Dad's extensive experience as a hunter, coupled with half a dozen trackers working on this case for a week now, and a small herd of beasts Kayla called over, made quick progress. That, and the carriage tracks found not too far in the woods, which only proves our culprits had outside help.

Oh, also, our further air had been requested at an elevated, exorbitant rate, considering the severity and suddenness of the job. The entire negotiation was basically one-sided extortion, and for the first time, Alvaro took it upon himself to arrange things instead of dumping the experience on us.

Not that I mind. More money is more money.

Under the serene light of the three dames, our party traveled exactly where all clues pointed. The journey was estimated to take half a day on foot, but our speed cut the travel time down considerably. The atmosphere was simply terrible, and a handful of soldiers were left behind to report the situation, but we made good time.

Two hours in, and at last, the carriage came into sight.

"Can we agree not to make this part of the training?" I ask Alvaro while we approach with care.

The man nods. "Stay back, and act with the utmost caution. I can't guarantee your safety this time." He draws his sword and takes the lead along with the Turan force and their fearsome lady.

Our foes have deviated from clever burglars to something much more sinister. We can't take this case lightly. If anything, I don't even want to take this case in any shape or form…

Whether we clean up or unveil all that happened here, it'll just end up in another round of hassle and interrogation once the inquisitors from Epros arrive. And they will arrive, I'm sure of that, and hopefully not the same people I had the misfortune to encounter.

After encircling the caring and tightening the noose, it turned out to be empty. Completely empty, without people or any cargo, bar the lingering smell of beasts and flesh. No surprises there.

They clearly tried to hide their tracks by ditching their ride and finishing the last stretch of the journey on foot. They've even made sure to erase all footprints and reshape the foliage, according to Dad.

Some residual mana traces remain. To hide physical proof, one uses mana or Skills which usually only aid the user, and to mask mana… That requires time above all else. With that said, the traces are faint, like intelligence in the back of August's eyes. So we have to make do with the smell.

"Kayla, do they have it?" Alvaro eyes the beasts serving them like bloodhounds with a sliver of doubt.

"Yeah, yeah, but there are a lot of smells." The girl's face looked tense as she managed a bunch of beasts, each speaking a different dialect, and looking visibly agitated. "They don't want to go. Pretty please?" She pleaded.

Watching her do this is still completely nuts, but at least it confirms our suspicion. It wouldn't come as a surprise if we ran across some deformed, frothing, and abhorrent thing any minute now. I have no fond memories of last time, and those things were built around rabbits.

"It's fine, they must've passed here recently." Says Alvaro, rising from the ground. While we did our due diligence, Alvaro had been molesting the ground like a weirdo. "The magic is just weak enough."

He taps his feet on the ground, and a ripple spreads through the grassy surface. In its wake, nothing extraordinary happens, except for the few indentations and the marks of something heavy having been dragged further into the woods.

"That's impressive." I watch with awe, as this isn't something I can simply replicate.

Alvaro takes the lead. "Let's keep a tight formation! And Kayla… keep only the most fearless beasts by your side. We're about to have company."

Ever since my realization, hunches have been proving themselves right, over and over again. I like being right, it shows I'm smart… But man, I'm getting tired of it tonight.

[Wolf lvl 102]

At least it isn't a jumbled mess this time. That should also mean the technique has been refined and these mupets aren't literally suffering in the prison of their bodies, making them more formidable opponents.

That is, if they posed any real danger…

Blades tear through flesh and bones, arrows pierce eyes and guts, and my magic does what I do best. It burns and destroys. Six of them approached as a pack, few in numbers compared to the rabbits, and perished in five seconds. I made sure to count.

"Keep your guards up! They were never the real threat." Alvaro, as our de facto leader, issues a stern warning.

He might be no superior to the soldiers, but they're wise enough to recognize strength and experience. This incident leaves no room for petty squabbles. Although, objectively, it'd be best to leave the three of us cadets behind.

Sadly, everyone around, besides me, is mana illiterate.

With Alvaro's Skill, Kayla's bloodhounds, and my reading of the arcane, we manage to piece together the trail. It's clear our thieves are dragging some heavy stuff, and according to the footprints, there are five individuals responsible for the spectacular robberies.

