The squad of men belonging to the mystic race ran at a speed that normal humans wouldn’t be able to achieve. They avoided the open to avoid the eyes of the guards from the palace or anyone in that matter. They ran towards the direction of where the other fogs were moving, expecting that they would find something.

However as expected, it wouldn’t go smoothly. A dark fog suddenly crashed into the ground in front of them and was subsequently followed by four others, forcing the four non-human men, Felsurd, Welmut, Henfred, and Isen to stop immediately.

The two elves, Henfred and Isen, drew their swords.

Felsurd promptly transformed into his Berserk form, his body enlarged and fur instantly grew all over his body, his head turning into a familiar animal with pointy ears, a form reminiscent of a grey wolf — he was a Wolf type Beastman. While the other, Welmut, transformed into a Lion type. They firmed up their pair of legs, and pointed the claws on their hands at their enemies, their sharp teeth showing, eyes fierce.

Each fog gathered and figures began emerging, their bodies completely covered with their clothes. One stepped forward imposingly.

“Ah, the race favored by the gods revealed themselves,” he said from behind his face coverings.

The mystic race began coating their weapons with magic, the elves’ blades glowed faintly, while it was the claws for the beastmen. Physical attacks would be commonly useless in the face of the monstrosities called the Cursed Children. They might be damaged when they were currently in their physical form, but when they turn to fogs, pure physical attacks would be rendered useless.

Everyone single one in this thin part of the forest prepared for battle, there was no option for peace or dialogue. They were enemies ever since the beginning, no hope for peace, but only violence. Felsurd and the others couldn’t afford to hold back either, the Cursed Children must not be underestimated, even more so at night. That was why he and Welmut wasted no time to transform. That being said, in spite of taking the Cursed Children as a threat, that didn’t mean they couldn’t defeat them in some other way.

There was always something that will hold the Cursed Children back in the night. It was the perpetual pain they suffer after every sunset, when the night comes.

Henfred then whispered to Felsurd. “You are the fastest, when there’s an opening, run through them.”

Felsurd nodded.

The two sides glared at each other with no words spoken, for there was no need. In the end, they will clash, one side hated the master the other ones served, while the other merely disliked them and goes against their goals. There was no option for a peaceful resolution, only violence.

The elf Henfred fired the first shot when he waved his hand and thorny vines instantly spurred out of the ground heading towards the monsters of the night. But the cursed children dispersed and avoided the vines. The other elf, Isen, used his magic and wind engulfed his blade, with a swing, a slash of razor-sharp wind shot forward.

One cursed child turned into a fog to evade in response. However, given that the wind was magic, it slashed his arm. It pushed him out of his fog state for a moment but left no time to stay still and charged forward.

The cursed child’s right arm pulsated and squirmed, and at an instant, the fabric covering it broke apart. What came out was an oversized hand with half the fingers turning into a bony blade with bones protruding through his knuckles. The skin was deformed and repulsive, twisted and disgusting, rough and hairless.

The monster of the night swung down his arm, the elf barely parrying it.

The beastmen on the other hand fought hand to hand with the other cursed children, both their clawed hands clashing against each other. Felsurd sternly watched out for the attacks of his pair of opponents. As he expected, they were slower than he was. However, their strength may surpass him a little.

He leaped back and swung both his hands in the air, sending an arc of light towards his enemies, to which they blocked but still resulted in cuts. He clicked his tongue and his fight continued on — he hardened his furs.

The fight of the two sides with intense magical capabilities shook the earth with their stomps, trees and rocks cut into pieces, blood soiled the soil, lights of magic upon magic lit up the area. However, despite being outnumbered, the mystic race was still able to survive. As expected of the ones favored by the gods, unlike those who were cursed by one.

That being said, the cursed ones have yet to show who they truly were, nor would they easily do so. Despite the mystic race fighting so well, it would not last long. They will get tired, but the cursed children not. Both sides knew this.

Then, a trio of cursed children watching from above descended to join the fight.

At the same time, Henfred gathered his magic and shouted. “It’s time!”

