Although they were all unified under a single ruler, the lizardmen villages maintained a certain autonomy. Unlike the goblin villages, they were fortified and equipped with a system of underground tunnels that allowed troops to be brought in from nearby forts in the event of a siege. Despite this, there were few truly noteworthy as Fang, which had the reputation of being the most militarily powerful village. It was there that Druso and Lulu were headed, intending to recruit one of the Six Heroes, rumored to be the local tribal chief. Not much was known about him since the Great War, other than his nickname "Stone Fist Jengis." Druso didn't know him too well, but knew that he was a great warrior, and not just figuratively—Jengis was a literal colossus on two legs.

  As per the prince's orders, they were to recruit from their ranks the last remaining member of the Six Great Heroes. Druso was absolutely certain that his brother had already recruited the other two, who resided in villages much closer to the royal palace. They had divided the work to save time. Tiberio had even suggested sending his brother and Lulu together to assist each other on the long journey, but in reality he hoped the two would bond a little more.

  It was wartime, but he didn't want his beloved younger brother to die with regrets. If Druso found a wife before his last breath, it would be better than nothing. He truly believed that if they stayed together for a long time, the two would get closer.

  Who knows if his plan will work...Druso was incompetent in love.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  8th of the month of the gray dragon (March) 17:58 PM

  "How much longer it will take, Druso?"

  Lulu asked, scanning the horizon. They had been traveling for several days, and hostilities would break out soon. She seemed exhausted from the journey, but was doing everything she could to hide it; it was unbecoming of a hero carrying a heavy burden.

  "Just a couple more hours and we should be there..."

  The vagabond replied, reining in the crocodile they were using as a mount. Gray Crocodiles were a type of beast that often originated in the swamp, and over time, the lizardmen managed to domesticate them, turning them into a beast of burden or plowing. They could also be used in warfare given their tough armor, but their slowness made them unsuitable for that particular scenario. The one Druso was now riding was a ten-meter-long specimen named Ruu. Over the years, a strong bond had developed between the two, so much so that the vagabond kept Ruu near his herd, like a guard dog, certain that he would not eat the fish without permission.

  "Do you think we'll find the member of the Six Heroes? Or did he do like my mother and pass the title on to his successor?"

  "I don't know... I hope with all my heart that this research isn't a waste of time. There are less than ten days left until war, and we can't waste a single moment."

  The druid nodded at that, then looked at the wanderer's tail: it was twitching slightly, something it had been doing a lot lately. For lizardmen—especially males —the length and bulk of their tails was a symbol of great pride. It was often used during ancient mating rituals and reproduction. She couldn't help but find that tail attractive; it was quite large and powerful. A real eye-catcher by their standards.

  "Is something wrong, Druso? Your tail is restless..."

  The lizardman flinched at the question. It would be embarrassing to reveal to Lulu that her presence was having an effect on him. Druso never been interested in love, yet ever since he'd seen her at the reunion, he hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. She was truly a rarity, being an albino. He'd never seen anyone like her.

  "N-No! It's all right!"

  He stammered, sounding completely unbelievable.

  "Are you worried about the war?"

  "Y-Yes."

  Druso gave a powerful cough and became serious again, grateful that she hadn't understood the real reason for his insecurity. Even so, he still felt he was making a terrible impression in her eyes. A hero shouldn't be afraid of war, assuming that name was alienated from the person who truly lay beneath it.

  In the end, we heroes are like everyone else, only stronger...but that doesn't mean we don't feel emotions like fear.

  Druso shook his head at the thought. He had to appear confident in front of Lulu, not only for his honor as a man, but also to keep his morale high. If he had shown doubts during the war, what would the young people who looked up to him and the other Six Heroes as role models think?

  "I've never met anyone as scary as that woman."

  He declared coldly, thinking back to Hirashi's dark aura. Druso was certain that if he followed his pride, he would suffer the same fate as the dead soldier who had dared to attack the messenger.

  "They told me she was gigantic and very strong. Is that true, or is it an exaggeration?"

