Crimson Mane King

"Hm……."

Having left the illusionist to his devices because he'd boasted he could easily take down a freshly awakened hero, only for it to end like this.

Was the hero's prowess greater than I'd expected? My misjudgment, it seemed.

Well... he's the hero destined to slay the Demon King, after all.

The Crimson Mane King stood in the room, eyes closed, absorbing the lingering flows of dark energy. Visions of the room from hours earlier unfolded before him.

A signal emanating from the illusionist manipulating the illusions, black pupils piercing through the room like sharpened blades, and a black mist-like fog burrowing into the illusionist's created waves.

Embedded within it was a murderous intent so vast it defied imagination.

A madness that could drive one insane just from witnessing it.

"Kukukukuku…."

Shaking off the madness that threatened to consume even him, the Crimson Mane King laughed.

I can't tell how much of what I saw was reality.

It was chaos incarnate.

The illusionist hadn't died because he stupidly let his lair get discovered. What were those eyes manifesting in the room, and that black fog riding the flows?

He tried reading it over and over, but nothing fully revealed itself.

Finally giving up, he left the abandoned house and arrived about 5 km away.

Amid traces of fierce combat, the Crimson Mane King tried to sense the flow of battle between the illusions and the hero.

But once again, it didn't align. The hero fought with holy power that destroyed everything it touched. Yet no holy power was detectable here.

Instead...

"…Why is there dark energy?"

No matter how he thought about it, it made no sense. The hero's combat style wasn't present, and what filled the space was purely dark energy.

"Has a Black Goat Church priest become the hero? Is that even possible?"

Was there some reason for a church member to infiltrate Gaon of Light on orders? And then attack my family alongside the illusionist? It didn't add up. He pieced together the clues like a puzzle, but the picture refused to form, so he abandoned it.

For now, assuming the opponent was a Black Goat cultist, he absorbed the dark energy flows.

"……"

"…Kuhk!!!"

A heavy pain struck his chest, and the Crimson Mane King's eyes flew wide. A colossal killing intent and madness incomparable to before swept through him.

Was this truly dark energy a human could emit? Under the will of that monstrous entity that sought to devour him merely for acknowledging its existence, all he could manage was deep breaths.

"Explosive dark energy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and savage holy power... So this is a true hero."

He suddenly wanted to see just what kind of guy it was. A Black Goat cultist turned hero!

As goosebumps wracked his body, an inexplicable thrill surged through him, and he drew in a breath—

"Figures a mangy mutt like you would sniff around like that."

"?!?"

Turning at the sudden voice, the Crimson Mane King beheld it.

A youthful man emerging, engulfed in a massive typhoon of swirling light and darkness.

Is that really the hero... no, even human?

* * *

While making preparations in the forest, I'd received word from a spirit that the Crimson Mane King had entered the gate, so I went to the entrance and found him psychometrizing.

Like the illusionist who used spirit power, the Crimson Mane King's energy was a natural force neither light nor dark—utterly divorced from ordinary mana.

Even as a Black Goat cultist, he hadn't fully succumbed to darkness, but in the end, he was just another midday villain who'd walked that path.

Wherever the Crimson Mane King went, blood winds followed.

He was a man who'd never once repented or regretted his chosen path in all 998 loops.

The countless lives he'd ended might feel the same, but I had no intention of forgiving him either.

That said, holy power wouldn't work on him, so I had to use dark energy—and at my current level, it wasn't quite enough to deal damage with dark energy alone. Hence the little trap I'd set.

Still overflowing with ridiculous vitality, as always.

I stared at him impassively, skimming the info window that popped up over the Crimson Mane King.

His expression twisted oddly after psychometry—wonder what he'd seen.

"As you might have guessed, I'm the Crimson Mane King, sent by the Black Goat Church. Not a priest or dark knight, but I get decent treatment from the church."

"?"

The Crimson Mane King was suddenly introducing himself.

"I figured leaving something trivial like kidnapping to the illusionist was fine, and my arbitrary judgment led to this failure—so I'll accept it as my mistake."

"What the hell are you trying to say?"

The Crimson Mane King slowly stepped toward me.

"But... what the hell are you?"

A strange light flickered in the Crimson Mane King's eyes.

"I can see it. That endless light and darkness in you."

"Ah. That."

His eyes saw humans and animals as mere energy flows. He was probably seeing my true form.

Not thrilled that someone had figured out my identity.

"No need to pile on reasons to kill you, but..."

