Wizard World Irregular

With the momentum on their side, the Ratmen swept through the various settlements of the Lizardmen with one goal and one goal only.

Total annihilation.

The Lizardmen fought bravely. However, disadvantaged by the current state of the swamp, they were unable to implement their original plan, as those who dared to swim in the water would immediately feel as if their throats were burning.

They might be able to hold their breaths for a long period of time, but the corrupted waters carrying fast-acting pestilence and diseases could seep through their scales.

This weakened the Lizardmen’s tough bodies, preventing them from performing at their peak potential.

The Lizardmen resisted with everything they had, but the march of the Ratmen was unstoppable.

Step by painful meter, they were slowly being pushed back, leaving only the dead and dying behind.

The Ratmen who died in battle only strengthened the pestilence that was spreading through the water, for their very blood carried these diseases.

They were walking and breathing biological weapons, so it didn’t matter if they killed their opponents with their weapons or with their dead bodies.

They would win either way, sealing the fate of anyone who opposed them.

All the Lizardmen fought bravely. Unfortunately, bravery alone was not enough to overcome their current situation.

In the end, a mass evacuation was initiated all across the Slarka Swamp as the proud Lizardmen fled from the invading Ratmen, whose shrill cries reverberated across the land.

This battle lasted for seven days and seven nights. By the end of it, the entire Lizardmen Race abandoned the Slarka Swamp because they no longer had any future living in it.

News of the battle between the Lizardmen and the Ratmen spread like wildfire.

The Human Kingdoms that bordered the Slarka Swamp immediately went on high alert as they hastened to raise their defenses against a possible Ratmen invasion.

The Thornguard Kingdom, the Skogarholm Kingdom, and the Wallenbirg Kingdom had dispatched their emissaries to the Ratmen.

They were hoping that they could use diplomacy to prevent their Kingdoms from suffering the same fate as the Lizardmen, who were forced to move to the Reaver Coast.

The Human Kingdoms believed that the Lizardmen planned to swim across the sea to reach the Jombsborg Isle, which they would make their temporary home.

If the Lizardmen continued to flee northward, even the Ratmen wouldn’t be able to catch up to them because they weren’t proficient in seafaring.

This meant that their next targets would be the three Human Kingdoms, who had formally formed an alliance to resist the Ratmen’s race territory expansion.

After securing the Slarka Swamp, the Ratmen regrouped as their Commander, Kharirr, pondered on their next course of action.

Although they had great numbers, the Lizardmen still managed to kill a quarter of their army.

This would pose no problem if they were to only attack the Duchy of Morgau, which belonged to the Kingdom of Wallenbirg.

His people might be victorious and feeling very happy now, but it didn’t change the fact that they also felt exhaustion after the week-long battle against the Lizardmen.

“Tell everyone to restsss for three daysss,” Kharirr ordered. “After thatsss, we shall attacksss the Human landsss!”

The Ratmen cheered and executed their Commander’s orders.

While this was happening, Ethan had just arrived at the Duchy of Morgau. Along the way, he had not seen a single human, only abandoned villages and towns.

There had been signs that a massive army had passed through these lands, but seeing that there were no signs of battle, the young man assumed that the people managed to escape before the Ratmen invaded their lands.

Following the trail left behind by the Army, Ethan arrived at the borders of the Slarka Swamp.

‘The swamp here has been corrupted.’ Sebastian frowned. ‘If left alone, this entire swamp will become the breeding grounds of those Rats, as well as any foul creatures who are immune to plagues and diseases.’

‘It's also possible that it will spawn new abominations that will spread a deadly plague in the Lands of Alastor, wiping out every living thing in this land,’ Ethan’s Other Half commented.

Ethan frowned because this was something that he didn’t want to happen.

Although he felt a bit sympathetic toward the Ratmen, that didn’t mean that he approved of their intention to devastate the surrounding lands until only their race was left.

He would not be able to sit still, knowing that there was a possibility that the Ratmen would head southward, past the Mangrave Forest and into the Magdar Kingdom, where Princess Ramona lived.

There was no way that he would let a threat like this continue after he returned to the future.

Using the water of the swamp as a medium to locate the Ratmen Army, Ethan was able to find where they had set their camp.

He didn’t hesitate to fly in that direction, observing the Ratmen from the sky.

The Ratmen naturally sensed his presence, and some of them even shot arrows in his direction.

However, Ethan simply flew higher until their arrows couldn’t reach him anymore.

Summoning his wand, Ethan magnified his voice and addressed the one commanding the Ratmen in the swamp.

“Who is your leader?” Ethan asked, his voice booming in the surroundings like thunder, making the Ratmen on the ground narrow their eyes.

“Who’sss askingsss?!” Kharirr asked back.

He felt enraged after hearing someone dare to address them in this manner after they had just driven out their mortal enemy, the Lizardmen.

However, Ethan’s next words made him pause and wonder if he had heard his reply properly.

“The Tidebringer.”

“You speak liesss,” Kharirr replied. “And even if yousss are the Tidebringerssss, so whatsss? Where were yousss when our race was being killedsss?

“Where were yousss when our kind wassss being hunted downsss? Where were you when we needed you the mostssss? Tidebringer, your name means nothing to ussss!”

All the Ratmen screeched in anger towards the young man, who was out of their reach.

“I know that all of you have suffered and been forced to flee in desperation,” Ethan stated. “But I cannot allow you to spread your pestilence all over the land. Can’t we reach a compromise? Is there a way for your kind to live with the other Kingdoms peacefully?”

Kharirr laughed out loud after hearing Ethan’s words.

The Tidebringer was the spiritual support of all the races in the Lands of Alastor. But for the Ratmen, this Deity was someone who had turned a blind eye to their suffering.

Since then, the Ratmen changed the object of their worship to the Lord of Pestilence, Erra.

This was the Deity who had lent a hand to the Ratmen during their darkest moments. It was thanks to him that they gained the power to rise once again.

Even if they were facing the Tidebringer, none of the Ratmen were afraid.

They knew that even if they perished in battle, their Deity would avenge them by turning the Lands of Alastor into a corrupted land.

And only those who worshiped Erra would be allowed to live in it.

“The time of the Tidebringer is oversssss!” Kharirr shouted. “It is now Lord Erra’s turn to rule the Lands of Alastorsss! He will prevailssss! Glory to Lord Errasssss!”

““Glory to Lord Errassss!””

““Glory to Lord Errassss!””

““Glory to Lord Errassss!””

““Glory to Lord Errassss!””

The shouts of the Ratmen reverberated across the Slarka Swamp, making the spies of the Human Kingdoms who had come to monitor their movements shudder. A chill ran down their spine as the Ratmen’s eyes glowed yellow in preparation for a battle to the death.