  "Her size wasn't exaggerated at all! She must have been over ten feet tall! Not as huge as a troll, but ten times more terrifying. As for her strength... I haven't seen her or her body in action, but I can assure you that her cold gaze was that of a warrior who's been through a lot. She killed one of us without even moving, and I still have no idea how she did it. Her techniques must be dark and very powerful."

  “And let's assume she's just a messenger.”

  Lulu added, shrugging.

  "Who knows how powerful the generals of this Absolute Almodeus are? Not to mention that even he could prove capable of enormous deeds. I wouldn't be surprised if that demon were as powerful as all of us Heroes combined."

  "I agree."

  The tramp retorted, firmly agreeing with his companion statement.

  “We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t show to the battlefield.”

  “You're right, Druso. Let's hope everything turns out well.”

  Lulu's words concealed fear. She was obviously trying to hide her anxiety, but like the vagabond, her tail was giving her away. Druso wanted to bring his own closer, to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how Lulu would react. He thought it was too intimate for two people who had only known each other for a few days.

  “If I may say so, I don't think this war will only bring bad things.”

  The vagabond declared, trying to partially divert the subject. Talking about the supposed strength of Almodeus and his army would only increase anxiety, making it more difficult to think clearly. It was a mistake young men often made; it was no surprise that they were the most in favor of war.

  “What do you mean? I hope you're joking!”

  "Unfortunately, no. For some years now, some smaller villages have been suffering from food shortages. His Majesty has tried to find a solution, but has always been stopped by the elders, who considered the problem secondary to other issues, such as matters of honor."

  “I had indeed heard that some villages were suffering from famine due to the increase in high-level magical beasts. But the King had sent food aid, hadn't he?”

  “Do you think that was enough? They avoided the problem for a few months, but in the last few, it's only gotten worse. Do you know how many villages have been abandoned in the last five years? Fourteen! The population of fourteen villages was forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere, increasing the demand for food and creating problems where perhaps there weren't any before, but which now exist due to the increase in mouths to feed!”

  Druso's hatred for the matter was clear in his words. Lulu had no idea what was going on; it was something only the higher-ups could know about. She wished she could help more.

  “So...you think war will lead to fewer mouths to feed. Isn't that...a brutal vision?”

  “Yes, it is…but the world itself is brutal. The strongest is the one who wins, after all.”

  “What you say is true, unfortunately.”

  Lulu didn't like the idea of the strongest deciding the fate of the weakest. She hated the lack of compassion for the emotions that made them different from other beasts. They were half-humans, not mindless monsters. By acting solely according to the law of the strongest, they justified humans when they called them idiotic animals.

  “I’m sorry I made you feel this sad, forgive me.”

  Druso declared, sighing bitterly.

  “Calm down, it's normal...you said that yourself, right? The world is brutal.”

  “Yes...now get ready, we're almost there.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Once they reached the village gates, they were immediately admitted, given the royal family's seal on their banners. They were led to the center of the village, where they were surrounded by the city guard and some villagers, curious about the reason for their visit. Strangely, however, no one came forward as a tribal leader.

  Where is Jengis?

  Druso waited a few minutes, unsure how to continue, but finally decided to present himself to the soldiers.

  "I am Druso Senshi! An original member of the Six Great Heroes! His Majesty, Prince Gabiru, has sent me! I need to speak with your tribal chief!"

  Lulu also stepped forward, captivating many males with her rare-colored skin and graceful movements.

  "I am Lulu Horatia! I am one of the Six Heroes; I succeeded my mother and I too wish to speak with your tribal chief."

  Amazement spread across the faces of those present, especially the commoners. Having two members of the Six Great Heroes, as well as one of the group's founders, there was a tremendous honor. Some would have gladly approached the pair, but held back, as if fearing repercussions.

  No one's coming forward? Has the chief gone hunting?

  Heavy footsteps interrupted Druso's thoughts, and he raised his head. His eyes widened as he saw something large approaching them. The city guard led the way for the new individual, who towered over the adults present as if they were children.

  "Welcome, bearer of the Lich Bane!"

