**Chapter Five: The Assault**
Vampires are the creatures of the night. Even in a cave devoid of any light, they cannot unleash their full power during the day. However, the End Knights, their natural enemies, are different. They hunt the Adnadoro during the day because the Adnadoro’s weakness lies in the sun, not because their own abilities diminish at night.
On the day of the operation, a nearly perfect moon hung in the sky.
Surrounded by a fiercely burning fire, Senri and the mercenaries were fully equipped. Half of them, including Senri, prepared to attack, while the other half stood guard. Most of the Mages were on the offensive side.
A strong, unfamiliar scent of beasts wafted through the air, carried by the wind. The number was likely far greater than any previous assaults. Among those scents was that of the woman, filled with a strong intent to fight.
The destination, the Roanburg, was close. The enemy was likely feeling the pressure as well.
“We will emerge victorious.”
“Yeah… but wouldn’t it be better to strike in the morning rather than at night?”
A seasoned mercenary frowned, his battle-worn demeanor evident. Most creatures of the night move under the cover of darkness. Unlike humans, beasts can see well in the dark. It is customary to hunt monsters during the day unless there is a compelling reason otherwise. At this question, Senri shrugged slightly.
“In the morning… the enemy is more alert and won’t approach. I could pursue them alone, but…”
“I don’t intend to let you fight alone, Senri. The enemy is likely not just Adnadoro.”
The caravan leader, Laurel, spoke with an air of importance. It was a wise judgment. If they sent Senri alone and she were to fall, the entire team would be in significant danger. The fact that the woman had yet to attack the group with full force was likely due to Senri’s presence.
There was another reason Senri chose the night. She couldn’t fight during the day. Though she was a peace-loving Vampire, she had no intention of letting Senri face this alone. Even Albatross could defeat the Adnadoro.
“Yip yip!”
The moon was full. Power surged within her. Riding the wave of rising battle intent, Senri knelt and, with her usual cold gaze, looked at I, stroking the creature’s head.
“Baron, you stay here.”
“Yip!?”
“Be a good boy.”
“!? !?????”
Such nonsense… The unexpected words left I dumbfounded. A burly mercenary chuckled as he roughly patted I’s head.
“Don’t worry, pup. Your master is strong, and we’re here too.”
“Yip yip!”
Such nonsense… Senri’s partner is I, after all! Approved by her. While it was true that in this form I wouldn’t be of much help, and perhaps Senri’s senses were enough at this distance, it was cruel to leave him behind…
Suddenly, I was lifted from behind. It was Katerina, the merchant’s child whom I often played with. She was a girl in her mid-teens with golden hair, exuding a delicious scent of blood. Turning around, Katerina looked down at I with eyes full of affection and said,
“Baron, it’s fine. Don’t be scared… I’ll protect you.”
“!? ???”
“There are plenty of guards here, and if you stay still, it will all be over soon. Just stay with me, okay?”
“…………kyun.”
There was no reason to listen to a girl who wouldn’t give blood, but it seemed there was no other option. I was taken to the center of the children by the campfire, still held in Katerina’s embrace, watching Senri and the others with a pitiful expression.
—
Leading the mercenaries, they advanced toward the presence of the beasts.
The term “Demon King” refers to the leader of a group of other races that are hostile to humanity. The race does not matter; it could be a dragon, a sentient beast, or even the “King of the Dead.” The one commonality among them is that these Demon Kings are formidable monsters that cannot be easily dealt with.
The Order of the Final Knights is a knightly order tasked with hunting the Adnadoro. However, they are also accustomed to battling Demon Kings. Powerful and intelligent Adnadoro often dominate numerous magical races, becoming Demon Kings themselves. Conversely, a Demon King may also subjugate the Adnadoro. The Order of the Final Knights fights against all enemies in every situation. Senri has faced such foes many times before.
A mercenary named Lex, who stood beside Senri, spoke up.
“Senri… if you return safely, would you consider joining our mercenary group? We’d welcome a former End Knight. That Baron dog’s abilities would be useful too. It seems like he has a story, but we have plenty of those types in our ranks. It’s better than traveling alone.”
“…I appreciate the offer, but I have things I must do for I.”
At Senri’s calm response, Lex smiled wryly.
The position of the End was quite precarious. The “reason” Senri held was likely much heavier than Lex imagined. The mercenary group sometimes fought against the Adnadoro. Perhaps there were those harboring a desire for revenge against Vampires. It wouldn’t be so easy to join another group.
They couldn’t have I remain in dog form forever…
Before the battle against the Demon King’s forces, there was no strong fear among Senri and her companions. It was because Senri was there. The name of the Order of the Final Knights carried that much weight.
The Order of the Final Knights was not adept at defense. It was not uncommon for civilians or hired mercenaries to suffer casualties.
However, it was far better than being paralyzed by fear.
It seemed the enemy was aware of their presence. They had chosen to counterattack.
