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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Kurika.
While Daniel McLean had been human but became a magical beast, Kurika was a beast-person who had become a magical beast.
As such, he did not harbor the unconditional hostility and aggression towards others that many ancient magical beasts did.
Rather, he was favorable towards worthy warriors and possessed a compassion that pointed lost souls in the right direction.
However, now he was threatening the group with fierce killing intent and bared fangs.
“Are you also remnants of these creatures?”
The one who immediately reacted to Kurika’s question was Adriana, who alone was kneeling among the others who stood frozen.
“N-No! On the contrary, we came to eradicate them!”
Even as she spoke, she doubted he would believe her, but after a moment’s consideration, Kurika accepted her words.
“I believe you. So you are the ones who have been erasing the traces of these foolish beings.”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Adrina didn’t know how Kurika knew such things, but she had no intention of trying to understand.
He was a man of complete mystery.
“Then withdraw now. Do not carelessly set foot here, return to your own lands.”
“I’m sorry, but we can’t do that.”
While everyone was struggling to speak a word under the pressure, it was the elf Eris who overcame it and expressed her opinion without hesitation.
“We were pursuing her to find a cure for our comrades who were affected by the Tudogs. We cannot withdraw like this.”
“A cure?”
As Kurika inquired with interest, Eris took a breath and continued.
Conversing with him felt like intense heat was constricting her entire body.
“Because of their drugs, one elf girl, three humans, one dwarf, and one beast-person have become dragonkin. We want to cure this curse-like condition.”
“Hmm.”
Kurika looked around the dark laboratory and answered with a sigh of regret.
“I’m sorry, but there is no cure.”
“…!”
“Couldn’t you allow us to look around once?”
As Eris was about to say something, she was cut off by the dwarf Hatsim.
Adriana realized for the first time that he was capable of such polite speech.
She had always thought his rough manner of speaking was just typical of dwarves, but it seemed he knew proper etiquette as well.
However, even to the dwarf’s courteous request, Kurika was firm.
“No. There are too many secrets here, big and small, originating from the Demon Realm Forest that the continent cannot handle. I cannot carelessly show them.”
“But…!”
“Enough.”
Though his voice remained the same, the atmosphere changed drastically.
Kurika, cutting off the dwarf’s words, addressed the four.
“Leave now.”
It was Kurika’s declaration that he would not listen to any more words.
Adrina slowly stood up and whispered to the three.
“We must go back. If we needlessly anger him, we’ll all die.”
“Ahem, I think so too. Sorry about Katrina.”
Hatsim agreed with Adriana’s words, but unfortunately, the other two in their party did not.
“I’m sorry, but we can’t do that. Selim and Diana are waiting for us.”
“I too, having received orders from the Beast King, cannot retreat. Also, there’s something I want to confirm.”
“You two go. Especially you, Adriana, there’s no need for you to fight.”
“That’s true, but…”
Hatsim and Adriana exchanged glances.
Honestly, it was a monster they never wanted to fight – no, never even wanted to meet in their lives.
Risking their lives to fight such a being wasn’t simply a matter of loyalty, and it was difficult to steel their resolve, but…
The short dwarf stepped forward before the witch, grasping a determination as hard as a walnut.
“Haa! Fine! If I run away scared of some furry beast-person, I’ll be kicked out of the village, Master or not!”
He swung his axe in circles, unnecessarily steeling his resolve as he stepped forward.
In Adriana’s case, she was accompanying the three for slightly different reasons.
The Tudogs organization was born from the dark traditions of witches.
She was there to take responsibility for that, but in truth, she could have just run away without any problem.
Especially since she had heard about the terror of Kurika passed down through countless witches, making it even harder to steel her resolve.
“Aah! I don’t know!”
Nevertheless, Adriana raised her mana, signaling her intention to participate.
Even though their opponent was the monster of monsters living in the Demon Realm Forest.
In fact, their side was not to be underestimated either.
She herself was from a witch clan that could be counted among the continent’s best in terms of mana and magic level.
The leader of the Beast King’s direct subordinates among the beast-folk.