  The speaker was a colossal lizardman—just under seven feet tall—with dark brown scales on his back and a vast number of scars across his body. The magnificence of his thick, robust tail, so much so that it made Druso's resemble a toothpick, was partially marred by a hideous wound. A piece on the right side had been torn off, and the wound was bandaged with a piece of cloth made of the same material as his clothes. However, the only thing more eye-catching than his tail, which would have made any lizardwoman drool, were his muscular arms. While the colossus's legs were strong, his arms resembled tree trunks. By comparison, Druso- who was himself robust- seemed extremely out of shape. The size of his hands was also absurdly exaggerated, so much so that they dwarfed the modestly sized spear the lizard was holding.

  "But you...aren't Jengis!"

  "That's right! My name is Kan Monk! I'm his son!"

  "He had a son? I wasn't expecting that... You're bigger than I thought, but I'm not surprised considering who your father was."

  “Ahahahaha! Thank you, bearer of the Lich Bane! I do indeed take after my old man! But don't let my youth fool you. My strength far surpasses my father's!”

  “Oh, really...?”

  Druso took a slight step back. That statement was worrying. He had personally fought Jengis in a sparring match, and was well aware of his monstrous strength. If Kan had truly surpassed his father's level, then he could easily be considered the strongest of their kind—at least physically.

  "You are the famous Druso, aren't you?"

  Kan declared aloud, pointing at the wanderer with a sturdy finger. There was a mixture of respect and defiance in his tone. His reaction to the sight of one of the Great Heroes had been very different from his companions. It was the first time they had met, yet Kan seemed to know a great deal about Druso, while the latter hadn't even been aware of the other's existence until that day.

  “Yes, it's me.”

  “Awesome! My old man told me about you, you know? You're the only one who ever beat him, besides me, of course.”

  Druso's eyes widened. He didn't like where the conversation was going. Kan didn't seem inclined to listen or question why two heroes had shown up at his door with the royal banner. He couldn't be so stupid as not to realize it was an emergency, could he?

  "What you say is right, Kan. But that's not what I'm here for! I—"

  "Draw your sword!"

  Druso took another step back at the other lizard's furious cry. He initially thought it was about to examine the Lich Bane, but the wanderer's heart skipped a beat when he saw the sturdy warrior point the great iron spear at him.

  "Didn't you hear me? Draw your sword!"

  Kan repeated, stamping his sturdy foot. Everything about him was gigantic, and no one in their right mind would face him. Lulu, who had been completely ignored and had been watching from the sidelines, could do nothing but pray. A fight between the two would be of no advantage; in fact, it would risk endangering the health of one of the heroes.

  “What do you want to do? I'm not here to fight!”

  "Here, you have the right to speak only if you are brave! And you still have to prove it to me, Druso!"

  “I see I have no choice...”

  The wanderer nodded reluctantly and drew his bladeless sword, surprising many of those present. Kan seemed ecstatic at the sight, so much so that his damaged tail began to beat the ground relentlessly. His large, brown eyes shone with excitement, while the muscles beneath his scales flexed, ready for action.

  "Finally, a challenge! Listen up, everyone! If I die, you will be at his service! It's not up for discussion!"

  Druso was surprised; he had not realized that their fight would be to the death.

  "You can't be serious!"

  Lulu intervened, outraged by this outrageous request. Kan was unaware of the war, but even so, he couldn't expect Druso to fight him to the death, completely ignoring the royal house's banner or His Majesty's orders. Kan was the tribal chief, but he couldn't override the sovereign.

  "Oh, I am! But don't be afraid, white one! If your man were to die, I will take action personally!"

  The colossus replied, licking his lips. It was clear he had mistaken the two for lovers. The stronger man took the loser's female was an ancient tradition, little in vogue these days, as it was considered too animalistic.

  "He's not my man!"

  Lulu retorted, blushing suddenly. She was already embarrassed by the looks everyone was giving her; she didn't need a large and seemingly dumb male drooling over her simply because of her looks. Still, she couldn't deny that she found the giant's tail attractive, despite the deep wound.

  "That's right, she's not mine yet..."

  Druso supported her, not realizing he had said "again". That sentence made the druid wag her tail, increasing her embarrassment at the moment.

  "Ah, I see! Sorry, then...my mistake! I've never been very good at love, you know?"

  "Do you want to wrestle or play Cupid?"

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "Oh, wrestle! Absolutely! Come on!"

