SMFS Chapter 15

Bipedal C-class wolf monsters, known as War Wolves, let out a series of howls.

I took in the entirety of the plateau from the top of a tree.

Corpses, ravaged by the War Wolves, were scattered throughout the plateau.

Despite the dire situation, the merchants and their hired mercenaries had circled their wagons, refusing to abandon their wares.

The pack of War Wolves circled, occasionally tapping the wagons with their claws, seemingly keeping their distance.

As if to avoid causing any damage to the wagons themselves.

“Judging by how the area around the wagons is unusually clean, it seems like they’re after the goods,” I narrowed my eyes.

Monsters crazed for magical-infused meat were paying more attention to the cargo inside the wagon than to the humans in front of them. This suggested they’d been assigned a specific objective strong enough to overcome their basic instincts.

This confirms it’s the work of the demon race.

“Ah, shit! What’s happening? This isn’t even near the magical border, why would a pack of monsters suddenly appear?”

“You idiot! Gazelle, come back!”

Gazelle, the one who was called, sprinted away from his spot.

He made a dash towards the opposite side of the wagons, using his colleague as bait but—

Craaack!

In an instant, three War Wolves lunged, tearing Gazelle apart with their claws.

I attempted to intervene, but it was already too late.

Much like a school of piranhas converging on prey, Gazelle was torn into six pieces by the wolves’ mauling.

“Ugh! Idiot! I told you it’s safer near the wagons!”

The War Wolves seemed to be threatening as they approached and then withdrew from the wagons, as if testing the waters.

The highest-ranking monsters one could encounter outside the magical borders were C-class.

‘Just treated as wild beasts that spew magic.’

Yet, these beasts were carefully forming a line, gradually narrowing the distance, seemingly meticulous in their hunt, which made me scoff.

I could see a few War Wolves hiding their presence around, but I couldn’t see anyone that looked like they were from the demon race.

“First, we need to protect the wagons.”

I can’t protect the people who are already dead, but I must protect those who are still alive.

After collecting my thoughts atop the tree, I jumped down onto the wagon.

* * *

Thud!!

I landed on the roof of the wagon and immediately leaped off.

Twisting my body in mid-air, I dodged the War Wolves’ claws.

Straightening my blade, I drew a large arc in the air.

Swoosh!

As soon as I landed on the ground, a swipe from my blade detached the neck of the War Wolf.

The others hesitated and retreated.

I wiped off the deep purple blood that splattered on my face.

Just then, three more War Wolves charged in.

I lowered my stance and executed a sweeping cut aimed at their lower bodies.

*Swish!*

A half-moon arc of purple blood.

While falling and losing balance, one lunged its head toward me, teeth bared.

I slapped its cheek with the flat side of my blade.

*Bang!*

I spun the hilt, slashing off the wrist of another one that lunged in a diagonal attack, and then immediately aimed for its jaw.

The War Wolf collapsed, its eyes rolled back.

With the three behemoths blocking my view now down, the moonlit plateau came fully into view.

I spotted five more War Wolves running in from a distant bush.

‘Had they been hiding there as a contingency?’

I dodged all of their slashing claws that crossed my vision.

Twisting my waist, I deflected the incoming claw attacks, lifted my blade, and severed an arm.

*Screech!*

More War Wolves were charging from the distance.

‘They’re coming in a bunch. This is quite annoying.’

As I continued to cut them down, they kept rushing towards me in sequence.

Although these beasts weren’t particularly threatening on their own, their sheer numbers made it hard to finish them off.

I moved closer to the carriage, smashing all their yellow fangs along the way.

“Excuse me.”

I addressed the man wearing the most flamboyant armor.

“Weren’t you paid to participate in this escort mission?”

“Uh?”

“Then you should earn your keep. Draw your weapon. It’s too much for me to handle alone.”

Just then, Zenoa arrived, dropping from the top of a tree.

As she landed, she thrust her rapier through the heart of a War Wolf.

“Commander, sorry I’m late.”

