11. Special Request
"It's cut off."
Deep within the ruins, the Monster Lord sensed that his kin—the werewolves—had perished there. Not the initial batch he'd dispatched when the two adventurer parties first breached the site. He still received life signals from those werewolves he'd sent after them, after all. No, these were the ones he'd hurriedly sent back after hearing the sudden clamor of something collapsing behind him.
The numbers roughly matched what he'd dispatched to both adventurer groups combined—about twenty in total. And their responses had vanished in an instant.
"Stronger than I thought, eh?"
The Monster Lord recalled the adventurer he'd slain not long ago. That fool who'd boasted of being a Gold Badge adventurer. A human who prided himself on being among the elite monster hunters. Yet he'd been butchered pitifully before even handling two of his kin. The desperate expressions of his human companions at the time still lingered vividly in his mind. How disappointing it had been to think that such weaklings represented the pinnacle of human strength—mere fodder who overwhelmed with numbers alone.
"But that wasn't the end of it."
The Monster Lord closed his eyes and perked up his ears. Footsteps approached—human ones.
"...Four."
Just four of them had overcome the twenty kin he'd sent. This might actually be interesting.
Grrrrrr.
With a low growl, baring his fangs at his pounding heart, the Monster Lord beckoned them. Come quickly, strongest of humans.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
They bulldozed through the ruins, smashing them apart as they advanced. Any monsters drawn by the noise were swept aside effortlessly, and the occasional werewolf ambushes were dispatched with ease.
They soon arrived at a vast, circular colosseum-like arena. Though the ruins were weathered and crumbling like ancient wreckage everywhere else, this space evoked images of the Roman Colosseum back on Earth—the one I'd only seen in photos, never in person.
High above in what resembled a throne, a massive werewolf sat gazing down at us in mocking welcome.
The Monster Lord. His presence dwarfed every other monster we'd encountered so far—even those werewolves I'd considered fairly strong. It was on another level entirely.
"Holy shit, look at that cocky dog-headed bastard. Acting all high and mighty like he's seen some pics or something. Makes me wanna smash him flat."
"Hmmm. Even the haughtiest woman I know isn't as arrogant as that beast. No thrill in it."
"...Hey, brat. Why're you saying that while looking at me?"
"Hm? I never said beast-girl or anything about you, did I? Though I was referring to you, of course."
"Argh, you little...!"
One leg crossed over the other, chin propped lazily on his hand—the Monster Lord's pose was every bit as arrogant and smug as Bella had grumbled under her breath. Of course, whether Bella cursed him or not, he paid it no mind, maintaining that infuriating posture as he opened his maw.
Grrrr.
"So you're the ones. The source of all that racket on your way here."
Somehow, with a wolf-like mouth and throat, he spoke human words with perfect clarity. I couldn't wrap my head around it, but whatever—this was the world now. I'd rolled around in it long enough that Earth's common sense no longer applied.
I stepped forward a pace ahead of the others in response to his words.
"Beats me. But yeah, I did kill a few that looked like you."
"Insolent weakling of a human. You dare face me head-on?"
With his reply, he slammed down on the armrest of his stone-carved throne.
"I am Glag. Born to rule all monsters in these mountains."
Boom.Rumble.
The impact reverberated from the stone throne, shaking the entire ruins. Dust and pebbles rained down from the crumbling walls.
The Monster Lord rose slowly.
"The master of this place...!"
A crushing pressure poured from his entire body toward us. My breath caught in my throat.
"Guh...?!"
Only I, the weakest of the weak, felt it. Cheong-ah, Bella, and Dina stood unfazed before me, expressions calm as ever.
"You alright, darling?"
"Yeah, thanks to you. Appreciate it."
"Stay back. Without mana, it'll be tough on you."
"...Yeah, got it."
Breathing eased up a bit. I thanked them.
"See? What'd I tell ya? That fucker's full of himself."
"For once, this beast-girl speaks true. How dare a mere animal belittle my Yeonja."
They were geared up to charge right then. I backed away slowly. I knew my place all too well. Nothing irks a fighter more than a weakling underfoot.
I wasn't useless, sure—but I had no direct role in this fight.
Dina sidled up as I retreated, thumping her tiny chest with her small fists.
"Fear not, Yeonja. I'll protect you without a single hair out of place."
"Got it. I trust you."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As Ian fell back with Dina, shing—Cheong-ah drew her sword with a chilling ring. Bella approached, cracking her knuckles.
