#692 - Lizardman Hero Jasper
In the depths of the Isaac Forest, within the Lizardfolk Water Serpent Tribe's territory, nestled in the wetlands, the silence of dawn was broken as the Lizardfolk tribe gradually awakened.
A light mist swirled in the humid air, veiling this mysterious land with a hazy shroud.
Lizardfolk emerged from their dwellings, flicking their tails and stretching, ready to begin a new day.
The tribe's hunters were the first to stir, armed with wooden clubs and crude spears fashioned from sharpened stones, preparing to venture into the dense forest in search of the day's prey.
Though the forest was rugged and challenging, it did not hinder the nimble Lizardfolk.
They swiftly disappeared into the trees, embarking on their daily hunt.
Meanwhile, within the village, Lizardfolk responsible for caring for the young gently roused the little ones.
Young Lizardfolk burst forth in a flurry of activity, rubbing their sleepy eyes and scrambling about with seemingly boundless energy.
Not far from them, Lizardfolk tasked with maintaining the dwellings busily inspected every corner of the village.
Some patched leaky roofs, while others reinforced wobbly foundations, using their nimble hands to ensure each home could withstand the elements.
At that moment, the entire Lizardfolk tribe presented a harmonious and bustling scene.
The structures of these homes were simple yet sturdy, the wood grain gleaming with a warm luster in the sunlight, revealing a primal and rustic beauty.
Simple wooden bridges spanned the water, cleverly connecting the various dwellings.
These bridges were pieced together from wide planks, their surfaces slightly rough but exceptionally solid, capable of bearing the daily passage of the Lizardfolk.
Beneath the bridges, clear streams flowed gently, with the occasional small fish darting through the water, adding a touch of life and vitality to the tranquil village.
From the wooden house at the very center of the village emerged a tall Lizardfolk.
He was two sizes larger than ordinary Lizardfolk, his entire body covered in strong, bulging muscles.
Each muscle was as hard as a boulder, showcasing his astonishing strength and indomitable will.
Just looking at him inspired a sense of immense pressure.
The tall Lizardfolk's scales were also different.
They weren't the common deep green or dark blue of other Lizardfolk, but rather a very dark, deep gray.
This color shimmered with a black luster in the sunlight, as if devouring all the surrounding light, making him appear even more mysterious and unpredictable, filled with a sense of majesty and dominance.
The Lizardfolk stood before the wooden house, basking in the warm sunlight, allowing his body, dormant all night, to become active once more.
This Lizardfolk's gaze was deep and sharp, every movement exuding an undeniable sense of power.
Jasper was in a good mood.
He had been away from his home, the Water Serpent Tribe, for a long time, traveling abroad.
As the most talented Lizardfolk in the tribe's history, he had left his home long ago to travel and train, broaden his horizons, and accumulate experience in order to achieve a breakthrough in strength.
His footsteps had covered many places in the Isaac Forest.
Not only other Lizardfolk tribes, but also gatherings of other races such as Kobolds, Gnomes, and Goblins, Jasper had interacted with.
Of course, in many cases, they were the ones who initiated the attacks, and Jasper was forced to "counterattack."
The Isaac Forest was the center of the world, and only powerful races could occupy the most fertile areas of the forest.
As for those weaker tribes, they could only live on the fringes of the forest.
For example, the Humans living in the bay on the east side of the forest, Jasper had also visited there during his travels.
Although Humans were somewhat similar in size to Lizardfolk, their strength was quite weak.
They could only live on the barren coast, surviving by catching seafood.
However, they were quite skilled, crafting exquisite items from shells, pearls, and coral.
Jasper had even traded with them for some to bring back and share with his tribe.
Perhaps there would be another opportunity in the future, when the Water Serpent Tribe grew stronger under his leadership, he could take those Humans as an affiliated tribe.
Specifically to build houses for the Water Serpent Tribe.
The Lizardfolk race was the strongest race living in the Isaac Forest.
And the Water Serpent Tribe was one of the strongest Lizardfolk tribes.
Therefore, Jasper had the idea of subjugating the Human race.
This was also the practice of those powerful tribes in the Great Forest.
However, now perhaps this "one of" could be removed.
