VOLUME 11: CHAPTER 18

VOLUME 11: CHAPTER 18

The jaguar beastman, Kukri.

If there was one word to describe him, it would be the word ‘ordinary.’

He held no interest in battles and wars, and despite being a jaguar beastman, he did not have remarkable physical might. He did not have talent with the sword, and even his skills with the claws were subpar.

He was the very definition of mediocre, and the only remarkable thing about him was his speed, something all those from the Jaguar Tribe were born with.

But fate was truly a twisted thing.

Who would have known that he would meet his end like this?

“ANSWER ME! WHERE ARE THE PESKY RATS HIDING!”

The rage-filled roar shook the ground itself, echoing throughout the Iron Mountains.

The hand of the Pathfinder wrapped around Kukri’s neck tightened. Unable to breathe properly, Kukri’s vision blurred. He was on the brink of unconsciousness.

“I already told you,” Kukri choked the words out. “I’m alone. How many times are you going to ask me?”

He smirked, “Now that I think of it, it’s funny. For a mere farmhand like me… this isn’t such a bad end.”

Kukri lived a long, boring, and uneventful life as a farmhand until he became a slave. He never expected that at the end of his life, his last embers would blaze this fiercely. He couldn’t believe that the life of someone as insignificant as him would be capable of altering the fate of the beastmen race.

Judging by the distorted expression of the Pathfinder, Kukri realized that the strategist rabbit’s conjectures were right. Those crystals were indeed crucial in maintaining the gates located at the foot of the mountain.

“You expect me to believe that?” growled the Pathfinder. “Two Portal Stabilizers exploded at the same time! I know you’re not alone! Now, spit it out! Where are they! Where are your companions!”

So, those things they blew up were called Stabilizers. Well, there was no use in learning its name now.

Kukri weakly laughed, and his old wounds started opening again.

Due to his insistence, their little group no longer waited for him to fully recover. Kukri strongly suggested that they pay no heed to his wounds and enact their plans immediately. Kukri was afraid that if they dallied any longer, more monsters would come pouring out of that gate, reducing the Alliance’s chances of survival further.

Had Kukri been in perfect condition, he would have probably been able to escape on time somehow. But what use would his escape be, if it meant the annihilation of the beastmen race?

Kukri knew that he wasn’t born special. He wasn’t born into wealth, he wasn’t a powerful warrior, and he wasn’t smart like Strategist Fior. As pathetic as it may sound, blowing up the Stabilizer was already his greatest feat in life. With this achievement, he would no longer be ashamed of facing his ancestors and the Three Gods in the afterlife.

“A mere rat like you!”

Hearing no sensible answer from Kukri, the entire face of the Pathfinder turned red from anger, and smoke started coming out of the pores on his back, along with high pitch grating sound.

“You dare lie to me!? You dare lay your hands on the stabilizer the Absolute One bestowed upon me through the Red Tower!”

The Pathfinder wanted to dismember the damn liar’s limbs, gouge his eyes out, and tear off his flesh. He wanted to crush him with his feet. He wanted to make him experience the worst pain imaginable. But in the end, the Pathfinder restrained himself.

The jaguar beastman was the only lead he had to the other rats hiding in the Iron Mountains. And he planned on making the damn bastard spill whatever he knew, no matter what.

Death was too merciful a respite for the bastard.

“Tormentors!”

“Suuku’ Kala.”

Three tormentors, who were clearly terrified of the Pathfinder, cautiously approached him and knelt. They bowed their heads as they awaited the Pathfinder’s next words.

“Take this damn thing and make him experience all pain imaginable,” said the Pathfinder. “Do not kill him, but make him feel pain so excruciating he ends up begging to be killed instead.”

“Understood.”

The Pathfinder released his grip, and Kukri fell down to the ground with a loud thud. Kukri huffed and wheezed. Before he could even stand up, one of the tormentors grabbed his leg and dragged him through the ground. Sharp stones and jagged rocks cut through his skin and flesh, creating a trail of blood that dyed the ground red.

The tormentors threw Kukri inside an iron cell the foremen previously used to discipline misbehaving slaves.

***

While these were happening, two rabbit beastmen were watching through a small peeping hole from the tunnels above.

They’d seen how the Pathfinder threatened and choked the jaguar beastman. And they’d seen how the tormentors dragged him on the ground and threw him inside the iron bars.

They were the rabbit slaves: Fior and Arlo.

In a hushed voice, clearly terrified voice, Arlo spoke, “H-Hey, what should we do? I-Isn’t this bad? They’ll kill him! They’ll definitely kill him!”

Arlo’s teeth clattered as he spoke. His fur bristled as his entire body trembled.

There were three portal stabilizers in total: one was located aboveground near the Foremen’s Quarters, while the remaining two were located deep underground.

