The Lizardfolks

I didn't notice this yet, but she had what looked like a short lizard tail coming from her... you know.

We've been walking through this tunnel for what felt like hours but was only ten minutes. Eventually, we neared the end of the tunnel.

I suddenly felt life energy coming from the end of the tunnel. I heard chatter coming from the other end.

When we exited the tunnel, we eventually arrived at an enormous cavern. I looked around and there was another group of people that looked like this girl. They all had different varieties of scales on their faces and body. They even had the same looking tail as her. There were some that even looked fully lizard! What are these people?

The girl waved at them and they waved back. Then when their eyes met with me, their eyes widened.

We walked past more people, and they gave me the same look like the ones earlier. I felt uncomfortable with all these stares but, I would've done the same. After all, I am a demon and I don't look human-like. I don't even have a shred of human skin.

Suddenly we arrived in front of a wooden door. There was light coming from the inside.

"In here!"

The girl said as she opened the door and entered. I followed her in and inside there was a woman sitting on a carpet. She looked exactly like the girl, but she had a different figure. Her tail was thicker and longer, and she looked about 40. Besides that, she had a beautiful, voluptuous figure...

She looked at me coldly and tilted her head. She didn't say a word, she just stared at me.

Shing~

Suddenly, I felt something sharp placed around my throat. The blade was pressed into my throat.

"Who are you... and why are you following the princess?"

A female voice spoke sternly.

Princess? That girl is a princess?

"L-Luna! Don't hurt him! I brought him in here!"

"Why would you bring a demon here? In front of the chief?!"

"Because he's the one that killed the centipede!"

When she said that, everyone froze. I heard Luna gulp and I could feel her arm shaking.

"This... demon... killed the centipede?"

Finally, the chief spoke.

"Yes, mother! He killed it!"

"Do you have any proof?"

"W-well, while I was scouting and... well... got lost. I found him near the centipede's corpse!"

"You went out?"

"... yes..."

An awkward silence filled the room. The chief looked at her daughter. Then she beckoned her.

"Come here."

The girl slowly walked up towards her mother and got onto her knees. Then her mother wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Do not go on any dangerous expeditions without any supervision. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"O... ok..."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

Her mother let go, and she slowly got up. Then she glanced at me.

"Luna, you can let go of him now."

"Y-yes."

She took the sharp thing away from my neck and walked away. The tiny cut on my throat slowly closed up.

"I apologize on Luna's behalf. She is the finest warrior we have, and she takes her job seriously."

"It's alright."

I rubbed my throat, making sure the wound closed up.

"So is it true you defeated the centipede?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Can you show me?"

"Uhh, sure."

***

We arrived in front of the centipede's corpse. Wow, it's been only a few minutes, and it already smells like crap.

"You really did kill the centipede..."

The chief was accompanied by her daughter, Luna, and two others.

"This centipede has been terrorizing us for three years. We've sent multiple warriors to deal with it, but they never came back alive. Two years ago, my husband, the former chieftain, attempted to slay it with his troops, but... they never made it back alive."

A tear fell down her cheek. So her husband attempted to slay it, huh?

"I truly thank you for killing it. How can we ever repay you?"

"Huh? Well..."

I scratched my head. I didn't intend to kill it for them. And also, my summon, the bear, killed it. It did most of the work and all I got was the credit.

"I don't really know. Nothing comes in mind."

"May I ask of your name then? I would like to know who was able to slay the centipede."

"Sure, my name is..."

What's my name again?

I brought out my info.

---

[Info]

Name: Noctem

Level: 30

Grade: E-rank Demon

Health: 800

Mana: 500

---

Oh yeah, that's right. Noctem. The name was given by the devil himself. What does Noctem mean again? I don't know, but it better means something cool.

"Noctem."

"Noctem... thank you for avenging the fallen."

"No problem."

I scratched my head while giving a wry smile.

"By the way, you haven't introduced yourself."

"Oh, how rude can I be? I am Rox, the chieftain of the underground hiddenscales. We are lizardfolks, a Demi-human species for your information. Well, I don't think we need to tell you that."

Lizardfolks, huh? So that's what they are.

"This here is my daughter, Nozomi. I think you've already met her."

I looked at Nozomi and nodded my head. She nodded back at me and smiled.

"And this here-"

She directed her attention to Luna.

"Is Luna, she is actually my eldest daughter."

I inspected Luna. She had silver scales instead of gold. Her eyes were violet instead of yellow, and her hair was black. Her tail was a bit longer than Nozomi's and she had a slim figure.

I nodded my head at Luna, but unlike Nozomi, she jerked her head away and stormed off.

"Hmph!"

I scratched my head. What's her problem?

"Sorry, she doesn't really talk to outsiders. Last time we had visitors from another tribe, she almost mistook them as demons."

"What's her problem with demons?"

"A few years ago, she wandered off and encountered a violent imp. The imp almost killed her and would've died if my husband didn't save her in time. That imp left a huge scar of her back."