Because Jasper had already broken through that boundary and advanced to [Hero]!
In the Isaac Forest, only those who successfully break through and achieve "Hero" status have the potential to rule the entire Great Forest.
It had been unknown how long since the last Hero-level existence had passed away, and Jasper was the only Lizardfolk among the many races in the Great Forest who had broken through to become a Hero in many years.
After completing the breakthrough, Jasper stopped traveling and returned to the tribe.
He planned to rest for a while, and then lead the Water Serpent Tribe to start an outward invasion.
Having finally become a Hero, Jasper was ambitious and eager to make a big splash.
Chewing on dried fish, Jasper strolled leisurely through the village.
When other Lizardfolk saw him, they invariably showed awe and longing.
Their eyes were full of respect and admiration for this powerful Lizardfolk.
The children hid behind their parents, secretly peeking at this legendary figure in the tribe, planting the seeds of longing for power in their hearts.
The adult Lizardfolk nodded to him in greeting, flicking their tails and patting the ground.
Expressing their respect and reverence for this strong man in their own way.
Jasper nodded, responding to the greetings of others.
The Lizardfolk tribe was one of the strongest tribes in the Great Forest, and with the new appearance of him, a hero, life was naturally quite good.
All the Lizardfolk of the Water Serpent Tribe looked forward to Jasper leading them to rise.
At this time, someone said to Jasper with a smile:
"Jasper, look at everyone like this, why don't you become the chief of the Water Serpent Tribe!"
"It just so happens that you want to lead everyone to expand the territory??"
Jasper looked back, smiled, and said:
"Brother Ymir, I've said it many times, you are the chief, and you will be the chief in the future!"
"I just want everyone to live better."
"You?"
"It's obviously a good thing, I really don't know why you're so unwilling."
Ymir looked at Jasper and shook his head helplessly.
He and Jasper were brothers, hatched from the same nest, so naturally he knew how outstanding his younger brother was.
If Jasper hadn't taken the initiative to leave the tribe and go to the Isaac Forest to train, the one who would have become the leader of the tribe would definitely have been Jasper.
For Ymir, although the identity of the tribal leader was very important, Jasper could lead the tribe to do better.
After all, Jasper was the first hero to appear besides the ancestor who established the Water Serpent Tribe!
Everyone regarded Jasper as the hope of the Water Serpent Tribe!
"Brother, how is 'that' thing you're preparing?"
Jasper tossed a few dried fish to Ymir and asked with a smile.
It wasn't that he was being polite with Ymir; he genuinely didn't care about the position of tribal leader.
For him, the time he spent traveling the world before was the most beautiful and enjoyable. Although he encountered many dangers, it also allowed him to constantly become stronger and ultimately achieve heroism!
Returning to the tribe and conquering the Isaac Forest was only to fulfill his childhood wish—to lead the tribal people to the position of king of the Isaac Forest after becoming a hero.
After completing all of this, he didn't want to stay in the tribe.
As a "hero," he would only find boredom in the tribe. On the contrary, other places in the world were more attractive to him.
Anyway, with his strength, there was nothing in the Isaac Forest that could threaten him.
"The blueprints you brought back are pretty good. With a few modifications, they can be used in the river."
Ymir threw the dried fish into his mouth, chewing as he said:
"Since we have time, why don't you come with me to take a look!"
The latest novels are available first at Liu Jiu Shu Ba!
Jasper thought for a moment, feeling a bit curious, and also not in a hurry to do his daily training, so he followed Ymir towards the river mouth.
At the wide and delicate shoal at the river mouth, the tide gently lapped against the shore, bringing a moist breeze.
On the right side of the shoal, a crude wooden frame stood out conspicuously, somewhat out of harmony with the surrounding natural landscape.
These wooden frames were built with thick tree trunks. Although they looked rough, they were exceptionally sturdy, supporting the lizardmen as they moved up and down.
And in the middle of this wooden frame, a seemingly proper wooden boat was gradually taking shape.
The hull had already taken shape, with long planks cleverly pieced together. Each piece had been carefully polished and selected to ensure the boat's sturdiness and durability.
