Chapter 49 Beastfolk Fangs and Forest Arrows
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
BOOM!!!
A terrible roar echoed through the whole theater.
Dust and wood pieces burst into the air as the nicely designed front entrance of the [[Star of the Desert]] was smashed into pieces that could not be recognized. A large black empty space now lay where the doors used to be, letting the cold night air rush inside.
The one responsible for the destruction was a single Beastfolk standing in the middle of the wreckage.
His huge body easily measured over three meters, covered completely in thick, dark fur that gave off a strange, heavy pressure. This was his changed black bear form, and his name was Baird.
Eyes shining with the dull look of a hunter fixing on its prey――
saw me through the cloud of flying wood pieces.
This guy was probably just the “bait” given the job of making a loud scene at the front to draw our attention.
Standing right next to him was another one.
This one stayed in human form, yet the strong desire to kill coming from his body was in no way weaker than that of the huge bear Beastfolk.
He had a lean, well-shaped, and muscular body. Under his short brown hair shone sharp, silver eyes filled with the raw, wild nature of a predator hunting its target.
The many scars cut across his whole body told about the huge number of life-or-death situations he had survived.
The wolf Beastfolk, Gazel.
I saw him as the main attacker, the one sent to find me and cut my throat.
According to the report from my servant, the Teleportation demon Ashraf, the enemy was made of a group of four.
Flying high up in the sky was the hawk Beastfolk, Hawks.
The dark shadow moving across the clear night sky served as their scout, given the job of seeing the approach of the Royal Capital guard units or the knights and sending that information to his friends. At the same time, he served as the person in the air who would guide their safe way out after kidnapping the singer Leela.
And sneaking through the back entrance, the black cat Beastfolk Kuuko should now be entering the building under the cover of darkness.
Moving completely without sound with her soft limbs, she would fit perfectly into the shadows of the theater.
Her job was to secure the person of the singer Leela down in the basement.
Having understood all of this before it happened, I immediately figured out their separate jobs.
Their targets were me――
the killing of Xenos Grimlock, and the kidnapping of the singer Leela.
These were the top Beastfolk agents boasted of by the assassination organization1.
”――I can get rid of them at any moment, you know?”
A short time ago, Ashraf had made that rather violent suggestion, but I decided against it.
”You are always so quick to want to kill everyone.”
Facing the disastrous scene covered with rubble, I said to myself with a sigh of annoyance.
Since I planned to form a partnership with the Beastfolk in the end, this attack was actually a great chance. If I could catch all of them alive, it would give me the perfect opening for talks.
Fixing the theater doors would cost a lot of money, but it was a small price to pay if it meant getting a powerful card like the Beastfolk forces. Looking at it that way, this destruction was a small sacrifice.
I looked through the broken doorway, fixing my eyes on the huge bear and the sharp-eyed wolf standing inside the swirling dust cloud.
That is right, I had been waiting for them right at the theater entrance.
It would be a big problem if they walked around inside and caused even greater damage.
That was why I chose on purpose to stay right here, at the most obvious place possible.
”Yo. What brings you guys here? Today’s show ended a long time ago.”
When I threw out that light remark, the wolf Beastfolk Gazel opened his eyes in surprise.
A small sign of worry flashed in those silver eyes.
”…Did you expect our attack?”
A low, careful voice vibrated through the air.
”Yeah. That fool Ignazio went out of his way to brag about ‘hiring assassins,’ you see. So, I figured I would just wait out here for you guys.”
I gave a casual shrug of my shoulders.
”GROOOOAAAR!!!”
Taking the chance while I was talking to Gazel, the huge bear charged forward, making the ground shake under his weight. His open claws swung down with a frightening howl.
It was less like a handheld weapon and more like a piece of war equipment.
The roar of the wind being torn apart hurt my ears.
(If I take this directly, I am dead.)
An instant before the attack could hit my body, my field of view changed.
Using Teleportation Magic, I disappeared from the spot.
And in the very next moment, I soundlessly Teleportationed right on top of the bear’s thick shoulders.
The rough, stiff fur brushed against my fingertips.
Without stopping, I pushed my index and middle fingers deep into the side of his neck.
Squlch!!
From the tips of my fingers, Mana shining with a pale blue light poured in, going deep into the muscles.
It was an “Ailment-Infusing Magic” designed to forcefully cause deep sleep.
Once this Mana completely went through his body, even this huge body would fall into a peaceful sleep just like a new baby. This guy should be stopped with this――
However, aiming exactly at my completely defenseless temple while my fingers were still buried in the bear, the wolf Beastfolk let loose an incredibly fast hand-chop.
(――As expected of a Beastfolk, he is incredibly fast even in human form.)
Long, razor-sharp claws meant for killing prey closed in, threatening to cut straight through my skull.
His movements were incredibly smooth, having the special agility unique to wild animals.
”Whoops.”
Turning around quickly, I firmly caught his arm while he was swinging, stopping the attack right there.
The arm, which felt like a solid block of dense muscle, dug into my palm.
The beast’s rough breathing echoed right in front of me.
Grit…!
The wolf let out a deep animal snarl, trying to force his claws further into my temple.
The physical strength of a Beastfolk was truly monstrous.
I felt a pressure so strong it made my arm bones shake, but when it came to a pure test of power, I had the advantage thanks to my physical improvement enhanced by Mana.
I managed to barely hold back his fierce attack. As expected, with this small difference in physical size, my physical improvement proved to be better.
The standoff was broken from a completely unexpected direction.
With a dry, whistling sound cutting through the air, a single arrow buried itself deep into the wolf’s shoulder.
The strong paralytic poison used by the Elves covering the arrowhead must have worked immediately.
His silver eyes wide with complete shock, the wolf fell down on the spot, completely unable to move.
