Chapter 45

Chapter 45 - Danger!

While he was rushing further into the dungeon, I was there questioning Vanessa's decision to leave without confirming what exactly was going on.

"You could not have waited a few more seconds? I was sure I could convince him to tell us more and even take us to see that final trump card that he spoke about!"

"How would you have proved that we were truly on his side and not a secret third party that had infiltrated?" Vanessa had asked back. 

"Just take out the map that the lion prince gave us before! Since it was on his aide that is not here, they would likely see that we know him and we could tell him where he is or is going and then we can enter and see what the fuss is about!"

Vanessa was surprised that I could actually make a workable point, but then she shot down the idea once more. 

"If the lion man were to find out about this, he would be able to escalate the situation since he knows that we aren't native here and had looked into top national secrets. Although he would be partly blamed for loose management over state secrets, it would cause the rising tensions between the Beast Folk Kingdom and our Aloph Empire to potentially clash which could lead to war and with the Demon King quietly planning and watching it would provide them the perfect opportunity."

She certainly made her point known, but I was still somewhat salty and showed her a sour face to which Mellie on the side giggled and then coaxed me. 

"There, there Fel. There is nothing wrong with being curious. Especially something that others mentioned and did not elaborate. You simply couldn't hold back your curiosity. Vanessa is also just saying this in order to not put us into a bad situation publicly."

After some soft coaxing, I eventually started to feel better as we strived to escape the base. Then, we directly used the walls that Luke had busted through with his Light Sword attack in order to leave the base and headed towards the many guard posts which had human slaves working on them.

Through our trip to secure the important evidence within the base, we found that these humans were commodities that were hidden and used for labor to help build these posts for these beast folk. Of course this was only done after the prince was gone so we did not need to worry about the lion and us having problems in that manner. 

Now, the problem was that there were four posts like that being built so in order to save them all in a timely manner we might need to split up for now. 

After some deliberation, it was decided we would split into three teams with Luke on one side himself and the other two teams would be Wendy and I and then Vanessa and Millie. 

This was mainly due to the familiarity the other two had with each other. In addition, my Void Hands could be used to help protect the two of us if needed so I was chosen to give Wendy time to do her magic.

"Looks like it's just us two now." I stated. To which, Wendy nodded as we walked side by side over to the first tower. 

"It's been a while. Let's get this over with and prepare to help support the others." Wendy responded. It was only then that I realized that there was a major problem that we would be facing if we did this. 

"How will we bring them along when we finish? Do we also have enough food to take these groups of people out of the beast folk territory?"

Hearing my question, Wendy had paused for a real and long moment. When I noticed that, I could not help sweating for a moment for these people. 

"Maybe Vanessa has a plan?"

"Why is that a question?"

Hanging her head down low, she was in rather low spirits as we headed to the watch tower. But when we arrived close enough to spot the tower she then perked right up. 

"Let's go!" Following after her strictly, I had summoned the Void Hands on me as a precaution against ranged attacks, but was rather surprised at the current lack of reaction.

Having a bad feeling about this, I furrowed my brow as a certain smell had spread from the tower to the surroundings.

"Is this..."

"Blood! We have to hurry!"

Hearing that she indeed agreed with my thought, the two of us nodded as we headed straight to the tower with low expectations. As expected, blood was splashed all over the area condensing into an almost mist like state. Strangely, not a single body was found on the outside.

Holding my breath, I then carefully opened the inside gate of the tower with my Void Hand. 

When peering inside, the scene was rather gruesome and terrifying as expected. The original wood inside the tower was now stained red as a figure stood in the center of the tower. 

They were a fierce gray color now marred in red blood. Sharp angular fangs and ears along with a swaying tail and sharp claws matched together to form a rather grotesque appearance. Noticing our entrance, the figure had glanced up towards us and then licked his teeth in his mouth. 

"Oh? Were there stragglers among them? No matter. It just means that we have more to give praise as an offering to our god."

The bloodied wolf figure then reached his hand to his hip where a grotesque hook shaped scimitar stained with blood was detached and held in hand. At this time, the two of us prepared for the tough fight to come. Taking this opportunity when it had not attacked yet, I went to check the wolf's stats. 

Name: ?????

Title: Bloody Butcher, Priest of Blood

Race: Wolf - Beastfolk

Level: 45

Blessing: Blood God's Favor

Skill: Hunting (4), Acting (6), Tracking(3), Slaughter (4), Hook Techniques (5), Beast Instincts(passive)

Although I did not understand some of the screen, I could tell that this guy was indeed quite tough. 