The presence was widely dispersed. They intended to surround them. Perhaps they were wary of the Mages. However, that was also advantageous for Senri. The leader was likely that woman; if she could be defeated, the pack of beasts would scatter.
It wouldn’t matter if a few beasts escaped. They had sufficient numbers at the base camp. Senri alone could not protect everything. Her role now was to take down the leader.
“They’re coming. Stay alert.”
With those brief words, tension rippled through the ranks of Lex’s party. A warm wind blew. The members already had night vision magic cast upon them. Even in the dark, they would not miss the beasts.
—And then, as if to catch them off guard, a black mass descended rapidly, which Senri met with her sword.
The clash of black and silver blades erupted in a shower of sparks. The strong presence of darkness made Senri’s hair stand on end. The assailant was a woman with large, black wings.
Unlike their previous encounter, her skin was now a deep brown, adorned with strange red markings that ran across her exposed flesh. The amount of skin revealed was significant, with almost everything except for her private areas left bare. Her irises gleamed a golden hue.
From her backside extended a long, black tail. A wave of unease rippled among her companions, but Senri remained unfazed.
There are only a limited number of beings that can take on a human form. The strong unease that spread across the expression of the clearly non-human woman was palpable.
The obsidian long sword and silver blade clashed in a stalemate. However, Senri’s strength surpassed that of her opponent. The stalemate was brief. With a swift motion, she pushed the descending woman back with one hand. The woman flapped her wings and soared high into the night sky.
This was a being of a different kind of magic than the Adnadoro. Her provocative attire was a symbol of corruption. A supernatural entity that ruled over the underworld. The embodiment of evil. A fearsome demon capable of wielding numerous magical powers, dragging humans into darkness.
For the End Knights, she was a target for extermination, second only to the Adnadoro. Senri moistened her lips and spoke.
“A Demon… this is troublesome.”
“Don’t underestimate me, End Knight!”
The Demon roared furiously, magical circles appearing in both her hands. It could be said that the Demon was magic incarnate, requiring no elaborate procedures to cast spells.
She likely had never fought an End Knight before. No, it was certain. If she had encountered one, the Demon before her would not still be alive. Choosing to counterattack like this was likely due to her ignorance of their true power.
A distant howl of beasts echoed in response. The army of beasts led by the woman was drawing closer. Senri turned to Lex, who wore a tense expression beside her.
“There are no changes to the plan. I will kill that Demon. I will also defend against the attacks. As arranged.”
“Y-yeah… Let’s go! Follow Senri! The fate of the caravan rests in our hands!”
“Y-yeahhhhhh!”
The companions roared, their spirits ignited. And then, Senri met the unleashed black lightning with a blade wrapped in blessing.
—
It was terrible. An utterly cruel treatment. I sat dejectedly on Katerina’s lap.
Senri’s blood smelled the best, but Katerina’s blood also had a delightful scent. Of course, I couldn’t drink it, but just sitting on her lap made me restless. If I were just a regular Vampire, I would have eagerly gone for a taste.
With gentle hands stroking its proud white fur, I kept a vigilant eye on my surroundings.
I could sense the emotions of the people nearby through their scents. The air around the camp was thick with a faint Fear and a lingering scent of relief. Many non-combatants had gathered around the campfire, while mercenaries formed a protective perimeter around them. Most of the Mages had joined the attacking side, but one remained behind in the camp. The defenses were solid.
However, if the enemy was as strong as I was, it would be dangerous. Fortunately, creatures more powerful than Vampires were rare, so worrying about it was pointless. If it came to that, I would have to accept my fate.
Around me, children of both genders gathered, taking turns to pet my head. They were the kids I had grown close to during our travels. It was a refreshing experience, as I had rarely been surrounded by so many people in my previous life.
The children seemed a bit tense due to the unusual atmosphere.
“Hey, Balor, when this is all over, will you come live with us?”
“Kyuuun!”
“Will you give me your blood? For real? Even though we can’t go for walks during the day? That’s fine?”
…It felt like I was a King. Is this what it means to be the ‘King of the Dead’?
“I hope the operation goes smoothly…”
“We have no choice but to gamble. We can’t escape on our own.”
Men who seemed to be executives of the merchant guild were discussing matters while adding firewood to the campfire. Senri was strong. I knew that better than anyone. So, I had no doubt she would win, but at the same time, Senri was just one person.
When I was attacked by the Albatos, Senri was not there. Her strength was that of an individual. Thus, it was impossible for one person to completely protect the Caravan.
The lack of information about the enemy was also a source of anxiety. As I remained on guard, Senri’s scent wafted to my nose on the breeze. It seemed the battle had begun as scheduled.
The sounds of combat were too far away to hear, but the wind carried enough scent to reach me.
If I caught even a whiff of Senri’s blood, I would rush to her aid immediately. My nose twitched as I confirmed the presence of the children.
Then, I raised my head sharply.