They didn’t know how the monsters did it, but they’d managed to install those apparatuses that stabilized the gates and connect them in such a short period of time.

Although they had three members in total, rabbits were severely lacking in strength due to their physique, thus Kukri moved alone while Fior and Arlo worked together.

Fior and Arlo used the black powder they stole to destroy the apparatus near the Foremen’s Quarters, while Kukri destroyed one of the two portal stabilizers located underground.

And this was the result.

Fior and Arlo managed to leave in time, but Kukri wasn’t as fortunate. By the time the jaguar beastman left the underground passage, the monsters had already formed a barricade, blocking his escape.

This was why Fior wanted to wait several more days before moving. He wanted for Kukri to recover first. He wanted to plan numerous escape routes and contingency plans, in the event that they were discovered. At the very least, he wanted to ensure the highest chance of survival.

But in the end, Kukri insisted that they should close the gate as soon as possible to prevent more monsters from coming through.

“S-Sir Fior, what should we do?” said Arlo.

Fior adjusted his cracked glasses as he gazed at the Pathfinder below.

Fior opened his mouth, but no words came out. He couldn’t give an immediate answer to Arlo’s question, as he himself was torn between their current possible choices.

They’d talked about this before.

They unanimously agreed that should one of them end up being captured, the captive should let go of all thoughts of returning alive. Rescuing their comrades, while the monsters were on full alert, was tantamount to suicide.

Fior knew this more than anyone. Still, despite this, he had this strong urge to go down there and save Kukri.

His rational mind was telling him to keep hiding, but his heart was screaming at him to save the jaguar beastman.

He was caught in a dilemma.

After pondering over it, he deemed that the chances of them dying was higher than them surviving. Thus, in the end, he decided to choose the path he would regret the least.

“Do you still have some black powder left?” said Fior.

The two of them were members of the weakest tribe in the Alliance, and directly fighting against the monsters was out of the question. If they wished to inflict damage to those monsters, especially the Pathfinder, they needed to use the black powder.

“This is all that’s left, Sir Fior.”

Arlo unstrapped a fist-size, half-filled pouch from his waist and lifted it up for Fior to see. This amount should be enough for a small explosion, but Fior wasn’t sure if it would be enough to kill the monsters guarding the prison.

“Arlo,” said Fior. “Do you remember the pathway I told you about before?”

Arlo said quizzically. “Pathway?”

“The one leading to the Wasteland,” said Fior.

Arlo seemed to have realized Fior’s intentions. He nervously said, “I-I’m not sure? I… I do know the entrance? But why are you asking me this, Sir Fior?”

Fior took the pouch from Arlo. “Go back to the haven, take all of the remaining rations, and escape to the Wasteland.”

Arlo protested, “W-What are you saying! Do you plan on saving Kukri on your own? Then, take me with you! The chances of us saving him will be higher if we work together!”

Fior shook his head and placed a hand on Arlo’s shoulder. “Listen. There’s no need for both of us to die, Arlo.”

Those were ominous words, but Arlo couldn’t even bring himself to refute them.

Fior strengthened his grip. “Look. I am the one who crafted this plan, but Kukri ended up suffering for it. If someone is going to die, it should be me.”

“This isn’t like you, Sir!” pleaded Arlo. “Please, think about this!”

Fior wryly smiled. He mockingly laughed at himself, “Even I find my words ridiculous. But Arlo, it’s not like I’m telling you to just run away like a coward. Someone has to report what happened here to the Alliance. I’m no magician, and it’s impossible for me to analyze that gate and those monsters that suddenly appeared in the Iron Mountains. But if it’s the Elders, they should be able to understand what truly happened here once they hear of your recount.”

Snot dripped down Arlo’s mouth as he cried. “But… Sir! Someone like you… We can’t afford to lose someone like you! I’ll do it instead! Please! Let me do it instead!”

Arlo wholeheartedly believed that Fior was someone the Alliance needed the most right now. He was someone indispensable, and letting him rot away here as a slave was a terrible mistake in the first place.

The Beast King and his army were strong, but they needed a capable strategist if they wished to reduce the casualties on their side. Just seeing the massive difference in numbers alone, Arlo knew that the Alliance wouldn’t be able to win against the monsters with just brute force.

They needed someone capable of bringing out the beastmen army’s strength to its fullest.

While Arlo was protesting that he should be the one to go, a sinister voice – similar to several grown men’s voice overlapping with each other – was heard below.

“There you are.”

Arlo and Fior shuddered. Through the hole, they saw that several eyes of the Pathfinder were looking in their direction.

The peeping hole was the size of a fist. Considering the angle and distance, it should have been impossible for someone from below to see them clearly.

Did they speak too loud during their argument?

Did one of the flying monsters see them?

They still couldn’t comprehend how they’d been discovered.

But one thing was sure – they needed to escape.

