Following Sader's advice, Jamie took his human form before approaching the lizardman tribe king's chambers. With a display of raw power that sent shockwaves through the air, he smashed the door to bits, reducing it to nothing more than dust particles floating in the air. The sudden and violent entry caused those present inside to instinctively take several steps back, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. Never before had they witnessed such a demonstration of strength, and it left them momentarily stunned.

The lizardman king, however, stood his ground. Unlike his subjects, he showed no sign of fear, his posture radiating confidence and defiance. In his grasp, he held a massive trident that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. The weapon gleamed brighter than any diamond Jamie had ever seen, reminding him fleetingly of a ring one of his female teachers used to wear during classes. But Jamie knew better than to be dazzled by mere objects, no matter how impressive. He understood that the real power lay not in flashy weapons, but in the minds of those who wielded them.

As Jamie strode into the room, his gait distinctly different from that of a beast, more than twenty of the lizardman tribe's finest soldiers quickly moved to surround him. They formed a tight circle, their weapons at the ready, clearly intending to overwhelm him with their numbers. But Jamie didn't lower his head or show any sign of intimidation. Instead, he tapped into his inner reserves and activated his berserk skill.

What happened next was a scene of unimaginable carnage. In mere moments, the air was filled with the sickening sounds of tearing flesh and breaking bones. Blood sprayed in all directions as Jamie's enhanced strength and speed allowed him to tear through the lizardman soldiers as if they were made of paper. Bodies were ripped apart, limbs were torn from torsos, and viscera spilled across the floor. In less than a minute, Jamie stood in the center of a circle of destruction, his human form completely bathed in the still-warm blood of his enemies.

The brutal display had an immediate and profound effect on the remaining lizardmen. Those who had been eagerly awaiting their turn to join the fight now found themselves paralyzed with terror. Some, overcome by their survival instincts, turned to flee from this unstoppable force of nature. But as they did, something even more horrifying occurred. The soldiers who attempted to back away suddenly collapsed, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness as if struck by an invisible force.

This unexpected turn of events caused the surviving lizardmen to look at their king in utter disbelief. They had heard rumors, whispered tales told in hushed tones, that the king had bound his soldiers to his service even beyond death. But they had dismissed these stories as mere legend, a tale to inspire loyalty and fear. Now, faced with the grim reality, they realized the full extent of their king's power and cruelty.

Those who remained, now trapped between the terrifying stranger who had decimated their comrades and a king who held their very existence in his hands, gulped audibly. Their eyes darted between Jamie, still dripping with fresh blood, and their monarch, unsure which posed the greater threat. In that moment of indecision, some of the lizardman soldiers, driven by desperation or a misguided sense of duty, leaped towards Jamie.

Their attack was as futile as it was brief. Jamie's enhanced abilities made short work of them, reducing their bodies to lumpy pieces of meat that splattered across the room in a gory display. The carnage was so complete, so utterly devastating, that it seemed to break something in the minds of the surviving soldiers.

In a surreal twist, some of the lizardmen turned to their king, silently pleading for release. To their amazement and relief, they found themselves suddenly free of their cursed bindings, left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. It was as if the king had granted them a final mercy, releasing them from their eternal servitude in the face of certain doom.

But any sense of relief was short-lived. The lizardman king, his face contorted in a mixture of rage and determination, bellowed a single command: "Onwards!" His voice carried with it an undeniable power, compelling the remaining soldiers to action despite their fear and reluctance.

Once again, the lizardmen lunged towards Jamie, their movements more vigorous and desperate than before. But their renewed efforts were no more effective than their previous attempts. Jamie moved with inhuman speed and precision, reducing each attacker to dead meat before they could even come close to landing a blow.

As the last of the soldiers fell, the lizardman king did something unexpected. He began to clap, a slow, deliberate applause that echoed through the blood-soaked chamber. A smile spread across his reptilian features, an expression of satisfaction that seemed utterly out of place amidst the carnage that surrounded him.

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Jamie found this reaction profoundly disturbing. The casual disregard for the lives lost, the apparent pleasure taken in the slaughter of his own subjects, struck Jamie as the height of depravity. It solidified his resolve, reminding him of the righteousness of his cause and the necessity of his actions.

With measured steps, Jamie approached the lizardman king. His movements were calm and deliberate, a stark contrast to the frenzied combat of moments before. As he came to a stop before the monarch, the king spoke, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Oh please! This lame-ass shit won't work on me, mister Jamie," the king sneered, his words laced with false bravado. "You're new to the game."

Jamie's response was not what the king expected. Instead of anger or indignation, a smirk played across Jamie's blood-spattered face. "I know," he replied coolly. "That's why he'll be here."

