Chapter 97 Things Got Complicated

With a beaming smile, Suzuka accepted the quest and assured Lisanna that she would get started on it right away.

"Thank you so much, Lisanna! I'm really excited to take on this quest," Suzuka exclaimed, clutching the piece of paper with the task details.

Lisanna smiled warmly at Suzuka's enthusiasm. "I have no doubt that you'll do a great job. This task is perfect for someone like you, Helen. Just make sure to be careful out there. The numbers of monsters are unknown, there might be only a few or a whole horde."

"Don't worry, this quest sounds easy enough. The hardest part will be the trip, it may take me a day or two to go there and go back. I should be going, I don't want to lose any daytime. Thanks again, Lisanna. See you soon."

As Suzuka made her way out of the guild, her resolve burned hot like the flames of a dragon's breath. With hastened steps, she rushed in the direction on the map the quest details pointed. 

The forest that lay ahead was treacherous and unforgiving, full of hidden dangers that could easily snuff out the life of any traveler foolish enough to tread its paths. The forest was dense and oppressive, and the air was thick with the stench of decay.

 Suzuka pushed on, her senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Her eyes scanned the underbrush for the slightest movement, her ears pricked for any suspicious sound. But despite the harsh terrain and the treacherous creatures that lurked in the shadows, Suzuka was unafraid. Her enhanced body was her weapon, honed to a razor-sharp edge by her year of training with Bill. Her enhanced senses allowed her to navigate the dense foliage with ease, her muscles absorbing the punishment of the journey without complaint.

As she walked through the forest, the foliage rustling gently beneath her feet, Suzuka felt the energy pulsing through her veins. Her enhanced body was immune to the fatigue that would have long since overtaken a lesser adventurer, and she relished the opportunity to push herself to her limits. With each step, her muscles flexed and coiled like a predator ready to pounce, and her senses were keenly attuned to any sign of danger.

Suzuka dashed through the forest at a breathtaking pace, her feet pounding the ground with a rhythmic cadence. Her movements were lithe and agile, and she easily navigated the treacherous terrain. Even the most seasoned adventurers would have struggled to keep up with her.

 As the sun began to set on the horizon, she reached her destination, an old MIS research outpost. Now, a lizardmen camp, deep in the heart of the forest.

Knowing the dangers of the night, Suzuka decided to take shelter in the safety of the trees. With practiced ease, she climbed up a sturdy tree and created a makeshift bed on a thick branch. She carefully concealed herself with leaves and branches, making sure that she was hidden from any potential predators that might be lurking below.

As the night wore on, Suzuka slept with one eye open, her body tense and ready to act. When the sun rose in the morning, she awoke feeling a bit drowsy. From her vantage point in the tree, she surveyed the lizardman camp below, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. Despite the danger that lurked within, she remained calm and composed. She knew that this was the very quest that David had been so eager to embark upon, and as she surveyed the area, she couldn't help but think that he would never have made it this far.

The camp was teeming with activity, with hordes of lizardmen moving about their business. Suzuka watched them closely, her hand hovering near her weapon. She knew that any false move could spell disaster, and so she remained vigilant, her senses alert to the slightest sound or movement.

Suzuka sneered as she surveyed the lizardman camp, thinking to herself, "Ha, this is the quest that David wanted to go on? He's such a fool! There's no way he could have survived the journey here, let alone fight these savage creatures. What was he thinking? Thank goodness Lisanna had the sense to keep him from going. If she hadn't, he would be dead by now." She shook her head, unable to fathom David's stupidity. 

Suzuka looked around the Lizardman camp, her eyes scanning for any sign of movement. She had been hired to eliminate the Lizardmen, who were seen as a threat to the safety and security of the nearby towns and villages.

 As she crept through the shadows, her sword held at the ready, she could hear the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs. She knew she was getting close. After she peeked her head out of thick bushes she saw the Lizardman camp up close. They were equipped with wooden spears and rusty swords, carrying wooden shields, and dressed in poorly made cloth armor. Suzuka charged into the Lizardman camp, disregarding their numbers.

 Her enhanced strength allowed her to effortlessly dodge their rusty swords and strike them down with a single blow. Her fast healing kept her going even as she sustained numerous cuts and bruises. The Lizardmen were surprised by her strength and skill, but they refused to back down. They were determined to defend their new home and their people.

Suzuka fought on, her muscles bulging as she increased her muscle mass. She was an unstoppable force, and the Lizardmen soon realized that they were no match for her. They tried to retreat and regroup, but Suzuka pursued them relentlessly, taking them down one by one.

As the battle raged on, Suzuka's stamina proved to be an invaluable asset. She fought tirelessly, her skin deflecting the weakest blows of the Lizardmen's swords. She was a whirlwind of motion, striking with deadly precision and leaving a trail of fallen foes in her wake.

