[PoV ???]
"Isn't our job already done?" I protested softly to the three individuals in front of me. "We've given you the information about the orange-haired girl. So why do we still have to keep watching her with you?"
"Shh. Just keep quiet and help us watch her for a while. We promise to increase your reward later," the man in front of me hissed, glaring at me while keeping his eyes fixed on the orange-haired girl and her two companions from behind the building.
"But..." Before I could finish my sentence, my friend placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down.
"Relax," he said cheerfully. "Look at the bright side, my friend. Isn't this great? We're promised a bigger reward just for helping them keep an eye on her for a bit. Besides, we're unemployed. This is a chance to make some good money."
I pursed my lips, not fully agreeing with my friend Patt's statement. However, I chose to respect his decision, knowing that his instincts were often spot on.
"Alright. I'll go along with your idea, Patt."
"That's the spirit, Spogge."
Earlier this morning, while we were out looking for work, a commotion on the streets caught our attention. We approached it and saw several individuals clad in iron armor, clearly soldiers, delivering an announcement with firm and commanding voices.
They were looking for a girl with the following description: orange hair, amber eyes, a beautiful face, pale skin, and a petite frame. The description was an exact match for a girl staying with her two companions at the inn near my house.
I reported the girl's whereabouts to them. They cornered me with countless questions, and I told them to wait in the monster market. I had overheard, with my sharp canine ears, that she and her friends planned to hunt monsters and sell them afterward.
And now, here we were, hiding behind the narrow alley walls with these undercover soldiers, watching the girl and her companions as they chatted on a park bench.
"What are they whispering about?" one of the soldiers asked, noticing the two companions murmuring to each other.
"Probably just sweet words and lovey-dovey nonsense, who knows," Patt responded with a shrug.
"How can you be so sure?" another soldier questioned, squinting at him.
"Use your eyes properly, soldier!" Patt snapped in irritation. "Haven't you noticed how ridiculously affectionate they've been? They're clearly just a couple of love-struck fools."
"Oh, wait, the wolf girl is standing up."
All attention shifted to the wolf girl with piercing golden eyes. What happened next left us frozen in place, our hearts skipping a beat.
The girl scooped up the orange-haired one in a bridal carry.
Without a word, she leaped into the air, landing gracefully on the rooftops before darting away with inhuman speed. She sprinted and leaped across the rooftops, leaving us utterly speechless.
"Ch-chase her!" one of the soldiers shouted, pointing in the direction the wolf girl had gone. "Don't lose track of her!" he commanded his companions.
The other soldiers immediately sprang into action, emerging from their hiding spots and rushing off.
The leader turned his sharp gaze back at us. "You two, hurry and follow them!"
"But we..."
"Four times the reward!"
That shout didn't need any translation. We bolted after the soldiers, driven by the promise of a higher payout.
We'd barely taken a few steps when a black-haired man in a feathered cloak—none other than the companion of the two girls—appeared before us.
A sharp smirk spread across his face as he stood in our way, a knife in one hand and several raven feathers in the other.
"What do you want? We have no business with you," one of the burly soldiers barked in a high-pitched voice that carried across the bustling street.
"Move aside, or we'll have to deal with you harshly!"
But the man remained unmoved, ignoring their threats entirely. Instead, his smirk widened, as though mocking the soldiers, who were clearly stronger than a mere monster hunter like him.
"You... insolent brat!"
One soldier growled in frustration before charging at him with a clenched fist.
"Take this!"
As the punch came within inches of his face, the man effortlessly deflected it with his palm. Then, with a smooth and swift movement, he backhanded the soldier across the face without even closing his fist.
"Argh!"
Before the soldier could react, the man landed a series of rapid punches to his stomach and chest. With a light push of both hands, he sent the soldier flying several meters away.
His movements were so quick that I couldn't quite grasp what had happened. But when I turned to look, the soldier was already sprawled on the ground, unconscious from the deceptively gentle shove.
"Haaaah~"
The man exhaled deeply, raising his hands before slowly lowering them, his breathing controlled. Then, his sharp eyes locked onto us, a mysterious smile curling his lips. He extended his hand and wiggled his fingers, beckoning us forward.
"Come at me," he challenged with a low voice, his smirk barely concealing his amusement.
As we glared at him in anger, the sound of hurried footsteps and an outraged shout reached us. "What's going on here?!"
The voice belonged to the captain of the soldiers, who had just arrived. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of one of his men defeated by the black-haired man.
"How dare you harm my subordinate!"
The captain lunged at him with a clenched fist. With ease, the man sidestepped and countered with an elbow strike to the captain's chin, halting his attack and forcing him to step back.
