I was still thinking about what to do next.
The scout had already asked me whether I would follow him.
As for his earlier question about healing potions...
I still had three and a half potions left.
The half-used potion was the one I had used on Rusty yesterday.
They weren't powerful enough to restore me to my peak condition, but right now, I couldn't afford to be picky.
I didn't know when I would reunite with Azpen's forces.
I didn't even know when I would see another human being again.
Right now, I had an opportunity.
So I decided to use the potions.
But not all of them.
As I was making my decision, I suddenly noticed something.
The scout was gone.
I looked around.
Then my eyes widened.
He had already killed the lizardmen.
There were more than five of them.
Yet I hadn't even noticed him fighting.
One of the lizardmen lay dead in the swamp, a clean stab wound running through his back and into his heart.
How did he do that without me noticing?
Even with my Sensory Field active, I hadn't sensed him moving.
Then—
He appeared directly in front of me.
He calmly wiped his dagger clean.
The weapon was unusually long for a dagger.
It was somewhere between a dagger and a short sword.
He looked at me.
"So?"
"What choice have you made?"
I took a breath.
"Can you give me five minutes?"
"I have some potions."
"I'll drink one and treat my injuries."
"Then I'll follow you."
"Is that okay?"
"Five minutes."
He didn't seem bothered.
I climbed down from Rusty and checked him first.
I carefully inspected his body for cuts or scratches.
Thankfully, there were none.
I then poured half a potion over my injured left hand.
The bleeding slowed almost immediately.
A warm sensation spread through my hand.
I flexed my fingers.
The pain was still there, but it had become manageable.
Then I drank the full potion in one gulp.
I gasped.
For a moment, the pain throughout my body seemed to flare up.
Then it gradually settled.
The pain around my ribs remained.
My right hand still ached.
But my left hand had stopped bleeding.
The potion hadn't restored me completely.
Far from it.
But at least I could move without feeling like my body was about to collapse.
This is enough.
The remaining two would stay with me for later.
I looked toward the sky and slowly breathed out.
Then I climbed back onto Rusty.
The scout was standing on top of a tree.
He looked down at me.
"Ready?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
"Let's move."
I tightened my grip on Rusty's reins.
We started moving.
The scout moved to the next level of speed.
He jumped from tree to tree with precise movements.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
No branches snapping.
Not even a sound.
He didn't look back once to check whether I was following.
He simply moved forward.
I followed him as closely as I could.
After some time, he suddenly stopped.
He lowered his mask slightly.
"Lizardmen ahead."
I immediately became alert.
"How many?"
"About ten."
I frowned.
"I can fight them."
"But I'm not in my best condition."
The scout already knew that.
He nodded.
"Then don't fight them directly."
"I'll lure them."
"You hide behind the trees."
"When they pass your position, attack them from behind."
"We'll hit them from both sides."
He looked directly at me.
"Don't make any stupid decisions."
I nodded.
"Understood."
I moved behind a large tree and waited with Rusty.
My spear rested in my hand.
The forest became completely silent.
I waited.
And waited.
Then—
I heard it.
Water splashing.
Footsteps.
The sound of something running through the swamp.
I activated my Sensory Field.
As the sounds approached, I sensed them.
Six lizardmen.
Four were on foot.
Two were riding water lizards.
Six?
The scout had said around ten.
Maybe the rest were further behind.
Or perhaps he had simply estimated their numbers.
Either way, six was enough.
Then I saw movement above me.
The scout jumped from the top of one tree to another.
The lizardmen immediately noticed him.
They turned and chased after him.
The scout deliberately slowed down.
He was leading them straight toward us.
The lizardmen rushed after him.
They didn't notice me.
Not until it was too late.
The moment they reached our position—
Rusty burst from behind the trees.
His hooves slammed into the shallow water.
The lizardmen turned in surprise.
At the same moment, the scout jumped down from above.
Two knives flew through the air.
THUD!
Both struck directly into the heads of two lizardmen.
They collapsed into the swamp.
The remaining four immediately turned toward us.
But the ambush had already begun.
We had the advantage.
And this time...
They were the ones caught between two enemies.