I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple

Konjian, a craftsman of Sandstorm Hill, ran frantically, thinking, As expected, you can't hire mercenaries on the cheap.

He couldn't help cursing, "Shiiiiit!"

What? The most reputable A-class mercenary group in the city? Bullshit. No such group would take an escort mission for such a low price. I should have realized it sooner. Mercenaries are shameless people and would say anything for a drink. These bastards!

The bigger fool was himself. He tried to save money and hired an obviously sloppy mercenary group. A real A-class group would have likely struggled a bit, but they could have easily handled a sandworm.

Meanwhile, those so-called mercenaries panicked the moment the sandworm appeared and scattered in the blink of an eye. He even saw one steal a camel and flee.

Son of a bitch... He had memorized their faces. Once he returned to the city later, he would make a detailed sketch of these unscrupulous fellows and report them to the Mercenary Guild.

Of course, that was only if he survived.

Baang!

A loud blast rang out as the camel-drawn cart shot into the air.

For desert dwellers, things that fell from the sky were usually welcome. For example, rain or the occasional snowflakes.

Then what if it was carefully loaded weapons or expensive materials that he had worked so hard to acquire? This wasn't something he could laugh about.

Konjian watched in a daze as his precious fortune tumbled down like garbage from the sky.

Moments later, a sandworm burst from beneath the sand.

Is it a mutant or an older one? Konjian lived in Sandstorm Hill and often encountered sandworms lurking nearby. Still, he had never seen one this enormous.

To exaggerate slightly, it was large enough to touch the sky from a dwarf's perspective. Its mouth gaped open, and a foul stench poured out. Sticky saliva dripped like rain, and Konjian couldn't take a single step.

On an unlucky day, even falling backward can break my nose. He was in charge of gathering materials this time, had hired untrustworthy mercenaries, and now the largest sandworm targeted him. It had to be fate at work.

"Oh Vulcanus," Konjian muttered, as though delivering his last words, and closed his eyes.

However, his fate didn't seem to end there. A sound rose, like clothes on a laundry line swaying violently on a windy day.

Konjian opened his eyes and saw dark clouds. Of course, they couldn't be real. The sun blazed overhead, and there wasn't a single cloud today. Above all, clouds never descended to the ground to attack sandworms.

"Uh...?" Konjian let out a dazed sound.

What had he taken for a dark cloud had become a violent storm that tore apart everything in its path.

The death looming before his eyes was ripped away. As the sandworm's flesh splattered onto the ground, Konjian finally grasped the true identity of the being he had mistaken for a cloud.

It was a lizardman, which surprised Konjian.

Although lizardmen were a common sight in the south, this one differed from any Konjian had seen before. He wore a tattered cloak and frayed bandages, and he carried worn weapons no blacksmith would overlook. Yet it was the lizardman's scales that drew Konjian's eye. He had never seen a black-scaled lizardman. The scales bore countless scars. Perhaps it was their dark color, but they looked as if time itself had carved them into stone.

"Please step back a bit further."

The moment the lizardman's heavy voice rang out, the remaining sandworms attacked at once.

The lizardman gripped his weapon once more. In the next instant, the ground overturned and sand sprayed in all directions as he soared into the air. Bluish mana formed over the tattered sword, and the forearm holding it swelled up greatly. Then his right arm blurred.

Bang!

Konjian didn't possess particularly sharp martial insight, but he could tell that the lizardman's skill was extraordinary.

In the brief instant in the air, he had completely cut through five sandworms. As he landed on the desert sands again, their shredded remains fell behind him.

The lizardman brushed the corpse residue from his sword and raised the collar of his cloak slightly. He muttered, "It is messy fireworks."

A brief silence ensued.

"Are you okay?" the lizardman asked.

"Ah... I-I'm okay." Konjian nodded, still dazed. "But you..."

Before he could continue, a sharp voice rang out. "Luzard—!"

For the first time, a crack appeared in the lizardman's expression.

Meanwhile, two figures descended from the sand dune. A breathtaking woman and a striking young man approached. Even by a dwarf's standards, they stood out. The woman carried a parasol and moved with elegant steps. Her outfit alone suggested that she came from a wealthy family.

Konjian stared blankly. A group?

