! Thack!
My heart sank.
Ruda'ar tapped the stone floor. His bone staff vibrating as raw mana started flowing out of his small, black-robed body. I felt it.
Power. It emanated in strong waves out of the shaman's body. Followed by a feeling of dread.
That feeling of dread intensified as the shaman mumbled something.
"Agh!" Anguished cries came from outside. The three of us stepped out and saw that the yellow scaled lizardmen were being pushed back. Their scales were pale. Pale as if having lost blood.
Any prior valiance the mighty yellow scaled lizards had been thrown into the bin. Like a house of cards. They all crumbled. All of them had been struck by a powerful weakening curse.
"The shaman is awake! Initiate a tactical retreat!" Realizing their position. The yellow scales started packing up their bags as they put distance before their assailants.
The balance had been broken...
In my desperate attempt to mend that balance. I had indeed fixed the scale.
But I also caused that scale to tip in favor towards one faction.
This isn't what I wanted...
I glared at Ruda'ar. The shaman noticed it and he softly chuckled.
Celo looked at me with pity. Understanding what I wanted. But he was helpless as well. He could only sigh and looked to the side. Unafraid of meeting my eyes.
"Dominic. Human child. You are wise yet still. You are still a child. You haven't expected this outcome haven't you?"
I clicked my tongue in annoyance at the shaman of the grim guard tribe.
"You are a good child. I can sense that you only wanted the two tribes to peacefully mind our own businesses. But you must keep in mind. Opportunity waits for no one. And one must be certainly ruthless in order to grasp that opportunity." He prattled on.
Going as far as to hold my hand and look me in the eyes. I was surprised by those pair of green lizard eyes. They were radiating pure honesty. And even traces of pity.
"Do not blame yourself for this outcome. One day in the future, one of the two tribes would have found a similar opportunity to wipe out the other tribe. Dominic. Little human child, do not be sad. You only pushed the day of reckoning into an earlier date." The shaman patted my shoulder after speaking in a soft consoling tone.
It didn't make me feel any better. I just felt plain stupid for this oversight.
"Why must you two tribes even hate each other? I do not understand it. All of you bleed the same crimson blood. And all of you have scales but different shades."
"A matter of the past that hadn't been ended. I cannot tell you the details but all of our actions are justified." Ruda'ar shook his head.
I snorted. Justified you say? I don't even know the backstory behind your two tribes to understand.
It's fine. I don't care anymore.
"Opportunity waits for no one right?"
Ruda'ar nodded.
"And I must be ruthless enough to grasp it?"
"Indeed so. You are a quick learner." Ruda'ar smiled at me. Barked an order to Celo and Celo ran to the other captain managing the defenses around the chieftain's hut.
Celo is gone momentarily. And a shaman may be strong in curses but my body is on par with Ruda'ar.
In this short moment of time. No one can really harm me.
My lips curled upwards. Ruda'ar frowned.
Understandable. Because what he was seeing right now. Was an earsplitting grin from me.
Puu! The shaman coughed up a bit of fresh crimson blood. The blood-stained the ground and dripped down his snout. He wiped it. And looked at it.
"This is..."
"You see... When a doctor treats you. A patient relinquishes their fate to that doctor. Making it easy to do some shady stuff as long as it isn't noticed. That... Is an effect of mana manipulation. In the process of treating your wounds, I sent a compressed bead of mana to travel into your veins. That bead melted in raw mana. Mana that I have dominion over and now it is stationed inside your heart."
I laughed shyly. Even going as far as to scratch the back of my head.
I am stupid. But I wasn't that stupid.
Ruda'ar. You said I must be ruthless to grasp opportunities. Don't blame me for this.
I am a little selfish. As expected of a human.
Cain village is a nice place. I don't really want to leave it yet but I will have to. Just to evade the bandits wanting to raze everything to the ground.
And the lizardmen tribes. The two of them together serve as protection. A buffer I suppose.
For those bandits coming from the twin forest to reach Cain Village. They'll have to pass through the lizardmen first.
Lizardmen hate thieves. And they hate despicable acts unless it was for war purposes. Bandits are on their shit list.
I'm sorry Ruda'ar. But I need the two lizardmen villages. Not just one.
"Sir Ruda'ar. Forgive me but there are only two options right now. One is to command the rest of the Grim Guard lizardmen to stay their hand and not attack the other tribe. Or to come with me and help heal the shaman. Then we will discuss peace."
My eyes turned cold.
"Refuse... I'm afraid your heart would explode after I manipulate my raw mana to turn into a spike."
The shaman laughed jovially. As if he wasn't one thought from me, away from death.
"Little Dominic Ah! You truly have exceeded my expectations. Truly wise for a young age. And truly a quick learner."
I laughed along with him.
Make your decision. And hopefully, it's one that aims to preserve your life.
Because I can kill you. And I have a secret route out of this place. A route that I had discovered upon my first visit.
My journey to leave Cain village would be hastened. That's alright. I can rely on Ray and her mom for the meantime to stave off the wild monster attacks.
To plan ten steps ahead... It's the only thing I can do.
Because I have no cheat like a main character. I will use my brain.