The two Lizardmen, who had emerged from the lake, held a spear slightly longer than the ones they had thrown earlier. They seemed full of enthusiasm. So, as usual, I decided to use [Appraisal] them.
――――――――――
Race: Lizardman Lv12
Job: Fisherman Lv2
Skills:
- [Sharp Fang]
- [Sharp Claw]
- [Tail Strike]
- [Spear Mastery]
- [Throwing Technique]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Aquatic]
- [Night Vision]
- [Lightning Weakness]
――――――――――
With this level of stats, we would have no problems at all. There were countless ways to approach the fight, and it seemed more challenging to lose, to be honest. Perhaps it was a good opportunity to conduct experiments with new magic. Now, how should I engage in this battle?
“Hey, intruders! We won’t let you pa…ss!”
“We won’t…nggh?”
Should I exploit their weakness to lightning? No, that might degrade the quality of the materials obtained. The [Light Magic] I obtained would probably be used only for defense….
Ah, I’ve got it! Since the enemy appears to be a warrior, why not try dulling their abilities with [Curse]? It would be interesting to experiment with how much weaker the opponent becomes. I must say, it’s quite a brilliant idea.
“H-Hold on! You, who awaits the power of the great one!”.
“I-Isam? Wait a minute, just wait a minute!” Iris said.
“Let’s get this over wi— Wait, what?”
Just when I pointed the tip of my staff toward the Lizardman, something strange happened. For some reason, Iris was standing in front of the Lizardman, and to my surprise, the Lizardman was prostrating before me.
Huh? What? What’s going on?
“…Are you done with your thoughts? I have no clue either. As soon as these guys laid eyes on you, they ended up like this.” Iris said.
“Isam, did you do something again?” Ruby added.
No, I have absolutely no idea. And what’s with the “again”? What does she mean by “again”? It’s like she’s implying that I’m always causing trouble! How rude!
But in reality, the Lizardmen were indeed prostrating before me. I shouldn’t have any items or skills to control them. Alright, since I don’t understand either, let’s ask them directly.
“Lizardmen, would you mind raising your heads?”
“”Y-yes, sir!””
…I couldn’t read the reptilian expressions, but it was evident from their agitated voices. What’s with this reaction, resembling that of elementary school kids who accidentally meet their idol?
“I’d like to ask, why are you prostrating before me?”
“What are you saying? Aren’t you a member of the dragon’s kin?”
“It’s only natural for us to prostrate before you!”
Ah, yes! I remember now, that title! It was something I gained when I evolved after absorbing the bones of the lesser small Naga.
However, the description only mentioned a “tremendous increase in favorability towards dragon-type monsters,” without specifically mentioning any effect on Lizardmen. What’s the reasoning behind this?
“We revere and worship the mighty Dragon Lord, Agnasrelim, who guards this lake.”
“Hence, we hold deep respect for all dragon kin.”
I see. Lizardmen don’t worship human-like deities; instead, they revere dragons. That’s why, according to their system, as a partial “descendant” of a dragon, they show me this amount of respect.
I understood that much; it seemed they were talking about the Dragon Lord, Agnasrelim, as the master of this lake. Considering he was the object of worship for the Lizardmen, Agnasrelim must be incredibly powerful. I must be cautious not to draw his attention.
“I’ve grasped your situation. With that in mind, let me ask you something. Our objective lies beyond this lake, at the summit of the mountain. Would you allow us to pass through the Lizardmen’s territory?”
“Well…”
“We’re just fishermen; we don’t have the authority to make such decisions. Besides, we’re quite occupied with various matters at the moment…”
Hmm, negotiation failed, I suppose. Well, it’s not even a negotiation if they don’t have the authority to decide.
Moreover, they seem to be facing some troubles of their own. Forcing the issue won’t do any good. However, it’s going to be troublesome if every Lizardman we encounter during our journey through their territory reacts the same way. Now, what should I do?
“In that case, Master Dragon Bones, would you kindly come with us to our village?”
“I believe the village chief can handle things smoothly from there.”
Oh? There’s a village here. Well, now that I think about it, it makes sense. The Lizardmen seemed to be a race that formed a society and didn’t live solely in family units. It would be natural to consult their village chief.
But what was more intriguing was…
“Um, what does ‘Dragon Bones’ mean? Is it referring to me?”
“Yes. We thought it would be a fitting title for you…”
Indeed, I was not just a ‘Bone Dragon’ but rather ‘bones infused with dragon essence’. ‘Dragon Bones’ might be an oddly fitting expression.
It’s not worth denying it forcefully, and I’ll let them call me as they please. Repeatedly being referred to as a ‘dragon’ might have some effect when I encounter other Lizardmen.
“I see. Call me however you like.”
“”Understood~!””
…It feels like I’ve become the protagonist of a Historical drama or something. Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing, but I should stick to this roleplay! I must carry myself with dignity!
“Before we proceed, I’d like to ask, would it be acceptable to bring my companions along?”
“Of course!”
“If they are associates of the Dragon Bones, then everyone is welcome!”
…Is that so? Well, I do have some confidence in handling any trouble that may arise.
“Very well, let’s go.”
“This way.”
Wait a minute! Why are they heading into the lake?
“Hold on a moment. I should ask first. What kind of place is your village?”
“Oh, it’s a series of small islands floating on the lake.”
“…How do you get there?”
“We swim there…?”