Isn’t this strange? We are downwind. The direction of the wind hasn’t changed significantly.
During the initial attack, Senri had said she noticed the enemy by their scent, disguised as a victim. The enemy must know about my sense of smell. Therefore, the ambush should come from downwind. In reality, Senri’s wide-range detection magic made the wind direction irrelevant, but the enemy wouldn’t know that.
The first attack had been well-planned. In the wild, the ability to read the wind downwind is essential. I couldn’t believe they would overlook something so basic. Their movement speed was likely faster than ours. If they wanted to conceal their scent, they could have done so.
Were they trying to inform me of their location…? Why? Am I overthinking this?
I stepped away from my perch on the knee and stood on the ground. A sense of urgency prickled at me, but it was too late to inform Senri.
A strong scent of blood suddenly filled my nostrils. It was close. This was not the battlefield. Groans echoed, followed by screams.
I turned towards the source of the blood.
A small man stood near the campfire.
At his feet lay a mercenary who had been resting. I didn’t know what kind of attack he had suffered, but his head was nearly severed. It was clearly a fatal blow. Dark crimson liquid pooled around him, and his wide-open eyes stared blankly at me. Though devoid of light, they conveyed a sense of regret.
“O-Oliver, wh-what is—”
“What is it…? You really are too complacent, Master.”
The mercenaries guarding the area rushed over upon hearing the scream. However, there was no panic on the face of the man called Oliver. He emitted no scent of Fear.
He was the coachman. Unlike the mercenaries, he wore a well-tailored travel outfit that prioritized comfort, topped with a black hat. A small whip dangled from his waist. His slight frame was muscular, and while he had a fierce appearance, he lacked the violent aura of a mercenary.
Yet, the fingertips of his right hand were stained with blood. Drops of blood dripped from the tips of his claws. The scent was human, but a normal human couldn’t slice through a person’s neck with elemental hands.
He was an ally. He had infiltrated our ranks as a coachman, participating in the Caravan. And he had chosen the moment Senri, our trump card, was absent to reveal himself.
The fallen man had been one of the more skilled mercenaries among the remaining group. However, he likely hadn’t been able to defend against the ambush from someone he thought was a comrade. The guards had been on high alert for external attacks. It was not impossible.
The Caravan was transporting goods from afar. If he had blended in from the start… it was a long-term plan. And the timing of his reveal meant he had gained sufficient confidence in his chances of success.
The employer, a middle-aged merchant, retreated while trembling, accusing Oliver with a quivering voice.
“Have you lost your mind…? To repay kindness with betrayal! You were promised a fortune—”
He was truly complacent. He didn’t understand the situation.
“Well, you see, that girl Senri is strong, but no matter how strong she is… one person can’t carry this entire caravan.”
There is a place for everyone. If Oliver’s goal was to disrupt our supplies, there was no need to kill Senri. He shrugged, and a massive fireball struck him, exploding with a dull sound.
“Traitor! Did you think you could win against us with this many people?”
The mercenaries surrounded Oliver, their eyes gleaming with fury. The merchants paled, pushing the non-combatants away.
The fireball had been cast by a Mage who had remained behind in the camp as a precaution. Attack magic is powerful, and even the weakest spells can easily kill a single person.
It was undoubtedly a lethal blow. That is, if he were human.
As the smoke cleared, the mercenaries widened their eyes in disbelief and took a step back. Oliver stood unharmed. His hat had been blown away, and half of his shirt was reduced to ash, but there were no visible wounds on his skin.
“Damn… what a terrible thing to do to a former comrade… that was my favorite hat.”
“Wh-what are you—”
The mercenaries were taken aback by his nonchalant demeanor. Oliver brushed off the ash and said regretfully, “I was hoping to keep the hat. But it can’t be helped. After all, tonight is—close to a Full Moon. Everything will be destroyed regardless.”
“N-no!?”
Then, thick veins bulged from Oliver’s body. With a crackling sound, his small frame began to swell dramatically.
The mercenaries murmured in shock, stepping back with pale faces.
I recognized that transformation. It was the Albatos.
His once-average physique expanded violently, tearing his clothes, pants, and shoes from the inside out. His height, which had been just over five feet, nearly doubled. Dark brown, wiry fur sprouted from his sun-kissed skin. But the most significant change was in his face.
His bone structure shifted. His jaw elongated, his nose stretched, and his ears grew larger, moving up to become massive. The transformation took mere seconds.
The children, who had been watching from a distance, screamed in terror. I wagged my tail and glared at Oliver.
One of the mercenaries called out his name in a trembling voice.
“—Werewolf!”
“No need for an introduction, Human.”
A Werewolf. A hybrid of wolf and human. Unlike the Albatos, who had been close to beastly, this form was precisely how I imagined a Werewolf to be.
Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Oliver wore a deep smile as he swung his log-like arms and charged at the surrounding mercenaries.