“What’s wrong with him?” Ludwig asked.
“Oh apparently…” Before Hoyo could explain, two more nobles came out. One of them was the golden-haired noble woman and Talia.
“What’s going on here?” The golden-haired noble woman asked.
“Minerva! Don’t butt in,” Bron snapped, wanting to upkeep his persona as a leader. But from what Ludwig could see, his attempt was failing miserably.
“You have no right or authority to tell me what to do, Bron,” she stated and turned to Ludwig “You’re the boy who went out earlier, Ludwig? Right,” she said.
“Yes, but enough of the introductions, why are you cooped up in a cave, you’re raising your heat signature!” Ludwig said.
“So? We already chased the lizardmen away, all we need to do is wait for the teachers,” she said.
The roars began once again, closer this time.
“You! What have you done!” Bron shouted. “You brought that thing back here!”
“Shut your trap,” Ludwig snarled, “You didn’t think twice before huddling up in a cave like idiots. also I didn’t bring anything here, it was coming here anyways. I already warned you guys to lower all heat signatures, and from what I see, you idiots have a fire going inside the cave, not to mention how utterly fucking stupid that is because you’ll all choke from the smoke long before morning comes! IT FURTHER HEATS THE CAVE!”
Ludwig’s rage seemed completely justified, and Talia intervened, though the gash in her leg had healed, it looked like it still hurt as she limped twice. “It’s good to see you okay Ludwig, But please calm down,”
Ludwig sighed and said, “I’m calm. Don’t worry about me, regardless how is your leg?”
“It’s fine,” Talia said.
“So it was true that you saved Talia,” Minerva asked.
“Why wouldn’t it be true?” Ludwig frowned.
Talia immediately interjected, “They didn’t believe me when I told them how you saved us from captivity, especially since Tommy refused to acknowledge it.”
Ludwig once again remembered how that cowardly bastard acted before and after he was saved, and thought once again that he should have just let him rot in there.
“But Ludwig. What did you do inside the cave?” she asked.
“I killed the two guards and the Queen, thinking that she is the boss of this dungeon,” Ludwig explained in a matter-of-factly manner.
“You? A stupid weak commoner? stop the lies! you must have angered them, you’re the cause of all of this!” Bron finally thinking he had found an opportunity to jump in shouted.
Ludwig was thinking of doing a few not-so-healthy things to this guy but refrained from any action.
“What’s going on?” more people began exiting the cave after hearing the commotion.
“This bastard brought that monster here,” Bron began accusing Ludwig, after all his failure to lead them could only be forgiven if he put the blame on someone else. And the nobles would easily follow his words than some random commoner.
“Then why is he here!” the students protested.
“Yes! Go away, if you’re being hunted by that thing why did you come here!” another said.
The group continued shifting and putting the blame on Ludwig who only got angrier and angrier. There is no helping if a mob of people were to take a single person and make him the designated scapegoat for sacrifice. Masses are dangerous and Ludwig knew it well.
Even a king will fall if his nobles turn their back on him. And Ludwig was no king.
The trees near the cave began folding and tearing down. Seeing the ugly smirk on Bron’s face, Ludwig realized that things were going to get ugly.
“You brought this on yourself, don’t blame me for punishing you accordingly!” Bron turned his head to the cave, “Moses! Now!” he shouted.
Suddenly, the cave turned cold and chilly as a wave of cold air and even frost came out of the cave.
“What are you doing?” Ludwig asked as he noticed the cave being frozen over.
“Like you said, they can only see heat,” Bron said as he stepped back.
“What are you doing Bron!” Minerva shouted.
The students were all confused, it seemed like Bron and the Moses guy agreed upon something without informing the rest of the group.
“What needs to be done! Though I was going to do this to one of the commoners, You’re a better target, after all, I heard you’re fast on your two feet, {Immolate Spirit}.” Bron said as he pointed his hand at Ludwig.
[You have Received the [Buff] {Immolate Spirit}]
[All your physical attacks will deal fire damage; your vitality has increased by 10% duration 3 minutes]
Ludwig’s body felt as if it was on fire, though it wasn’t harmful.
It was just in time for the last tree behind them to tear and break down, the eyes of the Lizardman Champion were fully focused on Ludwig who had a glowing orange aura around him.
“You son of a bitch!” Ludwig cursed as the mass of muscles roared and rushed toward him.
“You can’t get inside the cave! It’ll follow you and kill off the rest of your classmates! I’m sure you don’t want that!” Bron laughed out as he backed away pulling with him Minerva.
Though she protested she wasn’t strong enough to resist someone from the Steel family even if he only used one arm.
Ludwig’s eyes scanned around him in a split second. The nobles that were protesting against Ludwig dipped inside the cold cave, while Talia looked ready to help, her limp didn’t help her much, nor was Ludwig thinking of asking her for help.
Without hesitation, Ludwig turned and snatched the dagger on Hoyo’s belt and simply kicked him square in the chest from the incoming behemoth that lunged with all of its body’s weight where the two were just standing.
Ludwig stammered to his feet, “Come here you fat fuck!” He shouted and bolted away from the area.
“LUDWIG!” Hoyo shouted, but his cries fell on deaf ears as the Lizardman simply ignored the group and rushed after the most visible one.
Ludwig disappeared in the foliage of the forest while the whole scenery behind him was crumbling to bits and pieces.