Chapter 104: Chapter 103: Basque: Monster! Look at Me

’Where did that kid run off to... He didn’t actually go into the mountains alone, did he?’

At the crack of dawn, a sleepless Basque paced back and forth in front of the tavern, his heart fraught with anxiety.

Yesterday, Jon had boasted that "he alone was enough to slaughter the wolves." It was an incredibly arrogant display.

But he, Basque, was no ignorant villager who’d never seen the world. He had served for years as a Personal Guard to the lord of the Birch territory, a genuinely experienced and worldly man.

Even if the kid was a prodigy with the makings of a Knight, and even if his abilities had surged in just a few short days, it wouldn’t be enough to take on an entire wolf pack!

In his eyes, Jon’s words yesterday were partly driven by spite toward the villagers who had ostracized him. He didn’t think Jon would actually go and get himself killed.

He hadn’t expected this. He had just finished arranging for several Hunters to go into the mountains and was about to find Jon to persuade him to go with them, only to discover he wasn’t home!

All that remained in the Hunter’s Cottage were the two large, empty chests that Jon had brought back, the ones that supposedly held "supplies"!

It was only then that Basque realized Jon was being serious!

But the Shery Mountain range was vast and endless, and there was more than one path to Vulture Ridge. He had no idea how to even start looking for him!

’Sigh... Young people... So impulsive...’

The sallow-faced man wiped his face and sighed.

The wind and snow were heavier today than yesterday, which meant poorer visibility and made travel through the forest even more difficult.

His only hope now was that Jon would get lost without a guide, or that he would see the might of the wolf pack and have the sense to retreat.

’Just don’t let your passion get the better of you and die for nothing.’

He, Basque, was still hoping to recommend the boy to the Viscount to be properly trained!

"Captain, it’s time. We should begin our patrol."

Uriel’s deep, rough voice from behind snapped Basque out of his melancholy, forcing his attention back to the task at hand.

’Things have progressed to a point where I can’t control them anymore.’

The captain of the guard pushed his thoughts aside. His gaze, devoid of warmth, swept over the villagers behind him who, despite carrying spears, reeked of cannon fodder.

"Let’s move. First, we’ll check the fence by the tavern. Then we’ll patrol the village outskirts. Finally, we’ll head to Old Sutton’s place to relieve the man on watch."

"Yes, Captain!"

The towering Uriel snapped to attention and responded respectfully. Then, seemingly annoyed that he was the only one showing any enthusiasm, he whipped his head around to face the village men behind him and roared viciously.

"Are you pack of stupid pigs deaf?"

"Why didn’t you answer when the Captain spoke?!"

Startled by the scolding, the villagers, who were normally a cunning and shifty bunch, all jolted. They straightened their backs and shouted their assent, terrified of provoking the village’s biggest bully and earning a senseless whipping they couldn’t appeal.

It takes a brute to handle brutes. The principle is the same in any world.

The group then set off, getting to work braving the wind and snow.

Just as they finished inspecting the iron-spiked fence around the tavern and were preparing to head for Old Sutton’s Blacksmith Shop, Basque stopped dead in his tracks.

The veteran’s hand went to the hilt of the sword at his waist, his brow deeply furrowed.

Seeing this, the towering Uriel quickly called for the villagers behind him to grip their spears and stand together. He then sidled up to Basque, asking in a low voice while cautiously scanning their surroundings.

"Captain, what’s wrong? Is it wolves?"

Basque didn’t answer immediately. He just stared intently in one direction, his body growing more and more tense.

A moment later, his voice, audible only to the towering guard beside him, drifted away on the howling wind.

"Uriel, listen to me..."

"In a moment, when I tell you to run, you run. Don’t look back. Don’t worry about anyone else. Just run straight for Birch Town. Got it?"

Hearing this, Uriel’s eyes widened like a bull’s. As if realizing something, he let out a stifled gasp.

"Captain—!"

But Basque cut him off harshly.

"No more talk! Obey the order!"

By now, even the dim-witted villagers could tell something was wrong.

They huddled shoulder to shoulder, the spears in their hands trembling uncontrollably.

"C-Captain Basque? Did wolves come down from the mountain?"

"Y-yeah... If there are wolves, shouldn’t we go find a house to hide in?"

The moment the words left their mouths, a deeply piercing roar cut through the curtain of snow and reached their ears.

Just from hearing that faint roar, everyone felt a formless terror grip their bodies and minds, as if their very consciousness was no longer their own!

This was no wolf’s howl. This came from some far more terrifying, more powerful beast!

Basque’s expression turned grim. With a sharp RING, he drew his sword and let out a bellow of his own.

"Run! Uriel! Run!"

Now, without needing to be told, everyone knew disaster was upon them!

The village men instantly dropped their spears and scattered in every direction. After gritting his teeth, Uriel also took off, spear in hand, running out of the village without a backward glance!

Only Basque held his ground, sword in hand, and advanced!

’I have to buy time for the others!’

"Great Asheton, God of War, grant me courage!"

Chanting the name of the deity he worshipped, Basque advanced with slow, deliberate steps.

Peering through the driving snow, he could now vaguely make out the blurry silhouette of the beast.

It was so enormous that it blocked the entire road just by standing there, motionless. It was even taller than the low-slung houses on the side of the road!

This drove the sallow-faced man deeper into despair.

’A monster this size must be a true Demon Beast from the depths of Shery Mountain—the kind that even the Knight Lords can’t defeat! Even if I fight with everything I have, I probably won’t be able to hold it off for long!’

’The village... is finished!’

’I just hope that boy Uriel can run fast enough to tell the village chief what’s happened, so the Viscount can be warned!’

Though his heart was a whirlwind of desperate thoughts, they did not slow his steps.

"I should have died on the battlefield long ago!"

"Come on, monster! Face me!"

The captain of the guard tightened his grip on his sword, charged forward, and roared to bolster his courage, trying to draw the monster’s attention—

However, a familiar voice made him feel as if he’d thrown a punch at empty air, and all the hot blood in his veins instantly turned to ice.

"I ask you to carry a few things and you start whining and complaining. Can’t you do anything right? Hmm?"

"Or do you want another taste of my fist?"

As he broke through the curtain of snow, the monster’s true form was revealed in its entirety.

It had a pelt as white as snow, the majestic and proud head of a lion, and a powerful body rippling with muscles as smooth as river stones.

It also had sharp horns, a terrifying hooked tail, and wings like a giant eagle’s.

It was a terrifying monster that seemed to have stepped directly out of a nightmare!

(The image is of the manticore mount from a game the author has played for a long time, which served as the model for Big Mimi.)

And yet, this terrifying monster was bowing its head before the young Warrior, letting out an aggrieved, "low-voiced" whimper like a pet cat being scolded by its owner for misbehaving.

That sound... wasn’t it the very "roar" he had heard just moments ago?

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