"Rin-sama."
Hakurou stepped forward and said, "The statistics are complete. The number of surviving Lizardmen is 14,072."
"Of the Orc Tribe's 500,000 army, more than half perished. The remaining 250,000 have all lost the will to fight and are awaiting your judgment."
"Hmm, well done."
"It is our Oni race's honor to share your burdens."
After reporting, Hakurou, along with Ogerpon and Shuna, stood silently behind Rin, serving as bodyguards.
In case any fool dared to offend their Lord.
"Rin-sama!"
Souka said, "The Lizardmen here have also been organized and are ready to receive your command at any time."
Under the leadership of the four newly promoted Dragon Kings, the Lizardmen quietly gathered in a corner of the still-intact forest wetland.
They were extremely curious about the changes in Souka and the others, but because of the Dragon's Might and bloodline suppression, none of them dared to speak freely.
"Rumble~"
Shuna manipulated the earth element, raising a high platform before the crowd so that Rin could issue his orders from above.
"Deal with the Lizardmen first. The Orc Tribe can be arranged afterward."
Rin led the group onto the high platform. He glanced at Souka.
The latter understood and immediately brought forth Gabiru, who was barely hanging on.
"You handle this one first, Souka."
Rin had no interest in that fool, Gabiru.
He sat with a condescending air upon a rattan throne handcrafted by Ogerpon, then placed Rimuru on his lap like a pillow.
The Orc Tribe stood to the left, the Lizardmen to the right.
Rin, seated in the center.
"Yes!"
Souka gave a slight nod, then stepped to the front of the high platform.
"Everyone!!"
"I am Souka, and also the daughter of the previous Chief!"
"Today is a day of catastrophe for our Lizardmen race." Souka pointed at Gabiru. "Because of him, my former brother, Gabiru, young master of the Lizardmen—"
"He launched a coup, seized power, and even personally murdered his own father!"
"Afterward, he misled the tribe, riled the restless, and deceived you all!"
"He nearly led our entire Lizardmen race to ruin!"
As Souka listed Gabiru's crimes, the Lizardmen below erupted with outrage, their eyes blazing with fury.
These Lizardmen were innocent.
They hadn't been present when Gabiru offended Souei.
Even now, most of them still had no idea Rin existed or what had truly transpired.
In their memory.
Gabiru, acting in the name of the former Chief, suddenly summoned all the young and strong of the tribe.
Regardless of male or female, they were all gathered and marched to the forest wetland.
Then—
The Orc Tribe surged in like a tidal wave. Their comrades fell one after another.
Friends, family, brothers and sisters...
They watched as their companions were killed by Orcs and then had their flesh torn apart and devoured.
The sight had been a nightmare, one they would never forget.
"Gabiru!!"
"Give me back my father and brother!!"
"My children had just come of age, and because of you, they all died..."
"Traitor!!"
"Gabiru, you lunatic, why did you do it?"
"..."
The flood of accusations and curses made Gabiru, who still retained a shred of sanity, tremble in fear and remorse.
He had been wrong. He believed Gelmud's lies and led the Lizardmen straight into death's jaws.
This was all his doing...
"Sister..."
"You don't deserve to call me that!!"
Souka didn't spare Gabiru even the smallest shred of compassion.
If Rin had not arrived in time and granted her power,
Souka couldn't even imagine how many more of her people would have died had she been even a step late.
As for the Oni...
The Orc Tribe had been slaughtering the Lizardmen. That they intervened midway and bore most of the pressure was already more than generous.
If they had truly followed Shuna's plan, they would have waited until the Orc Tribe devoured all the Lizardmen.
Then, all the magicules would have been concentrated in the Orc Lord.
That would have been the best moment to strike.
In that case, the souls and magicules of both the Lizardmen and the Orc Tribe would belong to them.
If such a vast number of souls were refined by Justeaze,
it could have given birth to two or even three True Demon Lords in the Monster Nation.
Just think. After Rimuru's evolution, who would Rin reward next?
It would undoubtedly be Shuna and Shion, both of the Oni race and Rin's earliest subordinates.
Faced with such enormous benefits, Shuna was still able to hold back and save a large number of Lizardmen. That was already remarkably restrained.
If it had been anyone else, they would have let things play out for another round just to gather more soul energy.
"For your crimes, there is no sentence but death!"
With that thought, Souka's hatred toward Gabiru peaked.
"Furthermore, I strip you of your title as Lizardmen young master!"
"A beast who murders his father and kin is a disgrace to our race!"
As her voice fell, Souka raised the dragon spear in her hand, vast lightning crackling at the spear tip. "As the new Chief of the Lizardmen, I hereby sentence you to death!"
Lightning burst forth, and Gabiru's body was instantly reduced to ash.
There was no dramatic scene.
Souka gave him no chance to repent.
Because he didn't deserve it.
"Thump!"
Having completed her task, the young woman knelt on one knee, supporting herself with the dragon spear. "Rin-sama, I have judged the traitor within our clan. Please give your command!"
Logically, Souka shouldn't have proclaimed herself Chief so easily.
Gabiru's mistakes had thoroughly shaken the legitimacy of their bloodline. She should have been affected as well.
But she had no choice.
She was extremely fortunate to inherit the Dragon King factor from Rin.
That meant, among the Lizardmen, it was nearly impossible for any dragon bloodline stronger than hers to appear.
Not to mention, Souka was now a direct subordinate personally granted by Rin.
For the Lizardmen, and for the future of the Dragon race, she had to take the lead and earn Rin's recognition and trust.
This was also her way of bearing the responsibility and atoning for Gabiru's crimes.
"Hmm, you did very well."
Rin stood up and handed Rimuru to Ogerpon, ignoring the child's happy motions of squishing and flattening the Slime.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)