A few more wolves stand our way, but Dad takes care of all but a few of them before they even come into sight. The simplicity of this chase could almost make one think the risks are minimal…

At one point, the greenery begins to diminish, and perhaps after eight or so minutes, the tracks lead us to a shallow valley hidden behind the foliage. And there, tucked away, sits an entire village.

It's not well-maintained and clearly occupied, as well as not completely isolated, judging by the dirt road. Obscured and secluded, sure, but not some sort of hidden, ominous village.

"It looks normal." Kayla confirms my first observation.

If normal included rundown, almost completely lifeless, and situated in a stupid place, then normal it is indeed. Our conclusion at large, however, is that the place is anything but. I could call it a veteran's instinct of the elderly or simple paranoia, but in the end, we approach with the utmost caution.

Long story short, we fan out and approach with the worst in mind. An army of chimeras, maybe a few lunatics or whacky researchers… All catches our eyes are a few kids hiding behind corners, and their elders are ushering them away. No welcoming party, be that of benevolent or malevolent intent.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Four teams, leave nothing unturned!" The lady of Turan barks for her soldiers, and they jump into action. "If you miss anything, I'll personally hand you over to the inquisitors!"

They're also wary of the news reaching Epros and the consequences of negligence, as well as suspicion of conspiracy.

We pass houses, tubs, dry racks, fields, and decrepit tools strewn about. Once again, it's the perfect image of a common, dirt-poor village with houses of wooden frame, thatch roofs, and hard-packed earth or muddy walls. It's unsightly, it reeks, and it lacks that certain semblance of life.

"We're at the right place." Victor declares, and in his case, it's usually more than a simple hunch.

Just peeking through a window, I spot three fragile bodies huddled in the back of the less-than-modest home. Since we've almost raked through the entire place, which didn't even take three minutes, I enter, hoping for something new.

Porridge is steaming on the table with bowls waiting around to get their fill, furs in the corner serve as the bed, a few crappy cupboards, and a rusty cauldron… As well as two children and an elderly woman, likely their grandmother.

"Where is everyone?" I decide to give interrogation a try since I'm on the less-threatening side when it comes to appearances. But if they lie, those appearances might turn out very deceiving.

"Gone." The granny shields the children with her body and answers with a trembling voice.

Yeah, the presence of Mom and Dad isn't helping my image. They look like common bandits with their mismatched armor and all the dirt we picked up while rushing after our prey. My advantage, for once, is a lack of height and girth.

"We're not bandits, you know?" I try to clarify. "But some people had passed here recently, and we'd like to talk about them."

"Nobody came through here." The woman replies swiftly with a visage of worry.

A shame… I tried doing things the conventional way.

"Alright, then I guess the two extra bowls at the table are for the flies to devour. Or maybe you're feeding ghosts?"

The oddity slapped me in the face the moment I entered. Most because I'm hungry as hell and the aroma was better than wet dirt, but also due to Pierre's teachings when it comes to customers.

Their attire, walking, how they hold their hands, mimicry while talking, and tiny, subconscious reactions that betray all their intentions. A home is not much different, as it also has a distinct personality. Like the woodcutter's axe, obviously too heavy for all three of them, a pair of boots too large, or the blouse in the corner, neither appropriate for a crone nor small enough for a kid.

Not only did our thieves come across here, but some also disappeared in a hurry.

"The next ones are not gonna ask this nicely." Saying that as a last gracious offer to spill the beans, I stare down at the three quivering bodies.

Despite my modest frame, they seem so small and fragile… But they're also stubborn despite the clear flickers of fear in their eyes. Without any confession, it'll be difficult to discover more since we're on a time crunch.

I return outside and share my findings with the less softhanded members of our team, then continue searching for clues. The few people left in the village soon get herded towards the center, where we gather to discuss our next move.

"They know what's going on here." The lady knight of Turan said with disdain in her eyes. Not all of the villagers were left unscathed for keeping their mouths. "By the authority of her Majesty, talk, now!"

Her overbearing attitude only frightened the poor souls further. But at least they broke their silence.

"Please… Leave us. We have no more young lads to give. We have nothing left." A mother came crawling, begging like we were the bad guys. And I do kinda feel like the bad guy here.