"Hey, Ju Cheong-ah. Wanna make a bet?"
"What kind?"
"What else? Who cuts that bastard's head off first."
"And the stakes?"
Bella pretended to ponder, rolling her eyes slyly. Her intentions were transparent. She hemmed and hawed anyway.
"Dunno. How 'bout lifting my alcohol ban?"
"If I win, can I double the ban period?"
"Whoa, that's harsh. It's already two weeks—double's a whole month."
Bella whined lightly. Cheong-ah ignored it.
"Then pick something else."
"Something else? Like what?"
"Hmm. How about exclusive rights to stick to darling all day?"
Bella froze for a split second before continuing.
"...With Ian? What's in it for me?"
Playing coy, huh. Cheong-ah, who'd seen right through her, smirked inwardly.
"You wear your heart on your sleeve, Bella. Why not drop that grin?"
"What? Whose mouth's grinning...?"
Caught off guard, she touched her lips unconsciously. Sure enough, they were curved up just a bit.
...Damn. Totally busted. Sharp as a fox, that girl.
Cheong-ah shot Bella a venomous glare.
"Hmph. Weren't you the one who said no interest in taken men?"
Bella shrugged.
"Hey, he made the first move. I wasn't into it at first, but what can ya do? Guess I'm just that irresistible."
"Liar."
"Believe it or don't. Anyway, even if Ian's not my top pick, let's say we go with that for the bet. Deal?"
"...Fine. You're on."
"Wait, isn't this rigged in your favor? I don't gain much from alone time with Ian anyway~ Oh dear, what a dilemma~."
"Don't provoke me, Bella. I might just take you out first."
"Try it. Who'd hurt more, Ian or me?"
"...Tch."
"Heh heh..."
Cheong-ah clicked her tongue while Bella laughed mockingly at her, slinging her greatsword over her shoulder.
"Alright then."
"......"
"Here we... GO!"
With her shout, Bella kicked off the ground and shot forward. A swift leap, red aura cloaking her body as she charged.
"I'm first...!"
"...Hmph."
Cheong-ah eyed her rival's back with mild disdain before tapping her foot lightly.
Tap.
That single step overtook Bella in a flash.
"Too slow."
"Damn, you're fast as hell!"
If Bella charged like a raging bull, Cheong-ah glided like the wind. No beast could outpace nature itself. No matter how furiously Bella pumped her legs, she couldn't match Cheong-ah's stride.
Cheong-ah overtook her in an instant, reaching the Monster Lord first and swinging her blade.
Saintess Sword, Second Form.
"Whirlwind."
Her momentum fueled a spinning slash. Speed equaled power.
"Die."
Shrieeeek!
The wind-charged blade tore through the air toward the giant werewolf's neck.
"Not bad speed for a frail human!"
The Monster Lord faltered briefly at her velocity but reacted swiftly, swinging his arm to block the sword's path.
Claaang!
His mere hide clashed like iron against steel. Cheong-ah's blade sparked orange and rebounded.
'Wh-what?!'
As she recoiled in shock, he thrust his other arm toward her gut.
"But soft...!"
Boom!
His fist exploded through the air. Cheong-ah's body flew backward.
No pain or injury, of course.
"Nngh...!"
"Yeonja...!"
"Cheong-ah! I'm fine!"
Only Ian's pained groan echoed from afar. Cheong-ah gripped her sword tighter, guilt twisting inside at his supportive shout.
'Darling, sorry.'
She'd underestimated the enemy. Cheong-ah bit her lip.
"My turn now?!"
Bella arrived in the interim, her massive greatsword rippling with crimson aura like flames.
"Eat this, you fuck...!"
The brute-force swing shattered space itself as it descended. Slower than Cheong-ah's strike, but packed with far greater power.
However.
"Slow."
If he'd parried Cheong-ah's swift blade, Bella's lumbering attack was child's play. He twisted aside effortlessly, then swatted her body just like before.
Bella soared. She twisted midair, slamming her greatsword into the ground to halt herself.
Skreeech.
The ruins' floor shattered, earth upheaving. Bella spat a mix of dust and saliva, cursing.
"...Shit."
This wouldn't be a walkover like usual. She'd figured a Monster Lord was just hype—no real difference from the monsters they'd felled so far. Just another beast. Special request or not, probably guild overkill from the branch manager.
But this felt annoyingly troublesome. Far more than expected.