I was still standing on my own two feet.
Compared to my condition when I first came here, I had recovered considerably.
But compared to my peak, I was still far from my best.
Still, I was strong enough to fight.
And that was enough.
I saw Rusty nearby, eating peacefully.
I smiled.
As soon as he noticed me, he lifted his head and gave a quiet neigh.
I walked over and patted his head.
His previous injuries seemed to have healed well.
It looked like Rusty had recovered almost as quickly as I had.
Before I could say anything, Azpen stood up and began addressing everyone.
"The rest period is over."
The soldiers became quiet.
"It's time to hunt."
"We need to find and deal with the remaining lizardmen."
Azpen paused.
"Let me rephrase that."
"We don't need to kill every lizardman that escaped."
"But the six mages are different."
His expression became serious.
"We need to eliminate all six of them."
"They witnessed everything that happened during the battle. If they survive, they can pass what they learned to the next generation."
He looked across the soldiers.
"They could even teach other lizardmen our tactics."
"That is not something we can allow."
"Our primary objective is to eliminate the six remaining mages."
"Our secondary objective is to kill any other lizardmen you encounter."
He paused again.
"If you're moving in a party or group, always watch each other's backs."
"If you decide to operate alone, understand the risks."
"Don't assume that you can handle everything by yourself."
Then he held up a small scroll.
"Everyone will receive a flare scroll."
"Keep it with you."
"If you encounter a mage—or if you're about to die—tear the scroll."
"We'll know your location."
"And when that happens, it doesn't matter whether you're the one who used it."
"Everyone nearby is expected to move toward that location."
His voice became firm.
"Always prioritize life over killing."
Azpen finished speaking and stepped away.
For a moment, our eyes met.
I understood what he was saying.
Don't die just to get a kill.
I thought about joining a group.
The only party I knew well was Rany's group.
But joining them didn't feel right.
They already had their own rhythm.
And I didn't want to become a burden while I was still recovering.
Besides, if I was going to operate alone, I needed to learn how to survive without relying on someone else to protect my back.
So I decided to go alone.
I went to the mercenary camp and collected my equipment.
First, I took the flare scroll.
Then I picked up my weapons.
I placed my spear across my back.
My sword went around my waist.
I carried my quiver and bow.
I also checked my butterfly knives.
It had been a long time since I'd properly used a bow.
I held it in my hands and pulled the string back.
Twng.
The sound of the string releasing was almost like a quiet whisper through the air.
I smiled.
It felt good to hold it again.
I loaded the bow and secured the rest of my equipment.
Then I walked toward Rusty.
I patted his head.
"Let's go."
I mounted him.
Rusty gave a quiet neigh.
Then we headed toward the swamp forest.
As Rusty's hooves entered the water, I expanded my Sensory Field.
I also strengthened my perception with Aura.
My eyes scanned the surroundings.
I had already prepared an arrow in my bow.
I waited.
Then I noticed movement.
Two lizardmen were walking through the swamp.
Both carried swords.
They were talking to each other.
I couldn't understand what they were saying.
I pulled Rusty to a stop.
They hadn't noticed me.
I slowly controlled my breathing.
I raised my bow.
One of the lizardmen moved slightly ahead of the other.
I aimed.
I released the string.
Twang!
The arrow tore through the air.
It struck the lizardman in the side of the neck and pierced straight through.
Black blood dripped from the arrowhead.
The lizardman collapsed into the swamp.
Dead.
The other lizardman immediately noticed.
He turned toward me.
Then he started running.
I had already drawn another arrow.
I waited.
The lizardman didn't run in a straight line.
He zigzagged through the swamp, trying to make himself difficult to hit.
I moved the bow with him.
His speed was increasing.
The distance between us was slowly closing.
I released my second arrow.
Twang!
The arrow struck his foot.
The lizardman stumbled and fell into the water.
Before he could get back up, I had already drawn another arrow.
But this time, something changed.
The third lizardman suddenly appeared.
He came from the side.
He had been hiding nearby.
He rushed toward me with his sword raised.
I released the arrow.
It struck the injured lizardmen in other foot thigh.
The third lizardmen didn't stop.
He continued moving toward me.
He was already within striking distance.
His sword swung toward my left shoulder.
I immediately shifted my body.
The blade came down.
And I moved to intercept it.