In a small camp hidden among dense trees, a campfire burned dimly. Thin smoke rose to the sky.
Eleven men sat around the fire, each holding a wooden cup filled with cheap beer.
While they were drinking beer, one of their companions came over and sat down.
"They are so annoying," he complained.
"I told you, that cat girl is stubborn," said one of the men. His body was large, his stomach bulging, and on his arm was a whip scar that he proudly displayed as if it was a badge of honor.
"Tomorrow we sell the rest. The pretty ones will get high prices," added Carl with a hoarse voice.
Their leader, Zack, remained silent while pouring beer into his wooden cup. He gulped down one cup quickly. Then he gripped the cup tightly.
"If it was not because of that person's request, I would never do this," Zack grumbled.
He had a thin body, but his eyes were sharp like a wolf. He was a former rank B adventurer. He was the second strongest there after Carl.
"You can just take one of those slaves and use them however you want. No one will question it," Carl suggested.
Zack glanced at him. He poured beer again and drank another cup. Then he snorted. "No," he said firmly. "I will not do that. That is disgusting. It is like sleeping with an animal."
Carl laughed when he heard that. "But they have bodies like humans. They have everything human women have, including the parts men want to use. The only differences are the ears, tails, and fur."
Carl patted Zack's shoulder. He winked, giving a signal for Zack to try.
Behind them was a large tent. Inside it, thirty nine demi human girls were imprisoned. Some hugged themselves, some cried silently. Others only stared blankly, as if their souls had been forcibly pulled from their bodies.
"Try just once. You will like it," Carl coaxed again.
Zack kept shaking his head, but Carl stood up. He grabbed his leader's hand and pulled him toward the front of the big tent. He rubbed his chin repeatedly.
"I will choose one for you," Carl said.
In another corner of the tent, a demi human girl around fifteen years old was collapsed on the ground. Her left cheek was swollen, and her lips were cracked.
She was the demi human girl Zack had hit earlier for trying to escape. Carl walked toward the demi human girl. He grabbed her arm violently.
The girl tried to resist, but Carl kicked her face immediately.
When he got close to Zack, he threw the girl's body toward him. "We will have a party with this girl," he said.
Carl clapped once. The rest of his companions turned their heads. They smiled while licking their lips. Lustful smiles appeared on their faces.
"We will teach this cat girl how the world works," Carl said. He took off his clothes. "They must realize that their position is lower than humans. They are only animals given human shapes."
Discrimination against the demi human race was very severe. Demi humans had always been slaves to humans for the past hundred years.
In the eyes of humans, the demi human race was no higher than animals. They were only treated as forced labor or sex slaves.
"Come on. Why are you hesitating?" Carl urged.
He squatted. He grabbed the body of the cat girl. The girl tried to resist, clawing toward Carl, but her face was punched by Carl until it bruised.
Several of Carl's companions arrived and immediately held the cat girl's arms and legs. Carl had also taken off his pants. Now he was naked.
"Aaah, this will be amazing," Carl said.
"Oh, really?" said someone from behind.
"Is it not wrong to force someone to do something?" the person continued. "Is it not, Lyssia?"
Carl quickly turned around. A young man he did not recognize was standing behind him. Behind the young man was a large bodied elf woman with D cup breasts.
"Who are you?" Carl asked.
He quickly took his sword. At the same time, his companions surrounded the young man.
It was Takuya.
He stepped back slightly. "Can you defeat them?" he whispered to Lyssia.
"Of course. I can do it," Lyssia answered with a flat expression.
Takuya nodded. He was about to give the order, but a slash came toward him. Toward his head, but the slash was quickly deflected by Lyssia with her dagger.
Takuya's eyes grew serious. "Kill them." He gave the order.
Lyssia nodded immediately. In just one second, she vanished. Then she appeared in front of Carl. She performed one stab. Carl barely blocked it. He was pushed back.
"Aaarrgh!" A scream echoed.
Carl turned and saw one of his men dead with blood pouring from his neck. Carl became serious and steadied his stance.
Zack, who had been silent until now, stood beside Carl. The two looked at each other and then nodded. They would work together.
"Do not let your guard down," Carl said.
Zack nodded. "I know."
Suddenly they felt someone appear behind them. They quickly turned around and a slash came toward them.
Slash.
Their bodies were pushed back, but they managed to block the attack. Even so, blood dripped from their cheeks, cut by the tip of the blade.
At the same time, their opponent had already disappeared. Their eyes kept scanning, searching for the enemy.
"An assassin," Zack said.
"Why is an assassin here?"
Zack also did not know. Assassins were an organization of hired killers. They killed based on given tasks. If they were targeted, that meant someone wanted them dead.
"Damn. I did not expect to deal with them," Carl complained.
Carl and Zack stood close, their backs almost touching. They were extremely alert. Their remaining men did the same.
"I cannot see anything," Carl muttered.
"She is fast... very fast," Zack added, narrowing his eyes to catch any movement.
In the next second, the sound of something falling was heard.
Thump.
Carl instinctively turned, and the body of one of his subordinates was lying without a head. The head rolled slowly, its eyes still open.
"Shit..." Carl took a step back. The hand holding his sword began to tremble.
Lyssia appeared again, standing on a tree branch like a shadow that had just walked out of a nightmare. Her eyes showed no anger, sympathy, or interest. Only emptiness.
"My master ordered me to kill you. Because of that, you will die here," Lyssia said.
She jumped and disappeared. Her movement was extremely fast.
**
While Lyssia was fighting, Takuya was already kneeling on the ground. In his arms, the cat girl was grimacing in pain. Her breathing was short and broken. Her body was covered in bruises.
Takuya slowly lowered the girl. He leaned her against a beer barrel.
"You are safe now."
He stood inside the big tent where dozens of slaves were held.
From inside, terrified eyes stared at him through torn cloth. There were small sobs, bodies hugging themselves, and others who only stared blankly.
Takuya swallowed. His chest felt heavy.
"The fantasy world is terrifying..." he whispered softly.