C121: The King of All Vicious Beasts (3)
"Hurry up and run!"
Casey ran without hesitation, looking at the shaking auction house. Her assistant Betty, the third princess Erendir, and the knight Enya followed her.
The walls are cracked, and crumbs are falling from the ceiling. It was only a matter of time before the ceiling collapsed at this rate and that was all because of the aftermath of the battle going on outside.
"We're close to the exit."
The four women were energized as they saw the light outside from the dark end of the hallway.
The two knights and the two wizards who can strengthen their bodies were able to escape safely outside without holding each other back.
As soon as the four escaped unharmed, the aisle they ran out of collapsed. If they had been a little late, they might have been buried under that wreckage but they could not easily embrace the feeling of being alive because they were overwhelmed by the view in front of them as soon as they came out.
"What is that?"
Erendir murmured in a trembling voice as she saw a giant monster fighting against the Knights of Leathervelk. It had three wolf-like heads and countless beast mouths on his body.
"The Beast of Gévaudan?"
Casey, who recognized the monster at once, opened her eyes wide as if she could not believe it.
Enya was surprised to hear the murmur and asked back.
"What? Wait a minute. Isn't the Beast of Gévaudan the one active in the Kingdom of Durmant five years ago?"
"Yes, that's right."
"But how? The Beast of Gévaudan was said to have died five years ago."
"He's actually dead. Parts of his body are still kept in the Royal Museum of the Kingdom of Durmant."
However, Casey continued.
"Unlike the body I saw then, this one is a little different."
Especially the front legs.
The body of the monster she had seen was a little more beastly than the one before her eyes. Of course, the monster in front of her has the shape of a beast, but his overall shape is…more like a human figure.
It was because the paws that it wielded mercilessly were in the shape of a human hand, not that of a quadrupedal beast. Of course, seeing all kinds of animal heads on his hands made her think so.
'It's definitely not like the body I saw. In the case of the body in the Kingdom of Durmant, nearly 70% of its body was lost but there's no way I wouldn't recognize it.'
A monster that ate several knights from the kingdom, the Beast of Gévaudan, died at the hands of the great hunter Abraham Van Helsing.
Casey was speculating that Van Helsing might be one of the identities of James Moriarty whom she was chasing.
Then is it a coincidence that the Beast of Gévaudan appeared here?
Casey thought of the worst situation possible.
'Professor Moriarty. What the hell are you going to do in this city?'
Casey clenched her fist. Her lifelong enemy that she must capture and the only wall that she has never overcome was somewhere in this city now.
'He's here.'
In the last three years Casey has been trying to find his traces, thus she gained the title [Colour] as a wizard.
She promised she wouldn't miss him if she ran into him next time.
'But first of all.'
Her gaze turned to the Beast of Gévaudan. Every time he wags his tail, his surroundings are swept away. That's not a monster, it's more of a living and breathing natural disaster.
'We need to subdue that wild monster so that the damage doesn't get any bigger.'
Her purpose has not changed a bit since before. She strived to create a better world following the words of her late grandfather.
Casey moved just as the Beast's huge arm was falling over the heads of those trying to escape. Her magic was activated, and at that moment 'water' reacted.
Whoo!
The sewage gushing out of the cracked ground followed Casey's will and turned into a whip, tying the Beast.
"━━━!!!"
The movement of the Beast which did not even budge despite the efforts of the Clockwork Knights stopped as the flowing water tightened the monster's body like a giant snake.
"Hey, did that monster stop moving?"
"That's amazing!"
The members of the Clockwork Knights, who were fighting against the Beast, shouted in surprise.
Casey, who actually created the ridiculous scene, frowned.
"What kind of power…"
Her hands trembled when she handled the water.
She used tens of tons of large water in tying up the Beast. Nevertheless, he was gradually removing her restraints using his power.
'At this level, even a tank can be easily overturned!'
"Kwaaaaaaa!!!"
The monster's left head howled and the terrifying shout permeated the water that bound him.
"Pooong!"
The water that tied the monster's arm exploded.
"What?"
Casey clenched her teeth and tried to draw more water, but it didn't move as easily as she wanted.
'I can't interfere properly. There's something in that cry!'
Casey sharply analyzed the monster's ability since mana was present in his cry. Did that mean that he could use magic despite his size?
On that day five years ago, even the wizards couldn't control the Beast of Gévaudan.
'But if that's the case, then I can't be called a wizard with the title of [Colour]!'
Her main magic was water after all. In the presence of water, she was able to exert power comparable to a god and there was plenty of water in Leathervelk.
The huge Ramses River across the center of the city, and the water flowing through the blood-stained sewer pipes throughout the city was her weapon.
"Aww!"
The water gushing from the cracks became stronger. It eventually gathered in the air and turned into knights wearing armor. Behind their back, there were two pairs of fairy wings that moved as they attacked the Beast of Gévaudan.
The Clockwork Knights did not miss this golden opportunity. The sudden magic support is amazing, but they weren't stupid enough to admire it. Every time the tip of the sword containing aura flashes, the monster heads of the Beast of Gévaudan body were cut off one by one and black blood poured from the cut sections.
"Woooooooooooooooooo!!!"