  The large reptile didn't wait for a command and lunged at its opponent, creating powerful furrows in the ground with its powerful legs. Druso responded by activating his sword, manifesting a blade made of pure white and blue energy: mana. With a sword worthy of its name, the wanderer parried the blow and managed to push the colossus back, beginning a fight that those who witnessed it would call legendary.

  After a quick exchange of swift, powerful attacks, Druso spotted an opening in the enemy's defense and exploited it, disarming Kan with a lunge. The colossus's spear flew behind his enemy, embedding itself in a nearby tree. But the vagabond couldn't enjoy this small victory, as a searing pain in his chest prevented him from taking advantage of the situation. Kan had kicked him and managed to distance the two; a respectable move, he couldn't deny it.

  "I haven't had this much fun since I took over for my old man, you know?"

  Kan roared in ecstasy. Although he had the chance to retrieve his weapon, he didn't do so, and instead struck a martial stance, clenching his large fists as if waiting for something.

  "You're skilled...a kick like that isn't for everyone."

  Druso complimented him, squinting. Something didn't sit right with Kan's move. That kick had been too well-placed for someone who seemed accustomed to melee combat. Even the stance the colossus had assumed wasn't something a swordsman would have done.

  "Thanks, but I won't spare you just because you compliment me!"

  To the wanderer's surprise, Kan didn't rush to retrieve the spear, but instead charged head-on, raising his right arm. A green glow surrounded the colossus's limb as if it were a healing aura, but it wasn't regenerating; it was reinvigorating.

  A Battle Art?

  "Prepare yourself, Druso! Stone Skin!"

  The wanderer barely managed to parry with his sword. For some reason, his opponent's arm felt as hard as rock, if not harder. It was clear that a buff had been used, but Druso had never seen one this powerful—despite his extensive travels. Honestly, Kan was probably at the level of Gold-rank adventurers or higher.

  "Now everything is clear to me!"

  With a backflip, Druso managed to reposition himself and put further distance between the two, securing a few seconds' respite. Kan's fist struck the ground, fracturing it and creating a small crater.

  "You're a monk, aren't you? They say your fists can break rock, but yours can do much more."

  "Thank you! I'm the toughest opponent you've ever faced. Tell me so!"

  "Absolutely..."

  Druso had faced many enemies in his life, and he wasn't sure whether Kan was among the most difficult, but he responded this way as a favor, given how excited he was to fight. The vagabond was getting so caught up in the heat of battle that he was now truly determined to have fun.

  "Let's continue! I'll show you my favorite technique! Stone Skin! "

  Kan strengthened his right arm and resumed his furious attack, while Drusus simply took the blows, parrying them with his sword. The mana blade was made of energy, so

  "Are you holding back? Why aren't you attacking?!"

  "Trust me Kan, you'll understand!"

  The one-sided exchange continued for several minutes, until Kan began to look slower, more tired, and more exhausted. But it was impossible—someone his size could have fought for days, yet here he was already out of breath after half an hour.

  "I don't believe it!"

  The monk groaned, dropping to one knee to catch his breath. He looked exhausted, as if he'd run through the forest twenty times. Druso, on the other hand, looked only slightly tired, with sweat running down his eyes.

  "You beat me..."

  No one understood what had happened, how had Druso managed to win without attacking?

  "It was luck."

  The tramp reiterated, sitting down on the ground to recover his energy.

  "Let me guess, it was the Lich Bane! But how?"

  "It is a blade completely imbued with mana. It can absorb energy just by touching it."

  Kan smiled at that explanation, understanding how cunningly he had been defeated. He knew that the Lich Bane It was a mighty sword, but thought that without activating its power, it was on par with a normal melee weapon. He was sadly mistaken.

  "So the harder you hit it, the more energy it takes from you. Am I right?"

  Druso nodded, explaining how the stolen energy was stored within the sword. He couldn't use it to heal himself, only to enhance the weapon's damage or use special attacks. He had avoided unleashing the full power of the Lich Bane against Kan to avoid causing serious injury.

  "Interesting! I have my father's medallion at home, which increases resistance and stamina! I didn't use it because I didn't think it was necessary, but now I regret it."