Life quickly drained away from those silver eyes.
”…Your help was a little slow, do you not think, Kyle?”
I complained to the Elven warrior who had finally come out of the shadows.
His green robe moved slightly in the darkness.
The plan this time was for me to act as bait to draw the enemies’ attention directly, while Kyle hid in the shadows to shoot and stop them from their blind spots.
If he had launched that attack at the wolf during that first moment when the bear first targeted me, this whole thing would have ended much more cleanly.
”Hmph. I waited for a bit hoping that you would simply get yourself killed by that bear.”
Kyle answered back without showing the smallest sign of regret.
His voice carried a clear sign of mockery.
Good grief, the guy was far too honest for his own good.
”Besides, this timing was much better than risking being seen with a careless shot. I perfectly put him down at the exact moment I was sure of a clean hit. Stop complaining.”
…This guy, after openly saying he wanted to kill me, proceeded to give a completely believable excuse.
In any normal workplace, an employee like this would be fired on the spot.
But well, whatever.
I am soft when it comes to this guy.
――He is kind of a pathetic person, after all.
I will let it pass without questioning him this time as well.
Quietly, I let out a soft sigh in my heart.
—
Summary:
Baird and Gazel launch a violent assault on the Star of the Desert theater entrance to capture Leela and kill Xenos. Xenos leverages his advanced Teleportation Magic and sleep-inducing capabilities to neutralize the bear beastfolk before engaging in a direct test of raw strength with the wolf. Kyle intervenes from the shadows with a precisely timed poisoned arrow, leaving the ultimate fate of the infiltrating remaining squad members unresolved.
—
Trivia:
1 The assassination squad consists of exactly four specialized elite members operating concurrently.
2 Hawks serves exclusively as an aerial scout and escape route coordinator rather than an offensive combatant.
3 Kuuko is simultaneously executing a covert infiltration through the rear entrance to abduct Leela from the basement.
4 Xenos intentionally set up his defense right at the front entrance to minimize structural collateral damage deeper inside the theater.
5 Ailment-Infusing Magic requires physical touch to inject Mana directly into the muscular system of a target.
6 Beastfolk retain significant wild agility and lethal speed even when fighting entirely in their human form.
7 The Elven poison used by Kyle causes an instantaneous, profound physical paralysis that shuts down movement immediately.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Baird – A bear beastfolk who is a massive wall of a man in his human guise, previously a notorious rogue raiding human settlements before falling into slavery, and is killed mid-beastification. A massive bear Beastfolk clearing three meters in height, covered in thick dark fur, who serves as an assassin agent for the organization Deep Fangs. A massive bear beastman belonging to the assassination squad who is put into a deep slumber by magic.
• Gazel – A fierce wolf beastman and leader of the assassination squad who harbors an absolute, unyielding animosity and deep-seated grudge against humans. A wolf Beastfolk assassin agent with a lean, muscular build, closely cropped brown hair, sharp silver eyes, and countless scars across his body. A wolf beastfolk who is summarily executed after declaring his intent to slaughter humans indiscriminately.
• Ashraf – Ashraf, Xenos’s loyal demon butler, is a stealthy, shadow-bound operative who serves with elite decorum and a theatrical, deferential tone. Dressed in a tailored suit, his pitch-black eyes and golden pupils mask a dark past. He is a silent, powerful anchor capable of teleporting individuals, erasing his presence, and exercising brutal force to eliminate any threats to his master.
• Hawks – A hawk beastfolk with piercing, predatory hawk eyes who acts as a grounded realist, explaining beastfolk values before joining the theater staff. An older, tired-looking hawk beastman carrying a distinct air of melancholy who serves as a slave under an assassination syndicate before liberation.
• Leela – A silver-haired elven songstress and dancer at Zahara’s Star of the Desert theater, she performs alongside her protective older sister, Pharma. Though outwardly timid, she is resolute, using a transformation ring to mask her past as an auction captive. Beneath her melodic magic, she harbors deep resignation and terror when cornered, yet remains steadfast against underworld threats to their shared life.
• Kuuko – A young black cat beastman with a delicate build and remarkably cute features who acts as a specialized infiltration agent for an assassination syndicate.
• Grimlock – As the mana-less heir to House Margrave Grimlock, Xenos manages his family’s prestigious military legacy and shadow network ties from the Royal Capital alongside his father, Gaius. Behind this facade, he exploits his knowledge of the game’s script, utilizing tactical falsehoods, spatial magic, and the Collar of Submission to ruthlessly manipulate those around him within dangerous social circles.
• Xenos – Xenos Grimlock, the “Zero-Mana” heir to House Grimlock, is a cynical, calculating strategist who masks immense power and a unique Magic Seal constitution behind an incompetent facade. A calm, tactical combatant wielding Teleportation and Ailment magic, he builds a commercial empire while manipulating politics. He acts as a dominant, protective master to his allies and seeks alliances with the Beastfolk.
• Ignazio – The White Snake is a gaunt, cold-eyed tycoon with slicked-back white hair and a predator’s gaze. Operating as a ruthless underworld intelligence broker behind a polished merchant facade, he uses threats and illicit deals to pursue his obsessions, including his fixation on Leela. A prominent Royal Capital figure, he recently became the target of a chilling warning involving a beastfolk corpse.
• Kyle – A muscular, golden-haired elven warrior with emerald eyes, he is a blunt, hot-headed protector who wears a green robe and wields a potent, poison-tipped bow. Once a resilient theater guard, he is now a shattered shell, fueled by intense moral outrage and hatred toward Xenos for her sacrifices. Despite his rebellious nature, he remains deeply, unrequitedly devoted to his childhood friend, Princess Lyphia.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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