Chapter 70

We visited the Celestial Tower daily, and Rin learned a few additional magical skills beyond shape-shifting.

Once she learned the skills, she needed experience. We prepared to head outside and gain some practical experience.

“Are you going out?” Seyra asked.

“Yes, Rin and I are heading to the forest. Would you like to come with us?”

Seyra didn’t stick to my side like she used to. She had other responsibilities now, and I was no longer her primary surveillance target.

I thought she might not join us for that reason, but Seyra brought up something different entirely.

“Tonight is a full moon. On nights with a full moon, werewolf beastfolk take special leave.”

“Does your health suffer?”

“Our wild instincts intensify, especially at the scent of blood. While we can control it to some degree, it’s always wise to be cautious. I plan to stay in my room tonight, so please don’t come looking for me. In fact, avoid me at all costs.”

“Understood. In that case, we’ll be on our way. Rest well.”

After saying our farewells to Seyra, we left the city.

We went to a familiar marshland we often visited.

Slimes slithered across the ground, and Rin stood in the center of the marsh, holding her fox marble aloft.

“These vile slimes... The time for revenge has finally come after long-suffering patience.”

“You’ve never even been hurt by them.”

“Silence, Master.”

She was fully in character. Seemed best not to interrupt.

Rin focused, using the magic Yuhwa had taught her. The fox marble shimmered with light.

With a flicker, three blue fox fires appeared.

“Amaterasu.”

“Where did you learn that name?”

“You, Master.”

Ah. Seems I’d inadvertently mentioned it while raising her.

Too late to undo that, but I’ll be more mindful from now on.

Rin’s fox fire floated toward the slimes, which squirmed sluggishly. The flames latched onto them, burning them silently. The slimes writhed as if screaming, their bodies evaporating until nothing remained.

Rin shook her head, her hair swaying.

“I am now truly powerful. What do you think, Master? Impressed by Rin?”

“Well, I guess you won’t get dirty anymore. No need to buy a new dress.”

“That’s not the point! You’re supposed to say I’m cool at times like this!”

“Absolutely cool.”

“Too late!”

Rin snorted and turned her head.

With her current abilities, the outskirts of the forest were no threat. We decided to move a bit deeper, giving Rin a chance to gain more practical experience.

I followed closely behind Rin, who led the way with her fox marble in hand.

“Do you need to carry that marble around all the time?”

“Nope. The old hag taught me how to store it.”

Rin clenched her fist, and the fox marble vanished. She opened her hand again, and it reappeared. Seems she wouldn’t lose it that way.

Then Rin sniffed the air ahead.

“Master, I smell blood. Something’s up ahead.”

Just as Rin had said, a pack of wolves appeared. But they were large.

Their fur was dark red, as if soaked in dried blood. They had four eyes, and their mouths stretched back, revealing rows of fangs in a grotesque grin.

“Eek! Master, it’s a Seyra!”

“You’ll get in trouble if you say that in front of Seyra. Not all wolves are Seyras.”

These creatures were classified as blood wolves, a type of monster. In a beastfolk country like Bestia, most monsters resemble animals.

Blood wolves are tough opponents. As wolves, they hunt in packs, and they’re as hard to take down as berserkers.

Rin, as a three-tailed fox, could defeat them, but caution was necessary.

“Rin, be careful. These are different from what you’ve faced before.”

“Worry? Nope. Just give me your unconditional support.”

Rin, exuding confidence, spread her three tails and charged.

Now adept at using her yokai energy, Rin could perform various techniques beyond fox magic.

She slashed the air with her claws, sending sharp strikes that cleaved through the blood wolves, cutting even the trees in their path.

More slashes followed, reducing the blood wolves to chunks.

“This is almost boring.”

“It’s not over yet.”

“Huh?”

The severed pieces of the blood wolves wobbled, then slowly reassembled.

Blood wolves have a passive ability. They revive once after death.

The severed parts moved as if each had its own life. The upper body dragged the lower, spilling blood and entrails.

“Yuck! Master, Rin doesn’t like that!”

“But you like meat. It’s fresh meat.”

“Master, are you blind? That’s not meat!”

Even I found it disturbing.

In the game, they’d revive in one piece, but here, they moved while still cut up. Truly grotesque.

Rin summoned her fox fire, burning the blood wolves away. The smell and sound of sizzling meat filled the air.

While Rin was incinerating the blood wolves, I glanced around.

‘We’re not deep enough for blood wolves to appear.’

Blood wolves usually inhabit the Red Night Forest, a blood-scented woodland where slain wolves revive, making it a dangerous zone.

But we were still in the green forest. The Red Night Forest was still quite a distance away.

‘Hmm...’

Something didn’t feel right.

“Rin, let’s head back.”

“No, Master. Rin’s fine.”

“No need to push it...”

“Master doesn’t trust Rin?”