The two elves gathered a vast amount of mana and wind began to gather, a tempest starting to form. The two’s magic synchronized with each other, matching each other’s storm in every way, merging into one. Then the storm began to pull everything around them.

Isen then turned to the Lion type beastman. “Welmut! Full power!”

Welmut growled and his eyes sharpened, his body hardened and became stronger. His blood boiled and his heart raced, his emotions rising. His sanity slowly slipping away as it was slowly being taken over by his bestial instincts.

A beastman reaching his full potential as he became a true beast with little sanity left, a beastman truly going Berserk.

With sharp teeth and lengthened claws, he charged toward his enemies, leaving small craters on the ground, and his speed doubled. He pushed the cursed children into the storm and even pulled those turning into fogs with magic-coated hands. The cursed children attacked him, but he merely shrugged all of it, ignoring the pain and the wounds.

One by one, the cursed children were sent into the center of the storm. Even so, that will only hold them for several seconds. But that was enough time to give an opening.

Henfred turned towards Felsurd while pouring as much magic into the storm. “Go!”

With tremendous speed, Felsurd escaped the battlefield and entered the thick forest while a wind barrier formed behind him which kept everyone else inside the dome of wind. Felsurd headed towards where the other cursed children went.

***

I have never felt so good for a while, if while I meant ever since I arrived in this world. I felt as good as a bird flying in the air while riding the wind. The way I skated and leaped around the forest, it was so wonderful that I wanted to go through it again.

The air step spell truly made traversing tough terrains easier, felt like I did peak parkour. In any case, I couldn’t keep having fun forever and focused on my mission. I already knew where the Marquis’s house was, it was part of my lessons, thus I shouldn’t get lost.

It took a while to arrive there. I was intending to sneak into their house and interrogate him there. Would be best if the wife was out of commission. I was pondering whether to kill everyone else outright before talking with the Marquis as it would make things easier.

However, that would mean I would lose the leverage to make the Marquis talk honestly. Thus, I would need to find a way to speak privately with the Marquis, but if any of the family was around him and I have no other choice, then I just have to neutralize that person. It could be non-lethal, or lethal which would be collateral, but it can’t be helped.

When I arrived at his manor though, I saw the Marquis leaving the building and entering a carriage. It was suspicious to be going out in the middle of the night. But I had an idea for what purpose it could be, not like I didn’t imagine this could happen — I left at a certain time for a reason and not just because it’s a safer time to kill.

I mean, he did just fail.

And so, I followed his carriage which led me to a run-down building where two guys were waiting. I listened in to their conversations by the wall at a secluded spot. I could jump in there but there was a guard outside, who knows how threatening that guy can be, or perhaps this leader of them might be more powerful, who knows, magic is an ass. They must be strong I guess since they were able to threaten the Marquis.

When they were finished, I had to make a choice of who to follow. If I follow the Marquis now, I will be able to get the best time and opportunity to ask him questions with no one to bother, and can take my time. But I will lose track of his masters.

If I follow the masters, I might get the risk of being discovered, despite the chance of happening low, but still a possibility. But I might not get every answer I want and they might be more difficult to deal with than the Marquis.

Have to give up one side, can’t have everything.

And thus, I chose the Marquis. Lucky you Marquis! You get to be chosen by none other than the precious me!

So when the Marquis entered the carriage, I threw a small dagger at the driver in the throat. I then killed the horses as they were more trouble than anything. I pulled the dagger out of the driver and rubbed the blood off with his shirt.

With all of that done, I entered the carriage and “interviewed” the dear Marquis. After some surprising information and disappointing ones, I killed him by stabbing him in the heart, then slashed his throat just to be sure. I shielded myself from the blood with my magic barrier.

Don’t want some blood splatter on me, not just because I don’t want any evidence on me, but also because eeew. Red is cool, but come on that didn’t mean I just casually dive in blood. Who knows what kind of diseases the marquis have? Imagine if blood splashed on my eyes or mouth, the disease might get into my system. So yeah, be careful around with blood, people!

Besides that, my precious dagger finally got its first kill! Good for you buddy!