“Zenoa, good timing. Escort the carriage with these people.”

Panting, Zenoa surveyed the surroundings.

“What about you, Commander?”

“I’ll go deal with the leader of these beasts myself.”

Above the cliff, a wolf was howling, appearing larger due to its fuller fur.

It must be the alpha leading the War Wolves.

“Looks like it won’t end unless I take that one down.”

“Understood, I’ll handle things here.”

Zenoa glanced up at the cliff and nodded.

I immediately took off.

Dodging the attacks of the War Wolves crossing my path, I ascended the cliff.

One step, two steps, three steps.

The alpha War Wolf roared and hurled rocks down the cliff.

I dodged in a zigzag pattern and continued upwards.

*Thud!*

As I reached the cliff’s summit, I rolled my feet and leapt high.

The alpha swung its magically-infused claws at me.

Up close, it seemed to emit a greater amount of magic than the others, and its arms were more than twice as thick.

Swish

I put strength into my forearm and accelerated my speed.

Slicing off both hands of the leader, I connected the flow of my blade upwards to cut his neck.

With a “dee-deut” sound, my sword line smoothly connected.

With a single, clean sword line, I nearly simultaneously severed his wrists and neck.

“Chyaa-lrurk!”

He tried to grab my ankle with his empty hands, swinging them till the end.

I kicked him in the flank, sending him plummeting down the cliff.

Thud

The leader’s head smashed against the rocks on the ground, bursting open.

“Woo-woo-woo—”

With the commanding howl gone, the remaining War Wolves fell into chaos.

A moment of silence passed.

“Kraaak!”

They scattered into the forest and started to flee.

From the cliff above, I looked down at the pack of War Wolves running for their lives, their fur bristling.

“We need to know their habitat. I’m counting on you.”

As Blue took flight, the surrounding birds followed him.

A flock of migratory birds flying after the dust kicked up by the War Wolves.

I closed my eyes quietly in front of them.

‘It’s okay to deal with the magical beasts later.’

Since Blue will identify their habitat, I focused on finding the demonic race.

***

The most important thing in tracking an opponent is speed.

Magic and magical energy rapidly mix in the air’s mana, so if the caster blocks the qi channel, the trace is cut off.

‘Calmly, securely catch his trace.’

I pressed my palm to the ground and exhaled deeply.

Concentrating mana into my eyes, as in conventional tracking methods, doesn’t suit me.

Because I can contain only a small amount of mana, I can’t chase beyond 100m.

I just opened my ears and listened to the surrounding sounds.

“Bas-rak—Ta-ak—” Tens of thousands of sounds flowing via the mana in the air.

The sound of leaves rustling. The sound of muddy earth. The cries of insects getting stepped on.

Of course, finding the demon race’s location amidst these distracting sounds is difficult.

But through experience, I had figured out how to track the demonic race.

“—Thud, thud.”

Magic is a violent force that calls death.

It affects nearby flora and fauna, knowingly or unknowingly.

“—Kki-eek, Kki-eeyak. Kki-eeek!”

Found it.

The place where the most life forms are emitting cries.

“Zenoa! Wait for a moment!”

I shouted and immediately leapt down the cliff.

A dark thicket where moonlight seeped through the leaves.

I dashed through the forest, relying on my hearing.

***

“Damn it… no… why… such a guy…”

I had closed the distance enough to hear his muttering.

But then a problem occurred.

“Ow! You surprised me!”

When I popped out from behind the tree, a man wearing a helmet stumbled and fell.

He stood up, patting his waist.

“At least give me a sign. You startled me.”

Dressed in the uniform of the Highroad Guardians.

I looked up and examined his forehead and head.

‘Is it too late?’

Just when I thought the sound of life had quieted, he had hidden his horns.

Astoundingly quick on the uptake.

I missed the timing to catch concrete evidence, and my brows involuntarily furrowed.

“Is there a problem? You’ve been glancing at me since a while ago.”

Helmet-man took out what appeared to be a heavy light stick.