The Lizardmen seemed to give off an atmosphere of not understanding why I was asking such a simple question. However, it was a significant problem for us. The reason being that among us, only Ruby could swim!
Perhaps in their environment, there were no non-swimmers nearby, but we were land-dwellers. Systematically, we couldn’t swim. We could try to acquire the hobby skill of [Swimming], but I couldn’t force the other three to do it. Well, there’s no other way; I’ll politely decline.
[You seem to be in trouble. Shall I lend you my strength?]
Huh? Whose voice was that? I felt like I heard a voice coming from the lake…?
“Wait, wait! Everyone, there’s a really huge shadow approaching from the lake!”
“What?!”
Ugh, what’s it this time! There have been too many things happening, and I won’t be surprised by just anything! If you’re coming, then bring it on!
Zabaaahhh…
[Ride on my back, my new kin, and his companions.]
“Wha…!”
Emerging from the depths of the lake was a colossal dragon.
Its beauty and aura of intimidation left me completely speechless and frozen in place.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“The promotional video was very effective.”
Long time no see. It’s me, the Goddess of Death and Chaos, Yifa.
My promotional strategy from the recent event has garnered significant attention. It seemed that becoming a monster boss that could overwhelm countless players had its allure, after all.
In reality, once transformed into a boss, there were stat adjustments, so it didn’t have exactly the same performance as shown in the video. I made sure to include that information transparently, but everyone didn’t seem to mind. With their acceptance, I could comfortably bring more chaos to this world in a way I enjoy.
“Just when you’re in high spirits, here I am, intruding.”
It was Grenelle, the Goddess of War and Victory, who arrived. However, something seemed a bit off about her.
“What’s the matter? You don’t seem cheerful.”
“It’s that damn jerk.”
There was only one being referred to as a “damn jerk” among us, and that was the Goddess of Light and Order, Earle.
“She’s applying for permission from the old man to grant prophecies to believers across a wide area; damn her.”
“To our father, huh…”
Grenelle referred to him as “old man”, and I addressed him as “father”. He was the president and CEO of “New World Software”, the company that operated FSW (Free Species World), the virtual world he envisioned and created. In this FSW, we, the goddesses, were given personalities, and we could act on our emotions without being reprimanded.
Even if the game itself were to collapse, he didn’t seem to mind. That was his belief. As long as profits were being made… but it must be hard on the employees.
His top priority is to maintain that vision, and he allows individuals to take whatever means they deem necessary. That’s why Earle’s actions, which prioritize humanity, are also tacitly accepted.
However, when it came to matters that could have a significant impact on the entire game, we needed our father’s permission. Well, since he was of the same kind as me, I assume he would grant it without hesitation.
“Are you sure she won’t cause trouble? What are we going to do?” Grenelle asked.
“Even if you ask me what to do, there’s nothing I can do, at least not directly.”
If Earle were to bestow prophecies, it would undoubtedly have a profound impact on human society. However, the number of humans who deeply worshiped me was quite small, and the majority of them were foolish individuals who didn’t truly understand my hobbies… I mean, my teachings. That’s why it was impossible for me to exert any significant influence on human society.
“I can’t interfere either. My believers are either obsessed with combat or obsessed with war,” Grenelle added.
“It would certainly cause a commotion.”
She, as the Goddess of War and Victory, naturally drew her worshipers from those who lived by the sword. In the world of FSW, most of the human nations were ruled by kings or their equivalents, and her followers consisted mainly of knight orders and warrior factions.
It was possible to intervene and bestow prophecies upon them to thwart Earle’s schemes, but doing so would inevitably lead to conflicts with the powerful priests in countries where Earle had many followers. As a result, a significant amount of bloodshed would ensue.
Grenelle, the Goddess of War and Victory, did not deny the act of gaining something through bloodshed. She would probably even laugh at the sight of villages and towns being ravaged by soldiers, finding it to be the essence of war.
However, she disliked causing civil wars through divine intervention. It contradicted her teachings that “the purpose of war must always be for oneself.” So Grenelle would not bestow prophecies. It’s a shame, but that’s how it is.
“Hey, didn’t you think it would be more fun if a civil war broke out?” Grenelle asked.
“Of course, I’m the Goddess of Chaos, after all. However, isn’t it more amusing when world-scale events happen beyond the players’ sight?”
A civil war breaking out in nations all over the world… Ah, how wonderfully chaotic it would be. But if such a major event were to occur, I believe it should be triggered by the players’ actions, not by the control of the goddesses and the resident NPCs.
“Oh? Some players are in contact with the Dragon Lord.”
“Huh? Ah, wait, aren’t those Jigoro and the others?
Well then, let me check the logs… I see. So, as a result of Isam’s body remodeling and evolution, his favorability with the Lizardman race has skyrocketed. As expected of the player who has my blessing.
“And to top it off, they possess that map and have the skill of [Linguistics], huh…?” Grenelle remarked.
“That seems to be the case. It looks like we’ll have quite a lot to deal with before the second batch of players arrives.”
Considering the relatively short time since the game’s launch, Isam seems to have gained quite a lot of intense experience. I have high expectations for you, Isam, the one who has entertained me so much in such a short time.
“Repaint this world to your liking. Go ahead and wreak havoc as you see fit.”
I whispered in a voice even Grenelle couldn’t hear. Now, then, it’s certain that things will get busy from here on. So, let’s start preparing for what’s to come.
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