The South Gate Guard Commander adjusted his hat. The feathered hat was his trademark. After tilting the brim of his hat a few times, the Commander gazed up at the bright full moon illuminating the surroundings.
'What is my duty?'
It is to protect the Capital.
This wasn't a sudden realization.
He had always known, but recent events had simply reinforced it.
A man who had become a noble of the Royal Family, known as the prodigal son who returned.
As a blood relative of the Queen, he had shown his duty and responsibility.
Then, the Guard Commander too had to do what was required of him.
In conclusion, the Commander could no longer ignore the creature known as the Moonlight Beast.
So, he did what needed to be done. Hearing that a Squire had been attacked, he prepared thoroughly and took action.
"Let's go this way."
The Guard Commander said to his subordinate.
"But, Commander, are you sure it will show up?"
Asked the unkempt subordinate, who hadn't shaved in a while.
"Of course."
There were others in the Capital who were interested in the Moonlight Beast itself. The South Gate Guard Commander was one of them.
He had scouted the area and predicted the best location for the creature to appear.
In other words, he acted through the same thought process as Encrid.
'Full moon.'
A place far from the nobles' residences.
'Here.'
If he was wrong, he would just have to start again. With limited manpower, he couldn't check the entire area.
He had only brought three reliable soldiers with him.
He figured that with himself and three subordinates, they could handle at least one lycanthrope.
He didn't know how it hid during the day and only appeared at night.
'It must be some strange magic.'
It was probably a spell cast by a mad sorcerer.
The South Gate Guard Commander surveyed his surroundings under the moonlight.
Would it appear?
His expectations were soon fulfilled.
Thud!
The sound of flesh being struck, and the strong scent of blood filled the air. It was coming from inside an alleyway. He immediately dashed towards it.
"Commander?"
"Follow me!"
He commanded as he rushed forward. Sure enough, inside the alleyway, he saw a blood-soaked creature.
Pointed ears that jutted upwards, a body covered in steel-like feathers instead of fur.
It was twice the height of a human, with arms as thick as a man's thigh.
It seemed to fill the entire alleyway.
The path was wide enough for three grown men to walk side by side.
The Commander swallowed hard. If fear took hold, even a winnable fight would be lost.
He steeled himself and spoke.
"So it's not a werewolf, but an Owlman?"
He drew his sword as he spoke.
With a sharp sound, the sword was drawn, reflecting the moonlight.
The Commander gripped the sword with both hands and stared at his opponent. The Owlman, a creature known as an Owlbear, was in profile.
Between its round eyes, he could see red veins. The veins were so thick they were visible even in the moonlight.
He had to tilt his head back to meet its eyes.
As his gaze moved from its eyes, it traveled down its entire body and reached the ground.
The ground was soaked in blood, with a mangled corpse lying to one side, entrails tangled between the sharp claws of the creature.
Torn flesh, broken bones, and the dark, murky crimson hue that persisted even under the moonlight.
Each of the Owlbear's claws was like a thick, deadly blade.
The Owlbear shook its body, completely ignoring the Commander's gaze.
The Commander instinctively knew that this beast was relishing the moment. It was drunk with pleasure. It found joy in the slaughter.
"Enjoying yourself, are you!"
To protect the city. To protect the citizens. It was the Guard's duty to kill the creature that turned moonlit nights into a time of terror.
He pushed off the ground and lunged forward, stabbing his sword downward in a vertical slash.
He closed the distance in a single step, aiming to cut off an arm or slice through its body. Though he didn't expect to sever a limb in one stroke, if he angled his blade correctly, he could carve off a chunk of flesh.
This move, a single slice carving technique, was his specialty.
The Owlbear blocked it with just a swing of its arm. It saw the angle of the incoming blade and precisely adjusted its index claw to deflect the sword with the outer edge.
One claw collided with the blade.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the blade met resistance. The moment the blade was blocked, the Commander quickly retreated.
He wasn't skilled enough to join the Knight's Order, but he was capable of handling most opponents.
At least he judged himself to be at a Squire's level.
That's why he had been promoted to Commander.
But this—what was this?
Hadn't a Squire barely managed to defeat it?