“Recently, I heard that monsters are becoming increasingly active, so I’m on a patrol duty. Are you a merchant or an adventurer? I need to check your identification.”

The man with a helmet gestured with a flat expression.

It was a typical face of a public servant.

“What are you doing? Show me your identification.”

I hesitated for a moment, watching the man flick his hand.

Even though he was close enough to see his pores, I couldn’t feel any magic from him.

His attitude flowed like water, completely natural.

I couldn’t find anything about him that characterized him as a demon.

“What’s going on?”

However, that doesn’t mean he’s not a demon.

Whether he’s pretending, or doesn’t know that I’m the one who drove off the War Wolves, doesn’t matter.

Swoosh!

I pressed the sharp edge of my blade to his throat.

“I’m a 5th-rank knight of the Empire! Drawing your sword on me is obstructing official duties!”

I trust my past experiences.

My senses can’t be wrong.

“When I ask nicely, reveal your horns.”

“Horns? What are you talking about?”

“Even cornered, not a single tremor in your expression. Did you know you’ve been found out, or is it all an act?”

“If you keep this up, I’ll call for backup.”

I gestured towards the man who had raised both his hands.

“In this dark forest path, where no one is likely to pass by. Why would you patrol alone?”

“I was briefly looking for a secluded area for… personal matters.”

“A lame excuse.”

I kicked him in the stomach.

He rolled on the ground, clutching his stomach.

Stepping on his shoulder, I pinned him down and pointed my blade at his throat again.

“Enough talk. Will you die here or try to escape?”

“Help! There’s a crazy criminal here!”

“Two chances gone. One more. Reveal your horns.”

He swung his baton at my leg.

However, I didn’t budge and kept my foot on his shoulder.

Crash!!

Seeing him continue to swing his arm, I swung my blade, breaking his baton.

“You idiot! I won’t reveal my horns. You have no evidence that I’m a demon; how can you kill me?”

Realizing he couldn’t overpower me, he finally admitted to being a demon.

His previous mild appearance was nowhere to be found; he grinned creepily.

“You can’t kill me. No witnesses in this forest! No evidence! If you cut my throat now, you’ll be labeled a murderer.”

“So you were waiting for that, to label me a murderer.”

“Yes, you stupid fool! Just because you’ve killed a few monsters, you think you’re–“

Shick.

I cut his throat right there.

“So you did know. That I was the one who drove off the War Wolves.”

“Cough…cough…”

Blood spurted out from his neck.

Looking up at me with bloodshot eyes, I also slit his eyeballs.

“Arrrrgh!”

“If you don’t get treated, you will die here.”

“You… damn dog…”

“Why? You thought I would let you go if you insisted on not revealing your horns? You’re naive.”

Even when one captures evidence suggesting they are demonic beings, there are often times when one cannot apprehend them.

Because if they don’t reveal their horns, they don’t release even a bit of their magical energy.

To avoid immediate danger, they stubbornly resist, later avoiding surveillance and undergoing total transformation.

Demon magicians who would change your face and heart for money.

Demon public servants who help with issuing new identities.

Demonic beings have gradually taken root in all corners of society.

Thus far, they have employed all sorts of methods and produced countless descendants.

‘That’s why pests need to be exterminated when caught.’

Giving them time to escape is taboo.

“Cough…cough…”

As I released the restraint on his shoulder, the helmeted man started crawling on the ground.

Not being able to see ahead, he wildly waved his hands.

“Do you still not want to reveal your horns?”

“You… freak… like…”

“You’re stubborn. Like a bug.”

“You… made… a big… mistake…”

The helmeted man couldn’t continue his sentence.

“If you won’t reveal it, then fine.”

Whoosh!

The blade drew a straight line.

As his head, still wearing the helmet, fell to the ground, blood gushed out like a fountain from the cleanly severed neck.

I shook off my blade as I looked at the rising sun.

“Demons too cowardly to reveal their horns… were controlling such a number of great beasts and causing trouble, huh…”

Morning was approaching, yet the questions still remained unanswered.