Before the captain could react, the black-haired man delivered a flurry of light yet precise blows to his solar plexus and head, sending him sprawling backward with his mouth agape, stunned by what had just happened.
Their fight drew the attention of everyone in the park. Curious eyes watched with amazement at the unfamiliar fighting style displayed by the man.
"You... you insolent wretch!"
The captain rose again, his face flushed red, either from anger or embarrassment at being bested so easily.
Drawing their weapons, the captain and his subordinate charged at the man together.
What happened next was a blur of graceful evasion and swift counterattacks. The man dodged every strike with minimal movement, retaliating with strikes that looked gentle yet left his opponents reeling.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
His laughter echoed as he toyed with them, weaving around their blows before landing calculated strikes of his own. The fight quickly turned into an impromptu spectacle for the townsfolk.
After several minutes of fighting, the black-haired man ended the scuffle by incapacitating both soldiers with precise blows to the back of their necks.
"Phew, finally done." The man patted his hands to remove the dirt that was stuck to his hands.
He then turned his gaze towards us. A small grin appeared on his lips, causing us to hug each other in deep fear. Our sweat poured down our cheeks as he started to walk towards us.
"He's coming, Spogge," Patt whispered, trembling.
"W-we're doomed, Patt."
Before the man could reach us, a sharp snap echoed in the air. Suddenly, my head felt light, my vision blurred, and my senses dulled.
Darkness consumed me.
Even though my eyes were open, I could see nothing. No sound reached my ears, and my body felt weightless. I couldn't comprehend what was happening.
****
[PoV Yatagarasu]
"What just happened?" The words escaped my beak—no, my mouth—as I witnessed something strange unfold in the middle of the town. A snap of someone's fingers echoed sharply, cutting through the air.
My eyes widened in shock as I saw the light in people's eyes fade away. They moved away, as if hypnotized by an unseen force, walking with vacant stares and utter silence.
Even the two individuals in front of me, who had been trembling with fear moments ago, suddenly stood up and walked away without hesitation after that snap.
"Hey, what's wrong with you two?" I shouted, calling out to them loudly. But there was no response—not even the slightest acknowledgment of my voice.
Still trying to make sense of what I had just seen, I was startled by the sudden voice of a man. Spinning around quickly, I found myself face-to-face with a stranger standing behind me.
The man had dark blue hair that matched the deep hue of his eyes. His tall, sturdy frame exuded a calm confidence, and his face suggested he was in his early thirties. Despite wearing plain, tattered clothing like a commoner, it was clear this was a disguise.
"Haah~ Useless fools," he muttered with a sigh of exasperation, glancing at the soldiers sprawled out on the ground. "I specifically told them not to draw attention. But no, they just couldn't help themselves."
Turning his gaze to me, he began walking toward me at a relaxed pace.
"Who are you? Are you the one responsible for this?" I barked at him, my voice sharp and demanding.
He didn't answer. Instead, he responded with a cryptic, almost amused smile, which only heightened my unease. My instincts screamed at me that this man was dangerous, so I steadied myself and transformed Muramasa into a spear.
"Answer me, or I'll have no choice but to get rough with you," I warned, lowering my voice to sound more intimidating.
"Oh? Is that how you operate?" he replied casually, his tone carrying not a hint of fear or hesitation. "Relax, friend. I just want to have a little chat."
My jaw clenched as his calm, deliberate strides continued toward me. The closer he got, the more the feathers on the back of my neck seemed to bristle in warning.
Who is this man? And why does his presence feel so overwhelming? Damn it!
The man finally stopped when he saw the spear aimed directly at him. Strangely, he didn't seem perturbed. Instead, he gave me a warm, disarming smile.
"How do you know Linnie?" he asked softly. "What's your connection to her? And who's the wolf girl traveling with you?"
"We only met Linnie by chance while—"
Plak.
I froze mid-sentence, my own hand slapping over my mouth before I could finish the thought.
What the...?
Looking at him, I noticed a faint magical circle hovering in his right hand.
"Impressive," he said cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "You resisted my spell using sheer willpower alone. Not bad."
His words made my eyes widen even further, and cold sweat began to pour down my body.
A spell? Since when? How did he cast a spell on me without me even noticing?
"You seem confused," he continued, still smiling. "But let's save the explanations for later. Shall we have a little talk first?"
With another snap of his fingers, a large magical circle—about five meters in diameter—appeared beneath my feet, glowing a faint green. My heart sank as I stared down at it.
No time to think. I had to act. My grip tightened on the spear, and I charged forward with all the strength I could muster, leaping out of the circle and aiming directly for him.
"Hyahhh!"
The next moment…
Darkness.
What… happened? Did I lose?