'Even if I didn't swing with all my strength…'
The force of the parry nearly tore his grip apart. But more than that, what was that movement just now? It was as if the creature had learned swordsmanship, with the angles and defense it used.
I'm being pushed back. If I fight alone, I'll die. It was obvious I'd end up like that Squire.
Fortunately, he wasn't alone.
Cold sweat poured down his face, but instead of succumbing to fear, he boldly leaped backward and shouted:
"Surround it!"
The Owlbear's eyes turned towards him. Joy, desire, bloodlust, hostility—all mixed within its brown eyes.
The blood vessels, bulging red, stirred a primal fear. Even without opening its beak, it looked like one wrong move would see him impaled by that sharp point.
Especially those eyes. The fact that they resembled human eyes made them all the more unsettling. But there was no time to dwell on such thoughts.
As he retreated, the Owlbear lazily followed, its steps slow and deliberate.
When it reached the mouth of the alley, his three subordinates had their spears aimed at it.
The moonlight hit the front of the alley in such a way that the inside appeared even darker.
One of the nervous soldiers gulped, spear still pointed forward.
Meanwhile, the Commander was drenched in cold sweat.
The Owlbear slowly stepped out. Despite its massive size, its steps were unnervingly quiet.
If it had intended to ambush them, they wouldn't have even sensed it coming.
It moved like a natural predator.
As it emerged from the alley, it took note of the men pointing their weapons at it and inhaled deeply. Its chest expanded.
"Attack!"
The Commander judged that attacking first was the best option and shouted. It was a desperate cry from a man facing overwhelming odds.
Despite the unexpected strength of the enemy, his sense of duty remained unchanged.
The Commander's shout was swallowed by the creature's roar.
Oooooooooh!
The monster's howl tore through the air, overpowering the Commander's command.
Its roar slammed into their ears like a physical blow.
"Ugh."
At the sound of the Owlbear's cry, the Commander felt his entire body freeze. His heart began pounding wildly, and every muscle tensed up. He was paralyzed.
Prey cannot escape the grip of fear when confronted by a predator.
That's why monsters are known as the natural predators of humans.
Among the strongest monsters, some had the ability to paralyze humans with just their roar.
The Commander envisioned the Owlbear's claws tearing into his throat, digging into his chest.
The vision of his own death left him frozen in place, and his men were no different.
'I'm going to die.'
The fear of death consumed his body.
It was the kind of roar that powerful monsters used to instill terror.
Like a mouse freezing in place before a cat.
With just its howl, the creature had neutralized the group surrounding it. It raised its claws, preparing to sever their heads and drink their brains.
Because that would be the finest delicacy.
"Heh."
A laugh escaped it.
The ultimate pleasure, impossible to find in human life, was here.
At first, it had cursed the state of its body, but no more.
It was joy, pure joy. There was no reason to deny it.
As long as it didn't encounter another Squire like before, it would be fine.
But really, who in the Capital could even pose a threat now?
What would they send after it? Two Squires at best? The Guard?
The ones lying collapsed before it made the situation clear.
The Capital was now its dining hall.
There was an endless supply of prey to devour, so how could it not be happy?
Pleasure surged, and joy consumed its body. Each of its feathers quivered in anticipation of the feast to come.
Its muscles rippled and tensed as it prepared for the enjoyment ahead.
It was time to fully savor this moment.
"Kuhuhuhu."
Drool dripped from its mouth. The urge to devour them was overwhelming.
It was time to stop thinking and thrust its claws forward.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of feet striking the ground reached its ears.
Behind, to the left, about twenty steps away by human measure.
Since becoming an Owlbear, its hearing had become sharper than anything else.
Judging the distance by sound alone was effortless.
The Owlbear calculated that the sound was getting closer.
Its beastly instincts moved faster than human logic.
Swoosh!
It extended its claws, making them twice as long as before, and crossed its arms in front of itself defensively.
In the alleyway, in the shadows, the Owlbear's keen vision locked onto the object charging towards it.
Its nocturnal eyesight allowed it to see as clearly as if it were daylight.
A white streak came flying out of the darkness.
The streak suddenly accelerated. Something much faster than the sound of footsteps hurtled toward it.
Whoosh!
The Owlbear saw the lines being drawn before its eyes. They started from the figure's arm and aimed to slash through its body, forming two distinct arcs.
