A while ago.
Crossroad. Downtown.
Next to the barracks. An open field.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
Gasping heavily, I staggered to my feet.
Before me lay a defeated White Werewolf.
Stunned by Kureha’s Blinking Dagger-Kick combo, the creature was critically injured. I was just barely able to finish it off with my magic-infused blade.
However, the real issue was Kureha.
I quickly turned to check behind me. Kureha lay in a pool of blood.
"Hey, Kureha! Snap out of it!"
"Cough, cough!"
A large gash was evident on Kureha’s stomach, from which he spat out blood. Desperately, I poured a high-quality potion on his wound.
But,
‘It’s healing too slowly…!’
The injury wasn’t mending quickly.
Having exhausted all his strength and nearly mummified, Kureha’s body didn’t seem to absorb the potion’s effects properly.
"Huff, cough! My lord... Those two elderly people from earlier... Are they safe...?"
"Of course they are! Just worry about yourself!"
Attempting to save others in such a state...
While I was exerting all efforts to heal Kureha,
"My lord!"
The scouts I had deployed earlier rushed over to me.
As I continued to pour potions over Kureha and staunch his bleeding, I cast a sidelong glance at the scouts.
"Report!"
"Yes!"
The scouts relayed the current situation in turns.
Listening to each update, both my face and the pale, blood-drained face of Kureha turned grim.
Lucas, on his own, was under siege at the southern wall.
The northern wall had seen Evangeline fall, and all the other heroes were overwhelmed.
Most of the werewolves that sneaked into the city had been dealt with, but a few remaining...
"They took hostages?"
"Yes...! The werewolves have gathered at the central square and have taken citizens as hostages! Additionally, a few more are doing the same in the alleys...!"
My head spun.
The simultaneous crises from every direction left me unsure how to tackle the situation. I tried my best to think calmly.
It was then.
"Help me... stand."
Kureha, vomiting blood, tried to rise. I yelled out in surprise,
"Stop the nonsense! You’re dying!"
"I need to... save my brother, Kuilan. Hurry..."
"Stay down! With your condition, you won’t even make it out of this field, let alone to the north gate!"
"My brother is also dying!"
Kureha’s eyes burned with determination, leaving me momentarily speechless.
Despite the blood and organs seeping out from his stomach, Kureha tried to rise.
But having already exhausted his strength saving the two elderly people, he seemed to struggle even lifting his frail body.
Risking his life for strangers, yet unable to save his own sibling.
Seeing this tragic scene, I shut my eyes tightly.
‘Think.’
Find a way out of this situation.
‘Games are made to be cleared.’
There’s always a way out, a solution. My 742 past experiences proved that.
Look for a slightly higher probability. A slightly more definite method.
Find it.
‘No!’
I opened my eyes wide.
It wasn’t enough. One shouldn’t judge solely based on the given situation. I needed to look broader, farther.
’Observe from the game’s rules.’
Don’t be governed by the rules. Govern the rules.
Use every means available.
Bypass them, break them, twist them - find the vulnerabilities in the rules.
"…!"
In that instant,
An idea struck me.
A fundamental solution to resolve this entire situation all at once.
"Kureha."
To my own surprise, I voiced out with an astonishingly composed and cold tone.
"If it’s to save your brother, to what lengths would you go?"
Kureha didn’t hesitate.
"I can do anything."
"…"
"For him, any and everything."
I nodded heavily.
"There’s one way, Kureha."
I quickly explained the strategy I’d thought of. A fleeting look of astonishment brushed Kureha’s face.
"Indeed, in theory, it is possible but…"
"Is it truly feasible?"
"Yes. But I think I’ll have to directly interact with the adversary."
However, Kureha’s current physical condition was dire.
Messengers had rushed to the temple to call for a priest, but he seemed he’d die before the priest could arrive.
Kureha’s face dimmed with every passing moment, the light of life flickering out. To execute the plan in such a state...
"…"
Then something occurred to me.
"...Kureha, from the past story you told me."
Clutching my fist tight, I inquired.
"You mentioned your father turned your curse-bearing brother into a wolf monster, right?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
"So, you, who currently bear the curse, can also transform into that wolf monster?"
Kureha stayed silent. I stared intently at his face.
After a moment, with a resolute expression, Kureha slowly nodded.
"...Yes, my Lord. But there’s no ’tree’ here to assist the curse, so the curse won’t be complete."
"…"
"I may not fully transform into the wolf monster, and I might lose my sanity... possibly attacking you."
"It’s alright. I have a way. A method to make you obey my command."
"…"
A faint smile touched the bloodied corners of Kureha’s lips.
"I never thought the curse I learned from my mother for just in case... would be used this way."
"...Kureha."
"My life is already at its end. Turn me into the wolf monster. So I can execute the strategy you’ve instructed."
Kureha bowed to me.
"Please, help me save my brother."
Gritting my teeth, I replied curtly.
"Start right now. We’re out of time."
Following Kureha’s guidance, I drew a magical circle on the ground and laid him over it.
Kureha, with his fading voice, chanted the spell to activate the curse. Using my Blink Dagger, I inflicted an X-shaped wound on Kureha’s forehead.
The sky was brightly lit, bathed in the light of a full moon.
Groan, crack...!
With grotesque sounds of flesh contorting, Kureha’s shriveled arms and legs grew flesh, muscles, and red fur.
Exposed to the moonlight, Kureha’s entire body was transforming.
