"No."
The Guard Captain muttered that under his breath. Zain furrowed his brow. He was clearly thinking, What a letdown of a guy.
"That monster corpse down there."
"Yeah, looks like a split-tongue deer."
"Spot on. The tongue's forked."
The Guard Captain was a veteran of Grayrim Territory, and Zain was Hero Gunter's squire. Both had deep knowledge of monsters. Even from this high cliff overlooking it, they identified it instantly.
"Looks like its throat was torn out, but strangely, the rest of the body is intact."
"Why hunt it just to leave it uneaten?"
"Some monsters get aggressive even if you just trespass in their territory. Not always for food."
"Hmm, how dangerous do you think it is?"
Zain's tone was a bit awkward as he asked. He seemed wary of coming off as scared, despite being a knight. The Guard Captain noticed.
"Nothing for us to worry about, I reckon. I'll go down first. Sir Knight, you can bring up the rear."
"...No, I'll go first."
Zain said firmly. The young knight's pride was stung by the Guard Captain's consideration. Sure, knights were quasi-nobles, but Zain wasn't even a landed knight—just one of Gunter's squires. Meanwhile, the Guard Captain was Grayrim's vice commander, trusted by the lord. Their hierarchy was ambiguous, sparking a bit of tension.
"Then I'm grateful. I'll cover the rear."
"Yes."
"It might be risky, so let's go down in pairs. Hanson, you're with the knight."
The thick-armed soldier barked an acknowledgment. Zain and the soldier gripped the rope and began descending the cliff. It was nearly vertical, steep as hell. They had to place their feet carefully. Loose rocks from the belay point crumbled and fell.
Zain felt a chill inwardly but kept a straight face. His descent was faster than the soldier's. Piece of cake compared to my training, he thought—no real fear.
Suddenly, Zain slowed. Drdrdr— A vibration hummed from somewhere. At first, he thought it was his imagination. The soldier descending with him hadn't noticed.
Drdrdrdr— No, it was real. The rumble grew clearer. Instinctively, Zain looked down toward the source. The monster corpse they'd assumed was killed and left as a trophy—something was approaching it.
"Stop!"
Not yelling at the approaching thing, of course. The soldier Hanson stared blankly, like What's this guy's problem? Zain resisted punching that face and pointed instead. The soldier's eyes widened like saucers.
The ground around the deer corpse bulged. Boom! Multiple legs burst from the earth. What emerged was a monster.
It devoured the deer whole and vanished. The whole process took barely a minute. Everyone, Zain included, froze silent.
The brave knight moved first among the stunned group.
"Down."
"Down there?"
"Or you wanna hang here forever?"
Zain shot a sharp glare. The burly soldier just looked like We could climb back up, y'know. Glancing up, he saw the Guard Captain signaling to descend. Zain and Hanson landed where only bloodstains remained. The others followed.
As Zain examined the ground, the Guard Captain approached.
"Recognize it?"
Zain shook his head. "What do you think, Captain? Never seen it before."
"I don't know every Great Forest monster, but... yeah, first time for me too."
"Same here."
"Not knowing at all is what's bothering me."
"Same. That's the real issue."
The soldiers exchanged glances at their exchange. If you don't know, you don't know—what's there to be bothered about? It felt like a conversation only they understood.
"Eight legs, I think."
"Confirmed."
"Spider?"
"I've been to the sea once. With that carapace, maybe closer to a crab. Like a red mud crab."
"I've lived by the Great Forest my whole life, so no clue. This is the woods, after all."
"...Right. Probably more spider than crab."
"There's a Gray Tarantula monster."
"Does it burrow?"
"Nah. Mole-types do that. Thorn moles, blood moles."
They listed monsters possibly related. Their eyes met.
"...Could be a chimera."
"That's what I think."
Zain's eyes widened. Few recognized chimeras. Zain had seen plenty following Gunter, broadening his horizons—including those horrific beasts. But even a grizzled Guard Captain seemed too calm.
"You know about chimeras?"
"Somewhat."
"Chimera-line like cockatrices are totally different from real ones."
The Guard Captain glanced at him. "Yeah. Artificially made monsters, products of grave sin deserving divine punishment."
He really knew. "We should track this one."
"...Pardon? That's not our mission."
Zain was baffled. Hunting chimeras was a knight's duty, not the Guard Captain's. Plus, weren't they here to investigate the light pillar for the lord? Priorities differed.
"This comes first."
"Finding the light's source is priority."
"Catching the chimera matters too."