Then the woman folded the parasol and struck the lizardman across the face with it.

Baam!

It happened in an instant.

Konjian's mouth dropped open in shock.

"You did something I didn't tell you to do. Do you take me for a fool, lesser-race bastard?" she demanded coldly.

"I will be more careful," the lizardman said.

The woman sneered. "Just know that your pay will be decreased for this."

"Yes."

"Then..." The woman finally looked at Konjian and smiled brightly. "Hello. My name is Abel Romance. I'm a humble merchant of the Romance Trading Company."

Was she changing masks? Her earlier cold attitude had vanished, replaced by a warm, pleasant expression.

"Uh... K-Konjian Stonehand."

"Are you a craftsman of Sandstorm Hill?" she asked.

"That's right..."

"Ah! What good luck! We actually happen to have business in the village. From the looks of it, you suffered quite a bit from the attack just now." Abel produced a fan and covered her lips. "We would be glad to be of some help. Could you guide us to the village?"

***

I wondered what Ludwig was doing when he suddenly smacked me across the face with the parasol. Then I saw Konjian's expression and formed a rough idea. It seemed that Ludwig was deliberately mistreating me to win the dwarf's sympathy.

"Hey! Lizard! Why aren't you coming quickly?"

"Can't you guide us more smoothly? The cart keeps tilting!"

"Hah... I'm going to die of frustration. If I had known this would happen, I would've hired a beastman who listens well and looks good."

"You are clueless and disobedient! What exactly are you good at?"

At times, real blows accompanied Ludwig's verbal abuse.

I reacted indifferently to Ludwig's violence. Honestly, the lizardman's tough scales dulled the impact, and I knew the shouting wasn't sincere. Therefore, I was okay. Apart from that, I was skeptical about whether this plan would work.

Surprisingly, it did. Konjian, the dwarf craftsman, was looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a voice too low for Ludwig to hear. "I have no desire to interfere with contract issues, but your employer's behavior seems excessive. If you report this conduct to the Mercenary Guild, she could face punishment or at least provide compensation."

"I'm okay."

"Why?"

I couldn't say that it was all an act, so I paused and chose my words carefully. "There are three reasons."

"Three?" Konjian echoed.

"First, I'm not a member of the Mercenary Guild."

"Then you are a free mercenary?"

"Something similar," I replied. "Second, even if I were a member, their labor laws wouldn't apply to lizardmen. Or, to be more precise, to lesser races."

"I see."

This was the truth. Because of this, the lesser races worked much more but earned ridiculously less than other imperial citizens.

Konjian frowned, clearly uncomfortable, before speaking again. "What about the last reason?"

"It's the simplest one. Regardless of the woman's reasons or attitude, she did hire me. We are already bound by a contract."

Konjian said nothing.

"I have to repay her kindness," I finished.

Konjian gulped slightly, and I smiled inwardly.

It wasn't difficult to act as Luzard. I already had a perfect role model: my reliable lizardman senior, Araxad. At times, that white lizardman could be so stubborn that it bordered on frustrating. It was amazing how rigidly someone could live. Yet such an attitude toward life could inspire respect in those who witnessed it.

Was it a kind of trustworthiness? In truth, strength alone didn't make someone a reliable colleague. I came to trust Araxad because of his attitude; it inspired confidence. Of course, it was unclear whether this approach would work on a dwarf, but it seemed more likely to earn goodwill than being Luan Badniker.

Konjian frowned at my words. The slight click of his tongue suggested that he found my situation somewhat pitiful.

The dwarves of Sandstorm Hill were known to be particularly demanding, sensitive, and arrogant. The fact that I could elicit even this reaction from him was already a partial success.

After that, we hurried on without much conversation and soon reached the dwarf village, Sandstorm Hill.

As the name suggested, the village was built atop sand hills, and even the surrounding walls were impressive. The overall construction was solid, but the surfaces were engraved with intricate patterns. Inside, more fine buildings filled the space. Each building had a unique appearance, as if reflecting the individuality of its owner or architect. Strangely, despite that variety, the place felt unified rather than chaotic.

Due to the terrain and other geographical constraints, tall structures were rare. Even so, the craftsmanship of each building was exceptional, as if great effort had gone into every detail. This was truly a dwarf village.

