Formidable Enemy
Countless stalls lined up in a row, bustling with various races.
Ian was quite immersed in the festival.
Part of the reason was the excitement of experiencing a festival for the first time in a fantasy world.
It was also to avoid being caught.
Every time the target looked back, Ian headed towards the nearby street vendors.
This time, it was a hat vendor.
“Give me one rabbit hat, for a beastperson.”
“Sure, here you go!”
Holding the hat in his hand, Ian approached Danya, who was standing there absentmindedly.
Today, she seemed unusually quiet.
The usually lively and playful cat was now listless.
Without saying a word, Ian put the rabbit-eared hat on Danya’s head.
“What’s this…?”
Danya tilted her head, then touched the hat.
Along her hand trailed the floppy ears.
A chuckle escaped Ian.
“Well, it suits you.”
“Heh!”
Danya lowered her head.
Was she feeling low again?
Ian, still watching his surroundings carefully, went back and forth among the street vendors.
This time, he got a tempting hotdog.
“Danya, try this.”
“Huh?”
Ian suddenly stuffed the hotdog into Danya’s mouth, who was staring blankly.
“Nom… nom.”
She ate it eagerly. The ears swayed with each chew.
Ian’s mouth formed a satisfied smile at her appearance.
That’s why people keep pets.
The hat seemed to have been a good buy.
‘This should muffle the sound to some extent.’
The festival grounds would fall into chaos with a loud explosion.
Although beastmen could adjust the sensitivity of their hearing when in combat, a loud noise in a relaxed state could be dangerous.
In the distance, a man walking around caught Ian’s attention.
He was Yurran Alteach, who had once been in the same group during classes.
‘It’s time for that guy to make a move.’
Avoiding Yurran’s gaze as he glanced back, Ian bought a sugar-coated fruit. It went straight into Danya’s mouth.
“Ian… I feel f-full…”
“Eat a lot and grow up quickly.”
“Ugh… No! But I’ve already grown!”
“Sure. Sure. You have a lot to do, so you need to be strong.”
“Strength? Hmm…?”
They walked like that for a while.
Just as it felt like the hem of his clothes was being tugged, a massive explosion covered the festival.
Boom!
The explosion marked the start of the assassination event.
The deafening noise froze the surroundings.
Then, screams erupted like an infection, spreading from the distant explosion.
— Bwaaaaah!
People fleeing in panic.
Ian grabbed Danya’s hand.
He needed Danya’s help in this incident. Getting swept away by the crowd would be troublesome.
Danya also firmly held Ian’s hand.
Feeling Ian’s touch on her covered hand, Danya suddenly regained her senses.
“Ian, why are we running towards the explosion?”
“Do you know Princess Asteria?”
“Of course, we’re in the same class…”
“She’s in danger now. We have to save her.”
Without further questions, Danya tightened her grip on Ian’s hand.
“Thank you.”
“Because we are comrades.”
Bang! Boom!
Explosions resonated one after another as if bombs were dropping from the sky.
Smoke billowed into the sky.
At a glance, it seemed like a war had broken out with massive explosions.
It looked extremely serious, but in reality, it wasn’t that dire.
If the story is progressing as originally intended, there shouldn’t be any casualties among the civilians. People caught in the panic might get injured, but that would be the extent of it.
The explosions and smoke were just devices set up by the Bloodstone Cult for the ‘assassination’.
Ian briefly briefed Danya on the plan.
They are chasing Yurran Alteach, who is likely the mastermind behind the Bloodstone Cult and this incident. He also outlined the strategy for dealing with Yurran and his group.
Danya, using her beastman senses, started tracking Yurran.
“…He went into that alley up ahead.”
The full-on pursuit began.
◆
In contrast to the lively main street filled with the festival, the alley was dark and narrow. Foul smells and puddles of water scattered here and there.
If Ian had come alone, it would have been nearly impossible to follow Yurran without Danya’s excellent guidance.
“I hear voices beyond that corner of the alley.”
Ian, who had stopped silently following Danya, listened carefully.
– “Do you know who this person is?”
– “Third Princess Asteria?”
– “Those who know her! Don’t think you’ll get away unharmed!”
Ian cautiously peered over the wall.
Thick smoke.
As it cleared, the situation revealed itself.
Princess Asteria lying on the ground, accompanied by one guard with a black short haircut, holding a dagger.
But her condition didn’t seem good either; it appeared she fell into a trap.
On the opposite side were Yurran Alteach and three Bloodstone Cultists who seemed to be his subordinates.
Yurran spoke towards the guard with black hair.
“It’s troublesome. As if you’re saying we don’t have any backup behind us. Haha.”
“What kind of backup do Bloodstone Cultists have…!”
“Oh dear. Ahaha. If you keep underestimating us, it might hurt your feelings. We have permission for all of this, you know?”
“What? You guys can’t possibly…!”
“It’s inconvenient if you ask more than that.”
Smirking, Yurran flashed an unfortunate smile.
“By the way, Karen.”
The guard with black hair twitched.