Reacting instinctively, the Owlbear raised its arms to block. It lifted its arms horizontally as if they were shields. The incoming strikes collided with its forearms.
Thud.
The sound was dull. The Owlbear felt the impact. While its steel-like feathers hadn't been cut, the force of the blow still left a mark.
The one who swung the strikes retreated faster than they had attacked.
The Owlbear responded immediately, thrusting its right foot toward where the figure had been, but they had already evaded.
Its claws swiped through the spot just vacated by the opponent.
Straightening its stance, the beast tilted its head as it spoke.
"…What's this? There's another one? Looks like there's plenty to eat."
It appeared as a beast—half-man, half-animal—transformed into a monstrous form.
And yet, it spoke human words with ease.
As it spoke, the Owlbear used its keen sense of smell and hearing to determine there was more than one opponent.
But it couldn't afford to shift its attention. The aura radiating from the foe in front of it demanded all of its focus.
The one who had sent those twin strikes glared fiercely at the Owlbear.
Striking golden eyes shone brightly. Even in the moonlight, they retained their full color.
"Hey, I'm a beastwoman."
The words were directed at the Owlbear.
"What's the difference? I used to be human too, and now I'm an Owlbear."
Though it was angry at having its pleasure and joy interrupted, it saw no need to fight a fellow creature.
There was plenty of food, and the dining hall was vast.
There was no need to quarrel over the source of pleasure.
In front of its claws, it didn't matter if the prey was an old man, a child, a man, or a woman.
The opponent, who had declared themselves a beastwoman, clenched their teeth and shouted furiously:
"You bastard! There are no owls among beastmen!"
With that, Dunbachel launched forward like a white lion. Bam! She pushed off the ground, her body elongating.
In her hands were two scimitars.
Slightly shorter than a typical scimitar, but she had grown accustomed to their use.
The blades carved through the air, aiming for the Owlbear's forearm, cutting in a fluctuating rhythm.
This was a technique she had devised after days of practice, called the 'Falling Stab'.
She had observed Encrid learning his techniques and had recreated her own from what she saw.
Slash turns into a stab, and a stab into a slash. Unpredictable and chaotic.
But the Owlbear's heightened senses perceived everything. Its monstrous body responded to all the movements and trajectories.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Its claws, harder than steel, met the strikes head-on.
It blocked and deflected them, looking for an opening.
Even in its human life, it had spent time training. It knew how to counter most techniques. It aimed once again for the beastwoman's vulnerable point, extending its foot.
The claws grew long, threatening to tear open Dunbachel's abdomen.
But she pivoted on her left foot and spun, swinging the scimitar in her hand as she turned.
Whoosh!
This strike was twice as fast as the previous one, carving through the air horizontally.
The Owlbear had only extended its foot and didn't advance further.
'This one's tricky.'
This one fights even better than the Squire. So, is that a problem? He concluded it wasn't.
Even if things go south, he can just run.
"What the hell? So you were an owl freak?"
He couldn't finish his thought.
From behind him, he saw someone wielding a long-handled axe, twirling it effortlessly.
'That face seems familiar.'
Where have I seen him before?
He searched his memory. He couldn't recall. However, the aura radiating from the figure was far from ordinary.
'Should I flee?'
Ignoring an instinctual warning would be a mistake. His rational mind was telling him the same thing.
"If you just answer my questions, you can leave peacefully."
At that moment, a voice came from directly behind him. He was so startled that he reflexively swung his elbow.
With steel-like feathers acting as weapons, a direct hit would have turned any human into a mashed pulp.
But the blow didn't land.
The speaker had retreated, as if they had anticipated his reaction. They moved away faster than the strike could reach.
The Owlbear felt the shift in the air and sensed it.
"Who is the leader of the Black Blade Bandits?"
The person asked. Instead of answering, the Owlbear compressed air into its belly and let out a roar.
Oooooooooh!
Instill fear—this was the purpose of its roar.
The monster's power reverberated through the atmosphere. At least one of them should be trembling in their boots or collapsing in terror.
Just like that soldier earlier.
The man with the feathered hat barely held his ground, but one of the other soldiers had collapsed, wetting himself in fear.
Though the men grimaced in reaction to the roar, none of them appeared to have met his expectations.