Zain finally snapped. Little things had bugged him from the start.
"Captain. You treating me like an idiot?"
"..."
"You're hiding something. Spit it out."
The air chilled. Soldiers gulped.
* * *
Gulp.
I swallowed. Popcorn would've been perfect. Nothing beats watching a fight.
Suddenly appearing, I hid in the tree, spying. They had no clue a single snake was coiled on a branch, watching them.
"Not hiding anything."
Guard Captain—my sworn nemesis. Family and home's destroyer. He faced the knight stone-faced.
"Weird you know chimeras so well. That light pillar related?"
"Yes."
Good job, Captain. Don't back down to that young punk. My enemy, yet I rooted for him. Maybe that thick mustache?
Mmm.
"No need to hide it. Chimeras pop up in the Great Forest sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
"Once every few decades."
"Live dark mage around?"
"No. Ruins. Dungeons. Pellelian's dungeons scattered throughout."
Pellelian. The knight muttered it, then yelled in shock.
"Reverse Heaven? That mad fairy mage's dungeons?!"
Whoa. Goosebumps—no, scales bristled. Reverse Heaven? Crazy? That racist old fairy had a helluva nickname. Defying the heavens? My tail shriveled. His dungeons were over three centuries old, still famous? Still alive? Looked ancient even for a fairy.
"Thought Reverse Heaven was dead..."
"Pre-made dungeons. They sometimes emit light. Records of chimeras too."
"Lord didn't mention it."
"No benefit in rumors spreading."
"...Fair. If word got out about Reverse Heaven's legacy."
"Keep it quiet, Sir Zain. Appreciated."
The knight nodded. Must be something special about those dungeons. To me, just a senile geezer's lairs.
They agreed to track the chimera, assess if they could handle it.
"Got an appraisal scroll?"
"Always carry one."
"Good. Let's find it."
Appraisal scroll? Appraise what? How they'd track it intrigued me most. Their deduction process was impressive—Gray Tarantula, blood mole—from one glimpse.
Watching taught lessons.
"Dig."
Soldiers grabbed field shovels and dug. Fearless of the chimera returning? Meanwhile, Guard Captain pressed his ear to the ground. They dug deeper. I'd tried magic earlier—no traces. Same here: nothing.
Soldiers looked puzzled.
"Deeper."
Captain ordered sternly. Then, one soldier slurp—sucked into the earth.
"Gah!"
"W-what?! You okay?"
"Y-yeah, fine. Urp, smells awful."
The fallen soldier seemed unharmed. Captain lit a torch and entered.
"Knew it. Tunnel way down."
"Predicted?"
"Yeah. No beast that big digs real-time. Seals exit with dirt when surfacing, but pre-dug paths inside."
Ah, clever! Captain knew monster ecology cold.
"Hmm, webs strung up. Senses vibrations, probably."
And smells blood too. Had to bleed for it to come. Wanted to advise.
Captain crawled out with help, brushed webs, and said:
"Subduing it'll be simpler than thought."
What'd you say, you bastard...? Pissed me off. Underestimating the chimera?
"We can handle it ourselves."
"Plan?"
I strained to eavesdrop. Had to admire—vicious. Humans... wickeder than snakes.
I snatched a beetle crawling the branch. Crunch crunch. Popcorn sub, watch the show. Even if they catch it, fisherman's gain is mine.
* * *
Humans delivered quite the spectacle. Full prep to hunt the chimera. Then, burly Hanson stayed put; others retreated, suddenly singing.
"One beat rest, two beats rest, three beats more, then one two three!"
Not exact lyrics, but that vibe. 'Cause Hanson started dancing. To clapping, rolling, leaping.
"Whoa, Grayrim's best dancer indeed!"
Captain's scary—deadpan praise.
Knight Zain stood by with scroll. Chimera comes, trap it, rip scroll to gauge strength. Fight or flee.
Hanson danced panting. Worth it—drdrdrdr vibrations.
He flinched, paused.
"Keep dancing!"
Crazy Captain. Hanson's moves slowed—like forcing the class quiet kid onstage at a talent show. Wahaha. Painful memory. Nearly raised mental resistance.
Drdrdrdrdr— Rumble intensified. Captain halted cruelty.
"Pull him up!"
Hanson floated—not flying. Rope tied to waist, hooked over cliff ledge, yanked by others.
Anyway, safe distance secured. Ground at his dance spot bulged. Kaboom! Eight legs snapped empty air.
Fwip— Zain tore the scroll. Appraisal? Plain name, but... unimaginable events unfolded.
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