Chapter 353
Chapter 353
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: Side Story 37. Beasts (9)
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The leader of the Northwind Corps, Lete, remembered it well.
The Night of Fangs, orchestrated by Zaifa.
The border fortress of Barsa, engulfed in flames.
The beastmen who scaled the walls, tearing humans apart.
'Finally, the time has come.'
Though decades had passed, the horrors of that day still flickered behind his retinas.
It was a straightforward tale, if predictable.
Lete's dream of becoming the North's greatest engineer ended the moment the Night of Fangs descended.
Reclaiming the occupied Barsa took considerable time.
By the time the peace treaty was signed, the corpses scavenged from the ruined city had already turned to bones.
As Lete gathered his family's remains, he swore an oath.
He would eradicate those beast bastards from the North.
And he would claim the head of Zaifa, the mastermind behind it all.
In preparing for revenge, the North's natives proved invaluable allies to Lete.
Descendants of those driven to the fringes after losing power struggles to beastmen.
Their pre-existing hatred met Lete's spark and ignited into an even fiercer blaze.
"The Emperor and Grand General may have forgiven you, but I haven't."
Lete muttered to himself while fine-tuning the ballista.
Just as he had changed, Zaifa was far different from his past self now.
He had served as Sword Saint for years, aiding the common folk.
He earned great merits in the war against Nebula Klazie, and now he was voluntarily restoring order in the North.
It was the conduct of a true hero.
But that was none of Lete's concern.
What good was it all?
No amount of atonement could bring the dead back to life.
"Come on... show yourself."
Lete peered through the scope.
The ballista moved with unbelievable smoothness for something built in his boyhood.
Installed at the Northwind Corps' base in the spot with the best visibility, this weapon was crafted solely to take down Zaifa.
The fortress grew increasingly chaotic.
Amid the thick smoke, a dark silhouette rose.
'Finally...!'
Lete's eyes widened.
It was unmistakably Zaifa.
His hand gripped a crescent blade drenched in blood as he leaped vertically.
This was the moment, while he hung in the air.
Lete made final trajectory adjustments and pulled the launch lever.
Clank!
Runes engraved across its components glowed in unison, and the ballista fired.
"Go!"
The die was cast.
Lete clenched his fist.
The massive spear flew straight as an arrow toward Zaifa.
There was no whoosh of air.
Among the over ten shooting-assist spells, one suppressed noise.
The sole variable was that the target was Zaifa Turgen.
"Hm?"
His superhuman instincts blared a warning.
Zaifa, falling through the air, turned his head.
He spotted a massive spear hurtling toward him.
"What the hell is that?"
Zaifa's brow furrowed.
It differed from any weapon he'd seen.
Projectiles should slow over distance, yet this one accelerated.
"They used their heads for once."
Aimed at the gap while airborne.
Of course, he'd noticed in advance, so no issue.
Zaifa swung his crescent blade lightly.
A black line slashed the air, cleaving the spear vertically.
No matter how sturdy, it meant nothing against Zaifa's aura that sliced space itself.
As he turned his gaze back to the fortress.
Flash---!!!
The bisected spear exploded.
Dazzling light engulfed the area.
Zaifa, at the epicenter, winced.
"Urk...!"
The glare made it impossible to keep his eyes open.
Soon, Zaifa's form vanished into the light.
Lete smirked at the sight.
"Knew you'd try to intercept it. You're that kind of bastard."
"D-Did it work!? For real?"
Blanta, watching from below, clenched his fist too.
So far, so good.
As he anxiously eyed the orb of light.
The sky-filling brilliance faded in an instant, revealing Zaifa once more.
"What was the point of that?"
Zaifa landed in the fortress center, scoffing in disbelief.
He couldn't fathom the weapon's purpose.
Too elaborate for a flashbang, too weak for a bomb.
A waste of time.
As he resumed his rampage.
"Hm?"
An inexplicable unease hit him.
His feather-light crescent blade felt strangely heavy.
The fleeing Northwind members halted, murmuring.
"What was that light? Where'd Zaifa go?"
"What's that? Some old geezer I've never seen."
"Wait, that crescent blade he's holding..."
Suddenly, Zaifa noticed his viewpoint had lowered.
Moments ago, he'd overlooked human crowns; now, eye level matched theirs.
"What..."
Zaifa uttered in bewilderment.
Not just vision had changed.
Wind through the collapsed ceiling chilled like knives.
His pulsing aura was gone.
The hand gripping the blade was covered in wrinkles and calluses, not black fur.
"...Human?"
It didn't take long to grasp.
Zaifa realized he'd turned human.
An elderly man, skin wrinkled like parchment.
Yet his original presence retained its intimidation.
Crimson-glowing eyes, jet-black hair and beard unfit for his age.
His exposed torso rippled with muscle as clothes slipped off.
"...Ridiculous."
Even calm Zaifa couldn't hide his fluster this time.
Whatever sorcery, he'd become human.
The very race he'd just been slaughtering.
The Northwind Corps was equally stunned.
Unaware the old man's identity, they crept closer.
Amid the confusion.
- All personnel, listen up. The brutal beast leader, Zaifa Turgen, has transformed into a human.
Lete's voice boomed from speakers across the fortress.
- He appears as an old man with black hair and red eyes. Having suddenly become human, he's lost most beastman strength. Find and eliminate him swiftly. Capture alive, and you'll get ample reward.
