By the edge of a still lake.
The surface shimmered as a faint breeze rippled across it, sending tiny waves lapping against the muddy shore. Nearby, a small campfire crackled under the veil of night, its light soft and rhythmic.
In the shadows across the lake, three tall lizardmen slipped soundlessly into the water, their dark green scales reflecting faint moonlight. Carried by the current, they glided across the lake, becoming nearly invisible beneath its surface.
At the same time, thirteen more lizardmen appeared from other directions—groups of three to five—slowly closing in on the lakeside campfire with the steady patience of seasoned hunters.
"Guji!"
A high-pitched birdcall echoed through the night. It was the cry of a fish-hunting bird, common to this region and universally despised by the lizardmen tribes. Mixed among other birdcalls, the sound drew no suspicion.
Roughly 150 meters away from the fire, a lizardman crouched beneath a thicket, his sharp eyes locked on the human figure seated beside the flame.
"Boss, all units in place." The bow-wielding lizardman whispered to his hunting leader.
The leader nodded solemnly. "No one acts until my signal."
This was it—a human, alone in the wetlands. Their first time hunting such a rare target. The excitement bubbling beneath the lizardmen's stoic exteriors was palpable.
Even if their prey was a magic caster, the hunting leader felt confident. No human spell could match his hardened instincts and brutal close-combat expertise.
And this wasn't some ordinary skirmish. They had mobilized all sixteen members of their hunting party just for this. Victory would bring glory—perhaps even fame across all five lizardmen tribes.
"Guji." The archer echoed the call again and looked to his commander. "Boss, when do we start?"
"Not yet." The leader's gaze narrowed. "He might know alarm magic... and that black-furred monster by his side isn't ordinary either."
"We strike at first light. That's when their guard will be lowest."
By the fire.
Minori turned the roasting fish with practiced ease. The aroma of crisped skin and woodsmoke drifted lazily through the air.
The evil dog lying beside him gave a brief sniff, glanced at the sizzling fish with disinterest, and turned its head away.
"No share for you," Minori said with a faint smile, sprinkling a dash of salt and chili powder over the fish. Both were expensive imports—he'd stocked up back in the capital before leaving.
'Salt's cheap, but chili and sugar cost silver coins per pouch… Alchemical magic could replicate them, but what a waste of skill points.'
He glanced at his status pane.
[Experience: 132725 / 70000]
'Level-up pending. Already gained 5,000 XP in less than two days...'
The monsters near Lower Lake were weak but plentiful. That was until they realized he was too dangerous. Now even beasts avoided the area.
Minori stared into the fire, thinking.
"Lizardmen must've taken notice by now. Not sure which tribe, though."
The Lower Lake region was officially claimed by the scattered lizardman tribes, but their numbers were low—likely less than 2,000 total across five tribes. That meant tracking them wasn't simple.
But he was deeply interested in them. Their unique treasures, forgotten rituals, even rudimentary magic technology—all of it was worth investigating.
The scent of grilled fish wafted far into the night wind.
Hidden in the shadows, lizardmen salivated unconsciously. Though they'd mastered fire-making, they preferred raw meals. Now, the spiced aroma stirred unfamiliar hunger and unease.
Still, not a single one moved.
They waited.
Time passed. The flames of the campfire gradually dimmed... then extinguished.
None of the lizardmen advanced. They remained patient.
Until—
A pale silver glow crept into the eastern sky.
The lizardman commander gave a subtle nod. His archer comrade responded with a faint "Guji" cry.
In an instant—
The three lizardmen in the lake broke the surface, eyes locked on Minori and the beast beside him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three harpoons were thrown with vicious force, cutting through the air toward the lakeshore.
The evil dog's ears twitched, its body tensing as it stood and leapt in front of Minori, its eyes glowing red. The chain coiled around its body lashed out like a whip—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each harpoon was knocked aside midair.
"We'll hold the monster back!" shouted the lizardmen in the lake, charging toward the shore without hesitation.
Just as the dog darted forward, more sounds tore through the night.
Fffft! Fffft! Fffft!
Arrows, fired from three directions, all aimed directly at Minori.
But he remained seated, eyes calm.
"Nice timing."
He casually drew a scroll from his sleeve and crushed it in one hand.
Fwoosh!
A pillar of golden flame burst into the air—and a majestic Flame Archangel spread its wings, materializing before Minori in radiant glory.
Arrows bounced harmlessly off its radiant armor, falling to the ground with dull clangs.
The advancing lizardmen froze, stunned.
"Use the grappling hooks!"A harsh cry echoed across the lake, shouted in the guttural tongue of the Lizardmen.
Whoosh! Whoosh!Dozens of iron hooks attached to thick rope shot forward, arcing through the air.
They latched onto the radiant body of the summoned Flame Archangel, whose burning wings cast flickering light across the misty waters. The ropes went taut in an instant, anchoring themselves as the strongest warriors began to pull.
"Magic casters are truly dangerous..."One of the Lizardmen muttered under his breath, sweat running down his snout.
"But we have the numbers! Daben! Ajie! Your two squads will pin down the summoned creature! Leave the caster to me!"
A muscular figure—the leader of the hunting band—let out a thunderous roar. Gripping a battle-worn axe in both hands, he surged forward, his powerful legs splashing through the shallows.
Their plan was unfolding smoothly.
The three Lizardmen teams coordinating from the lake had already closed in on the enemy. The ropes locked around the flaming celestial, forcibly dragging it away from the fragile human mage.
Soon, the magic caster would be exposed—defenseless, vulnerable.
That was the key.Once they removed the summoned creature, the rest was simple.No matter how powerful a human mage was, their body was soft and brittle.
Victory was only a matter of how cleanly they could finish the hunt.
And so far—Everything was going according to plan.
—
But then—A crack appeared in the illusion of certainty.
The hunting leader, halfway across the water, suddenly slowed.
His golden eyes widened slightly.
"Why... isn't it moving...?"
The Flame Archangel remained completely still, its flaming spear burning in its right hand.Despite the multiple ropes stretched taut around its body, it had not been pulled an inch.
A ripple of unease crawled down the Lizardman's spine.
The warriors holding the ropes were the physically strongest of the entire hunting force. That strength alone should have at least forced the creature to stumble.
But instead—
The archangel moved.
Wings of holy flame unfurled——and with a single beat, it soared skyward, leaving a trail of radiant embers behind.
"Wha—?!"
The Lizardmen clutching the ropes let out stunned cries as their feet lifted off the ground.
"Aaaah!"
"Let go!"
Too late.
Dragged helplessly into the air, they flailed—then tumbled from the sky like discarded leaves.Their bodies slammed into the muddy earth with bone-snapping thuds.
—
Silence fell.
Even the insects in the trees seemed to hush, as if stunned by the reversal.
Then—
"Aaaah—!"
A new cry of agony ripped through the stillness.
This time, it came not from the sky, but from the shoreline—where three Lizardmen had cornered what they assumed was a simple beast.
The cursed black hound, barely the size of a young Lizardman female, suddenly exploded into motion.
Its movements were a blur of unnatural speed.
Crunch!
Blood sprayed as it sank its jaws into a Lizardman's arm—ripping it cleanly off at the shoulder.
The warrior collapsed, shrieking in shock and pain.
Another fell in seconds, throat torn open by claws that shimmered with a dark, sickly light.
It was no mere beast.
—
What had gone wrong?
Just moments ago, the plan had been perfect.They had isolated the summoned creature.Outnumbered the enemy.Prepared contingencies.
And yet—
Everything was unraveling in an instant.
Confusion and fear began to spread among the remaining warriors.