"…Confident, aren't you? But your power won't work on me."

Pababat!

The Crimson Mane King charged at me with blinding speed.

Pruddruddruk.

As he rushed, his sclera tore long, flaring red, and smooth skin became covered in gray wolf fur.

His hands transformed into wolf forepaws, armed with long, sharp claws.

Coming at full power right away—his hot temper hasn't changed.

As the distance closed, the fully werewolf-transformed Crimson Mane King let out a shrill roar and lunged.

His claws, grown as long as short swords, slashed down nimbly.

Kikigak!

I instantly drew my holy sword and blocked the claws.

A formidable shock and aftershock traveled up the blade.

I'll fall back bit by bit like this.

I had to lure him step by step onto the prepared chopping board.

Hoping the sharp one wouldn't notice too soon.

I deflected the flurry of claws at angles and slammed my shoulder into his massive wolf head.

"Krahk!"

A heavy thud echoed as the off-balance Crimson Mane King staggered.

Closing in, I swung the holy sword horizontally at his neck.

The Crimson Mane King's eyes bulged.

"Hup!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

He raised his arm to block the holy sword's trajectory. Blood sprayed like a fountain from bulging veins.

Without pause, he whipped his claws around.

His combat experience runs deep. But...

I swiftly retreated, sneering at him.

"Hey, mutt! You gonna lick your wounds now?"

"!!"

Just as he paused mid-lick on his arm in the gap I'd created, the Crimson Mane King froze.

He hated being treated like a dog more than anything.

"Kraaaah! I'll kill you!"

Ears red with rage, he charged madly, swinging both arms.

Claws and sword clashed and parted countless times.

Chaeng! Kkigik! Kang! Kang!

Blood streamed from the arm wound, but undeterred, he pressed on—adding more cuts across his body.

Yet his speed is only increasing.

The momentum of his claw strikes grew fiercer.

Finally.

Kuwoong!

A powerful impact sent my body sliding back. His ferocious assault had struck my chest.

"Kuhuk…!"

My insides churned, and I spat up a clot of blood. I'd taken one hit, but successfully lured him into the forest.

This should do it.

I stopped retreating, dedicating myself to defense, bending the holy sword as needed.

Even then, his attacks accelerated. He showered chaotic slashes, ignoring the blood, dancing like a madman.

"Krah! Kraaaah!"

Human reason seemed gone; he roared like a wolf, utterly frenzied.

And at some point.

Starting from his red eyes, blood-red mane spread like spiderwebs.

Paduddruk.

In mere exchanges, his form had completely changed.

From head to toe, a perfect massive red werewolf—crimson mane like blood gleaming redder than the setting sun amid encroaching shadows.

This was the true Crimson Mane King. The Red Mane Wolf King.

"Graaaaaah!"

A maniacal roar shook the area.

…

Holy power and dark energy alike ineffective, even skills nullified—his ultimate technique, extreme berserk.

Kwakwakwang!

Kwang!

His claw strikes, wrapped in red glow, maximized into punches.

"Time to end this."

"Kruk?"

"Death Terraforming."

"Kuhahahahaha!"

Roaring in laughter or mockery at my ineffective skill, the Crimson Mane King bellowed.

I flipped him the bird and beckoned with a finger.

"Krrruk!"

The red wolf's face twisted even more ferociously.

"Kuaaaah!"

He lunged with a roar, flailing arms wildly, unleashing swings.

The Crimson Mane King closed in moment by moment.

But suddenly, he couldn't approach further—his body slowing.

"Kruuuh…?"

Only then did he notice the thorny branches clinging like nets.

"!!"

Dismissing them as mere twigs, he slashed—but they burrowed deeper, panicking him.

Not just that. Thorns pierced his skin, draining his vitality.

"Kraaah! Krhak!"

Berserk faded as life ebbed; stroking my chin leisurely, I checked his info window.

The vampire tree seeds I'd scattered beforehand had evolved into netherworld vampire trees via Death Terraforming, upgraded to drain life from all living beings.

Soon, his HP would hit zero, and he'd die.

That moment.

The sudden arrival of the [True] Humanity Salvation Quest.

Grinning smugly as I raised the holy sword to his neck, I let out a hollow laugh at the absurd content.

Me, subjugate the Crimson Mane King?

Pausing my downward swing, he seized the moment, pleading in a dying rasp.

"H-Hero, spare me... If you do, I swear I won't reveal your identity..."

"Death Terraforming."

A blood-red line traced across the Crimson Mane King's neck.