  "Druso! Let me heal you! Middle Heal"

  A green circle shot out from Lulu's hands, healing the wanderer's wounds. It was only a level 3 spell, but it did its dirty work.

  "Hey! I'm jealous! Can you help me too, girl?"

  Kan muttered ironically, sitting down next to Druso.

  "Sure, give me a minute! By the way, my name is Lulu!"

  "Yes, yes..."

  After both fighters had regenerated, the three sat down together on the ground. Druso turned to a calm and collected Kan, ready to begin negotiations. The fight had left everyone drained of energy, despite the healing.

  "I guess you know why I came here today..."

  "Weren't you here to challenge me?"

  "No!"

  Druso slapped himself in the face, snorting.

  "We're at war, Kan! We need all the help we can get!"

  "Ohhh! I like it! I'm in!"

  The warrior laughed, surprising the other two with how friendly he was at that moment.

  "We'd like to talk to you about some more technical matters, like how many people from your village can go to the front, or if you know anything about that—"

  The wanderer began, before being stopped by the monk.

  "Calm down a minute! Let's have a drink first! Important conversations should always be had over a drink, right?"

  "No! Absolutely not!"

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Toward evening, a small celebration was called in Fang's village. For them, the news of their going to battle was cause for celebration. Druso considered it a waste of time to celebrate before war, but he had no power of decision there—and besides, drinking seemed to make Kan more reasonable.

  Lulu walked beside the main fire, watching the soldiers dance happily. She couldn't help but ignore the stares she was receiving from many of the males; she was used to them. Ever since she was little, she'd been told she was beautiful compared to the other lizard women. Even Druso and Kan, two legendary heroes, gave her sidelong glances. They weren't rude, but it was obvious they were devouring her with their gaze. She couldn't complain, since she was admiring their tails like a fish observes a tiny worm on a hook.

  She moved gracefully toward the area where Druso and Kan were drinking like fish. They had quickly become friends, and she was pleased that the two had gone from attempting to kill each other to drinking together like longtime acquaintances. Aware that they were slightly tipsy, she decided to speak out loud.

  "So, what have you decided?"

  "We will fight to the death!"

  Kan replied furiously, downing a bowl of liquor in one gulp. Druso drank with more class, and answered Lulu's question with greater calm and composure than his companion.

  "Kan's soldiers will leave tomorrow morning and reach the front, while the three of us will return to the palace to meet my brother, hoping he has finished gathering the other members of the Six Heroes."

  "You know, I think this is the first time all the lizardmen have been united under one banner in a war. It's a unique event and—"

  Lulu started, only to be interrupted by a semi-drunk Kan.

  "Now that I think about it, I have to give you a cabin for the night! Shall I give you one for both of you."

  At those words, the druid and the vagabond blushed suddenly.

  "W-What the hell are you saying?!"

  "What's up, Druso? You said earlier that she wasn't yours yet, I thought you still had to...you know, right?"

  “That’s not what I meant! Wait…what would I have said?!”

  "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

  The monk had begun to make a movement with his fingers, but was stopped by the druid, who was smoking because she was so embarrassed by the meaning of the gesture. Kan wasn't the brightest, they had figured that out.

  "Okay, okay! What a drag you are! I'll give you two separate huts, so we're all set."

  "Thank you..."

  Drusus replied, calming down.

  "But I want to be there for the baby's birth! Can I suggest some names?"

  "Kaaaaaaaaan!"

  “Can I make suggestions about the middle name? But I won't go lower than this!”

  That evening, they went to sleep amidst shouts and laughter. Despite their initial protests, Druso and Lulu shared the hut for the night, giving in to Kan's pressure. Needless to say, they didn't just sleep.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  13th of the month of the gray dragon (March) 12:58 AM

  Once back at the royal palace, Druso was welcomed with full honors, along with Lulu and Kan. It almost seemed as if they had already won the war without even participating. The first to receive them was Tiberio, who greeted them with determination.

  "Welcome back, brother!"

  "Thank you. It hasn't been an easy journey. Anyway, meet Kan Monk! He's Jengis's son."

  "It's an honor to meet you, Master Tiberio! My father has told me so much about you!"