“How do you know my name…!”
“If it’s money, we can offer more. How about joining us?”
“Our family never betrays its clients!”
“Well then, it can’t be helped.”
Grinning, Yurran’s smile widened.
Behind him, the Bloodstone Cultist with red hair shot forward at an almost impossible-to-follow speed.
— Pffft!
Asteria’s guard, Karen, crumbled.
The red-haired Blood Cultist had only a small smile on his face.
He licked the blood splattered on his face.
‘I guess I have no choice but to intervene.’
Ian quickly calculated the situation.
The red-haired cultist, although strong enough to defeat Asteria’s guard in one blow, was undoubtedly weaker than Yurran.
‘I need to make him absorb the princess’s blood.’
When Bloodstone Cultists absorb life force, they cannot move.
Ian needed to take advantage of that timing to deal with the remaining enemies.
“It’s Yurran as expected.”
“What… Ian Blackangers?”
Yurran’s eyes widened.
“Why did you come here? I thought you were here for a peaceful date. If you got lost looking for a hotel, there’s a nice one over there. They have a variety of equipment prepared.”
“Oh, really? Thanks. The alleyways are confusing.”
“By the way, you have a taste for beastmen p*ostitutes. Quite impressive.”
“Who’s a p*ostitute!”
Danya retorted indignantly.
Both Ian and Yurran ignored her.
“But she looks like Asteria.”
Ian’s words made Yurran smile slyly.
“I’ll make an exception for you. Just pretend you didn’t see anything and pass by.”
“That might not be possible. It’s a shame for the princess to become a sacrifice for the Bloodstone Cult.”
“Hahaha! You knew, didn’t you?”
“You were too obvious.”
“Hehe. Ian, Mr. Ian Blackangers.”
Smirk.
The corners of Yurran’s smiling mouth instantly lowered.
The murderous intent was immediately written across the face with just a blank expression.
“You’re too much.”
His mouth opened coldly.
“Even back at the dormitory. When that crazy Sharon didn’t even know the subject and you approached. It felt strange since she sneaked in there. No matter how pe*verted, there’s no reason to be in the female dormitory at that time.”
Thump, thump.
Yurran moved towards the princess.
“You’re alive because ‘that person’ desires you. Know your place. You’re nothing but trash.”
Vwoosh—
A transparent barrier formed around Yurran.
His signature skill, a protective barrier, was an impeccable non-elemental barrier, impervious to any elemental attacks.
A skill perfectly countering the weakness of Bloodstone Cultists during life force absorption.
He wrapped an arm around the princess’s waist, holding her close.
“And above all, this person probably doesn’t matter much to you. Don’t boast unnecessarily. Go your way and forget everything you saw today. My subordinates will help you forget.”
A sinister smile returned to his originally repulsive face.
He pressed his mouth to the princess’s neck and murmured.
“Kill the woman, and subdue the man if possible. If he resists….”
Splat.
A chilling sound accompanied the blood flowing from the princess’s neck.
“One arm should be forgiven by ‘that person’.”
The two darkened cultists and the cultists bowed their heads towards Yurran.
“Step back, Danya.”
While Ian murmured, he immediately transformed the Lunar Staff strapped to his waist.
The Lunar, transformed into a shield shape, splattered with blood.
—Crack!
“Slow down, you b*stard.”
The blood cultists occasionally used their blood for a surprise attack.
Ian had already anticipated it.
In the midst of the confused attack by one of the blackened cultists who had approached for a sudden assault.
Kwaaang!
Ian’s fist surrounded by Lunar struck the cultist’s skull.
Thump, thump, thump.
Ian’s heart started beating rapidly in tune with the combat.
There was no time to take a breath, and a spear shot out towards him.
Another blood cultist’s spear was aimed at him.
He dodged it with his reinforced arm.
—Swoosh!
An arrow of grass attribute shot from behind and pierced the cultist’s forehead.
However, it wasn’t enough to finish him off.
Ian, who had approached, grabbed the cultist’s throat, opening his mouth.
“Dishwashing.”
—Crack!
The blood cultist’s skull should have disappeared by now.
The purified and lifeless neck fell off.
Two blackened cultists were dealt with at once.
“… Hoo.”
The red-haired man stared at Ian as if amused.
Even though he was on the same side, there was undoubtedly a gap for Ian to be attacked.
If the attack had come at that moment, Ian would likely have been unable to block it.
Nevertheless, the blood person remained silently watching from behind.
“… You seem to enjoy fighting a bit.”
Ian silently observed the Bloodened.
The red hair and blood-like pupils were signs of blood transformation, indicating that he was a master at a high level even within the ruthless Bloodstone Cult.
The Bloodened slowly raised his sword.
The blade was as red as his hair.
‘Is it a magic sword?’
The man brought the blade to his own wrist, drinking the blood that flowed from it.
Ulk, ulk. The sound of drinking blood echoed.
“Since you said one arm is fine, then let this guy be prey.”
The Bloodened’s new form shot towards Ian.
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