Monsterification (2)
A few days later, the vigilante corps was formed without a hitch. The patrols that ventured outside the village were mostly made up of “strong” women like Eila and the private soldiers from the Gluwin family. To minimize losses as much as possible, only the most reliable personnel were sent out on patrol duty.
Of course, I—who had also joined the vigilante corps—went out on night patrols every single night. If I dreamed of becoming a knight, this was simply something I had to do. For the safety of the village, I was willing to do anything.
……And yet.
"……."
Why was the atmosphere like this? Weren't the teams supposed to be decided by drawing lots? No matter how I looked at it, this squad was clearly packed with someone's personal agenda.
The members were Selena, me, Angelica, and one female soldier that Angelica had brought along.
The girl was trembling so violently it looked like she might shake herself apart. Hmm. Was it really okay to bring her along? Even if we didn't run into any monsterified beasts, she looked like she'd faint at the sight of an ordinary bear.
It was just… I was genuinely worried.
But Angelica strode boldly into the forest without hesitation. Ellie had no choice but to follow. Selena and I trailed a step behind, watching the pair with curious eyes. Of course, we couldn't just stand around idly, so we walked and talked.
Selena spoke in a grave tone. Having been born and raised in Piren Village, this place was her precious hometown.
That aside…
Selena nodded in agreement. In the end, I decided to raise my Gigaam like always. It put a strain on my body, but there was no helping it. Finding beasts in a midnight forest with the naked eye was no easy task.
I focused my Gigaam into both eyes and scanned the silent forest.
"……."
"……?"
And then I recoiled in shock.
Ellie froze instantly, looking like she was scared to death. Angelica patted the girl's back reassuringly before approaching me.
Just as they said, the forest was eerily silent. If I hadn't sensed it with my Gigaam, it would have seemed like a perfectly calm woodland without even a breeze. But—
At Selena's words, I raised my Gigaam once more. When I scanned the surroundings again, I sensed far more "murky" energies than before. It felt as if they were slowly encircling us, trying to surround us.
I had no choice but to make a swift decision.
Whoosh!
There was no time left to talk. Just from what my Gigaam could detect, there were at least dozens of them. All of them had been quietly closing in on us, and now they were charging forward with monstrous howls.
Grrrrrrrr!
Gwoooooar!
Not a single person could be left behind. That meant we absolutely could not fall into panic. Fortunately, the usually calm Selena was slicing through the charging beasts with precise, chilling strikes. Even I found them terrifyingly accurate…!
Grrrrr!
Wolf packs were pouring in from every direction. The torches had gone out at some point, leaving us with nothing to rely on. Ellie held up her shield in a daze, desperately trying to endure, while Angelica swung her sword, but fighting in the darkness was no easy feat. The only one cutting down the beasts as if it were nothing was Selena.
"……."
I watched her for a moment, then clenched my fists tightly. If I raised my Gigaam to the maximum and focused, I should be able to fight decently even in the dark. But what mattered right now was—
Slice—!
Yelp!
I looked at the flank of the wolf that had lunged at me. I carefully sliced away the murky part I sensed there. A small crystal tumbled out with a soft clink. It was identical to the one that had come from the grey bear's body.
Then why? Why were these beasts, driven into a frenzy by the mana crystals, targeting us so relentlessly? No—how could they even do so?
I struck an incoming beast with the flat of my blade. A few I had no choice but to behead or pierce through the heart. I believed that a knight should strive for the minimum amount of killing, but in a situation like this, there was simply no other way.
Thud!
"……."
Even the rookie soldier Ellie was swinging a hammer hard enough to smash a wolf's skull. She might be timid, but her skills were surprisingly solid?
Slash!
Angelica was also fighting desperately, cutting down beasts almost as well as Selena. I found myself looking at her again in admiration… only to feel a pang of sympathy at how hard she was panting. Of course I couldn't say that out loud, so I simply gave her a look full of admiration.
Angelica suddenly froze mid-sentence. Before I could even wonder why, I looked around and felt my mind go completely blank.
…….
Glowing eyes filled the surroundings. There was no need to think—they belonged to beasts. Dozens of eyes, from small to large, were visible. And all manner of creatures were slowly closing in on us, as if forming an encirclement.
Rustle! Rustle!
Only ominous sounds echoed endlessly through the forest. Only then did Angelica seem to realize something was wrong; she swallowed hard.
Slash!
Selena severed the neck of a charging beast. Her eyes grew colder with every passing second.
But as expected, there was no reply. The beasts surrounding us only continued to emit ominous breathing sounds. Not a single one barked or growled. It was clearly an abnormal situation. Even when I hunted monsters in my previous life, I'd never encountered anything like this.
In that moment, my eyes met Selena's.
"……."
Clear, pristine eyes. It was like looking at moonlight settled upon a lake. There wasn't the slightest hesitation or reluctance in Selena's gaze. Only firm belief.
Even now, the beasts were still charging. But after hearing Selena's answer, I gently closed my eyes. I placed my hand on the ground and spread my Gigaam with all my might in every direction.
Tssssss!
The thinly stretched Gigaam rippled outward like waves. Past the encircling beasts, past the trees, past the river… until it finally reached the "someone" wearing a robe.
"……!"
I shot to my feet. Found them. This was the one. The one who had been freely controlling the beasts, turning them into monsters, and trying to destroy the village. The moment they noticed me, I felt their momentary panic as they looked in my direction.
Whoosh!
There was no time. I had to subdue them before they could escape. Gripping the real sword Hildegard had given me with both hands, I dashed into the underbrush.
Gwoooooar!
Kyaaaaah!
Of course they weren't just going to watch. They were trying to block me by erecting walls of beasts. Right then—
Selena, who had quietly drawn in a breath, began to walk slowly. One step. Two steps. On the third step—
Slaaaaaash!
The sword, wreathed not in aura but in moonlight, sliced through the beasts before her eyes in an instant. With a single swing, dozens of beasts lost their ferocity and began to flee.
The opportunity that Selena and the others had created for me. I kicked off the ground and sprinted toward the place where I sensed the murky energy. Even when beasts tangled with me along the way, I knocked them aside or cut them down with my sword.
And finally, I arrived. Before the one who was most likely the mastermind behind this incident.
The figure was wearing a pitch-black robe. Their height was much shorter than mine—perhaps only reaching the waist of a grown adult. Their exposed arms were so thin they looked like nothing but bones. And above all else—
"Keruk!"
Keruk? An unidentified voice… or perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a cry. The hooded figure made a sound like phlegm rattling in their throat. Their entire body moved in bizarre, creaking motions as if every bone was grinding. The moment our eyes met—
"!?"
I caught sight of their green face and bright yellow eyes.