I heaved a satisfied sigh, I exited the carriage and grabbed the lantern from beside the driver, and threw it at the inside of the carriage, the flammable liquid and fire spreading quickly, crawling on the wooden chairs and burning the clothes of the dead Marquis.

I stepped back and extended my hand forward to cast my fireball spell, engulfing the carriage. Not yet satisfied, I cast another.

That should be fine now.

It should burn nicely. I don’t expect they would get rid of the bodies of course. I just want to get rid of a clear picture and make sure I leave nothing that would give the idea that I came here — though unlikely that would be. In short, I just want to be safe, and burning everything down helps a lot! Burn any evidence even if there’s no evidence, you know what I’m saying?

Given that fire is bright as hell in the night, I cast my wind and left the scene quickly and entered the forest while making sure to blow off the tracks I left on the ground.

I did say I would be paying a visit to the Marquis’s family and snuff their candles, but I changed my mind immediately — I did scare him though! Hehe!

Killing the entire family of a household would be more trouble than its worth, the whole resources of the capital might be allocated just to find the perpetrator. Someone capable of killing an entire aristocratic family would cause fears all around, too much trouble. I just have to be satisfied with the Marquis.

I’m a bit sleepy now anyway, time to go home. Aaaah, such a peaceful forest, cool and silent.

Yes silent — but then, there came sounds of shrubs being moved aside. I held my breath and turned towards the direction of the sound, my sleepiness disappeared instantaneously when what seemed like claws were coming at me.

“!”

I pushed out double the mana and blasted my wind to throw me in the opposite direction, barely dodging the sharp razors passing right in front of my face.

I roughly landed on the ground and glared at a strange creature.

It was silver and big, furry and standing on two legs, its ears pointy. Almost looks like I’m looking at a werewolf…?

Thats…

I pulled out my daggers on each hand and formed my stance.

“I know this smell, I smelled you in the festival…”

The beasts slowly turned and gazed at me with sharp eyes. “Princess.”

The fuck, this was too sudden, my face almost got torn apart just a second ago. I never expected they would find me here… Was it alone?

I looked around and immediately returned my eyes to it. It seemed to be alone, but who knows.

It continued speaking. “This is perfect, with you here, I can accomplish the mission myself.”

“... Why are you after me?”

It glowered. “You are a threat to us, that is why we must kill you.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s pointless to tell you, you will die here either way. But curious, what are you doing here?”

“... It’s pointless to tell you, it will only be a waste of breath.”

Pieces of crimson barrier formed in the air and positioned themselves on my arms, legs, torso, and on my back that would serve as my armor.

“Don’t tell me you intend to fight? Hahahaha! I can’t believe my eyes, don’t think a sheltered princess such as you can defeat me.”

I used my physical enhancement to give strength to my body and harden my muscles. Speaking with this guy would be a waste of time, he won’t tell me what I want — then I’ll make him talk later.

With both strengthened legs and wind pushing me, I charged at him with incredible speed. When I got closer, he swung his claws at me, but I dodged it and slipped through to his back and thrust my blade.

“?!”

But something unexpected happened. I ducked when another attack was coming at me and slashed my dagger at him again, but the same thing happened. I can’t pierce him.

His fist hit my barrier, normally my barrier would have eaten the impact, but he was strong, thus to be safe I let the impact push me away. Taking the brunt of the attack would only serve to damage me.

After gaining distance, I looked at my daggers… they were chipped on the edges. I clicked my tongue in annoyance. Good thing I didn’t use my precious blade but only the medium-sized ones.

“Your blades will not get through my fur,” he said haughtily.

His furs were hard and almost seemed like they were steel. That’s just bullshit, how could hairs be hard as steel?! Was it magic again? Fucking magic, shit!

“It is futile if your weapons won’t work on me, what hope do you have?”

I tilted my head and angrily glared at him. Nothing’s ever easy, is it?

I sheathed my daggers and formed my stance, with one fist forward, and one right beside me. If blades won’t work, I’ll just have to shatter the steel protecting him.

“Then I’ll beat you to submission.”