The simple statement had an immediate effect on the lizardman king. Fear flashed in his eyes as he considered the implications of Jamie's words. If this destruction was wrought by someone "new to the game," what horrors could a more experienced player bring?

Driven by panic and a desperate need to end the threat before him, the lizardman king thrust his flashy trident at Jamie's chest with lightning speed. But in that instant, something extraordinary happened. The room was plunged into total darkness, a blackness so complete it seemed to swallow all light and sound.

When visibility returned a second later, the scene had changed dramatically. Where Jamie had stood, there was now a knight clad in shining black armor. The lizardman king's attack had connected, but instead of piercing flesh, it had only managed to leave a small cut on the knight's chest plate.

Jamie, now standing to the side, smiled broadly. "Sayonara, amigo!" he called out, his voice filled with triumph.

Before the lizardman king could react, the knight in black armour—who was unmistakably Gale—moved with inhuman speed. In a single, fluid motion, he swung his weapon, uttering Muscle Boom, cleanly separating the king's head from his body. The lizardman monarch's reign ended in an instant, his headless corpse toppling to the ground.

Gale, his armor gleaming despite the gore that surrounded him, turned his piercing gaze on Jamie. "So are you, bitch!" he growled, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and grudging respect.

In a blur of motion, Gale swung his weapon towards Jamie, intent on ending what he perceived as a threat. But once again, the scene shifted unexpectedly. Where Jamie had been standing, there was now a girl—none other than Srides herself.

Gale, sensing the change in presence, managed to halt his attack with near-perfect precision. But even his incredible reflexes weren't quite enough to stop the blade entirely. A small cut formed on Srides's hand, a testament to how close she had come to a far more grievous injury.

Jamie's voice rang out, filled with a mixture of relief and exhilaration. "Checkmate, baby!"

Gale's reaction was immediate and explosive. "You bastard!" he roared, his voice echoing off the blood-stained walls.

At that moment, Sader appeared, joining the group with a satisfied expression. "See, it worked!" he declared, unable to hide his pride in the successful execution of their plan.

Gale, his fury barely contained, snarled back, "I'll rip off both of you!"

It was Srides who spoke next, her calm voice a stark contrast to Gale's rage. "Really? There's six of us! Well, I guess you could cut the two girls, but there's still four of us to surmount. And considering you had cut a noble woman of a different lord's domain, it would indeed get you on the hook."

Gale gritted his teeth, realizing the precarious position he now found himself in. The clever maneuvering of Jamie and his allies had left him with few options, none of them particularly appealing.

Seeing Gale's frustration, Jamie decided to take a different approach. "I'll not blackmail you," he said, his tone conciliatory. "Instead, I'll appreciate or take help if needed. So rest assured, Gale."

Gale, caught off guard by this unexpected olive branch, asked suspiciously, "How did you know?"

Jamie, momentarily confused, replied, "What? About this law of domain peace?"

Gale made an annoyed sound, clarifying, "The later one?"

It was Sader who answered this time, his voice casual as if discussing the weather. "Just some connections game, that's all!"

"Damn mercenaries!" thought Gale internally.

Sensing that Gale was still unhappy with the situation, Jamie made a bold move. Reaching into his pouch, he produced two hundred gold coins, offering them to Gale as a gesture of goodwill. The sight of the gleaming coins seemed to have an immediate effect, causing Gale's face to relax slightly.

After a moment of tense silence, Gale let out a resigned sigh. "Only this once, for they call me Gale the dark maelstrom!" he declared, his tone making it clear that this was as far as his cooperation would extend.

The others nodded in agreement, accepting Gale's terms. As a celebratory mood began to settle over the group, Jamie took a moment to reach out telepathically to Shadow, signaling for Gale to be transported far away. Shadow complied without hesitation, and in an instant, Gale vanished from the blood-soaked chamber.

With Gale's departure, the full weight of their accomplishment began to sink in. They had not only defeated the lizardman king and his forces but had also managed to outmaneuver Gale, a formidable opponent in his own right. It was a victory of mind over might, a testament to the power of strategy and teamwork.

As they stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, surrounded by the remnants of their enemies, the team allowed themselves a moment of celebration. They had faced seemingly insurmountable odds and emerged victorious, thanks in large part to Sader's cunning plan and their flawless execution.

The future still held many challenges, but for now, they could bask in the glow of their hard-won triumph. They had proven that with wit, courage, and a bit of luck, even the most daunting obstacles could be overcome. As they prepared to leave the scene of their victory, each member of the team knew that this was just the beginning of a first step towards a future filled with both danger and possibility.