Why are they all fine?
The one holding the axe even smirked.
"Shut up, you monster."
Then, another human approached. A man walked toward him from one side, his footsteps steady, holding a long whip in his hand.
"What's this? You out for a midnight stroll too?"
The one with the axe asked. The man with the whip was a familiar face to the Owlbear.
'Shouldn't he be elsewhere right now?'
His name was Matthew, the bodyguard of Kdianath Rangdias Naurill.
A man who had caused a stir within the Royal Palace, claiming the Grand Duke's title for himself.
It was partly thanks to him that the Owlbear had been able to enjoy its meals freely during this chaotic time.
The more turmoil there was in the palace, the fewer people would care about him.
A few disappearances at night wouldn't cause an uproar.
At most, the city guard would be dispatched.
The Moonlight Beast only targeted commoners, especially the poor. It never dared go after nobles, avoiding the backlash that would bring.
As long as it didn't harm anyone in its own territory, who would even care?
But now, all of this was unexpected. The Owlbear couldn't comprehend why this was happening.
There were people who would pursue it not for personal gain, but for the safety of the citizens.
There were those who would risk their lives, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, to chase it down.
There were people who, with their natural insight and sharp perception, had figured out its patterns of behavior.
The Owlbear couldn't fully grasp all of this. Like an addict seeking another fix, it had become a creature addicted to slaughter.
Yet, despite all this, it still considered itself a rational being.
It believed it made decisions based on logical reasoning and acted accordingly.
It was all nonsense.
Its rational mind had merely become a tool for seeking pleasure.
This was a side effect it wasn't even aware of.
"What's going on here? Who are you people?"
The South Gate Guard Commander also rose to his feet and spoke.
He had barely managed to overcome his fear. Though his jaw trembled, he clenched his teeth and held on.
That made him feel a little better.
The change in the atmosphere around him also contributed to his growing sense of calm.
The momentum had shifted.
The Owlbear couldn't finish off the soldier it had knocked down.
It couldn't tear apart the white lion beastwoman that had charged at it.
The monster felt a sense of danger. It recognized that the situation was taking a strange turn.
But that didn't mean it could simply accept death.
'Absolutely not.'
Not after having tasted pleasure. It couldn't forget that. It would survive and live that way again.
It would chew and swallow countless humans, feasting on their brains, blood, and entrails.
Ooooo.
With a short roar, it steeled its will and determination.
Even if the path it chose was wrong, its willpower was unwavering.
The Owlbear had managed to seriously wound the Squire.
This was made possible by the combination of its monstrous strength and the intellect it retained from its human self.
"Pathetic!"
The Owlbear shouted. The roar carried a clear meaning.
Those who heard it reacted.
"Why can it speak so well?"
Said the one wielding the axe.
"Are you here under the orders of the Viscount? So, he said he would handle it himself."
Matthew muttered, paying more attention to the people around him than to the monster.
"Shut up, you monster."
The beastman said, scowling.
The man standing behind hadn't even drawn his sword.
He simply stared, observing without emotion.
Yet despite this, the Owlbear was terrified.
Going near that one would mean certain death.
It wasn't human reasoning, but the instinct of the monster that told it so.
And the instinct was right—Ragna was just moments away from deciding whether or not to strike.
And then...
"Who is the leader of the Black Blade Bandits? Tell me, and I'll make sure you die quickly, without being hacked to death by that savage's axe or torn apart by the reckless swordsman."
A calm, commanding voice spoke from behind.
Who the hell was this guy?
And why did he keep talking about sending it somewhere?
"Let's do this the easy way."
He said. The figure standing in the moonlight was visible, yet blurry.
The Owlbear realized why—the sounds around him seemed muffled, and his presence felt faint, almost as if he could disappear and reappear behind it in an instant, ready to drive a blade into its back. He was unsettling.
"Answer."
"I don't know anything about that."
The Owlbear, losing its composure, blurted out a reply without even realizing it.
"I see."
The figure muttered and took a step back. Even that slight retreat eased the pressure considerably.
Of course, that didn't mean the danger had lessened.
The Owlbear was on high alert, frantically searching for a way to escape.
And then...
"Commander of the Guard?"
Another voice broke in.
This was a voice the Owlbear recognized.