A Master sitting on one of the seven thrones at the pinnacle of dwarven society.
And finally, the pride of all elves, the Guardian of Yggdrasil.
If they set their minds to it, they could turn not just villages but even decent-sized cities into wastelands.
Seeing them, Kurika took a step forward.
“Truly, are you prepared?”
Just from the piercing killing intent, they felt a weight that made them want to kneel immediately, and strangely, nausea rose up from within them.
Despite the ominous feeling, the four drew their weapons and steeled their resolve.
Kurika understood and slowly began to approach.
“I, Kurika, Emperor of the Demon Realm. pay my respects to you who have overcome fear.”
The eyes of a wolf that had spotted its prey were clearly directed at the four.
“I hope you survive.”
Crack!
Kurika’s black claws extended.
The muscles bulging from his shoulders were clearly visible even through the thick fur.
“I’ll take the lead!”
The dwarf started.
Hatsim, who played the vanguard in this party, immediately raised his axe and stepped forward.
Even the old dwarf knew it was arrogant to think he could win or land a hit.
He would block unconditionally.
Leaving the attacks to those behind him, he would become a small but sturdy wall.
“How light.”
However, the wall was helplessly lifted and sent rolling across the floor, smashing all of the laboratory equipment.
Hatsim was knocked out by just one blow.
Nevertheless, those behind did not panic and seized the brief opening Hatsim had created to strike.
Jaguia’s spear and Eris’s sword came in from the left and right as if to surround him.
The battle space itself was narrow, so if they had numerical superiority, they had the advantage of easily surrounding him, but…
“Grr!”
Kurika’s thick claws blocked the weapons of the two far too easily.
He tried to sweep them away with a swing of his hand, but it wasn’t that simple.
“…Magic?”
Kurika felt as if invisible chains were binding his hands and feet in the whirlwind centered around Eris.
To restrain his movements with mere wind, this elf was no ordinary being.
As the two blocked Kurika’s hands, blue flames poured from the front.
The brilliant blue flames lit up the dark laboratory, adhering to Kurika’s body as if alive and beginning to spread across his entire body.
“Excellent, young witch.”
While one side had unleashed magic with all their might to take a life, the other calmly evaluated it as if savoring a meal.
Adriana, her pride stung, prepared even fiercer magic, but…
“Huff.”
As the wolf blew, the flames raging in Adriana’s hands simply disappeared.
“…Huh?”
Adriqna looked at her hands in confusion.
However, that small action could be a big mistake depending on the opponent.
Kurika, having thrown off Eris and Jaguia with a violent swing of his hands, charged at Adriana with his body still on fire.
“By the covenant, I will not kill you.”
“…!”
Just by meeting those eyes up close, Adriana lost consciousness and collapsed.
As its master fainted, the blue flames clinging to Kurika’s body naturally disappeared.
“Huff. Ugh.”
Eris struggled to her feet, leaning on her sword.
She still intended to fight against Kurika, who had instantly knocked out the other three.
“Delicate elf, you are admirable.”
Kurika praised Eris with genuine admiration.
“I have people I must save.”
Eris gripped the staff she had been carrying on her back in her left hand and her sword in her right.
Fierce gales started from her fingertips, howling fiercely towards her enemy once again.
Eris took a stance to thrust forward, holding her staff and sword crossed.
The gales enveloping her entire body became both a spear and a shield.
“Come, let me personally receive your untainted conviction.”
Kurika welcomed her with his arms spread, in a completely defenseless state.
But this didn’t offend Eris’s pride.
Her opponent was that strong, and her only thought was that she must overcome him completely.
Carelessness was also an opportunity.
This was a battle, not a sparring match.
Eris’s sword, which had thrust forward as she kicked off the ground, extended straight out.
A small storm enveloped the sword and staff, increasing their power, and they made contact with the wolf’s chest, but…
“It can’t be…”
Only a small drop of blood formed on his thick muscles, she couldn’t inflict even one fatal wound on Kurika.
Nevertheless, Kurika clenched his fist and answered.
“Well done, proud elf.”
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