  The monk approached and placed his right hand, shaking the warrior's. Normally, Kan didn't care about honorifics, but even a non-traditionalist like him couldn't help but feel nothing but respect for the eldest of the Senshi brothers.

  "It's an honor for me too, Kan. Jengis was a great warrior, and it's a pleasure to meet his son! Anyway, you can just call me Tiberius."

  "Thank you very much, sir! You can also drop the honorific; I've never been a fan of formalities."

  "Oh-Oh! I understand!"

  Once the introductions were over, the four entered the throne room and approached a table with a map of the swamp unrolled on it. It depicted the frontier villages they would have to defend from the invasion that would come in a few days.

  "Oh, there you are! We've been waiting for you!"

  Prince Gabiru welcomed them, intending to mark some things on the map.

  "Sorry for the delay, your highness. I see we're all here..."

  Druso replied, looking at the two reptiles beside the Prince: one was Shark Same, a warrior equipped with armor made entirely of shark bone, as was his axe; the other, armed with a bow and sling, was the best hunter of their tribe, Sakka Senshu. The first was one of the original members of the Six Great Heroes, while the second had succeeded his father after his premature death from illness. The deceased hero's funeral had been held a few years earlier, and on that occasion he had met Tiberio, but not Druso—who was traveling.

  "Well, gentlemen, I think we should start discussing the technical details..."

  Tiberius began, approaching the table.

  "With Kan's tribe, we have a full seventeen thousand soldiers at our disposal, both young and old."

  "I went on a reconnaissance mission with some of my men. The enemy has set up camp along the southern border. We haven't been able to spy inside, but their forces number around thirty thousand, mostly undead and zombies."

  Sakka added , pointing to the exact spot on the map.

  "Thirty thousand undead? That's a lot!"

  "No way! It'll be enough for each of us to take down five or six, right?"

  Kan stupidly proposed, making it clear he wasn't the smartest of the group. However, no one dared to question that his reasoning made a modicum of logical sense, for someone who only thinks with his fists, that is.

  "No, we need to prepare a strategy."

  Druso replied coldly, looking at the map.

  "We have seventeen thousand units, but we have to divide them between two fronts. I'd say 70-30."

  The vagabond proposed, obtaining positive responses.

  "How do we divide ourselves? I would propose sub-divisions led by the members present here..."

  Tiberio proposed.

  "No, it's better to create a team made up only of heroes."

  Druso answered him.

  "So...you raise elite soldiers?"

  Shark replied, his voice struggling. One of the wounds he'd received in the war was to the head, and from then on he had difficulty forming coherent sentences. However, his battle and decision-making skills were not to be underestimated.

  "Exactly. If a general or a reinforced strike force were to ever appear, it would be difficult to eliminate if divided along the front."

  Everyone nodded at that decision, unable to argue against it. The enemy's strength was still shrouded in mystery. Following their pride and underestimating their enemies was not the right choice.

  "So we'll stay behind and wait until our soldiers can't eliminate... I like that idea, brother! That way we can save energy!"

  At that moment, the Prince stepped forward, gaining everyone's attention with a powerful cough.

  "I'd say everything is decided for the south! I'll leave the military administration on site to you, while I'll take care of defending the northern front! The orcs are always lurking!"

  The heroes agreed and left the room, ushering in some generals of the royal army who were supposed to assist Prince Gabiru in military matters.

  There's not much time left...The battle will soon begin.

  Druso thought, heading for his room, ready to rest from his long journey. When he entered his room, he sat down on the bed, exhausted. He didn't have time to close his eyes when he heard someone knocking on his door. Could it be his brother?

  "After you!"

  Who knows what he wants ...

  “Sorry to intrude.”

  The door opened, and Druso was paralyzed with astonishment. He hadn't expected this, especially after the events of a few nights earlier.

  “W-What can I do for you?”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  14th of the month of the gray dragon (March) 6:12 PM

  Druso climbed onto his traveling crocodile and gazed at the rising sun. The battle that could spell the end of their species was just a few days away. He was scared, truly scared: he feared death, feared losing the things and people dear to him. A few days earlier, he had tried to think of the bright side of the coming war, but he could no longer find any now that it was so close. They were having food shortages, but was all-out war really the only solution to that problem?