The members gasped.
Gazes locked on the old man before them.
His features matched perfectly as he experimentally flexed limbs.
"Black hair, red eyes... That old fart!"
"Now's our chance! Kill him!"
With a shout, the assault began.
Northwind members swarmed from all sides like enraged hornets.
Zaifa tossed the crescent blade aside and clicked his tongue.
"Can't handle this after all..."
He could lift it, but not wield freely.
Zaifa picked up a longsword from the ground.
The grip molding to his hand felt bizarre.
A toothpick in beastman days.
"Guess I've lived too long."
Some curse, likely.
First time, dire straits, but Zaifa gripped the sword steadily.
His task remained unchanged.
The old warrior charged, swinging; two Northwind heads soared to the ceiling.
****
"Kahahaha, it actually worked! Lete!"
Blanta burst into mad laughter.
He'd just heard Lete's broadcast.
"Serves the old prick right! If it weren't for you lot, I'd go finish him myself. Tch."
Blanta thumped the ground with his tail in regret.
Zaifa must be struggling in an unfamiliar human body.
"Zaifa's a human now...? How?!"
"Even I didn't see this coming."
Baren and Secret exclaimed in unison.
Who'd expect such a trump card hidden away.
Secret, lounging in rest, murmured intrigued.
"Must've lucked into a humanization curse from some ruin. For such a flashy one to have a complete version left."
"H-He's no match like that. We must help Zaifa!"
"I'd love to, but any ideas?"
Secret glanced at Blanta.
The chains binding them remained under his watch.
As they pondered escape from the werepanther.
A earth-shaking roar erupted from the fortress, like scraping the ground.
"There he is! Blanta!!"
"What?"
All three heads snapped around.
Over a dozen beastmen charged like furious bison.
Burlap-clad, most armed.
Baren raised a brow at familiar faces.
"The arena's...!"
Clearly escaped during Zaifa's chaos, seething with rage.
Target: Champion Blanta.
He sighed after scanning them.
"Hah... such a pain."
The reason was obvious.
Plenty of grudges piled up.
Blanta's lavish life stemmed from spectacularly killing or maiming kin before crowds.
He'd never seen them as people anyway.
Arrogant prick; now freed, come for payback.
"Guess they saw me as a joke."
Blanta chuckled.
This needed handling.
Striding forward, he bound Baren and Secret to a nearby tree.
Chains tightened harshly, paling their faces.
"Guhk... can't... breathe!"
"You two stay put. Run, and you're dead."
Blanta growled.
His gleaming eyes cowed them.
Baren and Secret nodded frantically.
"Y-Yes, sir. We won't run."
"Good pups."
Blanta patted Baren's head.
Honestly, escape wouldn't matter.
Short-legged werefox and fat human? Easy as cake.
The beastmen closed in.
Blanta turned, grinning ferociously.
"Well then..."
One against many, after ages.
His slouching form vanished from sight.
Instantly before them, he greeted amiably.
"Hey there."
"F-Fast!"
Beastmen gasped.
Speed beyond imagination.
But they were arena survivors, hell-forged warriors.
Regaining composure, they attacked.
Spears, swords, claws, fangs rained on Blanta.
But his liquid-flexible body allowed no scratch.
"What kind of body...!"
"Grah, take a hit!"
As if gravity ignored only him.
Another werepanther in the group, but the gap was hopeless.
Blanta infiltrated the center, claws raised.
"No weapons needed for trash like you."
"Damn, how'd he... Graaak!"
One-sided slaughter followed.
Blanta became a fierce whirlwind, sweeping them.
Each claw flash sent beastmen crumpling, vital spurts.
Lead werepanther clutched split eyeball, screaming.
"G, graaaaaah!"
"That wide stare bugged me; better now."
Blanta snorted.
Blinded werepanther flailed wildly.
Blanta ignored, advancing.
Killing here paled to lifelong torment.
Two burly werebears flanked.
"Champion!"
"Die!"
Identical faces: twins.
Massive, like twin walls.
Blanta leaped unfazed.
Thud!
Unslowed, they headbutted.
"Guhk!"
"Urk."
Fleeting opening.
Champion pounced.
Three flips, heel smashed one skull.
Crack!!
Skull caved; left werebear toppled.
Eyeball popped under pressure.
Twin gaped at brother's corpse.
"B-Brother!"
"Nothing easier than dumb bears."
Another chance.
Blanta thrust at frozen werebear.
Claws pierced hide, shredded heart.
Hand withdrew bloodied.
Werebear collapsed atop brother.
"Eek...!"
"That all?! Don't cower, charge!!"
Blanta roared.
Beastmen shook fear, rushed.
Secret, watching the frenzy, quipped.
"Such a lively fellow. Fit for Zaifa's guard."
"More innocents..."
Tree-bound Baren bowed head.
Couldn't watch.
Mad panther tore, slashed, ripped; lives vanished.
Blanta broadcast his champion tenure.
Escape first for action.
Gauging remaining aura, Baren spoke.
"Professor. I can manage this. Hold on."
"Yes. Tough, but one last push. Planned after more weight loss, but circumstances..."
"Pardon? What..."
"What else."
Secret's tail tapped his pocket.
Gesturing contents.
Turning to Baren, regretfully.
"Time to restore you to normal."