"This is Sandstorm Hill," Konjian said.

"It is amazing," Ludwig remarked.

"What is amazing?"

"This place is almost the middle of the desert, right? In addition, sandstorms blow through here often. I've heard that entire buildings can be swept away at times. You seem to have put a lot of effort into construction," Ludwig analyzed.

At Ludwig's words, Konjian sighed and shook his head. "We didn't put in any effort at all. For buildings like these, we can raise them in three days if we set our minds on it."

"Huh?"

"Of course, it may take longer since it is difficult to find materials. This is precisely why we don't call this place a village or town. Calling a place filled with hastily constructed buildings a village would be an insult to us. So be careful not to call this place Sandstorm Village," Konjian warned.

Ludwig looked dejected for a moment. He seemed to have forgotten to maintain his Abel persona.

"I will take you to my house first. Follow me," Konjian said.

We nodded and followed him. Only when we set foot onto the streets did I understand the sense of unity I had felt from the unique buildings.

Perhaps because it was a village of craftsmen, every building carried the feel of a workshop. The sound of hammering metal echoed through the streets, and a faint, earthy scent lingered, rising from iron, wood, and broken stone.

Was it due to this atmosphere that it felt unusually hot, even for a village in a desert?

If I train well, I may make progress in the First Fire Technique.

The desert was a place defined by heat. I had been focusing on the Dark Sky Moonward Peak lately, but my true essence still lay in the First Fire Technique. I had no intention of neglecting my training.

Fortunately, the village didn't seem hostile to outsiders. More precisely, no one appeared to care who came or went.

"Ah, right." Konjian shot me a puzzled look. "I don't think you will be allowed into our houses."

"Well, that is natural. I can't sleep under the same roof as a lesser race, right?" Ludwig retorted, as if he had been waiting for the moment. It was a bit infuriating, even knowing it was an act.

Konjian hurried to explain. "That isn't what I meant. The architecture itself is set to our dwarven standards. The two of you might somehow manage to enter, but..."

I nodded calmly, as if I were used to this kind of treatment. "I understand."

Konjian studied me with a complicated expression, then added, "I'll clean out the barn. It has a few basic comforts, I hope you can bear with it."

"Thank you."

I was tired, and the sun was about to set, so I decided to just rest for the day. The place he offered was a barn with a damaged roof. It wasn't very dirty, but the distinct barn stench was unavoidable.

It has been a long time since I've been to the south, but the welcome ceremony is as fiery as ever.

Of course, I had to adjust. Even in large cities, lizardmen mercenaries often stayed in barns like this or slept on the streets.

My addition to the barn made it cramped. I had cornered the camels, and they seemed tense at first. Soon, they realized I meant no harm and fell asleep.

Konjian had brought a blanket and a lamp, but I didn't need either. Perhaps because I was a lizardman, the desert at night didn't feel so cold. It felt manageable as long as a wall blocked the sandstorms. Even without a lamp, I could see my surroundings fairly well. However, not using the lamp would be disrespectful to Konjian, who had gone to the trouble of preparing it.

Once I lit the lamp, a soft glow filled the barn. I leaned against the wall and gazed up at the sky. The desert night was breathtakingly clear. As I looked up, I realized it had been more than a decade since I had last returned to the desert.

I'm a bit hungry. Come to think of it, I haven't eaten dinner today.

The smell of food wafted from the house, but I endured it. The lizardman warrior Luzard had to spend the desert night alone, chewing on solitude.

Of course, solitude did nothing to satisfy the emptiness in my stomach. I pulled out some jerky and started chewing on it. As I did, I was reminded that a lizardman's mouth really wasn't suited for chewing something like jerky for long. I couldn't chew it properly and was forced to swallow it.

At that moment, Konjian emerged from the house. He was holding a fairly large plate, and the savory aroma of meat rose from it. "Eat this."

"Ah, thank you."

He waved. "Don't mention it. I just roughly cooked the leftover parts."

It wasn't just leftovers, but an entire roasted bird. Nor was it roughly cooked. It was glistening with juices and was arranged with vegetables.

"I won't waste it..."

Before I could finish speaking, the dwarf craftsman had already disappeared.

I chuckled and reached for the food.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!