She hugged Nozomi closer to her.

"After my husband, her father died. She swore to become a warrior, to protect any potential danger that comes to Nozomi and me. Whenever there are outsiders, she acts as if she's nothing but a bodyguard."

"So she doesn't trust me, huh?"

"Yes. Soon, she'll get used to you."

"Mhm."

While we were chatting away. The ground suddenly shook.

I looked around, and the walls began trembling. I suddenly got goosebumps, this feeling, it can't be!

BOOM!

The sound of something bursting from the rocks was heard from above. I looked up, and above us, I saw a wide glowing mouth diving towards us.

Another centipede?!

There were two?! That's the dumbest sh*t I've ever heard!

I looked at the chieftain and her daughter. They both disappeared from my sight. I was the only one around.

Did they just leave me?!

No, I could still feel their presence in this room. Could they be watching me?

I looked up, and the centipede had already neared me. Luckily, I dashed away before it could get me.

Crash!

It dug into the ground and then vanished. I got up and ran towards the hole.

That centipede looked a bit smaller than the one earlier.

Since they are watching me. I guess I'll have to take care of the centipede without the help of my spectrals.

Shing!

My claws grew longer. I noticed that they looked a bit different. They sparkled like polished metal; I inspected them and they looked like they had become harder. Could this be due to my strength stat? Do my claws become harder and sharper when I raise my strength stat?

Well, there is one way to test them out. By killing the centipede.

Rumble~

Here it comes.

I looked above me, and as I guessed, it came crashing down again.

"C'mon now, swallow me if you dare."

It came plunging straight at me with its mouth wide open. Then I entered its mouth. Or should I say that it swallowed me? Which one first?

Nevertheless, I got swallowed.

Smish-Smosh~

"Augh, disgusting..."

I was currently being swallowed by the centipede. It smelled so bad, like cat urine on dog sh*t.

Anyway, it's time to get exterminating.

Since a centipede is a bug, my effect [Ant Exterminator] should work if I'm correct. Though the name may direct towards ants, the effect will also affect insects.

I used [Lacerate] and my arms suddenly felt light. I started moving my arms at a fast speed, my claws cutting through the centipede's flesh.

"KYAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

I heard it scream. So it's working, huh?

Well then, I should use both [Lacerate] and [Jab]. Well, see how much pain you'll feel.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

I cried as I repeatedly stabbed and slashed the centipede's innards.

Slash-Jab-KRRRSH!!!

[Jab level up! (Lv7)]

[Lacerate level up! (Lv8)]

Suddenly, the insides of the centipede felt hot. The temperature was suddenly rising.

Oh, shit...

Recalling to the first centipede, I just remembered that these monsters can breathe fire!

Suddenly, flames erupted around me, and I was now being burned alive.

[Health: 739/800]

For some reason, the pain and damage weren't much, but I still felt tremendous heat and I could feel my legs being burned.

"Tch, if that's how you want it, then take this!"

Splurt!

My clawed hand stabbed through the centipede's flesh. I then grabbed what felt like something beating.

"Is this the heart?"

I squeeze it a bit harder and the centipede shrieked.

"So this is the heart, huh? Well, then..."

I extended my claws and inserted one of them into the heart.

"Heh heh heh."

Slowly, I jabbed more of my claws until all five of my fingers had been inserted into the heart. Then from outside, I felt a slight thud and the entire body shook.

Was it dead?

I took my claws out of the heart, and it had stopped pulsing.

It's not beating, so it must be dead.

[Level up!]

"Mr. Noctem, are you alright?! Can you hear me?!"

I heard Nozomi's voice.

"Nozomi! Please get away from the body!"

"Why?!"

"Just... get away!"

I let a few seconds pass and I yelled if she was away from the body.

"Are you away now?!"

"Yes."

Alright, now that she is away. I can get out of this centipede.

And how do I do that?

"Come out!"

A green mist oozed out of my chest and then in an instant-

RIP!

A large green glowing centipede stormed out and crashed into the walls. I got out of the dead centipede's corpse and I was covered in stinky centipede stuff.

"Augh, disgusting..."

I looked at the corpse and from the body came out a ghostly green light.

[Souls are nearby]

The green light came towards me and landed on my hand. My body glowed and I absorbed it, the light sinking into my arm.

[Soul absorbed: Impenetrable Centipede]

[Souls: 5/35]

Alright, I got my third spectral.

"Wh-"

Rox stuttered.

"What is that?"

She pointed at the green glowing centipede stuck in the walls. I scratched my head, and I got it to dematerialize. Then the light entered my body.

"That was my summon."

"You can summon... the creatures that you killed?"

"Hmm? Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Nozomi let out a bright smile.

"That was amazing!"

"To think you've killed another one of them. At first, I thought it was just a joke, and that you stole the credit from the person that actually killed it."

Luna said as she glared at me.

Well, she is correct; I didn't kill the first one.

"We should celebrate! With Mr. Noctem, our safety is ensured!"