The Beast of Gévaudan screamed at the pain felt all over his body. From all sides, the Clockworks Knights and the knights made of water slashed his body.
His red eyes full of hatred captured the wizard who handled the water. The instinct of the beast knew who was the most dangerous in this place.
Woooooo!!!"
His right head opened his mouth wide and let out a howl.
Casey noticed that the cry was different from the one before. The evidence was that the water knights she handled were intact.
'Isn't that a shout that interferes with magic? Then what are you going to do?'
The answer to the question came out quickly as black shadows rose one by one from all over the city.
Casey felt goosebumps running down her spine.
"Hey, what is that?"
Others who recognized it were also surprised.
"Argh! What is this?"
"They're rats!"
"Where the hell are there so many rats?!"
What emerged from the fissure were giant rats.
The procession of over hundreds of thousands of rats was like a black wave. It wasn't just rats, there were also stray cats and wild dogs among the mice. They appeared from all sides as if they were one body and rushed at the people.
'Nonsense! He can control other beasts?'
Casey couldn't hide her astonishment and used her magical powers to create a large wall of water around her.
The swarm of rats rushing toward her was swept away by the water but the vacancy was quickly filled with another swarm of mice.
This is one of the abilities of the Beast of Gévaudan that led to that nightmare five years ago.
The cry of the left head interferes with the operation of mana and the cry of the right head exerts control over all the beasts. As the king of beasts, he rules over all beasts, and Cryptids in the form of beasts are no exception.
It is said that the night of blood was caused by the abnormal proliferation of countless cryptids, but if you dig deep, only one existence was the source of everything, the Beast of Gévaudan.
He was the king of all vicious beasts and a monster that created a nightmare 5 years ago.
"Gasp!"
When Casey saw the mouse approaching her ankle, she let out a whistling sound. She kept it a secret, but she didn't like mice very much.
She is known to have a strong heart but she actually has rat phobia.
"Hey, go away!"
Casey relaxed but didn't stop using water to tie down the Beast, even as she shouted with a tearful face. If she stops, that monster will eat the other people brutally.
Casey bit her lip but before she knew it, the mouse climbed up her calf and reached her thighs.
"Casey!"
Then Betty stepped up. She grabbed a swarm of rats that stuck to Casey's body and threw them far away. Every time Betty's slender legs moved, the waves of rats burst out.
Perhaps that wasn't enough so she lifted the wreckage of the broken building with her hands and swung it around. Wielding a steel pillar larger than her, she was like a being that could only be seen in mythology.
"I'll help too!"
Erendir also came forward and protected Casey with magic and next to Erendir, Enya also slaughtered a flock of mice with a portable sword.
"Thank you for your help!"
Casey was able to concentrate fully on the Beast. The water knights, which had been popping out after being hit by the monster's hands and tail, permeated into the wolf's wounds. At the same time, they became countless thorns and struck it from inside.
"Awwwwww!!!"
The Beast of Gévaudan let out a painful scream. The city beasts responded to the king's cry and a swarm of rats, wild dogs, and street cats all rushed at Casey.
"Casey, I think that monster is really pissed off! Beasts are coming in!"
"Hold on, Betty! Citizens' safety comes first!"
"We're going to die!"
Ignoring Betty's startled cry, Casey glared at the Beast. All she has to do is drag on until the citizens who have not yet evacuated leave the premises safely.
But can she and her colleagues stay safe?
'Maybe I'll die. Still……If only I could save more people.'
As she was thinking so.
'What is it?'
Suddenly, the Beast raises his head and looks in a different direction. At the same time, the waves of beasts, which were pushed as if to kill them, also stopped.
"Huh? That bunch of rats suddenly?"
"The monster, did it stop?"
The murderous intent that had been suffocating disappeared like a mirage.
Casey was embarrassed to see the monster, who had been staring at her like death a moment ago, change his attitude like a palm flip.
'Why all of a sudden…'
He has a wild sense and immediately recognized who is most dangerous to him here. That's why the Clockwork Knights were ignored and he aimed at her when they wounded his body.
Did the Beast of Gévaudan turned his attention away from her?
Then there was only one reason. A top predator who was judged to be much more threatening than her, appeared.
"Crrrrrrr."
The Beast of Gévaudan let out a low roar. It is a shabby cry in contrast to the ones from before.
Casey's innate judgment captured the subtlety of emotion in the cry. It was anger and irritation. And…
'Fear?'
Casey, who analyzed it without realizing it, was embarrassed for a moment. This is because she thought it made no sense that that monster, which can be called a nightmare, felt fear.
Casey starred in the same direction as the Beast, as if she was possessed. Just in time, the clouds in the sky cracked and the light of the moon came down.
There was a black shadow, to be exact, a person with a shadow on his body. A black suit and a black cape fluttering over it's shoulders and the mask of the crow's beak on his face.
Holding a large cane in one hand, the figure seemed to resemble an actor on a well-organized stage.
Casey recognized him, and her eyes were wide open. Her pupils contracted and her lips quivered.
How could she not know?
Even if he hides his face and puts a shadow on his body she can never forget the presence she felt when she faced him.
"James Moriarty……!"
Her greatest enemy appeared at this moment.