Seeming to react to my probing, the wolf then squinted to look at me before rushing ahead without a word. 

Slightly taken aback, I was a little slow to deploy my Void Hands and he was able to weave between the hands top charge right at me. 

Oh no.

But before the scimitar could swing towards me, the wolf then paused and dashed back which resulted in him narrowly avoiding the attack of a water blade. 

"Tch."

"Pay attention Felicia!" Wendy had shouted. 

"Got it!"

Focusing my attention on the figure, I then positioned the Void Hands of mine to a more defensive state with the blades ready to block his advance. 

Although I was now prepared, the wolf was not deterred as it then took a deep breath and howled to the air. A wave of wind blew and brushed past me as his body suddenly expanded in size as he then sucked in another breath of air. Sensing something was wrong, the two of us immediately casted our own defenses. 

Blocking our bodies with my Void Hands as Wendy quickly casted a rotating Water shield on top of the hands to provide extra protection, we watched as the wolf then pointed his mouth at us and when it opened a shockwave of red wind blew past us. 

This howl had incorporated the scent of blood while exerting enough force to slowly push us both back despite our defenses. It seems that this foe will be much trickier then we thought. 

After the wolf casted the spell, it was out of breath for a moment giving us an opportunity to counterattack. 

"Water Cutter!"

With Wendy as the main attacker, she shot out several cutting blades of spinning water wheels towards our foe who had tried to dodge at the final moment and was ultimately still cut.

His arm now cut off, the wolf beast folk did not even sweat and only looked at the wound with disdain.

"How fragile flesh is."

As he said that, granules of flesh covered the wound and prevented the blood from flowing out as the sound of a loud heart beat was heard in my ears. As this sound echoed, the flesh began to resonate with the beating of the heart. It was at this time that Wendy could finally confirm the identity of this wolf priest. 

"You are... The Bloody Butcher Cragrass... right?"

"Oh? Is my name still spread among juniors like you? Seems like I really made my mark huh?"

"Who is he?"

"One of the greatest criminals in the past. He is a believer of the Blood God who used to regularly slaughter villages of humans to butcher and sacrifice to his god. He even bloodbathed a city and left it a paradise of blood. We had not ever seen him for a long time. We thought he went into hiding, but it seems that he was actually caught and imprisoned here. Right?"

"Humph, you already know some of the facts. But more so, I was released to resolve the favor of an old friend."

Licking the tip of his scimitar, he then showed an enjoyable expression of euphoria as his eyes seemed to roll into the back of his head as he stretched his back in an arch backwards. 

"Oooh. I can feel it. My blood is boiling now."

His voice then slowly grew heavier and deeper with a gaspy tone to it. He then straightened himself and hunched down with his free hand now on the ground. 

"Grahh!"

No longer speaking legible speak, the wolf then rushed forward like a beast to charge at us with red and bloody eyes. Preparing myself carefully, I maneuvered my Void hands to block his path, but now he seems to have gone crazy. 

Biting and crushing his way through, I dealt several lacerating cuts which now could visibly heal on their own. In addition, there was a loud thumping noise that I could presume is his heart that was beating at a rapid pace now. 

Rushing forth so violently, I carefully dealt with him using my void hands as Wendy finally finished chanting a longer water spell to finish this foe of ours. 

"Water Prison."

Seeming to sense something, the wolf finally went all out clawing and slashing my spell in order to rip through our defense, but I was able to buy Wendy just enough time for her slower spell to take affect. 

Having torn through my hands, he tried to lunge at us, but was held back by suddenly appearing chains that locked him to the ground. Then the chains shifted and tightened which pulled the wolf's body into place and tried to keep him there. 

*Riiip*

The sound of squelching blood grossed me out as the wolf then pulled and ripped his own hand and wrist out of the restraints. But before the wolf could regenerate and celebrate, the chains then locked on to his neck and legs and after locking now it tightened and squeezed those parts tightly. 

"... now... do... it."

Receiving Wendy's command, I then used my now recovered Void Hands to then aim the weapon right at the wolf and and with a double slash the head of the wolf was lobbed off and now hanging on the end of one sword.

Taking a breath, I sighed in relief and disgracefully fell onto the ground. Although a lot seemed to happen, the battle was actually rather short. It was just that the intensive and constant use and recovery of my Void Hands led to a high level of mana consumption leading to me falling down now.

Equally tired was Wendy, but she propped herself up with her arms as she then walked to the wolf and shot a few water blades. After fully confirming the wolf was not playing dead, she sighed with relief. Then the two of us took the time to reflect and recover ourselves from that stressful combat situation.