By the time the X-shaped scar had been engraved on his forehead, Kureha had transformed into a grotesque wolf monster.
Monstrously grown claws, vicious fangs that didn’t interlock, twisted joints, and asymmetric muscles. And a body covered in red fur...
A wolf monster that bore all the curses of his tribe.
’...’
The massive wolf monster slowly rose.
I tensed up, preparing for a possible attack, but the monster seemed to have no such intentions.
I immediately used [Gaze of Command].
“Kneel and show your loyalty to me.”
Easily, [Gaze of Command] was applied. Kureha slowly knelt on one knee before me.
“Kureha.”
Facing the gentle eyes of the monster staring tenderly at me, I activated my second skill.
“Become mine.”
Whirr!
Suddenly, a collar resembling a series of linked chains materialized in the air and snugly wrapped around Kureha’s neck.
Ding!
[Unknown Werewolf Kureha(SSR) has been recruited to your side!]
Current loyalty: 90/100
Absolute Command: 1 use
Success.
I heaved a sigh of relief. Whew...
That’s when it happened.
Thud, thud, thud!
From the center of the city, magical projectiles rained down like a shower. I immediately recognized what they were.
’Damien’s ultimate move, Showdown!’
I had read the skill description in advance and knew its effect.
For all allied targets, it would shoot healing projectiles, and for enemies, attacking projectiles. It was Damien’s area-of-effect skill.
However, the projectile that landed on me was a healing one, but...
Click-!
The one that landed on Kureha was an attacking one.
Kureha effortlessly deflected the projectile with his arm, but witnessing this made my heart race.
Damien’s Far-Sight had coldly judged.
Kureha was a monster.
No longer a human.
Then Kureha slowly opened his mouth.
’...Give, me, an, order.’
“...”
’I, will, obey.’
Despite becoming a monster, he hadn’t lost his rationality.
“Kureha. Go. Execute the plan.”
I tersely commanded, then added,
“Save your brother.”
’...’
“And... save this front.”
Kureha bowed his head slightly.
’I, will, give, my, all.’
Whoosh!
With a powerful leap, Kureha’s massive frame shot northward.
I clenched my teeth and fists, watching his receding figure with a heavy heart.
Present time.
In front of the northern wall.
Splatter!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
“...?”
Kuilan closed his eyes, awaiting the impending strike from Lunared’s claws. But no pain came.
He opened his eyes hesitantly.
Drip. Drip.
He could hear the sound of blood dropping.
“...?!”
Suddenly, between Lunared and Kuilan, a massive werewolf appeared, taking the hit on its back.
Blood streamed down from the werewolf’s back.
But could this creature even be called a werewolf?
It looked like a wolf that hadn’t completed its transformation, with grotesquely twisted limbs. A hideous wolf monster.
Yet, for some reason, Kuilan blankly stared at the monster’s face.
Could it be his imagination that he felt warmth from the eyes of the monster looking back at him?
"What the, what is this?"
Lunared exclaimed in a bewildered voice.
"What are you? You seem to be from my tribe, why are you intervening...”
“...”
The monster that had been looking at Kuilan with gentle eyes suddenly spun its body like a lightning bolt, clenching its unevenly lengthened fists with both arms.
Thud-!
It struck Lunared’s chest with both fists.
“Kugh-!?”
Lunared staggered back, spitting out blood.
Thump!
As Lunared dropped Kuilan from his hand, Kuilan hit the ground hard on his buttocks, anxiously looking up, still in shock.
“...”
As if to protect Kuilan, the wolf monster gazed at him with a soft look once more.
It assumed a stance.
Despite its grotesque posture due to its reversed joints and limbs of different lengths, Kuilan could recognize it immediately.
That was the martial arts stance of the Leaf Tribe.
The one taught by his older brother... that was it.
“Daring to oppose me, a descendant sharing my blood, youuuuu!”
Lunared, with fiery eyes, charged again. The unidentified wolf monster rushed forward to meet him.
Boom! Bang! Boom…!
A fierce battle began between the two monsters.
Muscles far surpassing those of humans flexed and writhed as they launched cannon-like fists at each other, intending to kill.
Next to Kuilan, who was blankly watching this surreal scene,
"We have to kill him now."
Evangeline appeared. Kuilan looked at her, slightly surprised.
Holding onto a wound on her abdomen, Evangeline looked pale, but she was firmly holding a shield in her left hand.
Following her, other party members painfully walked over and stood behind her.
Thanks to the healing magic cast by Damian, everyone managed to muster their last bits of strength to stand.
"I don’t know why those two monsters are causing such a ruckus, but this is an opportunity."
“…”
"We’re all exhausted to our limits. We won’t get a second chance. We have to kill them both at the same time."
Evangeline signaled with her eyes.
The Shadow Squad members who were ready for their godhand, and the Penal Squad members all clenched their weapons, nodding with grave faces.
The blood-covered heroes moved forward to execute their final attack.
“...!”
At that moment,
Kuilan, who had noticed something, hurriedly blocked the party members. Evangeline furrowed her brow.
"Kuilan? What are you doing right now..."
“Do, don’t attack.”
“Huh?”
“He’s my brother.”
He couldn’t explain it clearly but he knew.
"That monster, it’s my brother!"
In this world.
There was only one person who looked at him with such a warm gaze.
So Kuilan yelled out, almost like a howl.
“He’s my brother...!”
--TL Notes--
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