  "Something wrong, brother?"

  Tiberio asked him, noticing the younger boy's lost gaze.

  "Everything, brother. This war will bring much chaos and the Prince doesn't realize it. He's too blinded by the race for the throne."

  "There was no other choice..."

  “We could have submitted.”

  "But then we would have had to face rebellions and civil wars, ending up killing each other. In both cases, we would have had to resort to arms. Better to do it united against a common enemy, rather than alone against ourselves."

  "You're right, Tiberius...unfortunately you're always right."

  The wanderer sighed sadly as he was approached by a radiant Kan. He was happy to fight and couldn't contain his excitement, or rather...scales. He couldn't wait to follow in his late father's footsteps, not to mention that he would be fighting alongside the Six Great Heroes as a member of that group, not just as a simple soldier.

  "Come on, Druso! At least you've earned a woman!"

  "Can I know what you're talking about?!"

  "What are you talking about?!I heard you last night! You really had fun from the way you were shouting, at least, huh? How I envy you, buddy!"

  Druso blushed suddenly, while Tiberio burst out laughing. Lulu, who was on the other side of the crocodile, hid behind a rock to hide the blush on her face.

  "You're too blunt, Kan! I-"

  Druso rebuked him, before being interrupted.

  "Brother!"

  "Yes?! What is it?!"

  The tramp replied, trying to keep his blush at bay.

  "For me Kan is right, in a way..."

  "Really?"

  "Really!?"

  "Really?!!"

  Druso, Lulu, and Kan himself asked in order, the latter being as surprised by Tiberio's words as the other two. To agree with the monk was like saying the earth was flat.

  "Yes. Now you have something to fight for too. I have my wife and unborn child, and you, Lulu...at least this way you won't die on the battlefield! I want a grandchild, understand?"

  "B-But, Brother! You too!?"

  Laughter drowned out the shouts, bringing embarrassment and joy throughout the journey to the front. Here were the six Great Lizard Heroes, those who would face the armies of the Absolute Almodeus. Only fate would tell them whether they would perish on the battlefield, or whether they would have the strength to repel the enemy army and defend their civilization.

  The war was coming...

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  As the heroes advanced towards an uncertain tomorrow, in Almodeus’s camp- located behind the formidable army of 30,000 undead- Frederica was simply setting the table in preparation for dinner.

  "Welcome back, Master Hardshell..."

  She murmured at the sight of the robotic colossus, still unaccustomed to assigning him an honorific. It felt strange to be the personal maid of someone who seemed like a mindless beast. However, Frederica could not deny that she was treated well, better than Marquis Baldur treated her.

  "Is everything ready for battle?"

  The waitress asked, watching the robot sit down at the large table.

  "Yes! Everything is ready! I can't wait for the hostilities to begin!"

  Hardshell replied happily, looking nothing like the dickhead Frederica had faced at the villa of the Marquis.

  "Are you that excited to get your hands dirty?"

  She asked him, pouring some black liquid into his goblet.

  "Nahhh! Lord Almodeus ordered me not to go down to the battlefield, but only to manage things from here..."

  "What a pity for a knuckle head like you Master, huh?"

  Frederica teased him, but he didn't seem to get the dig. In fact, he nodded as if she had said something true and right, and not a mockery at his expense.

  Marquis Baldur would have beaten me up for a joke like that... luckily, he seems meek.

  As Frederica recalled the various times she had been scolded by her old master, Hardshell began to talk to her, bringing her back to reality.

  "Anyway, you can also call me informally. I don't care about the honorific..."

  "As you wish, Hardshell. Do you also want me to be more honest and direct with you?"

  She asked, even though she had already stopped doing so without his permission.

  "Yes yes...how long until dinner is ready?"

  "10 minutes..."

  "Great!!!"

  Hardshell nodded, taking the goblet in his large, clawed hand and beginning to drink its contents.

  "You know, I don't understand why Lord Almodeus gave me such low-level troops..."

  "Maybe he doesn't want to win."

  "Bullshit! Lord Almodeus can't be wrong! He's the Absolute for a reason!"

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend."