“We’re too careless,” Fior clicked his tongue. He grabbed Arlo’s arm and snarled, “Run!”

With their entire might, the two immediately ran back in the direction of the deepest tunnels. At the same time, they heard the wall collapse behind them.

An ecstatic voice filled with bloodlust and malice resounded.

“I found you, rats!”

Arlo and Fior glanced in the direction of the wall and were terrified upon seeing the head of the Pathfinder blocking their entire sight. Dozens of its eyes glowed, as its two arms forcefully pushed through the narrow entrance. It entered the tunnels using brute force, making the ground rumble, and portions of the ceiling and walls collapse.

“Stop running!” roared the Pathfinder.

The pathfinder’s fingers elongated and shot toward the two rabbit beastmen. Like a snake, the fingers coiled around their legs and dragged them back to the Pathfinder.

Arlo and Fior punched, kicked, and bit the Pathfinder’s fingers, but they wouldn’t budge in the slightest.

“Finally.”

The Pathfinder broadly smiled, showing a disturbingly perfect set of human-like teeth. His eyes grinned, turning into crescents.

“I’ve been looking for the two of you,” said the Pathfinder. “Do you know how… vexed I was when I couldn’t find you?”

Veins popped out of the Pathfinder’s face, and his cheeks turned red with rage. The eyes on its head opened wide and glared at them. He opened his mouth wide, and spit started flying out.

“YOU DAMN MAGGOTS WHO DO NOT KNOW THEIR PLACE! YOU DARE DESTROY THE PORTAL STABILIZERS THE ABSOLUTE ONE BESTOWED UPON ME! I WILL KILL YOU SLOWLY, FLESH TO BONES! YOU SHALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO GO AGAINST THE WILL OF THE DEMON LORD!”

That roar shook the tunnels and created a small shockwave.

After finally releasing its pent-up rage, the Pathfinder huffed, and his livid face reverted to its original state. Slowly, he moved back, revealing the two large white wings protruding from his back.

Those wings weren’t there before.

Fior and Arlo realized that the Pathfinder had the ability to fly. So, this was the reason how it managed to reach this place nearly in an instant.

“Damn insects,” said the Pathfinder as he dragged the two rabbits’ bodies out of the tunnel. “You will join your friend. You shall know what happens to the foolish mortals who do not know their place.”

Slowly, the Pathfinder flew down and landed on the ground, taking Fior and Arlo with him. He walked toward the iron cell where Kukri was locked up.

“Open it,” said the Pathfinder.

The tormentors opened the door, and the Pathfinder roughly threw the two of them inside the cell. Arlo and Fior’s bodies bounced and rolled on the floor, before hitting the iron bars and coming to a halt. The two rabbits groaned.

“Prepare the flesh worms,” said the Pathfinder to the tormentors. “We shall feed these mortals to them one by one.”

“As you wish, Suuku’ Kala.”

The three beastmen did not know what flesh worms were, but just their name sounded disgusting.

“Fior, Arlo,” Kukri helped the two get on their feet. “Are you alright?! What happened? What are you two doing here? I was sure you’ve managed to escap—”

“—Stop talking!” said the Pathfinder. He leaned closer and squinted. “Did I give you permission to speak!?”

One of his fingers elongated and shot out, striking Kukri in the shoulder. The finger pierced through his flesh and bones, making blood spurt out in all directions.

Kukri let out a suppressed scream.

“I will punish anyone who speaks without my permission,” warned the Pathfinder. “I already told you, didn’t I? I will make you experience the worst pain imaginable. Once the flesh worms are—”

The Pathfinder halted midway through his speech. Through one of his eyes, he finally noticed the Skinwalker who’d just returned from its battle against the Beast King.

“—Ah! My child!”

He ordered the tormentors to keep a close eye on their captives, before running toward the Skinwalker.

“You’ve arrived! Oh, my poor child! Look at what those mortals did to you!”

The Pathfinder affectionately caressed the head of the Skinwalker. Since they were connected by a link, the Pathfinder knew everything that happened to his offspring.

“My child, come!” The Pathfinder opened both of his arms wide. “I shall reprieve you of your wounds! Return to your father!”

The Skinwalker didn’t utter a word and simply heeded the command of its father.

Like water, the body of the Skinwalker rippled. It hugged the Pathfinder and slowly went back into its body. The third tail on the Pathfinder’s back grew back, signifying the successful merge.

The Pathfinder nodded approvingly. It felt at ease, now that all three of its offspring – which served as its guardians – were finally here.

Moreover, through the Skinwalker, the Pathfinder managed to obtain the flesh of the White Lion. Given a few hours, it should be possible for his Skinwalkers to assume the shape and appearance of that beastman.

It was a fruitful harvest.

Now, all that was left was to take care of the maggots who dared destroy the portal stabilizers.

The Pathfinder turned his attention back to the two rabbits and the jaguar beastman.