"Just tell us where they went." Alvaro speaks up with a cold, uncaring demeanor. For the old veteran, this must be the umteenth such encounter. "Speak, and we're gone. Lie and…" He sighs. "Our stay becomes much more unpleasant."

More pleas and begging follow… Just because it worked so well the first time, right? A simple 'please' won't make the chimeras go poof.

"Don't force my hand…" The sole figure of authority of the nation whispered. She was in a tough spot, and the information took precedence over the desperate eyes. "Take those two and show-"

"We've found pickaxes." Victor stops by my side and says, like it's some sort of great discovery. And that's because it very much is.

Uneven terrain, village in the middle of nowhere, pickaxes, tattered boots… This is a mining town. It's pretty damn obvious where this tedious goose chase will bring us next, and hopefully for the last stop. I'm getting paid well enough, but the lack of burning things down is starting to make me itch.

"The village would burn well…" I mutter under my nose, which earns several concerned looks.

"Spread out and search for any tracks, quarries, or entrances!" The order is given, and we act with haste.

What can I say, we're good, the area is modest, and I can fly. Five minutes at max is all it takes us to discover a range of signs pointing to excavations. The pathways and tools are all derelict, which means the mine has been exhausted for a while now.

This explains the abject poverty.

And the stench already at the entrance tells us all we need to know. Besides the clear marks of human hands, deep grooves, and smears of some gunk adorn the entrance. But this much can't deter us. The wolf abominations were weak, and even if we meet greater resistance here, the adults can just do their thing.

Despite the place's abandoned mask, lanterns line the path and voices echo before we can travel even a dozen paces. Scream, both human and bestial, voices hushed and urgent, as well as an eerie glow, illuminating the tunnels through twists and curves.

"Stay back!" Alvaro tells us without his usual air of aloofness. No longer are we here to learn, and this isn't just games… And the pay is really good. Then the man adds. "Or at least don't act cocky!"

He already knows we're not exactly trained to follow orders word for word.

Our arrival doesn't go unnoticed, and we didn't even really try to hide anything. Wolves and rats of the unnatural kind are let loose into our tunnel. I don't know what they hope to achieve with these things, not even level 100, but scaring us off doesn't really happen.

The main chamber turns out exactly as I imagined.

Beasts, both pure and with bodies reshaped, are kept chained, and the same goes for humans. Many of the living have their bodies mangled, people and animals, to use as material, along with all the treasures previously looted.

I thought the tower I ventured into was a hellhole of madness to carve a spirit apart, but this is even more visceral and stomach-churning.

"Just a little longer, my dear… Just a little more and you'll be strong." A woman kneeling beside her howling child, whose arm is currently in the essence forge, whispers gently. Then she turns her gaze towards us. "Leave this place!"

The kid, barely ten perhaps, is clearly in pain as his body is dismantled through mana and merged with something else. He's crying, the woman is crying, and they're still going through with this madness.

And they weren't alone. There were a few families around, mothers, grandmothers, but not a single man. The younglings already showed signs of modification, while a few seemed to be at Malor's door, pale and barely breathing.

Worse yet, the parents seemed armed with deadly claws and scales as well.

"Stand down!" The lady whose name I should really learn at this point orders. We can't act rashly because some of the hostages are important, and things around here are a little volatile. "Surrender and your deaths will be swift!"

"That's all you offer, death." Rising from her knees, clothes in dirty rags, the mother sneered. "You… You people took my father, my oldest son, all of them to defend the Line. They didn't stand a chance… and never came back."

"The weak die, we understand." A wizened crone stands up to us as if she can change a thing. "But we don't want to be weak anymore. We don't want to lose our loved ones, we don't want to live in fear… Is that truly so wrong?"

Wrong? I don't really want to look at things in black and white. A good motive through bad means can't be painted as either, but will be decided by those who remain. The truth is up to the victor to decide.

"Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be!" The leader of the Turan forces hisses with a conflicted frown. "I have no choice!"

The people gathered here to change their fate don't agree with that sentiment. The adults step forward one after the other, and their bodies morph into monstrous forms, growing fur and reshaping bones.

Those things are no longer human. And those chimeras aren't as helpless either.

[Artisan lvl 231]

[Warrior lvl 216]

[Labourer lvl 187]

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.