Rin’s question, voiced seriously, was not a mere inquiry but a test of mutual trust.

It made it hard to insist on returning.

“Sigh, alright. With you here, a bit further should be fine. But we’ll head back before sunset.”@@novelbin@@

“Yes! Got it!”

As we ventured deeper, we encountered more monsters, all of which Rin dispatched easily without any danger.

With just a flick of fox fire, the monsters burned away helplessly, filling the forest with the scent of ash rather than greenery.

Using her yokai energy to defeat monsters and then absorbing their life force to restore her energy—a perpetual cycle. Rin was so drunk on her power that she even hummed a tune.

It was a smooth progression, except for the fact that I was getting winded from lack of exercise.

‘We really should head back now.’

As evening approached, the forest atmosphere changed.

It was the time for nocturnal creatures and monsters. Near the Red Night Forest, a crimson mist veiled the forest, creating an eerie vibe.

I don’t like scary things.

“Rin, let’s head back.”

“Why?”

“The sun’s setting soon, and I’m getting tired.”

“Master should work out more!”

“I need to free more slaves rather than spend time working out. Or you could carry me, Rin.”

Rin gave me a look of pity.

I can understand others feeling that way, but not you, Rin. You’re not exactly in a position to judge.

Still, I decided to overlook it, displaying the mature patience of an adult.

“Let’s go. If we’re late, Seyra will worry.”

“Fine.”

We turned back the way we came.

A-woooo!

A howl echoed through the forest, and numerous pairs of eyes glowed from the dark underbrush.

Blood wolves, of course.

“Rin?”

“Huh?”

“Did you notice we were surrounded?”

“Uh... The smell of smoke was too strong.”

“Sigh...”

“But it’s okay! I’ll handle it in no time!”

With a flare, Rin’s fox fire shot towards the blood wolves. I thought they’d burn away as usual, but something strange happened.

One blood wolf leaped into the flames, smothering them with its body. More than that, it engulfed itself in blue fire and continued to charge, seeking out the fox fire and extinguishing it.

Most beasts fear fire, but this one seemed immune, as if it felt no pain.

“Rin, keep firing.”

“Okay.”

Rin, flustered, launched a barrage of fox fires. The blood wolves tried to suppress the flames with their bodies, but it was futile. Rin’s yokai energy didn’t run out.

Even with their resurrection, the blood wolves couldn’t escape. As they revived, they were still burning and turned to ash on the spot. It wasn’t hard to defeat them.

Still, maybe due to the panic, Rin had gone overboard with the fox fire. The flames spread to the forest, covering it in blue fire.

Blue flames licked up to the sky.

Their tongues seemed to point towards something.

The full moon.

The red mist acted like a filter, making it appear like a blood moon.

Tonight was a full moon. A night when wolves become more ferocious. And we were near the Red Night Forest, where blood wolves appear.

Whoosh!

A strong scent of blood wafted through the air.

And then, a blood wolf appeared. This one was different—it had six eyes, stood upright, and was over eight feet tall even with a hunched back.

It was a boss monster—a blood wolfman.

“M-Master, it’s really a Seyra!”

“Not all werewolves are the same.”

While both Seyra and this monster were wolf-like, Seyra was no monster.

‘This one’s a bit tricky.’

The blood wolfman was at the edge of what Rin could handle as a three-tailed fox. But under a full moon, its power was significantly enhanced.

“Rin, no need to fight. Let’s fall back. Carry me.”

“No. This is about pride. Turning my back would be a fox’s shame. Rin is invincible right now.”

Ignoring my advice, Rin conjured fox fire and hurled it at the blood wolfman.

The wolfman crouched, bracing on all fours in a hunter’s stance. Its hind legs bulged, then it pushed off the ground with explosive force.

To an untrained eye like mine, it moved too fast to follow. Even the fox fire lagged behind, chasing only its tail.

The wolfman charged through the forest, leaping onto a tree before launching its hefty frame toward Rin like a steel mass.

Crash!

The tree shattered. Blood-red mane flew wildly as the wolfman closed the distance in an instant, clawing with its monstrous paw.

It might have been the first time Rin faced an attack with genuine killing intent. She reacted quickly, dodging gracefully with the flexibility of a fox.

Then, she clenched her fist, pink yokai energy swirling around it. She condensed the energy into her fist and unleashed a punch.

Boom!

The blood wolfman’s body burst like a balloon, flesh and blood spraying everywhere.

One hit. One was all it took.

The strength of a three-tailed fox yokai had surpassed my expectations.

“Master worries too much!”

Rin turned back, expecting praise, only to see me staggering with a grimace.

“Wha—?”

I grunted, clutching my abdomen, where a massive claw was embedded.

It was the wolfman’s claw. Of all the parts that survived intact, the claw had shot towards where I stood.

That was sheer misfortune.