  "Nothing...you didn't offend anyone, at least not directly!"

  Frederica rolled her eyes and sighed. Being with Hardshell was really hard, but lately she had started to feel more comfortable with the colossus. She still thought he was a brainless idiot, but at least she didn't hate being around him.

  "Rather, I'd like to ask you a question."

  She began, watching him.

  "Ask away!"

  "Why did you choose me as your personal maid?"

  At that question, Hardshell began scratching his metal head. He didn't know how to answer Frederica, since the truth of the matter would have been very embarrassing. When Almodeus had asked him what he wanted as a reward for the raid at the villa, he hadn't thought it through, so he chose the first thing- or person in this case- that came to mind: Frederica, since he'd just finished fighting her. Hardshell could have said that, but he was sure that if he did, she would have insulted him a lot more than normal. Frederica was a servant, but she had the temper of a tiger, and honestly speaking? He liked that a lot.

  "So? Do I have to repeat my question?"

  "N-No!"

  Hardshell coughed and sat back in his chair, desperately trying to buy himself precious seconds to think of an answer.

  "I chose you because... er ... because you were a great opponent! Yes! So I thought it would be fun to have you as my personal maid !"

  "Did you...objectify me?"

  The question made him even more anxious. He didn't know what "objectify" meant, but it sounded offensive and Hardshell didn't want to offend her randomly. What to do? He was negated in those types of things.

  "Huh? No! What the fuck does that even mean?!"

  "Sorry, my bad. I take back what I said, you're too stupid to be sexist...or racist."

  "Exactly!"

  Frederica opened her eyes in surprise. Had he really not realized he'd just called himself a dumbass? She had to do everything she could to avoid laughing in his face. Hardshell could be so much fun sometimes.

  "Ah, anyway..."

  The waitress stood straight and straightened her skirt, ready to deliver some important information.

  "A message arrived from Lord Almodeus a moment ago, saying that I am to remain here during the battle and report everything."

  "You'll be in luck, then! You'll have front-row seats to the crushing victory I will give to my glorious lord!"

  "Wow, I've been invited to a bloodbath...yay.”

  The maid muttered, sighing.

  "I still don't understand why I have such a small number of troops. Could it have been Sergio's mistake? It doesn't matter! I'd win even on my own! But... I wonder why I was forbidden to come out into the open? I still don’t understand..."

  The robot reasoned aloud, finding no answer to his questions.

  "Don't think about it, it's better! In fact, think about eating instead! I'll go get you the food and if you say it's not good I'll give you a punch in the face!"

  The maid snorted, moving toward the kitchen.

  Did he really not understand Almodeus's true intentions? He's such an idiot! But...he's not as much of an asshole as I thought- he's still a jerk, but he's nice sometimes.

  Unlike Hardshell, Frederica had immediately understood that Almodeus intended to test his subordinate, hoping that the robot would achieve victory through his own abilities, not take it for granted. However, Hardshell didn't seem to understand his master's idea. This was demonstrated by the fact that he had not carried out any reconnaissance or assessment of the enemy forces...

  If he continues like this, he'll lose the war! I can't imagine Almodeus's reaction!

  She sighed and took a large turkey from the oven, then began carrying it into the main hall. Although she had understood part of her master's intentions, Frederica still hadn't grasped the meaning of her presence there. What purpose did she have? Was she supposed to help Hardshell or was she with him only because of the role as his personal maid? She didn't know. Almodeus hadn't given her any information, yet he had relieved her of C's protection for that task. Where was he going with this? If asked, she wouldn't have hidden her fear of being punished in case of defeat.

  She didn't want to think about it; Marquis Baldur 's screams still echoed in her ears, especially after discovering what had happened to him- what that despicable man had become after days and days in Shockwave 's laboratory. She shivered and her hair stood on end at the mere thought of suffering the same fate as the Marquis.

  Almodeus...I don't understand you! What do you want from Hardshell? What do you want from me? What's your real goal here? Is it just conquest, or is there more to it?

  Frederica wondered, trembling as a cold shiver ran through her body. She felt under observation. She looked out the window of the building where she was, as if to see if anyone was spying on her, but outside there was only the wind...and a few red-mantled crows.