On this busy construction site, lizardmen were wielding various tools, scurrying around inspecting various parts of the hull.
Clang clang clang ~
Some lizardmen were holding hammers and saws, diligently working, not even noticing the arrival of Ymir and Jasper.
"Looks good."
Jasper looked it up and down, nodded, and said:
"Has it been in the water yet?"
"It's been in the water, but it sank not long after."
Ymir flicked his tail and said with a smile.
"How can you be so happy when the boat sank?"
Jasper looked at his older brother with some curiosity.
The blueprints for this wooden boat were obtained from a human tribe, specifically brought back for Ymir to try to make.
The human tribe he encountered invented this "large wooden boat" specifically to go to more distant oceans to catch fish.
In the Isaac Forest, lizardmen rarely used boats to travel, and most lizardmen were very good at swimming.
Moreover, the winding rivers in the forest were not very suitable for boat travel. Lizardmen had only made canoes for use before.
However, Jasper had other ideas.
For him, as a hero of the tribe, he should be like those legendary beings in stories, conquering the entire Isaac Forest.
And although most of the rivers in the Isaac Forest were not suitable for large wooden boats to pass through, that did not include the Ulan River, which almost divided the Isaac Forest in half.
The Ulan River was said to be a river, but in fact, one couldn't even see the opposite bank at a glance. To the races living in the forest, it was no different from the sea.
If Jasper wanted to conquer the entire Isaac Forest, he naturally had to solve this problem.
On the Ulan River, this wooden boat created by humans could come in handy.
This was also the method that Jasper realized when he saw humans sailing wooden boats.
For Jasper, the Ulan River was naturally not an obstacle, but for his tribesmen, it was no different from a natural barrier.
The extremely abundant and rapid water of the Ulan River was something that even the most skilled swimming lizardmen would not dare to try easily.
"Although the boat sank, it was because everyone was not familiar with it yet, and many things were not done properly."
"This boat is a good thing. Even if it's not used for fighting, transporting things can save a lot of effort."
Ymir said to Jasper with a smile.
"That's true."
Jasper nodded upon hearing this. He hadn't really paid attention to this point.
As the leader of the Water Serpent Tribe, Ymir naturally knew very well about all the affairs of the tribe.
When he saw this big boat carrying all the lizardmen craftsmen sailing smoothly in the big river, he understood the other significance of this wooden boat.
Of course, it was also possible that the boat sank because the lizardmen were too excited at the time and directly broke the boat apart.
However, out with the old, in with the new!
If they could build the first one, they could build the second one.
And the second one would definitely be better!
"By the way, where did you get this blueprint from?"
Ymir looked at Jasper and asked with some curiosity.
Before that, out of excitement for his younger brother becoming a hero, he hadn't paid attention to these things.
A hero, even if it was just a toy, the Water Serpent Tribe would try their best to satisfy Jasper.
After all, the shape of this boat was completely different from the tribe's previous canoes, somewhat peculiar.
But now, after seeing the special nature of this boat, Ymir immediately became excited.
"I got it from a tribe called humans."
Jasper thought for a moment and said:
"They live on the coast in the eastern part of the forest. Their body shape is a bit like ours, but they are very ugly."
"But their hands are very dexterous and can make many interesting things."
"I'm thinking that when we conquer the forest, we'll make them our vassal tribe. They should come in handy."
"As long as they are useful, it doesn't matter if they are ugly."
Ymir waved his hand and said with a smile:
"It's settled then. I'm interested in what you said. We'll go take a look together then."
Just as the two brothers were talking and laughing, envisioning a bright future, a few figures suddenly jumped out of the river in the distance.
They immediately saw Jasper and the others at the shoal at the river mouth and shouted loudly:
"Damn, what a big lizard!"
"Oh my god, the lizards can build boats!"
"Ignorance, that's a lizardman! Also a sapient race!"
"We finally ran into aboriginals. Should we try to communicate according to the mission requirements of the floating city?"
"I don't think so. They look a bit strong."
"Go home and suck your mom's milk, you coward! Stop playing games!"
Jasper had already noticed this group of people jumping up and down, even starting to fight each other, and was a bit dumbfounded.
Is this... still the humans I know?