The Lizardmen fell into formation, pointing wooden spears toward Suzuka and guarding with makeshift wooden shields. She stood among the fallen Lizardmen, who squirmed in pain on the ground, taking in the sight of the carnage she made. She wiped her sword clean on the grass and took a deep breath, her fast healing already beginning to repair the little damage she had sustained.

Suzuka's mind crossed a mischievous thought about taking advantage of the Lizardmen's proximity and using her gravity magic spell to crush them, "They are all nicely bunched up in one spot, it would be a real dick move to pop my gravity magic spell and crush them." 

However, upon closer observation, she noticed that the Lizardmen were employing military tactics and had formed a phalanx formation, which puzzled her, "Wait! Are they using military formation? That is a phalanx formation. How do they know that?" She wondered how they could have learned such tactics, as they were typically used by trained soldiers.

As the Lizardmen began to retreat, they maintained their formation and headed towards a rundown building with a big, reinforced double door. Despite their discipline, the Lizardmen were clearly spooked by Suzuka's immense battle prowess, causing them to retreat even faster. Suzuka pondered whether to pursue them or not but ultimately decided to hold back and observe them from a distance. She wondered if there was something significant behind that door that they were trying to protect, and if so, what it could be.

Suzuka walked slowly and menacingly after the retreating Lizardmen. Suddenly, the double doors budged and opened with a loud creak. The Lizardmen's formation split in half and made a path through the middle. Out of the darkness of the room stepped three burly lizardmen, each one larger than the last. The biggest Lizardman stepped forward, the other two following but keeping a step back. He walked in front of the formation and stood facing Suzuka. Then he shouted in a language she could understand.

"Human! What is the meaning of your aggression?! We did not harm you! Why did you kill my people?!"

Suzuka replied with a jest and a small smile, "Well, well! You can speak?! Now that's a surprise I wasn't expecting today! What's next? Gonna show me a magic trick?"

The Lizardman was serious and with a calm voice said, "I am being serious, human. No time for jokes! Now answer!"

"Well! There is not much to say! You are a monster, I am a human, so I am here to kill you all and get my reward for it. It's as simple as that. Plain old money."

Lizardman started to show a slight tone of anger in his voice, "Money! You kill my people for money! You, humans, are all the same! If greed is your drive, then I offer you the gold we found in this abandoned place. Leave and don't bother us again!"

"Sorry, no can do, Lizard. You know, I need to keep my face. But hey! Thanks for saving me the trouble of searching the outpost for treasures, now I just kill ya all and take it, that saves me some time."

"Your nothing but a one-woman against an army of Lizardman! Be careful of your next words, human! I don't want to shed blood but if you wish for the fight you will get it."

"Wow! A big words from someone whose army I was soloing with ease just a minute ago. Oh! Wait! I got a party trick to show you! I will make your men bend the knee with the power of my mind!" She sarcastically jested.

Suzuka extended forward her hands and locked on both sides of the Lizardman. She used her magic and the gravity around them increased so much that they fell to the ground.

"What!?" Shouted the Lizardman leader, "You are one of the cursed humans! You are using that damned magic, box magic!"

"Indeed I am and I'm about to abuse the shit out of that power crushing you all, say your goodbyes while you can!"

"WAIT!" The leader shouted from the bottom of his lungs, "Please! Leave my kin alone! Kill me instead! Just let the rest go! They will leave and you will not see them again!" The Lizardman leader tried to reason after realizing the difference in strength.

"Ha! What? Kill you? Pfff, I just kill you all and be done with it. It's just another monster kill quest for me, don't take it personally."

"You call us monsters? When you! Attacking and killing my people without a reason! Back there! In that building, our children and our eggs take shelter from the dangers lurking in the forest. And here you come, killing everyone without a second thought! Adult, child, newborn, or not even born ones yet! From where I stand! You! Are! The monster, human!"

Suzuka let her gravity grip go, and canceled her magic, then asked with a slightly curious voice, "Then, care to explain what are you doing here?"  

"We are just trying to survive like any other race in this goddamn forest! Lizardmen, Cat people, Elves, Dwarfs, Minotaurs, humans, and even damned goblins are trying their best to survive another day! This might come as a shock to you, human. But, not all of us who you call 'monsters' are evil. Some of us just want to live in peace! Not every monster is evil! Even some goblins are good!"

"Goblins!? Good!? Now your just making it up. No way Goblins are good, Lizard." 

"Most of them, yes, despicable filth. But not all of them, I can see you have no idea how things are between races. Let me tell you only this, Goblins enslave their own if deemed 'weak', only the bloodthirsty ones rule in their kingdom."

"Well, I still fail to see how any of this is my problem. I just simply came to get rid of the monsters and clear this place. Then get my reward and go on a date. That was supposed to be my plan for the day, but no, you just had to start talking and make things complicated. So! Tell me, Lizard. Tell me a plan everyone would be happy with, hmmm? I'm all ears!"